Soulday, the 15th of Stargazing 3725

Last eve was...intense.

I finally was able to catch Phenix near his home in Irontoes East, and we stepped inside his room to talk. As usual, he offered me a drink; its becoming almost customary for us to stop and have a drink together each time we see each other, I suppose that's just what pirates do when they socialize, however he has been drinking wine as well lately, rather than the fierce ales he stocks.

The conversation was long, and there were many times Phenix stopped me, saying that it all sounded impossible. However, there were little things he said that made everything fit together even more perfectly than before.

He was clearly overwhelmed by everything I told him - who wouldn't be really. I really was unable to tell what affected him more...hearing that he had failed to protect this woman he barely remembers or the fact that some being took him from their child, possibly to bring the girl pain.

Of course, I did not tell him his daughter's name, I only mentioned that the D`Narin's thought I should meet her. And I did not tell him exactly what Brodis was, nor the fiend's name...

But, he knows him.

We...had a bit of an argument at the end. He was upset, because he seemed to make a connection with everything I told him, but he just didn't want to believe it. Phenix got even more upset when I told him I was still looking into the matter - he was basically just going to run and hide from everything.

Knowing what I did, I honestly could not agree with that thought pattern, because I knew if this Brodis ever decided to check up on Phenix, so to speak...well, things might get quite dangerous, and running away from it may just get others hurt...like his daughter.

We started arguing even more, as he didn't think I had any idea about what we might be dealing with. I...explained as best I could without saying what Brodis was, telling him I knew the nature of the beast a bit better than I wished to. I neglected to mention that the knowledge was...a bit of a sudden thing, but I didn't need him any more upset than he already was.

It was then he made it clear he knew who I was talking about.

"I don't know how much power you think you hold, but please Avaria, I think I KNOW how powerful this thing is..."

The silence after was damn deafening. He looked away, as if ashamed to admit that all of this insanity was making sense to him, which is really what he said next.

I suppose I loose all measure of tact when I become emotional. Though I was trying to tell him I understood what it's like to remember things that couldn't possibly have happened, for some reason it came out wrong and we ended up in another heated argument.

He's...asked several times about who I am, and I've always avoided the questions because I really don't know. There's the things I know from experience, and from what Faeadaen's told me about my childhood, but there are pieces that just don't fit.

He said he had no idea if I could empathize or not, because he didn't know me. I was at rather a loss for words, and just told him that made two of us, and that perhaps I knew him better than I knew myself.

Surprisingly, he realized exactly how delicate a subject he had found, and asked if I was alright. No, of course I'm not alright - he can get all the answers to his past, I can't...it's not fair; but I didn't say that, I just told him I would help him find out because it could be done.

For the next few minutes, he pressed to know what else there was I could do to help him, and I avoided the subject. He's worried, he knows that whatever it is, its dangerous. He told me to not screw it up, because he didn't want to be out a drinking partner.

It was then it occurred to me that I'd nearly broken the glass I had been using, the thin cracks painfully obvious in the glass. Phenix didn't care, and despite me weak grip on his wrist, he believed I'd been angry enough to have caused them.

He had become quite restless at that point, and asked if we could go out and do something. By then I was absently toying with the green fire I'd learned to call up...he said it was oddly calming, an echo to my own thoughts once my attention was upon it.

I agreed, and called him Stormryder instead of Phenix. He practically begged me not to use the name, and I told him it would just be something between the two of us...and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

I made him blush. That surprised me.

It was hard to remain focused on our hunt, as my mind kept drifting back to the things I needed to acquire for the ritual to summon Brodis. There are only a few more things I need, all of them easily found in the Consortium or through the various markets. The hardest is the blood of a demon, but I am sure that I can find someone who hunts them in the Enchanted Lands to bring me a vial or two back.

Perhaps I should go out and find a spot to attempt this from...I have a good idea of where, actually. I just need to make sure there is enough room for the ritual.

Maybe tonight I'll try it...if I can find that blood...