Open Keep the Faith

[Laszlo]

Fall 79th, 512 AV Mid-morning. He was greeted with a smile. "Laszlo." Sakana Dai looked up from his desk at his fellow Synaborn, standing in the doorway of the alchemy lab. Though he brightened, Laszlo wore a dim but polite expression on his shadowed features. The sun was at his back, transforming the Ethaefal into a silhouette, mimicking an eclipse. It was ill-fitting for such a creature. Then again… perhaps there was another shadow he couldn't see. "How good to see you. I trust your journey went well?" Laszlo nodded. "It was fine. I'm relieved to be back." One had to struggle to hear any sincerity in his voice at all. It didn't seem as though he was lying; more, it was as if his words had no meaning. Sakana rose from his desk and began to move toward a collection of vials and papers on the adjacent side of the room, organized across a long table. Laszlo was here for a reason. Best not to keep him waiting. "I've been back for a few days, actually," Laszlo added, with the tone of a confession. It made Sakana move his head in acknowledgement, but the statement was absorbed without offense. "It's merely taken me a while to find my way back here." "Oh?" Laszlo's least favorite word. He wasn't expecting Sakana's inquiry, nor could he tell whether interest was feigned. The four-centuries old Ethaefal was a master at being aloof and indecipherable. Though he looked young and full of vitality, subtle nuances about the way he carried himself showed the weight of ages. When Sakana's eyes were placed on Laszlo, he could only think of everything those eyes must have seen. The alchemist could no doubt see right through him. And yet, because of their shared origins, there was an unspoken, if untested kinship between them. Sakana treated him like a brother he only saw on special occasions. Laszlo regarded Sakana with respect, and something like apprehension. To know that an Ethaefal had lasted this long on Mizahar… "Mitigating circumstances," Laszlo replied curtly, looking away. The answer made Sakana look over his shoulder while he organized a parcel for Laszlo. He turned back to his work, nodding. "I understand." Eventually, Sakana produced a roll of papers with a vial encased inside, then crossed his otherwise vacant lab and handed the package to Laszlo. "Twilight Tower, if you please." Laszlo nodded and took the parcel, then turned to leave. "Take care, Sakana." Sakana put a hand on Laszlo's shoulder, coaxing him to pause. Laszlo swiveled his head and looked his fellow Ethaefal in his impossibly deep eyes. The alchemist smiled and gave an encouraging nod. "Keep the faith, Laszlo." Looking more startled than surprised, Laszlo's expression soon softened and warmed. "I will." Lhavit was a quieter place during the daytime hours. The star-loving natives preferred Zintila's expanse above them, lighting their skyglass city into a dazzling array of irridescent glows. They chose a nocturnal life, but Laszlo was still aligned to a more traditional cycle from travel. Sakana too, being so closely connected to sunlight, appeared to prefer the daytime. It was easier, Laszlo thought, to cross the city when it was more vacant and peaceful. OOCLaszlo's making a trip from the Sharai Peak, across the Zintia, to the Sartu. Feel free to drop in.

[Kenept]

Kenept Oraji 79th Fall 512 AV Streets of Lhavit Each morning, Kenept was usually awake before the sun had come up. And each morning, Kenept found himself sitting in a small green space in The Sharai, watching the livestock roam around and to watch the sun come up from the east. This morning was no different than any other. He enjoyed the peaceful, calm life down in The Sharai, away from the busy life in the rest of Lhavit. He had not gotten used to the life of the city and their odd hours of rest and wake that everyone else in Lhavit liked to live by. He was also still resting from his journey across Kalea, and recovering from the loss of his brother. It was hard for him, to lose his best friend and have to make it on his own, anew, one right after the other. This peace-time in the field let Kenept think about what he needed to do. With his head clear, and the sun mostly up, Kenept decided that it was about time to head back to the main part of Lhavit. He wasn't sure what was in store for the day, but that could be figured out later. As for now, he was going to miss the serenity that the fields had to offer. As he walked back toward the bridge leading to the Zintia, he was passing by the Alchemists Lab. As he was passing by, the door opened suddenly and a man appeared in front of Kenept. This appearance happened so fast that he had little time to react, almost running into the other. "Woah..." Kenept said out of surprise. "Sorry, I uh... didn't see you..." he said as he backed up. The first thing that Kenept noticed about this man was that he was more than just a man, he was an Ethaefal. Kenept had been running into quite a few Ethaefal since he had been here. If he kept this trend up, he may just be able to learn something more about them. The next thing that he saw was that the man was carrying a package of some sort. What kind of package would an Alchemist be sending, and where would it be going. Perhaps it was just something for this individual, or maybe he was running an errand for the Alchemist. Either way, it was none of Kenept's business at the moment, so he quickly moved his eyes off of the package, and onto the man before him. Hopefully, he had not seen his glance at the parcel in his hands.