Closed Little Distractions (Eshe)

[Zeran]

44th Day of Summer, 513 AV Some said that Lhavit was built on top the mountains of the Unforgiving so that Zintila was as close to her lost domain as Mizahar was capable of. To have had and lost such power would be a cause for longing, in any being, to return to what once was. Zintila was not like many others though. She did not harbour any negativity to her loss. Her fall was optional, during a time so close to the end of the Valterrian, so that she could come to her mother's aid. That is what the Lhavitians said anyway. If it were true, Zeran's respect was her's in its entirety. Others liked to add that it also allowed the Ethaefal to be closer to their God and Goddess. It more applied to Syna, during days such as today. That was exactly where the problem was though. Being high in the mountains provided fresh air, but it also pushed you closer to Syna herself. Today, her light beat down like a stampede, carrying its heat with it. Zeran wasn't usually one to complain about things beyond his control, but it would be appreciated if Syna backed off a little. The cloak acted as a good shield from Syan's onslaught, but it was still an extra article of clothing that also kept any heat in. Holding it overhead had proved effective. It blocked the sunlight and also allowed for any breeze that ran by to brush against him as it passed. Now was the problem of all blood and feeling rushing from his arms and into his torso. It was just one issue after the other. Syna probably found his attempts amusing. It was nice to know that he served as amusement to the Divines if nothing else. "And look who it is!" His attempts at protection had served as a great distraction from his walking. Zeran hadn't even noticed the paving stones that lead the way towards the small Syna shrine until now. She was mocking him, she truly was. Got something to say? Why not say it to me? Zeran couldn't decide if it was a friendly invite or a daring challenge. Still, couldn't hurt to ask. Syna wasn't the type of Goddess to smite him for asking a simple question. The worst she was likely to do was say 'no'. He threw his cloak over his shoulder. The two buildings offered enough shade as he passed between them, noting the herbalists as one of them. It would useful to remember that. He could very well be returning later searching for something that could help with burns. Wasn't there some kind of leaf-juice that would help with that? Hello Vera? Who was Vera anyway? And who was greeting her? Why was he kneeling in front of a shrine to Syna? "You forgotten?" Zeran smiled. "I have forgotten," he laughed lightly. "The heat?" He thought for a moment. "What about it?" He tutted. "Ask Syna about it!" He gasped as realisation hit him, "Perhaps she can turn it down if I ask nicely!" He sighed, "Thank the divines you were given intelligence." The shrine seemed to guide his gaze down, telling him to bow his head. A bit of manners would go a long way. Even with a Goddess. "Would you mind turning the temperature down a bit Syna? Please? It's a bit hot. Thank you!" Turning on his knee and kicking off the floor to stand straight, Zeran walked back down the pathway as if that was it. His request had been made. All that was left was to see if Syna carried through. "When did the sundial get here?" There's no way it could've been built in such a short time as asking a Goddess to turn things down. It must've been there before. That made the most sense. The shadow it cast was very inviting. Perhaps this was Syna taking pity. Zeran was happy to accept it as beads of sweat crept down his face. The opaque skyglass felt cool against his back as he slid down, letting his legs kick out and him fall to the floor. Sitting in the shadow of a sundial. Who said they were only good for telling time? You only needed one big enough to find other uses for it. IT probably made a good slide for kids as well. The surroundings were elaborately dressed with all manner of colourful flowers. Both close to where he sat, and around the paved area. It was cool in the shade, with the lovely scenery around him. Zeran closed his eyes, feeling the breeze over him again. How did I end up in the Sundial Circle?

[Eshe Czardas]

On top of the mountains, one could feel free. They could just stand there and drink in the view. That must've been why Eshe loved Lhavit so much. It was beautiful there, especially the architecture. She ran her hand over the Sundial, sighing. Skyglass. Her gaze fell, arranging the folds of her bright red skirt. The Human was kneeling beside the massive Sundial. Eshe looked up.

What was that?

She peered around the edge, confusion furrowing her brow. There was another person there... How did he escape her notice? She stood, her skirt rustling. It was a man, and his eyes were closed. She didn't like it when their eyes were closed, especially if they talked to her like that. Once again kneeling, but this time in front of him, she placed one hand on his knee.

"Excuse me?"

[Zeran]

The breeze was cool, fresh, as the breeze from the ocean, taking out the salt smell and taste from the air. With his eyes closed, it wouldn't be difficult to believe that the surroundings beyond his eyelids were Ravok. Asides from being on the other side of the map, but that wasn't important at the moment. The movement of flowers and other greenery mimicked the sound of the rippling waves of the canals that ran through Ravok. He missed the city, missed his friends, his family. Zeran, unthinking, brushed his fingers over the brand on the back of his left hand. He would return one day, but he knew he would have to consider what hassle he might get in to for having the brand as well as the possibility that he was still being searched for by the- Something touched his knee. "Ebonstryfe!" Zeran gasped as he jerked his eyes open. He sent out the flash reflexively from his memories, not having time to construct one for the action. Just one person, wearing their uniform, sword in hand, looming overhead. Zeran looked over at the unfortunate individual who would've been on the receiving end of that flash, sending out his auristics to check up on the damage caused. Eyes were good to an extent for working things out, but even the most simple people were able to cover up things they didn't want being noticed. What immediate details his eyes couldn't see, auristics would fill in once it had time to focus. Lean, almost athletic, build, but more evenly spread out suggesting equal use of all her muscles. This woman was either very dedicated to uniform body-building, or was not a fighter and received her build from some other form of activity. He would soon find out enough about her to make a decision as he laughed. "Beware when disturbing a sleeping bear my lady," he said, still snickering as he spoke. "You never know what their first action is going to be and might end up losing your head as a result." Zeran saw no need to ask if the woman was all right. The image that flashed through her mind was unlikely to be anything that she had experienced before in her life, so she'd surely know it was not her own. It shouldn't leave any lasting damage. Though there are people stupid enough to believe anything that they imagine is their own thought. Those people usually have no concept of magic.

[Eshe Czardas]

Eshe yelped as an image of a soldier flashed in her head. That was scary. What did he yell? She replayed the words he said in her head. "Ebonstryfe!" What? And then, after lashing out at her and not even bothering to apologize, he laughed! Eshe made a displeased sound, giving him a glare. "What's so funny, then?" "Beware when disturbing a sleeping bear, my lady. You never knew what their first action is going to be and might end up losing your head as a result." The nerve of him! Her hands curled into fists and were placed angrily on her hips, giving him a glare that she hoped would freeze his blood. Not likely, but she tried. She'd heard of this kind of magic, especially in Alvadas. What was it called? Hypatism? Something like that. The wizards of a second level could shove images into their subject's mind, along with emotions. "Oh yes, and I suppose that my concern over someone just randomly appearing where there wasn't anyone before is wrong. Magician." She practically spat the word out, her hate for magic-users rising up. She remembered her sister, who could've passed for a prodigy in her use of Djed. Their parents favored the child, pampered her and left Eshe to fend for herself. Her eyes were like chips of pale ice, sharp and angry. How dare he take control of her! Eshe stood, skirt swirling. Sleeping bear, indeed.

[Zeran]

Wisps of red smoke lashed up her the woman's arms and body. With each lick of the smoke, more was flung into her surroundings, scattered and slowly dissipating, similar to how water spray hangs in the air after it turns to drift back to the ocean after crashing into the boat. The wisps, reminiscent of flames, curled and slithered in Zeran's direction. They were not happy, and looked they would impale him given half the chance. They were strong negative emotions, anger and hate if he had to guess. Then again, tight fists on hips with a fixated glare should've said that without the need to read what he could of her aura. It was safe to assume that she hadn't suffered anything painful from his accidental hypnosis. Releasing his focus brought the familiar tightening of a headache that was natural with novice aurists. Zeran had become use to the pain, but it was still uncomfortable for a few chimes. He had found that the shorter length of time he focused, the shorter the duration the headache remained. He almost missed his cue to listen as the woman began to speak again. "Sarcasm!" Zeran smiled wider as he realise the tone of her voice, pleased with himself. "I get it now. You wield your words as a weapon well, my lady, unfortunately they hold no real grounding. I made no effort to remain quiet or hidden, neither am I a morpher," he shrugged, "so it is unlikely I went unnoticed by you through any fault of my own." Whilst he enjoyed prodding the sleeping bear himself, and was therefore a hypocrite based on his earlier words-of-wisdom, something seemed off. She had been very quick to anger, much quicker than others. Some people tried to diffuse the situation, or ignore him completely, either reacting at further prodding or walking away. Others actively looked for a fight. Unless his earlier assumption of her build was wrong, Zeran doubted she was looking for a fight. Was their something she was already angry with? If so, Zeran had just unleashed a lot more than he was expecting. I'm going to enjoy this. She stood and he watched her skirt sway in the breeze at the movement. "It is unfortunate that you decorate such a beautiful face with such ugly emotions my lady." He gestured to her face and posture as he spoke. "Although I commend your bravery, or perhaps stupidity, that you not only flag me as a wizard, admitting I am a potential danger, but then proceed to act as such. A woman that stands by her thoughts and beliefs, regardless of the consequences. Am I right in assuming?" He watched her from the shade of the sundial, unsure of what to make of her at this point. Though he was curious as to her thought process, which is why he laced his words with pride as he spoke them. If she were proud of herself for standing up to a potential threat, it might lead to other, more informative things later. Though that was only if she embraced the emotional response. Conversely, she could choose to crush it meaning she would be more determined to act on the insulting speculation as opposed to embracing the response. He raised his hands above his head before saying, "I would suggest you calm down, my lady, I doubt you would want to make a scene of yourself for others to misjudge. I promise you I am not a threat to you." The seeds had been planted. It was only a short time before he would see if they took hold, or if she was set in her quick anger that they would be crushed and discarded.

[Eshe Czardas]

Eshe was startled. She had expected him to yell back, not flatter her. Her expression was open, revealing her confusion. Beautiful? Please. "Although I commend your bravery, or perhaps stupidity, that you not only flag me as a wizard, admitting I am a potential danger, but then proceed to act as such." Eshe spluttered. She was dumbfounded. First he compliments her, then turns it around and insults her!? Who was this man, anyways!? "Wha- Excuse you? You're... Ugh! How- I am disgusted! You try to flatter a woman, and then you stab her in the back with insults! I am not stupid! You are the one who just appeared out of nowhere! And yes, I stand by my thoughts and beliefs, which are solidified by my experiences!" By this time she was screaming, a rage she hadn't felt in a long time. A brief flash of serenity told her that it was from her hatred of wizards, but it was enveloped by her anger. "I would suggest you calm down, my lady, I doubt you would want to make a scene of yourself for others to misjudge. I promise you I am not a threat to you." Once again, Eshe was dumbfounded. This time, though, her anger fizzled out and she collapsed on the ground. Staring at the man in front of her, she whispered quietly, "I'm sorry." A deep sadness took root, that she would let herself be enraged by this man who had done nothing wrong to her, that she'd just barely met him and didn't even know his name. She was making a scene. That was quite embarassing. Clarity returned to her, and she smoothed out the folds in her skirt and blouse and sat like a lady would. Eshe folded her hands in her lap. Lifting one of her delicate limbs, she tucked a lock of dusty blonde hair behind her ear, her posture straight-backed and very, very prim. She prided herself on the fact that she had taught herself to sit nicely.

[Zeran]

Her legs lost their ability to hold her up, or so it seemed. It was equally likely she just let herself fall. Zeran sat in bewilderment, not from the action itself, from the reasons behind the action. His hypnosis had been a mild conditioning. A relaxation and an assurance. 'Calm down', not 'break down'. It was a side effect of hypnosis. The outcome was entirely dependant on the individual in the short-term, how they would respond to the idea. You definitely couldn't plan how a hypnotism was going to go. You could have a goal you were working towards, but you had to be good at improvisation and responding accordingly to get there. Experiences, huh? The word had not gone unheard. Zeran let the word float for a bit, pondering what she meant by that. The idea wasn't difficult, everyone was shaped by their experiences, but she had said 'solidified', implying there was an initial impression that had only grown more truthful. To warrant enough anger to set his ears ringing from screaming, they must've been some bad experiences. But what with? As she set about herself, worrying over appearance, Zeran silently observed. He had done enough for the moment. She'd probably appreciate the silence where he wasn't swapping the meaning of his words on a whim. She looked like she knew what she was doing, each movement as swift and unthinking as the next. She'd practised this. Though it was probably intended for impressions of classier people than a rude wizard, sat in the shade of a sundial, avoiding the heat. "And there you have it, an image fit for an art collector's gallery." The straightness in her back looked unnatural. Like someone had secured a rod to it. That couldn't be comfortable. "Then again, fair warning, I know nothing of art, so it's your choice how you take that comment." Experiences... That posture looks too well practised to be anything but how she usually presents herself to others. I've struck a nerve. Laughing at his own thoughts, Zeran leaned in closer to her. "Very interesting first impression my lady. It seems I've unintentionally sparked something. Let me ask you something. Is it arrogance, indifference or something else that set you off on me? I don't believe that's how you hold yourself with most strangers. And so I'm no longer a stranger, I'm Zeran instead." He seemed incapable of producing a friendly smile. She was stuck with whatever look his mouth would produce.

[Eshe Czardas]

Eshe scoffed, turning her head. She ran what he just said over in her mind, but this time in her own voice and with a sarcastic bite. And there you have it, an image fit for an art collector's gallery. Of course he knew nothing of art. He was a wizard, for goodness' sake. The only art she knew that had to do with magic was in Avanthal, with the Vantha. She loved it there, even though it was freezing. Her mind caught the end of his words, shoving her back into the present. Very interesting first impression, indeed. Why must he lean closer? She did the opposite, adjusting her posture to move further from him. "Let me ask you something. Is it arrogance, indifference or something else that set you off on me? I don't believe that's how you hold yourself with most strangers. And so I'm not longer a stranger, I'm Zeran instead." Zeran. It sounded like a wizard's name. Eshe's mouth twisted up like she had tasted something foul, eyes snapping. "My answer wouldn't satisfy you, so why don't you just use your abilities and root out what you want to hear? You have that kind of skill, no? That was obvious from the first word that came out of your mouth, Zeran." It was a bit harsh, but the girl simply sat straighter and looked down her nose at him. She wouldn't tell him her name, oh no. He could find out if he wanted. She had remembered the name of his type, they were Hypnotists. They could take control of the mind and play with it like a toy. Eshe sneered. That was one of the worst kinds of magic.

[Zeran]

Zeran slumped back against the sundial with a audible thump, resting his hand on his chin and thumb on his lips as he thought. This one was so confusing it was funny, swinging her attitude like a flail. From screaming to apologetic to defiant. She may come to regret that defiance though, as bravery and stupidity was still only a hair's breadth away from each other. She was inviting him to try dig for any information he wanted. "You seem to believe that I can force you to say anything you don't want to, my lady." He bundled up his cloak, throwing it behind his head as a makeshift pillow. "I assure you that is not the case, even at my most powerful. I only have the ability to make you want to tell me, and I have to do it strategically. Admittedly, a hypnotists effectiveness is reduced when the receiver is aware of their capabilities." Zeran lost his smile, fixing the woman with a deadpan stare. "Hypnotism is deadly for its subtlety, to make others want what the hypnotist wants them to want. Or, I can shatter your mind an obsession so great it's all you think about until your heart gives. He means it. The sudden thought was set to follow the flash, showing nothing more than the woman curled tightly in the fetal position with a blank look on her face. Zeran smiled again, laughing as he explained. "You are aware of my power, so I have no need for subtlety, which only leaves the other avenue. Think carefully next time before you let a hypnotist play with your mind. You'd do well to remember that." Pulling his legs in, Zeran leaned forward once again, though not as close. Eyes no longer emotionless and smile no longer maniacal. His features and voice took on a lighter tone, almost friendly had his eyes not been so wide. When he spoke again, it was as if he had no memory of the past chime. Or he chose to ignore it. "How do you know if your answer would or wouldn't satisfy me? I'm pretty sure that's for me to decide," he laughed. "But I'll be fair and ask something simpler first. If you could tell me your name, please?" The strain in his eyes and ache in his jaw were beginning to creep in, gripping every muscle with a claw. Though the methods he had been using didn't require a lot of djed to perform, he had used a lot in a short space of time. Hopefully his last push would reveal something from the woman. He had to admit though, she was a fun challenge. It was a game to see which of the two broke first now.

[Eshe Czardas]

"-it's all you think about until your heart gives." He means it. She knew from the practices with her sister that the thought was not her own. Especially the image that came after it. Eshe focused her gaze on him, trying to put so much weight on her words that it was nearly physical. "Stop it." She was aware of his power, yes. But she would try her hardest to keep him from invading her mind, even though she had invited him to try. He leaned forwards again, but his expression had changed. He seemed... Friendly, almost. But his eyes were much too wide. It was strange, how he seemed to completely forget the past chime. Did she care if her answer satisfied him? No, he was a wizard and she was disgusted by his kind. He wanted her name? She felt almost compelled to tell him, but wanted so badly to resist. Her jaw clenched, but she succumbed to the hypnosis. "E-Eshe Czardas." Shyke. She hadn't meant to tell him her name. It was obvious he was casting something over her. She felt like someone had replaced her thoughts with cotton, or fog. Tears rose in Eshe's eyes. She remembered this, and hated it. "Stop controlling me. Just stop it. You... You're cruel. I- I'll report you, don't think I won't." Her own words weren't reinforced with any kind of magic, but there was lots of meaning behind them. Eshe had almost choked on them, but refused to lift a hand to wipe away the water blurring her sight. She wouldn't show any physical weakness, even if her emotions had been shaken up.