The Heart that Darkens

by **Neyasi Tillandsia** on January 20th, 2014, 7:33 pm

Neyasi slowly followed Venser into his house, glancing around as she entered, and slipping to the side to allow the door to close behind her. She examined the room, as she followed Venser over to where he stood. She had no doubt, after turning a scrutinizing gaze on him, that he was indeed drunk, at this point. She'd had no idea that wine was so potent as this.

She listened to his slurred, stuttered words, eyebrows knitting together in serious thought, watching him. As he put his head to the head, Neyasi slid delicately into the chair beside him, folding her arms against the table, glancing at him every other moment or so. Yes, he was drunk. Drunk, and exhausted. Naturally, the two couldn't coincide peacefully, this Neyasi knew from experience, sadly. Curiously, she wondered what could possibly drive the young man to deprive himself of sleep and soberness at the same time? "Men who drink endlessly with no end to consciousness are haunted men, Neyasi." The familiarity of the ghost of a voice brought another swift pang to her heart, but she stifled it.

As Venser spoke again, she turned her full attention on him. Did she enjoy Ravok? Neyasi, for a few moments, at a loss for a response to this question. Of course, it wasn't terrible, but she'd only just arrived. She'd heard many unencouraging things about the city on the lake, some of which had come from Vordinan himself. But so far, it did seem to be a fairly normal city, aside from the snide looks she got on the street. But that wasn't uncommon.

"It's not bad." The young Symenestra finally consented to speak a neutral answer on the matter, half-afraid of offending her temporary guide of the city, though perhaps it would mean little to him in his drunken state. Or, it could invoke a far more irrational response from him than was natural. No, it was better to skip around the question, in this instance.

by **Venser Rush** on January 20th, 2014, 10:53 pm

Her answer told him nothing, and the opinion that Venser began to form in his mind, slowly melting away under the pressure of both sleep and drink whittled away any follow up questions he had, for the moment. Instead, he conjured what was left of his consciousness and focused upon the Symenestra herself. She seemed to be concerned, the way she looked away and back at Venser giving him the impression that she felt pity for him. It was not an expression he was unfamiliar with, those that attended the "funeral" held for his and Verin's father had been rife with it. Concerned, elderly women that had known the Rush twins for their entire lives, mourning friends of their father, who had quickly left the scene after offering condolences. The concept of pity was one that, in any other scenario, infuriated the young man, but at the moment, he felt that it was needed.

There was a sense of comfort in the Symenestra's presence, the sort of animosity that arose in the presence of Ravokians, some that still looked down upon Venser for committing murder, others that held both fear and appreciation for what he had done. The Symenestra showed neither of these, instead demonstrating what he interpreted as mild curiosity and present concern. "Then, you haven't been here long enough." Venser had forgotten that he bumped into the woman just as she arrived, the impression that he had met her at the bar rising up as he says, "It's a nightmare, it is. A place where the... the scholarly go to die. The o-only one I've se-en left alive is old Mikayas the c-carver. Nice man, he is. The rest of Ravok's dedicated to... Rhy-Rhysol. It's an empty pit, that sort of faith." It was Venser's first time expressing his true opinion on the God. Betrayal, or something, from what he had heard from Verin. Evil. Dark. Their piety seemed nonsensical to him.

Venser adjusted his place in his seat, allowing a small smile to materialize upon his expression as his eyes locked gazes with hers, "You seem like a decent sort for a Symenestra." The compliment, if it could be called so, seemingly came out of nowhere, but Venser was glad for her presence. Being alone in this place never bode well for him. Venser had even hypothesized that it was haunted at some point, but he didn't know enough about the subject to really know. "Maybe we can be friends? I... I think I need one of those."

by **Neyasi Tillandsia** on January 21st, 2014, 10:30 pm

Neyasi let loose a small sound, similar to a sigh, but a bit more like a snort, sort of a mix of both, as she hunched forward, tracing shapes into the surface with one nail, listening to him speaking in a slurred tone. As he spoke of Rhysol, she glanced over at him. He didn't follow that faith? Thank goodness. At the very least, she didn't have to worry about getting her throat slit unexpectedly, at least in his presence. Hopefully.

Neyasi gave a slight smile as he spoke of her decency, deciding to ignore the racial discrimination that came along with it. "Thank you." She said said quietly. It was, perhaps, one of the more honest things she'd ever been told. Maybe she was decent, for a Symenestra. Neyasi had yet to find out exactly what other people thought of Symenestra on sight. And, from the way he spoke, she might not be pleased, but, she would have to learn eventually.

Neyasi had just turned her head to continue tracing shapes, before Venser made his final query. Neyasi paused, eyebrows knitting together in deep thought. A friend... Neyasi was reminded of some of the Symenestra she'd called friends back home. But it's not home... Not anymore. Neyasi reminded herself. The only real friend she'd made since setting out had been Vordinan... And what if the same thing happened to a new friend that had happened to Vordinan?

Neyasi's heart tightened at the thought of burying another friend. But still, looking at the state Venser was in, Neyasi thought back to earlier thoughts. It seemed to her that Venser did need a friend. After another moment's thought, she spoke. "Alright. I guess we can be friends." She said, turning her ruby-red gaze on him once more.

by **Venser Rush** on January 22nd, 2014, 9:52 am

The chilling anticipation that set into the young man's bones as he awaited her answer was mind-breaking. Venser had made very few friends in the city of Ravok, and since the murder a year before, none had stuck around to support him. Like flame dissipating in the wind, their warmth left with the last breaths of Venser's hated father. It wasn't my fault! He'd attacked me first! I... defended... The boy had never been given the opportunity to complete his explanations.

His excuses. His... lies. In truth, Venser had wanted his father to die. He had wished for it with the depths of his despair. In the pits of his hatred. In the overflowing wastes of his pain, he had manifested such desire. Of course, the boy didn't share this. He doubted that he could form the eloquent wording to do so. A divergence had formed between his mental faculties and his physical actions, and he knew not exactly what came out of his mouth, her words of agreement and acceptance reaching her, but only just. It took him a moment to understand that she had indeed accepted his offer of friendship, "W-wait... really?"

A grin materialized upon the Rush twin's features, his hands capturing the Symenestras, raising them up and down rather quickly in an odd, and utterly involuntary show of celebration. He pulled her into the briefest of hugs as weight seemed to lift from his shoulders. Without him being conscious of it, Venser's stress seemed to lift, and with it came an admission, "I'm so glad! No-no one wants to be my friend, anymore. I spend... nearly a-all my time alone." Another measure of sadness filled his expression as his thoughts returned, clouded as they were, Even Verin seems to seek his company elsewhere. But, I'm happier without him! I don't need him! If he had spoken the words aloud, there would be no doubt of their insincerity, the younger of the twins unable to persuade even himself of the lie. The twins were nothing without one another.

Thoughts moved through the blurred mess that was his mind, switching topics abruptly once more as he switched his focus to his new friend, the grin, which had faded into nearly a frown, resurfacing once again. "Anyway, d-do you have any friends back home?" Venser was fighting a losing battle against sleep at this point, but he wished to learn more about his friend before she inevitably left him, Like the rest...

by **Neyasi Tillandsia** on January 27th, 2014, 5:02 pm

Neyasi tilted her head, watching him. It seemed to her that Venser was fighting a losing battle, as he spoke stutteringly to her. "Yes. Really." She said, almost unaware of the words slipping out of her own mouth.

She paused, watching him, as he forced out another sentence. She could see the exhaustion dragging at him like a heavy weight, and she knew he would not be able to stay awake much longer. His question took her by surprise. Do I have any friends? She asked herself, rather sadly. Do I even have a home? No. She had no home. She'd given up that privilege a good while ago.

But she'd had a friend. "I... had a friend. A good friend. But he's... He's gone now." Neyasi said, rather quietly. Because of me. She added silently, believing it with all her heart. But she dared not speak it aloud. She hardly dared to try and make another friend, lest he be wrenched away from her as Vordinan was.

by **Venser Rush** on January 30th, 2014, 4:55 pm

Venser stared at his new friend with glossy, unfocused eyes, his hands strung out on the table in front of him as he let a slow nod move his head. She was like him, a lost person, friendless in the world. He allowed a gentle smile to grace his features as he muttered, "You seem to t-travel, though. You'll find o-others. A-at the least, I'm your friend."

The dreariness seemed to have faded from his features, replaced by sheer exhaustion as he rested his head on the table, a soft sigh escaping him. He silently wondered to himself how the Symenestra felt, so far from her home, isolated from the world due to her... abnormalities. In Ravok, to be a foreigner was to be a target. A great many were robbed, or at the very least, judged relentlessly. Citizens were granted a tremendous amount of protection, but foreigners? Cast to the side. The lake city eternally shrouds itself in its isolation. The enigma is not meant to be extended to the 'inferiors' of other locations, and races.

Venser managed one last smile at the Symenestra girl before his eyes closed entirely, his breathing slowing as his brain slowly shut off its sensory input, driving Venser into the darkness. It welcomed him, blessing him with its finality.

by **Neyasi Tillandsia** on February 9th, 2014, 3:13 am

Neyasi gave a slight smile, lips not parted enough to reveal her fangs, watching him. A friend... That was exactly what she needed, when she thought about it. Could he be her friend? Perhaps. Though, she had to admit, he had seemed more of a friend-material before he had gotten his first bout of alcohol. "Yes... I suppose you are." She said, tilting her head.

She watched him drifting off into sleep, her smile broadening. He needed the sleep. Anyone could see that, at a glance. With some level of awkwardness, Neyasi patted the top of his head, allowing her to rest her own chin on one arm, though she felt far from sleep. There was something niggling in the back of her brain, but she pushed it away. She did not need her personal issues at the moment.

by **Abstract** on February 11th, 2014, 6:40 pm

Grade Awarded!

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Venser

Award :

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Neyasi

Award :

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Notes

Neyasi, your quick description of Ravok isn’t that accurate. Sure it’s not a truly pleasant place, but some parts are quite nice. Also, it doesn’t draw Nuit. That’s Sahova. People are a little creeped out by Nuit, and scared of them… y’know, stealing bodies and all that.

Venser, I think he’d see a few more Kelvics than one… Ravok actually has quite the population, with the KRI, and more than a few slaves.

Ooh… Venser got quite close to heresy in one of your posts… You know, the scholarly don’t do so badly in Ravok. Maybe Venser’s not looking hard enough. But he’s drunk, so I can’t complain. I wish he knew that all his prayers to Harameus went to Rhysol… Watching him drunk was very amusing, though. You did well on that

Not too much to give overall, though.

Flashback The Heart that Darkens