Completed When One Faces Oneself

Kelski is faced with her younger happier self from an alternative reality.

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While Sylira is by far the most civilized region of Mizahar, countless surprises and encounters await the traveler in its rural wilderness. Called the Wildlands, Syliran's wilderness is comprised of gradual rolling hills in the south that become deep wilderness in the north. Ruins abound throughout the wildlands, and only the well-marked roads are safe.

When One Faces Oneself

Postby Kelski on November 6th, 2019, 4:34 am

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65th of Fall, 519 A.V.

Sometimes the space on the mountain top that her Starfire Key gave her access to drew her. Kelski often had no idea why this happened or even how. She just had urges to move from the space she normally occupied in the Empyreal Demesne and step into the Dominion that the God Leth had granted her. She would not have even known what it was without Xhyvas stepping in and marking her. Then Nysel had appeared and gave her a new purpose.

It was a special place, a safe place, even before she’d been approached in by two Gods and marked within. And it was the place she’d stockpiled for emergencies, and it was a place she fled to in order to be alone. She’d never even shared the place with Dessarian. She would have to though, and soon, for the longer she kept the secret of her new charge, the longer she’d be keeping secrets. Secrets were in her nature, but this newest one was something she’d have to share. It was a duty she’d soon have to tell the Guild about because she’d been charged with recruiting them for the task as well.

So, when she felt the pull to the Dominion, Kelski didn’t hesitate to pick up her backpack, sling it on, and pull out her Starfire Key. She held the key up from its chain around her neck and mimicked unlocking a door. Once she turned the key, a luminous light had traced the outline of a door in the center of the Workshop she’d been standing in and invited her to step through it by grasping the handle and pushing it open. She did so, stepping in, and shut the door behind her. Dess was sleeping… and the last thing she wanted to do was have him discover the Dominion with the door wide open before she’d gotten a chance to actually tell him about it.

The Dominion was unchanging. It resembled the top of a mountain, wind blowing, in the twilight of evening… stocked with supplies. There was a firepit in the center that was blazing with a silvery magical fire that was unholy unnatural. Kelski sat down before the fire, a flat rock placed there that was constantly heated by the warmth there. She stared into the flames, opening her mind, and relaxing. She sat up straight with her legs folded beneath her, and began deeply breathing. She let her energy settle, her djed rise, and her eyes drift shut. Clearing her mind in the meditation, Kelski wanted to let her mind discuss with her whatever it wanted to discuss. She didn’t want to focus on one problem or another. A call like this was rare, but something she was definitely looking forward too.

She sat there a long time, listening to the crackle of the silver flames and inhaling the moist mist of the mountain top. She could hear waves crashing far below the peak she meditated on. Wind teased her finer hairs, causing her main of ombre locks to dance around her. It was warm, peaceful, and just the sort of location the Sea Eagle needed to truly relax.

Hattie had talked to her about meditation. Gilthas had reinforced the conversation. Both individuals insisted that when she meditated, she’d make herself smarter because she’d connect to her consciousness and get to know herself better. She’d relax her muscles and when she did that it would relieve stress and that would slow her aging. Aging wasn’t something she had to worry about any longer, but she did fight anxiety which was a big factor with all the things she had to worry about.
Last edited by Kelski on November 25th, 2019, 5:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
Image
They laugh at me because I am different.
I laugh at them because they are all the same.


Painted Sky Jewelry (The Wildlands) | Crossroads Jewelry (The Outpost)
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Kelski
Freedom is earned. Fight for it.
 
Posts: 1598
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Joined roleplay: July 3rd, 2014, 11:08 pm
Location: The Wildlands of Sylira & The Empyreal Demesne
Race: Kelvic
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Medals: 11
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When One Faces Oneself

Postby Kelski on November 6th, 2019, 4:36 am

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More importantly though, she found that meditation increased her focus and made her more aware of being present in the moment. She also learned faster when she meditated more. It was an unexpected benefit Kelski had noticed immediately. She was also less moody, more open to compassion and that made living with humans easier. When Kelski spent time with herself, she was more likely to spend time with others. It was an unexpected benefit – quality time not stressful time. And truthfully, she got along better with The Gem, who had also started meditating.

So, the Kelvic cleared her mind, watched her breathing, and existed in the moment, letting her mind drift. As usual, her mind went crazy. It was how that worked. She would sit comfortably, close her eyes, and focus on her breathing. She always picked a spot – usually her belly button – and inhaled and exhaled focusing on her breath. Her mind always wandered. She’d start thinking about what she was going to eat next, what work was sitting on her bench needing completion, where Dess was, and if the guild was happy. Anything and everything tumbled into her mind. She’d let it roll through a bit, then focus her attention back on her breathing. When her mind went crazy again, she’d focus on the breathing. If she did this long enough, it’d stay emptier and emptier longer. And each time she went through a longer patch of relaxation and emptiness, she’d feel a little bit better.

The drifting was amazing… and as long as she held out through the parts where her brain was crazy and slid back into the parts where she was empty and relaxed… it paid off. Eventually she got to an empty mind, drifted, and felt her whole form relax. It was almost a relief and she could feel her emotions lifting, her spirit lightening, and things overall draining of stress immediately. And in that space, she drifted, happy, settling into the comfortable silence.

She didn’t know how long she sat there, mind empty, before a giggle in front of her caused her to slowly open her eyes. A child stood before her. The girl was lithe with luminous silver eyes and hair that ran deep ebony to pale white at its tips. Kelski had the hardest time judging age, but she recognized the face. It was her own, only younger, and she stood on the other side of a cauldron that was set down into the silvery fire.

“Play with me.” The younger Kelski said, her face eager and open, hopeful that her older self would comply.

It was not something she’d ever would have said as a child. The thought made her frown, which caused the little girl on the other side of the cauldron to laugh.

“I’m not really you. I mean, I’m not the you that was stolen and taken, beaten and starved… I’m not the you that wore a collar and bowed to the whims of your selfish masters. I am the you that grew up with Dessarian. He is mine and I am his. He won’t let me bond, not yet, but he is around enough telling me stories and teaching me to fight with my hands. Today I spent the day having tumbling lessons with him. It was the most fun day ever. I love my tumbling lessons. And I just knew when I took my meditation lessons that I would come find you… my sadder older self. My side that was stolen and lost… and cheer her up.” The little girl said, her face open and happy. She looked like she’d never been truly hurt, lost or afraid ever.
Image
They laugh at me because I am different.
I laugh at them because they are all the same.


Painted Sky Jewelry (The Wildlands) | Crossroads Jewelry (The Outpost)
User avatar
Kelski
Freedom is earned. Fight for it.
 
Posts: 1598
Words: 2015452
Joined roleplay: July 3rd, 2014, 11:08 pm
Location: The Wildlands of Sylira & The Empyreal Demesne
Race: Kelvic
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Plotnotes
Medals: 11
Featured Character (1) Featured Thread (2)
Mizahar Grader (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) Donor (1)
One Thousand Posts! (1) One Million Words! (1)
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When One Faces Oneself

Postby Kelski on November 6th, 2019, 4:37 am

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Kelski simply stared, confused, and softly said…. “I don’t understand.”

The little girl tossed her head at the same time she hissed, and it was a gesture so familiar to Kelski it caused her spine to stiffen. “There are other realities. You live in one. I live in another. I’m here for you… you need me. And in a way, I need you. You are harder, stronger, fiercer than I am. I will need that strength as I grow up. Just like you will need my joy and love as you settle into your bond.” The little girl Kelski said.

The Sea Eagle hissed and shook her head. “I’d believe this was a drug or liquor induced vision, but this is my Peak and so many things have happened here that aren’t readily explained but true. Okay… I’m going to believe this… and believe in you. How do you want to play today?” Older harder Kelski asked, dragging her hand through her hair and wishing she’d tied it back before she’d decided to come here.

The girl child smiled. “We are going to brew.” She said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. She tapped the enormous cauldron in front of her, set over the silver flames, and said… “Put something in there you value… something you love and need.” The child said, her silver eyes earnest.

Kelski nodded at the vision of her younger self. The Kelvic didn’t have a lot on her, but her backpack contained a shocking assortment of abnormalities. She started to reach for it, but the motion of her twisting to one side made her feel Pitch sheathed at her back. The Kelvic paused, changed directions, and pulled her beloved dagger out of its sheath at the small of her back. The dagger gleamed black in her hand and she gently reached out and set it in the cauldron. Immediately a frothy liquid, bubbling happily, began to mysteriously fill the cauldron.

Kelski watched, wide-eyed, as the little girl clapped in delight. “Oh Pitch! I don’t have him in my life yet. I might never have him. I don’t need him like you do. But I’m so glad to see him for a moment.” She said, then swung an identical backpack off her back that mirrored the one Kelski wore. She opened the flap, rummaged around in it, and pulled out a vial of what appeared to look like soulmist to Kelski.

The little girl uncapped the vial of soul mist and dumped it into the bubbling brew that had filled the cauldron and swallowed pitch whole. The soulmist swirled into the liquid, its dark color going from deep blue to a luminous glittering pale blue. It bubbled happily for a few moments and then the liquid began to vanish, either evaporating or draining in some hidden unseen plug at the bottom.

Kelski stared at what was left in the bottom. It was still Pitch, but it glimmered with soulmist, as if the soulmist had infused itself into the blade permenently.

The little girl version of Kelski smiled. "Infused for good. He will always hurt ghosts for you." She said, astoot and satisfied. "Next... lets do another." She exclaimed, seemingly having a good time.
Image
They laugh at me because I am different.
I laugh at them because they are all the same.


Painted Sky Jewelry (The Wildlands) | Crossroads Jewelry (The Outpost)
User avatar
Kelski
Freedom is earned. Fight for it.
 
Posts: 1598
Words: 2015452
Joined roleplay: July 3rd, 2014, 11:08 pm
Location: The Wildlands of Sylira & The Empyreal Demesne
Race: Kelvic
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Plotnotes
Medals: 11
Featured Character (1) Featured Thread (2)
Mizahar Grader (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) Donor (1)
One Thousand Posts! (1) One Million Words! (1)
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When One Faces Oneself

Postby Kelski on November 6th, 2019, 4:39 am

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The little girl giggled, plucked out the item, and said… “Lets do it again! This is fun.” She said, setting what she’d retrieved from the bottom of the cauldron off to the side. “Put something else in… do it!” She urged, obviously a bit spoiled and used to getting her way. Her demeanor wasn’t mean, just confident an full of a self-awareness usually not seen in young people. She knew what she wanted, this little alternative self. And interestingly enough, Kelski wasn’t inclined to deny her.

The Nightstalker finished her original motion, sliding off the backpack and rummaging around in it. She soon pulled forth a metal skull. It was a huge thing, perhaps a python or larger, though its head was more wedge shaped and it seemed to have a hundred sharp metallic teeth but no fangs. “I killed this with Vasin below Sunberth. I think it was made with magic. It lived and was metal… I’d seen nothing like it ever.” Kelski told the child, who’s eyes widened and then she grinned with delight.

Kelski set the skull in the bottom of the cauldron with a resounding metal chime. The creature’s skull was almost the size of her own. It had been terrifying while alive. It was still scary dead. The little girl leaned over the cauldron, delight crossing her face. “It was animated and given a soul? How lovely!” She said, then opened her own backpack. She rummaged around in what appeared to be a mirror image of Kelski’s own bag and pulled out a batwing. The cauldron was already filling with liquid that was swallowing the huge head within it. The batwing was consumed as well. Next the girl pulled out a jar. She popped the top and grinned. “Brains. Human!” She said with a grin and dumped the contents of the jar into the cauldron that was already bubbling with dark liquid.

The Sea Eagle started to grow nervous. This might be a really bad idea. She had no idea what was going on and what the cauldron was actually doing to her things. However, it seemed the younger version of herself wasn’t done. She rummaged around in the backpack again and pulled out a bundle of three candles. The candles were etched with sigils and magical runes. They practically glowed with power. One was black, one was brown, and the final one was pink.

Kelski the child said… “Candles have power… especially if they were made with power. And colored candles have even more power.” The little girl said as she tossed the items into the cauldron as well. Much like the human brains and batwing, the candles were received and absorbed deep into the liquid. It bubbled happily for a while and then much like the previous batch had done, the liquid either began to evaporate or drained mysteriously out the bottom. It revealed something at the bottom of the cauldron.
Image
They laugh at me because I am different.
I laugh at them because they are all the same.


Painted Sky Jewelry (The Wildlands) | Crossroads Jewelry (The Outpost)
User avatar
Kelski
Freedom is earned. Fight for it.
 
Posts: 1598
Words: 2015452
Joined roleplay: July 3rd, 2014, 11:08 pm
Location: The Wildlands of Sylira & The Empyreal Demesne
Race: Kelvic
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Plotnotes
Medals: 11
Featured Character (1) Featured Thread (2)
Mizahar Grader (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) Donor (1)
One Thousand Posts! (1) One Million Words! (1)
Sunberth Seasonal Challenge (1) Power Fork (1)

When One Faces Oneself

Postby Kelski on November 6th, 2019, 4:41 am

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At the bottom of the cauldron, once the bubbling brew receded, a metallic egg the size of Kelski’s head remained. Wobbling like crazy, the egg cracked and a winged metallic silver Rakanivas emerged. This Rakanivas’ eyes blazed with intelligence even though it was obviously a baby. Being about a foot in length, when picked up, Kelski would understand the creature has all the properties of a Rak’keli’s pets. Meaning, if the Rakanivas are fed toxins or poisons, their venom will become the anti-toxin or poison. One bite is enough, after several hours from the serpents ingesting the poison, to ready their venom, and cure even the most heavily poisoned individuals. In addition, the little creature – which was male - was filled with an intense protective urge, deep all-encompassing love, and the need to protect house and home, even the pets. He was, in essence, the perfect house guardian. The creature, even at its young age, knew its name. “Gleam!” He chanted, in the rudimentary speech of sentient infants.

The child version of Kelski's silver eyes grew wide and she stared at the bottom of the cauldron for a moment before she looked up and met the eyes of the older harder version of herself. A grin brightened her face. It lit her from lips to eyes and made the child utterly appealing. She showed promise of the woman Kelski had grown into even at her early age. The delight showed tinges of sadness in her eyes though, and Kelski momentarily wondered why. Her words revealed the reasoning soon enough. “This was fun. We should do it again sometime. Thank you for playing with me. I think I have to go. But it was a gift to spend time with you.” The girl said softly, sadly, and just like that, she faded. There was no sign she’d even ever been there.

The Sea Eagle wondered if she was going crazy. Had the girl even been there? Meditation was supposed to clear the mind, not drive the brain towards instability. But now Kelski wasn’t certain that the girl had even been there at all.

Turning her focus back towards the cauldron, Kelski looked thoughtful. She reached in carefully and gently to retrieved what was in the bottom of the cauldron, and sat it safely beside the first thing she’d saved from its depths from the first brew. She continued to study the cauldron and wondered if she was still meditating?

The Kelvic concentrated, breathed deeply, and tried to force her eyes open. It worked. Her eyes opened as if they’d been closed the whole time, and there was no sign of a cauldron at all. In its place, the usual silver bonfire flickered happily. Kelski took a deep breath, and reflected on the play time with her younger happier self. Play time? She was growing insane. That was all there was to it. Then she looked down. The two things they had created together in the cauldron sat at her feet. The Kelvic gaped, shocked, not certain at all what to think now.

“Gods.” She said softly, not sure what at all to think. Was this a meditation or was this actual reality? Kelski had no idea. None whatsoever. It was about as surreal of an experience as they came.

Halloween Challenge Award Thread:

The Dagger named Pitch + A Vial of Soulmist
The Metal Snake Skull + Fresh Human Brains, a Batwing, a Black, a Brown and a Pink Candle


Words: 2807
Image
They laugh at me because I am different.
I laugh at them because they are all the same.


Painted Sky Jewelry (The Wildlands) | Crossroads Jewelry (The Outpost)
User avatar
Kelski
Freedom is earned. Fight for it.
 
Posts: 1598
Words: 2015452
Joined roleplay: July 3rd, 2014, 11:08 pm
Location: The Wildlands of Sylira & The Empyreal Demesne
Race: Kelvic
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Plotnotes
Medals: 11
Featured Character (1) Featured Thread (2)
Mizahar Grader (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) Donor (1)
One Thousand Posts! (1) One Million Words! (1)
Sunberth Seasonal Challenge (1) Power Fork (1)

When One Faces Oneself

Postby Kelski on November 24th, 2019, 4:53 am

G R A D E S
Kelski-

Meditation +5, Philtering +2

Meditation: Alternative Realities, Meditation: Meeting Alternative Selves, Meditation: Combining Magic and Meditation, Gleam: Appearance & Mannerism, Rakanivas: Gleam Is One, Rakanivas: Make Good Guardians of Houses and Homes

Awards: 1 Rakanivas named Gleam, Pitch being given the perm ability to handle ghosts.




PM me with questions or concerns.
Image
They laugh at me because I am different.
I laugh at them because they are all the same.


Painted Sky Jewelry (The Wildlands) | Crossroads Jewelry (The Outpost)
User avatar
Kelski
Freedom is earned. Fight for it.
 
Posts: 1598
Words: 2015452
Joined roleplay: July 3rd, 2014, 11:08 pm
Location: The Wildlands of Sylira & The Empyreal Demesne
Race: Kelvic
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Plotnotes
Medals: 11
Featured Character (1) Featured Thread (2)
Mizahar Grader (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) Donor (1)
One Thousand Posts! (1) One Million Words! (1)
Sunberth Seasonal Challenge (1) Power Fork (1)


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