[Flashback] Death upon a child (Panna)

[Vick]

310 Av, Spring 12 He was unsure what to think as he let the wagon take him. The crates the only things upon his wagon yet the nameless faces on the other one just told him nothing for they did not speak. He could not blame them as he looked on. The island seemed to lack any form of life but he could learn to enjoy the life around the magical talking items. His eyes looked at the citadel yet he had no name for the large building. He was unsure of anything in the world that was a name for it as he just blinked at last getting off the wagon. He held his backpack in his arms before putting it on his pack. He took his first step towards the building before he heard the voice. His head looking about yet he saw no one in sight at last turning to the building. He had no idea of the world of magic other then a bit of his own but even then he knew so little. "H-hello, I am Vick Drainira. Can I ask where you are at?" He asked once more looking around letting his voice carry in case they were hiding about but he just had no idea. He just stood there in his white tunic, brown cotton pants with boots. His tunic was slightly longer then it should have been covering his brown leather belt but he was so young and it did show in his bodys movement. Any Nuit could be ageless yet he was just eight years of age no matter how he looked at it. He had no real information of the world other then a few crafts and information to go to the island. He felt so alone in the world as he stood upon the rough ground. So very alone but he still held hope somewhere in his heart even if it did not beat anymore. Ever since he came a Nuit he did not even breath or get in the mood to eat. He did not even sleep but did try yet he just never felt tired. He was not even sure if it was normal for the old lady did not tell him that made him into what he was. His body shook ever so slightly as his thoughts ran about in his head and even the idea of meditation was so far away. Why did his parents hate him? Did they not see him for him but only his body? Yet was it even his? Was he just some type of monster now? Why did he not hear of a Nuit before? He had no stories or myths of the race but his parents never told him anything other then they wanted to wait until he was older. Was that a mistake now that he stood upon a island he knew nothing of? His hands moving upon his face rubbing the cold skin. He felt no warmth upon his own fingers nor did he really think he was going to. While he was upon the ship he kept his arms around him and it was sitting on the wooden floor he saw for the first time he was not warm nor even cold for that matter. He was just a body. A body that could talk and move about but was that just it? Would he find the answers in this new land? Would he find anything but the coldness of death? So many things moved along his head just like normal. So many feelings floating about in his heart as he felt so lost in the world. So unsure of anything.

[Panna Cotta]

"I am everywhere and anywhere in Sahova." A light laugh fluttered in the air, "Based on my calculations you never reached full maturity as a human, am I correct? My initial aura scan also tells me that you have recently turned into a Nuit."

Vick may tell more about himself, but Drainira would have immediately calculated the possibilities, have already inferred his situation using her infallible logic. Still, she was compelled to ask, "Is that what brought you here in Sahova, Vick? Go on, tell me more about yourself. Meanwhile, I'll just quickly inform father we have a visitor."

Her voice - the only indicator of her presence - fled. She may or may not have listened quietly to his tale. Vick felt mightily stupid for talking out loud to no one in particular. He stood in the Vestibule, alone with the bas relief of historical figures. The statues towered over him. Right after he stopped talking, Drainira's voice came back.

"Hi, Vick. Would you mind if the Archwizard do not meet you in person anymore? He says you are welcome to stay and..." she paused, as if she was actually relaying the Archwizard's words in real time, "that you may stay if you will agree to the laws of the island. I shall send you to somebody who is quite good at handling young Nuits. You will find him very pleasant."

Drainira then guided Vick through the corridors, accompanying him with her presence, goading the child to tell more about his previous life. The Supervisor told Vick that most of the Nuits in Sahova had been around for hundreds of years, and that most of them had already forgotten what it was like to be a pulser. "Pulser is what they call creatures that have beating hearts. Here in Sahova their presence is a novelty. You can actually hear if a living thing is near. Sometimes it's so quiet you would be able to hear the rhythmic patten beat-beat-beat," she told him.

She dropped him in front of a door with a sign that said "Master Seleumence Varubicht". Drainira then bid the little child goodbye.

[Vick]

Once she said the word Aura Vick found a idea. He really did not understand the first half of what she said but he did understand somethings as he closed his eyes standing still. Seconds passed on as he just stood about not even talking however he was not just being lazy even if a normal person would had thought so odds were. Like tiny little webs of light pushing along a veil his own aura slowly shifted just slightly as he let his mind clear and focus upon his personnel magic of auristics. What he thought was taping into his body was more along the lines of he was pushing his will into his very soul to focus his djed along the surface of his own body towards his senses. The once dull world around him filled with shades of color of different shades as he pushed his power to the surface. His own aura would had changed to people who could read auras showing him flaring in peoples sight as a wizard even if just a very weak one. However he was taken back, the normal weave like colors were off as he looked at the building or more at Drainira as she was not the same. Her aura if he could call it was more in shape like blocks, like boxes were coming off the walls that were of a light green shade. What he saw shocked him and made him question so many things however due to his own surprise at what he saw his magic fled him like lizards fleeing from little children trying to catch them. What was she? Why was her aura so different? Was it just him or was it more? Yet he did not ask for fear of being rude as his parents did teach him not to be rude when you first met a new person. “What is to tell? I am sure I am the least fascinating person on this island and could bore you to death. However I lived with my parents until just a few days ago and now I am here. The person who made me into a Nuit told me to come here as I would be more or less safe even if I don’t understand what she meant by that.” Vick slowly said as he walked on with Drainira after feeling more drain from his flare of magic which he did not regret . as he would regain the lost energy in time. “Drainira, can I ask what you are? And how did you get your name and if it means anything?” His words just flowing from his mouth not really being blocked by his parents upbringing of the child for he was still a child and it was almost a given he would not think hard on something when it came to manners. “What are the laws of the island?” He asked as he stood before the door that had a name he could not even grasp at understanding. He just knew it was a Master someone or something as he did not move forward. He would open the door once she told him the laws of the island so he knew not to try to make a mistake around another person. He felt so small, so scared as he stood still. His right hand touching the door but it felt just like normal wood to him. A normal door yet maybe answers did lay behind it or maybe more questions. Yet he knew he would not know until he found out himself.

[Panna Cotta]

"Ah, such a curious mind. You may ask Master Seleumence Varubicht for those things." Drainira politely left her guest, "I'll see you around, perhaps when you become part of Sahova yourself." Her voice, though it bore no emotion, told Vick that she was, in many ways, a keeper of secrets. His young mind could not accept the Supervisor in her entirety just yet, innocence unprepared for what was to come.

As the door swung open - pushed by an unseen force, no doubt the work of Projection - Vick entered Seleumence Varubicht's office. It was larger and tidier than most rooms in Sahova. It was furnished with gnarled wooden devices, golems of lesser intelligence than Drainira. Before the Valterrian, Master Varubicht was a professor at the Royal Academy of Magic. He was "one of the best" because he was lenient with his pupils. He had a "good reputation" because, unlike some of the old farts at the Academy, he offered remedial classes. He still retained leftovers of his previous personality - a kind old soul always willing to help.

And so he welcomed Vick with a mellow smile and greeted him kindly, "Hello Vick," Drainira had already filled the Master with details about the visitor, "My name is Master Seleumence Varubicht. You will be under my leave for the duration of your stay here in Sahova. I am known as Boss Rubik in most circles - I prefer to drop the rather stupendous name." He winked and laughed heartily. The man will be father to Vick for the succeeding years in his undead life. A guiding hand. And Vick will forever be misguided.

"Tell me, what brought you to Sahova?" He had an inquiring mind and the sight to have his questions answered. Vick was being measured by the Boss' Auristics. He would know if the young Nuit lied. He urged Vick politely to talk about himself, his family, his life before being undead. When he was satisfied, the Boss continued, "It is important for you to understand your reason for being undead. Us here in Sahova will live as long as it takes to rebuild Alahea and overthrow the empires that was once Suvan." Vick would have heard tales about the Valterrian, bedtime stories told like myths and legends. In Sahova, the Valterrian was not just the creation of a new world. The Nuits of Sahova lived before the Valterrian - it was history. "Many Nuits come here hoping to find home. I tell you this, young child, Sahova is too harsh to be home for any Nuit. And so if you cannot find the reason for being here, I will give you reason to live."

"What use would you be to us?" The Boss asked, scanning the vestiges of Vick's aura and searching for his hidden talents. "You must understand that if we take you in, you will have to work. The nature of our work, well, it leaves a lot of things unsaid. We're a research facility for all things magical." He said mirthfully, "Many of the old world's secrets are kept within the walls of this Citadel, even those that are lost. We seek knowledge, we desire knowledge. And we will use this knowledge, you and I both, to the best of our abilities to restore the Alahean empire to its rightful place - as ruler of the world." The smile thinned, he slightly shook his head. "It might be too fanciful, behind the times. But if you ever find yourself lost, you could remember these words. It would, at the very least, give you something to hold on to."

[Vick]

“A woman...she was a very old lady but never did show her arms or face. Always had on some type of heavy clothing which was odd but she taught me things my parents never did.. Auristics, Philtering and Malediction. I told her I wanted to learn more then what she was teaching me but she told me no. Yet she did tell me she would give me something in return for being a good boy. She turned me into a Nuit and gave me a few lessons in embalming then told me flee my family.”

His voice was soft as he spoke. His eyes blinking often and if his body would it would let him cry yet no tears would come. It was the truth and it was the first time he really talked about the old lady. He did not know that the woman could have worked with Boss or someone in Sahova as a person for Uldr. Sending them fresher people to mold or at least for play toys if they lived long enough. Yet Vick was unsure how he did manage to handle himself so much on his trip to the island and he meant that more then just a simple boat ride for it felt like everything just fell into place.

“I went home to get my toys but my father saw me. He just gave me a look before leaving the room. That was when my sister came in running as I heard my father yelling something. She gave me a heavy bag and told me to run and never come back. So I did. I just kept running as I heard my father behind me along with a arrow that missed me. He was trying to kill me. Why? Why was he trying to kill me? Did I do something wrong? Am I not the same little boy that was good and learning while trying to help them in my own way? I just wanted to be a wizard like they told me about in bedtime stories...Was that wrong of me?”

The bag in question was the bag sitting next to vick in the chair he took when he came in Bosses office. It was closed but one could take the guess what was inside it. If one did look or had other means of finding out they would find it was a lot of gold miza. His sister gave him a farewell parting gift for some reason that he would need but he had no idea what his sister was up to or even the reasons behind it. He was not even sure why she was home as if waiting for him. He thought she had to be elsewhere for she came home only so often due to helping others was her main job. Maybe another sign of luck?

“I did my best to find the old woman again but it took me another day of looking. She told me to take a boat to a island called Sahova. Also giving me a small body of white fluid.” He said as he pulled it out of his pocket. The bottle itself was just a basic vial size bottle but it held a thick white substance that was embalming fluid. “So I did as she told. Found the boat after awhile in the city of Zelivta and the captain let me stay aboard. They did not say why other then gave me sad looks. I then left the boat and Drainira led me here.”

His story was not long or at least he did not think it was as he recalled the events. His memory for some reason was getting better with each passing day as if things were just clearer in his head. He did not know Nuits had excellent memory overall more so then any human could. He did not know much about the Nuit race other then myths and what his mother told him if he was a bad little boy. So was he a bad boy now that he was a nuit?

“Mr. Boss, what are the laws for the island? Miss Drainira did not tell me or is it Misses?” He asked in his soft voice. So naive of what she was and what the events around him meant. His emotions shifted back and forth from happy to sad like the waves along the shore of the island moving back and forth. He felt lost. So very lost and alone as he never did have any friends nor did he even speak of anyone else as he just stayed in the chair. His eyes looking around the office and thoughts coming and going along his head of what the things he saw were. They were like little friends.

What was he to do now? He was not sure as he asked himself that as he closed his eyes. Slowly he thought of his djed that was stored inside his tiny soul. The little ball of light he saw in his mind gave life to new little stands of life as he did his best to call forth his djed and his power of auristics. Boss would have seen what he was doing far before Vick used the magic for his aura would have told him so many things and so many more things unsaid by Vick.

Yet as the worlds shifted from the plain colors to more brightly light shades his djed fled just as quickly as it came before Vick really saw anything. He was to drained on a mental level to even try to harness his djed in that way as he just let out a sigh of air as he kept breathing with blinking. Still acting human.

What would Boss have him do now? What would Boss even do to him? Would he cast him out like his parents did or would he just keep him around for a bit? So many questions came to Vick and so many more did not. He did not know the politics of the island or even the politics of the new world granted to him by some old lady.

His life was turned around that was for sure. Maybe it was just the start. Maybe it was time for Vick to look towards the gods or at least one god for hope and answers.

[Panna Cotta]

OOCSorry if next post is disconnect. We need to hurry and get you undone!

Ten years later...

Being in Sahova was less than a reprieve that Vick needed. Though in body he was undead, his mind could only adjust so much. All work and no play would bore even the most diligent child. The Boss was not unkind, he provided Vick company if time allowed him to. A bond, an attachment, came in between the two of them, but it was not mutual love. The Boss sees Vick as a potential ally, a slave to order about. When the time is right he would introduce Vick to the real world. However, eternity was only starting for Vick, and he was not ripe for picking.

The first ten years of his life in Sahova was mainly composed of tantrums. The Boss grew distant, understandable because he was assigned a specific job that involved a round-the-clock work. Even Drainira refused to keep him company at times, the Supervisor had better things to do, like running the Citadel. The needs of an 8 year-old child meant nothing to the golem. But Vick patiently waited, he was forced to wait. And waiting does things to Nuits… it hardens their hearts and empties their soul until all that is left is a shell of rotting flesh, a reanimated corpse.

The good thing is, Vick held onto his childish dreams. He was frozen in time, perpetually a needy child. His heart was planted with the seed of longing. Questions upon questions haunted him, assaulted him. But somehow, through all of these, he remained steadfast. Unwilling to bend.

“How are your experiments going, Vick?” The Boss asked, peering over Vick’s little shoulders. The Nuit was occupying a child’s body again. Male, average height and small built. He would not let go of his past appearance. Oftentimes he insisted to have a child’s body, good thing the Citadel could provide him with one.

The year before, he had a big argument with the Boss, his boredom with Sahova was taking its toll upon his gentle mind. He was starting to blend in Sahova, and that meant a many terrible things. Mages were terrible beings after all. The Boss had outright refused to provide him with help on one of his projects, and declined him the bones of a rare animal that a merchant from Zeltiva had brought to the Citadel. He was given Talderan dog bones to chew upon. The Boss was particularly getting weary of his whines and wishes, the Archwizard had been ordering him about, and here was Vick who simply refused to grow up.

“You cannot ignore me for so long Vick, you know that I’m the only one in this island who can help you.” The Boss took a chair and sat by Vick, laying a hand upon the child’s small head. “Hate me. Tell me your frustrations. Let it all out. You are free to have emotions Vick, do not think that by being a Nuit you forfeit your right to feel.”

“Hate me.” The Boss gently said. Vick was seduced, as he had been all these years. Could he really…