By The Library Lights (Taith)

[Cilaes]

20th of Summer, 511 AV The warm summer air of Mura had seeped into the library, and the golden light of the low sun spilled gently over the stacks, students and shelves, glinting off of the embossed book bindings. Though each back bent over the collection was filled with focus, the evening had brought with it a comfortable drowsiness. A large Drykas yawned as he lifted a heavy book off on of the extensive shelves, though not with the tiredness of a day well spent. Cilaes had eaten his breakfast little more than an hour ago, and headed straight for the library, he was still only just waking up. A gentle tug on his vest straightened the soft fabric as he walked to a secluded desk in a well-lit corner. It was an east facing window, and strands of pink clouds stretched past the top edge into view, a sign of the sunset that was fast approaching in the west. By the vibrant colors of the sky and the soft flicker of the sconces Cilaes opened his book. Green and black vines crawled over the margins and twisted through the letters. Though it is a hardy plant Caesia grows best in partial shade. The powdery white plant is found most often growing in communities of Hythorne trees. There does not seem to be a complete dependence on the other plant however, and Caesia has been found growing in parts of Mizahar where the delicate trees would never thrive. However, those Caesia that are grown elsewhere were almost certainly brought by Konti or traders, and never grow quite as vigorously as in the subtropical climate of Konti Isle. It is probable that few other locals in Mizahar can supply the plants with moist enough soil and gentle enough weather year round to promote maximum growth. The plant has long been recognized for the value of the white powder which dusts its branches, buds and fruit. This powder has been used by the Konti for generations to heal skin ailments and sooth irritations. Several doctors have attempted to find other uses for the rest of the plant’s anatomy but have met with complications as when the dust is inhaled the patients often suffer respiratory complications. Because of this hazard those who grow Caesia or collect the dust should take precautionary steps. Often a wet rag tied about the nose and mouth is sufficient to prevent inhalation. As he scanned the page Cilaes’s eyes settled on the beautiful illustration of the plant that sprouted beneath the rather dry wording. The leaves were painted with an ink that shimmered white in the candle light, but the warmer, ivory color of the page it grew on seeped through, giving the pale plant a ghostly image.

[Taithrosa Eldytia]

Taithrosa had been helping one of the healers when that day and had recieved an assignment to do look up a aliment, and what herbs were recomended for dealing with it. He had walked into the library as evening was settling around the place.

He walked around the library picking up those books that he had discovered had the information. They weren't always the largest books, but the ones that were the best references materials.

He soon had a couple of books in his hands, and the note with the symptoms in another. He walked over to a table in one of the quieter parts of the library, noticing a human male also sitting there reading. He looked at him for a moment, since it was actually odd to find another man in the library. He didn't say anything though as the man appeared to be reading. He took a seat and looked over his notes again. He then began to flip through the book, looking for swelling, since a fevor was fairly common.

His silver eyes looked up at the sun window wondering how much longer before his father took control of the sky.

[Cilaes]

The Cianberry Bush grows best when planted in full sun. Seeds should be placed at least two inches deep and no closer than six inches apart, though extra space can encourage vigorous growth, particularly in less fertile soil. The plant must be watered daily, and pruning will increase berry production once the plant reaches maturity. Cianberries ripen by mid-summer. The tangy berry produces strong feelings of love and pleasure when ingested and in the Konti culture has become a well-known cooking ingredient, valued for these traits. It has often been used as an anti-depressant for these same reasons. The book began to describe suggested preparations for Cianberries as Cilaes looked up. An Akalak with a frame larger than his own formidable self had settled in across from the Drykas. Though everything about his manner, the notes and books, was typical of the library it was peculiar to see another male. No stranger than my own presence. Perhaps it’s his size that surprised me so… And I hardly noticed when he seated himself. With a soft breath Cilaes looked out the tall window once again, the sky was dark now, a pale teal hem on the western edge the last sign of Syna’s time. He paused in studying to let the moment wash over him completely. Brown eyes patiently watching the first stars cut through Akajia’s blanket Cilaes allowed himself a quiet moment of meditation. I hope the transformation doesn’t shock him too badly… Perhaps I should excuse myself. But the view of the moonrise from the window was too splendid, and the Drykas relaxed, letting the worry float away from him as the familiar tingling coursed beneath his skin. His muscles rearranged themselves, thinning and stretching into taller, leaner form. The pigment in his skin seemed to flow away as his hair grew to a dark, shiny black and dark green horns began to twist upwards out of the curls. At the end of his silent moment Cilaes let a small prayer run through his mind, Thank you for this night my lord, blessed be your light. As the last electric waves of the transformation sank back into his body Cilaes glanced once again at his silent companion, and was rather surprised by what he saw. “Pardon me, but I don’t believe we’ve met before. A shame that I hope to correct. Cilaes, at your service.” He had not known there was another of Leth’s fallen on the Island, and was rather excited by the idea. I hope my introduction wasn’t too forward…

[Taithrosa Eldytia]

Taithrosa was intently looking through one of the books he had discovered in the library. As he was reading he came upon something that looked promising. The primary symptom was swelling. He looked down at the other symptoms. There was of course a feavor. He began to take notesas he wrote. In addition to swelling, they will not be able to keep milk down, as well as complain of cramps in there stomachs.

It appeared that it was a type of stomach flu, not common, but not particularlly dangerous as long as the paticent stayed away from milk, which seemed to cause more swelling. They book went on to mention how teas were amoung the best treatements for it. Taithrosa had begun to write down the herbal teas to use, there were a few when he felt that it was time.

He looked out the windows and could feel his father taking domion in the sky. He closed his eyes and the change come over him. Taithrosa didn't change in size, and the adjustment to his face were minimum. Already handsome he now gained a exotic otherworldy flavor to his face, changes in his chin line and around his eyes that made it beautiful. His hair was already black, but he now had jade green horns. They didn't grow so much as materialized on his forehead. His skin had lighted from saphire blue to a white radiance that created its own light.

His eyes normally silver were now like liquid silver being poured. He opened them and then blinked at the sight before him. He had meet a few other Ethaefel's but strangely most of them had been sons of Syna, he tilted his head and smiled at his brother. "I am Taithrosa, it is a pleasure to meet a brother." He said his voice musical, with a strange accent as if this common wasn't the language he desired to speak. "I do not mind you being forward, I am actually glade to meet another brother. The konti are nice, but few understand what I go through and what I have lost, and in some ways what I have gained returning to Mizahar. Tell me brother how have you fared hear upon Mizahar?"

[Cilaes]

The other Ethaefal’s voice was beautiful and floated easily through the warm air of the library. Strangely enough Cilaes’s voice was one of the few things that remained almost the same as Syna and Leth paced across the sky. It was in this familiar tone, calm and so steady it was almost a monotone that he answered his companion. “No, it is a difficult thing to explain, even to a race that sees so much as they do…” Tremendously difficult, impossible to explain the ripping sensation that shreds through each fiber of your chest when you wake up and realize what has gone. At least in this tongue, he thought, as the celestial phrase he wanted so badly floated in murky memories. His indigo eyes had fallen to the polished wood of the table for a moment before he returned to the lighter eyes of Taithrosa. “How have I fared? Well enough I suppose. I have been here long enough, on Mura that is, to become what I would call well adjusted. Though I could hardly say it has always been like that, and i'm sure you understand adjusted doesn't mean utterly satisfied. And yourself? Are you new to Mura or am I so painfully oblivious as to miss a seven foot tall Akalak who shape shifts with the sunset?” His smile was not wide but the white of his teeth caught the pale moonlight in an unnatural way as Cilaes grinned. As he watched Taithrosa the Ethaefal began curling up the sleeves of his shirt. The soft fabric was looser now, though it did not reach so far on his new extended limbs. He moved the cloth meticulously, but without overdue effort, each fold flat, smooth and clean, revealing another small portion of pale, reflective skin.

[Taithrosa Eldytia]

Taithrosa also understood the limitations that language presented. It wasn't so much that he couldn't remember the words of the true celestial language he had spoken not so long ago, but he had no clue how to speak it in this form. Everything was wrong, the physical body itself was on of the biggest limiters. He shrugged and smiled at his brother. "I originally arrived in Riverfall, were at least my mortal form was more excepted." He wondered how to say that the man had missed Taith walking around. "I actually came to Mura last year to learn about healing and joing the Opal Order." He said with a shrug.

"I actually have found someone here in Mura which has made adjusting easier then it was all by myself when I was alone in Riverfall." He looked at his brother with a curious expression. "Have you meet many of our brotheren. You are the first I have meet here in Mura, I meet a few in river fall, but they were always sons of Syna, not Leth."

[Cilaes]

"I've been studying Medicine as well, a slow enterprise on my part, though I didn't come to Mura by choice. I landed off the shore, it has taken me longer to leave than I thought it would. I'd be very interested to hear about other parts of Mizahar from another Ethaefal's point of view." It was peculiar that Cilaes had missed the man, particularly if he was studying in the Opal Temple, like himself. Still, your memory is not the best, he told himself, recalling the confusing mist that seemed to hang between his transformations and deeper, more significant memories that were shrouded almost completely. The tall Ethaefal's eyebrows rose with an amused curiosity, sending wrinkles crashing up around the base of his dark horns. "Indeed? She must be a marvelous Konti to be able to ease the pain we carry." He assumed it was a female that his companion had spoken about, feeling rather comfortable with his guess. After all, most of the island's population were females. Of course, Cilaes himself had not been so fortunate. She felt so mortal, so volatile... Though perhaps it was my mistake to reject her, he thought, seeing how love had brought another comfort when he feared it might have harmed or distracted him. "Children of Leth? No, I can't say that I've met many other Ethaefal at all, from either deity, though perhaps that is simply because of the difficulties of getting to an island," he said, his voice still soft, muffled by the walls of books. "What were those of Syna like? Very different from ourselves or do we have more in common now that we share a loss?"

[Taithrosa Eldytia]

Taithrosa looked at the window with his silvery eyes. The molten liquid look to them seemed to slow with his sad expression. "The is much to see of the world. It is so different from the world I remember. In my previous life I lived in the old world. I remember the height of civilization, the great city of the akalaks flourishing, now I have seen what they have become and while still a noble people the struggle is heart breaking. There new city while beautiful is nothing like what it was, and I feel like there is so much wisdom lost in my mind from that previous age."

He shrugged. "I still feel sorrow much of the time, but my Kail tempers that sorrow and make it bearable. I actually have something to look forward to at the end of each day. From what I have seen, to many of us isolate ourselves from each other." All of his brothern he had meet were loners and he greatly feared that was part of there problem.

"The children of Syna are just a as beautiful as us, in a more sunny way, but they tend to be just as homesick as we are. Otherwise we are much different."

[Cilaes]

"Those must be marvelous memories. I have very little recollection of my last reincarnation, though perhaps that makes life easier. There's less to miss, though a few more questions. Have you traveled anywhere else in Mizahar?" A slender silvery finger ran over the edge of the heavy paper with a whisper. Feeling the soft and nearly sharp beneath his touch CIlaes thought outloud. "We certainly do, myself included. I have wondered if this was a personal flaw of mine, and perhaps it still is. But I believe part of this hesitance may stem from the fact that we have simply been somewhere no one can follow, can understand," he paused, remember Telen briefly. Her face was already wrinkled from smiling. How can someone like that, so young, understand? "But I am unexperienced, perhaps I simply have not met someone like Kail. The Konti themselves are exceptional people." OOCSorry for the lame post, WB.

[Taithrosa Eldytia]

Taithrosa shrugged. "Memories are pleasent, but some times they can be overwhelming. I have taken up meditation so that I can hold the flood at bay. Its not even like I can understand the memories, many are like flashes of images, and events. I will see something and similar images will flash through my mind. It can be strange and distracting at times." The son of leth said with a shake of his head. "I will say this though. The meditation does help. It might be something to look into when you have the chances. It helps against the lonliness as well."

He looked down at his book for a moment with a smile on his face. "The Kontiness are indead unique. I was surprised to hear about them upon my return, and surprised when I actually came to Mura. They are a gentle people so very different from the other races that have managed to survive. I think that if they play there cards right they will be a great force for civilization in this world." He paused. "So you are studing medicine yourself? I have basically burried myself in gathering what information I can, espcially about childbirthing. The akalaks are on the verge of dying off, and I what to see how I can help."