Sihk’Laya, a Spirian Pastime (Solo)

[Tiki]

Sihk’Laya, a Spirian Pastime (Solo) 64th-74th Summer 511 A.V. It was coming to an end. A season’s time of labor had paid off. Tiki looked at the large floor of the stadium, something spanning the length of the Outer Petals that framed it. Many days ago, he’d be standing on open air. The jamoura were hard at work placing final touches on the larger parts of the stadium. Shurk was approaching Tiki, an otherwise overjoyed kelvic with unfinished business. “You know Tiki, you’ve been quite the worker in the time you’ve been here. More than I can say than most hairless folk who come here. When they seek the knowledge we have, I always find myself frowning, sad of how blind they are. But you, Tiki you, you see things they don’t. I see the look in your eyes… You’re something special. So many of your kin are. I nearly envy you, nearly, haha…” Shurk’s thundering laughter echoed off the stadium floor to his brethren. “I have another offer for you if you’re up to it, Tiki, once we’re finished here. We will need a game deacon when the matches do begin. I couldn’t think of anyone else. You can certainly keep up, and you know Sihk’Laya as well as I…maybe even better! How does that sound?” Tiki answered as honestly as he could, “I’d like to, but I’m hoping to go to Wind Reach. I want to see the eagles…maybe even ride them.” Shurk was almost choking with laughter before he realized how serious Tiki was. The jamoura cleared this mind and throat to give Tiki as honest advice as he could return, in honor of all Tiki had put forth in this project. He had sweated and labored alongside the jamoura through the summer heat like no other, as Shurk cited. “You’re serious, aren’t you, boy? Hmm…you’re talking about a long trip on foot then. Just to ride the eagles, huh?” “Yes. I’ve wanted to for a long time. Do you ever look at the birds and wonder what they see? What it feels like to have the wind beneath you, keeping up moving, not pushing you back and getting in your way…?” “They are free spirits, are they not? You have great dreams for such a small body. You really are something else, Tiki… I’ll give you that. I still think you’re kind of crazy for hiking to Wind Reach though. That’s all the way in Kalea. Say, I never caught where you’re from?” “I’m from Syliras, Sylira –“ “You walked all the way from Syliras, come to work with us in Spires, and still journey onward to Wind Reach? By the gods Tiki, they must favor your soul, or pity you a great deal more! How old are you?!” “Two, I think.” “Two, you think! Get out of here, get out! No, no, boy, It’s an expression, come sit down, sit…” Shurk rubbed the tears from his eyes, “You crack me up, boy. That you do, more than those slackers I must say. Wind Reach to ride the eagles, that’s no easy task you know? The Wind Eagles, as the Inarta call them – the people of Wind Reach, in the Mountain Skynarta… that’s where Wind Reach is, by the way – are larger than I, and any other jamoura. I don’t suppose you’ve ever ridden another being with legs like yours? I thought not…” Shurk rubbd his forehead, trying to give Tiki some advice on the matter. Chasing your dreams, while inspiring, showed Tiki for the fool he could be. Shurk felt no need to down talk him, of course. It’s not of the jamoura to behave so. “Kalea,” Shurk said, rubbing his own lips and chin in deep thought, “now those are treacherous mountains. I don’t think paws will cut it, Tiki. You’d be better off heading north, through Taldera to Avanthal, the frozen city of the goddess Morwen. There, the Vantha lead their lives, a tenacious people. You’ve not felt pain until the icy chill of the Avanthal winters cuts your bones, kelvic. Come spring, however, you’d be able to sail around the mountains, and anchor in Thunder Bay. You’d be in Wind Reach. It’s unfortunate the Watchtowers might not function. You could even try them, and be in Wind Reach the instant you arrive in Avanthal. Their gates are something magical indeed. It’s a shame their mundane structures have been fractured.” “How do you know all of this…?” Tiki was stunned by Shurk’s knowledge. For all he knew Shurk to be, this knowledge was something foreign to his concept of the jamoura. “Kin as old as I know many things, Tiki. This is all common knowledge, really. I think you’ve just yet to hear it all.” Shurk leaned in to tell Tiki something a bit more secret, “Just wait till you experience it.” The jamoura pulled away and give Tiki a firm nod. The kelvic lit up. “I chose to share it with you, Tiki, because I think you can make good use of it. I’m comfortable where I am in the Spires, and can’t say I’d like it much of another way anyway! Behold Tiki, my child and gift to the Spires… How could I leave now, if ever? This is home to me, and all jamoura who abide by our standards. You, Tiki, have a home too somewhere in the world. To hear your tale, of crossing the world to ride eagles, seems like a calling more than a dream to me. You will find your place, Tiki, we all do. I hope to smile for you when you do.” Shurk gave the stadium a hard look. Tiki saw the twinkle again in his eyes, as he did the first time they had met. Shurk was right, about everything. “You know… we’re not quite done here? Want to help put up the other sihk you made? I think my hands are too big…” Tiki grinned wide again. It would be his honor.

[Tiki]

Shurk and Tiki converged their gaze at the other far end of the court. The boys were done putting up the first sihk, and had holes to patch still. Boundary lines needed to be pained, some seats placed. Vine needed to be nurtured and tended to hang over, and other things to spice the court up. As of now, the stadium was a flat floor with a single goal. The stadium basics were almost in place, save for the last sihk. The pair looked up bewildered by how the shyke they’d be hanging this final sihk. The other one had been tethered to the overhanging branches, and three spots on the floor, at an angle. The trees reached over and between them to give the sihk guard some room to play with, and plenty of places to grab hold and move around. Although with time they could replicate that same effect, as of the moment they didn’t have that luxury. They looked behind them at the trees and overhanging branches. It would be a bit of a climb, but the slugsuckle vines would hold, right? Shurk squinted at Tiki, looked him over, and had a spark of genius. “Come,” Shurk commanded, and Tiki followed at his heels. The sihk was taken in the jamoura’s arm, dragged over his shoulder, along with a length of slugsuckle vine. He tied the goal and vine to himself with a shorter length. Then, Shurk turned to Tiki and asked one more request of him, “Will you help me put this sihk up, Tiki, one last climb?” Tiki smiled and nodded in affirmation. Of course he would. He was being paid to do so. Of course, Tiki felt the warm and fuzzies too… Shurk helped Tiki up on his silvery back and told him to hold tight to the fur of his nape, regardless of what they did, he could not let go. They’d be scaling heights the kelvic had never seen before. Shurk was a steady climber, very conscious of his precious cargo. Tiki held on for his life’s sake, but soon found himself taken back by the view. The shifting bark of the massive Spires was an incredible sight in its own right, and then there was the view. Through the thickened branches and foliage of the petal, Tiki still managed to get a glimpse of the city’s west wing in full. It was wonderful. Their climb, although short, had taken them to new heights. Shurk still told Tiki to keep his grip, and to not lose his mind to the height, thinking the kelvic scared. Tiki obeyed the best he could although he was hopelessly amazed by the city and its magnificence. They had come to a halt in their ascension. Shurk had brought them to a limb that appeared to level with the one opposite the court. It was much wider, wide enough to hold Shurk’s hulking form to walk on. The limb, to Tiki, was much like the slugsuckle bridges that connected the petals, only without handles or the jostling set on by movement. Shurk didn’t let Tiki leave his back the while they were moving. The jamoura, chin high, led the kelvic out on his back toward the lateral bisection of the court for the best alignment. The fraction of a jamoura, Tiki, climbed down from Shurk’s back with much aid - most of which was precaution – and they unloaded the goods once more. Here’s to Spires. Tiki and Shurk were back to work together for what might be the last time.