[Flashback]Landing in a strange place (Solo)

by **Faraluun** on October 23rd, 2011, 8:37 pm

The Beginning (Part 1: Landing in a strange place)
Date: 22nd of Summer, 496 AV
Location: Alvadas
NPC Approval: Received

He was cold. It was odd, such a feeling after such a foreign response after, what was it, bliss? Darkness surrounded him, it was oddly comforting but why couldn't he see, what hindered his vision. His eyes were closed, something forgotten in the chaos of this new ache that spread through his chest. He wasn't drawing air either, and yet, his mind told him not to try, instinct seeking to keep him alive throughout this new strange time. With a snap his eyes opened, and almost immediately felt a sting, as salt water rushed to greet them, prickling the outside of it. Underwater, how did he get underwater? The ache was more insistent now, and on auto pilot his hands clawed the water while his feet kicked under him. Water coated the world around him in a murky deep blue, he had no idea if he was swimming for the surface or swimming deeper to his death but then the water seemed to get lighter, a sliver hue infusing with the dark blue. His arms raking the water frantically as his feet paddled behind him. The edges of his vision darkened as his oxygen supply ran low, and his heart hammered in his chest. There was no room for such introspective thoughts anymore, only survival, reaching the surface of the water for the much needed life giving air.

His head crested from the calm surface of the water, the disturbance blasting the water aside, as he came part way out of the water and took in a deep gulp of fresh air. Air, at last, to think of drowning in this retched sea, and falling victim to chance. Perhaps it wouldn't have been such a bad way to go, maybe he would have been on his way back to Leth by now, but giving up felt contrary to what he felt in his core and now was no time for such thoughts. With his heart still beating hard, he swam for the shore, breathing hard to catch keep breath, while his eyes where fixed on the silvery glow of the full moon before him, and the sight he found to be bittersweet. The sandy shore loomed almost eerily before him, and soon as his feet could feel the sandy ground underneath him, he stood upon it, scrabbling for good footing as he splashed clumsily through the water, collapsing at last on the beach when he was away from the waves. He fell backwards upon the soft sand, his chest heaving with effort, and every muscle in his body feeling strained, and sore. Collapsing where he had stood would have been preferable, but his position now on the ground allowed him a comforting vision of the moon, while he let the stress to his body fade away.

Black edges still creped on the edges of his vision, but he was not at risk of suffocating any more, and his lungs filled repeatedly with the life giving air slowly sending him on the way of recovering. The sand felt coarse against his body, but it was fine enough on his sprawled body that it was not overly uncomfortable. In fact it seemed like just the right time to sleep, and despite the fact that he didn't know where he was, he found the notion overwhelming his senses and slowly his eyes closed, and he faded into a deep sleep.

by **Faraluun** on October 24th, 2011, 1:22 am

A sweet, heavy smell drifted across his nose, and slowly his eyes flickered open. The moon was still yet high in the sky, but so many things where now different, and the first thing he noticed was to cover that had been draped over his body, nude as it was. It's woolen body helped keep his warmth, but it suggested that someone was near, and as his eyes drifted over to the left, he found the most likely owner. A young woman in her late twenties, or early thirties, was sitting beside him in the sand, her eyes otherwise distracted by the lapping waves, or the brilliant glow of the moon. She lifted a hand to her mouth, a pipe hanging easily between her thumb and forefinger as she pressed her lips to the mouth piece, and took a long, hard pull on it. The hand holding the pipe fell back on top of her knee, and faint whips of the smoke found their way from her nose in lips, till at last she expelled a thin cloud, exhaling almost as fully as she had inhaled. The sickly sweet odor hit him harder this time, and he tried not to breath too much in after the first inhale brought the stinging smoke into his throat.

Uneasily he shifted in the sand, the woman not yet noticing he was quite awake and alert, and slowly he sat up on his elbows, the portion of the cover that had been draped over his chest, drifting down to now only cover his lap, his luminous skin shinning even more so in the strong moonlight. The woman spared a glance at him casually, sensing the movement perhaps, and almost as if she didn't expect him to be awake so soon, her eyes went wide, and she quickly moved to tamp out the fire in her pipe before looking back at him, a surprised look still plainly showing on her face. " Uh... Um you’re awake! " was all the words the startled, likely addled woman could say as she fiddled with the many rings on her fingers nervously, and sank her teeth into her bottom lip. His silver eyes flashed for a moment while they studied her, his expression reflecting none of the surprise hers had, though inwardly he was very much so off his guard. The woman had a fair complexion, which often times was a nice way of saying pale, but to his sensibilities unburdened by human vanity, it seemed to emphasize the gentle soft features, her face possessed, and the exquisite blue eyes that stared back at him. Her body was clothed in a assortment of colors of varying reds, her shirt, tucked in under her breeches a deep red in color, almost blending in seamlessly with the shade lighter pants. In contrast to the woman’s pale skin though, the woman’s fiery red hair shone brightly under the moonlight, losing little of its luster under the silvery sheen, and framed her face in a strangely settling way, her lips mimicking the very same vibrant red.

Slowly he sat up straight, still making no move to speak, his eyes simple staring into hers, as if trying to read her, though he possessed no such ability, and even if he did he would be hard pressed to put it to good use, so chaotic had the events of the last few bells been. He ran a tongue over his lips once before raising a hand to brush back the few strands of his long black unkempt hair that had strayed over his eyes, and combing it back behind his ears. With a cool, calm voice he spoke to the maiden. " Thank you for the cover, it was a kind thing to do. " He then paused for a few bells as if what he said was enough, but in reality he was still yet searching for the words, the words of languages still jumbled up in his mind. It was yet common that he knew most well, but other foreign words floated in his head, a language he had once known at Leth's side, and another language he knew, though he couldn't remember why. Also, it was a way of stalling, stalling thinking too much about what had happened, holding back on imagining what was to come, what he did wrong, what he was now, and what he was supposed to do. The woman would be a welcome diversion, and as long as it centered with idle chatter, the waves in the back of his mind that threatened to throw him into insanity would not come, after all he would approach this one thing at a time, as he felt he had always had done.

His eyes came back into focus, and he saw that the woman seemed to be squirming under his gaze, and looked as if she had asked him something and he had yet to respond. He shook his head briskly side to side, more of a way to for her to think that he had been dazed than anything else. " I'm.. sorry, I was lost for but a moment, what did you ask? " His voice was possessed of a unrelenting calm, speaking of a false inner peace that he certainly didn't feel inside, but he felt that he needed to gain ground with this woman, and that meant making her feel as comfortable as possible. " I was asking about how you felt? " she asked, her voice now seeming so much more sure, and he saw now that her surprise had faded, but her pupils still betrayed the effects of a whatever happened to be in her pipe was yet in her system, the dilated orbs reflecting the entirety of his face back at him. His hand slowly went up to his head, to touch the smooth, green horns that were there, mostly hidden by his hair. It was strange to the touch, and yet so natural as if he would have felt weird without them, and they were small, and sloped backwards, seeming almost natural amidst the curls of his hair, and he was quite surprised he had even noticed the appendages.

It didn't much matter though, he could study his body later, what mattered now was the woman’s question, a question that required introspection, but he decided against it, to just tell her what she perhaps wanted to hear. What was he supposed to say after all, that he was confused, frightened, felt sadness deeper than he had ever felt before?" I am fine. No injuries to speak of, and only a minor chill yet remaining on my skin " he said, unconsciously keeping his response short and detached in that gentle voice of his, answering her question with the least explanation possible.

She simply stared at him for a moment, returning the same look he had been wearing the entire conversation, a pensive like expression, which seemed to weigh every word that it spoke. " I have a house, and it is certainly much warmer there, than out here if you need a warm bed to sleep into tonight " she said, and trying to be discreet she dragged the pipe from its place in the sand, and slid it into a pouch at her side, and for the first time he noticed that numerous pouches adorned the fine satin belt that graced her waist. He kept eye contact with her though, and pretended not to notice, and offered a slight nod, in a gesture of thanks to the woman for her hospitality. " Thank you, you have done much kindness for me this day, I will not soon forget it " he offered simply, and grabbing the blanket draped at his hip, he held it in place as he moved to stand up, the ground still shaky and unsure under his feet, and he was afraid to fall back into the sand. Slowly his balance came back to him though, and either too tired, or too distracted he did not notice that he had exposed himself to the woman while he rocked on his heels, he methodically went about wrapping the blanket about his hips, curling it together to hold it in place.

His eyes then came to hers, and he noticed a trace of red upon her fair cheeks, but he decided not to question her about it, figuring she was trying to hold back a laugh at his clumsiness. " Good, good to hear, follow me please " she said after a moment’s pause to collect herself, waving at him to follow her as she pulled a burlap back pack over her shoulder, and started towards a city he had missed on his arrival from the waters. His slivery eyes gazed from her quickly departing back to the glimmering city before them, and he sighed, knowing that much uncertainty lie before him, but at least now he had a safe, comforting place to sort it out, hopefully free of questions until he knew the answers himself. He stepped forward, and walked after the woman, and though he had only just awoken moments ago, he felt it was indeed time for another such rest, mind and body weary as he was.

by **Faraluun** on October 24th, 2011, 1:23 am

The door drifted to a close behind him, and he could hear the faint clink of metal as she latched it closed, the thing of wood serving as a barrier to the outside world. Her quarters where modest at first glance, a wide main room floor with only two chairs, and a driftwood table serving as furniture within it, a fireplace too clean, hangings along the wall with nothing on them, and he guessed that the bed room would be similarly devoid of clutter, which suit him well enough. In the main room though, meant to serve as a gathering place in normal circumstances, only one door presented itself, hewn into the right side wall, likely leading into her own personal bedroom, making this room his own unless there were other parts of the house that he had missed. He blinked slowly, taking the weariness from his eyes, and he saw as she passed him, and sat in the chair to the left side of the rough hewn table, and he followed taking the chair on the opposite side, and settling deep backwards into it. The thing of wood, simple cloth, and possibly a stuffing of wool wasn't all too comfortable, but it was better than the sand that he was too tired to brush off his body. He studied the bare walls for a moment before his eyes fell upon the woman, and he propped his arm up on his knee, and leaned forward to cradle his chin in his palm. " What city are we in may I ask? "

" We are in Alvadas, city of mysteries and enchantment, and to find handsome men washing up on shore it seems " she said, her voice a touch lighter now, and a bit more clear, sounding as if whatever she had consumed had run its course, and maybe it had. Even with her infectiously happy voice, he couldn't help but wince at her mention of the shore, and what might have been a pass at him. He quickly reverted back to a neutral look though, not at all desiring to offend his hostess, and already a response that could salvage what he could was on his tongue, but her raised hand, and broad smile kept his words from being spoken. " It is fine stranger, I needn't know why you where lying nude on the shore, or even what kind of person you are. I am simply offering you a place to stay as long as you care to, nothing more, nothing less " she said, brushing a thick strand of red hair back behind her head, before standing up. " I will go to my room to get you a bedroll so your sleep in this room will be comfortable " Then before he could speak, she was off, retrieving a iron key from a pouch in her waist, different than the one that opened the house door, and unlocked her room, stepping inside quickly, and shutting the door behind her. It seems I am not the only one with secrets The thought wasn't troubling, and didn't spark curiosity in him, as she had a right to her own secrets, like he had a right to his, though she could access hers a lot more free than he could his. Still the woman's kindness, and hospitality moved him, his unrelenting emotionless visage crumbling away just slightly enough to allow him a small smile with a hint of the profound sadness that welled constantly in his chest. Alone as he was at the moment, it was ok to allow a piece of himself to shine through, but soon he could see the wooden door swinging open again, and his face once more melted into a expressionless mask.

The fire haired woman carried easily a large bundle of cloth on her shoulder, most likely the bedroll she mentioned going to get. Taking it in both hands, she only needed a brief flick of her wrists, the cloth rolling out, and coming to a stop when it had reached the end of its length, and she let it fall to the ground before looking to him. " Hope this is enough for you, it is all I can spare on such short notice " she said quietly, her clear eyes gazing into his, and for a moment he found that he couldn't think, but a few blinks snapped him out of it and he stood up from his chair. " It is good, thank you again. Rest I feel is just what I need " he said his voice a touch friendlier that it had been all night, and he moved towards the center of the floor where he had placed his bedding for the night. " A good idea, sleep well stranger, if you need me for anything, a single knock on my door should be enough to wake me " she replied softly, her face suddenly revealing a weariness that matched his own, and slowly she turned around and opened and closed her door, without giving him so much as a look inside, even if he had been looking at angle, but he didn't much care to look. Her departing turned out to be a mixed blessing, where on one hand he was now alone, and soon could be well on his way to what hopefully would amount to a peaceful nights reverie, but on the other hand, absent of the distraction she presented, his thoughts seemed all the stronger, and it was with considerably more difficulty that he suppressed them. Such musings and evaluations could wait for the morning, when he was well enough rested to deal with them, and moving to the far wall, he blew out the lone candle before heading back to his bedroll. Yes with a fresher mind, such things would not be so staggering to think about, and closing his eyes, he sank into a trance.

by **Faraluun** on October 24th, 2011, 1:24 am

Dreams of blood, blades ripping through flesh and bone filled his sleep, echoing hauntingly of memories instead of fictional fragments, stinking hauntingly of a past life. With all the will power he could muster he forced himself to emerge from meditation, his eyes flashing open, as he found himself soaked in a cold sweat. His heart pounded hard in his chest, and slowly he propped himself up on his elbows, taking a good look at his surroundings while his mind was still muddled. He was in that woman's home; he could remember that much, and something about being on a beach, and water, but little other than that. It was too early in the morning for such thoughts, and he couldn't even remember his past, though he suspected he never would, at least not wholly and completely. For now though even if it didn’t seem like it, it was bliss not to remember what went on immediately before he came here, and even the nightmare was starting to quickly fade from his mind. The house was quiet for the moment, and as he sat up, he could see from the small window on the eastern facing wall, dawn was only just now coming to the world, and it was pleasant to see the red colors reflect through the glass, but at the same time he felt a pain off loss that he could not place.

The latch to the door creaked, pulling him from examining the feeling closer and he looked at the door just in time to see the woman slip out of it, her hair disheveled from a night’s sleep. " Good Mor... " she stumbled, staring at him a bit perplexed for a moment, before she managed to collect herself. What had so confused her he thought, and then his eyes fell upon his arms. They had a golden hue now, tanned as if he spent much a good bit of time in the sun lately, though he could have sworn his skin looked more like sliver the night before on the beach. Come to think about it, it wasn't the only change he could see, as his jet black hair, that had come down to his eyes the night before was now replaced by short brown hair he could only see if he pulled at his bangs. How could such a remarkable change happen overnight he puzzled, examining his arms curiously. " I see that you are just as surprised as me" she said, now standing nearer to him, as she crouched right before him and gently stretched out her hand to brush back his brown locks, making the discovery for him that his horns where no longer there.

He didn't shy away immediately from her touch, trying to think of what she meant, what he now was, and what did it all mean. The previous night came easy to him now, and he remembered the suffocating waves, and the cold grit of the shore, a stranger’s kindness, the warmth of the house, and the dark, dark dreams. What he couldn't remember though was what happened before that night, and when he tried to remember it just brought a sense of the most powerful despair, combined with a sense of abandonment, though he couldn't see what could possibly spawn such feelings. It was all just emptiness, a blank slate with no previous history to speak of, and he brought a finger to his temple to massage away the headache that was growing there. "I don’to know what to think.. This doesn’t seem possible unless you are yet a stranger that has stole away upon me in the night, replacing the beautiful wanderer who was there in the very bed you lie in." she said, though it was obvious she had never had experienced something like this. He moved his head slowly from her hand, coming half way out of the covers in the process, and he touched his cheek with his hand. So that was what he was, but it didn't explain much of his changing form, though a guess would be it would be something rather specific to what he was.

He settled back onto his elbows, and looked down blankly at the blanket draped over his waist. Was this to be his life now, live as he was now, seeking out answers to what his purpose was, what exactly he was while biding his time here, abusing this woman’s hospitality providing that she didn’t kick him out for such a drastic change to his physical form.

Sighing reflectively, he looked to the woman, his expression solemn, but he managed a friendly smile, and he sat up. "I see I am different, yet as to why escapes me just as it does you. I am yet the same, but not" he said, and for the first time he felt nervous talking to the woman, and a strange gnawing feeling growing in his stomach didn't make things much better. " Rare to meet two naked strangers, and you seem sincere enough, my offer for a place of rest still remains, though I must insist we look for you some clothing" she remarked, gesturing to his present lack of them, and a slight blush crept over her cheeks. " Before we go about talking of clothes though, how about some breakfast, I have something stewing over the fire that you might like ” Then the woman was off, disappearing into her room again, and he wrapped the covers tighter about himself, more than a little self conscious now. The sound of food eased it though, and he recognizes the feeling earlier as the pangs of hunger, something that he hadn't felt in a long time.

by **Faraluun** on October 24th, 2011, 1:25 am

The woman came back with two steaming wooden bowls and he smiled as the smell of oats and fruit hit his nostrils. It was quite the pleasant aroma, and when she set it before him, he found that it looked even more pleasing than it smelled. " It's porridge, at least my way of making it by adding a little bit of fresh cream, and oats to the mixture, and topping it off with a few fresh berries " she said taking a seat across from him, and handing him a wooden spoon. He grabbed the spoon gingerly, and looked into the tan contents of the bowl, a few black berries sprinkled on top of it, and slowly he maneuvered a spoon into it, and lifted up a bite, blowing gently. A nutty taste, mixed in with sweet filled his mouth, and the addition of the berries added a bit of tartness that helped with the other two flavors, and he quickly took another bite. " A fine meal it makes, you have some talent for cooking it seems " he said before taking another bite of the warm, sweet, porridge, and swallowed. His belly was slowly starting to hurt less with the addition of the food, and it stopped its mindless grumbling, leaving him in silence. " Thank you for the kind words, it was simple to make " she offered, taking the last bite of her portion, before setting it down on the ground, and getting up to go to her room. He looked at her oddly, but continued eating, not really fearing that she was leaving since he was in the common room. She came back almost immediately though, with a bundle of clothes in her hand, and curiously he arched a eyebrow, setting his nearly empty bowl on the ground. Before he could speak, she set the pile down before him, and held up a hand to quiet him. " These were my husband’s clothes, and I invite you to use them, you’re not likely to be well received in town if you run around naked " she said softly, and knelt before him.

He couldn't even form words to speak his gratitude to her, so appreciative was he, and his eyes dropped to the fabric in his hands, a dark green cotton shirt, a pair of dark green pants, a brown vest, and a pair of black boots. " Thank you, I am most certainly deeply in your debt " he said bowing his head to her before again looking at the clothes and running his fingers over the cotton. Whoever this woman was, she was surely put into this place to guide him, and he owed her everything. " It is my pleasure to help you, and you certainly couldn't find your way to some fresh air without some clothes on your back, and if you ever find yourself needing something to do, I usually could use a hand around here, and that’s something I think someone as lost as you seem to be might find an adequate way to spend your down time " she replied, a tender smile on her face as she watched him, and then stood up to gather the bowls and spoons, taking them back to her room before returning. Her proposition was sound, and a tempting one, but it would be hard to pay her back for all she had done for him, if he was working with her, but he supposed that logically if he did anything she asked, and went above and beyond what he was required to do, maybe he could settle his debts with her that way. His face lit up when she returned, but quickly returned to a peaceful look, that spoke of deep thought, but his eyes did not leave hers. " Your offer is accepted, I would be honored to work with such person as you, though I should warn you that I am not much skilled in anything so I am not so much sure how much I can help you " he said, and slowly stood up holding the blanket around his waist, and the shirt in his off hand, his eyes till on hers as he tied the blanket off with some difficulty. Once it was secure, he pulled the shirt over his head, and he found that it was little bigger than him, causing it to drape a little below his waist and hiding his body enough for him to drop the blanket.

After he pulled on his pants, vest, and shoes, he got up from the chair he had taken to slip on the boots, and looked to the woman who had decided to content herself looking out the window silently while he took time to dress, and he forced a cough out to get her attention. She turned around slowly, as if cautious that he might still be naked, but a smile found her face when she looked at him all the same. " You wear the clothes well, though it’s a bit out of your size, they accomplish what they need to " she giggled, and walked towards him a bit, so they weren’t talking halfway across the room to each other. " I'm glad that you accepted my proposition, though you needn't fear not knowing any talents yet, as I'm sure you will find my jobs for you doable. If you want I have a something to preoccupy your mind right now that you could do for me, one of rather importance to me I might add. " His eyes searched hers for any clue of what that might be, but he could see no hint of what it might be though he didn't worry, the woman was quite nice after all. " Very well, I could use the chance to stretch my legs, what would you have me do? " he asked softly, scratching at the thin coat of stubble that had appeared on his chin overnight. " Just a little errand for me, if you could be so kind to deliver a package to an associate off mine, he should give you a similar package to bring back to me, and he should be wearing all red, as arranged. He can be found in the Bizarre, but be mindful of the names on the buildings, and more importantly what my house looks like. This city is strange, but it’s easier for me to let you experience it than to try and explain it to you " She said softly, turning to retrieve the package from her room. Strange, how so? he wondered, but it didn't seem like she was going to tell him, so he would have to find out for himself. Her comment about him needing to remember what her house looked like was a bit weird to him, but he supposed that he could easily get lost, and would need to know where to return after all. Shrugging the comments away, he waited by the front door for her, his eyes staring at the grains in the door his mind lost in introspection, until he heard the tale tell latch, and saw the woman exiting her room with a small, square box in hand. " Take this package to him, and be quick about it if you can, the man isn’t renowned for his patience " she said in a hushed tone rather mischievously while pushing the package into his hands. He cocked his head to the side curiously but accepted the package all the same, and unlatched the front door, preparing to leave. " I will be as quick as I can " he said in a friendly tone, and a nod, before turning and departing through the door. Good, now where do I go?

by **Faraluun** on October 24th, 2011, 1:26 am

The light of the room was peculiar, for the simple fact that there were no torches or windows to speak of. It almost seemed lit of its own accord, but his sights in the streets already told him how odd this city was, what with the furred roads and such. People moved about, negotiating for different wares, speaking all at the same time so it dissolved into a monotone hum that filled his ears. There were plenty of people here, more than he expected to see in such a building, but no sign of the man in red, and he already wasted enough time finding the building that he didn't need to waste anymore. He tucked the package securely under one arm, and then made his way through the crowd, keeping his head low, and his eyes peering out for anybody that looked similar to the description that she gave him. It seemed like an explosion of colors in the market, and it was continually lit, with hardly any shadows, shadows he himself enjoyed the company of very much.

A flash of scarlet caught the peripherals of his vision and he looked over to catch a man in resplendent red robes that covered his body from the neck down. If that isn't my guy, I don't know who is Slowly, after checking one more time that the package was in his possession, he pushed his way through a throng of people, to stumble out the other side in front of the man supporting quite the beard. The man stood at least a head taller than him, with a large gray bearded that went just below his neck line, and with beady eyes that were rather off putting. " I am here to deliver a package " he said, after a brief pause to study the man, and produced from under his arm for inspection hesitantly. He wasn't that sure of this man's intentions or if by chance it was it was not the man he was looking for, and just someone else that by happened to be wearing all red, but the man's smile growing on his face under the bushy bearded, and his reach into his own pocket assuaged that worry, if only a little bit. " Righty, here you go boy, the reward as promised. " The man said with a toothy grin, and produced a smaller, vellum wrapped package from a fold in his robe. Gingerly he took the exquisitely wrapped package from the large man's hand, and pushed his own package into the man's hand, turning off quickly to leave the area now that what was supposed to be done, was done.

Surprisingly, even though he thought he had ventured far into that maze of people, the entrance was easy to find, and he quickly opened up the door into fresh air, walking out onto the cobble stone walk way that now patterned the street. Turning right, he took the way he thought he had come from, going to retrace his steps to find her house again. He nimbly walked across the crest bordering one such rode seemingly made of a strange liquid like substance, making sure to keep a good hold on the thin, long package in his arms. He didn't want to ruin whatever he was carrying with a accidental slip in the road, and made sure to keep mindful of his own steps. It seemed to be taking forever to get to her cottage, which was weird since he could of sworn in was in one area, but then when it wasn't he was forced to double back and go the other way. He supposed this was her little idea of having fun with him, exploring a city that constantly shifted around in such a way that it was it was hard to find your way anywhere regardless of if you knew where it was or not. Finally though, after he turned down one such avenue, he could see what bore remarkable resemblance to the house he memorized, and cautiously he walked up to it, and knocked.

by **Faraluun** on October 24th, 2011, 1:28 am

The wooden door swung open silently on greased hinges, the latch obviously not bothered with when he left. Hesitantly he peered around the corner of the door, to see the woman quite distracted with painting something on the floor. " Hello, I delivered the package as you asked " he called out, but the woman made no move to respond, nor did she give any sign that she had heard him, her eyes still focused on the intricate circle revealing itself through the application of her brush, her tongue protruding from between her teeth. The outside of the circle was very intricate with detail, a outline of several triangles rolling along underneath the edges of it, while a large triangle sat within the inner circle, with a smaller circle located within it. On the outer edges between the rising pointy heads of the triangles, she meticulously painted numbers, the black paint not smearing in any way, leaving only crisp lines as she drew them counter clockwise. Slowly he closed the door, and latched it, fearing disturbing her concentration anymore, and he leaned against a wall as he watched carefully her every movement.

He had never seen such diligence from a person, nor anything of this nature at work, but it fascinated him none the less, watching as slowly she made her way around the circle, till every number was in its own appropriate spot. Finally she stood up, paint brush held carefully in her hand, and she set it down on a sheaf of parchment she had laid out for the occasion, and put a cap on the jar of black paint. " What is that for? " he asked, his voice breaking the awkward silence, as he walked over beside her and studied the circle. " It's a summoning circle, used to summon creatures from other worlds, among other things " she said, turning now in place to smile at him. He could see her eyes slowly drift from his to the package in his hands and a gleam came to her eyes. " And I see you got the package, good " She reached out, and took the package from underneath his arm and placed it in her sure hands. Instantly the woman started peeling the edge of the wrapping from it, before taking it off entirely, and opening the top of the box. Inside, stacked side by side where rows of glass vials, a pair of extraordinarily long tweezers, and a small cloth pouch, likely filled with gold mizas, or at least some form of currency depending on what the city used.

" And what is summoning?" he asked, still very curious of what the vials where for, and every so often glancing at the circle of wet paint on the floor. Bringing creatures from far off worlds for whatever purpose sounded strange, but also exciting in the same breath. The sheer amount of time it must have taken to make the designs on the outer rim must have been quite the effort, and he admired the woman for her patience. " A certain magic used by some to further our own knowledge to the betterment of ourselves. " she said as she took out each of the vials, and laid them out across the table, before removing the tweezers and laying it horizontal above them. A look of confusion came to his face, and he brought up a hand to scratch his head. "What manner of things do you summon?" He wasn't sure of manner of creatures resided here, but from the reverence of her tone, it suggested that things brought from whatever place she sought where far more dangerous than the likes of anything found here. “Just plants I’m afraid, nothing too interesting, though Vilemoss can be quite nasty if you’re not too careful." A teasing smile came to her lips at that, and reaching out with her arm she scratched at her wrist before moving her eyes back to her supplies. “And what is the ‘Vilemoss’ used for? He asked curiously, his hands resting easily on his hips as he watched her, his greenish blue eyes shining as he watched her.

Her look was one of patient understanding, a look he knew all too well. " You never told me your name " she said simply, possibly a way of dodging the question, or just simple curiosity. " I could say the same of you. Why do you dodge the question? " In truth, he did not remember his name, couldn't even begin to comprehend how it started, or what it sounded close to. His name before had been lost, lost long ago before he could even recollect, but to tell her a false name didn't seem right, and he didn't want to saddle himself with a ill conceived name. So naturally he remained silent. " I am Aerla. I only dodge answering because it occurs to me that I do not know your name, and though I have invited you into my home, still it remains if I can trust you " she said simply in a soft voice, turning on her heel, and walking to her bed chambers to put away the mizas.

For a moment that was fine to him, it was good to be left alone to his thoughts, and to think of a answer to her words. What was his name? He had none that could be spoken, the answer was simple, but what could he use to call himself now, while confusion still shimmered in his mind. He could hardly inspire trust when he had no name, no way of referencing himself, no way of connecting with people through greeting. Images of the night sky came unbidden to his mind, the stars a constellation forming before his eyes. A man appeared from the invisible lines his mind connected, aiming a bow carefully at another constellation in the shape of a stag. Faraluun
The name came to him, and instantly he attached it to the hunter painted against the stars, though he didn't know how he knew that. Something about them just seemed familiar, like he somehow new the small stretch above him automatically, without having to learn it's name. It was a nice one, which rolled off the tongue, and not knowing exactly who he was, "The Hunter" seemed fitting as anything as he searched for his own identity. Faraluun, that will be my name now he thought his eyes dismissing the hazy recollection of the star patterns in favor of focusing on Aerla coming now from her door.

" Faraluun " he said simply, standing awkwardly beside her supplies laid out on the floor, focusing his eyes just below hers on her nose. A confused expression came back from her, prompting him to clarify. " Faraluun is my name; it is my chosen name since I can no longer recall my true one. ” Aerla’s frown quickly turned into a smile as she recognized the gesture, and offered a small nod. " Most of the time it is used as poison due to its unique properties, I hope that does not bother you. " she quickly responded, catching him off guard with her statement. Poison? For whatever use could you need that for? It seemed to horrible to believe her capable of contributing to, even if she was just supplying the ingredients, or at least that was all he hoped she was doing. " It was why I didn't want to mention it to you without knowing you could trust me with your name first. It isn't exactly looked upon favorably, but it seems you’re relatively new to the city so I feel like I can trust you. " Aerla added, her eyes flickering down to the floor for a moment before she looked back at him and walked by towards the supplies on the floor. " I have a hard time understanding how a kindly person such as yourself could get involved in such a dark business " Faraluun said, his tone not hiding his distaste for the subject even his addled mind knew to righteously fear though he knew not why as he turned to follow her with his gaze.

Fiddling with the vials, and stuffing each of them in her pocket, she gathered up the supplies while hearing him out. "I do not make poisons, nor have any interest in doing so. The way I see it, I am just making good money selling ingredients that a clever man could use. What he does with it is his own business. " she replied, though her tone suggested she had a opinion, but being her guest, he got the feeling that it would not be good to pry too much into her secrets. Instead he simply responded, " It is as you say "

by **Faraluun** on October 24th, 2011, 1:28 am

The fumes that drifted off the wet oils smelled slightly sharp, acidic, and stung his nostrils slightly. He bent close to the fast drying paint, tempted to touch it to see how it felt, but he knew it would be a bad idea, perhaps messing up what she was trying to accomplish. Her tone came disapprovingly to his ears. " Don't touch that, ruin the circle and then I'd have to have you paint the next one " she said her tone firmer than it had ever been, and he suspected that this, her art, was more important to her than anything. It awakened a certain desire within him, a desire to know dedication to something as much as she was to this, and yearning to know exactly where he belonged. A frown tugged at the corners of his lips, the quietness spawning thoughts within him centering on his existence here, and what exactly he was supposed to do. No matter how hard he tried though, he couldn't begin to fathom what life was like before he simply appeared on the surface of the world, not even the feelings he felt the previous night coming back to him and lending weight to his thoughts. Perhaps that was the curse of his body when it transformed from the being he once was to this all too odd shell that felt pangs of hunger and thirst, not ever knowing what he was, or why he was. He spat out the thought in disgust.

The paint shown with a slight glimmer as it reflected the sparse candlelight of the room, and it looked dry enough to him. Aerla seemed to think so too because she was now kneeling beside the circle and staring into the paint, before looking back up at him, and fresh smile plastered on her face. " It is time "

by **Faraluun** on October 24th, 2011, 3:49 am

Just beside the door that lead out into Alvadas, Faraluun stood covered head to toe in cotton fabric leaving only his cobalt eyes visible beneath the mass of clothing. Aerla, dressed in much the same way, sat crouched next to the circle, fiddling with something in her hands. She had urged him to stay his distance, saying something about the plant she intend to harvest being toxic and he might poison himself if certain precautions were not taken. Nothing about this really made sense to him, but when asking questions only got him a curt response of 'Just observe, you'll see', there was little he could do besides just that. He could see the glass vials from before resting easily beside her, along with a extraordinarily long pair of tweezers that glinted in the faint candle light. From the woman their was a sharp intake of breath, and then she was leaning forward, pressing her finger solidly against the outer rim of the circle while her other hand dropped a small knife to clatter on the stone ground of the house, red gleaming on its tip.

Faraluun winced and started to take a step forward to see if she was alright when there was a sharp whistling that filled the chamber, piercing into his ears and causing him to bring his hands up to try and stop the sound assaulting his hearing. Stumbling as he did against the wall, he got a better view of the circle that now possessed a swirling vortex in it's center, its glassy surface glistening just as the ocean did the night before. The high pitched wine lasted only a moment before all was quiet again, and head cocked to the side, Aerla looked over at him, and chuckled soflty. "Keep your wits about you, and be thankful that this is just a plant I summoned" she said, turning around as she spoke to shift her eyes to the portal before her, and very carefully she picked up the tweezers and slowly angled her hand to dip the tip of the metal through the surface of the portal. He drew his breath sharply as he silently sank to his knees, his eyes intently watching what the woman did, and even shifted back when the woman slowly produced the tweezers from the portal, a sickly yellow clump of something pinched in its grasp, and watched as with practice ease she pushed the substance into a glass vial. For the next bell or so she continued to repeat her careful movements, her eyes intensely focused on her work at hand and slowly filling the several vials littered beside her on the ground.

With the last one filled, she willed to portal closed and he reflexively took in a deep breath as if he had been holding his breath the entire time though he surely hadn't. His body hadn't caught up to the fact that the ritual was over, his muscles frozen in place, and his skin still prickling almost as if the mystic energies that had been released still radiated in the room, threatening to consume him. What exactly had happened there? It didn't make any sense on how she was able to reach through nothingness and withdraw such a strange substance, nor could he explain the strange sound that had announced the arrival of the portal. In his chest his heart hammered, and his eyes narrowed as he watched her stopper the last of the vials and carefully carry them to the counter top on the opposite wall, nimbly arranging them in line with each other. Hesitantly he took a step forward, his deep breathing slowly intending his muscles as his eyes darted from the dormant circle on the ground, to the woman even now replacing the vials in a wooden case similar to the one he had brought in. He gave the circle a wide berth as he made his way behind the woman, and standing just to the side of her, he turned his head slightly to get a better look at what she was doing.

"That was.. interesting" Faraluun said, his hands now resting on his hips as he kept his shoulders back and straight, and his chest puffed out. His mind still reeled with what had happened, and deeper within the confusion that so filled him, a twinge of curiosity grew. "You just witnessed your first summoning, I suspect you have the same questions I did" Aerla said, slowly shutting the box before turning about to face him. "It's through certain circles, and a bit of my own djed in my blood that I was able to do that. All of us, including you I suspect have power within us known as djed, and with that we are able to do certain things, but first we must learn how to use it properly. I use it to activate these circles to other worlds, but I hear tales of others using it for more personal things as well." Her arms crossed over her chest, she explained it slowly and in a clear way, though even then his face skrewed up in confusion his he listened. "Worlds? Circles? Sorry but you speak but no understanding comes with your words" he said, his eyes peering into her's searchingly as he rested his shoulder against the wall.

"The circles have their own perfect design that when combined with the right coordinates can do truly wondrous things. Their are worlds other than Mizahar, and with the coordinates to one of them, we can learn so much from them" Aerla said, bringing up a pail hand to brush back her fiery locks as she kept an eye on the man before her that was just a hair or two shorter than she herself was now. Her words buzzed through his mind, and he could scarcely contain the knowledge without bringing a hand to his temple and assuaging the headache that pounded faintly there. His right fist clenched reflexively as he stared into the wall just behind the woman, doing his best to focus his thought on what she had told them and taking it all in. The existence of elderich powers being told, and then proven to him was all just a little too much overwhelming for him, and his mind staggered under the flood of information. Raising up his hand, and holding it flat up before him, his eyes flickered over to hers for a moment as he let out a shallow breath. "I think.. I think I need to let the thoughts settle before we continue. Its a little too much to take in at the moment" Faraluun said as he took a step back from her, and then another till he was back near his bedroll in the corner farthest away from the summoning circle, and mind weary as he was, he barely managed to make it over to it before dropping into a pile upon it, succumbing to the rest he surely needed.

by **Faraluun** on October 31st, 2011, 12:46 am

He was awake when a cold tingling swept through him, rolling across the skin of his entire body, almost as if it caused his flesh to ripple as it did. Instantly his eyes shot open only to see small drops of sliver light gathering across his skin, washing over the tanned skin to leave its silvery hue behind, and on his back, and arms the black ink that enriched his skin there faded into nothingness. His body shivered as it when through the last of it's changes, the brown wisps of his hair turning gold before his very eyes, and reflexively he reached up his hand to touch the side of his head where his horns had returned once more. The remarkable change was over in moments, but left him stunned, and lying on the cold stone floor for a good bell or so. He'd returned, found once more a form more to his liking, more at home in this skin than he had been in the flesh of the other form he wore. Glancing up at a sky that he could not see, he sent a prayer up to Leth for the return of his body completely unmarred, and simply contented himself to lay their, deeply breathing in and out as he quivered in the gentle peace that had replaced the anxiety that had so weighed on his shoulders.

Close to the earth as he was, he suddenly longed to be closer to the sky, to view the stars, and moon in the open air, and bask in the glorious light that was his deity's gift to the world. Pushing against the ground he stumbled to his knees, quick to come to his feet and look around. The room was immaculate once more, Aerla obviously having had cleaned the place while he was lost in thoughtless slumber. In this form he desired no more such sleep, he only needed to bathe in that blessed moonlight, and then all things would be clear, and he would be confused no more. He practically ran into the door in his haste, fumbling with the lock on it for a few inept moments before him finally managed to pry the door ajar, and slip out into the night. The moonlight gleamed off his skin, making it seem a touch brighter, and underneath the shadow of his mass of pale golden hair, his silver eyes flashed as they alighted on a ladder leaning against Aerla's house in such a such a way to allow access to the roof.

Just above the cottage the moon waited an without hesitation Faraluun started for the latter but quickly had to slow down as he slowly pulled himself up the latter, careful to mind where he placed his hands, and to step on every wooden rung. He gripped the middle rung just above him as his bottom foot slipped off it's perch leaving him to dangle by both hands for the few moments it took for his feet to find their place again. Even more wary this time, he crawled up the ladder till at last he reached the lip of the roof and stepping onto the solid stone head of a flat statue built into the frame of her gutter there, and quickly stepped off to put his foot on the slants that made up the roof. It hadn't rain and that he was thankful for, but he didn't dare go any further for fear of bringing the whole roof down upon his hosts head, and simply contented himself to stand their and stare up at the full moon hovering above him, shining more beautiful than anything he had ever seen. "Leth, where have I gone?" Faraluun whispered softly, his eyes glistening as he stared unblinking at the luminous orb above him. A small tear threaded down his silver cheek, dulling his silver hue as it seemed to draw in the wonderful light that shined around it, and he glanced downwards as he saw the glittering drop fall to splash into nothingness on with wooden slats of the roof.

Something profound welled up in his heart, and with his god so close at hand, he finally felt as if he could let the events of the day all sink in. One by one images, thoughts, the confusion and fear all went through his mind, crashing against him like a wave on a rock. The idea of worlds, far away as the stars in the sky rushed through him, the tantalizing ability to see them shown before his very eyes and the memorable image flashed through his mind. His rude awaking in the surf, almost drowning in the cold water, all the fear and profound sadness that he felt buzzing through his mind, only to be consumed by a softer feeling that urged him to push it away and not be so bothered by what had happened since it was over. The woman's face, smiling and generous splayed out in the sky before him, and he saw her wink before her face melted into nothingness in the night sky. Around him the world spun, faster and faster until he couldn't concentrate on any one thing, and his head swirling his foot took an involuntary step back, and he toppled sideways over the roof as his foot hit the unrelenting stone of the statue.

It was a short fall to hit the ground as he did, but still it hurt all the same, a plume of dust going up around him as he rolled on his back to alleviate the pain that radiated in his side. A dull ache radiated across his ribs, but the lack of any sharp pains he took as a good sign that he hadn't broken anything, but to be safe he stayed where he was on the ground, simply staring up at the stars stretched across the sky before him, and only wincing occasionally when his elbow bumped against his tender side. There was a soft creak that entered the quiet stillness of the night but he didn't look for he knew who it would be. A sleepy face interrupted his view of the sky when she kneeled on the ground to look at him. "Doubt you'll find better sleep on the roof dear" Aerla said, barely stifling the yawn that followed as she kept her bright blue eyes on his face, watching him intently enough to betray her concern.

"I was simply enjoying the view is all. Sorry I disturbed your rest" He apologized, turning his face from her as he sat up on his elbows. A cold wind blew through the city streets but it did not bother him, not when Leth's light was on his so directly that he felt more at home than ever. All too sudden he could feel her slender hands on his broad shoulders, brushing at the dust that had caked their carefully, before she plied the fabric with her fingertips and released the last of the clots of dirt. He didn't shy away from her touch, despite all thoughts in his head agreeing he did not wish to be touched at this time, but he did not much acknowledge it either, his eyes soberly focused on the houses in front of him, his fingers flicking at tiny pebbles underneath him. "What is djed?" Faraluun finally asked, turning his head so his silver eyes could meet hers. She seemed to be caught wordless at this for a few moments, but then as she pulled away from him sightly to rest on her knees, she made a wide sweeping gesture. "It's what makes up us all, the energy that fuels our spirits, and with the right knowledge a tool for learning miraculous things." She said softly before standing up, dusting at the top of her skirt before offering him a dainty hand.

Reaching up, he took it in a strong grip and pulled himself up, looking up at the night sky once more before his eyes fell back across her. "You have much to learn I know, but it is night and their are chores to be done in the morning. Help me finish them in time and I'll teach you so much more." Aerla added before he could open his mouth to speak, tugging gently at his hand as they moved back into the confines of her humble home, and with a bit of regret at leaving the light, he followed her in, if only to give her peace of mind.

Much to learn indeed..