[The Chapel]Clear-Cut(Veldrys)

[Xelhes]

Fall 37, 511 A.V. Walking across the stone floor of the Chapel, Xelhes could not help but feel out of place. It was lovely to look at. While the design was not advanced, nor stood out in anyway, he could not help but appreciate the building's appearance, inside and out. Maybe it was because the place was so important to so many individuals, the atmosphere, or some other unexplained force, but Xelhes felt more at peace here than he did surrounded by books. Yet the feeling of peace did not remove the awkwardness he felt as well. Those who came here, came to pray to their God or Goddess. A God or Goddess was something he no longer possessed, for he had left Leth behind. What use was it to cling to a God that threw you away, and refused to have any form of communication with you? None. To hold faith in such a being would not make anything better, and Xelhes knew that. If he clung to a faith in Leth, he would not be able to move forward from his fall, and while it was a slow process, he was moving forward. Looking around, he saw a small group, possibly a family, reciting a quiet prayer. After seeing the sight, Xelhes stopped all movement for a moment, and then quietly exited the chapel. Yes, he did not have to leave, there was plenty of room for him to sit somewhere else, and yet he somehow felt like staying would somehow violate the privacy of those people. Outside, he observed the sky. The day was nice so far, light filling the area, and not being too cold or warm. In fact, temperature wise, Xelhes felt neutral, neither warm or cold, making it extremely comfortable. Walking around, he observed a nearby flower patch, happy to see most of the flowers were still alive. Some were wilting however, the seasonal change slowly creating the changes it always did. Flowers were always one of this favorite things to look at, though plants in general were an interesting thing to Xelhes. The variety was simply so extreme, that he could spend years learning about the plants in this region, only for new kinds to show up. It was a nearly endless research topic. Carefully picking a flower that was starting to wilt, and managing to cut his hand a few times on the thorns while doing so. He had not even noticed them. Apparently observation was something he still needed to work on. Looking at his hand for a moment, he sighed quietly. Injuries like these were starting to get to be a daily thing. Falling and scraping something, not paying attention and running into someone with some form of hard object, not paying attention to sharp objects. The whole thing was embarrassing for Xelhes to even think about. "Maybe they are done praying now..." There was nothing better for him to do anyway than go back into the chapel, unless he wanted to keep injuring himself. Taking the flower with him, he reentered the spiritual building, noticing the small group was not to be seen. Others were still inside of course, though no more groups could be seen by Xelhes. Taking a seat at the front, Xelhes looked down at the flower and began to think, spinning it by the stem slowly. What did he have to pray to? Leth had left him, and in turn Xelhes did not try to find him. So, what God or Goddess was there for him to pray to. What did he have to pray for? No power could prevent his fall, that had happened already and could not be changed. His memories to be fixed? That was one thing, but that seemed selfish and wrong, just like wanting to stop his fall. A selfish prayer would never reach the ears of a deity, Xelhes was almost sure of that. His thoughts kept him oblivious to the others around him, those who were praying to their respective divine beings. Jealousy began to fill his thoughts. They had someone to pray to, and something to pray for, while he had lost his God. His father. "What...what do I have to pray for...and if I did...who would even listen?" It was a quiet whisper, one where his emotion actually showed a little. No matter what he thought, the damage of Leth leaving him was still there, and the wounds still as pronounced as before, only now he was simply hiding them from himself.

[Veldrys]

Veldrys had come to the Chapel early in the morning, after he had made his rounds in the city and visited his patients. While not all loved a Symenestra, most people had accepted his presence by now – and the fact that he was unlikely to leave again in the near future. He had been marked by Viratas, and the Chaplain had accepted him as an acolyte. That counted for something, even though his race had caused those that lived on the surface so much pain. Sometimes people even sought his advice in religious matters, and he occasionally assisted in a mass.

A family had come to the Chapel that day. They wanted to make a sacrifice to Viratas, to honor him. Their daughter would get married soon, and their son would leave Denval for a while. They wanted to pray to Viratas so that he would keep their children safe. They had given some of their blood, and Veldrys had read from the Viratassa, the holy book. He’d gotten a new copy a while ago. The old book, the one that his father had given to him as a boy, was in the hands of a half blood from Lhavit now.

Sometimes he wondered what Seven was doing now ...

He noticed Xelhes‘ entrance, but he chose not to react to it. For now dealing with the family that had come to see him was more important. If Xelhes needed something from him, he would have to wait. As the Ethaefal left again, the Symenestra cast a brief glance at him – he found it strange that the man left again without saying a single prayer – but then he just shrugged his shoulders and continued to talk to the humans that were standing next to him.

A few more moments passed, and then they said their farewells. After they had left, the Symenestra took a seat. He wanted to spend a few more moments here alone, thinking. So many bad things had happened in Denval recently, the murder of the child, the incident at the festival. And then there had been the time when Cian Noc and Theo, the farmer had fallen ill.

Sometimes he couldn’t help but wonder if the people of Denval had done something to anger the gods. What did Viratas want from him? How could he please him? And what did the prophecy he had received really mean?

As he looked up for a moment he saw the man he had noticed before again, sitting a bit in front of him. This time he was holding a flower in his hands, and he seemed to have hurt himself. As he heard the man’s words, he turned around. Xelhes would suddenly find himself face to face with a man that was as pale as the snow, with silver hair and amethyst eyes, not unappealing, but clearly not human. His slender hands ended in black claws, and his clothes were made of fine silk. He was a Symenestra, one of those that abducted women and forced them to bear their children, although it was likely that somebody that only recently fallen from the sky didn’t know that.

„I don’t know what troubles you“, the Symenestra spoke. His voice was calm and polite. He had a noticeable accent that betrayed the fact that Common was not his native language. He had only learned the language of the surface later in life. „But there is still a lot you have to pray for. You are young and healthy. That is more than a lot of other people have. As for who would listen, you are in the Chapel. Viratas is always there. He visited this place not so long ago. And I am willing to listen as well, if you’d like to share your thoughts with me.“

[Xelhes]

Fall 37, 511 A.V. The question he spoke fluttered through his mind, answers not appearing to solve the question. He knew very little of the other deities, and to simply chose one in order to pray seemed like a very poor reason indeed. Becoming loyal to one, simply to pray, probably would not bode well with the deity as well. You were to respect a God, not simply turn to it on a whim. It took a few moments before Xelhes noticed the man now looking at him, which slightly startled him. It was not completely the appearance of the individual, but the fact that someone was looking at him while he was in this form. Normally people did not pay much attention to him during the day, but at night when his body became a pitiful fragment of what it once was, most people did stare. It was what he called the curse of the Ethaefal, for he did not want tons of eyes on him simply because he obtained horns and became what others deemed an unnatural beauty, as all Ethaefal gained. The man before him though was what Xelhes deemed to be attractive, though for the most part he found this due to the eyes. He was not sure if he showed an notion of the thought, but when indigo met the amethyst eyes, he could not help but to stare at them for a second. It was a color he had not seen before as an eye color, and worked extremely well with the pale complexion of the man. The silk robe also stood out to Xelhes as well. He enjoyed wearing silk, thought it rarely happened. The fabric had a nice feel, but the fabric of the man's robe seemed almost more refined than the silk he had worn. Then again, Xelhes could not afford expensive silks, not unless he became rich somehow. The claws, he could not help but to stare at. They made him uneasy, and could deduce that further that the man was not human at all, and that he was equipped biologically for either self defense, or hunting. He had nothing, not even combat experience, and the thought of the claws simply unsettled him. Realizing what he was doing, Xelhes immediately stopped starting, quickly bowing his head. "I am sorry, that was rude. I did not mean to show such disrespect." He knew some people would have no mined being looked at, however Xelhes knew that of course others would hate it. People of other race were not animals, and were not to be treated like an animal to be observed. He knew that, and yet still had stared like that. Embarrassed did not even fully cover how he felt with his actions now. "Young and healthy...I suppose so. Yet, it is because I am better off than others that prayers are hard to find. I have what some people can only dream about, and I feel I should simply be grateful for that, but the human thoughts of mine always desire something else, that is only a direct positive to myself. Such selfish prayers would never reach the Gods, nor should they. Yet I do not wish to simply pray for the lives of others to improve. That is something that I should simply be doing, yet I lack the ability to. It is something everyone who is able to, should be doing. It is a problem of the mortals, and something we should be able to mend as well..." Sighing a little, Xelhes looked away from the man for a moment, partially embarrassed by what he had said. He had not meant to rant to the individual, yet words had simply spewed out. Though the man had caught Xelhes' attention, it was through the word Viratas that truly grabbed it. He remembered the man from a book on some of the legends of divine beings in Mizahar, though there were no real details. He was oblivious still to every God or Goddess, aside from Leth and Syna. "Viratas? Would you mind elaborating on him for me? The only divine beings I have any real knowledge of are Leth and Syna, more so Leth." The God had showed himself to mortals? Had manifested himself in this place? The thought brought hope to Xelhes, which quickly faded into disdain. So, the Gods could appear before others. Leth had abandoned him them, if he had the ability to show himself. Simply seeing his father would have been enough to make him happy, to hear his voice, or simply feel his presence during the night, yet Leth did none of these. He did not make any effort to see his child once more, and that is what hurt the most. The fall was nothing, nothing compared to being thrown away by the one thing Xelhes had truly loved. "The Gods...so they truly can appear before mortals...Did you witness Viratas' manifestation? I wish I had seen it, even if for a moment. Then again...it may have just made me want to know more. I already want to travel, to see what kinds of races exist, to learn, though I lack the ability to do so safely. The only defense I have is not one I would wish to use." Yes, magic was the only defense he had for now, and yet the control he had over it was limited. If he tried to use it for defense, he would need time, for if he simply tried to use it in an instant, he was almost certain something would go wrong, and he would lose himself forever. "It would be nice to talk, though I am not fond of the idea of putting my burdens and faults onto another...Though at this point with you, it would be placing more of my burdens and faults, considering the amount of ranting I have performed already. I am sorry for that. Yet, if I did speak more, I am not sure what it would be of. There is not very much for me to say sadly." He looked the man in the eyes once again, and could not help but think about how they stood out to him. It was the first time he felt that there was something in the world that could rival the beauty of the horns he possessed during the night, which were paler than any snow, and radiated light that shamed Leth's light itself.

[Veldrys]

„Disrespect?“ the Symenestra repeated. He tilted his head a little to the side and regarded the other man curiously. „There was nothing disrespectful about your words. I’ve hard a lot of people say similar things when they came into the Chapel. These are dire times, despite Viratas‘ presence. It is natural to feel a little lost and question everything. This is what places like this one are for. To voice your questions and maybe become a little calmer.“

Since he assumed Xelhes to be from Denval, since he assumed him to be one of those young Denvali he hadn’t met yet, he didn’t elaborate on it. He was convinced that the other man knew what he meant when he talked about these being dire times, that he was aware of the murder, the bloody writing and the fact that there was something wrong with all their gnosis marks. There wasn’t a single soul in Denval who wasn’t aware of this.

He didn’t quite understand what Xelhes was talking about – he had never felt that way – but the man seemed to be filled with a deep sadness. There was something about him that set him apart from the other people he had talked to, from Seodai, from Cian, from Talen. His sadness was of a different nature, harder to get rid of, although he wasn’t quite sure what it was that made him different. He had no way of knowing that he was facing an Ethaefal.

„It is human nature never to be content with what you have“, he remarked. „It is Symenestra nature. Every creature that breathes, every creature that bleeds feels that way. Do not feel bad if you cannot pray for the lives of others to improve, if you only think of yourself. Most people are like you. Caring about others is harder than you think. You don’t feel what they feel, you don’t feel their pain, you don’t know what they are thinking, and they might not even be grateful if you help them. It takes a special person to do what you think everyone should be doing.“

„Viratas is the blood god“, he explained as Xelhes asked him to tell him more. There was the hint of a smile on his pale face. He enjoyed talking about his god. „He is there, for every man and every woman that bleeds. He is a patron god of Denval, don’t you know that? He kept those people safe when they were isolated from the rest of the world. He protected them for centuries. I know nothing of Leth and Syna, but I know that he cares.“

„I was there when he came here“, he confirmed and averted his gaze for a moment as he thought of it. He still couldn’t believe what had happened. „He spoke to me, and he gave me his mark.“ He had also given him a prophecy, but he didn’t want to talk about it now. It was too troubling. „If you want to travel, if you want to get to know the world, there are ways, even for a man whose only defense is one he doesn’t want to use. I travelled here on a merchant ship.“

As Xelhes told him that he wasn’t fond of the idea of putting his burdens and faults onto another, the Symenestra arched an eyebrow. „Haven’t already done that, at least in part? You’ve said a lot to me and asked a lot of questions. That is not the way a man who doesn’t want to trouble others act. As I said before, I don’t mind listening. That’s what I’m here for. It is better to talk than to suppress your feelings and be alone with your thoughts. I might be able to help you solve some of your problems.“

[Xelhes]

Fall 37, 511 A.V. Disrespect from the words he said? It seemed is intention had not come across properly, or that the man had not actually noticed his staring. Was it best to stay silent, to play an ignorant fool? No, honesty would be the most rational decision, the most rational person to be in such a situation with meeting a new person was almost always trying to be honest, though with holding offensive details. " My apologies were not for my words, but for staring when it was not necessary. Your hands, they caught my attention, and I lost track of my thoughts while admiring them. That was the reason for my apology, for staring when it was an unnecessary thing." He made sure to keep his eyes away from the man's hands now, instead looking him in the face, but not with a stare. Instead Xelhes simply smiled lightly, thought the trace was faint, as well as false. "Yes, the situation is becoming dire, though I always know it could be far worse. This place, it is changing in a way I was not prepared for, with somethings happening that do not make sense to me. However, I cannot say such with complete certainty, I have only been here for a few cycles of seasons. Even now, I am still adjusting, to the settlement as a whole." Despite his appearance, Xelhes was really no older than a small child, a baby some would say. A baby that was trying very hard to accomplish something, though he had no idea what that was. Moving on with his life, forgiving Leth, those were the things he thought were the goals he possessed, but what if they were not? What if he did move on and forgave Leth? What would he have left to do? "Although this place helps to purify my thoughts, to let me think without blocks, there are some questions that should not be voiced." It was human nature to always desire more? For all living things, they always had some desire they wished fulfilled, for their own gain? The concept was most likely true, but not one Xelhes wanted to agree on. It was because people were selfish that they fought for lands, resources, and other petty thing, so if people simply cared for each other, would most conflict not dissolve? When the man finished talking, Xelhes' expression changed. It was not one of anger, or one of sadness, but an emotion stuck between the two. He knew it was true, but it was something he wished did not; something he wished he could change. "It is not that caring is difficult, just on how I am to go beyond simply thinking it. For now I lack the ability to do much good for others. I lack the funds to save those who starve, and I do not have the ability to heal others. In time, I may, should I continue to try and learn more of herbs, as well as try to learn of illness. At this time however, the most I can do is simply smile at people, listen to their troubles, and maybe even console them." It is Symenestra nature? If memory served him right, they were a race derived from spiders, or so one of the books he had read said. Aside from that, nothing more was said, not about their appearance, anything. However, from the way the man spoke the name, along with the accent he had that was one Xelhes had never heard, it seemed possible the man was one of them. Races were something he really had not payed attention to, for he rather preferred meeting them than simply reading about them. "Symenestra? Are you one of them? My knowledge on races other than my own and humans is limited, and I have not really sought out to expand that knowledge. I would prefer to learn about them through meeting, rather than simply read what someone had to say through a book. This time, he gave Veldrys a genuine smile, partially excited to learn something about another race. It was then that he heard about Viratas, the blood god. "My knowledge of gods is also limited...I have avoided the topic since I got here. It is only recently that I have decided to try and move on, to learn about the gods, and maybe find one that suits me." Leth was not that kind of god, not now. Maybe someday, when Xelhes forgave him for what had occurred, but until he found another to worship and love, he would hold onto the hatred, simply to feel something. A ship? "I have thought about using a ship, however...part of the reason I wish to travel is simply to see things, to experience what I can. Despite the risks, if I am able, I would prefer to simply travel by land...as foolish as it sounds." It was a foolish dream, but one he did plan to try and complete. If not, staying in Denval was not a bad thing. Slowly, he was growing fond of the settlement, and if staying here until death was the only option, he would gladly accept it. When Veldrys spoke again, Xelhes' eyes instantly gave his amethyst ones a look of confusion. It appeared his communication skills truly were low. He had not meant to say he had not troubled the man, but that he did not wish to further. "Maybe my speech is not as well as I thought it was. I know I have asked you plenty, it was why I said I was not fond of burdening you further...but now that I think on it, my words did not truly convey that effectively. I do not wish to trouble others, because everyone has enough of their own troubles as it is. While I can talk to people, there are somethings that simply cannot be properly expressed with words. The burdens I wish to remove most are ones where my words do no justice to my feelings." It was better to talk than to suppress? Such a statement was only true in certain situations. Speaking of hating Leth would not change his feelings, but bring them up once again. By keeping them down, by thinking of his other few memories, he could remove the anger he felt, and slowly it was fading for good. What would speaking it do? This man was no Ethaefal, his god and father had not thrown him from his domain, and pretended to act as if he did not exist. Not once had Xelhes felt Leth's presence, not even a hint of it. "While talking can be beneficial, sometimes it is better to keep things back, and console my memories...the few fragments of them that I have." When Veldrys brought about the idea of possibly being able to solve his problems, for a very brief moment, anger flashed through Xelhes' eyes. This man thought he could somehow solve his problem? That he might have the ability to reunite Xelhes with Leth, or extinguish the hatred he now felt? The anger quickly vanished, leaving behind regret and an emptiness, his eyes quickly showing the change. This man was only trying to be helpful, he did not know of what problems Xelhes had. How could he be truly mad at someone who was offering to help, to possibly do what they could, despite not knowing how critical the problem was? A dim feeling of respect for Veldrys slowly replaced the void that sat along side his regret of even thinking an angry thought, one that Xelhes actually smiled at. It seemed like a weak chance, but maybe him and the man could come to be friends, despite what Xelhes saw as clashing personalities. "Very well, then if you shall allow it I will speak more, though most of it may seem petty compared to the troubles of the unfortunate. However, before that I had best introduce myself properly to you. My name is Xelhes, and I am an Ethaefal, who has lost his faith." After speaking, Xelhes moved his hand in front of his torso, in the position that indicated a hand shake, a smile on his face. If he was going to do this, he might as well try to be pleasant about it, for both of them.

[Veldrys]

As Xelhes told him that he hadn’t apologized for his words, but because he had been staring the Symenestra furrowed his brow. „I didn’t notice that you were staring“, he remarked. „Besides, staring isn’t something that you have to apologizy for. It is only natural that you are curious about me when I look so different from you. Were our roles reversed, I would stare a little as well.“ He lowered his gaze and inspected his hands for a moment. They did look different from the hands of a human, but were they something that should be admired?

As Xelhes stated that he knew that the situation could be far worse, Veldrys nodded in agreement. „While a few bad things happened, there has only been one death so far“, he said. „If some of the things that are happening here do not make sense to you, ask me, and I’ll do my best to explain. Nobody should be unaware of the world around him in times such as these. As for those questions that shouldn’t be voiced in your opinion, as far as I am concerned there is no question that is so bad, so embarrassing that I’m not willing to listen to it.“

„Sometimes all that people need is somebody that is willing to listen, and a smile will brighten their day“, he then remarked. „If you wish to learn how to heal others, I can help you. I know of different herbs and their uses, and I can treat wounds. As for the lack of funds, nobody in Denval is starving. The people here need a different kind of help.“ Maybe, he decided, Xelhes was a better man than he was. Veldrys still found caring for others difficult sometimes. He either cared too much or too little, and sometimes he didn’t care at all.

„Yes, I am a Symenestra“, he confirmed, wondering what Xelhes had heard of his race and whether he would confront him with all those tragic stories about human women that had been abducted now. As Xelhes mentioned races „other than his own“, the Symenestra arched an eyebrow. To him the other man looked human. „And it is good that you have decided to learn about other races through meeting them, rather than rely on what’s been written in books or listen to strange rumours. Too few people are willing to do that.“

„I suppose that travelling by land is more interesting“, he murmurred. „Although I personally wouldn’t attempt it. If you decide to leave Denval again, make sure that you have learned how to use a weapon, and don’t travel alone. There are things out there that can swallow a grown man in one piece.“ He shuddered. He had heard too many stories of people that had set out to explore the world and had never returned or had come back, broken in body and mind, a pale shadow of who they had once been.

„Your speech isn’t really bad. Maybe it is the fact that we come from different cultures, from different backgrounds that makes it hard for us to understand each other“, he guessed. Xelhes spoke Common as well as he did. „It is hard to express certain things with mere words. And I suppose that there are some things that are better kept back, but sometimes talking about that which burdens you can make you feel better nevertheless. Nothing about what you feel is petty. The fact that you aren’t starving, that you aren’t dying, doesn’t make all your problems insignificant.“

As Xelhes admitted that he was an Ethaefal, the Symenestra’s eyes widened for a moment, but then he nodded. Of course. That explained everything, that he felt lost, that he seemed so clueless in certain regards, that he had said that he wasn’t human. „I have met others of your kind, Xelhes“, he said. „Even here in Denval, and I was able to give them some of their memories back. Do you want them back? Do you want to be made whole again or do you wish to exist as you are now, with only the vaguest idea of who you once were and which turn your life will take from now on?“

[Xelhes]

Fall 37, 511 A.V. "Roles reversed? I guess that is true." Good, he did not mind that Xelhes had stared, but doing it again would most likely be pushing boundaries. When Veldrys said he would explain things that confused Xelhes, he gave the man a nod. It was true, one should not be unaware of the world around them, yet more often than not, almost everyone was ignorant of it to an extent. Even those who focus on the world were oblivious to some sights, sights that maybe only one who did not look at the world could see. "Do not worry, the things I do not understand at this point are exactly the same questions everyone else most likely has. Why did such a grotesque murder occur? Why did it happen to a young child who could not defend himself, and was innocent. Why is any of the events that have happen occurring. I am sure almost everyone is thinking these questions, and the only people who would know are those who committed the act. We may never even get an answer to why it occurred." After finishing his statement, Xelhes stood up, his legs getting a little restless from sitting. Aside from that, his rear was beginning to hurt, and as nice as the Chapel was, it was not the nicest to sit in. Again, Veldrys' words caught his attention, though he could not help but think the accent made it part of the reason, that the man's voice sounded much different than most others. "You are a healer? If you are willing to help, than I will accept. The sooner I become more adept at it, the sooner I can help to try and save what people I can. If not save, at least comfort. I owe the people of Denval much, being of use to them is the least I can do." They took him in and cared for him, and that was a debt he could probably never repay. So, the man was a Symenestra. Yet, he did not look as derived from a spider as Xelhes had gotten an impression from thanks to that book. However, he assumed most of those traits were not physical, but possibly mental. The claws coupled with elongated limbs showed that he was suited for physical combat, and who knew what other difference the man had from Xelhes. As nice as this man seemed, he was dangerous, and could most likely kill Xelhes if he angered him. "Yes, I find that meeting races will allow me to understand things a book could never explain. As well, sometimes books are more an opinion on a race than the truth, or the writer could have simply had a bad encounter, which means it is not a direct resource about the entire race as a whole. An example would be a book a read that had the Symenestra briefly in it. It did not tell me much, but did say that your race most likely closely derived from spiders based on the physical appearance the author though that they had. Yet here you are in front of me, and you look nothing like a spider. You are most likely far better equipped for hunting or self preservation than me, but you are far from a spider. It is like the views some have of the Ethaefal, that we divine beings who fell, pure. However, while we did fall from the gods' realm, we are not divine or sacred, we are just another living being, no different from any other. The only divine are the Gods and Goddesses; coming from their realm does not make us divine in turn." Xelhes knew how dangerous the outside world was, and in the end would probably have to take a boat. Even with a group of warriors, the world outside was dangerous, and there were some creatures that simply could not be avoided or killed through any conventional means. "I know, although my troubles are not insignificant they are not nearly as important as others. Slowly I am working to fix it, to become better at what I can. In time, I believe most of what I view as problems will be gone, and turn out to be nothing but things I amplified into problems." Xelhes was still adapting, most things that were simple were difficult and confusion. Once he had become accustomed once more to this place, and became a stronger individual, he knew the problems now would be gone, just like when one grows from child to adult. He thought about the racial differences between him and Veldrys, before nodding and agreeing. Yes, it could just be that they came from different places, and as such had some problems communicating more effectively. "Well if you are alright with it...would you mind telling me about your culture? Not in detail of course, just the basic of the basics. At this point, it is far to early for me to request anything more. Plus, I can only offer the basics of Ethaefal myself to you in return, though most of it you may have heard of..." The Symenestra culture would probably be interesting, as all culture was. Xelhes really did wish he could be more help on telling Veldrys about the Ethaefal, but even at this point he could not be certain of everything, and he did not want to tell the man a false fact. When Veldrys did not accept Xelhes' handshake, Xelhes retracted the hand to his chest awkwardly, looking away from Veldrys and at the ground near him instead. The pose probably made him look like a child who was disappointed, which he was. It seemed he had failed to give a proper greeting, which did not deem a possible friendship in a positive light. Maybe it would be the effort that counted, or he wanted to hope so, because it was probably one of the few times Xelhes had made an effort towards a friendship or alliance. Yet when Veldrys spoke of having met other Ethaefal, Xelhes' eyes widened as well for a moment, before he moved his eyes away from Veldrys, looking back at the ground once again, as if insecure. "The others? So you have met them then...What were they like?" He knew other Ethaefal were around, even in Denval, but Xelhes had avoided them. Being reminded of the world he fell from by the presence of another was not something he wanted, nor something he wanted to inflict on another of his kind. Distance was better when it would prevent the resurfacing of the feelings of loss all Ethaefal must feel at knowing they had lost the divine realm. When Veldrys spoke of restoring memories, Xelhes gave the man a confused look, tilting his head a little, curious on the process. "Gave them back? How, when they were not your memories to being with?" How could one return memories to another, when the returner did not possess them? Magic? If it was magic, the dangerous of such a process were unbelievable. If a single mistake occurred, the mind could shatter, and leave the body a lifeless sack. Dangerous indeed, just like all magic. With the mention of wanting to be whole or remain a vague remnant of who he was, Xelhes could not help but laugh a little. It was not loud nor mocking, but like that of an amused child, lasting only a chuckle or two. He made sure it was not loud, so others would not be disturbed. "I am sorry for laughing, but restoring my memories will not make me whole. I already am. The memories, they are here, I just cannot recall them all, especially not in this form. At night my ability to recall increases drastically, and spans pasts this body. Plus at this time, the only memories that could be returned would be ones of this body, and I do not find the life this body had to be important. It is true, I may not know who I am exactly, but then again most do not either. Sometimes it is only when we are closest to death that we learn who we really are. As time goes by, my memories return, and I have found ones that I cherish; ones of the person I once was. The person I will most likely be again. I just need to find a few more pieces before I understand what happened then, and maybe even why I was taken by Leth." Looking down at the flower, Xelhes smiled and began to twirl it again. In this form the memories were not ones he could recall, but he knew they had made him happy when they returned. The very fact that the thought of them made him happy, even if they were not visible, was proof of that.

[Veldrys]

„I’m not sure why the murder occured“, Veldrys admitted and sighed. He had thought about it again and again. He had spent many nights awake, wondering what exactly was going on in Denval, but he had never found the answer. Did it have something to do with the prophecy that Viratas had given to him or had it just been a random occurence? Why did all those bad things happen now, when he was here? Was he in part responsible for them?

„But I have some idea why the murderer might have killed a child rather than an adult. Children are weak. They trust easily, and we think that the murder of a child is the most horrifying of all. Children still have most of their life before them. You aren’t supposed to hurt children. You are supposed to protect them and make sure that they grow up into decent adults. So what better way is there to strike at the heart of a community than to murder a child?“

He shrugged his shoulders and averted his gaze, wondering if he should have said this. Did he make himself suspicious with his attempts to try and understand why the murderer was doing the things he was doing? Or was it a she? Women could be murderers as well. He decided that it would be best not to think about such dark things too much. He was a healer and not somebody who tried to picture himself in the role of the murderer in order to solve crimes. People that thought about murderers too much either lost their mind before too long or became murderers themselves.

„I am“, he confirmed as Xelhes asked him whether he was a healer. „And I’m more than willing to help you if you want to. Denval could use another healer. I can start teaching you whenever you are ready for it.“ The thought of the murderer and his possible motives had darkened his mood considerably, but there was a smile on his pale face now. He enjoyed teaching others and passing his knowledge onto others.

„Derived from spiders?“ he repeated as Xelhes told him about the book he had once read and shook his head. „I don’t think we are derived from spiders. We can climb better than humans, but as you can see when you look at me, Symenestra don’t have eight limbs, and they don’t spend all their time in a spiderweb waiting for their prey either.“ Symenestra were venomous though, and under the right circumstances their venom was lethal, but he decided not to tell Xelhes that. There were some things that were better kept a secret.

While Symenestra definitely weren’t derived from spiders, Veldrys wasn’t so sure as far as Ethaefal and their status as divine beings was concerned. He had seen Lysander in his Ethaefael form, and he had been more beautiful than anybody he had ever seen before. Somebody like him couldn’t simply be „just another living being“. They were more, they were better than humans, even though their minds were broken, but again he chose to keep quiet. Xelhes seemed to prefer to think that he was just like the Denvali.

„I would be interested in hearing more of the Ethaefal“, he admitted. As Xelhes retracted his hand, the Symenestra looked at him strangely. He had been so focused on their conversation that he hadn’t even noticed that the Ethaefal had offered him his hand, but he decided not to mention that. Apologizing would probably only make it worse, and thus he pretended not to be aware of what had just happened. „And I don’t mind telling you about my culture at all, although it would be best if you asked specific questions. I don’t want to bore you with things that might not even interest you.“

From the look on the healer’s face it would be obvious to Xelhes that he welcomed the opportunity to talk about his people, to educate him a little. Most people weren’t particularly interested in the truth about the Symenestra, but happily kept their prejudices and condemned them all.

„One of them is a grown man“, he replied as Xelhes asked him about the other Ethaefal. „Sitkanis. He seems a bit better about his fate, yearning for the family he had left behind when he had died. The other one, Lysander, is a mere boy, curious about the world, ignorant in many ways. I taught him a bit, just like I will teach you.“ He didn’t tell Xelhes that he had taught the boy morphing though, not medicine. Magic was a complicated topic at the best of times and often viewed with suspicion.

„The memories were still in them, in their blood, but inaccessible“, he replied as Xelhes asked him how he had been able to give the other Ethaefal their memories back. „I unlocked them. I have been blessed by Viratas and bear his mark. I have certain abilities that other people don’t possess.“ He pulled his sleeve back so that Xelhes could see the red chain on his arm, although he decided not to tell him how exactly he had unlocked those memories right away. Most people found drinking blood a little disturbing. Veldrys had never figured out why. Blood was holy, not disgusting.

As Xelhes laughed, Veldrys narrowed his eyes and looked at him directly, as if he wanted him to stop. „This is no reason to laugh“, he informed him. „Restoring your memories might not make you whole, but it will give you a better understanding of who you are. Are the memories of the body you are currently wearing not important? Isn’t it a part of you? Hasn’t this life shaped you as well? If your ability to remember is better in your other form we can wait until the sun has set. My offer still stands. In my opinion it is better to remember everything, no matter what you say, but if you do not want me to access your memories, I’ll accept your decision.“

He sighed. Xelhes seemed to be comparatively content the way he was judging by the things he had said, and there probably was some truth to his words, but still, Veldrys wished somebody had made such an offer to him. He wanted to know who he had been before, what kind of man he had been. If he knew more about his past lives, it would probably help him understand the present and the future. He couldn’t bear living his life in ignorance.

[Xelhes]

Fall 37, 511 A.V. So Veldrys had no idea why the murder occurred, just like everyone else. Xelhes had not expected any different. The words the man said about the child made sense yet something seemed off about the situation still. "what you say is true, yet something still does not sit right with me. The damage that was done to the child goes beyond any murder, and maybe even beyond simply trying to strike at the community. To me it seems like whatever killed the child did so as if the child was a toy, for I heard that it was a mess. At the very least, what ever did it has lost morality and most likely hiding...maybe still nearby. It killed without consequence...due to that I believe it may strike again with the instinct that it shall not be caught." Shaking his head Xelhes tried to remove the thoughts from his mind. This was not the time to think of such ideas. When Veldrys spoke of agreeing to help Xelhes learn to be a healer he could not help but give a positive smile, even if it was faint. "I can start whenever you are free. I have some knowledge on herbs thanks to some books I read, however it is basic and some of it inaccurate I can assume. Books have a habit of contrasting details." Xelhes was happy to see the man smile after such a topic they spoke of. Hopefully he would be a good teacher. The fact being reassured that the Symenestra not coming from spiders was not a surprise to Xelhes, not after meeting Veldrys. "I know. Meeting you has proved that. You do not appear to me as a spider, and you do not act like one does...or at least I do not think so. Spider behavior is not something I pay much attention to. This only helps to strength my desire to meet races and not read. What people write about other races and culture helps to build prejudice, and I do want such a thing when I meet a new person." When Veldrys said he would love to hear about the Ethaefal Xelhes gave a happy nod. It was not often he got to tell others tales, and he loved it almost as much as hearing them. I will tell you whatever I can, however it would be best to wait until nightfall. In this form my memories of even Leth's realm are weak. Until then, would you mind telling me your stories? Please, talk about the culture in general. There is nothing boring about another culture. They are all unique and different, regardless of how similar they might seem, though I do not think Symenestra are completely similar to human culture. Such as with your claws and climbing abilities. With those, it seems to be that you are hunters, yet are also adept at fleeing should the situation require it...So you probably eat meat more than fruits and such?" It was mostly speculation, but it made sense to Xelhes. Animals with fangs, claws, and other abilities were equip for eating animals. With the talk of his fellow Ethaefal, Xelhes' demeanor lowered again, becoming more pulled back than before. Telling stories and such always made him eager, but other topics such as this brought him back to the mentality he normally possessed; detached. "So long as they are fine, I am content. They both sound like me in a way. I desire to continue the life where I hold most affinity toward, and also am curious of the world, thought extremely ignorant of most things. Maybe I will come to meet them...maybe." A meeting of Ethaefal...he did not know how it would go. Did the others feel abandoned like he did, or not? He was too scared to find out, and so listened to Veldrys more intently than before. When the chain was shown Xelhes looked at it for a second, before moving his glance somewhere else. For some reason looking at it made him uncomfortable, like it was a taboo to glance upon it. "To be marked by a God...he must have thought you were a very promising individual. I cannot even begin to imagine the honor of such an event...Though I can only assume it came at a cost, or will have a cost in the future. To receive a God's power, even a small piece, would most likely not be something simply handed out." Xelhes did not ask about Veldrys' abilities, he did not want to know them all. It was not his place to inquire. The obviously narrowed eyes did not go past Xelhes, but he did not take much heed of them. Regardless of what the Symenestra thought, to Xelhes it was a reason to laugh a little. The way the Symenestra had put his proposition made it sound like the ultimate decision, the most important choice Xelhes would ever make. Amusing did not even cover it. "Yes, this form does not mean much to me. It makes up a part of me, yes, but the memories that I have from it do not bring about an affinity to me. I know they are my old ones, yet there is nothing in them that feel personal to me. It is more like reading some book, a fairy tale wrote for enjoyment. That is why I do not care these memories. However, your offer is kind, more so than I deserve, and I will accept it. At night when I return to a more comfortable form I shall gladly allow you to aid me. I only wish I had some way to make an equal exchange with you for the service, but I have no abilities of my own." He did not, and most likely never would. A deity would never bless one such as him, and Xelhes did not expect one to. It was not an honor he deserved. Somehow he would repay Veldrys, he just did not know how. "...Thank you for your offer. It was not one I expected to encounter in my life...I do not know how to properly say how much it would mean to me to remember a life that felt real. Something I could go from, so that I can move forward. The others may not feel it, but with the memories I have now it feels like time has frozen on me. Like I am stuck in the moment of a death I cannot see, and as such, my spirit is simply unable to accept the life I have been given now." Yes, stuck in time, and unable to accept. That was how Xelhes felt, and he wanted to be free. Time should not stand still for anyone.

[Veldrys]

Veldrys decided not to talk about the murder any more. There was no point to it. They could talk on and on about such things and worry about Denval’s future, but to what end? Neither he nor Xelhes would be able to solve the problems that the city was facing. This was, as the Ethaefal had already silently concluded, not the time to think of such things. And thus the Symenestra decided to concentrate on the other topics they had discussed instead.

As Xelhes told him that he could start his training whenever he, Veldrys, was free, the Symenestra nodded. „How about later today then, after I have eaten? I don’t have anything to do for the rest of the day. And I agree, reading what people write about other races, often helps to build prejudice. It is always better to get to know those other races yourself – unless we are talking about Myrians. I would avoid those completely.“

His eyes darkened as he thought of the bloodthirsty savages that lived in the jungles of Falyndar where the great floating city of the Symenestra had once been. He had heard too many stories about travellers being attacked by cannibals not to believe them. He didn’t think that he was prejudiced when he decided to be careful in that regard.

„I don’t mind waiting until nightfall to hear your story“, he continued. „As for our eating habits ...“ He hesitated. It would be unwise to reveal to Xelhes exactly how a Symenestra ate. „... we eat both meat and fruit in equal amounts, and we prefer both to be soft. My kind have problems digesting solid food. We are hunters, but more than that we are artists which may surprise you. We weave silk, and we create literature. Maybe I’ll bring a book with me when we meet again.“

„As for those other Ethaefal, if you would like, I could introduce them to you. I’m not sure how it is with Ethaefal, but I’m always glad to see another Symenestra. There are too few of my kind in Denval.“

Despite everything that was wrong with his people and their culturue, he enjoyed the company of other Symenestra. There were some things that only another Symenestra could understand. The people of Denval were polite to him for the most part, but in the end they were human, and he wasn’t, and he would never completely belong. He could never share their food. He could never love the way they did, completely without worry. He could never fight alongside them since his bones were too fragile to withstand their blows.

„Promising? Maybe“, he murmurred and covered his mark again. As Xelhes talked about the cost associated with such things, he nodded. There was the prophecy. It had been given to him at the same time that he had been marked, an ominous prophecy that spoke of Denval’s possible destruction. Even now he couldn’t help but shudder when he thought of it.

As Xelhes accepted his offer after all, the Symenestra inclined his head. „At night then. As for your wish to make an equal exchange with me your the service, if you tell me more about your people as we prevciously discussed and let me teach you, it will be enough.“ He fell silent for a moment, and then he looked directly at Xelhes. The time to tell the Etheaefal how exactly he would retrieve his memories had come.

„Do you know anything about those that have been blessed by Viratas?“ he asked. „I mentioned that the memories of who you used to be are in your blood. Do you know what this means? Do you know what you will have to give me?“