[The Patchwork Port]Shielding at Noon(Shai)

[Antar]

"Indeed, I did not wish to insult Chell by discluding him though. I mean simply because you now have a familiar I must consider how it changes your teaching. I'm going to have to be doubly strict on ensuring you have control and learn your limitations." Antar scratched his head a bit, feeling a bit uneasy, "I guess doing anything more then what was necessary for us to spend a bit of time together was far from my thoughts as today I merely wished to spend that time with you, not driveling over some boring exercises, though I guess we could practice if you wish. After lunch though. It would be a shame for things to be wasteful." Taking a small chunk of bread Antar chewed a bit of the repast before leaning back to stare towards the blue wintry sky. The clouds above were quite beautiful in their own way as they moved across the sky. White cirrus clouds seemed to mirror his wisps of thought as he quietly pondered the ramifications of this rather new development. And the potential it had for , well, hindering his desire to get to know the symenestran a little better. It would be quite odd having a relationship with a woman who had a male reading her every thought and emotion. The very thought was rather, unsettling to him. He would have to ponder what it would all mean carefully. It seemed however that Shai did not understand the intentions about what he had been trying to reassure her of. That in order to protect her, he would endeavor to protect Chell as well. Perhaps it was a sign the bond was still new, and for a moment he pondered if any familiar's bond had ever been broken. Though he had not ever heard of such a thing. His knowledge on the subject was secondhand from that mage knight in syliras. Perhaps it would be in his best interests to ask him more on the subject the next time he passed through there? There was one thing he had to be sure of explaining though. "I attacked you the morning after, not because of overgiving though Shai. I attacked you because I came to a stalemate in my personal code that demanded I know if you were capable of defending yourself against the dangers involved in being around me. I can assure you there will be others to occur in the future. If you had failed, I would have terminated our association and thanked you for everything or would have had to simply end the threat you posed me as a liability if you were not strong enough to defend yourself. You however, passed that test and proved once again why I found myself attracted to you. You proved yourself that day, I see no reason at the present time to ever test you in the same manner ever again. That doesn't mean I wouldn't be hard on you to help you grow tougher then anything that will come our way again." He turned towards Shai and looked her in the eye, and spoke the subtle truth. "In short, unless you betray me, I will never seek to take your life again, and rather seek to protect it. Staying near me however, will involve further dangers down the road that do not originate from either of us. That man was only the first, I doubt he'll be the last. For in truth, he was one of the least skilled of them all." He sighed a moment, and let another poignant silence stretch between them further until he suddenly reached out to grasp her hand and pull her down beside him to where her head rested on his shoulder. Idly, he'd amuse himself by running a hand through her long hair, it seemed to calm him. "For all I know, there could be more threats from my past, even in this seemingly peaceful city. This is really the only danger being around me poses to you now. Though that does not discount the possibilities of someone overgiving going mad and seeking to destroy everything around them. Many a person who go over the edge cannot tell friend from foe. Even if they personally allowed few people into the 'friendly' category. For me this means ou are one of the very few of them I've ever let inside that circle. I'm unsure if I will let you inside further later on, but you certainly have a better chance then any other woman so far... " He trailed off , unsure of what else to say.

[Shai]

Folding into his tug, Shai pulled close to Antar. The woman understood what he meant, it was a very base situation he described but she knew in that moment there was a gap between them. Before it had been less obvious, because she hadn’t wanted to look at him that way, to deny the possibility of any relationship beyond a professional level with a human, but now it was too clear. For the first time, without words to twist meanings she was truly above his experience in something. True, it was not combat or magic or any other of Antar’s skills, but it was something of an equal magnitude without a doubt. “If such a thing should come to pass Antar,” she began; choosing each word carefully. “Then you will look towards me or whichever woman and fail to see circles at all. There is a place where your rules come to mean nothing, it will become an ‘our’ instead. I am, although, uncertain that you could maintain the necessary level of trust. It astounds me some nights to see that you do not sleep with your eyes open.”


Burying her face against his torso the spider thought. She didn’t want to lecture, some topics could not be lectured upon but in a way Shai couldn’t help but want to warn him. To tell him that when he came to that cliff he would find a return climb a thousand times steeper and deeper than the jump had seemed. “In way, by your reasoning, you were right. I was a danger to you and in fact still am. With every day in the sun that you spend with me, rogue, I grow more dangerous. It is not the danger you foresee, it will not come with a blade but instead upon lips. The poison will be that much more potent for its innocuous vehicle.” Still facing against his chest she let loose a dark throaty chuckle, “I only wish I spoke of my venom.”


“When you trust me, if you are capable. You will find the moment by which you could have averted the event had passed long ago. And you will have given me the position to whisper sweet sighs that will corrupt you to a core those men who follow you could never touch. But, that can only happen once you trust me enough to believe beyond any doubt that I would not do such a thing. It is…” She paused seeking the strange word she’d only heard a handful of times in her entire life. “a paradox.” She finally concluded the word dredged from her memories. “And most dangerously, the choice will come to your subconscious.”


There would be a long silence between them, "My subconscious is a fickle thing, Shai. Sometimes it seems to go somewhere on its own that others dare not follow. Are you saying you could keep up with it? I suppose though this venom you speak is both love and betrayal. I've wondered and pieced together a few clues as to the who, but not the why. Perhaps, going by what you said, there would be no barriers between either of us. No secrets either, save perhaps what we secret together. Shame though, would you care to think the same thing possible with you?"


Taking a deep breath as though she braced for an impact, though the only change in her physical form was the wind playing with loose wisps of black hair, she began in gentle tones. “The who is indeed Dhalvasha, you are smart enough to gather it on your own. The why… if I knew the why Antar, I might never have gone to Sunberth. Even now, I do not know the why of his actions so I cannot tell you.” Propping herself up on an palm she caught his gaze. “You may know my secrets, to the last, on the day when I am certain you will still look at me as you do now after they are revealed. After which, the only secrets there will be are the ones we make.”

[Antar]

The clouds above were innocent and unmarred, it was an impossibly stark constrast to the two of them who lay beneath by the cliffsides. All this talk about secrets and betrayals was to them both, something which had been danced around and approached with as much caution as if the other held a weapon in their hand. Though in retrospect, they were discussing things quite well... though Antar had to wonder if moving too far, too fast might unset the shakey progress they had made so far. "I can only say, that I do not know what to say right now, my dear." the rogue whispered into her hair before letting his gaze stray upwards towards the sky. At times there were things that words could not convey, ideas that could not be expressed, only understood, and this was one of those times. So instead he merely let her stay next to him as he hummed, content for the moment. For the moment was all that was guaranteed right now. Up above the clouds passed upon the horizon of the seas, and he pointed out to one with an odd shape, "You know, if you look at that one, it seems like a bird just beginning to fly from the grass thrushes it is leaping from. The way the underbelly of the grey combines with the fluffy white wisps above, and those cirrus clous above that forming that 'V'. It's quite an odd shape though, strange, I haven't looked at the sky since I was a child. I imagine you wouldn't have looked at such things in that kallinor would you?" "Yes, I actually do not like the sky. The stars are nice and the sunsets and rises are lovely but... it makes me uncomfortable." "I suppose living without something for so long it must make you uneasy," Antar mused, "The symbolism is rather ironic I think. I suppose I should just be content right now though, and ask, even if its uneasy if you would like to play a game of me. The clouds are formless, and ye sometimes you can see things in them. Like that bird, what do you see up there?" "A cloud." "Ah, but its not just a cloud, its whatever you make it out to be. Less of a reflection of what it is, but more what you remember. Take that one over there." He pointed to a rather fluffy cumulo nimbus cloud, "That large poof in the center, where you can see the sky behind it looks like a spinner's wheel. Surely you must have seen those before?" "I never spun. I wove, but I suppose it may look like a spinner's wheel." Shai peered in the clouds a moment longer before jerking her gaze away, "I am sorry I cannot look for your cloud art, my eyes are not meant for the sun let alone staring into the sky." The rogue would chuckle amusingly a little at the symenestra's response, "Your eyes do just fine, it's your mind that you use to see. But no matter, you sure you don't want to take another try?" Shai snorted, "No you do not understand. My eyes are meant for the night Antar. It will harm them to stare into the sky... or at least give me a headache." "Oh, then I guess I should not allow the light to harm them any further then for now, and give you a rest while we stay here in sil-" The rogue's words cut off as his lips were moving yet the sound from his mouth was silenced. The little vixen had tasked a shield over his lips. Taking things in stride the rogue would reach over to pull her just a bit closer before a web of djed would drape itself over the spider's eyes, a shield tasked against light to let her vision be 'spared' as he had implicated before. There was a slight cry of perturbation at the offense as her body stiffened in response, though a quick kiss on her forehead stilled whatever was brewing... at least long enough for the rogue to pleasantly spend a bit of time snuggling with his favorite spider. It wasn't long before she responded , burying her head into his shoulder, all in all, it was certainly one of their odder moments together. Time stretched, just the two of them, the sound of horses in the distance and the sky. Just imagine his consternation though when her shield eventually faded to nothingnessness and his words were cut off by another shield as he went to speak anew. The little symenestran certainly could be deviously forceful at times.

[Shai]

Shai had believed her explanation of her eyes would silence the rogue. When he continued to talk and grate against her nerves the spider looked inward. Sensing her djed she stroked the innate power of all things living and drew upon it. Lacing the strands of power into a rectangular weave she mentally placed it over Antar’s mouth. Immediately she tasked it for silence and cut the rogue off mid word. When his retaliation was to seal her sight the Spider went rigid, suddenly blinded. With her ability to see dark, Shai was almost never without sight and so her current predicament was especially disconcerting. The moments of peace allowed the spider to gain a new appreciation and understanding of the man, she’d never had before. Being able to see at night meant he was never invisible to her, but now without her sight she was forced to listen. The shuffle of hooves pawing against the earth, a winter bird’s flapping wings, the rush of another’s heart pressed against her ear. So closely was she listening that when he drew air deeply, she knew her shield was broken. Pulling for the third time today she drew out a tendril to replicate the first shield. Against she tasked her magical construct against Antar’s speech and his indignation was almost palpable for the spider so near. Tentatively she reached up, slowly so she didn’t harm him with her nails, and placed the soft tips of her fingers against his chin. It was so the rogue could answer her questions with a shake or a nod. “Did I harm you? With the slate? I had not meant to hit you…” Shai gave him ample time to answer if he chose to, and even then she remained silent long afterwards. Then with some internal signal her chest expanded with some deep effort. Her fingers still hovered over his jawbone, “Reimancy… the scars, that is the name for your fire and earth?” She paused again, waiting for the answer before continuing. “Can you also create the more graceful elements? Water and Air?” The inquiry wasn’t completely innocent but she was also genuinely curious. The second shield broke after a pause and since she had spoken, Shai felt it would be rude to silence him again. The Symenestra considered removing her hand too, but after wavering hesitation she remained. Wondering in silent anticipation what it would be like to feel his words, not just hear their sound or see them traverse his lips.

[Antar]

Antar lay still, silent for awhile as he considered the vexation he felt at this woman sometimes. The first thing she did was something to seemingly annoy him more then simply telling him to shut up in a not so unmagical way. At least she was learning at least in that regard. But to add insult to injury she decided to shut him up a second time. He was of half the mind to take some revenge and see if she was ticklish. Or to employ some other dastardly tactic, but underneath the amusement at the symenestran's sheer gall it actually surprised him to hear the words which came next. An apology. The little spider had almost never apologized to him for anything before. He chuckled a little and shook his head in negation, denying he was injured really. There was a bruise underneath his armor and breastplate, and he was sure to be sore in the morning but for now, for now it didn't hurt. No breaking of skin, or bone. For a few seconds the rogue's mind would recalculate things , wondering if she was being serious, playful, or manipulating as she was prone to do in her interactions with others and thus he was extra cautious when the woman asked about reimancy. Cautious, but the rogue felt if she was to have a chance in the future he couldn't well just not tell her that knowledge. But that didn't mean he wouldn't make her work for it. Though from one perspective if she did have a familiar it would be dangerous for her to learn reimancy, she could burn her djed out twice as fast later on if she wasn't careful. Finally, pondering while he stroked her hair he looked up at the passing clouds her sight denied her. "Reimancers , if they are high enough in skill could use all four elements. Earth, Fire, Wind , and Water. Normally you only start with one. Are you asking if I can use Air and water though..." He let out a long sigh, "It's not that I do not have the strength I think to learn another element. I just have not had the time to do so. Each element is like using a muscle in your head. You have to strengthen them over time. Or concentrate on just one. Why are you interested in this anyways Shai? Reimancy is very dangerous, and with a familiar like Chell perhaps doubly so."

[Shai]

Shai hummed as she thought how to answer him, the knee jerk “I was curious, of course” came out immediately, but she wanted to say more; to tell him the truth. “I like to know things; I especially like to know things about you.” She began. “My feelings on magic, now seem” the spider paused looking for the word, “hypocritical. You have taught me to shield and then there is Chell…” The Symenestra had to stop herself from snorting derisively, mostly at herself. She was going to admit he was right. An apology and such an admission in one bell? The world might end soon. “It seems useful, I suppose.”

"Useful, and yet still a double edged sword. Especially with Chell. Plus when you use magic too often it seems you want to use it more and more as it becomes easier. It takes a strong will not to."

Mischief sparked in her eyes, “Why Antar, are you implying I am not willful enough?” Shai snickered. “I cannot believe I have become so negligent. I shall be certain to make my will known more often in the future. Unless of course, you wish to redact your statement; now would be a good time.” Catching the rogue in a web so similar to his own tactics always amused the spider and the mirth clung to her features.

He snorted dismissively, well not entirely dismissive as one hand reached beneath her to wrap about her waist and pull her slightly closer. "Willful and having the willpower to keep yourself from falling prey to your own demons is a different matter entirely. In order to gain that willpower, you must gain control. In order to gain control you must know what you'd be getting yourself into. To ensure your own safety you'd need to ensure not only you had the highest level of control over your djed, and by some extent your mind. But not only that, you would have to ensure Chell did later on as well.”

“My only demons lay in my dreams.” She replied off handedly, well aware the man meant her faults and not her nightmares. Dragging her hand down the contour of his jawline she settled her hand over his collarbone. “Chell is made of ice. He can be melted.” She wordlessly sought verification from the Irylid, it had only been a hunch.

Affirmative. I can melt in heat.

“I cannot always keep his temperature in line with natural means.” She concluded, it was a truth just as much as her admission of curiosity but it still wasn’t the largest undercurrent of truth that could be told.

[Antar]

Antar seemed to go quiet for a moment, considering all the options in a careful study of the circumstances. It would prove to take a lot of time to teach Shai reimancy to the point where she might be able to freeze Chell. No guarantee either to know which element she would gain first. ... Besides, he had promised never to induct someone into this curse again. Even if he was considering how Chell melting would effect Shai there had to be some other means to protect Chell from the heat. For a bit of time he wondered and followed the line of thought. If she learned reimancy, ice was a meta-element. A combination of two elements. It would be dangerously long in time to teach her up to such a thing, though if he was considerate enough to consider he might have to learn a third element soon. Perhaps Air, to cool things down. But that would only serve as a stopgap measure. Shielding was shielding... wait. For a moment his thoughts seemed to crosswires as he spoke aloud, "Shielders when they get stronger can do more then task a shield to block against sight, sound, or djed. They can also block heat too. It would be much more suitable to keep training you up to a point where we both could do so as quickly as possible." "And shields degrade over time when constantly exposed. Heat is constant." "Nothing's perfect, stronger shielders can have shields lasting years once they can be tasked to absorb djed from the surroundings as well. But to develop you in reimancy would perhaps take even longer then that which your asking about. Then there's the fact that the initiation into reimancy is rather... deadly if not handled right." Antar lapsed into silence even further turning to one side away from her as the fingers of one palm dug idly into the ground, "It's best not to tempt fate when an alternative is readily available, even if it takes time." Briefly he closed his eyes and sent back a small strand of djed to the shield he had tasked over Shai's eyes, 'coding' that small strand to disipate the weave of the shields. Letting the symenestran see the realm of the world again. For awhile he would stay silent, merely staring off the edge of the cliffside towards the sea where the clouds in the distance floated idly by.

[Shai]

Shai allowed the man his space, clearly he needed it. The only problem was that gave the spider time to think, and think very carefully on the words he had offered her. As her mind wove through his explanation something felt off and it was only on the third reworking of his words that an unsaid meaning appeared to her. This time the woman kept her hands to herself and returned to her concise way of speaking. “I am not going anywhere Antar, not without you. You are my—“ the word she had been about to utter was ‘partner’ but the spider was cut off by the frantic sounds coming from the horses. Something had spooked them horribly. Sighing in annoyance, Shai rolled forward on to her feet.

The spider had cleared half the distance between their picnic and the horses when she froze dead in her tracks. In a thrown whisper she begged his attention, “Antar…” She stepped a few inches closer the horses while eyes trained on the beast amongst the tree trunks. “Where is your bow?” She slid several feet more, eyes locked with the enormous bear. Reaching Dawnstride’s panicked side she tried to calm the creature but more she used one hand to lift saddle bags and blankets seeking the weapon.

To a human bears were scary, but to a Symenestra a bear was not all that much more terrifying than a human or an isur. Unpredictable in motivation, Shai couldn’t manipulate a bear but the treats were the same; breaking. What Shai could do though is out run the bear through the treetops. Antar might not be able to follow and in reality it didn’t matter; she had no intention of running. The spider wanted that bear skin, oh the wonderful things that could be made from that hide. The rogue certainly had the skills to shoot it, if only she could find that bow. Maybe she might even make something for him, to make up for her clearly callous inquiries. But before she could use the pelt, the bear had to die and that was a task for Antar.

[Antar]

For a time the rogue had lain there content to wallow in his own thoughts. But like many a time he was drawn back to reality via the calls of the symenestran woman, and the sound of the frightened horses. Pondering what was going on he crouched and drew his left hand back to his kukri. Wondering if there was any threat. With his left hand he spun a web of djed down to the soles of his boots and quickly tasked them for silence before stalking carefully to Shai's side to see what she saw. About two hundred and fifty feet away stood a shambling bear, just gazing at them as its breath puffed small patches of mist into the cold air. Whispering quietly, Antar noted the oddity of finding a bear out in the middle of the winter. They usually hibernated. Was it hungry, injured, desperate? He didn't know. "Don't make any sudden moves , Shai. It's far more likely that it's awake now. Just looking around. It probably doesn't know what to make of us unless its already eaten horses or the flesh of somebody. Then we might have a problem." Reaching slowly towards his saddle horn he unlooped his quiver and his longbow from where they lay pressed in the saddleback and slowly knocked an arrow. Speaking in a scathing whisper, Antar passed along. "We could try to scare it away with noise, especially if it gets any closer. Otherwise, I might have to deal with it in ... other ways." Thinking of his kukri and his sword, the rogue wondered if he could bang on them to make enough noise to drive the bear away. He knew from hunting and his prior travels that wild animals were usually disheartened by strange unnatural noises. Still, this bear was awfully close to the caldera and port town not to perhaps already known the habitations of human beings. Whatever the case, the two of them were thrust from having a delightful picnic, into a rather dangerous situation...

[Shai]

Shai stared at Antar for a moment, utterly bewildered. “What?” she hissed beneath her breath. “No, shoot it.” The spider knew they wouldn’t stay in Alvadas forever and when they left that bear could aid them greatly. Not only would the bear provide food, but she could line boots, gloves and cloaks for next winter. The creature had stumbled upon them. If she had been alone it would have been horrible luck but with the rogue fortunes were in their favor. “I want it Antar!” Shai said a little too clearly, a little too loudly.

The bear heard her and froze. In counterpart the spider froze. The two stared at one another for the briefest of moments, and then the silence shattered as the beast roared. "You know it’s not guaranteed you can take a bear down with just one arrow you know." the rogue would spit out., "and if you don't make the first shot count you usually don't get to fire a second."

“Too late.” Shai answered staunchly, she wasn’t entirely sure what to do. Her boots planted firmly. The Bear had begun to run... no, charge. Mentally Chell ordered her to run, and Shai knew that was for the best too, but her legs wouldn’t move. The Symenestra was so used to movement, even in the direst of situations, but the bear made her freeze. While her thoughts trailed uselessly the bear was eating the distance faster than any human could have. Then the horses cried and the mental fugue lifted, even though she seemed to move so slowly the spider threw her entire body away. Curling into her jump the spider rolled into a tumble. At the end of the little maneuver the spider was only a yard from a tree with she launched herself towards. In no time at all the woman was scampering up the tree and into the branches.