Flashback Familiar Familiarity (Crypt)

[Evalin]

35th of Spring, 511 AV
Emerald Pond, Late Evening

Night had fallen, or at least some semblance of night, for even now after spending so long in the city Evalin still could not tell if what she saw was truly what was. The stars in the sky blinked and moved in an epic game of tag that spend the entire universe, while the moon sat like a silent guardian overlooking their fun with a solemn expression. Upon the ground there was a similar scene. The buildings of the city all leaned to one side as if resting upon one another for the night. Dancing moonbeams filled the street, and the flowers sung soft lullabies to the slumbering citizens.

"What an accursed city. I loath it ever more each time I come..." The voice came from a lone figured, cloaked and hooded, that walked along the lakes shore lines. Curiously she did not venture so close as to see her reflection in the water, nor did she allow the waters to touch her. Her eyes gazed skyward, points of red only just visible from within the shadows of her hood. In her hand she held an ornate staff, and about her neck there hung a necklace with a shimmering gem.

How many years has it been... Evalin paused in her walk to ponder this question, yet quickly her interest faded, Matter it not for I am here now, though for what reason?

Absently she stroked her necklace, glancing down at it from time to time as she walked, What say you my dear Tsenrika...?

A cold stirred from within the stone, and a voice as frigid as the winds of the north whispered to her mind, I know not your whims...

This brought a smile to Evalin's face as she turned and walked a few steps farther from the lakes edge, Come now my dear Tsenrika, there is no reason to be as such. A finger traced the outer edge of the Familiar trapped in his sealed form, and as she did she whispered softly, "Come forth my dear Tsenrika. Grace me with your presence..."

The gem would shimmer and glow for a moment, and then it and the from which it hung would begin to melt, pulling together to form a single floating sphere no bigger than a blue jay. The familiar's surface was like a perfect mirror, reflecting everything about it. Evalin could see her own face in its surface, and her smile grew slightly wider as she continued, "This be your first time in this city yes? Tell me what you think of it?"

The familiar would float to rest just above her shoulder, its voice still echoing within her mind, It is a curious place that holds little interest to me...

The woman chuckled, raising a hand to brush a finger against Tsenrika's smooth surface, "Speak you this because you care not for the city, or because you dislike that what you see may not be what you see?"

The Familiar was silent for an endless moment, but when he spoke his words were soft and filled with contempt, I care not for trickery that would baffle the senses... Tis a truly distasteful thing...

"My I would never have guessed that the city would trouble you so... Curious that one such as yourself would be dissuaded by a few minor trickeries and deceptions of the senses."

It take but one trickery to hide death's shroud from view...

Evalin paused to ponder this a moment, "Very true, yet I wonder if it is the thought of death hidden that sours your demeanor, or if perhaps it is annoyance that you cannot believe what your perfect vision sees?" And to Evalin's satisfaction Tsenrika replied no. Turning slowly in a circle Evalin cast a glance at the lake, her eyes narrowing for a moment before her gaze returned upward, "Though truly, this city more than any other casts a cloak of wariness upon my shoulders. I fear I should never rest here..."

[Crypt]

Crypt strode towards a small green pond, his cloak and hood covering most of his figure, his carved mask concealing his identity to all that saw him. He stopped once he could observe the entirety of the small body of water. They say that this pond was where a Master Hypnotist, and devout follower of Ionu died. Crypt gazed into the Emerald Pond of Verlyna, watching strange figures in arabesques drifting across what appeared to be the bottom of the pond. Their limbs bent in fantastical ways, and they flew through the flowers that were currently stuck in a loop of some sort, withering and blossoming over and over again. The sun had just set, but there was still an unearthly radiance to the waters of Verlyna. Is it just part of the illusions of Alvadas? Or is a remainder of her powers displaying? He sat down a foot from the edge of the pond, careful not to touch the waters, for he had heard from a few citizens that it would be unwise to do so. Being cautious was the best way to go about doing anything. The images shifted with the falling of night, becoming more phantasmagorical in nature. Chimerical silhouettes seemingly danced across the surface of the water, moving in a clearly discernable pattern. Intangible shadows beckoned to him, requesting his presence in the eternal dance. But he would not. He grasped the mane of Maras, who was lying on the ground beside, and sat there, firm and unyielding. He would resist the urges. What he saw grew more bizarre with each chime. Vague shapes and colours shifted in and out of sight, and masks turned with every note of a melody unheard by Crypt. Fearing that he would be entranced by the illusions he was witnessing, Crypt tore his head away from the spectacle, eyes closed as tightly as he could. The light slowly faded away.

[Evalin]

One step fell to two, and three and then four as Evalin made her way slowly about the waters edge. From time to time she would grace the rippling waters with a glance, but nothing more than a passing interest as her mind was caught up in other matters.

It is spoken that a God rules this city as any king or monarch might another. They say he takes many forms and walks these very streets.

A God of insanity he be, and best never to meet him at all least we fall prey to the very fits of delusions that the rest of this city's citizens have.

With a shrug Evalin looked up at the dancing stars once more, Perhaps... yet to think that one of the divine might be so close that one might speak with him. Does that not raise your curiosity my Dear Tsenrika?

I have little interest in Gods and Mortals, or rather in beast or flora or anything else of this world or any other.

With a sigh Evalin replied, Be you embittered this evening, for even I grow weary of these senseless negativities.

Those eyes of red graced upon another figure that sat upon the edge of the pond. This one a boy, a man? A figure in the shadows reflected in the waters.

"It seems we be not the only observers of the spectacles of the night." Evalin whispered softly, passing by the man without a second glance.

Foolishness enjoys the company of others it seems.

[Crypt]

OOCAll I can say is... Finally. Yeah, it's not your fault - RL made you rather busy. Still, I'm really glad you managed to make time for posting here. Maras detected Evalin's presence first, eyeing the Nuit and her companion suspiciously. Not making any sound, he nudged Crypt in order to alert him. The Drykas turned around even as Evalin walked past him, his eyes observing and noting all the details he could of Evalin and the floating sphere beside her - particularly the sphere. I'll just make a brief look into that... She shouldn't be too far away by the time I activate it. Not as if she's sprinting away from me. Closing his eyes, Crypt began muttering a few words, deepening his focus as he drew upon Djed. Opening his eyes to the world of the arcane, his gaze moved through the many distracting auras - the auras of the trees, the aura of the grass, etc. - and alighted on two unnatural auras. The first was a much larger aura, manifesting around and inside the hooded stranger. Crypt did not dare to linger much on that for two reasons. Firstly, he wanted to be able to use his Auristics as often as possible, and found out that using it in short spurts, focusing only briefly on the subject would allow him to do so. Secondly, the aura stank. The smell of decomposing corpses (one Crypt was familiar with) was masked by an equally pungent stench; some nauseating perfume attempted to hide it, but failed to do so completely. Turning his attention to the sphere floating beside her, Crypt was no less intrigued. The aura was smaller and more compressed, but it felt much colder. For the most part, the aura remained in its place, hardly flickering - signifying that either it had no emotions at all, it had complete control of its emotions or it wasn't even alive in the first place. Deciding that his curiousity just had to be satisfied, Crypt prepared himself for a conversation with a being of unknown abilities. Best to show him or her that I am approaching clearly. If I approached that person from her back, if he or she detected me somehow, I may be attacked. Alvadas is not a friendly place all of the time. Patting Maras on his flank, silently ordering the Cyphrus Strider to remain there (an order, Crypt noted with some modicum of amusement, that he readily followed). The Drykas got up from where he sat, and proceeded to move around Evalin, approaching her from the front. Stopping a few feet from her, Crypt made a short bow to her and spoke clearly, albeit with a deep voice. “My deepest apologies for this intrusion into your night walk and for breaking this silence, hooded one, but there is something I wish to know, and I am hoping that you would consent to enlightening me, even if only a little. What, or who, is that thing?” Crypt pointed to Tsenrika.

[Evalin]

And it was such a quiet and peaceful night.

Peace may not ever be found in this detestable city.

Slowing her pace only slightly Evalin's eyes would pass over the man before her, two points of red just visible within the shadow of her hood, "It seems that childish curiosity is rampant in this place, and even the cloak of Leth's shadow can do little to banish such dreadful things." Turning her eyes quickly away Evalin would continue on past Crypt, not pausing as she continued, "It is but a toy, a trinket really. Not of any concern to you. Now, let the silence reign once more."

Tsenrika would bob and float to Evalin's other shoulder, I am no child's play thing...

Evalin sighed inwardly, Though this is well known to you and I, let others think what they will. Better it be for us.

[Crypt]

"Childish curiosity? Say rather a need, an urge to learn and understand all that interests me. Alvadas is not just a child's dreamland, where all frolic and dance amidst the illusions. There are darker secrets beneath the surface of this most fascinating city - perhaps some you would not desire to face." Crypt followed the hooded figure at a distance. "Your speech betrays you. Why would one such as you - cloaked in darkness, using sophisticated speech patterns - concern yourself with a toy? A trinket? You express your dislike of my own childish curiosity, as you term it, and yet you do such a thing? It cannot be so simple, so obvious. There is something about it I find curious..." Crypt reached out his arm, as if to touch the Irylid, but snatched it back once he realised his error in judgement. Now that he was closer, he would be able to observe Tsenrika more carefully. Once again using his Auristics, he peered closely at the Familiar, attempting to discover more about him. Even as he expended more Djed in an attempt to understand, a revelation came to him, one that surprised him immensely - he had never encountered anything like it. Crypt recoiled as he processed that one fact. That bloody thing's alive! Not just alive, it's petching sentient! Its aura isn't that small after all - it covers a larger volume that I saw just now. My Auristics must be defective. Not like a tree, not like a... a... plant or an ordinary animal, it's thinking. What the hell is it? "Now I know more. That's not a mere object or trinket. It's a being of some sort - one that is able to think. Now then... who is it? Where did it come from? What is its purpose?"

[Evalin]

That chilled voice pressed against Evalin's conscious once more, A cleaver tongue and eyes that do not see but observe. Both assets to the boy.

At Crypt's reaching finger Trsnrika would float over to Evalin's other shoulder, obviously to avoid being touched.

Ah yes my dear Tsenrika, yet a clever fool is a fool none the less. Evalin replied coldly.

Mind the fool that reflects herself upon others...

To this Evalin did not reply, though she felt the growing annoyance building, though not entirely due to the man following close behind. Without pausing she would glance over her shoulder, and then quickly away as she changed direction, heading away from the pond, "It seems you are able to think and reason unlike many of your kind, yet still you ask the most ridiculous of questions. If it be alive what point be there in asking of its purpose? What be your purpose? What be mine?" Shaking her head as she continued walking she would sigh, "Learn you child that if you must ask, ask the questions worth being answered." She purposefully avoided answering the previous two questions in hopes that they would be forgotten, but a nagging doubt built within the immortal's mind as she realized how truly optimistic she was being. Perhaps foolishly so.

[Crypt]

"A slave bred in captivity is alive, is it not true? Yet his or her only assumed purpose at birth is to serve a Master. I asked for its purpose in hopes that I might know more about it. But you have a point, mysterious one. One's purpose in life - it is unknown to most of us. But perhaps the Gods will be kind, and let us know of it, or at least allow us to accomplish it before death." Crypt fell silent for a few seconds, before speaking again. "But you have not answered me fully, I'm afraid. I asked about its identity. It is not a being I have seen before, and I have traversed most of Mizahar. Something not of this world? Something hidden from sight? That gleaming sphere with a mirrored surface intrigues me the more you speak of it. More intriguing than you, currently." Crypt turned around, catching Maras' attention with a whistle. He gestured for the horse to make its way back to the Stables. The Drykas would have to do this alone.

[Evalin]

It is as if this child's wish is to be as bothersome as possible. Evalin grumbled in her mind, casting a glare backwards as she continued on to step up onto the stone pathway, Truly could there be any greater annoyance than questions asked when no answer be willing to give?

Tsenrika bobbed close to her hooded face, Perhaps, but those who seek without fear of consequence tend to follow long past when they should pause to consider. His cryptic advice fell upon ears that did not wish to hear them, but with a sigh Evalin suddenly stopped, turning to clare at Crypt with eyes red as freshly spilt blood.

Tapping her staff upon the stones twice Evalin would furrow her borrow in frustration, being certain the mortal saw just how little she cared for the entire encounter, "Who be you that would disturb the quiet contemplation that resides within me this night? What child are you that thinks to call upon his elder with foolish and inconsequential questions which have no meaning at all? The vast endless abyss that is eternity stands before me, a depthless and fading past trails behind, and I have no time to spend with the likes of you who speak so brashly and boldly when calm silence and respect is required." Her gripped tightened on her staff as the fires of hatred poiled behind those red points in the darkness, and decades of blood shed and lives taken past through her gaze as she contemplated, just a moment, of severing this one's existence to allow the peace of night to fall once more. Yet something stayed her hand from calling upon the power within her, and instead she closed her eyes for a moment, as if to steady herself before continuing, "This creature as you so call him is my bonded, my familiar if you will. He is bound to my will and acts as mine eyes and ears to see and hear that which I cannot." She opened her eyes, "There now, your curiosity is sated, now be gone from my presence. I have wasted far too much time as it is."

And with that Evalin would turn, begining to walk away once more.

[Crypt]

"Me? I am Cryptic - I move around this world as I will, and my purposes are my own. I am a weary man - I am burdened with a... condition that I have to control every single moment of my waking life. And I am insatiable, for the more knowledge I obtain, the more I desire. I shall never stop desiring more. You..." Crypt's eyes gleamed in the darkness, though much less compared to Evalin's own, as he contemplated the strange pair in front of him, "You call yourself old. And perhaps immortal too? That is fascinating, but Death will eventually come to us all. It is the way of all things." This was certainly the most fascinating encounter Crypt ever had in Alvadas, barring his near-fatal experiences in the Underground's Strands. Though he had observed that the aura of the stranger was much larger than what a normal person would have, indicating the influence of Djed, his curiousity overwhelmed his cautiousness, and he pressed on, continuing to question her. "Your... familiar... I have read of such a term before in a small pamphlet I found in the Sunken Conundrum, but it didn't go into much detail about its nature. And now, I'm afraid, you have just convinced me, albeit unwillingly, that this bears further questioning. How is he bound? How does he transmit such information? Is it through verbal speech or transfer of thought? How does he hear or see, having no visible eyes or ears? And... How would one go about obtaining a familiar?"