[The Courtyard] Pulser to Pulser, We Stand (Thomas Cosa)

[Ialari Pythone]

Mid-Fall 512

In the Courtyard of Sahova, Ialari sat, leaning against a tombstone belonging to some nameless corpse who perished while trying to master the secrets of Sahova. The ever-present fog hung all around while a handful of ghosts milled about the nearby area. Ialari was a short distance from the known path that winded its way through the Courtyard. Few in Sahova, nuit or pulser, dared stray from the path out of fear of the restless shades that haunted the graveyard. Though mostly harmless, some of the more restless ethereals could cause the unprepared no small amount of discomfort. For Ialari however, she often came to the Courtyard to think. There were even some ghosts whom she had been able to start up limited yet unique conversations with. After having spent so much time visiting the Courtyard, Ialari had gotten to know a few of the ghosts and valued their odd perspectives and sometimes alien thinking.

As one marked by Death, Ialari felt something of a duty to interact with the ghosts. At times she tried to convince them to let go and move on to the next stage of existence before Dira or one of her less caring servants came looking for them. None to date had heeded her suggestions yet she still tried.

For any who may come upon her, they would see a figure dressed in black robes leaning against the tombstone. At first glance it may appear as Death were actually resting against the stone but a little closer look would reveal a definitely living hand clasping a black, silver-veined metallic one and visible breath emanating from beneath the cowl. To those new to Sahova, they may not recognize Ialari Pythone but they would be able to note the oddity of a pulser so comfortable lounging some distance from the security of the path.

[Thomas Cosa]

The mist of the courtyard clung to the young animator as he stumbled through, hopelessly lost. Thomas managed to keep himself aware of the iron barriers, staying to the winding, stone path. He was already lost; Thomas didn't want to end up dead. The young animator quickly paced through the graveyard maze, doing his best to ignore the whispered warnings, the silent threats. Thomas wasn't very knowledgeable regarding ghost, only knowing that they did exist and that they could hurt him -- they could at least touch him, as invisible hands were want to grab at his cloak should he stray to close to the barrier. A shadow caught his eye, and he turned. He instinctively turned his aurisitic sense to the cloak figure, before announcing himself. A pulsing aura of color wrapped around the figure, the rhythmic beating marking it as alive. Small orbs of faded grey surrounded the cloaked figure -- a cold feeling emanating from one of the arms. Thomas blinked, turning off the sense. "Are you alive?" He asked the figure blankly, still not exactly sure he had seen right. They were all informed of the dangers of the courtyard -- Thomas couldn't understand why a pulser would willingly venture away from the protected road.

[Ialari Pythone]

As Ialari leaned against the gravestone, she occupied her thoughts with all manner of unusual ideas. Her experiences over the past two years had opened her up to a realm of so much possibility and mystery that at times it was almost overwhelming. If not for her period breaks from it all, be it leaving the island to go to the nearby beach of the mainland or shorter excursions to places around the island or even a morning or afternoon spent lounging in the Courtyard, she felt that sometimes she may not be able to hold it all together.

She had just finished conversing with one of the locals of the Courtyard, a rather unique individual who once studied poisons like herself and was digesting some of the things he had said when a decidedly material voice spoke out from the path a short distance away. Seldom did any of the nuit on the island bother to speak with her and even the ones who may, such as Master Qiao, never did in person, only through golem or written message. No, the voice she heard was indeed speaking to her for she was the only living being she had ever saw in the Courtyard.

Tilting her head slightly and looking up from beneath her cowl, Ialari noted the tall, rather lanky looking figure a couple of yards away. She thought briefly to herself, Am I a alive? Can't say I've heard that question around here before. Ialari slowly pulled herself to her feet. With fog still rather thick, it was hard to make out much detail of the man; his voice sounded male anyway, so Ialari calmly walked toward him. When she came within about a yard of the path, she stopped. She regarded the dark-haired man standing before, his pale face and blank look made her think that he looked a little confused. She waited another moment before answering him.

"Why do you ask?" Ialari asked a question of her own in response. Her voice was soft, obviously feminine as she spoke from beneath the hood of her robes. She was starting to feel a little rambunctious at this somewhat peculiar situation. It wasn't everyday someone asked her such an odd question and this individual happened to ask just that. Half of a sly grin played on one side of her mouth.

[Thomas Cosa]

"Because you're beyond the barrier," Thomas whispered, not daring to move closer. He watched the figure suspiciously, obviously unsure of her presence. "And that means you're dead...but," He spoke thoughtfully, sounding more in conversation with himself then with the figure before him. Slowly, the mundane gave way to his budding auristic sense, once more wrapping the stranger in a shining aura of color. The rhythmic beating, the irregular pulsing of light coming from her chest; they all marked her as alive. Golden warmth radiated off her body, the color in stark comparison to the ethereal grey orbs that surrounded her. Thomas could feel and taste her every breath, and yet, he remained unsure. Foul odors wafted off the stranger, decay strongest among them. The yellow stench of decay marked her body, strongest on her hands. Despite the warmth that mimicked true life, there was a heaviness to her that defied her own petite appearance. "You seem alive; I See your heartbeat and Feel your breath." Thomas paused, "But, decay and death taint you, like the Nuit."

[Ialari Pythone]

At the man's statement of her being beyond the barrier and as such she must be dead, Ialari looked to each side and then down at her feet. She then lowered her hands to her midriff where she proceeded to run them up her body and beneath her cowl as if making sure she was still who she was supposed to be. Then came Thomas comment about her being tainted like a nuit. Ialari's humor faded quickly at that point.

Her voice still soft though a bit more icy than before, "Indeed I'm beyond the barrier. That however does not mean I'm dead nor am I tainted with the stench of a nuit. I assure you, I am very much alive." Ialari slowly pulled back her cowl to reveal the face of an isur. Living flesh tinted ever so slightly with a soft blue tone was uncovered as Thomas saw an woman with dark brown eyes, short bluish-silver hair and the slight eyebrow ridge of the isur that made he look like she was baring a perpetual frown.

Narrowing her eyes a bit, Ialari then tilted her head as her tongue slipped past her lips. She looked as though she were actually trying to taste the air like a snake. This was more for show however since, thanks to the mark on her left hand, she could already tell that the man was not dead like so many others she had encountered in Sahova. If he had been, she would have felt the slight sensation of someone tapping against her palm. It also seemed that he was one who possessed the ability of sight. A number of Sahovans ad such a gift and it was one Ialari found to be more than a little troublesome at times. "As for you, you're also alive, I can taste it. And for what you may think you see of me, I believe you need a little work on your interpretation as not all that you see, with your eyes or otherwise, is what it looks like."

Ialari took a few more steps toward the man before coming to a stop. Regardless of his lack of manners; not surprising in the least considering he was human, Ialari had seen so few living beings in Sahova and had spoken to even fewer. Human or not, living speech was refreshing when the only one you have to speak to on a daily basis, friend or not, was a ghost.

A proper greeting was in order and Ialari decided she would be the first to offer one. "My name is Ialari Pythone. I've been a guest of Sahova for some time now. As for my being off the path beyond the barrier, I possess a bit more, how do you say, sensitivity to this place than most; be they living or unliving. As a result, those who dwell here, at least those closer to the path, don't seek me harm." In fact, Ialari had only ever traveled a few yards from the path as the ghosts who tended to frequent that area actually craved contact with those of the material state more so than those who dwelt in the deeper recesses of the Courtyard. Those ghosts Ialari adamantly avoided as she held neither the influence with Dira nor the skill in Spiritism to deter those ghosts from dangerous mischief.

"I haven't seen you around before. You are new to the island? Your name is?" Ialari forced a soft smile. It wasn't that she was all that unhappy that she needed to force a smile, it was simply that she was not used to speaking with a human in such a way. The entire experience was new and somewhat uneasy for her. At the same time, it was a little bit fun.

[Thomas Cosa]

"Of course," Thomas replied, eyes widening as the robed figure removed her cowl. The young mage was amazed by the woman's apperance. Hint's of blue decorated the stranger's body, silver ridges raised from her otherwise smooth skin. Silver hair fell short of her jaw, blue hues prevelant withing the strands. Dark brown eyes stood in stark contrast against the metallic skin, thin eyebrows arched gracefully against a somewhat bony ridge that traveled horizontally across her face, just about the bridge of her nose. He watched, his face a mixture of amusement and general curiosity, as she tilted her head back to taste the air. Thomas had seen snakes in Mura do this -- from what he remembered, the reptiles would 'smell' the temperature around them or maybe the behavior had something to do with air currents. Either way, it wasn't a very human thing to do -- not that the female before was human. Perhaps it was her way of saying hello? "You sound so confident -- how do you know I'm not an illusion? Or a maybe I'm just a very talented Ghost, or a very recently turned Nuit?" Thomas asked, smiling. He knew she was alive, or at least, it seemed most likely. There were still a few doubts that he held on to, being in the courtyard and all, but none seemed very reasonable or likely. Now it was her turn to guess, although, Thomas couldn't believe it would be that hard to see he was alive. Especially if the youthful female had some sort of snake sense. Maybe she would use Auristics? Still, it was nice enough to have a conversation that didn't end with Thomas being sent off, or being used for experimentation -- maybe, if she was another pulser, she'd have some hints as to further his status on the undead isle. So he hoped. "Pythone?" Thomas repeated, still obviously curious about the stranger's origins. "Like the snake?" He paused briefly, wondering how to phrase his next question, not wanting to sound completely ignorant, "How long have you been in Sahova? Where were you before?" "I am," Thomas smiled, "Thomas Cosa, originally from Sylira. Although I came to the island by way of Mura -- a wonderful place, especially in comparison to the treatment I've endured here, but for animation, there really isn't many places that could hold their own compared to Sahova," Thomas paused, still staring at the strange figure. He couldn't help but admire a certain beauty she possessed. "What are you here studying? A kind of magic, I suppose?"

[Ialari Pythone]

Ialari had yet to hear as many words spoken by a human to her than she had at that moment. The fact that they were both standing in Sahova, surrounded on all sides by the dead, dying and unliving, made such an occurance that much more rare. He was a questioning sort; he actually seemed to want to know something of her. Such an intent however could hold ulterior motives; desire to learn more of one's enemy in order to gain some sort of an advantage. Positioning one's self for the upper-hand seemed a common activity in Sahova. However, that was among the unliving. As this one was alive, perhaps there was room for a bit of difference. Only time would tell.

Ialari raised an eyebrow at Thomas' questioning. "How do I know you're not an illusion or a ghost? Perhaps a nuit? You would taste and feel different to me. No, you are living flesh and blood. In a place saturated with death, you stick out like a bloody nose."

She casually stepped over to another nearby tombstone and leaned against it as she regarded the human with a studious gaze. "Yes, Pythone, like the snake. My heritage is tied to the snake extending back many generations. The snake is the symbol of my family." The human's questioning seemed innocent enough. It was the type of conversation that she used to engage in back home yet it wasn't something she had done in what seemed like a very long time.

"I've been a guest in Sahova for a couple of years now after traveling half-way across the known world from Sultros, Mountain Kingdom of the Isur." Ialari was still having a bit of trouble understanding the human's motives behind the conversation. Was he actually wanting to know something of her for the simple reason of getting to know someone or was he trying to disarm her defenses in some way. Curse these humans an their mind games. She thought to herself.

The boy then introduced himself. She saw him as a boy considering he couldn't have been more than half her age. "Thomas Cosa of Sylira, well met." Ialari left the introductions at that. Normally she would have embraced someone new by clasping arms however that was a nuit tradition and this was a human. No, she would at least keep that much of a distance at this point.

"Animation? Indeed you've found an appropriate place for such a practice. As for myself, I'm something of a student of many arts. I initially came to Sahova as I heard it possessed a wealth of forbidden, forgotten knowledge. When I arrived, well, I arrived in just in time to get caught up in the rebellion. Perhaps you've heard of Drainira, the former Supervisor Golem who controlled the Citadel itself? It was I who foiled her attempts to destroy Sahova. In return for that service and my continued services to the Council, I've been allowed to stay in Sahova as a guest and benefit from the resources it has to offer." There was no harm in revealing the initial reasons for her presence on the island. It was all true as indeed Ialari had risked her body and mind to prevent Drainira from destroying the island. It was also true that she still served Master Qiao through interrogation and torture of undesirables and potential traitors. Of course she had her own motives behind her continued service yet such things were for only her and her companions, ghostly and divine, to know.

"Currently, I spend my time researching Magecraft though the ghostly realm of the spirits holds a special place in my heart as well. As you said, Sahova is more than a suitable place to explore pretty much anything that is misunderstood by more mundane minds." Ialari took a few steps away from the stone she had been leaning on and casually made her way closer to the path. "So tell me, Thomas Cosa, since we are engaging in an exchange of pleasantries, you wish to learn the secrets of animating the inanimate. What does the island of unlife offer that the land of the living could not? Why surround yourself in death for such knowledge?" Ialari knew very well her own answer to such a question yet she couldn't help but feel genuinely curious as to why one as fragile and short-lived as a human would risk that precious, fragile thing for knowledge possessed by the undead.

[Thomas Cosa]

Thomas smiled widely at the Isur's analogy, "I am glad to know that I can still be viewed as alive -- and so obviously, as well," he said, all supiscion removed from his face. Since his arrvial to the undead isle, Thomas had craved interaction, the Nuit denying him even that basic luxury. Thomas was just glad to have someone to talk to, and better yet, someone alive. "Do you know your family history well, then? I don't even know if my family has a symbol. And as far as family history -- I could really only say that we've been involved with the Syliran Knights for as long as we've been in Syliras," Thomas paused, considering his own situation, "Of course, I've picked a different path then most in my family...but I suppose you have as well?" Thomas asked, his tone impying a general curiosity. "An Isur?," Thomas thought, remembering vague information about the reclusive mountain people. Something about them being good with metal -- and then his mind went to the rare Isur Steel. Thomas nodded in acknowledgement as she greeted him, "And to you, Ialari Pythone." "Dranira?" he paused, staring at the Isur with a new found respect. "That's impressive, to say the least, it must be nice to have the council so indebted to you. I'm sure you were most greatly rewarded," Thomas said, but he couldn't help thinking that he might have let the infamous Supervisor destroy Sahova -- as long as he was promised the Great Library was safe. It would be a shame to lose all the experience and talent of the various Nuits, but then again, most of them had attributed something to the grand library. And it wasn't like Thomas was going to miss them. Thomas watched as Ialari casually strode closer to the path, yet still quite a ways from the barrier. He couldn't deny she was brave, at least in this aspect. Thomas had never even entertained the idea of crossing the iron fence, and even he wasn't sure what he would do should he come face to face with Dranira. He hadn't heard the best things regarding the Supervisor. "Despite the Nuit's treatment of the living, it is easier here to practice magic. I don't know much of Sultros, aside from legend, but Syliras is not...the best place to openly practice Animation, or any magic really," Thomas said, frowning, "I have learned much regarding my craft here, and as you said, Sahova is Mizahar renowned for knowledge, both common and forgotten. The idea of finding some long lost technique or even a Pre-Valterrian treasure was more then enough to call me to the undead isle," Thomas smiled, looking at Ialari. "So, Ialari, you say you spent years on Sahova now? How have you managed the Nuit for so long?" He chuckled, sure the Isur would have dealt with the same difficulties he had, or maybe, considering she had saved them all from Dira's grasp, she wouldn't have. Either way, he'd be intrested in hearing what she had to say.

[Ialari Pythone]

Ialari's interest in this man was starting to grow; something far from common for one who once thought to exterminate the human race from the face of Mizahar. While she no longer actively sought such a thing, she was still not all that opposed to some amount of harm coming to them. Despite such things, she pushed said thoughts aside for the moment as she approached Thomas while still keeping a bit of a distance. She casually began to circle him as a predator would its prey. His continued inquiry into the more personal aspects of Ialari's life was both intriguing and slightly distressing. She had yet to speak with a nuit who actually cared about her life much less who she was; instead any questioning was tied more to the nature of her magical knowledge, area of study and related aspects of her time spent in Sahova.

Her voice when she spoke was soft yet not all that emotionless. There was indeed a feminine, possibly caring quality to her tone yet there was also a distance to her voice that was emphasized with slight curls and bites barely seeping into her words. "
I'm intimately familiar with my family and history." She paused a moment as if to consider a thought.

"However, I can't say I know much of these Syliran Knights other than they sound like a self-important group of militants." She paused for a moment and leaned her head slightly toward Thomas as if looking for something before pulling back with a shrug as she continued to casually circle him though doing so as if she wasn't intending to.

"Indeed, I am an isur. As for my path in life, it is much the same as my parents however more pronounced in some ways and going infinitely further in others." Ialari smiled a simple smile devoid of pride or joy as Thomas commented then on Drainira and Ialari's potential relationship with the Council.

"I think the Council tolerates me rather than feels indebted. I have proven too useful and potentially too dangerous to simply dispose of or do anything other tan slightly ignore me. I think I may be something more of a curiosity than anything else. My encounter with the Supervisor left me scarred in ways and enlightened in others such that Master Qiao has placed me under employment. Master Mashaen too, while having lost influence within Sahova, still maintains a great level of respect, if you could call it that, among the Council. I believe I have his ear as well. You will find, Thomas Cosa, that it pays to have multiple friends in high places and on different sides of the isle as it were, if you wish to progress here in Sahova." Ialari drifted slightly off the path again as she approached a nearby tombstone. The fingers of her pitch black, silver-veined metallic arm gracefully caressed the stone as one would the face of a young child.

Ialari listened as Thomas spoke of Syliras and its lack of understanding regarding his chosen magical discipline. She could not say the same of her own home as they embraced the forbidden more than anywhere else she had encountered save for Sahova. The boy's desire for the unknown, lost and forbidden was not unlike her own though she would never admit it to anyone.

When Thomas inquired about her stay in Sahova and her dealings with the undead, she could only chuckle as she paused in front of the tombstone she had just caressed. She was but a few feet beyond the iron barrier.

"There are a few things I should probably tell you about the natives here. The lesser ones are concerned only with their studies along with avoiding the displeasure of the masters. The intermediates are concerned only with power while avoiding the displeasure of the masters. The masters are only concerned with power and how they can use it to gain the upperhand over their equals. That is the basic core of things as I have viewed them. As for managing, or as I would define it, navigating the whole mess of them, find a way to establish yourself as being either useful or too dangerous to discard; perhaps even both. Don't get too big for your trousers and don't present yourself as too insignificant to care about. How you do that, it's really up to you. For me, though, since you asked, I tend to look to friends in much higher places." Ialari held out her left hand and opened her palm. There, half tattooed, half carved in the flesh at the center, was the shape of a scythe, symbol of Dira, Goddess of Death.

"Too useful to ignore, too dangerous to dispose of." Ialari left Thomas to consider the implications upon the unliving of having in their midst, a living being devoted to living strength and physical perfection who was marked in a positive way, by Death, the epitome of everything the undead stand against. She was not only the savior of their continued eternal existence but at the same time a symbol of everything they fought to avoid. The mark would also provide Thomas with a context to what he read in her aura upon first seeing her.

[Thomas Cosa]

Thomas watched the Isur carefully as she circled him, slowly turning to meet her gaze. Truthfully, he found her fascinating, never having met an Isur before.

"I would agree, but my elder brother and sister are both knights," Thomas shrugged, smiling, "so, for their sakes, I won't say they are complete tyrants. However, I couldn't honestly say your opinion is far off, or at least, without basis," Thomas sighed, watching the Isur with an amused expression. Ialari seemed to be searching his face for something, but she pulled back almost immediately - perhaps he had only imagined her strange behavior?

"Do...," Thomas paused, hesitatant. For a brief moment, sadness or perhaps even guilt marked his face, "Do you think your parents are proud of what you do, here?" He asked, forcing an insincere smile.

"Even Mashean?" Thomas wowed, obviously impressed, "I...I hoped to get an apprenticeship with him, originally. He is THE master of animation, or at least to me. I've been reading his publishings non stop since arriving to Sahova," Thomas went on, "But, I haven't had the chance of working with him. I think I've seen him once or twice in Lab 15, I work there under Kromby and FIlch, but I haven't spoken to him, yet. I would like to imagine he'd be the one Nuit not completely self obssesed. Perhaps, he'd even think me an equal."

Thomas grasped at the iron barrier, noticing the Isur's right arm. Silver veins decorated the onyx tinted skin. It reminded the animator much of stone, and he wondered if the skin itself was hardened compared to the rest of Ialari's body.

Thomas smiled as the Isur gave him some basic advice, glad to finally feel like someone had taken an interest in him. He hung on to every word like it was weighed with gold, nodding. And then she showed him her mark. It only took him a moment to realize what it was -- and then only a chime to realize it was Dira's.

"It makes sense, now. Why you can stand behind the barrier," Thomas stared at the raised skin, slowly tracing the outline with his ever curious eyes. "But is it difficult staying in Sahova? I was under the impression that Dira isn't...overly fond of the Nuit?" Thomas paused, as if considering something. Taking in a small breath, he removed his left glove, revealing an extremely detailed Seer's lily -- Avalis' mark. The lily itself was of a real design, the deep greens of teh stem slowling bleeding to a dark purple, almost black.

"It's good to meet someone who understands a goddess' blessing. If you wouldn't mind, could I See when Dira marked you?"