[Semele Park] Like Minds (Thienna)

[Elem Bree]

54th of Fall, AV 512

Semele Park was as common a place to Elem as the road from Sanctuary, only more beautiful. Having to pass through its lush greenery and floral arrangements on the way to and from the Tuvya Sasaran served a dual purpose for him. On the way in, he had been running from outside the city, so its beautiful arrangements and paths were a reminder that his destination was near. On the way home, it often served as a quiet place to meditate and relax after several hours of training.

On this day, it was the latter. Having sparred with Morkal himself, Elem found himself hardly wishing to jog, bruises rising along his sides beneath his tunic. The urge to heal the pain was tempting, but as Morkal often said, "Try healing that during a fight, see what it gets you, Bree!" It was as true a statement now as then, so the Zeltivan merely took a casual, stilted pace to his favorite spot for meditation. He was accustomed to the routines of the gardeners and knew when to hop over the small chain that blocked entry to the spot in question, so once the coast was clear, he went for it.

A small pond, wild with fish and crickets, sat just behind a small copse of manicured evergreens. It couldn't be seen from the path, which made Elem guess that it was something that had always been there and the Akalaks chose not to alter it. Their respect for life was great. Easing himself down, wincing with the pain in his ribs, Elem sat and looked at the surface of the water. Its reflection looked back, mostly still as with the coming colder days, the fish tended to lurk near the bottom of the pond. It suited him fine, as the less ripples, the easier it would be to lose focus by staring into the still reflection.

He calmed his breathing, which helped the pain from less exertion anyway. His eyes were set on the contrast between the light of the sky and the dark of the earthen bank, their focus slipping as his mind began to quiet. He let any errant thoughts of training, Morkal or anything else slip into that visual darkness as his eyes began to close..

[Thienna Silverlion]

Thienna had woken up several hours later than she normally would. She was still tired from the hunt and the extra energy she asserted while using flux magic to sustain a run. It bothered her that she didn't know more about it, but based on what she read, she would have to actually use it more to know. When she finally lifted herself from the bunk, her muscles screamed in agony. Her limbs were sore and she felt like she'd been beaten with rocks.

After walking around her small home for several minutes, she got use to the pain and figured she could bare it for today. Maybe today would be a good resting day, she thought sarcastically to herself.

Thienna grabbed her dark green cloak and headed out at a slow pace. The pain was especially bad in her legs for the weight she had to put on them. She pulled up her hood, concealing her wincing face from onlooking strangers. She kept walking until she got to Semele Park, a serene place of beauty and peace. It was always breathtaking to her, the way it's natural beauty had a profound way of relaxing her.

She followed the trail, then sneakily disappeared behind a group of trees where she knew it would take her to her favorite place. The pond was always a nice place to be, hidden and undisturbed by people. Except for this time when it came into view, their was a man sitting there in her spot. She automatically ducked behind a tree, the movement sending pain throughout her body. Today she would have to find another spot. Or, she thought, I could stay right here.

It was a public park, after all, and he seemed to be relaxing just like she came here to do. Quietly, as not to disturb him, she loped around to find a comfortable hiding spot. She settled down next to a shrub where it would hide her from his view and she could still see the water.

As soon as Thienna got comfortable, she took a deep breath and let everything go. All her worries and pain was irrelevant beyond this point. She was determined to master what had caused her the pain in the first place, the flux magic. The djed hummed within her as she tapped into it. She knew she had to be extremely careful and slow, or else she could risk damaging herself. The djed flowed along her muscles, making them tingle. She only used a little bit, just enough to feel it. It was frustrating that she couldn't control it into individual muscles, but just feeling it in any muscle was fine for now. It was practice she needed and she was determined to get it.

As she was focusing on her djed, a white cat had wondered into the secluded area, hoping to catch a fish or bird. It come up to the water's edge, knowing the fish sometimes liked to come up and grab little insects from the top of the water. Then, the cat turned, it's ears perked in Thienna's direction. There was a human sitting there, yet strangely it smelled like another cat. The cat approached her and sniffed her, feeling very confused about what it was smelling.

Thienna was suddenly aware of the cat, and slowly let her djed go before moving. She could sense it's confusion and hoped it wouldn't make any noise. Then, the cat ran off, still unsure what to make of the strange human. Thienna let out a small sigh of relief and went back to focusing...

[Elem Bree]

As Elem slipped deeper into the meditative state, only the steady rhythm of his breath and heart remained in the silence within. Without, there were few sounds to be heard, save for the occasional 'ploop' of a fish snatching a cricket or the rustle of the wind in the trees behind him. His sides still stung with injury and Elem's Gnosis pushed him to heal it, as usual. he knew that it was his duty to restore life to its natural state, but really, how would his muscles develop or he be able to last more than a round in a fight if he was constantly fresh, at his point of origin? His rationalization was that the new, stronger version of himself was actually in the direction of his optimal state, so he could ignore the Divine urges for that reason.

Since the physical sensation of pain remained, his mind, now in an emptier state with less and less thought, moved to this new problem. Pain was the body's way of signalling to the life form that damage was present within the whole and that caution needed to be practiced with the part in question, allowing it to heal. Thoughts were not so far away from their tactile cousins. They were usually analyses which served to find a root of a problem, to point to a topic that needed to be focused on, much like the body's wish to focus on the injury within. this bridge gave Elem the foothold to theorize that pain, like thoughts, could also be dissolved into the darkness of no mind.

The more Elem meditated, the more he was beginning to understand that much as the body and mind were parts, they represented a greater entity, one that could possess both as 'Elem's mind' and 'Elem's body'. If elem was neither, who was he? The common belief was spirit and Djed, but was that all it was?

A distinct rustle in the grass across the pond took the Zeltivan out of his meditation, his eyes fluttering open as the day seemed much brighter, akin to waking up from a nap. A small white tabby cat was investigating something in the shrubs on the other side of the pool. As Elem's faculties returned, he squinted at the bush. Was there something moving behind it? The cat seemed to move on, though it appeared to find no fear in what was behind the bush. It seemed too large to be just a cat, considering the animal's point of reference as it looked up at something.

Standing from his position, Elem began to circumnavigate the pond, his eyes carefully watching the greenery, as his own interest was piqued. His arms were out and palm open and facing the sky, to show his lack of malice. "Is anyone there? I am Elem Bree of the Sanctuary." He would find it funny if he found himself speaking to a dog or similar animal. Of course, with the number of Kelvic in the area, they might always respond.

[Thienna Silverlion]

As Thienna was again about to grasp her djed, she heard the man move. Her ears perked up, listening to the sounds of his footsteps. There was a primal urge to run, but she kept still.

"Is anyone there?" He asked, "I am Elem Bree of the Sanctuary." The voice startled her. Her instincts took over and she moved to get up and flee, but her sore legs failed her and she stumbled back into a thorny bush. She cursed her luck and pulled herself out, little scratches drawing blood from her arms. She saw him now, his palms upwards in the sign of peace.

Thienna could feel a blush rise to her cheeks. Not only did she try to flee from a friendly person, but she hurt herself in the process. She stood and straightened herself out, brushing the foliage from her clothes.

"Hello sir. I saw you here and didn't want to disturb your peace, so I thought I would find some place out of the way," she said.

[Elem Bree]

As Elm approached, he first heard the sudden rustle and then saw a form rush to stand and then fall backward. he winced, feeling compassion for the creature and then feeling a little guilty for surprising it. As it, wait, no, as she pulled herself from what appeared to be a thorn bush, Elem slowed his pace and let his hands fall to his sides. A redhead, short hair and ruddy complexion, who seemed as embarrassed as elem was, perhaps more so.

As she brushed brambles and leaves from her clothes, elem noticed some spots of blood on her sleeve from the fall. His Gnosis tingled on his hand as he slowed his approach, stopping a few feet away. "It's quite alright. I am more concerned with you at the moment. Did you hurt yourself? I am a son of Rak'keli, Goddess of Healing. I can relieve your pain and injury if you would consent." With more time to observe, Elem found her appealing, easy to look at and her form seemed to speak of a person who stayed in shape.

"As for being out of the way, it is a public park and you are welcome. What is your name?"

[Thienna Silverlion]

"I am alright," she said, then looked at her arms and winced. She carefully pulled up her blood spotted sleeves. "If you would like to heal me, you may. They are just little scratches, though, and should heal quickly."

Thienna didn't want him to use more magic than what he had to. She recalled her former master and shuddered inwardly. Yet she was curious about how it worked and what it would feel like. The air about him hinted that he was wise and she felt like he could handle himself. And what was that about the goddess of healing? Maybe the magic of the gods was much different than that of regular magic.

"My name is Thienna Silverlion," she said. "May I ask what you were doing?"

[Elem Bree]

Consent was important to Elem now, more than he had ever understood about it before. While it was his duty to heal those who were injured, doing so without consent subverted the will of the patient. Only in times of emergency was this necessary. His own case was important to consider, as he did not want to heal his muscles, regardless of the pain that exercise and lifting caused. It was a necessary pain, the muscles had to be damaged in order to grow stronger. Having Thienna's consent, Elem placed his hands on her wrists, the two snakes of Gnosis on his right hand swirling as Rak'keli's energy moved through him.

"Mother, heal this woman of her injuries, let her return to a state of balance. May her pain recede and her wounds close, in Your name."

Thienna would notice her small scratches close and disappear along with their sting. Her internal pain would be soothed to a point as well, though Elem would be unaware. Once finished, he gently removed his hands from her and smiled. " A pleasure to meet you, Thienna. I was actually meditating, trying to empty my mind and body so that the pain of my training would go away.

[Thienna Silverlion]

Thienna watched in awe as her wounds and discomfort faded with just the brush of his hand. She felt the new skin, smooth and unbroken, then flexed her hands and arms, happy that they were no longer as sore as they use to be.

"That's amazing," she whispered, then she focused in on his words. "Well, it's interesting that fate would bring two sore people here," she smiled to herself. "Although, my discomfort is due to my own stupidity. Why don't you heal yourself? Or is your magic restricted only to others?"

Thienna paused for a moment, not knowing if she should stop asking questions. Wasn't that considered rude in some places? It was so long since she had time to chat with someone, or even thought to get to know someone. He had caught her curiosity. Not only could he heal but he was also a fighter? Maybe he was training in magic and he had used too much. The thought made her feel slightly ill and she pushed it out of her mind. She couldn't imagine it though, he seemed too intelligent to do such a thing to himself. Still, what did she know about this man? It was none of her business anyways, but she still wanted to know nonetheless. She had a friendly stranger to make conversation with and that was an honor in its self.

[Elem Bree]

Always happy to see someone relieved by the power of Rak'keli, Elem joined in the smiling. He wasn't sure how he felt about Fate, as it was his belief that the Gods had most to do with mortal interaction. Or at least that was his belief now, having been marked by one. His life had been rather chaotic in the last year, too much so to really have much clue about it. "Your stupidity?", Elem asked, curious as to what would have made her sore. Perhaps she was also a martial fighter, though it could be as simple as working too much or falling down.

"I don't believe it is magic that I am doing. Magic is completely different than the Gnosis of the Gods. Both involve Djed, which is what everything is made of, but the Djed of the Gods is purer, in my opinion. Also, as Their tools here on Mizahar, we do not suffer the same effects as one can feel by using one's own personal Djed. I have seen people suffer due to overgiving. It isn't pretty, in any form. I may have even felt it myself, though I am still a Novice by a long shot." His mind went to Kavala and her sunken look and the bleeding from her ears after the Zith attack. It only further pushed Elem from the thought of ever using Reimancy. Of course, who knew what another year would bring?

"I choose not to heal myself because I am training to box, so I can gain Kuvan status as a citizen here in Riverfall. Citizens must be competent fighters and be willing to defend the City. It is one of the laws here." She may have very well known that, but Elem liked talking. " If I were to use Healing on my aching muscles, I would lose any benefit of exercise. Also, I wouldn't know how to deal with pain in a fight, meaning every time I got hit, it would feel like the first time all over again."

[Thienna Silverlion]

Thienna didn't know much about the magic of the Gods, having only really been around personal magic and it's users. Magic was both a frightening and exciting thing for her. She had never really known of the Gods, thinking because she was too much of a small figure in the world to really be noticed. But then she thought that she didn't really mind that, and being out of the way was sometimes a good thing.

Then he mentioned overgiving and that sparked a memory. She heard about it somewhere, maybe her master's books? Is that what happened to her? "I guess," she said, "I suffer from overgiving. I used flux magic to aid my hunt. That is why my body is in pain."

Thienna wasn't sure if she should be talking about her use of magic, but he seemed comfortable with it, so she assumed that it would be okay.

His face seemed somber for a moment when he paused. She sensed that something unpleasant passed his mind. Then he spoke again and she decided not to pry.

"I see what you mean. You cannot gain strength without first suffering." She too knew what that felt like, striving to become better and stronger, but paying for it like today. "They never really stressed fighting to me when I first came here. Although, I was young and maybe they expected me to find an Akalak mate."

Thienna thought of other women she'd seen who mated with the Akalak, their stomachs large and swollen. She swore that she would not suffer such things. "I would much rather improve my fighting though," she said. "I would be happier if I trained with the Akalak men instead of serving as a mate."