Completed [Bronze Woods] Survival of the Fittest (Fallon)

[Scarlet Evony]

Scarlet paused, pondered, weighed her options. It wasn’t every day she got into such conversations, but the woman’s description had been somewhat accurate and she could not counter it. The uneasiness had gone, two persons now looking at each other at the dim light of the woman’s lantern. She wanted to talk, to confirm, to infirm, but all she managed for the moment was a silent shake of her head. “I am all those, but I am neither. A kelvic is a coin for those who she does not know; for the ones I do I am an open book. I seek freedom, and by all means I wish for peace, but I make my own, even in battle if I have to. I am confused, and without direction, but I always find my way. I am curious, but I know the limits of its satiety, sometimes. I am an outsider, and I do wish to be a part of the scene. But the others would never accept me under my true form and race.”

Silence again, her eyes never shifting off the traveler’s. “I am Scarlet. I’m a Kelvic, bud I did not choose who I am. I never chose anything else but to live. And now, that is what I am. A single soul in the wide forest, a contributor to the world. But, as with everything, I will do my contribution as I see fit.” She sat down again, shifting her weight on the tree behind her, with her eyes still fixed in place. She felt somewhat hurt by her perception, even though it was a correct one. After all, she was a Kelvic talking to a human. The feeling of inferiority persisted throughout the dialogue, though Scarlet made incredible strides to look as if she was maintaining even ground. “Now, are you here to talk to some wandering Kelvic or do you have some grander purpose in the woods?”

She felt discouraged. Again, Scarlet wanted to return to her little light, her beacon of hope and comfort. That one object she hadn’t shown anyone else in her entire existence, but the one which made her emanate kindness when shown compassion. Tonight, she wasn’t sure what she would feel. “You earned my attention and my company for the night, stranger. But mostly because I wish to continue this discussion. You earned this much.”

[Fallon]

There was a subtle shake of the head and the confirmation of words, along with her own methods verifying it to be the truth. Yet there the pair still stood upon neutral ground, neither winning or loosing the battle of words. It had become a stalemate. The flame of the lantern flickered, casting strange shadows across the scene but neither seemed to move.
"Once," Fallon began her mind recalling a memory "I met a Kelvic. He gave me a temporary sanity. He helped me recover when I was lost within my own darkness. And it is because of that single act that I realised that by accepting individuals for who they are that the possible events and adventures became unlimited," she paused "And through that interaction ourselves, our ego, becomes defined and made unique in an unlimited nature."

She gave a nod in acceptance to the Kelvic once she introduced herself, catching the twang of feeling belittled in her voice whilst her words remained strong and true "Choosing to live is the hardest choice to make of all. But what is truly living?" it was a rhetorical question, one designed to stimulate thought "To eat? To sleep? To hunt our next meal? To have an honest job and work? Or is that merely surviving?" Fallon turned her head to the sky, her eyes staring upon the dim stars between the branches "To myself, living is embracing the tasks put before you. To be able to open ones arms and accept the challenges of life. To allow ourselves to change and adapt to this ever kinetic, ever moving would around us... but that is my own opinion," her eyes looked down upon the girl, the pupils focusing upon her target "Scarlet of the Red, I am Fallon. I am a Human. And I am a survivor. I did not choose who I started as, but I have been made and defined through the aid of others. And although I stand with my own kind as well as others, I am simply a ghost in the crowd that is up to the individual to remember."

She gave a respecting nod, and locked eyes with her "I am pleased I have earned your attention. I'll be sure to keep it for as long as you desire." Submissive? Perhaps it was, but Fallon's curiosity knew no bounds and so playing this game of wits and words was a time passer if any "You wish to know my purpose here? There is no purpose short of the craving to wander freely and unrestricted for a while."

[Scarlet Evony]

Scarlet followed suit in the game of words set by the human in front of her. She figured out the play style easily: Each time a new question arose, she would either avoid it or answer it, commended that the question followed what she saw fit in revealing. “Living is such an interesting concept, or so is the way you put it. Living means something different for everyone. For animals it is the basic instinct of survival, preying upon the weak or the dead for sustenance. For some others it means adapting: surviving in impossible conditions, even if it takes losing something or other. Living can be the pursuit of life’s machinations for us, or breaking its mold and making our own designs for ourselves. Life is everything, and nothing. After all, we all have the duty of one life on this earth.”

Scarlet’s words came from her soul; she felt every word, meant every sentence and weighed every phrase in her heart and mind. “The only thing I consider to be wrong, Fallon, is that one may choose to be remembered. At some points remembered, at some points forgotten. I might pass in a crowd as some random walker. But there are no true random walkers. Each and every one of us has a history behind them, an experience that defines who they are. The random walkers are only for you and for me as we are to them. The crowd is, in the end, made up of individuals. But one may choose not to be a part of it. I am such one.”

The parry came right into the next question. With this human, Scarlet could waste no word or spare no window left unopened. Even though feeling vastly inferior in intellect, her ambition spurred her to counter the way she could, using her own unwritten laws as basis. “It is, indeed easier to forget. Easier to forget what one doesn’t want remembered. Do you remember who you are, human? Remember who you were, remember what built you to your current self? Do you remember broken promises made to yourself just to live on, to find the purpose you were walking towards? Each and every one of us has the desire to be free. But how is it that only some of us truly find our freedom, free of restrictions? How is it that we are here and the “crowd” is held up in the castle?”

[Fallon]

Where once the human would have responded to the questions there was only silence. Where once there would be a statement, a slice of words with a question did Fallon finally falter. Her nostrils flared as she looked upon the Kelvic, the ambition and hunger within them ringing out. But Fallon still could not answer, her throat sealed itself shut, her arm bending slightly as she came to a state of what could only be described as defeat.
Remember. I remember alright. I remember what I am.

Hurt? It felt like it. It was more than a simple sting to Fallon. It was a full blown stab. She remembered too clearly the promises of the past, and those that had become broken in her hands. Her jaw tightened and she pulled away, her back turning to face the girl and her features once more hiding in the darkness. It was for the better, or at least for Fallon it was. Within the darkness a multitude of expressions could be hidden away, they could be wrapped up and kept out of sight from the outside world, whilst turmoil was allowed to bloom.

But what however made it worse what perhaps who she once was. She was once a traveller of the roads, an explorer. She was once a student of a University. She was once an apprentice to her mentor, an intelligent man who taught her what she knew. And she was once a survivor who laid witness to a carnage that should not be revealed to a child. It was the latter that had truly defined her, for that was the thing that burned most brightly in her mind. For that was once a time of freedom and one without restrictions. But that came at too high of a price, and once that price was paid the harsh reality had been placed before her. Her head shook, and she focused her eyes upon some distant dark shadow, some strange shape made by the trees.
Why do you let this stranger bother you? She knows nothing of you. Right?

“We must at one point take the road of life. No matter how we run or walk, the road of life calls forth,” she drew in a deep breath, uttering the only words she could speak at present. A convulsed mess of gibberish perhaps, but it was the only thing that filled the sharply pained mind of Fallon “It starts with little steps, that turn into might strides. Becoming a run down the path that we call life.” She raised a hand and rubbed at her face, before her fingers simply covered her eyes and remained fixed there in place.

[Scarlet Evony]

Scarlet remained silent. She didn't know what to do, or say. The woman in front of her looked obviously hurt. At a loss for words, all she did was circle around, giving Fallon an empathic look. She didn't know whether she was crying or not, but her sadness got to Scarlet in a way she never would have expected. Under her sorrowful tone, she weighed her words heavily. She had avoided the question fully, but gave an answer nonetheless. The kelvic usuaully hated being put in such position as to make others suffer on her own accord. "Look, for all it's worth, I'm sorry. I never intended hurting you." She hesitantly moved closer, trying to envelop her in a hug.

"Life has a strange way of getting people to meet. I figured you would have a difficult time accepting what, who I am, but yet you talk as if there would be no difference in between us. I appreciate that." She rested a hand on Fallon's shoulder, trying to comfort her. "I may not know you, but I hate seeing you suffer because of something I said. I guess I was wrong about you, Fallon."

[Fallon]

Fallon was silent, her mind wrapped up within itself. She could not thing straight, thoughts and emotions clouded her mind and prevented her judgement to be clear and uninfluenced. She hated this state, it made her weak and unable to perform. And through that inability to perform she could not continue on slowly dissecting the Kelvic with words. The words of the Kelvic did not help either, not because of what was said or the context behind it, but the reason. Guilt hung in her words, an apology- it seemed to come across as- rung in the ears of the human, but nothing was said. Mainly for once more she was unsure of what to say. Never the less, had Fallon not reacted to the first lot of questions in pain, had she not shown any of the signs of sorrow and bitterness, then Scarlet would no doubt not know any different.

The hand rested upon her shoulder, a confirmation of her words and the meanings behind them. Had this been a normal situation Fallon would have moved out of reach through instinct and thus avoided the touch. After all, it was something that Fallon reserved for those few she deemed close and important. Yet she did not move a muscle, and the single moment of comfort turned into a deep and resounding crave that was unexplainable for the woman. This, in turn continued the process of her convoluted and confused mind. She rubbed at her face, fingers resting on the tear ducts for a second before withdrawing. Yet still she looked away, eye contact having turned into a momentary impossible task whilst she struggled to compose herself.

“Apologies,” Fallon shook her head as if to shake away whatever was gripping onto her mind “My judgement, it is clouded at present. It is… confusing?” The squire questioned herself, “I am not sure what to think anymore.” Her once sharp eyes turned to that of the Kelvic, a small frown having formed itself upon her face, before they snapped away. Why could she not understand? What was blocking her from comprehending what was going on? Why did this stranger affect her so? It was only words after all “I just… I don’t know.”

[Scarlet Evony]

Scarlet had never been good at comforting others. However, pain and sorrow was something she could deal with, loss of thoughts and lack of direction was something completely new for her to see in a human... Or was it? Hadn't she been the same, so many times before? Hadn't she been upset, enraged at life for the situation she was in? No mother, no father, no guidance except for the promise of a better future. It was a different kind this time, but Scarlet figured all to well what Fallon was feeling. Sure, she could give the classic approach a shot. She remembered a time when the goddess Priskil had done back in the day.

"Look, it's not important to know what you're thinking. It is more important that you are, and the possibility that you look so troubled makes it even harder to believe. But as I may not know what you think, I can believe it's better for you not to dwell on those thoughts. Perhaps, all you need is a little hope." Scarlet had already been dwelling on the thought of showing Fallon her gift, but now there was no doubt she needed it more than ever. With a flick of her hand, she started draining whatever energy she had left to keep the small light in the palm of her hand burning for her to see. "This is all the hope I can show you. The rest is up to you to see."

Scarlet's wording had never been much on its own, but in times of need, she felt inexplicably close to her friends. She wasn't sure what to think of Fallon; friend, foe, stranger, acquaintance. All of the above, and none at the same time. However, showing her the Luminance put Scarlet in quite a dilemma. What did she intend with this human? "So, can you tell me what this light inspires to you? Or do you only see another lost cause."

[Fallon]

Fallon swallowed. Her eyes questioned her as the words rung within her ears. There was a look that was held for a while, the cogs in Fallon’s mind turning round at the sound of a key word.

Hope.

It was something that had dragged Fallon through the darkness, not her own resounding courage and determination, but what had been entrusted to her by others. A single light that had led her on time and time again. Or so she believed- and so with her own beliefs she also deemed herself unworthy of it on many occasions. Hope had been put in her before, numerous times had she let those people down, along with those promises she had made to them. Unworthy of it, was what she believed.

Yet then that light came once more, that same light that had lured her in to begin with. She looked upon the glowing source, a new focus having now been obtained. There was a flicker of surprise, but that was quickly quelled. The anxiety that plagued her gradually drifted to the back, and lifted from her shoulders. The confusion that had wrapped itself around her mind began to let in the filter of thoughts. Clean and untainted thoughts. Life reached Fallon, and it was that same life that forced her into action.
“Inspire… Inspires…” she looked vacant of thought, before her eyes grew wide “Yes, yes inspires. Knowledge, learning. Need to work. Need to understand. Eyris,” she begun pacing, her index finger tapping against her cheek, “Need to research, Need to practice. Hear, see and do.”

Her movements had turned sporadic, sharp turns the low drum of footsteps as thoughts came back to her in great waves. She was no longer the previous prober of thoughts and identity, nor a questioner. She was a thinker, it was seen in the way her hands raised as if pulling and tugging at things. No doubt seeming eccentric to the Kelvic observer. She uttered words under her breath, a low mumbling tone of thought “Think… think… what I see. I see…” She stopped rather sharply head snapping round, before she began pacing back and forth again, “Darkness. Light… yes light. From the Kelvic. Magic? No… no… well yes… Not Reimancy. Oh no no… definitely not. Think. Eyris would know. It is inspiring… inspiring… Why can’t I understand? Why does it not become knowledge? Because it is not simple knowledge, is it?” Fallon froze at that point, her own question having answered itself. Her back straightened her eyes turning to Scarlet as if looking for confirmation “It is something else isn’t it? Something… different?”

[Scarlet Evony]

Scarlet paused, a bit baffled by the sudden way Fallon had turned her attention towards the light. At first, the veil looked as if lifted from her mind, only to be continued by a series of almost unintelligible ramblings. What it was the human was saying Scarlet could not decipher at first sound. She was talking about the light. It was something to do with magic, or so she said. The final questions couldn’t have been clearer, though. It was an answer she probably owed to the human. With the last bit of strength drained, she let her hand fall back and close up the light within. “No… And yes. It is no knowledge. If you asked me how I am doing this, you would get the same answer as you would give me if I asked you about it.”

Scarlet once again came closer to Fallon, this time not trying to touch her in any way. Instead, she raised her marked hand in plain sight, showing the slightly glowing vortex in her palm. “It’s a mark. A blessing. A gift. A small token of hope. It is something that has kept me alive in times of despair and fighting against what seemed to be the end to my survival. It’s my small place of warmth and faith. If I’d have to call it anything, I’d call it my guardian.” She slumped close to a tree, the prolonged use of the light having fatigued her. She already felt a bit drowsy, but that would pass in time. “I’m glad you found something special in it. Though I’m sure any mage would consider it otherwise. Not like I would consider what they say. It is special for me, and that’s enough.”

[Fallon]

“Blessing… gift…” Fallon stared at the mark on the palm of the girl, a gloved hand for a moment reaching out to touch it, before those fingers stopped and withdrew. She straightened, lips pursing together with thought as the Kelvic went and slumped by the tree, a flicker of concern on her face before it turned to one of calm. She felt the Lykata mark on her flesh prickle, a gentle nudge of a reminder of what it was, whilst also a sort of self confirmation of her own thoughts. The squire took gentle steps over, the lantern lowering to the ground as she crouched before Scarlet and looked upon her. Gentle fingers took the hand, rough leather against flesh as they turned it over and studied the mark with a keen interest.

“It’s a gnosis mark. Not sure which one though…” Fallon met her eyes, her eyes frowning with thought before lowering the hand. She rocked on her haunches for a moment thinking carefully about her own that she kept so very well hidden from the eyes of others. It would be so very easy to reveal what she was to this Kelvic, and perhaps she would of willingly too if it was not for the remembrance that she was a stranger, “Wondering how I know?”
Her hands came together, before the left one tugged at the right glove. Each finger was carefully pulled out, almost in a sacred fashion before pale skin was exposed to the air. The back of her right was turned to the Kelvic, the golden glowing- though nowhere near as bright as Scarlet’s- Lormar marked upon the flesh. She gave it a tap with her finger “I have my own mark and my own bit of peace. Eyris’ mark, the Lykata.”

Her eyes lowered her hands coming to a rest on the ground before her “Here I am, spewing what most likely sounds like nonsense to you, revealing secrets and truths, exchanging words and answering questions to a stranger that I met in the woods. Funny how things work out. But… alas it is life. Or fate if you believe that sort of thing.”