Quest As The Stars Bare Witness The Wind Silently Cries

[Gossamer]

Timestamp: Early Winter, 513 AV

mood :

The entire pavilion was asleep. It was the deepest part of the night where even the grasses had stopped its endless swaying song and the stars held vigil over a silent empty land. It was a time of dreaming and of the rising and falling of hope in the small stillness of the night. The slave and the mater lay entwined, one owned by capture and one owned by heart. Within the pavilion others slumbered as well. Further out in camp, the animals that were attached to the pavilion slumbered as well, some out on the grass and some - the most valuable - tucked into stable portions of the pavilion sheltered from the true weather that had yet to manifest on The Sea of Grass.

Below the dreamers, those trapped in Nysel's land or just held in the thrall of exhaustion, something stirred deep in the soil. It was an ancient thing of power and wisdom that tilted its head upwards, listening, half welcoming the life camped above it. It eavesdropped on the dreams of those above, reading clearly their fears and hopes, and marveling at what the frail short lived creatures saw as worrisome and burdensome. Uncoiling from its curled position, the creature stretched out one clawed paw and then another, arching its back and shaking loose its own inactivity. Chance had kept other sentient things from its path for quite a while. Seme's arms held it close and it snaked its tongue out, licking its scaled lips and kissing its sheltering mother as it fully woke.

Above ground, the slight tremor would be missed. Of far more concern was the bite in the air that promised snow upon the lightening of the morning sky.

The creature rolled, trashed its tail playfully, and gently swam upwards. The earth - its mother - held no resistance for it. Like a sea creature enveloped in the sea, the ancient being swam through the meat of the world parting it just as easily. It broke surface away from the camp but still within sight of it. A sheep or two bleated a greeting, but were otherwise unafraid. Such as it ate only infrequently due to its age and then only things of sustainable. Livestock held no appeal.

And then it began to sing in a low seductive tone, an urge and a call, beckoning forth anyone within the pavilions to come if they could hear it and see if they had eyes wide open. It wanted to talk, which may or may not have been a good thing. For when a creature of its age and proportions arose, even the gods took notice as was evident by a wind swirling where none had existed before, wrapping around the creature and offering a tentative greeting. The Zephyr whispered in the ancient beings ear and the beast rumbled in amusement, never breaking its near silent call.

[Taylani]

Nestled close to the side of warmth, her red hair flowing loose and free, tangling around their bodies. To all appearances she was perfectly content with not a care, for her face was relaxed in sleep. His arms around her, the faint swell of her belly still small this early, her body curved against him, one leg slipped between his as she sighs softly and smiles. Perhaps tonight her dreams are pleasant as well. One might not know that her time in these tents were not always so peaceful, or that there was still conflict within her heart, weighing her feelings against his actions.

Yet in this time all seems right, so when the sound first reaches her ears Taylani fights hearing. So comfortable, safe and even happy was she that she did not want to be pulled from her dream to a world where she questioned every word, thought, and action. He no longer pressured her or tormented her, but that did not erase the sorrow of her heart no matter how much she wished it would. It would be so much easier if she could just let go and love him, for there was little else for her outside of Endrykas now.

That last thought is what drove her from her sleep fully, and she was aware of the strange melody. It was a melody she had never heard before, a melody so achingly beautiful that immediately she thought back to some of her most intricate dance steps and knew she could never make her body move in such a way to do the song justice. For some time now she has forced herself to forget music, to forget dance and song, to shut the door on things that would make her heart ache for her Before life. But this song would not be denied, and she had to find where it was coming from.

she distangled herself from Fallan's sleeping body, she moved across the tent still naked. She snagged her cloak, and stopped before turning back and padding back over to Fallan. She couldn't sneak off, not for any reason. If he woke and she was gone he would assume she had ran again. Her hand fell forward to brush his dark hair off his brow, allowing a soft smile to curve her lips, "Fallan..Fallan...Do you hear?" She would wait only long enough for him to make some sort of acknowledgement of her before she stood, and tied her cloak around her still nude form. It was cold, but she did not want to risk whatever it was making the music to stop before she found it. She tied the cloak tight, and then wrapped it firmly around her, whether or not Fallan was catching up with her she ducked out of the tent, into the night to follow the sound of the song.

[Fallan Windchaser]

Fallan sat upon the grass in his dreams, the land was Summer as it often was in this place where he came, the ground around him was rolling hills and from this viewpoint he could see the ridge on which he sat go up and over the crest of the hill in front of him. Beside him, as he sat alone was dug into the ground the pole of a banner which flapped softly on the wind, the rampant horse upon it matching in form if not exactly in style the one which formed the windmark upon his arm.

The stone of the anchor cairn behind him was cool against the bare skin of his back but the feeling was distant for of course his body was not really here and the feeling was more one of what he expected than of reality and even then he was not actually thinking too much of it any more than he was of the roughness of the stone.

His thoughts instead were of the ground a little way behind him, matching in his dream a hill which he had visited a handful of times in his waking life. Rotted wooden poles and old bones hidden in the grass had shown it to be a place where bodies had been allowed to pass rot back into the grass. In the dream world it had become apparent that these were not burials by his clan, and whilst he felt no threat from the spirits which had once occupied those bodies, he was glad of the reassuring presence of the banner, marking as it did a link to his ancestors, a protection for which he was glad of here for it kept the darkness away on those rare occasions when he could feel the threat of some nameless force.

Beneath his body the web pulsed softly and the spirits which inhabited it whispered to each other, but they allowed him the privacy of his thoughts. He had not travelled so far into the dream realms that he had lost contact with his body which lay back in the Pavilion but he had allowed enough separation that he failed to wake when Tay attempted it, though he may have muttered in his sleep. Still though things were moving in the world, and whilst he was unaware at least consciously in his dream of the call there were other calls which could breach the dream, and so he woke with the sensation of a full bladder which needed to be emptied.

He lay for a moment though, his mind still sleepy and muddled, aware of the colder air here and of the warmth of the bedding. He was soon aware too that he was alone and his questing hand revealed a residual warmth where her body had been. The tension which had cramped his heart faded and he breathed more deeply, his breath misting slightly at the chill which spoke of snow even here in the warmer Southlands.

His concerns although alleviated a little still came secondary to the now more urgent needs of his body and he dressed quickly, knowing that the air outside would be colder still especially if there were any wind. At the edge of the camp, having slipped carefully out of the tent and with the concerns of his body relieved he was more attentive now to his worries about Tay whom he hadn’t seen and at last the presence which had tugged at his mind now drew itself to his attention.

Once he would have ignored that call, but now he was less worried about Tay, knowing that she appreciated some of the dangers, knowing that she knew he could find her and knowing that she had some understanding now of how to survive out here. Curiosity overcame him and he made a path around the edge of the city and out into the grass towards it’s source.

[Gossamer]

The creature rolled, willing the soil and the heavy burdened grass beneath its now surfaced body to support it as it stretched out, its belly pointed to the stars. It gave a somewhat crooked smile to Zintila, stretching first one paw out and then the other, rolling in delight and feeling the starlight on its belly. The beast was old friends with some of the Gods and would befriend others as well had they had the time or inclination to speak to it. Zulrav, for one, never did forget to send someone to greet it, the zephyr being a good case in point today.

It was a chatty little thing, all full of itself and zipping around excitedly. The ancient scaled body laughed, finding its winds ticklish as it removed chunks of earth from the creatures body, polishing its scales to a deep oxblood red even as flitted about talking.

"Slow down....." The creature rumbled, shaking its head and letting its modified horns catch the starlight and fire back with an internal glitter all their own. The zephyr did slow then, dancing, and its words came into focus, far more easy for the ancient being to understand.

"Kalivarias. Kalivaris. You awake! How did your slumber go. How how did it go? I remember your birth, the crack of your egg, and how vicious you were. Change is good... change has been a long time coming... where have you been?" The bit of sentient wind cried, swirling around the creature, ruffling the decorative bits on its head, a mane of sorts that cascaded down its thin neck and danced in the wind along its back and behind its toes. The great beast regained its feet, stretching first forward then back, almost dog-like in its demeanor though the amused expression hadn't left its face.

"Below and beneath is as much a wonderland as above and beyond." The creature replied. "There is good hunting if you know where to look, and if you favor the heat, good pools of lava to bask in and rejuvenate among. And if you prefer the cold chill of the sky, then there are diamonds the size of the moon above for you to curl up in and relax. You should ask your master to give you leave to pass through stone. Then I would take you and show you myself." The giant thing rumbled, its grin flashed in the night. It was fifty feet from nose to tail, but its size was hard to judge because it moved fluidly like water and blended so perfectly with the night. Only a spark of firey red here and there gave it away much past the glow of its ruby gaze. Teeth, bright and white, flared in the dark when it spoke, but otherwise it was as much part of the night as the night itself.

"How fares the Stormlord these days?" Kalivaris asked. He rolled his head sideways, tracking the wind's movements and then tilting his head to catch its reply. It had spun ahead excitedly again, and the giant from beneath had to offer it a smile. The Velispar reached out into the darkness, gathered its magic, and trapped the wind in its gentle palm, slowing the smaller more ethereal creature enough to receive its response. In the pool of power in the creature's paw, the zephyr was briefly revealed as its true form, parted from its wind-driven power. It settled in the velispar's claw and looked around, as if it was surprised the world wasn't a swirl around it. Almost humanoid, the thing had four limbs, a head, a torso, and a very expressive face that could have passed for human if the light didn't refract through it and cause its form to fluctuate.

"He is well. But he is worried. To have one such as you rise to even so much as exchange words with humans is a thing of note. What is going on, Kalivaris? Is it so serious that you would take it to humans and not to our kind or even their kind?" The creature gestured, saying our kind to mean his own kin that were above and beyond most laws and who served the gods. Their kind refered to the Gods themselves.

Kalivaris rumbled in laughter. "You will soon see. Two humans approach. That is a sad thing to me, little zephyr. Once the whole camp would have been gifted enough to hear my song. Now... only two. The humans are falling back to their old ways. It saddens me... " The creature said, then tossed the zephyr back into the air, releasing him back into his gathered and borrowed divine magic. The wind swirled around, excitedly, and the pair of them waited for the two drawn by the ever flowing song to approach.

[Taylani]

The chilled grass crunched beneath her bare feet, in her before time Taylani would never have gone anywhere barefooted. Her feet had been her livelihood, a dancer can not dance on wounded or broken feet. However that was her before time, the time before her capture, the time before Fallan, when her dreams had been her own and did not include anyone else. Now her goals, her thoughts, and her very being was shaped around the little life nestled within her womb.

She barely noticed the coolness against her feet, and though her hands clutched her cloak around her bare body tightly she really didn't feel the cold of the night. Blue eyes search the darkness, but for some reason there was no fear of what might be out there. Her mind knew that there were glassbeaks, night lions, and a slew of other wild animals waiting for a straggler to pass by as an easy meal, but her body refused to acknowledge the rational fear that should be there. Instead she was too focused on the song. The song that drove prickles behind her eyes, as if tears were wanting to form.

She did not know if Fallan had even moved from their bedroll, she had tried enough to wake him to calm her guilt over wandering out once more in the dark. Even when something registered in her vision amid the grasses, Taylani's feet do not stumble or falter. She does not approach with fear or trepidation, but she does approach with awe and wonder etched into her pale face.

The bits of wind that was raised picked up her red tresses, and swirled them almost as the embers of a fire might swirl above before settling down around her shoulders once again. Blue eyes widen as she looks upon a creature she had never seen before, and she couldn't remember a description that matched it. At once it was both beautiful and frightening, but it seemed to be the source of the song. She spoke, her tones reverent and hushed. "What are you" She whispered, knowing on some level that she should be terrified, but she wasn't. The beauty in it's being was not lost to the dancer, and instinctively she knew that she was not looking at an ordinary creature at all.

[Fallan Windchaser]

Curiosity drove him, the darkness almost as much a friend as the light for was not the light of Leth as much of a gift as that of Syna? Things were different under his light, the darkness washed in silver and sometimes he gifted enough light for the night to be washed in pale colours. Danger of course lurked in the darkness for it was ever the favoured time for hunters and Fallan was without the wits and instincts of Stormdancer, but still he felt comfortable enough even if he did not entirely forget the craft that had been drilled into him since he was young enough to ride. His pace was measured, his feet placed carefully for all that they danced through the grass, his eyes glancing around him in the figured movements which avoided the blindspot in the centre of his eyes and instead allowed his peripheral vision to gather what it could. Few sounds carried in the still night air, but still he had to concentrate on them for sounds carried so much better in the darkness and he shook his head to see if he could hear the song again, wondering now if he had indeed heard it or if had been a part of the dream that he had left so abruptly.

Drawn as he was, unsure if he had really woken or merely fallen into a deeper dream it was not long before the faintest of sounds came to his ears, and really in his ears this time, followed shortly as he accelerated his pace by the first glimpses of movement ahead. His feet slowed a little as now wisps of an errant breeze registered on the sensitive skin of his face and hints of something being there registered in his mind. That it wasn’t human, whatever was there was enough to flag every warning instinct that he had in his mind, enough that his left hand automatically slipped to the hilt of the dagger that was as likely the first thing he would think of carrying even before he dressed when venturing out of the tent at night, his forefinger and thumb working on the hilt to release it from the tightness of the sheath mouth.

Any Drykas in his right mind would have turned now and roused the tents so that this danger could be dealt with. However as had happened so often recently he was no longer in his right mind for now he was aware of who was in front of him, could hear the whispers of her voice. Silently in his mind he called urgently for Stormdancer, pushing the entirety of his will into the call for all that he knew such a thing was fruitless but hoping that somehow the horse would sense it.

He moved cautiously now, the hilt of the sheathed dagger now loose in his fingers, the weight balanced on his feet as he attempted to see what could not be seen, that shape in the darkness which was only visible in random hints, but the sight of horns and the flicker of something in the breeze was enough to know that he did not know what confronted them. He moved closer, intending to interpose himself between the beast and the woman who carried his child. Danger filled the night air and he could only hope that the beast was neither hungry not felt threatened so he kept quiet, his feet moving softly in the grass so he could edge Tay back and away.

[Gossamer]

The creature shifted in the darkness, tilted its head and arched its neck bringing its gaze more on level with Taylani's bright eyes. Though its head was as large as her body alone, it did not assume any sort of threatening posture. The creature had no trouble seeing in the dark, though the humans seemed to be struggling to see its own form. Kalivaris noted this and glanced up at the moonless night, wondering if it should conjure fire or if that would indeed cause more trouble than naught.

He glanced at Fallan and noted that he was guarded, hands on weapons, and approaching like a warrior rather than a curious child.

The creature spoke then, its voice rumbling, but neither angry nor threatening. "Child, there was a time when none of your people would fail to recognize my kind, even in the dark. It's truly tragic, this situation the Drykas find themselves in, if you and your companion do not indeed recognize a Velispar for what one is." The creature said. It's voice was clear, deep, and musical though it whispered of far off places and deep underground secrets with the silk of its voice. It was definitely masculine.

He swiveled his head around, turned his attention to Fallan, and chuckled slightly as the man griped his dagger and advanced. "The small weapons you wield will not be enough, human, if you wish a fight. But I am not here for violence. I am here to ask a favor of you both. My name is "Kalivaris." The Velispar said turning its head right and left, seemingly searching each of the human's gaze. It waited then, for either of them to speak or for the man to react. It seemed to be crouching in the darkness, like a dog resting on its haunches, tail wrapped around its lower body, and forearms straight. As it waited for either of them to speak, it stretched out its forearms and settled to the ground, again hound-like as it watched both of them.

[Taylani]

For Taylani all things in the dark was pointless and muted, her eyes were fastened onto the strange being before her. Even the cold was no longer noticed, though all she wore really was her cloak held tightly around her body. As Fallan approached, she finally allowed her attention to be diverted, if only by a little as he sought to interpose himself between her and the being. Her hand rose, the one not clutching her cloak closed, to rest on his shoulder in what she hoped was a soothing fashion. She could feel his tension, even without touching him, he fairly radiated with it, but she herself felt only awe and wonder. Later, much later, she might worry about how entranced she was with the being that a glassbeak might have set upon her with out her even uttering a cry. But for now she was filled with a sense of ..not peace..but not dread either..perhaps it was a sense of urgency.

"Can you hear it?" She whispered to Fallan, "Can you feel it?" Taylani slipped closer to Fallan, but did not let him get too much between her and it. When the creature spoke she was filled anew with the sense of both urgency and awe. Her hand that was on his shoulder slid down his arm, to lay gently over top of the hand that rested on his dagger. She did not fear this Velispar, she had not heard of them before but nothing that could make such a beautiful song could be truly evil surely. Yes she was a bit more naive then Fallan but she believed fully in her heart that there was nothing to fear from it.

"A favor? What can I..we...do for one such as yourself?" She questioned the being, her words unafraid, her timbre reverent but not timid. "I am nothing but a captive out here, willing now yes but still I lack even the barest skills to thrive on the sea of grasses. Each day I learn more but I it will be long before I am able to do more then subsist. What can I do to help you?"

[Fallan Windchaser]

Of all the things that he might have expected, a creature that talked was not one of them and it changed everything right then and there. He found himself staring at the little he could see of the creature and quickly realised his mistake and looked aside so that he might be able to see a little. He shifted back slightly, reassured by Tays presence and her touch.

Velispar? This was a creature out of legend and never one that he could have expected to meet and he struggled to recall all that he could of them, but knew that his initial concerns over the danger were vastly understated for all of the creatures reassurances to the contrary. Still, as it shifted down upon the ground and seemingly posed less of a threat so he slipped the dagger a little deeper into the sheath, though he retained a light grip upon it.

He waited for Tay to finish speaking and gave the creature a slight bow, assuming that it could see better in this gloom than he could and attempted to hide the slight shiver that ran down his spine at the knowledge that they were effectively at its mercy. The words and actions were not threatening and whilst it could be toying with them, it would be a strange way of doing so.

"Greetings and welcome, Kalivaris, I am Fallan Windchaser of the Amthyst Clan," he spoke in Pavi, his expressions hampered slightly by the hand that remained upon the dagger and was in turn covered by Tays. Kalivaris, if that were indeed its name spoke of Drykas in familiar terms and he assumed that it must understand him, hoping too that he had not mangled the once spoken name.

"I trust that you will forgive my caution, it has been long since my family were in the presence of your kind and the stories blur with the telling as they are passed from father to son." Perhaps other Drykas had dealings with Velispar that spoke and accosted in the dark, but if they did then Fallan had never spoken to any.

"My partner speaks true," he added with a smile in the dark towards Tay who seemed not to share his fears. "What is it that we may assist your with?" He waited, torn between dread and curiosity as to what might bring a Velispar to the tents of the Drykas in the depths of Winter.

[Gossamer]

Kalivaris was impressed that Fallan offered his name in return as an introduction and politely asked what the creature needed. The girl, however, dismissed herself in the Velispar's eyes and did not offer him her name. He wasn't sure if he should take it that his judgement was bad singing to this particular pavilion or if she indeed considered herself worthless. The darkness shifted, revealing no more or no less of the creature which just flashed with hints of ruby red in the darkness. Its big eyes were aglow as it spoke again, snaking its serpentine head about and looking first at Taylani and then at Fallon.

"I need some help from a human. It cannot be from another. There is something that is designed to only be opened by a human, and no other kind of magic can break it. Humans have incredible gifts within them - creativity, tenaciousness, perseverance and the adaptability of survival. This thing... this object hidden so well from the world requires a human's hands to open it. I would like to borrow yours." The Velispar said, pausing, not for dramatic effect but because it wasn't sure if it had said too much. Velispar were reluctant to admit weakness or an inability to do something. And it was rare indeed that one could not work around something as simple as a racial requirement on opening something long closed and forgotten. But he'd been trying for decades and he'd finally decided to give up and move forward, letting the geis placed on the lock he wanted opened dictate his next move.

Now whether the humans he'd chosen would choose to help him or not was yet to be seen.