Closed Flowing Rivers (Alea Davenport)

[Venser Rush]

5th of Winter, 513AV The sun was just beginning to set over the lake-city of Ravok, the light spilling onto the surface of the water, painting it with its luminous glare. Venser would stand there, just staring out into the flowing river leading to the lake that the city was built upon, his eyes narrowed from the brightness, though there was beauty in it. Settled with arms on the handle of one of the bridges that connected the city of Ravok, Venser took place there in order to think after a day of study. The moving water reminded him of the djed pathways flowing through the young man's bodies, the pathways existing in his system, the river, pulling the water through the city, his body. With the power of manifestation, its potential was both fearsome and majestic at the same time, the lake was the outside of the body, the djed flowing outward from the body, into it in the rare case of a Leecher, and each had a communal relationship with one another. Without the circumstance necessary to breed a need, magic was of little use, and without the djed to channel the workings of the mystical, the world was mundane and unchanging. Venser considered the relationship, the way magic impacted the world, but in retrospect, his own understanding of both was lacking. The world to him was Ravok, the city the only one he had ever seen, the river the only flowing, narrow body of water of its kind that he had ever seen. Magic was like a lover to him, mysterious, enticing, an enigma of the most attractive sort. So far, the man had only been able to study the way of the Flux, from which his understanding of djed had stemmed, and Malediction, where the true nature of change and a deep love for the God Harameus, had spawned. The art form, giving power and purpose to that which the dead had left behind and the living feared to become, was truly incredible. His thoughts would ramble off as the young Maledicter continued to stare into the water, putting most of his weight upon the wooden bar, waterlogged and rotten in places from exposure to the elements. He failed to notice as the wood bent beneath his weight, leaning forward, watching the change of light upon the water, the ever altering glare, and admiring the flow of the water, reminded again of the magical before the structure broke entirely from his weight. It took him utterly by surprise, Venser being of the lighter sort, and thus unused to being the source of weight that could "crush" something. "Ahhhhh!" he'd yell out, his arms flailing out in vain as he sought to grip the remaining wood, Venser falling into the river. He would flail madly in the water, the beauty of which was now utterly lost on him as he struggled to keep himself afloat, his legs kicking out frantically, though his descent into the water was inevitable, the young man unable to come to a horizontal position to float himself.

[Alea Davenport]

Alea was lost. It wasn't her fault really; she'd only come to the city two days ago, and already Valerius was having her run errands. Was it her fault people in Ravok were not inclined to take the time to give decent directions to anyone with a half-sun tattoo? She had been spending the better part of the day trying to find her way back to a part of the city she recognized, but since there were only maybe two places like that, and she'd taken a boat between them last time, navigating the completely unintuitive bridges got her so turned around that she didn't think she'd ever get home. And if Valerius complained about her being late, she would definitely tell him whose fault it was.

But first, she had to find her way home. The sun was getting low in the sky, and she'd found herself in a rather seedy-looking part of the docks. At least, she was pretty sure it was the docks. It looked like hardly anyone even came back here. She had never been to a city with a "bad" part of town, per se, so she wasn't particularly nervous, but there was a noticeable difference between this and the rest of the city. Slime from the lake grew on the walkways, and the wood had not been well cared for.

The yell startled her, especially because she had gotten so close without realizing there was another person here. She raced to the spot the railing had broken, in case the man needed any help. She did not really expect him to, since she had trouble imagining that anyone in a city surrounded by water could fail to learn to swim. And yet, it seemed that was exactly what had happened. As soon as she realized the man was drowning, she yelled, "Hang on!" and jumped in after him.

She aimed carefully so she wouldn't land right on top of him, and she took a deep breath right before she hit the water, in case she went under in all the confusion. Paddling over to him, she tried to grab one of his arms, to give him something to hang on to. Keeping her legs straight below her, she kicked gently back and forth in a rhythm that should keep her afloat, assuming the drowning man didn't drag her to the bottom of the lake. She was a little nervous getting close to all that flailing, but she couldn't let the man drown. They were fairly close to the foundation supporting the city block above, and she managed to gain a tenuous handhold on part of it, which helped her keep her head above water while still holding an arm out for the man to hang onto.

[Venser Rush]

Never given the privilege of learning how to swim in his youth, Venser had simply not taken the time to learn in the time since growing to manhood. He had always been so preoccupied, so fixated on his craft or collecting bones, etching into the material, the inconsistency of success and failure, both of which were useful in their own regard, that he had simply forgotten to learn. Especially with the introduction of the Flux and texts regarding to the flow of djed. It was his principle to begin delving into a craft by understanding its basis, yet he had fixed the rule for Flux. For to understand djed was difficult, and expansive to all of the disciplines. The Maledicter cursed himself for not taking his chance to learn, everything but survival burrowed from his mind, excavated from the recesses of his brain as his eyes flew open, wide in his frenzy, yet processing nothing but the darkness of the water. It was his ears that picked up on the woman's voice, Venser's arm reaching out, his hand gripping her arm, pulling himself over to her as he coughed violently, water having forced into his lungs, his legs strained with the burden of over-stress. His entire body had been on the verge of seizing up, unable to last more than two minutes of physical movement without a steady supply of oxygen. The drowning experience was one that before this, Venser had never experienced, and it was... horrifying. When he could finally lift his head above water, he took a deep breath, the fresh oxygen in his lungs fueling his muscles, poisoned by excess lactic acid. The pain would begin to subside, if only slightly, as he coughed again, water clearing from his throat as he clung to the woman for support. Usually not given to excess touching of any kind, Venser was still nearly paralyzed with the fear of death, his heart pulsing rapidly in his chest as he managed to stutter out, "T-Thank yo-you... When his mental stability had returned, he would reach for the same block that she was using to support herself, pressing himself to it for support as he raised his head even higher, continuing to take deep breaths to oxygenate his body. "What a way to meet someone... Thank you, again. That could have been extremely ugly." A life cut short, a life he projected was to be one of utility and hopefully even greatness, could have all been erased were it not for his saviour. He shook his head in disbelief at his own stupidity, Venser mumbling quietly to himself.

[Alea Davenport]

The man's clinging forced Alea's head under the water more than once, so it was a good thing she had taken that breath. She struggled to keep her mouth above the surface, and snuck gasps whenever she could. She swallowed more than a little lake water; fortunately it tasted quite clear and good. It was not entirely comfortable having someone heavier than her clinging to her for dear life. At least they were in the water instead of on land where he could actually crush her. She'd had that experience before and wasn't in a hurry to repeat it.

She actually lost her grip on the platform, bringing her the momentary fear that the drowning man would bring them both down. He was moving too wildly for her to fight, and being able to swim didn't make her strong enough to control a drowning man. If he had been much larger, she might not have been able to steady him at all. Fortunately the man was close enough to the foundation by now to reach it himself. Soon, he managed to calm down, and he had stopped pulling Alea under with all his clinging. She regained her equilibrium, kicking steadily and waving one arm along the surface of the water, while still allowing him to hold onto the other one. She was coughing a bit, but less than him, since most of her water was swallowed and not inhaled.

In response to his thanks, she could only say, "I don't like watching people die." As she continued to tread water, it hit her how annoyed she was that this man's almost suicidal unprepared-ness had nearly cost her life as well. "How do you not know how to swim anyway," she snapped. "You LIVE on a LAKE! What kind of idiot are you?"

She had saved him for the moment, but there was still the question of how to get him back to land. He wouldn't be able to hang onto the ledge forever. Would he be strong enough to make it to a way up, assuming she could find one? Would she be able to find one, especially before her own strength gave out? Her anger and worry only fueled her determination.

[Venser Rush]

The wheezing would not have yet subsided, deep breaths pulling into Venser's lungs as he considered his options. There was no way that staying here would benefit. His death would only be postponed until the time was more convenient. He shook his head at the woman's altercation, "The kind who was never given a chance to learn. Anyway, be silent. I need to focus so I can scale this." By no means an expert of climbing in any sense of the word, Venser was rather intimidated. If it were Verin, it would be easy, his twin being more active than him, so he likely had some sort of experience. Or perhaps not, for Venser recalled that none of his brother's stories had ever mentioned climbing. Shrugging, he decided to have a go, his hand reaching to grip a groove in the surface of the platform. Venser's grip would slip, leaving him to hold on with only one hand, nearly falling entirely, "Ah... Ah... No!" A surge of fresh adrenaline would flood his system, Venser finding new strength, his fingers clutching at the wooden surface of the bridge as he leaped upwards, gambling with his life as Venser constricted his core, slowly raising his body with his arms. The muscles would burn, pleading him to stop the extreme effort, failure imminent. He relaxed, instead, holding on to the edge. Instead, he would focus, a deep breath filling his lungs as he recalled the analogous nature of the river to his body. He thought upon it, allowing the djed to stream from his spirit as a low incantation escaped his lips, "From the immortal spirit this power flees, and unto the body it shall be received..." The incantation seemed to animate him, the djed pouring into Venser's body, the boy using his limited skill in the craft to direct it into his arms. Immediately, he could feel the change, a grin materializing upon his features as he attempted anew, finding it to be far easier than before. The young man would still struggle, his biceps twanging in protest to the effort involved as Venser pulled himself onto the bridge, the wooden material of the bar having fallen into the river and whisked off into the current. When Venser's entire body was on the bridge, his safety all but assured, he would turn around to find the woman still in the water, the man pressing his body to the edge, extending his hands, "Take hold of my hand, I will pull you up." Now that he was out of unfamiliar territory, a sense of calm washed over him, his ability to exert control over the situation far more established.

[Alea Davenport]

OOCRavok's more of a lake than a river, I don't think the canals really have much of a current

As the man began trying to scale the foundation, Alea cried out, "Whoa, wait, what are you doing!?" No way would he succeed, and there had to be an easier way out of the canal. She pushed herself back away from the edge, not wanting to be underneath when he inevitably came crashing down on top of her. She was going to have to let him grab onto her again most likely.

But as she watched him struggle, something odd happened. It looked at first like he was going to fall, but then he muttered something and then pulled himself up like it was nothing. Alea wasn't quite sure what had just happened, but it seemed pretty unusual.

She frowned and hung back when he offered his hand. "How did you do that?" she asked, rather suspiciously. She was curious too, but mostly worried. "What was that thing you said? Was it a prayer of some sort?" It occurred to her that she might have found a new race, though so far she hadn't met any that looked human but weren't. "What are you?" She hoped the answer was something benign, and not what she feared: a mage.

If he was a mage, or some other type of hostile creature, then at the very least he was afraid of the water. She might not be able to swim very fast, but as long as she stayed in the middle of the canal he couldn't get to her. She might be able to make it to safety before her strength gave out--

With an effort, she forced herself to stop being paranoid. She should at least listen to the man's answer before jumping to conclusions.

[Venser Rush]

OOCPoint noted. I modified my post a bit to compensate .___. I'm trying my best D:

"What? " he thought to himself at the woman's questions, accusatory in their tone. Venser had kept his abilities secret, for the most part, even from Verin, though in the recent days, his brother had come to know, at the very least his interest in the Flux. He narrowed his gaze at her for a moment before he replied, "I am a human. Now, please accept my hand. I would much rather my saviour not sacrifice herself for me. Though, perhaps you could swim elsewhere. But, why take the chance? I mean you no harm." It was best for Venser to keep any future use of his abilities more discrete, though he had been far too panicked, driven by adrenaline to consider using restraint in the moment. Plus, the power he had felt. The rush that was the djed flowing through his veins. He could still feel it, it pulsed through him, enhancing his strength. He felt... invincible. Not quite seeing the incentive of either lying to the woman or telling her the truth, he decided for something in the middle. "Words of encouragement allow the mind to push the body much farther than one can believe possible. Now, take my hand!" His left arm, the one extended, would move in order to show the urgency in the matter. The woman's insistence on continuing this conversation with her in the water was beginning to upset him, the desire to thank his saviour was utmost for she had ensured that his life would not be one of fruitlessness. Her suspicion was, of course, understandable. The feat he had performed was not impossible, but considering how he had not intended to employ use the Flux from the beginning, his recovery from utter failure was extraordinary.

[Alea Davenport]

OOCNo worries, there's a lot to learn after all!

Alea frowned, not entirely sure she believed him. Maybe she'd try "words of encouragement" next time she had to lift something heavy, and see if it helped. Still, she was too annoyed at him for trying something so risky, and too stubborn to accept his help now. She had to prove she was right, that he had acted out of panic and desperation.

"I'm gonna see if I can find an easier way up," she said. Then she took a deep breath and dunked her head under water as she oriented her body parallel to the canal. She opened her eyes underwater, amazed at how clear the lake was. It seemed like she could see impossibly far down, though darkness still shrouded the bottom of the lake. Abandoning her curiosity of the deeps for a moment, she looked around at the floating foundations. She found it hard to believe that no one ever fell into the water, and it would be ridiculous to not have a way to get out.

After about a chime, when she was just starting to feel the burn of holding her breath, she spotted something. It looked to be about a block over, but it was a ramp. She brought her head back up for some air, and then almost as an afterthought told the man, "There's a ramp over there." She started paddling, keeping her head above water as she pulled herself forward with her hands and kicked gently with her feet behind her.

After a bit, she checked to see whether the man followed her. "I'm Alea Davenport, by the way."

[Venser Rush]

The girl who had saved his life was proving to be equally as hardheaded as she was courageous. It both worried him and irritated him, though now that he looked at the water closely, the current was nearly non-existent, the flow of water gentle, and the stranger was able to swim. He watched her as she dove beneath the water, curious as to how such a thing was possible, then as she rose, he would stare. "What? A ramp.... All the way over there? She's insane. She has to be." There was surely no other explanation. What effort on her end was it for the woman to grip his hand and allow his Flux-enhanced, not that she was to know this, strength to pull her onto the bridge? "Erm... alright." Venser would approach the ramp indicated, his breath still ragged from shock, his short hair wet and disheveled, scattered about. His crystalline eyes were still wide, pupils dilated from the fear he had experienced. He clenched his fist, quite unable to control the strength of the action. Joints would pop from the pressure, his nails cutting through his skin, stabbing through muscle, blood welling up at his palm, the tips of his fingers dripping with blood. The pain was all but absent, the Flux coursing through his body still, his arms creaking under the pressure of the magic overwhelming his body. This power was what he craved so much, the power to save himself from danger, the strength to assert his independence! His twin was a center of salvation for him, but the pressure of feeling, while not necessarily being, indebted to Verin was enough to bear with. Venser would finally be at the shore, waves crashing behind the woman as she approached from the depths. He arched his eyebrows, curiosity taking hold of him, the Flux mage's eyes moving along the woman's form, noting in particular the tattoo upon her right hand."She's a slave? How intriguing. I didn't expect a slave to have a... skill. The young man's experience was limited, but he knew, from what he had seen and known from a life around slavery in Ravok, women slaves were usually beautiful of body, but lacking in other characteristics. "Alea Davenport? My name is Venser Rush, it is a pleasure to meet you."

[Alea Davenport]

Alea was starting to feel a bit winded by the time she reached the ramp. Once or twice, it occurred to her how unnerving it would be to lose her strength and sink to the bottom of the lake. But the idea of having to give up and accept the help of the man she'd just saved, a man who didn't even know how to swim, spurred her on. She wasn't exhausted yet, and she was far too stubborn to give up while someone was watching.

Still, when she reached the ramp, she collapsed onto it gratefully, panting. After a few ticks, she decided not to give her new friend a chance to worry about her, so she pulled herself up into a standing position. Her hair was plastered all over her arms and her clothes were soaked, a condition she had not thought about before jumping into the lake. It occurred to her that Valerius might not want to let her back in the house dripping wet like this. It also occurred to her that she still did not know her way back, and yet here was a native Ravokian who owed her.

Forcing a grin onto her tired face, she held her hang out. "Nice to meet you, Venser Rush! What brings you to this part of Ravok?" Suddenly, her legs turned into jelly, and she stumbled. She caught herself on Venser's arm, and managed not to fall back into the canal, but it was a near thing. As the blood rushed through her head, she blinks and said, "Woah. Sorry, I guess that took more out of me than I thought." She took a few deep breaths to steady herself, and it occurred to her to wonder when the last time she'd eaten was. For the past few days, she had been having trouble keeping food down, and it ahd not done wonders for her health.

Still keeping one hand on Venser for support, she reached down to scratch her ankle. There was a ring of tiny sores, left there from the bracelet of teeth that she now wore on her wrist. She hadn't noticed the teeth digging into her skin until she'd moved the bracelet, but now that the sores were healing, they itched obnoxiously.