Sunsets and Memories (Adalia)

[Sitkanis]

Timestamp: 22th of Fall 510 AV Frequent visits to the beach had become the norm for Sitkanis lately. He liked to look out at the waves where he had fallen back to Mizahar. It was a bit scary to think about. He had almost died that night. Still, it gave him a sense of actuality. The fall had happened, it was not a dream. The memories still were not returning to him like he wished they would. There were only three memories. The Grass, The Horses, and Nekara the Dynakuva. Everything else was a misty mess in his head. The waves crashed against the shore and Sitkanis saw the sun slowly reaching the horizon. It was sunset, the sign that he was running out of time. In a matter of about a half a bell he would change. Leth would be in the sky and he would no longer be Drykas. The anticipation of Syna and Leth's dusk meeting was painting wonderful colors in the sky. Oranges, purples, and pinks decorated the sky like a painting and Sitkanis sighed. He wanted to return to the Land of the Grass and Horses. He wanted to see Nekara the Dynakuva, his prized dog from another life. He would have none of it now. It was all a faded memory, quite literally it seemed.

[Adalia]

"It is a beautiful sight," Adalia's voice sang out from behind Sitkanis. She had snuck up behind him, standing silently for a few seconds, watching the sunset with him in silence. Now, the familiar figure appeared in his peripheral vision, plopping down next to him, the normal smile on her face ever so slightly wider. The ever-present Ivaski settled in next to her, sprawled out in that adorable dog-like way.

"The sunset on beaches reminds me of Mura. I remember, one day, I was on the beach with my sister when she was with child. It must have been when I was twelve, just beginning my studies in medicine. She looked at me, and she said, 'Adalia, my dearest sister, I see a life of great hardship in your future, but I do not see you suffering. I see you trudging through it, and finding pleasure in what you do despite the hardships. No matter what happens to you, don't let the world change who you are, little one. And even if you do change, know that I will always love you.' She was right. Being in the Opal Order is a life of hardships, but at the end of every day, you feel satisfied with the lives you have saved, and you allow yourself to smile again," she fell silent, looking at the backs of her hands.

"I miss her. Her daughter was just about to turn ninteen when I left," Adalia commented, sighing ever so slightly. Anyone who knew Adalia better would be stunned at how much she had just said, considering how brief and curt she normally was when speaking, but Sitkanis most likely saw her as simply long winded.

[Sitkanis]

A familiar person appeared at Sitkanis' side. It was one of the blonde girls from earlier, Adalia was her name. Following at her side was her Ivaski Tempest. A familiar pang of sadness reached Sitkanis' heart again. Nekara, why did her memory have to return? He pushed the feeling away. There would be time to mourn when he was alone. Right now he had Adalia at his side and he had to hold it together. Although Sitkanis did not like being around people he found Adalia oddly comforting to be around. Maybe it was her soft voice and quiet demeanor but his usual gloom and dark personality seemed to be halted when she was present. It was a lot to say about a girl he had only met two times. Although when a man only had memories spanning less than a month meeting a girl two times was a lot. It was more than he had seen anyone else. Adalia's words were calming. Sitkanis did not know why she was telling him about her past but it was comforting. Although he could not remember his past he found a small delight in hearing about hers. It was as though she was proving to him that there was in fact a time span in between his death date and the day he fell. He wished he could tell her about his past but there was nothing to tell. No stories, no memories, just snapshots and five second long clips in his mind. "Mura sounds like a beautiful place. Your sister sounds like a wonderful woman." Although Sitkanis was talking to Adalia he was looking right at the sunset. His deep brown eyes seemed to be locked in a staring contest with the dusk lights of Syna. Time was running out for him. What would Adalia think of him when he changed? "I come from a place of waving seas of grass and running horses. I do not remember much of anything else except my dog Nekara. Oh Leth Ioved that dog." Sitkanis tried to pull his stare from the sunset but it was futile. He could not look way. He was a ticking time bomb and he did not want to scare Adalia. "Adalia…" He did not know how to explain what was going to happen. How did a man explain a predicament like his? It was not as if he could say "Hey Adalia, I don't mean to alarm you but at night I shrink about six inches and my hair turns shaggy and black." He was lost for words to say. All the words he wanted to tell her seemed to get caught in his throat. What explanation could truly make what was going to unfold right?

[Adalia]

"It is, and she is." Adalia commented curtly, playing with a lock of her blond hair. She remained silent for a few long moments after he finished telling her about his dog, her blue eyes watching the horizon, absorbing the sight. "I have only heard of that place in stories and legends. They say it lies far South of Mura, farther South than I have ever been. My mother has been there, though, I believe. My oldest sister, her father was from there. He is most likely no longer among the living, though," Adalia then said, long pauses after each one of her sentences. Once she finished speaking, the only sound she made was that of her breathing.

When he said her name the small trance was broken. Her gaze broke off from the sunset, and her eyes focused on him. Head tilted to the side, she didn't really speak, just made that "Mmm?" sound you make when you're too lazy or too occupied to say what or yes. Despite her silence, thoughts were racing through her mind. He had trailed off. She couldn't detect if the tone in his voice before he had trailed off had been one of worry, or one of nervousness, or-- she didn't even know why this popped into her head-- a romantic one, or what. She didn't know why she was thinking so much over such a small thing, but the mind worked in a strange way. She balled her hands up ever so slightly in the sand, feeling the grainy particles fill the space between her fingers.

[Sitkanis]

Adalia was quiet even when she was talking. Sitkanis liked that. He thought back to Marius, the human miner he had meet a couple weeks proir. He had been loud and boisterous. Although Sitkanis could not deny that he was intregued by the man, he was a bit to talkative for Sitkanis. Sitkanis was the stereotypical "strong and silent" kind of guy. He much prefered to keep his words in his head and let what little slipped through the cracks cover what needed to be said. From what he saw, Adalia was very similar. She seemed to choose her words carefully. He liked it but it also made him crave for more convorsation from her. He wanted to know what she was hiding behind what she did not say. Syna was almost at the horizon and Sitkanis could feel Leth's energy approaching. He could feel his body getting ready to transform under the moon light. He needed to tell Adalia before it happened. "Adalia..." He tried to tell her again but something was keeping him from telling her. He did not want her pushing him away for what he was. He guessed that Adalia was a kind and understanding woman but seeing someone transform right before your eyes did something to someone's kind nature. He would try again though. "Adalia, you need to know something. Very soon, as soon as Leth appears in the sky I... I will not look much like me anymore. I'll be fine, but I will look very different." He bit is lip as he always did when he got scared or nervous. The light would come soon. It would start at his hands and race up his arms like a reverse waterfall. It was still scary to live though. It was like getting eaten up by a million stars. It was a fact of life though. A fact of Ethaefal life... Soon the glowing shape of Leth was creeping into the dark Denvali sky. Sitkanis looked down and the golden lights had already begun to shine on the back of his hands. He looked at Adalia, his eyes already the glowing lilac color that they held at night. "I'm sorry you have to see this..." The golden light climbed up his arms and shot across his chest like a splatter of golden paint. He felt as his height deminished and he got closer to the ground. He was now a prominant light in the night scene on the beach. A man glowing like a star under the careful eye of Leth. Soon the light faded and the golden flecks began to dull until they sunk back into Sitkanis' Ethaefal skin. They no longer glittered like stars but lightly shined like the moon under the night sky. Sitkanis was embarassed that Adaila had to watch him transfrom. It was always so awkward. He gave her a sheepish smile and pulled off his now oversized shirt. He needed to put on his second pair of clothing due to his six inch drop in height. His lilac eyes settled on Adalia. "I am still me, still Sitkanis, just... different. I have been told I am an Ethaefal, what ever that means. There never are perfect answers in this world."

[Adalia]

She absorbed every detail of his voice and features as he spoke to her about how he would change. She nodded slowly, waiting when he paused. The nod started slowly, but soon became more confident, slightly faster in its tempo.

"Don't be. It's not your fault that you are whatever you are," was all she managed to say. Her eyebrows were arched in a mix of confusion, worry, and curiosity. She watched as his eyes slowly began to change hue. Her gaze followed his, finding his hands, watching as the golden lights crept upwards, claiming his tan skin inch by inch, until he was covered from head to toe in gold. She was forced to look away, blinded by the light he gave off as he shifted. Adalia's left arm found her way up to her head, wrapping around her eyes, which were shut as tightly as she could possibly manage.

Then, the light began to fade away. Slowly, and with a guarded air around her, she lowered her arm, peering out with her blue eyes. When she was certain her eyes were safe from more abuse, she dropped her arm entirely. Tempest had been stirred by the storm of lights, and now stood fully erect. She towered over the seated duo, and she watched Sitkanis with a cold, calculating eye. She barred her teeth for a brief moment, until Adalia caught her eye. The beast then calmed, lowering down onto the ground, her legs folded beneath her. Her feet formed a nice little pillow for her head, and her gaze never left Sitkanis past this point.

Finally free of distractions, she turned back to face him studying the details of his changed physique in silence. Her eyes passed over him once, then twice, then a third time, absorbing every little detail she could. More so than anything else, her studies focused upon the dual horns that now spouted from his temples and the hauntingly beautiful lilac eyes. The ever-present smile returned to her face as she finished absorbing what had just happened.

"Nothing ever is perfect," Adalia commented quietly, her smile growing ever so slightly in that friendly way.

Then, the barrage of questions he had most certainly expected arrived in full force. "Where do Ethaefal come from...? Are they native to the lands South of Konti?" her voice was quiet and curious, her gaze holding his... or at least trying to hold his gaze.

[Sitkanis]

The Konti had seen what Sitkanis was. She had watched as the golden lights evoloped his body and turn his skin from a hardy Endrykas tan to his nighty pale Leth-like glow. He had been sure that Adalia would have fled or ordered Tempest to attack him. She didn't though. She had looked right at him as he changed and she was skill there on the beach. All of these thoughts and more raced through Sitkanis' mind. Adalia had seen him at his most vulerable moment and she not only stayed but smiled at him. Her words rang in his head. "Nothing is ever perfect." It was a painful truth but a omnipresent one. It kept things interesting although at times Sitkanis wished that the dramatics could be saved for someone else. The questions about Sitkanis were going to start, he knew it would. It was innevitable when one completely changed form in front of someone else. The truth was he really did not know a lot about Ethaefal. He did not know much about anything. All he had was the cloudy memories from his past life and the few things he had learned since his fall. "To be truthful Adalia, I do not know much about who I am. I will tell you what I know though." He closed his eyes as he tried to recount every last detail he knew. Things were still quite jumbled in his mind. "Ethaefal come from the Ukalas. We were once living but for our own personal reasons we died and found ourselves in the Ukalas. There we live with either Leth or Syna but on occasion we do not stay. I fell from the Ukalas into the sea until I eventually washed up here on this very beach." Sitkanis looked out at the horizon to where Leth was now shining in the sky. His heart pined to be with his deity but he could not help but feel a hint of comfort from the Konti's presence. "I came from somewhere else although I don't know where. Like I said, it was a land of grass and horses. I imagine from my daytime form that it was sunny due to how tan I am. For now I am just following the clues from my body and mind. I doubt there is anyone left who knew me in my past life." It felt strange yet comforting to finally tell someone about who he was and why he was there. He had been keeping it all bottled up inside for so long at he cold feel it burning at his insides and try to tear it's way out. Little had he known that relief would have come so soon.

[Adalia]

As Sitkanis imparted what little knowledge of his kind he had, Adalia listened, absorbing his words like a sponge. Throughout his entire explanation, her eyes were locked either upon the beautiful lilac of his eyes, of the graceful horns that sprouted from the sides of his head. So Sitkanis was effectively a dead man. A dead man whom had fallen from grace and been granted a second chance at life. Or, at least, that was one way to view this uncommon situation. She silently nodded as he finished, piecing together the words in her head carefully. Finally, she spoke.

"Then make the best of this new one," Adalia's comment was quiet, yet it held a certain air of power in it. "Find out where this sea was. Go there, try to find the people who may have known you. You may be fortunate. Not many people get a second chance. Don't waste it doing nothing," she then fell silent once more, the ever-present smile playing its way across his pale, delicate features once more.

Silently, she wondered what living with a God in the Ukalas must be like. Living with a God in their own personal realm, not in the mortal realm. She had seen Rak'keli before, when she had been gifted with her Gnosis, but she had to wonder... Did the Gods look different in the Ukalas? Were they more powerful in the Ukalas? Why did some, like the Sister Goddesses and Laviku, choose to spend so much time amongst mortals when they had a whole plain? Perhaps they simply enjoyed being near mortals. Maybe they enjoyed watching them live their lives to the best of their abilities, and in the case of her Mistress, aiding in whatever ways they could. The Divine were something beyond her, so she would have to settle for uncertainty.

[Sitkanis]

The quiet words of Adalia calmed Sitkanis. Her words were calm and possitive, much different from Sitkanis' negitive personality. He got the feeling that he had not always been so pessimistic. He imagined in his past life he was quite happy and social but falling from the Ukalas was not the most uplifting experience. He felt far away from two homes, the Ukalas and the Land of Horses and Grass. There was no home for him anymore. Not in Denval at least. He liked the city well enough, he had met some great people. The problem was, he felt disconnected from everything. While everyone he met had something or someone to fall back on he did not. His God was far away in the night sky and his family was long dead. Adalia was right though. He needed to make the most of this life. He had been given a second chance to live and even though it was not ideal, he was back. He had the chance to live again and he needed to take advantage of it. "I fell right off the coast here so I cannot get much closer than I am now." Not many people had really helped him figure out what was going on. He mostly just stumbled around until he found Zahari. That was when he found out his was an Ethaefal. Adalia, although she was quiet had proved to be quite useful when learning about the world beyond the edges of Denval. He wanted to hear Adalia talk again. It seemed that the more he talked to the Konti the more he learned. She had lived in other places and she knew more than people who had been in Denval their whole lives. "So tell me about the places you have seen. As an Ethaefal I cannot remember my past life. All I know is Denval. You must have seen some interesting things coming from your homeland, Mura isn't it?" He never was one to try to carry on a convorsation but it was not everyday he found someone he actually wanted to talk to.

[Adalia]

"I meant the other sea. The sea where grass replaces the water," Adalia said, after she noticed he had seemed to confuse the Sea of Grass and the Ocean before them. She then fell silent, her gaze finally drifting away from his changed features, and returning to the now-rising moon and the ocean. She didn't speak for a long time, simply enjoyed the silence, letting the thoughts in her mind go whatever way they very well pleased, some being cataloged into the files of her head for a later date when they may be needed.

Ah, he asked about the places she had been. She opened the aforementioned catalogs in her mind, remembering the path she had taken through the world to get to where she now stood.

"I came from Mura, and took a boat to a city known as Zeltiva. It is a city to the South East, a port city, with a university of sorts. I only stayed for a day before I set out, stopping once more in the West, specifically in Syliras. Syliras was a giant castle, owned and maintained by an order of Knights. They were strict with their laws, but not without reason. It was larger than any city I'd ever seen before. So many people, living in a fortress larger than any you could imagine, all built around one tree. It's almost impossible to believe it," she paused, following a map in her head.

"I then boarded a boat, sailing to a city to the South, Alvadas. Rak'keli alone guided me through that hellish city. One moment, a road would lead to the exit, and then the next, it would shift into a pit full of lions. It is a miracle I retained my sanity," Adalia shuttered ever so slightly as she remembered the city of Avaldas. It wasn't hard to see the city wasn't one of her favorite memories. "I then found myself in Wind Reach, to the east of here, where I stayed for the Summer season. It was a city carved into a volcano, where the people survived by hunting seals with their massive eagle companions. It was a beautiful sight. In return for my service, one of the riders dropped me off here," her story abruptly ended, as she felt there was nothing else to add. Here was Denval. He knew as much about here as she did.

"And from here, I do not know where the winds of fate shall take me, but I shall follow them dutifully."