Closed A passage of peace and time

[Vick]

e





Spring 1, 516AV;

Vick found himself along the trail of waterfalls as the city called it. He was sitting on the ground with his bag near him as he watched the nature life around him. It was far different compared to the island he grew up around but it was a nice difference he felt like.


His small hands moved in his bag as he pulled out a simple worn out pencil and a book of drawings that he had kept. He was far from good at drawing but he wanted to keep working at it. Being a nuit made it harder to really have fluid like movements due to once he thought of moving it took a bit longer to move compared to other races like humans. It was the biggest reasons you never really saw nuits fight in combat with weapons due to few knew how to focus and move ahead of the other person. Even with his age Vick found he did not have the skill to do that or at least yet.

Granted he made a few magical items in the past that could help if he wanted to but that was something he did not have on him. One of his greatest items he made was crafted with Alchemy and Malediation but it was a suit of armour for him and his child like bodies that he took. It gave him a better chance at fighting as he called it WarNuit. He just did not use it often but few knew of it or what it meant. Besides Rayage and a human named Thomas few saw Vick’s true side of thinking outside the box.

No one in this new land knew who he was. Yet he felt so alone at the same time and lost. He was trying not to let it get to him but he was far from home. It was random to leave the island but he just got on the boat and one travel led to another and he was here. At least that was the short story and he did not want to think about it further right now.

His pale murky eyes looked on the blank paper. He wanted to draw but his paper was blank. Taunting him almost as his fingers held the pencil in hand pressing along the surface of the paper. He never did have a teacher when he learned how to draw. Now that he thought about it he did not have a teacher for a lot of things as he had to learn to walk on his own most of the time. If he was given the bare basics he was left on his own wits and skill.

He knew how to carefully take his time and draw circles and shapes. One of the first things he had to learn was to take his time and make sure circles were made perfect. He was a world mage at the end of the day and most magic with that meant circles on some level. He could not recall if he ever found the link, but a lot of them held reason and logic with circles.

His small hand moved slowly crafting a light imprint of the circle along the paper. It took a bit longer but he was never fast with this as time meant nothing to him. He never had to eat or sleep at the end of the day. He just had to move forward. It was one of the few perks of what he became. All due to promises were told when he was a very young human long ago.

The tip of the pencil was lifted once the circle made the connection. He placed it on the top of the circle inside it and moved down at an angle going down the right side and stopping at a point near the bottom of the page, inside the circle, afterwards he moved it to the left horizontal and once it made the edge of the circle he moved it at an angle forming a triangle within the circle.

Once again the tip of the pencil was placed in the triangle as he moved it again slowly with purpose as he made a circle again within the triangle. With time and determination the image within his head was coming to life. The blank sheet was no longer taunting him, but his mind still felt cloudy with doubts and worry.


His goal at this point was to craft the design, but maybe do something with it down the road. Either in a carving or Malediction project. He still was not sure what he would use the work in progress design, but he knew he would finish it soon.

Yet maybe he would be able to learn more of drawing. Maybe after this design he would try to look to see if he could go into figure drawing as he never really made figures before that well. It was a thought that passed over his unblinking eyes as he looked up at last from the paper. He lost track of time again, it would seem as he saw the day was more alive compared to the dark morning that was around him before.










e

[Agnusha]

Subject: The Doctor's Office (Design Studio)

1st of Spring, 516A V

The Lethaefal wakeup early before the dawn rest even ended. Tian didn't need her help until noon and She has plenty time for herself. Her sleek hand snatched a Piece of parchment that was unrolled on her wooden table andshe read it one more time. It was a list of things she need to buy from azure market today. Spring has come . And with the Watchtower set ablaze with green shimmering , she knew that the plants would find their way back. Among them, Herbs is her most favorite of all.

she needed new gardening tools. It was a shame that she lived in the center of Lhavit agriculture but didn't have a proper gardening tools. She also needed more vial and bowl to make tonics and tincture . The list went on with names of herbs she need to look at the market because she simply couldn't grew it here in Lhavit.

Done!

Didn't seem to forget anything, the Lethaefal then rolled the parchment and slipped it in her bag. Agnusha moved her body a bit to Shook off fuzzy feeling of being trapped in her mortal body. She didn't understand. But she felt an unpleasant feeling everytime Leth has faded.This mortal body was heavier and she did not like it.

A bell later she has ready to go. Syna should be high on the Sky by now but she couldn't be seen for Snow Cloud blocked her light. She do like Snow better when Leth Shone upon the white field of Morwen's touch. Walking down the Sharai when it was white on snow wasn't a joke. Layers of thin ice slow her down, piles of snow, dull cloud all of them made her wonder if Spring has really come at last. Her coat swirling from every movement she made, protecting her from the light shower of snow. But she did not bother to cover her black hair from the flakes.

Her destination was The Starry Chalices, but it still plenty of time before the shop will be open. It was also too early to rush her way to the Azure. She eventually find her way into the Trails. The day was still early, or the snow must be refraining people to came there. The winding path was bare from people. Agnusha thought it must be the snow. Winter still held the Misty Peak dear. Trees stood gaunt and tall, their leaveless branch like a frozen arms clenching to heaven. Her own imagination sent her a shudder. Perhaps it was a mistake to take a stroll at the Trails today. Yet she kept her paces steady, and held her staff tight.

Chimes later, a weird imagery cought her eyes. There was a boy -- or child? -- sitting down on open ground. His hand held a book and a pencil at the other. He seemed to put amount of focus on what he was doing. Agnusha could tell that by how careful he moved his pencil, the same as how Tian measure some philter. But that was something strange with the boy's appearance that she failed to understand. So just she stood there, clearly visible by the boy who apparently still too focused on his book to notice her. Who is he?

[Vick]

The tip of the pencil was lifted as Vick felt someone watching him. Maybe it was just a normal body reaction that one got after someone stared long enough, maybe it was all his time in Sahova where nuits would not talk but watch with the golems or maybe it was just due to he was on edge still?

His pale murky blue eyes lifted from his task at hand and saw a lone figure watching him. It would seem she was just a human to his eyes. Her soft brown skin had a healthy glow to it. Her dark hair matched her cool jet black eyes as their eyes met. Her hair framed her face almost perfectly and it fell to her chest. He had to admit that she would be rather pretty he thought but besides her appearance he was still worried and it may have showed in his unblinking dead eyes.

Why was she here? Was she just passing by and stopped to look at him? Was she another wizard who saw past his mask? So many questions ran in his head as he forgot to act human and blink or even breath as he looked upon her. Emotions flashing about his face of worry and a mix of wanting to run and hide away from the world.

He knew that she was armed with a staff of some sorts and he was not. He could focus on trying to open a void but she would close the gap before he could open one up well before that. That was if she wanted to fight him. Had he made a mistake somewhere? He could not recall. Could he go back to drawing and would she leave? He doubted that for some reason. Maybe it was the fact that he kept looking into her eyes that reminded him so much of the void.

So many thoughts and yet he had to do something. Maybe if he broke the tension that was forming around him she would not attack. He agreed with that thought as his face formed a small smile. Yet it was different compared to how children smiled. While they were filled with joy and hope his own smile and eyes looked and felt more broken. It was like he never did smile often and was unsure about so many things like a child burning their hand and fearing fire.

He was not sure what to say to her. He still did not get use to being social without going back to his roots or talking to people he dealt with in the past. Yet he had to force himself to try. Maybe she would not attack him but he had to find out.

“H-Hello…” It was such a soft word. His own voice soft and sounded rough as if he did not talk in a very long time. As he spoke to her his own mind started to focus and tap into his djed. He would call forth his power to attack in case but for now he would wait. He had to see how she would react and what her goal was. Maybe he was mistaken afterall.

[Agnusha]

Subject: The Doctor's Office (Design Studio)

Astonished wasn’t a good way to describe how the boys reacted when he saw the Lethaefal. For a brief moment she could see a brief flash of expression in the child’s eye. But she wasn’t sure what was it. Did she make him afraid? The best she could guess was that she did make him surprised, but there was no expression of astonishment there.

At this point questions began to sprouted in her thought. It wasn’t a pleasant weather for strolling around – let alone for a child. She didn’t even see anyone from Sharai and along the Trails. Was he lost? But there he sat down with a pencil and a book like he was doing it on purpose. Now when she had come closer she noticed that there was indeed something… unusual from the boy. She saw how careful he moved his pencil to – apparently -- drew something. But the gesture was also unnatural, a little bit stiff but thorough. He also took his time just to complete a simple gesture. Then he looked up to her and Agnusha caught his pale eyes stared directly into her.

Another chill crept down her spine as they eyed each other for a time that seemed to be a long time. Among other people in the whole Lhavit, this one little child succeed to made her uncomfortable. People did not seem to recognize her when she was on her mortal seeming, on the other hand when she was on her celestial form they step aside and give their way for her. She didn’t quite enjoy a company of large people so most of the time it was she and herself. This feeling tainted his expressed for few ticks and she knew the boy would notice. Her foot stopped moving as she did not sure wether she should just walked away or say something to him.

“H-hello…” she was not the first to broke the tension. His voice was soft but somehow hoarse in her ear. Perhaps he was crying? May be he was really separated from his group and sat down there waiting for them. Thoughts flashed in her head for now she has not have the chance to just walked away and leave him alone.

“Hey!” She shoot the word with clear and high voice and it decrescendoed as she find his smile rather… creepy in close distance. There was no turning back now. She moved her free hand a bit to loosen the uncomfortable feeling. She really did not want him to know how she felt but it was just slipping away. She bowed her body a little. “What are doing out here? Are you lost?” She spoke in a cheerful tone. A tone that she thought the mortals would use when speaking to their children. She also threw a full smile to reply his awkward smile. She looked on the open ground next to the boy and asked him “May I sit here?” That was a gamble though. If the boy refuse, the only option she got was to walked away. Oh That’s fine, there would be no one to see such humiliation though…

[Vick]

The djed slowly was let go as she came near him. Her voice giving off a tone meant for children but that meant Vick did not have to worry as much. His eyes blinking for once as he nodded to her slowly.

“I do not mind if you sit. Seems not many people come here at times.”

He said softly as she came closer to him. He was not use with small talk. When he grew up on Sahova you learned it was given the Island of the Dead for more than one reason for few nuits really spoke often. You just worked in silence and you dealt with it.

“No...I am not lost...I am rather new to this city to say the least. It’s far different compared to my home.”

The longer he spoke the more his voice became less harsh to her. He was worried about what she would see when she was closer to him or even smell. The faint smell of death seemed to linger on all nuits in the end but he was use to having that scent around him. Both due to being one and his crafting of bones and body parts seemed to have left an imprint of that in his mind of being normal.

“What brings you here?”

His eyes turned back to her with that simple question. He was forcing himself to remember to blink so he would not make her run but he forgot to show he was breathing due to his overall concern of the situation with her.

“I am sorry...I don’t mean to be rude. I am Vick.”

He did not offer her his hand or made any further movements towards her. At least he was not backing up so he found that as a good thing. As if she did touch him she would understand what he was even if she never has seen his kind before. He knew his body gave no warmth. No heartbeat. It was just a mask in the end but one he kept up with.

[Agnusha]

Subject: The Doctor's Office (Design Studio)

Upon hearing his voice one more time, she caught another strange thing about the boy. He was speaking in such a manner that did not remind her belong to a child. It was similar to a ethaefal that seemed to be young at their mortal seeming but tend to reminish about sad things, most of which including parting from Leth’s Realm. Those things seemed to transcend their age. She could not think anything better than that. Which is strange… there were no Ethaefal who has fallen from heaven and blessed with child’s body, as far as she could tell. So no, the child was did not belong to Syna or Leth.

“Oh, people do come here a lot you know.” She picked a ground no less than a feet from him and sat down, still facing the child. She did not want him to feel uncomfortable if she come any closer. “When the snow is gone and leaves comes back to the trees, this Trails would be one of Lhavit’s beauty.” She left her staff unattended on the ground as her slipped her hands inside her mantle. Now when she was closer she did notice a single scent that made her cringe a little. Being in a philterer’s lab for so long, her nose has quite adapted to pick up scents in general. It was the similar of yellowish substance that gave off unpleasant smell, the kind of rotten egg smell. She decided to ignore it for now.

“I’m on my way to work. But it still plenty time before the shop’s open so I came here to stroll.” She tilted her head a little toward her left side and showed a curious expression to him. She tried hard to shook off the remaining uncomfortable feeling for just being there. The effort could be seen as flashes of emotion in her face. Luckily the boy was looked far from bothered, or at least he did not show it to her.

“Agnusha.” She replied. She wanted to gave him a proper bow, that was Lhavit’s customary greeting. But the right bowing should be done from standing position. So she just inclined her body towards him a little. “ I bet Lhavit looked like nothing you ever seen before.” His voice wasn’t quite hoarse no more on Agnusha’s ear but she kept getting the same strange feeling everytime he speak. “So… what are you doing out here in the Trails?” She repeated the same question as she did not seemed to get an answer. Here eyes glanced to his book, she did not mean to be rude though, she just indicating that she saw him earlier with his book and pencil.

[Vick]

e


“I tend to have a lot of times on my hands while I adjust to the city. This place seems...peaceful right now. I wanted to try to draw but it seems my mind is not with it. I guess I just miss a few things that I am use to.”

He did not mind the questions as a part of him did feel alone. It would make sense since he did not have his life here yet but maybe he could start fresh here. Yet it would not be easy he thought as he did not have his lab or his resources to use but it could be done.

“What is it that you do?”

He was not use to shops being closed. Where he came from the workshops never slept and it was one of the things he missed. Granted he did his best to take some time each day to examine his body for any damage or do further research but it still felt odd to hear things closed on some level.

“It’s different to say the least and I have not seen a city like this. Where I came from it’s very quiet and kept to itself. It would seem I did not leave with the best of ideas but I will manage I am sure. It will just take a bit of time.”

His voice held a shard of sadness in it as he looked past her. Lost in thoughts and his past. Did he really miss it or was it just because he was use to the life? How could one know if they enjoyed something when they were trapped and forced to live a different life?

He did not mind if she saw the notebook. That page would just show the first designs of his drawing being shapes inside each other. If she looked further into it he would have a small issue due to it would have notes in the ancient tongue about malediction ideas and research with drawings of bones and sigils. Yet he did not make any movement to stop her from looking at this page.

He was having to use basic terms and thoughts with her as he spoke and apart of him felt off having to use the common tongue for so long in one sitting but he would make due. Yet he returned his eyes upon her and listened as she spoke. While he seemed to be uneasy on some level he was not going to be rude to her.







e

[Agnusha]

Agnusha let Vick’s word hanged in the air for she did not quite prepared for such a strange statement. He was indicating it was his habit to wander about new environment as he travel around different cities. Was he travelling his entire life? Judging from his appearance he might not be older than 8 years old. She did not think that he could withstand such a journey on a very young age.

“I am a Philterer’s apprentice. You know what Philterer is? Well… we make tinctures… concoctions… potions?” She was immediately regretting her choice of words. It should be impossible for Vick to understand such a hard words. Perhaps she should be starting with balms? or essential oils?

“I have see no city that is very quiet. Where do you come from?” She was never went to many cities but most the city she knew always bustle with activities. She was certain of that. Unless it was city of ghost, if such city did exist. Once again, she was indicated that she was intrigued. “You would enjoy Lhavit, we have many celebration and festivities here.” She added with a smile.

Again, she was struck by the same feeling that she was talking to a something different than normal human. For the first time, she heard a familiar notes in Vick’s voice that she knew well. Sadness. It was a bit of relief though, a simple emotion that tainted his voice gave her an understanding of he being real. Someone alive who can be troubled by many things even if he didn’t show it to the world. She did catch up some point of he being new to the city, and for some reason he must be leaving the city he came from. He did briefly mention about drawing --that was what she saw earlier.

“That’s a pretty neat drawing.” She blurted out after taking a better look of the pages. She never realized that the child was quite uneasy with her around. The circle was flawless, round with same thickness around the paper. The line that was forming a triangle was stroked in one way, with confidence. She neither know the purpose of the tringale inside a circle, nor she knew what was it. The concept of magic was never inside of her head. She was admiring the work of the child and the excitement was showing in her face. “You drew this?”

[Vick]

The young child nodded at her. While he did not know one of the terms in the common tongue he did know the craft as he had learned a bit of it long ago but now he would need to relearn it if he wanted to work on.

“I have heard of that before a bit but not much in detail. How long have you been working with it? I have wanted to try to learn it a bit before as I heard a few different things that could be done with it.”


Yet she asked a question he was unsure how to answer. How could you answer something that may or may not lead to more questions and maybe things he was not sure how she would take. It was not like the city was well known to this area of the world but he could not promise that.

“I came from an island far west from here. It was near a mining city called Sunberth.”

It was not really a lie but he still was trying to avoid telling her but he was worried what she would do if she did learn about his past right now. But he did have to smile at her as she looked at the simple drawing.

“Thank you...yes I made it. I need to try starting to draw harder things such as people or buildings. I just have not had any subjects to test my art skills on it seemed. Would you want me to try to draw you while you are free for a bit? Can’t promise it would look the best.”

Vick knew at one point in time she would want more details about him but if she knew the world she would be able to figure out he came from Sahova yet would she figure him out to be a nuit? A monster in most races eyes? So many thoughts came to mind as he thought about the next few chimes would mean so much between them. Or yet maybe he was just worrying for nothing.

[Agnusha]

“About three winters now.” She replied in an astonishment. Not only he was able to understand her, he seemed like to know what did Philtering do. “Where did you learn about Philtering? I doubt many kids know about it.” She was not expecting an answer though she unconsciously returning his question. On the contrary she was eager to explain more about Philtering. “Many things could be done with Philtering, but most of all time we are making medicine and healthcare products. Though sometimes we got order from the towers for some specific fluids or powders… I don’t really know what would they do to it… But it was a fun job. You should go there, Tian loves kid.” Despite all the strange things around the boy named Vick, he still just a child in Agnusha’s eye. A strange one though.

“Sunberth…” She murmured as the name did not ring to anyhitng inside her head. “I’ve never heard such city. What does it look like?"” She wanted to know more things. The story of why did he left Sunberth? And why did he go to Lhavit and not to other city? But she managed to restrain herself and kept the question to herself. Perhaps it would be a question for another time? If there were any. Beside she did not want to make him more uncomfortable than he was.

“I think it was hard enough to make such a good circle.” She was not hiding a compliment on her words. It was pretty difficult for her to draw. One day she was making sketch of leaves from Tian’s almanac, the result was frustrating for her sketch never looked the same as how the real leaf was. “And of course you can sketch me if you like. I have a long time until the shop’s open.” She chuckled and moving her hand around her face indicating she would not mind to be sketched. “I can’t say nobody has never sketch me, though. What should I do?”