Closed Where there is Light, Shadow abounds

[Estrellir Konrath]

Spring 62, 516 AV
Alheas Park


At first, the light was blinding, the myriads of colors dizzying. After a few chimes of strolling around, however, Estrellir got used to the unusual coloring everything in Alheas Park seemed to possess. She’d been told that wild Djed had shaped it that way, whatever that meant. She’d also heard rumors of a fortune teller living in a shack hidden somewhere in its depths. Although not originally from Mura, Estrellir was still a Konti with cultural heritage and so dabbled in the trade herself every now and then. Curiosity had driven her past Koten Temple and up the dirt path into the park, but it was wonder with a dash of stubborn determination that kept her going.

A bell or two after midday, she still hadn’t seen a corner of the hut on her strolls, only trees, plants and grass in vivid shades of yellow, orange, violet and green, three cats, one shy squirrel and several bugs that glowed in different colors. They reminded her of fireflies, possibly a rare type only found in Lhavit.

Upon entering a small glade with a pond and opalescent skyglass benches, Estrellir stopped by its edge to trail her fingers through the cold water. The benches refracted all the light in their surroundings, casting rainbows on every surface. After a few chimes, her eyes began to water from the effect. Lhavit seemed to have a thing for beauty, so much in fact, that in some places it inspired an almost physical ache… or, in her case, irritation. Compared to Kenash or Mura, it was simply too much.

However, Estrellir knew better than most that where there was light, shadow was never far away. Carefully leaning forward, she could see her reflection in the still water. Despite all the color, her skin still looked terribly green against the glossy dark surface. Not pale green, but as vivid as the grass (in some places anyway), only a shade away from poison. She sighed. Contrary to the rest of the city, at least she could blend in with the surroundings here, creating an illusion of belonging.

Eventually she stood and sought the shade under a tall multicolored tree. The cold breeze tugged at her black cloak, ruffled her snow white mop of hair and bit her skin. As a swamp native, Estrellir felt the chill even through her thick black attire and grey wool scarf, but still sat on a flat stone by the tree trunk. There she absentmindedly crossed her legs and placed webbed hands on her knees. The Konti didn’t close her eyes entirely, but still listened to her breathing and the rustling in the underbrush, one violet eye on her surroundings, mind drifting.

[Aimee Fabron]

Aimèe strode through the expansive and colorful wilds with honey eyes curiously fleeting back and forth. The Zeltiva-born girl was deeply enthralled by the positively radiating colors, colors she had never seen trees, grass, or insectoid fauna come in. In Zeltiva she had seen a lot, but this was none of it. She was pointed to the park by an older couple, a couple whom had come to the clinic in order to receive an herbal remedy for the husband’s aching hands. Aimèe aided them by her lonesome and, due to her kindness, they told her about the park, Alheas Park, they said. Apparently there was also a shack there, the rumor of a woman dubbed the Alheas Crone seemingly willing to tell one’s fortune.

Walking, Aimèe thought on how she never had her fortune told before and how curious she was for it. She imagined her life years from now: finding a learned man in Lhavit, finding they shared interests beyond that of mere acquaintances, their natural inquisition letting them divulge sensitive and dear information to one another because of the trust forged. She thought on settling down with the man after she opened her own medical clinic for the poor and homeless, bearing his children - two girls and a little boy - then, raising her children in a life of science, spirituality, and medicine.

Aimèe sighed, her hands clasping over her heart momentarily before they trailed up to rid her head of her cloak’s hood. The burgundy hood fell back, revealing the sable locks of her hair, which she pulled forth to spill out over her shoulders. On a swivel, her head noted the floating bugs who tail-ends glowed up with each passing moment in a mesmerizing display of colors. They matched the bizarre yet beautiful hues of the flora around her, and onward she trudged down the dirt road, losing herself within the spiderweb array of pathways.

A pond caught her attention, the shimmering water’s undisturbed by fish. The only disturbances that came to afflict the gleaming surface were the cool winds or prismed leaves. The dress she wore was a grey color, long-sleeved and long to the point where her slippered feet only poked out when she strode forward. Her entire being was a mass of swaying garments, her cloak and dress acting as hideaway for her aimless ambling through the park.

The closer she treked towards the pond the more colorful the area seemed to become. There were pearly benches made of glass which dotted the walkway near the pond and, like a moth to flame, she was drawn to them. A quiet excitement filled her heart as she approached, ignorant and blind to the world around her as her only goal was the water’s clean surface. Like a rebel, she went to the shore and squatted down, careful to keep her dress out of the pond. Pushing stray strands of her hair behind her ear, her opposite hand hovered over her reflection, nearly pristine, until she forced it to break up, her forefinger dabbing softly at the water. Rippled, the water erased her reflection and she was content with her work.

Rising, she turned to view the area around her, another wind coming to play gently with her garments and locks. She decided to walk further on, returning to the pathway as the benched cast rainbows on the ground. Aimèe wasn’t usually the observant type, yet as she walked, her head on a slow swivel, it was hard to miss the blackly cloaked figure resting beneath one of the gaudy trees. Perhaps she shouldn’t of, but curiosity got the better of her; she couldn’t help but wonder the reason for another being out in the park like her. Approaching, she moved from the walkway to the shimmering grass, her slippers not being particularly stealthy in their approach.

She chimed, “I don’t mean to bother, truly, but I was wondering if you knew the whereabouts of the shack they say is in here?”

Aimèe’s hand gripped at one another behind her back underneath her cloak as she waited, peering at the woman below her searchingly. The woman’s hair was white, a white which only could denote she was a Konti. Aimèe had seen a few in her time in Zeltiva, but this was the first she had seen one in Lhavit. Oddly though, the Konti’s skin was green, almost as green and vibrant as the expressive viridian within the trees and on the ground. The only thing that made her seeable in the field of colors was her black attire.

Special thanks to Marion Kay

[Estrellir Konrath]

As soon as she took her eyes from the colorful surroundings, Estrellir heard the same rustling in the underbrush, the swaying of grass and leaves, the same tiny rippling of water. No matter what outrageous colors nature wore around the park, it didn’t change the way it sounded. Somewhat comforted, Estrellir began to breathe deeper and relax a little after her trek. She felt like she’d combed the entire park in search of the shack, although its borders had eluded her. Perhaps it simply folded in itself in some infinite loop, but after all, the city of illusion was still a way to the east.

Thinking of folding and mirages reminded the Konti. One hand slipped into a pocket of her cloak and produced a deck of tarot cards. After touching them for a while, the cards still unbent and colors not yet faded, she began to shuffle. From time to time, violet eyes scanned her surroundings, but she wasn’t skilled enough yet to shuffle blindly all the time.

Divination and its various methods had beckoned ever since her arrival in Lhavit. First, her teacher at the Dusk Tower had been blessed by Avalis just like herself, second, the rumors of the Alheas Crone and her elusive shack. Most locals seemed to be several degrees more spiritual than the family and acquaintances Estrellir had left behind. Devotion was further encouraged by an abundance of temples and religious traditions. Priests were a common sight, one festival or other always on the horizon. Despite all that, the Konti had purchased a tarot deck for different reasons, her first in years in fact. No, fortune telling as a pastime was exotic and social enough that she hoped to connect with residents through it, learn a thing or two about local customs. Besides, Lhavitians apparently had a taste for learning and knowledge, even in areas that didn’t directly relate to their profession. Why not blend in?

Avalis must’ve read her thoughts. Moments later, a different kind of rustling announced that a creature much bigger than squirrels or mountain cats was approaching. Estrellir stilled her hands and quietly observed for some time from her spot under the tree. The girl, a speck of dark against the vibrant flora, knelt down by the pond like she’d done herself mere chimes ago, then turned and noticed her.

Well dressed, beautiful dark hair, somewhat sober tone. Estrellir grinned at the girl. “What makes you think I’m not its resident?” Then she sighed. “Never mind, I’m joking. Alas, I wish I knew, I’ve been looking around for the longest time. Perhaps today is not a good day for finding.”

She tilted her head, momentarily lost in thought, then she shuffled the cards some more before drawing one. It was the Page of Cups. Estrellir studied it with mild curiosity, then looked up at the girl once more. “Were you looking for a glimpse into the future?”