Closed [The Midnight Gem]Of Tunnels and Tallies[Kelski]

[Crylon Stonecraft]

Five. It was hard to believe that a seemingly full grown person was only five year old. Kelvics, he supposed, age quite differently from Isur or even the more speedily aging humans. But full grown in five years, life then would surely be such a rush... Pondering her question, Crylon considered and thought with his brow ridge furrowed. The answer he supposed was both simple and complex. And so he went with his gut reaction. His first thought. His mind fell back to earlier that season, to burying a unnamed child with a woman he did not know. To another woman he had met who had defended him from those angry at him for being odd looking. Who had started a fight with confidence others would back him up and numbers were his protection for being as he was. “From time in Sunberth? I see... Many things. Learn many things. Like that no matter where go, no matter if bad people, always good people too. I learn. Of hope, of its power. Is no place, even one dark as Sunberth, Priskil not shine her light of hope. I learn by seeing bad, that also good. Good people. People just want live. People want better. People want help and do good, have seed of good if give chance. If nourish, and tend to with proper... Care. Is I think what learn here.” Pausing Crylon seemed to think some more, before continuing. Mulling over what had happened to him in the city, considering in retrospect what he had learned was in truth not so easy. “I think, is easy be happy, be good, when others do so. But think is even more important, even if hard, to be such when others not. Is not mean let walk over, but maybe mean not stoop to muddy ground with rats, for then both get muddy. Ah, also learn more of build, but seem less profound than other things learned.” As Kelski spoke of the prospective new work site, the new build and community she hoped to foster, Crylon considered her words before responding. “Yes, is maybe come after. But is always true, not know what do till get where going. Is same as say with build. Cannot design build for here, and just move. Must make new design, once to new place. Is simply enough truth of any project for building.” Turning to the topic of Magic, Crylon considered his own areas which needed work. More areas than those that did not. He supposed though that with other things he was in no rush, no hurry, but would get there. But in the meantime, he seemed quite unskilled. “Is know bit, of Auristics, and some others, think told of before ones know. Not know of to Morph. What that? When comes magic though, seem learn theory better, overall stuff, than of specific use.” His grasp of common was a bit loose, but he was fairly certain Morph meant to change. But in the context of magic, was not all change? this left him unsure what aspect was being changed, or of it, or what the magic might be. If its name was even literal, he pondered to himself, which it might not be. “But would like share, what know with you, and you with me, if can. Thanks, for the offering of to teach. If new magic learn, would be better for, might be good. Though at same pace... Might be better, work on what have, before try learn new? Is like smithing. First learn one, get good, then learn other. Armor. Weapons. Things. But if try do all once, be bad at many. Try do fewer, maybe be better at ones do use. Is maybe also truth magic?” “As you say though, could help with not magic swell as with. Perhaps more without magic, as say need build, and make, and things.” Following Kelski out of the hole shortly behind her, Crylon noticed something glint in the light from above. Brushing off some dirt which it was half submerged in, Crylon saw it was... A ring. A silver ring of simple design, though which had been etched with the shape of an hourglass on it. Odd, to say the least. Looking up to Kelski ascending he wondered where it had come from. Had it been buried, and loosened when he had fallen? If so, it could have been there for years, or decades or... Longer... Without having been disturbed. Or perhaps it was simply buried in the ground of the tunnel, the dirt, and had been disturbed and revealed by their moving about. It did not seem to belong to anyone, though perhaps Kelski had dropped it? Slipping it onto a finger Crylon headed up after Kelski. But before he could ask her on the ring she had more comments and questions which he first needed to answer. Her comment on his process, of how he thought, puzzled Crylon. She described what he did like it was something he actively did. Was that not, he pondered, how all thought? Attacking a challenge bit by bit, seeing it as a whole, and its parts, and taking on those parts one by one? From her words she found this method new, innovative, something to be taught. Which seemed to imply it was not so obvious. Something he had not considered until she said it. Rather like a fish, he supposed, not noticing until someone pointed it out that they were breathing water while all the others breathed air. “Is honest, never really thought about. Is just... How do. Not know any other way. How you go about solve issue?” “Seem if focus too much on forest, not see trees, is good way to walk into tree yes? When walk through forest, walk around one tree, then nother, till get through. How else walk through forest? Is same with make plan.” Pausing Crylon held up the ring on his finger, showing it to Kelski. “Is you drop? Found in tunnel, in dirt. Not sure if fell when ground fall in while dig, so if buried deep under, or if in tunnel self and not deep. Is you see fore?” WC: 1,033

[Kelski]

Kelski listened to Crylon’s answer thoughtfully. It was telling how differently they saw things. He was a good man, far better than she was. Because he saw the good everywhere he went. And with Kelski, she saw darkness and evil. Sunberth had taught her how greedy people could be. The city’s denizens had given her lesson after lesson in getting even, getting ahead, and taking revenge. Kelski had no idea who Priskil was. She was a little surprised he hadn’t said Izurden. That God, at least, she understood the Isur followed due to Duncan’s talks. She knew people could be good; that they could want better. But here that tended to twist, coil, and become something more like the fact they wanted more than they had, more than their neighbors, and they’d do a great deal to get it. Humans scared Kelski. She knew Crylon was a far better person for seeing the light in all of them.

Maybe that was just exactly how the Isur viewed things. Kelski studied Crylon, trying to determine if that was a racial thing or an individual thing. Undecided, she offered him a smile. “I’m glad you take that lesson from here. It’s a far better lesson than mine.” She compared lightly, still smiling.

Kelski nodded as he continued. His common was fair at best, but she understood his lessons and metaphors. They were somewhat universal if a person wanted to open their eyes to them. The Kelvic had been through too much to do so. There was a lot of weight on her mind, a lot of darkness in her heart because of this place. And in the darkest most secret part of herself, she loathed and even hated Sunberth. Though, she wasn’t sure she could ever voice that emotion out loud. For some reason, it made her feel like the city had won… had defeated her. It obviously hadn’t defeated Crylon. She was proud of him for that and proud to know him. And she was glad to be able to stand in his light, even if it was just something that cast personal shadows away.

“We’ll wait if we can. For sure. Especially if it’s not set in stone that you are coming. But we hope you will. I hope you will. However, I know that The Gem will have her own ideas. She’s willful and resourceful. I think Barn will too. And I hope, at least a little, that there will be structures already in place wherever we settle.” Kelski said, not noticing since Crylon brought Priskil into the conversation how she’d voiced the word hope more than once.

The conversation moved on and they spoke of magic, which was a rarity in Sunberth. Kelski leaned a hip on a crumbling wall and got comfortable, knowing she should be more cautious of such discussions. But she was relatively sure they were alone, especially here. “I know Auristics too. It’s useful in Jewelcrafting and I imagine it would be useful to a blacksmith too. Morphing is the ability to change your shape, like Kelvics do, but into anything you can imagine that’s alive or organic.” The Kelvic lifted up her arm, concentrated, and slowly almost painfully her skin began to form little tags and fold over itself, making her scaled like a Dhani. “You can change into animals, grow wings, change your looks, height, weight, even become someone completely different. If you are good enough you can mimic things like gills and pretend to be Konti.” Kelski added, grinning. “I use it often to change my vision. I studied the eyes and eyelids of an Akalak and now I have their infravision. It’s useful at night to see heat echos. You can see footprints on the ground that are hot where people have just walked.” She explained, smiling. “I know shielding and Reimancy too.. .a few other things less common. I want to practice them all up.” She said, knowing that it would be quietly and carefully that she did so, especially in this place.

“The Reimancy could help us build, but I got air first and then water.” She added, laughing lightly. Go figure, a bird with air. It wasn’t at all unexpected, not even to her teacher who had told her fire would be her last and hardest element to master. She believed him.

Kelski watched Crylon find the ring, then shook her head no, that it was not hers. Instinctively she reached out, snagged the hand it was on, and pulled it towards her. She studied it intently, then flooded her vision with djed to watch the lines of magic woven around it. “Silver. It’s magic, Crylon, but nothing I’ve ever seen. It looks almost like … I dunno… like its divine.” She said, then dropped his hand, stepping away from him suddenly afraid. Her Akajia items had magic like that, but nothing so powerful or serious. It certainly didn’t feel like Akajia. And she had no experience who it felt like… if I was even divine as she suspected.

Blinking the djed out of her eyes, Kelski studied Cyrlon and nodded. “You think in an unusual way, Crylon. I think it is probably evident to everyone else but you. It might be the way your people think though… I’m not sure. Duncan didn’t seem to be so analytical and he’s’ the only other Isur I know.” It wasn’t bad… it was just different. “I wish I was more like that… picking things apart. I think us Kelvics tend to be reactive and I fight that side of my nature a great deal.” She added, and once they were back at the top of the property leaving the ladder and its collapsed pit behind, she rested her hands on her hips.

“I’m moving. I’ve all but decided. I’m going to go talk to Goldfinger in the morning and see about putting this property back up for sale along with The Gem. Once that’s done… we’ll start looking for a new place. I’d love it if you came and joined us…. Designed or us. I understand if you won’t. There’s a lot of work here in Sunberth with most of the city in ruin. I understand that. But I have to do whats best for me and the group with me. Sunberth isn’t that.” Kelski decided, and then gestured back towards The Gem.

“I’m going to head back. There’s a lot of work to do. Come with me? I’ll fix you lunch and we can talk about it more. Or stay here… but regardless. I don’t think this is worth fixing for now if we aren’t going to build over it.” She added, confident in that situation.

[Crylon Stonecraft]

At Kelski's depressing response to his commentary on Sunberth and the teachings it had provided, Crylon paused and smiled at the Kelvic. “Is know, you, one those good things. One those good people, work for better, find here. Might not see in self, but is doing good, or try. Even if leave, if not succeed at do thing, still try. Try, make effort, better than no effort atall. Of all find here, you one of good. You one of who gives hope to me, that other good too.” At Kelski's explanation on Morphing, the word seeming somewhat literal but applied to the caster of the magic, Crylon frowned. The magic seemed... Odd, to Crylon. Why would one want to change ones own body? Enhance, such as by working on endurance and muscles, but to outright change from the form Izurdin had crafted them in. The concept just seemed odd to him. He supposed it made sense to a Kelvic, already a creature who inherently changed their form, but too an Isur... It was odd. Almost wrong even. “Why is want do that? Is not happy, with how made?” Crylon was clearly puzzling through the Kelvic's words, trying to understand the why of the magic, but missing some critical bit of knowledge. Or perhaps just not syncing with its intended purpose in some fundamental way as an Isur, Crylon pondered too himself. He watched Kelski's demonstration, but did not see the use in such a thing. “Is maybe understand, change let do things, like see with eyes but... Is not seem something want do self. Is happy how am. Also, not so sure would work on Crylon, have arm touched by Izurdin. Is tough, unchanging, even in heat and strain. Not so sure would work then on that, magic of change body.” If he wanted to travel, Crylon would build a wagon, or a boat, not grow wings or flippers. He was not in a rush to move about, and so could take slower means of motion. He could see to some limited degree why a non-Isur might use such a thing, but could not see an Isur using it. He was interested to hear of Kelski's elemental usage with Reimancy. His own element was Earth, and while he vaguely knew of the magic he did not know of the specifics nor of the details on the other elements and what they could be used for. “I only know Earth, with Reimancy. Not learn use other yet. An Isur with Earth, seem make much sense as bird with Air.” Not pausing long on his attempt at humor, however ill formed it was, Crylon pressed on to other topics of magic quickly enough. “Maybe in time. Is maybe learn some of others, of not Morph. But also if want, willing teach what know. Maybe too make Glyph? Is help, with other magics. Is let know, and can show if want. Or of make plan, as say I know. If want, will show.” As Kelski took on a look after showing her the ring, like she was seeing but not the things in front of her, Crylon waited for her to do whatever she was doing. He assumed Auristics, which they both knew and she had spoken of. But she seemed to know it much better than he. He was somewhat surprised to hear it was magic in some manner, it having felt normal enough when he picked it up and put it on. He had not realized such things could be seen with magic, but it appeared it was quite possible to do so. Something he would need to try at a later time. But not just magic, no, Divine. As in touched by a diety, or infused with some of its power. Frowning in concentration, Crylon inspected the ring closely, but did not notice anything besides the hourglass cut into it. He did not know of any divine being related to an hourglass, and could not think which one would use such. Was it literal? Something made, an hourglass? Figurative, as in what the hourglass represented? The passing of time, or work, or measurement maybe? Counting even? “Only thing on ring, seem be symbol of hourglass. You know divine with that symbol used?” At hearing Kelski's firmness Crylon nodded, understanding her mind had been made up about leaving the city. He would not try to stop her, she had to walk her path and had clearly decided about the new turn that path would take. “I will join, for meal. Is wish you luck, in leaving, and journey, and in arriving. Think will come soon after, help if can, once arrive new place. Teach if can. If want learn something I do, ask and will show if can. Is glad found you, is found friend and ally in human lands.” Pausing for a moment, Crylon extended his hand and offered it to Kelski. Taking on a serious tone and demeanor even for his normal stoic Isur nature, Crylon looked about to make sure they were alone and then looked back to Kelski. “Is want thank for all do. Is want show, of trust. Before go, before maybe not see for time, want to tell name. Tell own TRUE Isur name.” Speaking twice as he offered his unique Isurian limb in a hand grasp for extra emphasis, Crylon spoke his name once in common and then once in his own Isurian tongue. “My name is Crylon Stonecraft Pitrius.” Once the moment had passed Crylon would release the grip, assuming Kelski had taken the offered limb and grasp, and would join Kelski in her endeavor to lunch.

[Kelski]

Kelski shook her head. “It’s not that, Crylon. It’s not that we want to change what we are. We just want to borrow from others. For example, the first thing I learned in Morphing was to replicate the form of a dolphin so I could swim easier in the Sea. It was a lovely feeling, playing in the waves and experiencing something completely different that I’d have no way to experience otherwise. It doesn’t change who I am or the form The Gods gave me. It just enhances it. Using Morphing is no different than using say Auristics. If I got trapped out in the cold, I could grow fur to keep warm to survive until I could get to warmth or get help. I’ve morphed gills to breath under water when I’ve needed too. Morphing is flexible, but ultimately it is still just you. It’s just another ability… not a permanent change to yourself.” Kelski explained, frowning to think the Isur sounded almost prejudiced against something he had just learned about and didn’t perhaps fully understand.

“How is that any different than any other magic? You go right back to your original form.” She said thoughtfully and tilted her head at him. Did he think she didn’t love her strong and gifted body? She loved her Sea Eagle form and her ability to take flight at any given moment. She’d taught others morphing so they too could soar with her and enjoy what she tried not to take for granted.

Well, he might have understood, but Kelski was a bit put off by his scorning it for himself. She would have said more, but she simply shrugged instead, not thinking it worth any words exchanged. He came across as closed minded about it. In the Kelvic’s experience, her words had never changed a man’s mind… not once. Not ever.

She was quiet then, when he spoke of Reimancy. She only shrugged, not sure what he was getting at about the Reimancy. Sometimes the language barrier was a bit much. He didn’t always speak plain enough for her to understand… but then again, he was older, thought himself wiser, and perhaps didn’t feel the need to clarify.

“No, I don’t know what an hourglass means. Maybe time? Aren’t they used for telling time? I don’t know if there is a God or Goddess that governs time.” Kelski added, hating to admit more to the Isur about her lack of knowledge. She was feeling bad about this whole situation… canceling the build, talking about magic that he disapproved of, and now admitting more ignorance.

Kelski plastered on a soft smile, hoped lunch would go well, and then looked surprised when Crylon stopped her for a moment, pausing. She listened to him, not sure what he meant by true name, but unwilling to admit her ignorance. Hadn’t he already told her his name ages ago? Crylon? What was the difference between Crylon Stonecraft Pitrius and just Crylon? Kelski took in a deep breath, nodded, committed the name to memory and then shook his hand.

“Thank you for your name.” She said simply and sincerely, not really fully understanding but determined to find out discretely when an opportunity arose. And with that, she lead him off to eat some lunch.

[Crylon Stonecraft]

While Crylon heard Kelski's explanation of Morphing, of changing ones form with magic... He did not understand in truth. He could see the merits she spoke of, of enhancing by using other things. But he could not think of a time he would need that. But then, while she had been made by whatever method, the Isur were sired and forged by Izurdin. Changing that form struck Crylon as wrong, akin to taking a made hammer and reforging it into something else. Almost... Disrespecting the craftsman so to speak. And when that craftsman was the master of form that was Izurdin... Anything else he might make or imitate would surely pale in comparison. He could also see in his head the reaction his family might have. Consternation, anger, feelings of betrayal to the Isur and Izurdin. He supposed small things might not trouble them too much, but any great change such as the ones she spoke of... Well. He could trust other Isur to not think too highly of such things. And while Crylon was open minded in many regards, perhaps this was simply not one of them. One of changing his own form. It was fine for Kelski or others, but... But not for Crylon or so he felt. “I think, is maybe culture thing. Is fine others use. Not think Isur would be of interest too much. I fine walking on ground. Riding in wagon. Floating on boat. Put on coat. Not all, have be for all. But still, other do interest, and as said if any Crylon know of interest, will show.” Crylon did his best to smile and make it clear that there was no ill feelings with the Kelvic, but he was as always not sure how well he communicated this. Though his general air of taking nothing overly serious and not being offended by much of anything perhaps did better to convey his not being overly concerned about anything much. He could not help thinking that with other magics, things about him were accessed or altered, but not usually something physical within himself. Reimancy exuded res and let him control elements, but did not manipulate him. It was a part of him, but in an external sense. And he did not wholly trust that something changed by magic would so easily just change back to its original form. He did not understand the magic too much, but in general he found that hard to trust with magic. A sword once bent and reforged was never quite the same as it had been originally. Most might not see the difference, but a true craftsman could always tell. Crylon did not notice her lack of understanding of his joke about Reimancy, but then he did turn on to other topics quite quickly after it. Sometimes, he knew, jokes were tricky. Even when one understand what the joke was, that did not mean they would appreciate or get the humor intended in it. Kelski's posited meaning for the hourglass gone straight to time, in hindsight perhaps the most obvious meaning for it. Crylon on the other hand had perhaps overthought it, leading him to positing a great number of explanations for its intended meaning. “Mm... That sounds likely. Is thinking of few, some others, one of time, but time seem much better than other ones thinking. Not know in truth, not know many deity besides own worship. Will have ask about when can, see if any know of deity time, or hourglass. Thank though, for thoughts. ” He assumed that Kelski's stoic response to his message of his name was one of respect, but as he reflected on it later he reasoned it might have also been another bit of misunderstanding, or cultural differences and of him not explaining himself well enough. Heading back inside the building Crylon let thoughts of buildings and divine beings and things pass away, focusing instead on food and filling his belly which was now grumbling after a days work and not having eaten anything since his morning repast.