Flashback Into the horizon (Onaona)

[Surreal]

28th of Summer, 490 A.V.

It was midmorning yet the Sea Gates were quiet. A thick fog had rolled over the harbor, forcing incoming vessels to anchor outside. Among those that waited were a handful of Svefra vessels and a couple of merchant cogs. From the cogs came small row boats that navigated their way carefully through the fog while the Svefra seemed content to wait it out. Though it was only the ninth bell, it was already approaching the upper eighties, so many of the Svefra took the lull to swim. With most otherwise enjoying themselves, they paid little mind to the casinor that slipped away from the pod towards Laviku’s Tower.

The tower was likewise shrouded in mist. It was high tide so much of its rocky base was underwater and the bottom of the staircase that ran along the outside was periodically submerged with every crashing wave. Made with dark stone, the tower might have been lost in the fog if it wasn’t for the glow from the massive fire that burned atop it.

For Belea Tana’ti, the view was quite different as she approached from below. A beautiful coral reef grew from the base of the tower, nurtured in such a way to form her small home, and a couple of rooms for any guests. There was also coral attached to the structure of the tower itself, emphasizing the passages that opened up around its base. She headed for one of these now, urging her sea horse forward into one of the underwater caverns that ran beneath the tower before coming to a stop. The little fish that liked to shelter within scattered at her approach, quickly forming up once again on the other end of the cave. They sparkled in a dazzling array of colors as the light from the opalgloam on her harness washed over them. Bela took a moment to admire them before patting the scarlet flank of her seahorse, Nathir. She removed its restrains before swimming up the narrow tube that would take her to her quarters top of the tower.


The sisters waited for her above. Within Fuil had laid out strips of leather beside a small fireplace, while Ingi was just coming down from having just finished tending the great flame. Both of the women were Konti sisters with marks from Laviku. They wore thin blue dresses with a silver clasp. It had only been a season since they'd come here to learn from Belea, and already they were settling in nicely. Belea was more than happy to welcome them into the fold. Their help preparing for the festival ahead of them was an added bonus. It had left her much more time to focus on the other important duties of the tower.

The festival was always a busy time with most of the city set to participate, so they had been spending long hours to prepare for it while still keeping up with the duties of the tower. When she emerged from the stone basin at the center of the room, Fuil was the first to see her. “Did you find what you were looking for Belea?” The konti asked, looking up from her fire to address the charoda priestess.

Belea smiled slowly, and tapped the mesh bags slung over her shoulder before digging out a thick glass bottle of wine. “Another gift from your sweetheart at the port.” Ingi giggled, and Fuil blushed, setting aside bottle before helping Belea with the rest. "Quite the haul" Igni said as she came closer, examining the mesh bags that bulged with gifts from the sea. Belea tipped the first mesh bag over, pouring out oysters, colorful shells, and a variety of sea weeds spilled out onto the floor. The rest held more or less the same with the occasional odd trinket dug up from the floor of the sea. "It should be plenty for our needs" Belea remarked before turning away towards her personal chest that sat flush against the wall opposite the small fire place.

While the sisters took care of the sorting, Belea removed her harness of stiffened kelp and went up to check on the top of the tower. Above the great fire was steady as ever, and she looked out upon the sea below. A thick blanket of fog obscured everything save the sound of the waves crashing against the tower. Belea stood there for a few more ticks, thinking before heading back down. "After you get those stowed, can you prepare today's offering?" She asked as she came to the landing, hesitating there for a moment before continuing into the basin.

Fuil nodded. "Of course, I'll set it by the basin"

With that settled Belea swam back down into the watery cavern below. Unburdened from her harness, she felt free to swim as she liked down the narrow tube before coming out into the cave below. Spotting Nathir, she went to him then, stroking his muzzle gently before leading him out of the cavern to get something to eat. She was still down there, tending to Nathir when the casinor drifted alongside the outside of Laviku’s tower. From it came three figures that slowly made their climb up the outer staircase. Two of them were plainly Svefra wearing their marks openly, while the one in the middle was wearing a heavy grey cloak with the hood pulled up. Together, they tried to successfully navigate their way to the top of the tower.

[Onaona]

Onaona had spent the morning following the small rowboats in and out of the harbor, scraping the bottom with her back to scare the merchant occupants. The fog had left everything a pearly, shallow gray, distorting the startled squawks of her merchants and muffling the seagulls just off shore. The day felt heavy, pregnant in that summer kind of way, where the heat laid thick across the shore and the sea breeze did nothing to cool the sailor's backs.

It was as she was traveling across the bay that she saw the shadow of a boat rowing not for the quiet port but for the bright shine of Laviku's mirrored lighthouse. And this one was not piled with crates and impatient merchants that could not wait to make it to shore, but with three lone figures. Two she recognized as Oceanus marked, though she couldn't see more than their hazy outline in the fog. The third was an enigma.

Abandoning the merchants, Ona followed the trio to the lighthouse.

While the Svefra in the boat docked on the slippery stone steps Ona ducked below the waves looked for one of the openings at the base of the lighthouse, helpfully outlined in bright splashes of coral. Inside she found a female Charoda tending to her steed. The Otani's body erupted into a kaleidoscope of delighted colours, because this was not any Charoda, but a priestess. The pull of her was incredible and rare. Ona knew without a doubt that if the woman were to open her mouth, she would obey. She was something holy.

Unable to communicate under the waves, knowing nothing of the Charoda native language, Ona only chirped delightedly and brushed against her rubbery skin. Hands trailing reverently and delicately against cheekbones and fins before retreating to a respectful distance. She flapped her hands, making sounds and twisting her body in serpentine ways, trying to communicate 'up up! Visitors!' in any way she could get her to understand. Then she slipped by her and followed the tunnel up into the lighthouse.

She surfaced onto some kind of platform in a rocky cave that connected to tiled stairs leading into the above-water sanctuary. Ona hesitated for half a tick as every instinct roared not to enclose herself on dry land. Had it been anywhere else, she would have never followed those stairs. But this was her sea-fathers church. There was nothing to fear here.

Still she climbed the stairs sideways, with her back to the slick wall. She sang as she went, partly to announce the guests to the Tower, partly as a release to the agitated excitement inside her. She had visited Riverfall a handful of times in several hundred years, but she had never been inside the lighthouse.

"Loudly the bell in the old tower rings,
Bidding us list to the warning it brings
sailor, take care - sailor, take care!"

[Surreal]

Belea Tana’ti had met quite a few of Laviku’s children since she had taken over stewardship of the tower. So an otani showing up on the eve of the Seafaire seemed fortuitous indeed. “Do you speak my tongue otani?” She asked as she stopped what she was doing to address her visitor. It took a moment to recognize that this was not the case as the otani made a series of gestures before swimming up into the tower. Belea followed close behind, comfortable leaving her project behind because it wasn’t every day an otani graced your doorstep. Though they could be rather hard to understand at times, they were wise beyond measure. This one in particular seemed as if it had something to say. Urgently it would appear.

She felt a little bit of trepidation at that. More so when she heard the song she sang as she climbed the towers steps. Particularly because of the next refrain which she continued where the otani left off.

“Danger is near thee, beware! Beware!
Beware! Beware!”

Her voice trailed off as she studied the otani hugging the wall. “What should I call you daughter of Laviku?” Belea asked solemnly after a moment, continuing up the stairs. She would guide Onaona all the way to her private quarters. That was were she kept most of her supplies for ceremonies and would have food for her to eat. “Was your journey long by the way, or have you been in these waters for a while?” Belea hoped it would be the former as it would mean she would be more inclined to stay for the Seafaire.

As they walked up, she touched the walls. Odd that this part of the tower would be so unfamiliar to her, though she didn’t often walk up these steps. Maybe that was something that would change from now on. At the very least she could give it a good scrubbing she thought as she picked away at the stonework.

From above came Fuil and Ingi excited. “Belea-” Igni started before she laid eyes on the otani, and then dipped her head in deference. “Pardon” She said before continuing to address Belea. “I saw some men coming up the outer stairs. Two of them look like svefra to be sure.” Belea nodded, looking unsurprised by the information. “Onaona has told me about our visitors. Go see to them if you would, and send Fuil up once you know what they’re about.”

“Okay, preparations are almost done.” Fuil said as both sisters sidled past them on their way down the stair. Belea looked over at Onaona before continuing up the staircase at a sedate pace. It was quite difficult to get up from the outside so she wasn’t worried about them intruding before the sisters had a chance to scrutinize the trio. She wasn’t even surprised that they had come here today, as people often made journeys to this shrine around this time. It just remained to be seen if their need was such that they required an audience with her. Normally one of the sisters would do, and they could make their sacrifices below without troubling Belea. It was an arrangement that had suited her for a long time as it allowed her to focus on her ceremonies which were particularly critical around this time. Not that she found it hard to make time for the otani Onaona however.

Belea welcomed Onaona into her private quarters before shutting the door behind them and going over to a cupboard along the wall. The room was sparsely furnished as Belea spent much of her private time in her coral abode under the water but there were a few concessions to comfort here. Namely a chest, a table with four chairs, a cupboard, a fire place, and two small cots tucked against the far wall. An of course, at the center of it was the stone water basin that she used for quick access to the ceremonial chamber down below. Fuil and Ingi had cleaned up most of the mess on the floor before they left, leaving only a pile of colorful shells by the fireplace.

“Would you care for anything to eat Onaona?” Belea asked even as she was piling to bowls with boiled kelp. She cracked some salt over them before bringing it to the table, and taking a seat in one of the chairs. “Have you come to stay for the Seafaire?” Belea asked as she pulled at a strand of kelp and tossed it into her mouth.

After they had chatted for a bit, there came a murmur from below. It raising slowly until you could tell it was voicing coming up from below. Then there was a knock at the door to her chamber. “Fuil?” Belea asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“Yes, and Ingi. The three men are also here. They asked for you personally.” Belea sighed. If she had a speckled shell for how many times a svefra came asking for an audience just cause he heard her name in the city. “Who asked for me?”

The door opened and three men filed in behind the Konti women. Only one of which was familiar to her. “Should have known.” Belea said upon seeing Desdel Deepseeker. Though his clothes were a little more flamboyant than when she’d last seen him, she recognized the face. There were creases there now around his eyes and mouth, an his skin was a leathery brown. Standing at five ten he was taller than the two other men with him. While his white shirt and black breeches were plain enough, he wore a number of gold brackets along his arms and a scarf around his neck that changed colors as you looked at it. The rolling wave across his forearm marked him as a svefra even if you didn’t take in the rest of him but there was something new there too. An inverted triangle on the back of his wrist. Belea leaned forward, abruptly interested.

“Belea, I’ve missed you too.” Desdel said, favoring her with a gap toothed grin, and then his eyes drifted towards the otani. “Pleasures mine, Desdel Deepseeker at your service.” He said with a wave at the otani before gesturing to his compainons. “This here is Kalr, and this is my son, Isskal. Though its for Kalr that we’ve come to see you today.” Desdel said in a suddenly sober tone. The man to his left, Kalr, had been wearing his cloak high over his head with his face ominously shrouded by obviously magical means but all that vanished with a pop as he lowered his hood.

Kalr was a ethaefal of Syna, with emerald horns that sloped gracefully up the sides of his head, and pale skin that seemed to shimmer in the firelight. It was in stark contrast to the long black hair that cascaded down to his shoulders, and framed his turquoise eyes. They were a shade not far from Belea’s skin, though they looked lighter against his dark hair. He stood just a few inches shorter than Desdel at five eight. Aside from the cloak, he was wearing a long brown tunic, and a pair of grey pants that ended against the black boots on his feet. He was also the only one of the trio carrying a back pack, and a full one at that.

“Kalr” He said in an a quite voice after being introduced, raising his hand briefly before taking a step back towards the threshold. Desdel’s son was not so shy. “And I’m Isskal.” The boy said with a wide grin. He was of the same height of Kalr, and shared a similar look to his father. Albeit a much younger version of the man at fifteen. There were small differences however for the curious. His hair was a darker brown and his eyes were a crystal blue unlike the deeper ocean of his father’s gaze. He wore a green vest, and black trousers, his feet as bare as his fathers. Together upon a gesture from Belea, went over to the table, with the boy pausing briefly to gawk at the otani. Before he could reach out and touch Onaona though, Desdel grabbed him by the ear, dragging him into a seat opposite Onaona before taking the remaining one. Kalr remained curiously by the threshold.

Belea noticed this and narrowed her eyes at the man, before glancing over at at Desdel. Desdel just shrugged with a knowing grin on his face so Belea abruptly stood up. “We’ll be back in a moment, can you two keep Onaona and our guests entertained?” Belea asked before quickly disappearing out of the door with Desdel following closely behind. Kalr moved aside and moved to join, stopping when Desdel held up a hand. “Soon, sit here and chat with some of the nice folk first. Could do you a world of good.” He chided before closing the door behind them. Kalr, momentarily put off, slowly turned towards the Konti only to see them busy preparing the table. His eyes settled instead on the Otani. “Do you speak the common tongue?” He asked, hesitantly.

[Onaona]

The priestess followed her inside, and the Otani was delighted to hear her song continue from the woman's lipless mouth.

"I'm called Onaona", she answered the woman's question, studying her in the diffused light through the staircases narrow windows. "I come and go, come and go! There was a different priestess of the tower last time I swam these shores, and a different one before her. Now I have met you, and that makes a third. I have just arrived and if our god wills it I will stay a while yet."

"You have visitors, you see!", the Otani swung suddenly back around to the conversation at hand. "Two marked by our father, and one more mysterious than the rest." the windows were two narrow to fit her, but still she threaded an arm and much of her shoulder through to try and peer around it to the rocky jetty where the men were tying up. "Many brave hearts are asleep in the deep, so beware, beware!" she sang, crumbling streaks of calcium raining down as she extracted herself from the window.

They continued to the main sanctuary, where two Konti women bustled in to address the priestess, who Ona learned was called Belea. The visitors were discussed and they were told to take care of them before bustling off again. Belea brought Ona even farther up the Tower, to some kind of private chamber.

Ona immediately climbed into the stone basin built unobtrusively to the side, sloshing displaced water across the tiled floor. Peering into the depths she guessed the tunnel traveled all the way to the lower levels and possibly out of the Tower completely. Belea handed her a bowl of steaming kelp, which the Otani took gratefully. Belea retreated to one of the chairs that surrounded a small table.

“Have you come to stay for the Seafaire?” the priestess asked as Ona was attacking her portion of kelp.

"Of course!" she laughed brightly through a mouthful of seaweed. Though she didn't keep track of any sort of calendar and didn't know what day it was, she knew of the important summer festival and always attended whenever she was in the Suvan Sea. "What a wonderful day! What an amazing festival! I have come to watch and sing and cheer and give my thanks. You must be busy, priestess, to oversee such an important event. Such important work. Such an important woman. Command me, and I will help as you ask." she promised with a smile.

The two of them were interrupted as the Konti returned. Fuil, Ona committed to memory with the sound of Belea's voice. Ingi. Behind them came three more men, the visitors from the boat. Suddenly the chamber became very crowded, and Ona slunk down in her stone basin to watch.

Desdel Deepseeker introduced himself with an 'at your service', which intrigued her. He had a son, a younger version of himself called Isskal. An then there was Kalr, who shyly stepped forward to reveal himself as an Ethaefal. The divinity of the Eth was both dazzling and terrible. Ona raised herself out to sit on the lip of the basin to get a better look.

The two human sat at the table, but Kalr hung back uncertainly. Ona stared at him with her head cocked, wondering what could be in that rucksack he carried. This meeting seemed to be about him.

Belea and Deepseeker left, leaving the acolytes, the son and the Eth. Curious, Ona slipped off the basin edge and joined the visitors at the table. She watched Isskal's father shut the chamber door behind him, and she leaned over the table with a grin only once she was sure he was gone, motioning the boy closer. She didn't miss the curious boy's gawking and careless attempt to touch her, and it certainly didn't bother her. She did her share of gawking too.

"Silly boy! Don't you know the tale?" Her voice deepened to something imitating masculine, a thick Svefra accent over top. Like that she began to sing:

"When I was a lad in a fishing town
Me old man said to me
You can spend your life, your jolly life
Just sailing on the sea
You can search the world for pretty girls
Till your eyes are weak and dim
But don't go searching for an Otani, son
If you don't know how to swim!"

With the last note she lunged at him, mouth pursed as if to kiss him. But either she was too short or he was too fast, because she only managed to make obnoxious kissing noises at the air. She fell back into her seat, cackling.

"Do I speak the common tongue? Yes", she answered Kalr, turning to him with mirth still sparkling in her eyes. "I speak some uncommon tongues as well. You are an uncommon thing, aren't you? Where do you come from? Why are you here?" She reached for his horns, water dripping from her fingers. "I wonder what you are when the sun goes down. A Svefra, perhaps? Or maybe you're a terrible monster like me."

[Surreal]

Isskal’s eyes were wide as he leaned closer to the otani. Then he knocked over his chair backing away from her lunge. “How did you do that with your voice?” The boy stammered out once it became clear that Onaona was not going to chase him any farther. He looked over at Kalr, and got an embarrassed look on his face at seeing the ethaefal’s stony expression. After a moment to collect himself, he took back his seat while Kalr approached the otani. The eth looked perplexed at the recent interaction, but that did not stop him from asking his question.

He nodded as Onaona gave him the answer he expected, then grew noticeably uncomfortable as her line of questioning continued to get more personal. Ducking back from her grab, his lips tightened into a thin white line when she came to that last part. “I dunno if Desdel wants you to know about that.” Isskal piped up from beside her. He was used to speaking for the eth, and leaned forward on the table. “Maybe we waits back and see whats what, eh? You know any games otani?”

Kalr snorted at this, but didn’t say anything as he pulled off his cloak to hang it by the fireplace. The brown tunic was sleeveless, giving Onaona a good view of the mark that wrapped around his left bicep. It was an ox-eye daisy with one petal left. The remaining petal seemed to be brushed by a faint breeze occasionally as she looked at it. Then it was out of view as he put his pack against the wall and sat on it.

“I don’t need you to speak for me Isskal, though I would like to know what sort of creature this is before I go about divulging information about myself.” He said, not looking at Onaona as he spoke. Isskal frowned and drummed his knuckles on the table.

“She’s an otani, that’s plain enough. An you aint got nuthin to fear from her. Unless you’d pissed off the sea father, but then we wouldn’t have been carrying you woulda we?” Isskal grinned, staring at the man for a chime before it became apparent he wasn’t about to draw a laugh from the man. Then he put his focus back on the otani. “I’ve never met an otani before, do you keep secrets good?”

“Have you heard how much she talks?” Kalr groaned, picking away at his nails by the fire place. Isskal ignored the jibe and continued on with his line of questioning.

“Have you ever met a leviathan?” He asked, suddenly excited. Though before he could listen to the answer to that, the door open and Belea and Desdel stepped through. While the svefra had a grin on his face, the charoda seemed much sober than she had been before. She turned to the two Konti as she entered the room. “Take Desdel and Isskal back down if you would, then prepare a spare room for our guest. Desdel will hand you the required materials to make him.. Comfortable.” She said with a brief hesitation, which provoked a nervous smile from the sisters before they lead the two Svefra down.

Turning to Kalr, Belea clapped her hands together. “I will let you stay so long as you keep to your assigned quarters, is that understood?” She said rather tersely, her turquoise eyes staring him down. The eth nodded with an expression reminiscent of being forced to down medicine and moved to pick up his bag. Belea held up a hand.

“Not yet, first we’re going to talk. Onaona, I’d like you to stay for this if you don’t mind. If only to keep this one in line.” Belea said, favoring the otani with a slight smile before growing more serious looking at the ethaefal. Kalr sighed heavily at this and dragged his feet as he took a seat at the table. Belea took one beside him.

“How long were you in Sunberth?” She asked. Kalr avoided her eyes for a moment, but eventually found them, though he was clearly unsettled looking into the strange orbs. “A few years after my fall. It took time for me to learn everything again, but as soon as I could, I got out.” As his spoke, his fists clenched and unclenched on the table. Belea noticed this and rested a hand on his fist.

“Trouble controlling your anger? Desdel didn’t mention that.” She said in an icy tone. Kalr gritted his teeth. “No, just always dread the questions is all.” Belea studied his face as he spoke, her expression softening somewhat as she withdrew her hand. “Suppose that is only natural. You know of Riverfall’s rules regarding ethaefal, yes?”

“Wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.” Kalr groused, and Belea turned to Onaona. “Tell me, what do you know of Zith?” She said and then after Onaona had said her part, she continued. “Do you think I should trust a man who is half such a beast? What sort of sacrifice should he make to stay here?” Belea mused aloud as her gaze flicked between the otani and the ethaefal.

[Onaona]

Kalr ducked out of her touch and his face changed in ways Ona didn't understand. She mirrored his tight-lipped expression and brought her hands back to trace the tight line of her own brow, as if studying the feel of it. The Eth retreated to the fireplace and the Otani caught sight of a gnosis on his arm. She didn't recognize the bizarre flower, and wasn't curious enough to ask him about it. Other gods and their marks meant next to nothing to her. It was a gap in her attention she felt keenly only after something terrible happened with them.

Kalr's caginess, however, was fascinating. She listened as he and Isskal spoke. The boy had a good heart; open and curious and trusting. The other was closed off and cold. Defensive. Reserved.

"A secret?" she blinked away from Kalr and considered Issakal, obviously confused. "How can I keep a secret, when my eyes and ears are not my own? I belong to Laviku in more ways than you understand." It was not how much she talked or how flippant she could be that made her incapable of keeping secrets, it was written into her biology. Everything she knew the sea god knew as well.

At the question about leviathan, though, her colour spasmed through something stormy before settling back to her natural colourless transparency. "Do you mean the Kalvikasi?" a slow, dark smile stretched across her face, like she was telling a chilling bedtime story. "You can find them sleeping in the valleys between underwater mountains, on top of cities long destroyed. They're the only thing in the sea I fear. Do not speak too loudly, boy." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "They wake hungry."

She had a soul-deep respect and reverence for her father's blood kin, and a healthy dose of fear. She didn't run into them often, but every encounter stood out vivid in her mind. They were great and terrible beasts.

At that moment Belea and Desdel returned, and the mood in the room changed in such a way that even Ona could pick up on it. The two humans and two Konti were dismissed. Belea, Kalr and Ona were left alone.

Sunberth, Zith, the story was unfolding a piece at a time.

"What do you know of Zith", Ona repeated, trying on Belea's accented voice. "Nothing, my priestess. They were the first to emerge from their holes after the breaking of the world, and the last to leave their wildness behind. But winged creatures don't often stray into my domain, nor I theirs. I know nothing of their kind."

When asked what sacrifice such a creature should make, Ona considered the question carefully. What would be the most meaningful sacrifice? How could he prove his deference? Usually for strangers Onaona would fall back on blood or gold, because pain and greed are universal. As she got to know them and their story, what she asked for often changed. Sometimes they were small, sentimental things, or a favorite food, sometimes they were living animals and the tarnished icons of other gods. It was a personal thing, sacrifice. It had to mean something.

She reflected on his caginess, how he refused to tell her about himself because he didn't know what she was. Isskal's words floated back to her: do you keep secrets good?

"A secret", she said finally. "How do you expect to seek sanctuary in the Sea King's church if you do not trust him? Speak, if you wish to stay, here in the presence of the God's eyes and his right hand", she motioned to Belea and herself, her head cocked and leaning forward. "Tell us something that nobody else knows. Then, tell me why you're here, and what you could possibly be running from. But I was right, wasn't I?" she laughed like a little girl. "You really are a terrible monster like me!"

[Surreal]

The ethaefal was clearly discomfited by Onaona using his expression against him. He kept his back straight around the otani, and his hands close to his body. Kalr got the notion that Isskal knew something about her that he just wasn’t getting. Then his answer came from the creature’s own mouth. He settled back into his chair.

“Its not Laviku I’m keen on keeping secrets from, if such a thing was possible.” Kalr said looking from Isskal to Onaona. “Its those-” He hesitated, then mumbled. “Petching superstitions.” Isskal arched an eyebrow, but respectfully kept quiet on that account, more inclined to continue conversing with the otani. He was clearly enthralled to hear about the great beasts that lurked under the sea.

“Is it true the Belea woke one of them only to have Laviku intervene on her behalf?” He asked as the door opened, then looked away towards the floor embarrassed. Belea on the other hand was unaffected by the question, though her flat expression did break into a slight grin as the youth passed out of the door. She became serious once more as it came time to deal with the business ahead of them.

If Kalr had been uncomfortable before, he was positively terrified now to be left along with the two women. He felt fragile here in this tower on the sea. There was no where else for him to go now. His course had been charted. It was up to him to steer himself off of the rocks now. Hopefully, the Laviku was feeling merciful.

“Yeah, Belea tells it right.” He said somewhat hoarsely before clearing his throat. “Though I’m not some made beast to be put down, and I didn’t come here running from anything. I could have chose places far more pleasant if that had been my intention.” Kalr paused, and gripped the table with his fingertips. “There are other lives, times trapped in this head. In my dreams that fade with the setting of the sun. They make about as much since as my abrupt arrival, and yet I can’t help but to think that they are significant to why I was brought to this place. To this time.” The edge of his nails dug into the table as his eyes focused on a spot towards the center of it.

After taking in a deep breath, he continued. “I can tell you I’ve never killed a man in cold blood, nor consumed their flesh. That this flower on my arm means I’ve dug myself into more than a few holes, and that I have got only one mulligan left. You know that my night form is a Zith and with it all those live fade save the ones attached to that mortal one. I am greatly disturbed by those. By its impulses, however that had been my lot over the past decade.”

Kalr looked up at Belea, clenching his jaw. “And?” Belea said after a moment, her expression cool.

“I’ve come seeking the tower of dreams to see if they might help me articulate what I’ve been grasping at for so long. An to find out why it is a zith that tethers me to this plane when in my dreams I am a man of stone who works with flames. There have been of course glimpses into other lives I’ve lead, but he is a recurring figure.” Kalr said, flattening his hands on the table, and reclining back in his chair. “I suppose that is something I’ve never told anyone.” He added quietly.

The priestess nodded at this, and stood up. “Your quarter’s are two floors down the stairs there. So long as you keep to them, and follow our arrangements once the sun has set, I see no issue with you staying a few days. Just don’t bother Ingi, Fuil, or me as we have got a lot to prepare for.” She said while walking over to the stone basin to rest her hands on it. “I hope this might be the last time we speak together Kalr, unless you cause problems. Then you might meet one of the Kalvikasi.” Belea shrugged and then looked over at Onaona.

“I can look after him well enough here. I want you to follow Desdel to the city, and guide him through the fog. The sooner his journey is complete, the quicker we can be rid of our guest.” She said plainly, and gestured for her to use the basin.



Desdel’s casinor had not made it far from the tower when Onaona caught up with them. Aboard with him was his son Isskal, and his daughter Isay, piloting the small ship carefully through the fog. Isay was dressed like her brother and wore her long brown hair up in a intricate knot on the top of her head. The vessel was quiet now, of course that all changed when the otani arrived.

[Onaona]

Ona had left quickly after she was dismissed, sparing Klar only a look and Belea an enthusiastic yes priestess! before slithering back into the basin and out of the tower. She had a lot to think about.

She was quasi-immortal in the same way an Eth was, with a long life stretched out before and behind her. But it was just the one. She couldn't even imagine having not just this life but their past lives jumbled around in their heads. Her past and future had been mapped out the moment she was put on Miza, so the very idea of having to figure out not only ones past but ones very purpose made her shiver. Even humans, she had been told, struggled with the same question of purpose. But nothing compared to the crippling directionlessness of an Eth.

A search for past lives, dreams, something about superstitions... Ona couldn't wrap her head around it. But she supposed she didn't have to. She was happy to follow Belea's lead.

"Loudly the bell in the old tower rings,
Bidding us list to the warning it brings
sailor, take care - sailor, take care!"

She surfaced from beneath the tower and sang into the fog, enjoying the way the sound was warped by the weather. The song kept coming back to her, and she wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was this strange feeling in her gut, or the pressure of the air, the entire bay holding still like a held breath. It felt like something terrible was about to happen.

"Many brave hearts are asleep in the deep, so beware, beware!"

She caught up to the casinor pulling away from the Tower, finding it not by the deceitful shadow in the fog but by the pull of the gnosis marks on board. There were three humans now, all quiet and watchful as they navigated the treacherous fog.

"My lovely lads, my gentle lady!", she sang in Fratava as she splashed around the front starboard side of the ship. "I'll take you ashore, follow me!" Her colour bloomed a furious red, as bright as she could manage, and she swam aside and slightly ahead. She sang the doomed song for another line or two before turning to look at the sister who stood with her brother at the prow. "What business do you have with monsters who dream of other lives, sweet girl? What business does your father have in the city? Be careful ahead, danger is near thee, beware, beware!"

Gathering herself, she formed a large ball of res a couple arms lengths above her head. It glowed a pearly white in the mist, until the mist started to pull in around it, obscuring it completely. As it collected on the surface of the dijed it turned to water and dripped back into the sea, creating a small sphere of fogless path directly ahead of the ship.

[Surreal]

The girl laughed as she caught sight of the otani and waved back. “Oh, my da warned me of you Onaona” Isay said with a wink, a slight blush creeping across her cheeks. “Don’t mind her, she’s gone goofy for Kalr.” Isskal chimed in from where he leaned over the rail before darting out of reach of the girl’s slaps. Then he was at out of sight, heading towards Desdel at the wheel while Isay leaned alone on the prow. “Guide on then Onaona and maybe I’ll have some treasures for you.” She said before gasping in amazement as the otani pulled the mists away from the front of their prow.

“Oh, it’ll have to be a special treasure for sure” She called out, leaning out to keep sight of the otani. Occasionally the boy would come back to the prow but Isay didn’t pay him any attention and he didn’t say anything before going back to the wheel. Isay for her part was content to watch Onaona as she guided them past the rocky jetties and into the bay beyond. The bay was quiet, as were docks beyond. There were a few row boats that had managed the passage, but none of the cogs were going to risk coming in this fog. As such, business had slowed to a halt on the docks with only a few faint figures to be seen on the periphery.

Through the fog though one could see the lights from the establishments that catered to the docks, the nearest light coming from the Pearl House with it being usefully located behind the largest section of docks. There were a cluster of silhouettes there, perhaps sailors hoping that the fog would lift so they could get started with their days, or maybe quite the opposite. It was hard to tell, but the chatter was amiable as they drew close.

“Thank you Onaona, wait for me!” Isay called out excited from above before disappearing from her spot at the prow. Isskal replaced her, perching on the edge to hop down once they had come along side the dock. There was a heavy splash from the side, and soon Desdel was at the prow, hopping down to help his son tie off the casinor. From the faint glow of the Pearl house a silhouette extracted itself from the bunch, heading towards the pair on the dock.

However as that figure closed the distance to greet Desdel and Isskal, there was a splash as Isay surfaced by Onaona bearing a small handful of pearls cupped in her palm. “Your treasure” Isay said with a grin, in a voice that was much quieter than she was used to using. Her father and the man were talking nearby now, an she did not want to disturb them. “I found these off the coast of the jungle, and when I was you I just knew what to give you. The Seafaire is soon you know, and I would just love it if you could stay.” She said, pressing the pearls into Onaona’s hand before swimming past her to pick up the otter that had swam around the prow of the casinor. Scratching its head she turned back towards the otani. “This is Relen. Relen this is Onaona.” The otter sniffed in the direction of Onaona but stayed within the safety of Isay’s arms as it squeaked.

Isay grinned. “Oh shush.” She said releasing him to go swim freely once more, and climbing onto the deck where the conversation between the men was just wrapping up. Isay stayed at the edge until the man left and Desdel turned to them. He had a frustrated look on his face, but his expression brightened considerably seeing his daughter and Onaona. “Charging the full fee in this fog. Should have never left the northern sea.” He said exasperatedly before patting Isskal on the back. “Well go on son, and take your sister with you. You can do what you want after you get what your mother be wanting from the shops.” Isskal grinned and started down the dock, but Isay hesitated. “Do I have to?” She asked, looking sidelong at Onaona. Desdel chuckled, putting a hand on her shoulder while letting out a little sigh. “Of course you do, but don’t worry, we’ll be here when you get back.” He said, clicking his tongue at her and giving her a little push towards her brother before turning away from his departing children.

“Well then, I’ve got someone coming but I don’t know if they are coming if you know what I mean. Do you mind keeping to the casinor and catching them if they do come while I’m out looking for them. I shant be longer than a bell.” He asked, putting a foot up on one of the pilings.

[Onaona]

The sounds of the docks were amiable, if a little frustrated, as the casinor carefully drifted into dock. Sailors and dockworkers and yardmen all waiting for the fog to lift and the traffic to start. Onaona let go of her colour, returning to glassy translucence, and her djed collapsed once she was no longer putting all her effort into maintaining it.

“Thank you Onaona, wait for me!”

The sister, Isay, splashed down into the water as the two men began to tie up. She surfaced just as a shadow peeled itself from the front of a quaint little building just behind the docks to meet them.

"Your treasure", the girl announced. Ona's glassy eyes widened as she pressed a clutch of pearls into her palm. They ranged in colour from a smoky faded purple to dusty pink to a delicate sea green. Ona stirred them with her finger and admired how they reflected the light with soft, creamy hues.

"My treasure?" she echoed, before breaking into a delighted smile. "How beautiful! I'll be here, pretty girl. This will be a Seafaire for the ages!"

She was introduced to Relen, who sniffed and squeaked in Isay's arms. Onaona squeaked back and pet it's long body with her cold fingers.

The men had finished up their conversation and Isay climbed back ashore to confer with her family. The father seemed perturbed, but he encouraged his children to go into the city and enjoy themselves.

"Goodbye!" Ona waved to the children as they retreated into the city. But Desdel asked her to stay. There was somebody he was meant to find.

"Do you mind keeping to the casinor and catching them if they do come while I’m out looking for them?"

Had he been any other sailor on that dock she would have laughed at him and swam away. Even at five hundred years old she found waiting an incredibly hard thing to do. But he was one of the sea father's marked, one with a strange mission, so she wavered for a moment before nodding her assent.

"I will stay here. The Otani signpost. The Otani watchdog. I will keep your coming-or-not someone from wandering away", she agreed. Climbing aboard the casinor she looked for a place to stash her pearls. She eventually settled for leaving them in the cup of a discarded shell. Possibly what was left of one of Relen's lunches.

"Who are they? How will I know them?" she questioned over the railing as she tipped her palm over the shell. "What are they for?"

After that she slid back into the water, keeping one eye on the dock and the other on the ship, she searched for the otter. Maybe he would play with her while they waited.