[TheChapel]Ain't Gonna Tell You Where He Comes From(Veldrys)

[Syllke Skyglow]

62 Summer, 511

Despite the sharp, stinging pain in his hand, Syllke’s eyes, sparking red with the intensity of his new, self-inflicted wound, could not be blind to the serene beauty of the approach to the Chapel. He had wandered this way only once in the few weeks he had been in Denval. The grounds were a bit too well maintained, too orderly, to appeal to his own person aethestic. But he could appreciate the innate beauty of the patterned beds of flowers, though the blooms themselves would have looked better dotting some wild meadow, in his opinion. Still, his dark eyes danced about as he walked rather hurriedly towards the low stone edifice, holding the cloth about the cut as tightly as he could. Perhaps in the minutes that it had taken him to walk here from the Lyceum the bleeding would have finally stopped. Chisels, especially newly sharpened ones, were not as yet as familiar to the muscles of his hands and fingers as perhaps they should be before giving the head a great whack with the hammer. The metal did not discriminate between stone and flesh, and had sliced neatly through both. Syllke, and his would be student, had not thought it had gone to the bone. The poor young woman had gone quite pale though, and had fetched Astrid who had recommended the young Vantha go straight away to the Chapel and seek out Veldrys. Astrid had murmured that Syllke should not be alarmed by the healer’s appearance – so of course Syllke’s eyes had lit up and he had asked questions about who and what and why he should not be alarmed and Astrid had shooed him away saying only Veldrys could best answer whatever questions came to Syllke’s mind. So, with the double bonus of both getting the deep cut between thumb and forefinger to stop bleeding, and possibly getting to meet yet another novel person, the young Vantha had not hesitated. Now his feet carried him to the door of the quiet, venerable building which housed some of Denval’s most precious knowledge, the sacred if not the profane. The doors were open to the warm summer air and Syllke stepped in, while calling out, “Hello? Um, I could use a hand here. Anyone home?”

[Veldrys]

Even though Veldrys left the Chapel more frequently since those strange, dark things had happened in Denval – since a child had been murdered and the front of the Chapterhouse had been painted in blood – he was still most comfortable here. He felt closer to his god when he was here, and he was calmer. The outside world, the fact that some people were still suspicious of him, mattered little here. Sometimes he would spent bells sitting on one of the benches, praying, asking for guidance, and he regularly sacrificed a few drops of blood to his god so that Viratas knew what a dedicated servant he was. As Syllke entered, the Symenestra was just standing in a corner, half hidden in the shadows, quietly remembering the last couple of days, wondering if he had overlooked something, an important clue. And thus the building would seem empty to the Vantha. Veldrys had never been the kind of man to force his presence on others, to greet everybody that came into the Chapel. He often didn’t speak unless he was adressed first. People often didn’t come here to talk. They wanted a bit of solitude. They wanted to pray quietly and not have anybody interrupt him. He only stepped forward as he heard the Vantha’s question. Syllke would at once realize what the woman had meant when she had spoken about the healer’s appearance. Veldrys was clearly not human. His skin was pale. His hair seemed to be made of spun silver, and his eyes were an intense shade of purple. His features were too fine for a human man, and his limbs slightly too long. He looked fragile, so fragile that a pair of strong hands would be able to snap him in half. „You are wounded“, he observed. His accent clearly told Syllke that he was not a native speaker of Common. He gestured towards the Vantha’s hand. The wound looked rather deep. It would probably need stitching, and it would have to be cleaned as well to prevent infection. „How did that happen?“

[Syllke Skyglow]

Syllke’s head swiveled about as the quiet, strongly accented voice reached his ears. His eyes widened, although he had been both expecting and hoping to find someone here who could help him. Still, the individual who approached from a corner of the dim interior was more than a bit . . . unusual in appearance. The Vantha smiled though, both outwardly and to himself. If the novel and colorful called to him, then this entity certainly should provide him with a great deal of stimulation. If he – or she, or it – was human, Syllke thought some extremely intense off breeding, or maybe inbreeding, of the species had occurred somewhere. Based on the startling looks of the one who had spoken, Syllke could assume this was in fact Veldrys – unless there were others of his kind frequenting the Chapel. Unalarmed, knowing that he would not have been referred to one who would wish him harm, Syllke held his hand out, and said in a friendly tone, “I’ve determined that a sharp chisel demands a great deal of respect. Perhaps it did not approve of my vision for the stone we were working.” He chuckled. “It bit me to get my attention.”

He had deftly removed the cloth wrapped about his hand, seeing the blood still welling up from the deep wound, some of which quickly fell to the floor in small, crimson droplets. Content to let the healer take over from this point, his eyes searched the other’s face, eager to see all there was to see there, during this interaction. “I am Syllke.” He said simply. “From Avanthal. Of the Skyglow Hold. Are you Veldrys?”

[Veldrys]

„Apparently“, Veldrys agreed in a somewhat dry tone of voice as Syllke mused that the chisel had not approved of his vision for the stone. He didn’t chuckle. There was nothing about the Vantha’s statement and the fact that his conflict with the chisel had led to a wound that he found even remotely funny. „What were you trying to make?“ While he didn’t understand what he considered Syllke’s attempt at humor, there was a fair amount of curiosity in his voice now. Anybody that created a piece of art had his interest and his respect. As Syllke removed the cloth, he came even closer so that he stood directly next to the human. He noticed that the bleeding still hadn’t stopped and made a face. This was not good. „I already figured that you are from Avanthal“, he replied and pulled his gaze away from the wound for a moment to meet the other man’s eyes. „There are no other humans that look quite like the Vantha. I’ve always been fascinated by your eyes. It almost seems like magic that they can change color like that. And I’m indeed Veldrys. Who mentioned my name to you?“ As he waited for Syllke’s answer, he gestured for him to sit down since it would be easier to treat him that way. He also gave him a sign to cover the wound again and exert a bit of pressure on it. „Your wound’s a little deep. I’ll need to clean it, and then I’m going to stitch it and put a bandage on it so that the wound stays clean. I just need a moment to get my things. Tell me, do you have problems moving your hand?“

[Syllke Skyglow]

“I thought I saw a dolphin, the curve of its back anyway. Maybe not the whole thing, but definitely the back.” Syllke never attempted to explain or justify his art. If people didn’t see what he saw, feel what he felt, that was just fine. Art was inside, in the heart more than the mind, so for each it was bound to be different. At Veldrys’ comment about Vantha eyes, Syllke stared into Veldrys’ own quite unusual and beautiful deep purple orbs, fringed with feathery, silver lashes. If he had access to paint, he would splash that exact color on some palette, some anchor – to capture its translucent quality. He almost forgot the bleeding wound, until Veldrys bade him sit and recover it. “Captain Astrid sent me to you.” He left off pressing the crimson stained cloth to his hand long enough to flex it and wiggle all his digits. It hurt quite a bit, but he smiled still. “I think it’s good – Morwen was watching out for me.” He nodded. “Get what you need – I’m not going anywhere. And I don’t think I’m in danger of bleeding to death.” His eyes had dropped to the other’s hands and he wondered at how they could possibly be the hands of a healer, given those nails. His voice tinged with curiosity, he asked, “What race are you?”

[Veldrys]

„A dolphin?“ the Symenestra asked and furrowed his brow. „I’ve never seen a dolphin. It’s some kind of fish, isn’t it? There are hardly any fish where I come from.“ It was not impossible that something lived in the pool in the Blue Grotto, but he had never dived to the bottom to find it out. And his only experience with the sea had been his trip to Denval. Being on a boat had taken some getting used to to be honest, and Veldrys wouldn’t mind if he’d never have to step onto one again. He would certainly never become a sailor. „If the chisel and you ever get along and you end up making that dolphin after all, I’d love to buy it from you. I need a few things to decorate my home with“, the Symenestra remarked. He nodded as Syllke informed him that the Captain had sent him. He had already turned around and was about to get his things when he heard Syllke’s question. He faced the Vantha once more, a somewhat puzzled look on his pale face. „I am of course a Symenestra“, he answered, and then he was already gone. He returned but a few chimes later, carrying a small bag with him. He placed the contents on the bench next to Syllke: a small bottle, a needle, a bit of very fine thread, scissors, a bit of white cloth and bandages. „This will sting a little“, he warned Syllke as he opened the bottle and poured some of the contents onto the cloth. He quickly cleaned the wound with it. „As I said, I’m going to stitch it now. Do you think you’ll stand the pain?“

[Syllke Skyglow]

“Dolphins are part fish, part man, part spirit. They breathe air like . . . “ Syllke paused. He had been going to say ‘like you and me’ but he wasn’t entirely sure that this Veldrys did breathe air. “Like humans.” He concluded. “And if the chisel chooses to help me, then I’ll make a present of the carving to you – though I can’t guarantee its worthiness. As you can see, I haven’t much experience working stone.” Veldrys left to gather his things, and when he returned, Syllke asked, “Where do Symenestras come from – if you don’t mind me asking? The desert?” That seemed the likely place to Syllke, if it was a place with few fish. He nodded his head in reply to the healer’s question. “I’ve had far worse. I could sing to make it hurt a bit less.” So saying, without waiting for permission and without any self-consciousness, the Vantha began to sing a low, two notes, chant-like sound that stretched on and on as the healer cleaned and stitched the wound. He didn’t turn his eyes away though, and the color shifted from red to blue and back again as he fought to control the pain with his mind and his music, and watched Veldrys' long, thin fingers deftly sew his skin back together.

[Veldrys]

As Syllke talked about how dolphins were part fish, part man and part spirit the Symenestra shook his head. He didn’t believe that. There were no such creatures. It sounded like something out of a fairy tale. Fish were fish, and human were humans, and that was it. On the other hand ... was it possible that the Valterrian had created such abnormities? He considered that for a moment, and then he asked, „If they breathe air like us, how can they be underwater? How is it possible that they don’t drown? Do they ever leave the water and walk on land?“ As Syllke asked him whether Symenestra came from the desert, he smiled a little. He glanced at his hands that were so pale that they nearly looked white, and then he shook his head. „No, we don’t come from the desert. I don’t think people as pale as us could exist there. We come from Kalea. There is a city south of here. It’s called Kalinor, and it’s underground. It’s a wondrous place. Our houses hang from the ceiling, and there is only darkness beneath us.“ „Sing then, if it helps“, he told Syllke, and then he began to stitch the wound. He found it strange that the human didn’t stop singing once, unusual, admirable. If somebody had driven a needle through his hand and not given him anything against the pain, he would have been severely uncomfortable. He wouldn’t have been able to sing at all. But the only sign that the human felt something was the fact that his eyes changed color. „Done“, he announced after a few moments and put the needle away, and then he asked, „Is this something that all Vantha do? Do all Vantha sing to lessen the pain?“

[Syllke Skyglow]

Syllke had refrained from answering Veldrys’ questions about dolphins, as the healer was already beginning the stitching of the wound. So, instead, he listened to Veldrys’ description of where he was from, and then the young artist sang his chant, to relieve his mind of some of the burden of bearing the pain of the needle poking through already traumatized flesh. Finally Veldrys was done, though in fact the Symenestra had worked both quickly and with great precision. Syllke ended his song and looked into those beautiful, odd eyes. “Sometimes we do. We sing for many reasons – for pain or sadness, for joy, for grief, for celebration, for remembrance, for fun. Just like I’m sure most people do.” He said simply, never really having thought too much about why the Vantha sang. “Your home sounds amazing – I’d love to see such a place.” He added, and his fingers, still slightly bloodied, reached out and he touched Veldrys’ arm lightly, putting his own arm against the healer’s and comparing their tones. “You are lighter than me,” he exclaimed. “And my skin is quite pale compared to most humans I’ve seen here in Denval. Though I can get darker, in the sun.” He looked back up into Veldry’s face. “Do you avoid the sun? Does it hurt your eyes? They are so pretty – so light.” Even as he spoke his own were a whorl of colors, quickly settling down to the dark irises flecked with emerald, a sign of contentment. “I’d like to paint your eyes someday, if I could find the right tint for the paint.” Withdrawing his hand, he finally returned to the subject that had been swishing about in the bottom of his thoughts for the past few minutes. “Dolphins don’t drown in the sea because they are part fish. And no, they can not walk on the land, not any more, though once the first dolphin was a man. Would you like to hear the story of the dolphin?”

[Veldrys]

„My people don’t sing as much“, the Symenestra replied. „We are dancers, weavers, artists, but music isn’t valued as highly as it is among the Vantha.“ He inspected Syllke’s hand again, and then he nodded. He was content with the work he had done. The human’s wound would likely heal without problems now. „Why don’t you visit Kalinor then?“ he asked as he heard Syllke’s next words. „My people wouldn’t mind a visitor, especially if you bring stories from the surface world and maybe a few goods for trade. Certain products are very hard to come by in a cave.“ Traders were valued highly, and male surface dwellers didn’t have anything to fear from the Symenestra. Even his father who had disapproved of his choice of career would appreciate it if he managed to establish some kind of contact with the Vantha. As Syllke put his arm against Veldrys‘, the healer arched an eyebrow. He didn’t understand what the human was doing. Was this some kind of strange Vantha custom? „Yes, I am lighter than you“, he agreed. „And I don’t avoid the sun. I actually find it quite pleasant. As for my eyes, all Symenestra have eyes like these. Mine aren’t especially pretty, but if you’d like, you can paint them.“ He shrugged his shoulders. He still found dolphins strange. What Syllke said about them still didn’t make any sense to him. How could the first dolphin have been a man? Had magic been involved? Had the first dolphins been created during the Valterrian? „Yes, please, I’d love to hear the story of the dolphin“, he replied, hoping that it would shed some light on the mystery.