One of Those Days [Veldrys]

by **Seodai** on November 26th, 2011, 2:53 pm

Would that be so bad?

Seodai had asked himself this many times. He honestly did not understand the root of his hesitation. He had many peers who had already created life, some more than once. Apart from his bitterly backward nature, his overwhelming social anxiety, and the fact that personal space was an intensely important issue for him, why did he hesitate? Seo wasn't certain, nor did he want to dwell on it.

"Veldrys," Seodai said, in the particular accent the Denvali stronghold had perpetuated throughout years and years of isolation. The syllables were formed differently on his tongue than they would have ever been in Symenos, but Veldrys was no doubt accustomed to the accent by now, if not Seo's pleasant voice. "You're god marked," Seo observed. "Does your skill still function as it should?"

Seodai hadn't planned to turn the conversation back to the chaos in Denval. After all, he'd come here for respite. For peace. But, given the conversation he had found, he couldn't help but ask. Every time he tried to invoke Bala's good graces things had gone terribly awry. He had heard that others suffered the same fate, but he wondered if it was only specific gods or specific gnosis that were affected.

"What can you do, anyway? What gift does your god give you?"

by **Veldrys** on November 27th, 2011, 2:00 pm

As Seodai said his name, Veldrys raised his head. There was something strange about the way that the human pronounced it. For a moment he was tempted to correct him, but then he decided to let it be. It didn’t matter, not in the long run anyway. He simply waited for Seodai to say whatever he wanted to say.

„I am“, he confirmed. „As for whatever my skill still functions as it should ...“ He didn’t answer the question right away, but thought about it. Cian had tried to use his gnosis and become violently ill, and Theo’s mark ... it had been changed. The mark, the tree on his back, had looked diseased. But he hadn’t tried to use his own gnosis yet.

„I’m not sure“, he admitted. „Bala’s gnosis doesn’t work, and neither does Rak’keli’s, but I haven’t had an opportunity to use mine so far. Viratas‘ gnosis might still work. Maybe this thing that is happening in Denval only affects Bala and Rak’keli ...“

„My gift allows me to read minds and hasten the healing of wounds“, he then replied. „I can read thoughts and memories. I can see what you have seen and relive a part of your past with you. But you need to give me something in order for my gift to work ...“

He paused for a moment.

„As you know Viratas is the god of blood, and thus I need to drink blood in order to access those memories. The memories are in the blood, and the blood needs to be given willingly.“

Another pause. He found Seodai’s sudden interest in his mark a bit unusual, and thus he couldn’t help but ask,

„Do you want me to use my gnosis? Is there any kind of memory that you want me to try and retrieve?“

by **Seodai** on November 28th, 2011, 5:03 am

Seodai should have been alarmed at the mention of drinking blood. Symenestra were not regarded with any measure of affection, even (or was it especially?) in Denval. This was worse, and any sensible person might have edged away quickly. Seodai was distracted, however, by the words that had come before.

"Which past?" he inquired lightly. "Only the one inside this body, Veldrys? Or others? Do you see things at random, or can you try to... find things?"

Such specific questions clearly indicated that Seodai was intrigued by the possibility, so his running off in terror was apparently not going to be an issue. His brow furrowed with focus as he searched his own mind, his own thoughts, trying to piece together shattered fragments of the dreams that had haunted him for nearly a season, and longer if he cared to admit it.

"I've been having dreams. Dreams that... that stick, you know? Things that come again and again without changing. Like watching a memory that I've lost. And Syna, and Leth... they said to remember. Remember who we are. I think... I think I might be able to remember, if only I could make sense of these dreams."

Seodai didn't think to pose his question more articulately. Could Veldrys delve into a life before this one, or before that one, and tell Seodai who he was? Could he sort out the madness of his dreams for him? The farmer simply buried one hand in his wild gold curls and stared thoughtfully at the altar, lost in the world of what might have been while he waited for the Symenestra to respond.

by **Veldrys** on December 1st, 2011, 8:40 am

„I don’t know“, Veldrys replied. It frustrated him that he was still so clueless when it came to his own gift, although he didn’t show it. The tone of the Symenestra’s voice was calm. „I can definitely find out things about your current life, but I might be able to find something out about one of your past lives as well.“

He put a noticeable emphasis on the word ‚might‘. He had never tried it before.

„If you concentrate on a particular event that you want to remember, it will help me retrieve the desired memory“, he continued. „Otherwise I will most likely only find random memories.“

He said the last sentence in a somewhat apologetic tone – he wished he knew for sure whether he would be able to help Seodai - and then he fell silent and simply listened to what he had to say.

„Tell me about your dreams“, he finally asked the young man. His voice was unusually gentle now. „I know what Syna and Leth said. I had dreams as well after it happened, but my dreams were clear. My past life was not unlike this one. I was a prophet, a man who wanted to make a difference in this world, although I was human. Sometimes I wonder why I am a Symenestra in this life, if I did something wrong in a past life or if the gods have a task for me.“

He laughed, a somewhat bitter laughter. Although he had no wish to be human, not anymore, he couldn’t help but admit that his past life had been easier in many ways, although it had been far from happy. In both lives he had been alone, trying to change things that couldn’t be changed.

„Can you imagine me as a human, Seodai?“

by **Seodai** on December 4th, 2011, 1:42 am

"Yes, I can imagine that," Seodai answered with unswerving resolve. Whatever frightening thing Symenestra were supposed to be, Veldrys did not seem that. He seemed pensive and wise. Some of his physical features might be a bit off putting, but Seodai also found Veldrys beautiful in his own way. It was not difficult to imagine this new companion clothed in a different body, with a different face. Something less fragile, perhaps. Hardy, work-hardened, Denvali. He could imagine that.

"My dreams," he spoke at last, coming back to the question posed to him. "They seem nonsensical. They're more like feelings. Faces that move so quickly I cannot make them out well. There is war, and death. A lot of death. It's a frightening time, a bloody one."

Seodai sighed and twisted calloused fingers into his own unruly curls. He wished so very much that he had more to offer, more to decipher or pick apart. But really, his dreams were little more than frustrating, and he had nothing else to say.

"That's all I have. Like I said. There are feelings. Fear, loss, sadness, worry. I think I... I think I'm worried about someone. I just don't know."

With a flustered shrug, Seodai leaned into the back of the bench again, folding his arms so his chin could rest atop them. Sometimes, despite his age, Seodai seemed as boyish and innocent as his sheltered life should have created.

by **Veldrys** on December 7th, 2011, 6:46 pm

As Seodai replied that he could indeed imagine him as human, Veldrys looked at him for a few moments. The expression in his amethyst eyes was unreadable. For a moment it seemed as if he were about to say something, but then he just shrugged his shoulders, as if whatever he had been about to say was of no importance after all.

„I dreamed of war as well, in my past life“, he said as Seodai told him about his dreams. „No, that isn’t the right word. I had visions, of a great fire that would consume the world, of Ivak, the destroyer, of countless lives lost.“ He shuddered, as if he were suddenly cold. „If I used my gift, you might be able to make sense of those dreams. Maybe those faces will stop moving for a moment so that you can look at them.“

He came closer so that he was sitting directly next to Seodai and touched the human’s hand. There was nothing comforting about the gesture. He didn’t touch him because he wanted him to stop worrying, because he wanted to tell him that everything would be fine again. He wasn’t that kind of person. He didn’t lie.

„I will need your blood. A few drops from your wrist will suffice“, he spoke. His voice was very soft. „Blood is the key to those memories, to those dreams. If you give me your blood, you might remember who you are worried about. Will you do it?“

by **Seodai** on December 12th, 2011, 7:13 pm

Blood.

It was such a sore spot for Seodai. In fact, it took a great deal of self-control not to merely wrench his hand away in alarm. His brow furrowed and, for a brief moment, he considered it. If it would give him peace, chase away his confusion, it'd be worth it, right? But, ultimately, the things that would follow caused him to change his mind. He didn't want to go to Noc and ask him to heal his wound, the wound he'd received because he'd offered his blood to a Symenestra. Perhaps Seodai possessed a sliver of prejudice that he didn't recognize, or maybe having to continually asked to be made better was just too humiliating again and again. Either way, it was enough. The farmer smoothly extracted his long fingers from the pale, elongated digits of the new acquaintance.

"I... can't. I don't want to have to... I mean, it won't heal and... ahh..."

With a bit of frustration Seodai sat back, glancing around the chapel. The peaceful haze had been broken, somehow, and the prominent reminder of his disease made him feel uncomfortable. In this place, with Veldrys, in his own skin. Either way, he wanted to escape it, and the first two were the only things he could actually run away from.

"I'm sorry. It was nice to meet you, Veldrys. Uh... see you 'round. If you... ever need food or something? I'm always at the farm."

Having said that, Seodai's lithe form slid from the bench he occupied and hurried towards the door. For all of the generosity of Veldrys' offer, he simply wasn't prepared to take the risk. Not today, anyway. Not over mere curiosity.

by **Paragon** on December 15th, 2011, 12:10 pm

Seodai :

Veldrys :

Nice social thread, I loved seeing dialogue about the current affairs of Denval, and you have such sad character, I hope they come to terms with their own issues one day. Well done - if you have ANY questions or concerns about this grading, don't hesitate to PM me.