Lost Perspective (Jilitse, pls)

[Malia]

Timestamp: 26th of Spring, 510 AV fter setting foot on the island and entering the citadel, Malia and Cosette had been strolling through the corridors more or less aimlessly, admiring the architecture and the sight of other undead. For Malia it was the first time to even see one of her own kind – except for her ‘Master’, of course. She wondered where he was, if he even was on the island, so close, but never close enough … Of course it brought her nowhere to think about possibilities. She had originally come to Sahova to act, and act she would! She was alone now, having lost her companion somewhere in the confusing labyrinth of corridors. Everything looked similar. Her footsteps were sending an echo far ahead, so anyone who worked behind the shut doors would easily recognize those footsteps to be of a person that wasn’t familiar with Sahova at all. Not that she tried to hide, she simply preferred to go unnoticed for most of the time. Due to her Nuit nature that hadn’t been a problem by then, but since she was surrounded with beings like her she imagined it to be a bit more difficult. Not that she cared, not at all … Her original goal was to study Animation, to delve into the science of powerful and obedient golems. Malia had been thinking a lot the last season and had come to the conclusion that she needed power. Badly. The more difficult decision had been to reduce herself to one or two sources of power and focus on them. She was Nuit, she had endless time to learn, but to see results one had to get going and two sources were better than no specialization at all. One was her gnosis mark, the connection to a goddess. The other one, she had figured, would be Animation. It had been a blind choice, actually, because she didn’t know what her enemy was skilled at. Still she found the crafting and commanding of golems very fascinating – plus, they were easier to handle and train with than living beings. All those thoughts wandered through her head while Malia was walking. So where did she actually find someone who could teach her Animation? Confusion invaded her mind. The harbor was staffed with golems and the Nuit at the citadel didn’t seem to have a welcome committee for visitors or anything like that. She had to do something or she would get lost in those corridors … She had walked for quite some time already, and always descended further down. Apparently the citadel had been built partly underground – understandable, but irritating. At the next door Malia stopped. After closing her pitch-black eyes for a short moment, she knocked. Three knocks, self-confident and determined.

[Jilitse]

Jilitse was still highly unsuccessful in her attempts to animate a small round rock, and she was a bit miffed with the way djed flow in metals were very different with that of something made from compacted earth. Earth was her element, she kept telling herself.

She patiently concentrated until sharp knocks on the door distracted her concentration. She scowled, frowned, and tried to concentrate once more. On a smooth slab of clay was drawn an arcane circle, sitting on it was a gray smooth rock.

A nuit wizard who was passing by noticed her fruitless labor and smirked. The same nuit projected the door open, letting it swing slowly, the creaking sound filling the room. Jilitse looked up to the other nuit with great behest. She noticed a new nuit outside the common laboratory and she narrowed her eyes.

A new nuit? Then she remembered Cosette, the jolly perky nuit she met yesterday. Or was that the other day? This might be her companion, she told herself, she did say the other nuit did not have bunny ears.

She examined the other nuit with half-anticipation and half-curiosity.

[Malia]

The sound of the door eerily echoed through the corridor. Malia peered into the room that was stretching out in front of her. A Nuit with the shade of a grin on his face quickly disappeared, leaving her alone with a woman. A very beautiful woman, to be exact.

Her hair was as black, her skin as white as Malia’s, but she carried herself with a natural aristocratic grace that was foreign to Malia. Although it was clear that she was no visitor and thus Nuit like nearly every permanent resident, she did a good job in concealing the obvious signs. Her skin was pale, but rather creamy than bony white. She was dressed in complete and utter black.

Did all Nuit favor black? Malia could only be sure about herself, and she noticed a few similarities when it came to appearance. Of course that wouldn’t help her, but it calmed her inner nervousness down.

She lowered her head in a formal greeting – politeness was everything, after all, when meeting a new person, especially if you came with a request. While she spoke, her black tongue shimmered through her teeth every now and then. “Hello. I’m Azola and have just entered Sahova and the citadel." The new name still felt so unfamiliar, but she didn't flinch. "It seems that I have lost the way in this confusing labyrinth of corridors … so I would be grateful if you helped me to familiarize myself with the environment.”

After taking a few careful steps into the room she noticed details. It looked like a laboratory. The beautiful woman was sitting in front of a small rock. Had she just performed magic? Deciding to get right to the core of things, Malia added: “I am also searching for someone who could teach me the basics of Animation.”

[Jilitse]

Jilitse almost gawked at Azola, but had enough self-containment to prevent herself from rolling her eyes. What is it with Nuit visitors wanting a tour of the Citadel and asking about how to learn Animation? At least this one did not look like she was trying to stay alive.

"My name is Jilitse," she whimpered and looked back at her work. "You are talking to the wrong nuit. I'm just another servant. If you wish to learn, you have to go to a master. Magic is not something that you can pick up in Sahova. It is a very dangerous knowledge, and I would not take it too lightly." Those were were her lines, the very same words she use to discourage most new nuits who come to her for help.

For the second time, she was being asked for help. But, she was going ahead of herself, Azola wasn't asking her to tour her around, wasn't asking her to teach animation. She thoughtfully placed a finger on her lips and wondered for a while.

"You have many choices to take." Jilitse decided to lay down the options for Azola. "Find a master. However, finding a master who will be willing to teach you, would be a problem. You would be extreeeemely lucky to find one who wouldn't charge you." She read a nearby book while talking, "Sahova is a very unsafe place for... new nuits. There is no place in Mizahar that could compare to the danger the Citadel harbors. Nuits lie, most of them anyway. That is, of course, but my opinion. Weigh it yourself or take it as fact." A smile and then she examined the rock that failed to animate, "You can also try and learn on your own, which is somewhat easier than the first choice." Which was a lie. There was no point in making a claim that most nuits lie if she didn't exemplify it herself. "I'll point you to the Citadel's library, help you obtain a few books on basic Animation." Yes, she would give Azola one that was written in Ancient Tongue. She doubted this nuit knew the language. It will be entertaining!

She swung around and faced Azola, examining the other girl with wanton interest, lips grimacing and smiling alternately, "Or you can tell me how you became a nuit, give me a good reason why you're here, why you want to learn Animation, and I might - might is the operative term - point you to a master who might - see how nothing is certain - be willing to teach you without slaving you to Sahova for eternity."

She gracefully swayed her head, body, and arms and turned back to her workstation. She noted an ink smudge on the circle and an improperly written glyph. No wonder the spell wouldn't work. She would have to be more careful in drawing her arcana next time.

[Malia]

Jilitse … Azola quietly listened to the explanation the other Nuit gave. At least she was friendly enough to give her the information she needed instead of merely staring at her and turning around. Most other residents had acted that way. But then, visitors weren’t normal at Sahova – everybody was busy with his or her own studies, too busy to care about unoriented newcomers. She understood them; she would probably have acted similarly.

Jilitse spoke of the dangers of magic, but that was something Azola already knew. Not first hand, she had to admit, but apparently she was better informed than most of the Nuit that came to the island to learn. She nodded. “I have read about the dangers, but there is no way around studying magic for me.” Oh, she needed power so badly, but she wasn’t yet ready to voice that. It sounded so … destructive. Azola was no destructive person, but she had to pay back what had been done to her.

During the rest of Jilitse’s speech she remained where she was, without making any noise or flinching at all. Like the painting of the person she used to be. She had given up her name … Hopefully she wouldn’t lose more than that to the island. Caution and care obviously were the most important traits here. And why would even Jilitse tell her the truth? On the one hand it was possible that she exaggerated, but on the other hand being influenced by subjective opinions wasn’t typical for a Nuit. Azola’s instinct told her that she could trust her opponent … for now, anyway.

She shot a quick glance into the direction of the rock. Learning it herself? She had already tried as much … and realized that she wouldn’t come far that way. No, do-it-yourself guides weren’t an option in Azola’s carefully laid out plan.

Oh, but at least Jilitse offered to show her the library and help to find some books about the basics. Azola hoped that they were different, more detailed and precise than the ones she had already found in Syliras. But considering the population of Sahova, they certainly were. She was just about to turn back to the door and wait for Jilitse to follow her when …

Interest could be seen on her opponent’s features, burning curiosity. Azola felt the urge to hide from that inquisitive stare, but then she had a goal and was willing to do almost everything for it. Tanroa prevent me from saying anything stupid, she thought, came closer and seated herself in the next chair. Yet the right words didn’t find her. “I am not sure if I can do that. And if all Nuit are liars, as you have pointed out, what would make you believe me anyway?” Leaning back and folding her arms, she met Jilitse’s gaze. Black staring in black, as if the answer to her problem could be found in those colorless depths.

[Jilitse]

Jilitse looked at Azola intently, neither challenging the other nuit to go away nor encouraging her to stay. This one had the mark of nuit years in her demeanor: in the way she moved and the way she talked. Cold gaze was met with cold gaze, Jilitse's gaze was analytical, her mind somewhat elsewhere.

Jilitse clicked her tongue disapprovingly, "I am a very busy nuit. You do not answer a question with uncertainty, you do not stall your answer. That is very impolite. As you can see, I am working, and every moment I spent talking to you is betrayal of my duties." She imitated Azola by leaning back and folding her arms.

She softly said, "Every other nuit you will encounter here will plan behind your back and drag you into their own brainsickness - and that includes me." A slight laugh. "The only creatures who even dare think they can last in Sahova are either sturdy or stupid. Those who stay can be both, or neither, because they end up dead." Azola, she could place in between. "Why should I believe you?" She asked icily, "Who said anything about believing you? I am not beholden to believe what you say, only listen to you." She raised a finger to stress her point, "And only if I choose to."

"Look, Azola, I do not mean to be rude, but I really do not have time for any niceties. Most of us here" and she directed her hand to the rest of the workshop, "devote our time to research. I, myself, study about golems. It takes time to learn. Building one, even more so. If you find me uninteresting enough to talk to about learning animation, figure it out yourself or get stranded."

Jilitse had tried to be personably enough, but Azola seemed to refuse to bend to her side of the bargain. "It is you who need me, not I who need you." Maybe that would get the other nuit to remember who - between the two of them - required assistance.

[Malia]

Malia wondered why a Nuit who felt disturbed in her work did such a long speed to explain the situation to a stranger. Still she listened with interest.

Jilitse’s work ethics were admirable, although somewhat senseless because she had endless time at her hand anyway. Of course, that was Malia’s humble opinion … She preferred to take it slow, one step at a time. What she did, she did carefully. Naturally, there was one exception to the rule. It seemed that Jilitse had a particular goal in mind, something she wanted or needed to do regardless of the price she had to pay. Malia knew that feeling, although it would be interesting to know how far her opponent was prepared to go.

Then she listened with a mildly interested expression on her face. While Jilitse was talking about believing, a plan formed in her mind. Or maybe it could be called determination about what she would do. If Jilitse demanded a story, she would get a story. It was as simple as that. After all, it was true what she said: Malia was the one who wanted something, not the other way around.

After a short pause she slowly started to form words, weighing every sentence before releasing it. Her gaze was locked in Jilitse’s black eyes that so much resembled her own sparkling orbs. “I was born and spent my entire human life in a wealthy trade city in Taldera. My father built up a weaving business with the support of a stranger who turned out to be … a dangerous traitor. He wanted me as a payment for what he had done for my father. He disappeared and said he would return in a few years to fetch me. My father was shocked … Of course he wanted to save me. So he turned himself into a Nuit, because he thought being undead would give him power and endless time to gather allies and defeat the traitor. When I was old enough, he changed me too and took me with him. Unfortunately we were separated in the wilderness. I came to Syliras, heard of Sahova and came here. I plan to learn magic to help my father in getting revenge.”

Then she paused again. It might be reckless to tell the truth – part of the truth anyway –, but she had nothing to lose. Plus, she hoped that the story was interesting enough to convince Jilitse. Malia’s face was emotionless, but she was watching Jilitse, searching for a sign of sympathy or … anything.

[Jilitse]

"Revenge." Jilitse repeated the word, as if she had no idea what it is. Learning animation for revenge. "Well, then if that's the case, you don't have to learn animation. You can stay here for thousands of years and meet your father over the next hundred, and you'll probably outlive the traitor." She pronounced the last word dangerously, as if it was a magic word able to conjure a monster. "Unless, of course, the traitor is no mere human being."

She nodded as she kept on reading her book, scribbling down notes. "Animation," Jilitse started a lecture, "is a form of world magic that allows you to give life or life-like traits into objects. Objects can be just about anything, as long as it is an empty vessel. Meaning, it does not have a soul. Wood, metal, stone... even corpses. Less of the latter these days. One of the animation rituals you should be familiar with would be the Daek-Nuit." A malicious smile towards the lifeless Azola. "But, most likely unlike you," Jilitse meant that she did not believe the other nuit's story, "I have undergone a voluntary Daek-Nuit ritual, and I was subject to a ceremony unlike the ones performed these days. Lesser nuits seem to have been... some used the word 'inflicted', I prefer to use the word 'turned', into undead beings by forcing them to drink another nuit's ichor."

"There are those who will themselves to be turned into nuits by seeking Daek-nuit masters. How your father turned himself into a nuit makes his purpose very interesting. Endless time we nuits have, but even eternity cannot grant you power. If your father had known what it was like to be a nuit," she pressed a thoughtful finger on her cheek, "then he must not have loved you. Or he must have loved you too much. You see, eternity is both a gift and a curse."

"Your tongue lies, and your eyes tell me a very interesting story." It was not a bluff. Jilitse had heard a lot of nuits explain their presence in Sahova, justifying their reasons to want to learn magic. Azola struck her as an ordinary nuit, one who did not like to tell the truth about her tasks, but would eventually yield to cooperate if given enough compensation. Yet the other nuit was also special in ways more than one. She detected a sense of purpose and determination in Azola, hidden beneath layers of pride and uncertainty.

Jilitse shrugged and continued, "Whoever this enemy of yours is, I cannot agree with your desire to learn animation. Animation might be a hard discipline to study, but it is dangerous only in the most superficial levels. It will not provide you the protection you'll need or the revenge you seek." Going back to the lecture, she brought out a simple gear arrangement.

"Rotatlas." She murmured. "Come closer and look." On the top of her palm was a simple cog and sprocket assembly, "This is a product of animation. As you can see it is but a machine. I can order it to move or will it to stop." As she commanded the stop word, the cogs fell lifeless on her hand. "Rotatlas," she said, and the cog and sprocket assembly started whirring again.

"I am a very boring mage, am I not? I spend days of creating mechanical golems, spend years studying them." She turned to Azola, "I only concern myself with such kind of work. If what you seek is beyond what I have shown you, then you should leave me." How many times did she have to tell Azola to leave? Maybe she should just stop talking and ignore the nuit. "There are still a few animation masters left here in Sahova, the best of them is Archwizard Mashaen. I can introduce you if you want."

She set aside the rotating cog and sprocket after ordering it to stop. She was getting too involved with a visitor. She picked up another stone from a pile, and started feeling it. Perhaps I need to learn geomancy. The thought was pushed away. She turned to Azola, a friendlier smile beaming in her face, "Do not be wary of me, young one. I believe myself to be the most docile nuit around. That, of course, is only another opinion."

[Malia]

Malia didn’t comment on what Jilitse said. The other Nuit might try to get more information out of her in her own subtle and weird way, but Malia wasn’t willing to reveal anything apart from the twisted story she had made up. It wasn’t a good story, of course, but apparently it was good enough, since Jilitse didn’t ask any direct questions. Fortunately.

When her opponent started on a lecture, Malia leaned back and relaxed. She remembered what she had jotted down in a notebook in Syliras, but nevertheless she didn’t interrupt the other Nuit. Perhaps Jilitse needed those little moments of attention and carefully built sentences and speeches, perhaps she needed those quirky habits … They were part of her personality. Malia sensed that they were part of her own unique sense that kept her alive. Interesting how different individuals coped with immortality and what they were.

But then her eyes widened. Undergone a voluntary Daek-Nuit ritual …? That turned out to be interesting. Why would someone voluntarily become a Nuit? Of course, there were advantages and disadvantages. Even Malia hadn’t found out which of the two sides outweighed the other one, but she wondered what kind of answer Jilitse had found to the question. If she had become a Nuit on purpose, she must have put more weight on the benefits. Immortality … but for what? At the same time, she hinted that she didn’t trust Malia, but again Malia didn’t comment. She wouldn’t unless she was asked directly.

It was a very thin line she was walking on.

The initial surprise was followed by another one. Her eyes? Malia resisted the urge to blink nervously. Did the light make the blue circles around her black pupils visible? Did Jilitse possess the knowledge to assess the story those colors told? Questions and more questions … Everything she eventually replied was: “I didn’t ask for your agreement, protection or support at my revenge. I told you my story, so it’s your turn to tell me about Animation and finding a master.”

Obviously Jilitse had intended to continue with her lecture anyway. It was as if she hadn’t heard Malia, but that didn’t really matter. Finding a master was top priority now, after everything Jilitse had told her about how Sahova worked. Despite her behavior and speaking pattern, the witch proved to be friendly and open in the end.

With an amused sparkle in her eyes Malia dragged her chair closer to the other Nuit and lowered her head to see what turned out to be some cogs in her palm. They were performing a spinning movement, fueled by the raw Djed Jilitse was directing towards them. While Malia watched the little assembly, a soft smile crossed her features. That was the first time she ever saw magic!

The sight of the spinning wheels affirmated her plan to master that discipline. What would she be able to do if she commanded golems twice as big as living humans! They could be servants, soldiers, everything; there were so many possibilities …

However, Jilitse was right, if Malia wanted to learn about golems, she would have to find a true master and convince him to teach Animation to her. She nodded, the smile had already vanished. “I would be very grateful if you could introduce me to him.” Mashaen … She had read about him in books, had felt his story through words, but she was excited to eventually get to know him as a touchable real being. The first Nuit, the genius apprentice of Sagallius. Maybe her interest of Sagallius was even bigger than that for Zarik Mashaen, but for the time being she strived to receive training from the most skilled Animator she could get.

She waited, a bit puzzled by Jilitse calling her young. Then she realized that the other Nuit’s attitude was indeed that of a very old and experienced one. According to Malia’s sixth sense, she had to be twice as old as herself … approximately. Very interesting. “Then I was lucky to find you behind this door …”, she commented absentmindedly and waited for Jilitse to lead the way.

But eventually she gave in to the burning questions at her tongue. “Why did you volunteer to become a Nuit?” She herself had struggled to find a sense in eternity that stretched out in the future. Jilitse, however, was different in so many ways.

[Jilitse]

"Na-a-ah." Jilitse shook her head, "Not because I said I could introduce you to Mashaen, doesn't mean I will." Azola now felt the growing interest Jilitse was giving her(to the point of appearing friendly). "You said you needed to learn the basics. I hope you have noticed that I am already teaching you the basics. I'd be grateful if you leave me alone, but I am undecided whether I should let you go." She covered her mouth with her hand to hide a hallowed laugh.

Jilitse really wanted to send off Azola to Mashaen. However, since winter, Mashaen had been too preoccupied (he's probably only pretending to be) to teach Jilitse anything. Sometimes he pays her a short conversation, but if she even dared to ask for any form of help, he would seem too distant. It was a message: she needed to stand on her own. She didn't really like the idea of working independently, but it was becoming more and more common for Jilitse to start learning on her own, without anyone telling her to.

And besides, she could almost hear Mashaen's voice: "You can do it on your own." Can you teach me how to animate this rock? "You can do it on your own." Can you tell me where to find a book about golems? "You can do it on your own." Can you teach Azola animation? Jilitse had a nagging feeling - and not without good basis - that Mashaen's answer will be: "You can do it on your own." Of course she could send Azola alone to Mashaen, it was a matter of giving the right directions. But the Archwizard was still the Archwizard after all, and Jilitse didn't want Azola to have the notion that visitors can get free lessons from the Archwizard himself. No matter how pressing Azola's revenge must be, the other needed to fall in line and know her place.

The fact that Azola had given her a story - a lie as it was, she could logically surmise - means that the other nuit is honestly interested in learning the craft. Jilitse should know, she knew amusement when she saw it. Azola had both a need and a want to learn animation.

"I volunteered to join Sahova because I love Zarik Mashaen." The words tasted bland, she had not used that excuse in a very long while. "I am very grateful that Sagallius accepted me, since most of the wizards here were coerced or forced into joining. I have a personal oath to serve the archwizard to the best of my abilities." Azola may think that when Jilitse said archwizard, it did not necesssarily Zarik Mashaen, but for Jilitse there is no other archwizard than Mashaen. "So tell me, Azola, what do you know about magic?" Jilitse intended to continue with her lecture.

"The ritual circle you need," Jilitse pushed aside books and tools from the table, revealing two large circles inscribed on the wooden table top, one big as a plate which was connected to one big as a saucer, "would be one like this." She pointed to one circle. "This is the source." And then the other. "This is the destination."

"The linked circles allows you to copy the life principle of your source and create a simple artificial soul for your construct. Since you are a beginner you should only attempt to animate something small." Jilitse handed Azola a small toothed gear, big as a toenail. She took out a bigger gear and showed it to Azola. "That smaller gear was patterned after this one. Place yours on the smaller circle." Jilitse placed the bigger gear on the other circle. She reached out for two glass jars and covered both gears. "Animation does not necessarily work with anthropomorphic golems, you can copy the soul of anything. Monsters, machines... as long as you can make sure that it does not leave the ritual circle." She tapped the jar encasing the bigger gear. "If you are copying the soul from here, it must not go out of the circle. Most of the time wizards copy their own souls. They stand in the source circle, and place their constructs in the smaller circle, although this may result in unwanted emotional attachment to your creation. The animated object, too must not leave the ritual area or the spell will fail."

"If you fail," Jilitse stressed on this, her voice becoming grim, "you might corrupt the object's djed, rendering it unusable. Freak accidents do happen, especially if you are not useful. I have had one of these gears fly away out of the ritual area because of miscalculations, the other nuit was lucky to have morphed her hair quickly to repel the gear"

She turned back to the demonstration. "As the wizard you now have to sacrifice your own blood. One drop." Jilitse revealed one hand, unwrapping the bandages around it. It looked burnt in small areas. "Sometimes I cut myself, sometimes I use a syringe to pull out ichor. I singe myself to close the wound. I do additional embalming care for my hand." Azola would notice that Jilitse was 'clean' for a nuit, one with impeccable hygiene.

"Once you have made the sacrifice, you must concentrate and control the djed from the source to the destination." She murmured rotatlas, and both gears whirred inside the jars. "You first create the other object's soul. It is artificially controlled djed, and is quite easy to perform. For a beginner like you, it just takes focus and concentration. The soulcore or life principle - remember this - is the deepest part of the soul. It carries the sense of self. For the next phase you'll need to forge the soul and create the persona, the second layer of being. You will have to define your construct's memories and personality. Keep in mind that you are giving your construct a directive. A directive will be your construct's absolute law. Keep in mind that as a beginner you cannot imbue a complicated task. You may incorporate a sense of obedience, provide commands such as kill phrases." She called out "Pondt." The two gears whirred to slow until they stopped for a while. And then both continued to whirr. "Rozast." Both gears dropped.

"You have to make sure about your directives, and this requires good planning and logic. These gears know how to start rotating, pause for a while or stop completely. Very basic, simple, easy. I established that these are the three things they need to know."

"Then comes the hard part, the third layer of the soul. You need to teach the animated construct how to perform every single movement it needs to know. It takes a while for beginners." Jilitse made the hardest part sound too easy. A nod, "That's about it. Your construct had awakened."

"Now I do not intend to send you off with a lecture." Jilitse grinned. "I don't want to send you to the Archwizard just yet. I'll let you animate anything you want - as long as it is within your abilities. I'll guide you through the whole process. I'll even work by you side by side. Do you have an idea in mind?"

"Once you've proven you can learn animation, I'll introduce you to the archwizard."