“Little Sparrow Lost in Wind” (Solo)

[Vaas]

Time stamp: Spring, day 63, 512AV, 11:30pm
Location: Cave near the Underground Forest

After a long tiring day at work, rock moving wasn't on Vaas' agenda for the night. He didn't have to move them, however, it took him a half an hour navigating fifteen feet through this forest of debris. Now thoroughly pissed off at the the army of inanimate objects blocking his way, he strikes back at them with a swift kick. Unfortunately, the kick hit its intended target a large chuck of column that fell from the nearby wall. With a yelp, blinding pain shoots through his foot and brings him to his knees. He sits there holding his foot until the pain subsides and just becomes a dull throbbing pain. Swearing at his stupidity, he grabs his staff and uses it to help him stand. The throbbing intensifies, but it seems to be bearable. He sits there leaning on his staff a moment. Once he is ready. he rolls up his sleeves and gets to work, but this time he uses his staff figure out what rocks to move. Tapping around the edge of the column he limps pass the it to a section of the hallway that is littered with much more manageable sized debris. “I really wish Wind Dancer would come, but he hates it down here,“ he says to himself and thinks of his best friend, his pet hawk. Since no ones around to think he is crazy, he says out loud to the darkness, “It's Wind Dancers loss anyways, there is plenty of space to fly where I am going.”

He likes this hallway because it tends to be quieter and peaceful than halls and near the surface of the city that are normally bustling with activity of the day. However, since the quake, the city is in ruins, and all he can hear is crying and the smell of dust. Here in this isolated hallway, he was alone to himself in the darkness and his thoughts. The darkness didn't bother him since he is blind, but in this head, he pictured the hallway lined with torches or what he thought torches were supposed to look like. When he was a child, he annoyed the teachers at nausea at the descriptions of rather mundane objects like torches or forks, and but colors were a utter mystery to him. The answers to those description of color were utterly confusing. Darkness he understood. It was absolute and unrelenting enveloping force that dominated his life. However, Vaas being a privately spiritual man sought comfort in his faith, so in his heart, the goddess Priskil always seem send him something the grasp onto in the darkness. In this darkness a sound, feeling, taste, or a smell seem to be his torches the goddess sends to him to understand this world around him.

Slowing moving the debris from his path, Vaas continues along moving rocks to the side of the walls. He feels a film of fine textured ash now covers his hands, and the cool and damp air as changed slightly from before the earthquake. Now the air in the hallway feels warm, humid, and slightly burns his nostrils. He quickens his pace down the hallway not knowing if the air will kill him; however, he still continues moving the rocks out the way. His heart start to quicken and says out loud with a trembling voice, “Priskil, I know your out there somewhere, but I really need a sign or something right now. Tell you what if you send me a sign. I will sing you a song in your honor..” The darkness responds to his pleas with nothing. “Fine, don't talk to me. I see how it is..” Vaas says to the darkness with a laugh jokingly, and he continues on down hall a singing a song Priskil along the way. After a while the air starts to return back to normal, and the burning sensation fades away as time passes.

Hours pass and the pathway down the hall is finally cleared. He can hear the rushing sound of a underground stream down the hall. When his staff hits a wall, he turns abruptly to his left and starts down the hall. He starts and tapping the along the side of the wall until he hits nothing but air. He turns toward the emptiness and taps the floor to the wall. He notices the stones are slightly raised since the stones must have gave way years ago. He steps over the stones and comes into a vast emptiness. All he can hear is the rushing of a slow moving stream in the short distance. He smiles and takes a deep breath of fresh air. Feeling the stone is cover by something much softer(moss), he takes of his shoes and feels the wetness of dew on the grassy surface. He starts walking noticing floor slightly slants down ward towards the rushing water. During his decent to sound of the stream, he feels on his bare shoulder a cool draft of night air drifting down from the ceiling, and he can hear the activity of bats ascending to where the draft is originating. Finally, his staff hits rock and he stops. Vaas gently lays his backpack and boots down on the ground and walks to the edge of the rock. He bends down and washes his hands in the stream. He notices it slightly warmer than usual, but pays no mind. The warm water feels good after a long day work.

While he is washing his face, he remembers how he got to this place. It was by total accident he found the cave. One day before the quake, he decided after work to just wander the city before the quake. It was cold and snowy that night, and Wind Dancer wanted to stay at home and sulk because snow. The bird always got in a biting kind of mood when it snowed or rained. Vaas enjoyed walking because the snow felt nice on his face. When the wind picked up, he decided it would be better go inside the inner warrens. He was walking down the inner warrens listening to sounds of the city. He went deeper in city losing himself in the sounds of the warrens, and forgetting which way he had gone. He heard dripping of water, laughter, a occasional argument or two. He smiled to himself thinking even down here this city is alive. Suddenly he heard a girl crying. He walked over to crying girl and heard her shivering. He kneel down next to her and notices the smell of sweat like she hadn't bathed in weeks. Thinking to himself she must be a Dek. “Hi, you don't have to say your name, but I am Vaas.” He says to the crying girl, and I am new here to the warrens and well.. I am lost.” He laughs at his stupidity and situation. She looks up at him and stops crying. “I heard you crying and figure you were cold, so here take these scarves. I can always buy more,“ He gives her a warm smile in her direction. The girl still silent smiled at him. Not really sure why he said it at the time, “Just remember, it will get better if it doesn't what is this life worth living?” He takes the scarf from around his neck, reaches into his backpack, and finds his cotton scarf. He holds them out to her until she takes the scarves. “Oh wait! Here take his this too,” He says excitedly and reaches into his backpack and pulls out five gold pinions and places at the ground next to her. He forgot what she said when he left, but it made him smile. Eventually, his journey made him even more lost. Until he finally made it to the room with the stream. He decided to stay in the room until he heard any sign of life. Two days passed until he was finally heard someone. He called for help and two Dek men helped him get back to the surface. They told him if you ever want to come back to this cave take the short cut to the hall with the columns. He followed their advice and came back every other week.

After he finishes washing up, he feels around for his backpack and retrieves his flute case. He opens the case, takes out flute and the cleaning rag, and gently uses the rag to clean the inside of the instrument. After he is finished cleaning it. He puts the rag back in the case. He stands up letting the cold air drift down on him. Knowing he needs to warm up the instrument, he brings the flute horizontally to his face, and blows forcefully into it for a couple of minutes. After he feels the instrument starting to warmup, he starts playing a series of random notes occasionally screwing up either the blowing or fingering on each note. Vaas stops playing, takes a deep breath, and tries to remember what he learned in Duvin Kakiv's music lessons about flute notes. He smiles thinking about the fond memories of Master Kakiv, and how he paid special attention teaching Vaas music as a child. Vaas personally believes Durin wanted a challenge in teaching a blind boy, but Vaas was pretty sure he didn't want to see him end up as a Dek. Durin must of known the mountain would have claimed him quickly. Vaas thanks everyday Priskil for giving him the opportunity to meet Duvin Kakiv. Vaas says out loud to the darkness, “This song is for all of you Wind Dancer, Master Kakiv, and my beloved Goddess Priskil.” The old song he played was called, “Little Sparrow Lost in Wind” a Inarta children song sung and preformed in the nurseries. Nobody was here to judge him and he played as good as he can manage occasionally hearing the same squeaks and missed notes, but it was relatively decent, but that wasn't good enough for Vaas, so he practiced the song over and over until he was satisfied with the entirety for the song. Vaas also learned from Master Kakiv that acoustics can help even worst played song sound somewhat tolerable, and Vaas, coming here for weeks now, finds this cave a most wonder place for practicing his music and sing.

After cleaning and putting his flute away, he crawls over the stream and scopes out some water with his hands. Refreshed, he stands up, takes a deep breath, and starts his singing warm ups for ten minutes till his feels his voice is ready. He starts singing the old Inarta children song,“Little Sparrow Lost in Wind” a sad song about a little sparrow caught in a Djed Storm. The little sparrow is being tossed and thrown by the great winds never hitting ground. The sparrow prays up to the gods to let it die, but all the sparrow hears is booming voice of Zulrav in a series of flashes of lightning and thunder. The sparrow closes its eyes waiting to die, but feels it is gently embraced by light and carried to the center of the storm. When the sparrow opens his eyes, the wind has calmed, but it could see the raging storm circling for miles around sparrow and a human woman radiant white robes. The woman brings it to her lips and kisses gently, and in that kiss, it finds new found strength to fly in the storm. The woman lets it go and floats away and she vanishes. Leaving the bird alone in the eye of the storm.

Vaas stops the song with a tears in his eyes and the feeling of sadness and loneliness that suddenly filled his heart. He wipes his tears from his eyes and frowns at disappointment at the pitch and stumbling on a few verses during his singing. He continues practicing singing that song until he is satisfied it is right, hours pass.

[Vaas]

Hearing the morning songs of the birds, Vaas decides to stop singing with a smile. He walks to the sound stream and kneels down next to it. He cups his hands together, dips them in the water, and takes a drink of the refreshing cool water. He lays back on the moss and takes a quick nap before heading home.
“Sorry to bother you sir, but I want to give you back your scarves.” a young woman says hesitantly from somewhere in the cave.
Startled at realization he is not alone, Vaas bolts up and fumbles around for his staff. He says quickly to the woman still grabbing for his staff: “State your name, please.”
He hears her footsteps come towards him, and he quickens his search. She picks something up and says to him: “Here your staff sir. I mean you no harm.” She watches him fumble around his backpack still looking for his staff. She is surprised he doesn't notices her standing five feet away from her holding his staff. She kneels down to get a closer look at the young man noticing his eyes are a milky green. She takes his still searching hand in hers. She feels him tense up, so she places the staff in his hand. She smiles when she notices him relax and says politely: “My name is Miri, sir... may I ask you your name?”
Vaas feels her soft hand and the familiar feel of his staff as she places in his hand. He sits back on the ground slightly embarrassed by his actions.
“My name is Vaas,” he says to her, still holding to his staff tightly. “Sorry you caught me off guard there.”
Miri sits back on the moss next to him and smiles at him.
“It's OK. I should 've made my presence known hours ago, but I thought you saw me. I was sitting about twenty feet away listening to you preform. By the way, you have a wonderful voice.”
Vaas turns red and nervously scratches the back of his head at her comment.
“Personally, I think I sound like dying seal,”he says modestly with a laugh. “But thank you for the comment anyways, Miri.” Vaas wasn't quite sure what a seal looks like, but he overheard a Endal hunter mimicking the sound of something called a seal, and it sounded pretty awful.

Miri laughs at his seal joke and suddenly realizes he is blind.
“By the way, I remember the song you sang from school. It was one of my favorites as a child.”
Vaas smiles and nods.
“Honestly, right now all I know is children songs. Hopefully when my voice sounds less like a seal, I will be able to sing in the quire at Inclement Weather, and finally learn some more adult songs. Honestly, I hope to become a bard someday and bring my music to all of Mizahar. I just need to convince Master Duvin Kakiv to teach me the guitar, so I can sing and play my music at the same time.”
Miri listens and smiles sadly at Vaas. She admires his drive to better himself regardless of his blindness. She on the other hand, will live rest of her life scrubbing pots for some Endal lord.
“Anyway, I wanted to return your scarves. If you haven't given them to me that night, I would have frozen to death. You don't know how much they meant to me. Thank you.”
“I told you, Miri. I can always buy more. Keep them. Besides I already replaced them.”
He lied about replacing the scarves. He could barely pay rent last month and he had little extra funds lately to feed Wind Dancer. Besides, he could tell by the sound of her voice that she needs them more than he does.
Miri chokes up and says through her tears: “Thank you Vaas. I will always remember this kindness.” She stands up wipes her tears away and smiles down at him. “Will you need help getting out of the Underground Forest?”
Vaas turns his head to the sound of the stream.“So that is where I am,” he says with a laugh. I thought this place was my little secret sanctuary. Oh well.”
Vaas stands up, brushes himself off, and picks up his backpack.
“Sure, it would probably be safer. I wouldn't want to take the wrong turn and fall off the mountain.”
Miri takes his arm and leads Vaas through the maze of stalactites and stalagmites. She describes to him about how the fungus and plants glow a eerie green on the wall and ceiling of the cave, and that is the only reason she can see at all in the dark cave. Vaas listens to her and notices she smells of freshly cut flowers. Eventually they make it to the inner warrens and Vaas can once again hear the sounds of other Inarta around them.
Miri smiles at Vaas, lets go of his arm, and says to him: “If you go the way you're facing, this hallway will lead you to the Courtyard of the Sky. If you go the way we came from it will lead you down to the Underground Forest.”
Vaas turns to the sound of her voice and says:“I think I can manage from here Miri. Thank you for your help.”
Miri walks over to him and kisses him on the cheek.
“I will never forget you Vaas. Goodbye.”
Vaas stands there listening to Miri walk away, and he quietly says blessing for the young Dek woman.
“May Priskil guide your steps through the darkness, Miri.”
Listening to the sounds of his people and the birds singing to the morning sun, Vaas smiles to himself and turns heads to the Courtyard of the Sky.

[Phoenix]

Vaas

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Land Navigation	4
Investigation	5
Flute	3
Singing	3

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Appreciating the solitude of the Underground Forest
•	Kicking stones hurts
•	Companionship with Darkness
•	Compassion
•	Song: Little Sparrow Lost in Wind

The Order of the Phoenix

Great job, Vaas! I like the originality of your thread! If I had any kind of advice to give, it would be to break up your paragraphs a little more. Big chunks of text are hard to read. But that's not even a big deal! I think this was a great read and I'm excited to read more from you!

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can figure it out.