Flashback Some seek companionship in books [Kel]

[Valo]

90th Spring 512AV Afternoon Wright Memorial Library Knowledge is a priceless commodity. Some men are willing to go as far as murder to obtain such a commodity. However when knowledge is written and published in a beautiful state of heard back and then placed in a library, that is when it becomes free for all. Just as priceless, yet so easily forgotten. Such is the fate of knowledge that has been recorded in literature. But books are perhaps among man's best friends, for books do not judge. Books know no racism nor hate nor greed. They are pure and love everyone who touches them, bestow their deepest secrets onto whoever opens them. Books are honesty on paper. Books are the very joy to educated eyes. These precise words weaved though the artist's hair as he proceeded to hover about sky high shelves, keen eyes skimming over book after book. Placed meticulousness, ordered and categorised. An abundance of knowledge in the most generous form. knowledge free for all. He had a habit of placing crafting his thoughts into a somewhat poetic manner. Or at least attempted to do so, for beautiful words led only to beautiful thought. And he had very much appreciation for beautiful word indeed. It was a sign of an educated mind and a rich imagination, both of which sprouted the prospects of good, interesting conversation and other such commodities. Perhaps pretty words had been just as important to him as content, for Valo was no poet, but he could indeed appreciate that of poetical nature. In all honesty, he longed for the Enclave back in the motherland, despite being well aware that the library of the Inarta was nothing comparing to that of Zeltiva. A mere speck of dust besides the great boulder of education that was the university. But the Enclave had it's specific charm. Rooms filled with memories of his childhood, when he used to sit and read for hours, sometimes even days - reading books in a language too complicated for his child's mind to comprehend, yet a prompt to learn yet more pretty long words. And perhaps those frivolous days of reading anything and everything were the development of his spoken language and the very elegance and flamboyance with which he carried him self. For Valo had been proud of his education and had the enclave to thank for thus. The Wright memorial library was all the more vast. An organised sea of knowledge into which he submerged him self every time he stepped past the doorway. Yet somehow detached and somehow so alien. There were no memories here, just blank space for new ones to be carved out. No residual hauntings of hushed conversations with his sisters and peaceful nights where he'd fall asleep, tucked somewhere in the corner of the never closing Enclave, only to be discovered the next morning an aching mess. Frivolous were the days of his childhood and sweet. And gentle were the velvet memories of his home city. Memories to which he often returned quite fondly. His slender fingers of alabaster traced the spines of the precious joules which were the books before him. Keep green eyes reading title after title, almost half expecting for one to simply jump out at his in a manifestation of the reality of fate. Yet no such even took place. And so with a degree of elegance he crouched down a little by the great book case, to ease the reading of titles lower down.

[Kel Ehmry]

Even as a recent graduate of the University of Zeltiva, Kel still found himself frequenting the Wright Memorial Library. It was always the same story every time he showed up too. There was always a plan to hopefully get some actual work done in the library's peaceful and academic atmosphere, that is to work on his cartography. But it always ended the same way, with Kel wandering up and down the halls of books and reading anything that caught his curious eye. This particular trip to the library started just as Kel had planned. With his tools ready in hand, he took an open seat and began to work. It was supposed to be a standard map of the city of Zeltiva. He started by outlining city boundaries, and then he began to fill in details. He outlined and labeled the main road heading into the city. He drew int he main streets and the side streets, and added all the notable buildings he could think of. By this time about a bell had passed and the inevitable distraction had finally come. Kel told himself he was just going to take a quick break, to let his hand rest. But Kel's curiosity was in control now, and that was a force that Kel found unbeatable. Kel found himself wandering through all the various categories and books. First he found himself browsing books that covered various magical arts, before moving onto a section containing books about anthropology. Half a bell passed, and Kel was now back into familiar waters, in the section that encompassed his beloved history. Kel looked up, down, and across, scanning the section for knowledge. Eventually he settled on a book about the history of Sunberth, a city that was supposedly full of criminals and anarchists. But why? Kel took his book back to the table and set it down. Before sitting down, he looked around, seeing if anyone re recognized was in the library. Noone. But there was a curious looking red haired fellow sitting near bye. An Inarta? If it is, well, you don't see that everyday... Kel thought to himself. Kel picked his book up and walked over to the table where the red haired man was sitting. "Hello, I hope you don't mind me sitting here" Kel said sociably as he held up his book.

[Valo]

His fingers had finally settled on yet another title about colour theory, a personal love of his. And though he doubted that the thick volume could possibly hold any knowledge new to his eyes - for he had studied many a book like this before and spent many a night bringing his knowledge to life on paper - but it was always a conscientious idea to refresh one's knowledge. And the book was bulky and the writing within it small and the language eloquent, no doubt it held a concentration of knowledge. A good enough pass time. Wasting little time to find the nearest table, he slumped a little in the chair and cracked open the lecture, reading from the middle rather than starting on the first page. But not a moment had passed when a curious young man, perhaps Valo's age, ripped him from that little world in his head. The threads of concentration unravelling fast and dissolving and at that was left was the surprised pair of deep green eyes that now stared back at the stranger. A profound animation within them that signalled perfectly his very astonishment, for Valo had not expected another soul to take notice of him. Though many eyes became fixed upon him the moment he stepped out of his cottage, none of them were bold enough to greet the youth in a way a gentleman should be greeted. After a brisk moment of self composition a warm crescent of a smile rolled into his features of alabaster and with a subtle gesture of his slender hand, Valo spoke. "Your company would be most welcome my good sir." Ant it was not a lie at all, for Zeltiva seemed to hold a gentle sensation of lonesomeness in all it's grace and magnificence. A sensation that Valo was indeed alone. His family and treasured friends he had left behind in search of knowledge, but the result was an unmatched loneliness of cold eyes of strangers that stared at his hair and did not see the man beneath. Company was indeed a gift from the gods and to be accepted and treasured at all times. The red haired artist's keen eyes observed his companion and absorbed all the quirks of hi's handsome appearance. Though his stare was of the warm kind, a connection that invited conversation, rather than the cold observation which he usually withheld when painting another. A manifestation that he was indeed looking at a person, not a subject or a form, yet his mind translated the information from his eyes in exactly the same way. For the very nature of Valo was to seek out the most beautiful parts of the person, whilst caring little for those not so perfect ones. The most striking feature of the stranger before him were his eyes, no doubt. Though this seemed the case with all humans that were not of Inarta blood. Then again back in Wind Reach everyone had hair of such exquisite colour, so perhaps eyes were indeed the most important feature. The eyes of amber, like precious gems they decorated the man's face and perhaps were a statement to the good looks he possessed beneath the shroud of unkemptness. A stubble and short brown hair. And his silhouette was also more athletic and masculine than that of Valo's though a slender man he was. "May I enquire as to whom I owe the pleasure of such fine company." asked the Inarta, a smooth warm voice and the never fading, well composed smile.

[Kel Ehmry]

"Oh, I am no sir. Just a simple scholar, I suppose" Kel laughed and took his seat across from the man sitting at the table. The man appeared to be your typical Inarta in the looks department, as he possessed bright and long red hair, as well as pale skin, traits typical to those from Wind Reach. But what is an Inarta doing so far from home, here in Zeltiva? Kel thought to himself. But why did anyone really come to Zeltiva? Kel could think of two reasons. One, they wanted to make their life on the seas, and what better place to do it than one of the major ports on the continent. Or two, they were seekers of knowledge, and the University of Zeltiva offered such pursuits. Kel figured it was the latter, as they were in the Wright Memorial Library after all. "Oh right, I'm Kel. I usually come here to try and get work done, but the amount of knowledge usually distracts me eventually" he laughed in response to the Inarta's question. "So, what about you?" Kel asked in follow up. Kel's eyes began to scan his surroundings when they happened upon the book that the Inarta was reading. The book was wide open and was filled with paragraphs upon paragraphs of fine print. Kel twisted his head in an effort to see if the title of the book was on the top of the page or on the binding, but there was no such luck. And unfortunately Kel's ability to read upside down text wasn't something that was very refined, so he struggled trying to deduce what this Inarta was reading about.

[Valo]

The man's modesty brought a soft crescent of a smile into Valo's features. A polite smile that welcomes his new companion warmly as he took his seat. And upon the introduction, his tone seemed light and friendly enough and so the Inarta became a reflection, also warm and friendly with just a degree of exotic elegance to everything he did. For a gentleman must always he elegant and polite, he thought as he in turn introduced him self. "My name is Valo and may I say it's a pleasure to meet you Kel." he smiled, bright eyes rooted into the companion. "I suppose it's the sheer prospects of perhaps learning something new that attracts a man like me to the library, for it's a place of both blissful peace and priceless knowledge." Valo spoke in a more poetic manner than his usual concise sentences. But it was the reflection of the book he was reading, for it was truly beautifully written. A volume in which each sentence was so meticulousness crafted that the sheer appearance of the letters on paper was a work of art in the eyes of the Inarta. Vast knowledge, though nothing veritably new to his own mind - for the fine writing talked about the relationship between harmonious colours and how those could be used to the full advantage of colour mixing. Such colour relationship is what his own artwork thrived upon, for it led to the formation of muted, grey tone colours with which he was indeed in love and so had done more than enough research in his prime - the lecture was a pleasure to read for the sheer eloquence of the language. "And may I ask what sort of work you do?" added Valo before realising the man had now cooked his head in an attempt to decipher what on earth he was reading. And a further smile illuminated his face as he admired Kel's inquisitiveness. A quality truly admirable in a scholar for that very quality was the cause of new knowledge to be discovered. A curiosity of a man is a great tool of improvement for the whole race to benefit from. "It's colour theory my friend." he chuckled after such observation was made. He wished he could have shown the man some diagrams perhaps of what he meant, some colour studies or anything of the sort, but the book was block writing with little but names of pigments to guide. a book comprehensible perhaps only by those who knew the basics. "Nothing terribly interesting."

[Kel Ehmry]

"A pleasure to meet you as well Valo" Kel nodded in agreement with Valo's assessment of places of knowledge such as the library. It was peaceful, even if Kel wasn't really ever at peace while in it. Yes, the atmosphere was quiet and tranquil, but Kel always became restless once he stepped foot in a place like the library. It was just his curiosity at work again, constantly searching for that new bit of knowledge or book to read. The amount of knowledge offered by the Wright Memorial Library was too immense for Kel to remain calm in its presence. Kel had practically given up on figuring out what book Valo was reading when the Inarta spoke up, indicating that the book was colour theory. Kel was slightly embarrassed that Valo had realized what Kel was doing, but still, a slight weight had been lifted now that he knew. "Colour theory eh? So I guess that makes you an artist of some sort? Painting? Drawing maybe? I'm not too well versed in the arts myself. To answer your question, right now I am working as a cartographer, trying to raise money to start travelling. Hopefully I can put the history I learned here at the university to use. I want to explore, discover the past I guess" Kel explained. He purposefully left out the bit where he made a bit of money from his ventures. Hopefully more than a bit. Knowledge and money...it sounded like the perfect life.

[Valo]

Valo listened with intent as the man spoke. A manifestation of passive curiosity in his eyes of emerald, observing Kel and taking in his every word. It was true that the lecture he was reading was also very interesting, yet the company remained more interesting still. A polite man, a cheerful man and it seemed a man of ambition which could only mean that Valo was bound to take an instant liking towards the character. "A painter." he smiled ever so politely and warmly. Of course he didn't yet regard him self as such, for in his eyes a true artist was an accomplished artist who's paintings adorned the walls of renowned city locations and homes of the elite. His paintings remained lurking in the shadows of his home. In Zeltiva he was no one, a man who foolishly lost all his money to a thieving prostitute and instead of enrolling at the university, loitered within it's library. Harsh was the reality of a sheltered child he was and despite his many travels, still remained on the inside, despite it being high time to finally grow up and make something of him self. If there was ever a phrase to truly describe Valo, it was simple; blind to his own faults. "Ah I see you have been a student at the university." noticed the Inarta. The book he held now lay aimlessly on the table, for the entirety of the artist's attention was focused solely on Kel now."I must applaud your ambition dear Kel, for not many people have what it takes to travel the world. Then again not many people possess such ambition." he leaned forward just a little, allowing his hands to gently articulate his words. " My personal days of travel have recently come to an abrupt end, but I tell you most solemnly; when you have the chance to see the world with your own eyes, don't ever let that chance go. Valo leaned back in his chair ever so slightly and took a moment to reflect upon the past couple years of his life. Involuntarily, it seemed, his slender fingers brushed the scarlet stray hairs from his forehead. A journey all the way from Wind Reach to Zeltiva, upon which he had witnessed so much and accomplished so many things. But that was al behind him now as he was slowly, very slowly, settling into his new life. The life of a soon to be wonderful artist, even if formal education was not to aid him in the goal, for if there was one truly prominent quality in Valo, that was his white hot determination.

[Kel Ehmry]

In the time speaking with Valo, Kel had taken note of one thing about that man, and that was how he spoke. There was a sort of eloquence to his speech, but not so much that no one would be able to decipher his words. Kel knew he had no such eloquence about him, despite his scholarly background. At heart he was rugged, an explorer, a pioneer. He was curious about the world around him, and wanted to unlock its mysteries. Sure there was some greed involved with the whole ordeal as well, but a mans gotta eat somehow. Kel nodded as Valo spoke of Kel's ambitions, "Aye, I guess its just who I am. Even as a kid I was always trying to explore beyond the town of Zeltiva, although my parents never really let me get very far" Kel laughed, remembering his past antics. "I just don't want to be hunkered down here when there is a whole continent to be explored and rich histories to be uncovered... ... And money to be made! Kel's words turned into thought briefly. "If you don't mind me asking, why is it you have ceased your travels? Maybe my desire to get out of here is so natural to me that I just don't understand those that don't have the same ambition, but I would like to hear it, if you'll tell it."

[Valo]

"Overprotective parenting seems a cruse on a young soul that I have never felt." replied Valo with a subtle smirk playing on his lips. It wasn't an arrogant smirk, or a cocky smirk; simply one in remembrance of what effectively was only the best of childhoods one could possibly wish for. "Me and a good friend of mine frequently strayed up into the mountains around Wind Reach in the pursuit of adventure. However my goal had always been education, rather than such adventure, which is precisely why now I am here." "If you don't mind me asking, why is it you have ceased your travels? Maybe my desire to get out of here is so natural to me that I just don't understand those that don't have the same ambition, but I would like to hear it, if you'll tell it." asked Kel and Valo could not prevent him self from smiling. Truth it was he had quickly grown fond of the man and his inquisitive nature, for such a man was a credit to this world. Among all others who feared to even step past their door frame, never mind the invisible door frame of their mind, he had lived past that door frame in spirit and that was worth admiring. For a moment Valo realised the truth behind Kel's words. He realised that truly the days of his travelling were behind him now and nothing but good memories lingered in their their place. And all the adventure of exploration was no longer for him. He too will grow comfortable soon, never to step foot past his own invisible door frame. He would live the rest of his life in familiarity of paint and canvas. Though perhaps this life that now unravelled before him was precisely what he had always wanted and needed. Of course little did Valo know of the terrible events which the future had in store for him. Events that would change his life - if such was the right term to use - forever. "The truth is, my dear Kel, that I have only just arrived. Barely half a season had passed since my travels ceased and I believe I have yet to explore the city in all it's entirety. for you see, to you Zeltiva is home, but to me it is a foreign land, an adventure."

[Kel Ehmry]

"Well, consider yourself lucky" Kel chuckled. In reality it was probably for the best that they didn't allow him to be too adventurous as a child. If Kel had it his was he could have easily been killed fairly easily on one of his planned journey's. At one point he managed to convince a few of his friends to go to Syliras with him, but that plan never came to be realized, and Kel's parents are surely grateful for that. In hindsight, the furthest Kel had ever been from Zeltiva was when he stowed away on a fishing boat and spent the day at sea. Yet another stunt that Kel's parents were not too thrilled with. But it was no wonder that Kel wanted to leave the city. Even when he reached the age where one typically went off into the world on his own, he stayed in Zeltiva and studied at the University. It was about damn time to get out of this damn place. He would kill to spend time on the mountains around Wind Reach, and for that, he envied Valo. Kel nodded, "Fair enough. Zeltiva isn't boring by any means, and you'll find if your adventure if you know where to look. It is nothing like Wind Reach, but you'll get around I'm sure. And I know I'll be drawn to this place again. Gotta keep reading...plus visiting the parents is always good too" he smirked. The Inarta seemed confident that Zeltiva was the place for him, and Kel sort of wondered if he had a place meant for him. Kel certainly didn't feel like anywhere specifically was for him. Rather he belonged on the road, constantly moving, constantly searching for treasures, answers, knowledge. But there was always a home in Zeltiva. "Well Valo, you seem to know where you are going, now if only I could figure out where I am going" Kel laughed.