[The Courtyard] Pulser to Pulser, We Stand (Thomas Cosa)

[Ialari Pythone]

Ialari leaned against the tombstone and listened as Thomas spoke. Casually, she ran the fingers of her metallic hand softly over the stone of the marker. As if out of instinct, her hand smoothed out any imperfections in the stone; flaws caused by lack of craftsmanship, attention or lack of care. As her fingers made contact with any of the small cracks, pits or blemishes, she smoothed them over as if they were nothing more than a few slight warps in the surface of a piece of wet clay. Although the smaller corrections would only be noticeable to one familiar with the mystical bond possessed by all isur, the larger cracks and damaged stone mending themselves at her touch would be blatantly obvious. All of this Ialari did without apparent intent all the while she regarding Thomas with her head slightly tilted to one side with her eye's narrowed slightly.

Her question about her parents thoughts of her however brought a slight raise to her eyebrow although her posture otherwise did not change. "My parents know not what I do here. I left home a few years ago. As far as they are concerned, I've gone off in search of lost and forgotten knowledge without a specific goal in mind. I could be dead for all they know. If they truly knew of the work I've done and the things I've accomplished since leaving home...Suffice to say, they'd be proud."

Ialari smiled at the thought of Mashean believing anyone to be an equal. While not looking down on pulsers quite as badly as most other nuit she had encountered during her time in Sahova, Mashean was still a nuit and no nuit considered a pulser their equal. The conversation was going pleasantly; a nice change of pace in the routine she otherwise endured while in the Citadel. She didn't want to ruin it with rudeness so she simply allowed her soft smile to slowly lighten and fade.

When Thomas' comments and line of questioning however shifted to Dira, Ialari decided to continue her bit of circling and pacing off the path, on the path, next to the path and back off the path again as she listened and then spoke in turn. "Living in Sahova has its challenges, I won't downplay such things. However, as far as Dira is concerned, I don't make a point of thrusting the Mark of Death in the faces of those who defy it. There are those who are aware of it and they offer an interesting blend of reactions. Some of the lesser corpses are scared out of their rotted meat bags and go out of their way to avoid me. Others try not to draw my attention while the older, more learned ones pretend to ignore me but are sure to keep an eye on me as it were. There are a handful who glare at me whether they think I notice or not. I can tell they would love to see me meet the Goddess on less favorable terms. As for the Goddess' view on nuit, I wouldn't presume to assume such things. I do know without any doubt that none can escape her forever. Death is inevitable." Ialari slowed almost to a stop when Thomas removed his glove and displayed his own mark. While Ialari recognized it's origin as having come from a divine being, she wasn't immediately familiar with the exact one. It wasn't until his final comment about seeing when Dira marked her that Ialari realized what goddess Thomas was marked by, the Seer.

It was that last question that brought Ialari to complete stop. The thought of this human trying to actually use some gift to see such a moment tickled the darker part of her for but a moment. For the briefest of moments, she considered what such a thing could do to a person who tried to see the things she saw at the time Dira had marked her. Ialari recalled Death mentioning that others could be driven insane by the things that she saw and even for her it would've been too much if not for Dira's embrace. "Let me put it like this, the last person who attempted to see such a moment was driven completely mad before being set upon by the twin Omen's of Death, Dira's Champions, and then taken by the Dark Lady to spend a few centuries as her plaything." Such was the truth of the matter at the same time hopefully a deterrent to Thomas to try such a thing without her permission. "Thus, while I do indeed understand a goddess' blessing, I would hope that you would also understand that some things are best if taken one step at a time." Ialari was struggling a bit with two different thoughts now, Either this human is craftier than he looks or I'm too damn paranoid. Either way, I need a little more stability with this encounter.

"So for that first step, would you be so kind as to join me for a walk? I was about to head back to my laboratory for some tea before tending to a bit of research. Perhaps you could tell me a bit more about Animation and in turn, I could show you little of what I'm working on." The thought of tea sounded good especially to her dry mouth. Trips to the Courtyard always seemed to have that effect.

[Thomas Cosa]

"Understood," Thomas replied, his eyes drifting to where the isur had stood just moments before, by the tombstone. "Can all of...your people do that? Manipulate the stone?" He asked aloud, avoiding the racial word. In truth, he couldn't remember if Ialari had pronounced her race as iSur or iZur or if it even made a difference. EIther way, Ialari's talent was one of impressive to say the least. The tombstone stood completely smoothed out, the other's around it paling in comparison.

The Isur race was definitely something Thomas would have to look into, he was sure there would be a book detailing the mountain dwelling peoples somewhere on this dying island. If not, perhaps he could always ask Ialari herself. The young mage would just simply have to find a way of asking without sounding completely ignorant of the world.

He would not have someone thinking him stupid. At least, not another pulser.

"Yes, I'd like that, I think," Thomas smiled politely. "Do you know much about animation? I would be happy to share information," he paused, a thinking look passing his face, "What is it you research, exactly?"

"Oh," Thomas said, remembering himself, "After you," he said, ready to follow the isur through the ancient halls of the undying.

[OOC=OOC] Ugh, short post. Sorry! [/OCC]

[Ialari Pythone]

Ialari looked over to the grave marker as Thomas asked her about it. In a tone that bordered on dismissing, Ialari answered, What? Oh, that, yes. All of us can, at least to some extent. Those with a closer bond to the Divine Father can shape stone, both worked and unworked. Metals, wood, stone, all can be altered though the extent depends on your standing with Izurdin." Ialari smiled at the mention of her Father's name.

Ialari waited for Thomas to follow as she started back to the lab. It was in the lower levels of the Gug Andjak and though not a long trek, it would give her some time to gather a little more information on the human that walked alongside. I know the basic theory around Animation. One crafts an artificial soul and attaches it to a body. My practical knowledge is more related to the opposite side of the coin as it were." Ialari considered Thomas' question about her research. "I've been studying the composition of the nuit as one of the most advanced examples of Animation available." Ialari led Thomas into the Gug Andjak and proceeded toward the lower levels, past the more commonly accessed areas and further into the depths.

"The nuit are effectively souls bound to corpses using soul vector as a sort of glue to keep it all together. They have no need for food, water or sleep. They feel pain as you and I do and if enough damage is brought upon their body resulting in the loss of soul vector, they will ultimately expire. They continue to rot as corpses though they are able to stall the process to an extent with various preservation methods. I've found that they are also resistant and even immune to most poisons." As she spoke, Ialari led Thomas to a corridor far removed from the more regularly used areas of the complex. Without any noticeable thought, she led him through a small yet confusing maze of hallways. She seemed to purposely choose a certain path while avoiding many others. From the looks of things, this area of the complex had not seen much if any activity in a very long time. Eventually Ialari stopped at a simple wooden door.

"My research, at least part of it, is meant to reveal the full potential of soul vector and perhaps find other uses for it as a regeant in magecrafting. By unraveling such secrets, I hope to perhaps design a device that would work to counteract or at least cover-up the decomposition of the unliving." Ialari pushed open the door to reveal darkness hampered only by a few dimly glowing coals of an almost dead fire resting in a hearth against one wall. Walking inside, it dawned on her that the human would not be able to see in such darkness. She turned to the wall to the right of the door. Retrieving a bit of flint and steel from a pouch around her waist, she used it to light a torch hanging on the wall.

Ialari gave an inviting motion to Thomas. Ialari's lab was relatively small. There was a slight partition that separated what looked to be a small sleeping area from the rest of the chamber. Decor was sparse with the sleeping area having a simple cot, a few shelves and a nightstand. On the shelves sat a number of jars and vials and a skull. The rest of the chamber held a couple of small tables baring a variety of jars, vials, bowls, beakers and dishes. The largest part of the chamber had four pairs of chains attached to the floor and ceiling. At the ends of the chains were odd looking binders. Two pairs of the chains were attached to what looked to be a corpse of a woman dressed in rags. A closer look would reveal that the woman was actually moving somewhat; a nuit chained to the floor and ceiling. She looked worse for wear with her borrowed body in obvious advancing stages of decomposition. The smell in the chamber was that of old, stale death with the source of it obvious. Laid out on the floor around the nuit were a collection of bowls apparently positioned to collect the thick white ichor that seeped and dripped from various wounds that covered her body.

Ialari seemingly ignore the nuit as she walked over the hearth and threw a small log onto the dying fire. She filled an iron pot with water from a nearby barrel and hung it above the log as it started to smoulder and eventually take a small flame. "How strong do you like your tea" Ialari asked with a glance over her shoulder to Thomas.

[Thomas Cosa]

"Strong, I suppose," Thomas shrugged, his eyes wondering around the isur's lab. The small lab was divided in two parts, a small sleeping area was arranged on the farther end of the lad. It was empty, as in most of Sahova, the only things kept were the neccesitites. A simple cotton cot, some shelves and a nightstand adorned the simple dormitory. Strange mixtures in various vials stood on the shelves, a single skull stood alone. The other chairs barred various clutter, but the other end of the Lab won a dark smile from Thomas.

Death stained the air, the ripe stank of a decomposing body stung at the young pulser's body. A body chained to the roof dangled hopelessly -- this explained the dark sense Thomas received from the isur's aura. Torture.

But it was a Nuit. So perhaps, it was better described as punishment.

"Fascinating," Thomas smiled, watching the undead twitch. He or she was close to Dira's grasp, the body almost completely decomposed. "Will it still die should the body decompose completely before the ichor drips out? Or would there still be a chance for a body change?" he asked, enthralled by Ialari's work.

He nodded, still eyeing the dying Nuit, "Yes, the Nuit would be the most advanced form of animation; besides the Supervisor. I can't say I know much of the daek-Nuit procedure, all I know is that it involves the displacement of a true soul, and it's replacement in a new body. A simple and effective attempt at everlasting life." Thomas paused, glancing back at Ialari, "How do you choose your...test subjects, if you don't mind me asking? Surely they aren't volunteers?"

Thomas nodded again, his enthusiam showing through his eyes, "I haven't considered the applications of Ichor outside of animation, but of course, there is where my expertise lies. It is interesting research -- are you proficent in magecraft?"

"But perhaps I should answer questions first, if I can, considering I am a guest in your lab," Thomas paused, considering, "Anything in particular I could help with?"

[Ialari Pythone]

Ialari worked on making the tea while Thomas glanced around the lab. When the human finally spoke again, Ialari looked up. She considered his questions for a moment and responded calmly, "From what I have noted thus far, the body rapidly decomposes as the ichor exits the body. As it is the glue that holds the entire thing together, once it loses its strength the body fails quickly. Whether or not the possibility of transferring hosts remains, I do not know. I have yet to allow a body change to one in such an advanced state of decay." When the water came to an appropriate boil, Ialari took the kettle from its spot in the hearth and poured the steaming water into a couple of simple clay cups. She then retrieved a few tea leaves from the pouch at her side and placed them in the cups to soak.

Ialari took a mental note of Thomas' comments regarding the procedure for creating a nuit before smiling at his question about the choice of test subjects. As she turned to Thomas and offered him one of the cups, she said with a dry chuckle, "No, they are not volunteers by any sense of the word. They've all angered Master Qiao at some point. Most of them, though not all, have already undergone interrogation elsewhere. The leftovers are given to me to see if I can bleed out any last remnants of information before they finally come to an end. I am allowed quite a bit of freedom to do as I wish with them. While my research is aimed at learning more about the nature of the nuit and their soul vector, my ultimate goal is a longstanding work in progress. A nice side effect to my work is that I am able to please Dira by sending to her souls who have attempted to escape her touch." Ialari stirred her tea with a metallic finger before pulling the soaked leaf from it. She then took a long sip from it and smiled at its warmth.

Ialari considered Thomas' offer to aid her in her research before answering his questions. "Indeed I have some knowledge of magecrafting. I am but a student still, though I hope to expand my talents. Ichor as you call it is like any other unusual ingredient in that it can serve as a regeant in magecrafting. It may add special properties to a crafted item that would otherwise not exist in the final product. For example, soul vector, or ichor, by itself in the absence of a soul and a body, is little more than a foul substance that reminds me of fluids produced from a bad infection. However, when used as a regeant in magecrafting, its association with the undead can provide all manner of properties related to that existence."

She took another sip of her tea before approaching the chained nuit. The decayed, dying creature before her had barely enough strength to lift its head to stare at her with dry, hate-filled eyes. To Thomas she said without looking away from the nuit, "There are but a few moments of "life" left in this thing. I am about to speed up the process. You claim you have a talent with unique sight. If you are able, look upon this thing as I end its existence and tell me what you see upon the moment of death. The knowledge will help me later in my experiments with its soul vector. You see, I have a theory that the soul vector of a nuit maintains some element of that specific nuit even after its final death. Knowing what happens to the creature's djed as it dies will tell me much about what I may be able to draw from the vector later on."

Ialari retrieved a dagger from her robes. Cup of tea in one hand, the dagger in the other, she brought the weapon to a point just above the nuit's chest and just below its throat. She slowly pierced the rotted flesh and with even less speed, began to pull the dagger down the length of the nuit's torso. The blade was not deep enough to cause immediate death but was far enough in to cause no small amount of pain and damage to the nuit's already failing body. Soul vector welled up around the wound as she created it and spilled down until it eventually fell mostly into the collected vessels at the nuit's feet. Ialari had a look of calm and peace on her face as she did this though the slightest of grins whispered across her face. At one point she looked to Thomas as if wondering what he saw and/or thought of the whole ordeal.

oocSO SORRY FOR THE DELAY!

[Thomas Cosa]

Thomas nodded politely as the isur spoke, gently taking the offered tea with a quick word of thanks.

"I will do my best," he answered, carefully placing the unpleasantly hot cup on the shelf, "I am not the most learned in Auristics, but I will tell you what I see," he said, meditating his breathing, the practiced ritual flaring his Djed. Slowly, bubbling, and rising, Thomas felt the power grow inside him, feeling his body expand, although there were no physical changes. Djed seeped, bleeding out from his aura, from his body.

"Focus...focus," Thomas thought, forcing his novice talent on the dying Nuit, an overwhelming scent of rot filling his nostrils.

He gasps soundlessly as the isur cut into the decaying flesh, a sharp feeling piercing his own body. Startled, the young mage glanced at his own stomach, surprised at the mimicked pain. Thomas quickly refocused himself, watching the Nuit with a renewed interest. Faded red marked the old body, old wombs unhealed -- or so Thomas assumed. A tortured Nuit couldn't heal after all, at least no without changing bodies.

Slowly, the rotting body dimmed as the it's soul dripped out in liquid.

A promised eternity cut short, reduced to a sickly puddle, Thomas auristic picking up a dimmed light, still brighter then the almost completely darkened body.

"There is...something," Thomas muttered, his thoughts distracted, his magic pushing him for more, urging to See more. "The body is empty, or more so, anyway. Whatever the ichor is, it WAS the body, the soul vector, I suppose," he blinked, his Auristic shutting off.

"So, your assumption was correct, I suppose," he smiled, his eyes still watching the now lifeless body. How easy the Nuits died, stripped of their magic. Their power.

Thomas grabbed his cup, chancing sips from the burning liquid. "And your longstanding work?" Thomas questioned, tone curious, "Would you consider elaborating? I would hate to point out my own ignorance on the subject, but my curiosity has won out over my better judgement. I know little of magecrafting, and these...," he paused, remembering the word Ialari had described, "regeants," he returned his gaze to the tortured Nuit, mind aflutter with ideas and assumptions to the uses of the undead's lifeforce.

"Do you ever get information out of them?" he asked, his gaze turing towards the isur, "Or are they too gone to speak by the time they reach you?"

[Ialari Pythone]

Ialari nodded after watching Thomas' reaction to what she imagined was his discipline of magical sight. She then looked back to the corpse before collecting the various bowls that held the spilled soul vector. She was already gaining a respectable supply of the substance. She glanced over again at Thomas as he began asking a few questions. She felt satisfied with how the human handled her treatment of the nuit. It was a good sign that at least this one was worthy of at least a small amount more respect than most.

Ialari sat the bowls down on a small table nearby and turned to face Thomas before walking back over to the now empty corpse. It was time to start harvesting any useable remains for further research and experimentation. "It is no secret that I find these things repulsive and even a little sad. While I do respect their desire to study and research, they defy death in the most terrible of ways. While I have more recently found such a thing even more distasteful than ever before, I can't help but see the possibilities inherent in the nuit themselves." Ialari began laying out a few other tools on a small stand a few feet from the corpse. There were a handful of large, iron nails, Ialari's dagger, a large bowl and a pair of iron tongs that looked more like a smiths tool than anything else.

"While my knowledge of magecrafting is still limited, I've a few theories regarding the nuit and soul vector. While their host body is little more than a shell, the soul vector which glues their soul to the corpse, has to change the body in some way in order for the whole process to work. The soul vector is able to slow, to some extent, the decomposition of the body and allows the soul to manipulate the body. When soul vector is lost in too great of quantity, the soul is no longer able to maintain its presence in the body. My theory is that the soul vector still holds something of an echo of the soul while the host body, changed by the presence of the soul vector, may contain other qualities useful in crafting. Ialari took her dagger in hand and knelt down next to the body. She brushed the dirty, knotted hair from the side of the corpses face with the blade of her dagger.

"So, my long-term research involves using the soul vector and various pieces and parts of a nuits host body in crafting an item that may provide numerous benefits enjoyed by the nuit minus the negative aspects. Now, that is not to say that I seek to create a better nuit. Far from it. Even in my relatively short time here I've seen and heard of those who wish to attempt such a fool's errand. If those who created the process in the first place were able to make it so that the nuit would not remain in a perpetual state of weakness and decay, things would be much different than they are now, don't you think? No, the items I am speaking of would provide one the ability to live without the need for food or water or sleep. They would not be effected by natural toxins or disease. I don't seek to prolong life for without death, life has little meaning. I do hope to be able to create a way to get more out of life using unlife while still recognizing the reality of death. I've made some progress in this pursuit though there is still so much left to do." Ialari was still new to the whole idea of dissection but she had a wealth of test subjects and a thirst for knowledge to drive her. She brought the blade of the dagger down to the corner of the corpse's mouth. She began slicing through the dead flesh, cutting from the corner of the mouth into the cheek. She then did the same to the other corner until she had greater access to examine the inside of the mouth. "They sometimes have information. Most have been so infected by Drainira's influence that they are barely more than puppets without their puppeteer. From time to time though, I get snippets. They usually lead to dead-ends or involve the destruction I already thwarted. To be honest, it's probably a pointless task, the interrogation and all. Anymore, I usually tell within the first minute or two whether or not I'm going to get anywhere with them. Most end up like this." Ialari motioned to the corpse next to her.

As Ialari peered into the corpse's mouth, she reached up and took a nail from the stand next to her. She used it to poke and prod. While she did, she asked Thomas, So, Thomas Cosa, what do the secrets of Animation hold for you? Do you hope to one day build a better nuit or are your aspirations a little more grounded in reality?" She didn't mean to sound judgmental, not deliberately. Ialari had high hopes for her own research yet realized there were still limits and possible unforeseen hurdles.

[Thomas Cosa]

Thomas nodded in silent agreement; the nuits were, by Thomas' own definition, repugnant. He found them abhorrent, and pathetically dependent creatures -- they needed to living to sustain themselves, after all. Still, like Ialari, the nuit, individually and independent from the general, of course, retained some admirable qualities. Thomas even respected some, the masters of Lab 15 and Mashean, for example.

Ialari's sudden movement distracted his own personal thoughts about the undead, and instead, Thomas watched as she moved to collect a variety of tools -- "Perhaps something to do with magecraft?" he wondered, watching curiously as the isur moved to the suddenly unoccupied body.

[i]Dissection[/].

Her theories about soulvector intrigued the young pulser -- immensely so. Still retaining his humanity, his life, and being able to continue on, without food, without sleep? Thomas could hardly contain himself at the thought; finally, he would be on par with the nuit. His own skill and talent would only double with the extra time, if not triple.

His excitement dimmed, however, at Ialari's next question.

"No," Thomas smiled awkwardly, trying not to be offended by the Isur's question; they were a supposedly proud people, or so he had heard. At least, with Ialari, that seemed to be true enough, and Thomas wasn't looking to offend the only being that had sparred him conversation since arriving to the Citadel.

Still, a condescending tone mixed with the very idea he would be willing to even consider helping the undead of Sahova chilled his tone; not quite noticeably, but enough to where much of his precious enthusiasm was reigned in.

"While the nuit is, without a doubt, the most well known application of animation, the daek-nuit process is not something I wish to improve on," He replied curtly, still observing her pull apart at the body's mouth. Thomas wondered just how much, if anything, Ialari could learn from the practice -- if anything, she might just have a sadistic humor.

"I however, plan to focus my studies on the soul," he paused, wetting his lips, "It is the basis of animation, any animation, after all. The template, the source, and in some cases, i.e., the nuit, the actual product. Animation, in essence, completely and totally replicates the soul," he gestured to himself, "The soul of the animator or the source, I should say, but anyway, I would perhaps like to see if it is at all possible to create a soul," he finished, allowing for the idea to sink in.

He had never really bothered to explain his own hopes and dreams before -- but to create a soul? That would be the pinnacle of animation. To truly create and give life to the lifeless.

Then, he would never die. History would always remember him as a genius, and his name would carry the same weight as Wokinus and Mashean.

"I know plenty of animation," he smiled, teasingly, "But perhaps it would be better if I show'd you?" he asked. Normally, the mage would have explained the process vaguely -- never enough for anyone to actually try anything; but Ialari seemed liked a good person to impress, and a possible contact. And if she ever succeeded at her goal? Creating something that would allow him to compete with the nuit?

He wanted to be in her good graces, and would do anything he needed to do to stay there.

OOCSORRY! This took me way to long; I'll be much faster in the future, I promise!

[Ialari Pythone]

Ialari used the nail to poke around a bit more inside the corpses mouth before using it finally to pry loose a number of teeth. The advanced stage of decomposition the body had suffered made it a bit easier to remove the teeth which he then dropped in a nearby dish. At his initial simple response to her question about his goal with the learning of Animation, she nodded slightly while continuing her work. The fact was that while she was examining the now fully-deceased nuit, she was more listening to the human speak and noting his reactions to her own words. Still, she continued to prod, pull, pry and poke the nail inside the open, decayed cavity.

When he finished, Ialari stood up from her crouching in front of the corpse. She laid her tools on the nearby bench and turned to face Thomas though her gaze was turned downward in thought. Mentally, she couldn't help but admit that the human may be, at least outwardly, more insightful than she may have been inclined to give him credit for. Bottled-up inside her, pushed, crammed, slapped, punched and violently forced into her was the many shards of the soul of another; a being of such evil, such power and force of will that Death herself was unable to claim him. Ialari's concept of the soul had from that point forward taken a rather complicated turn.

Her head raising to look at him, Ialari's dark eyes held little to no insight into what was going on in her mind. She did however offer a semblance of a smile before walking over to a small desk nearby where she took a quill, dipped it in ink and began to scrawl notes in her native language. As she did, she spoke softly to Thomas all the while reminding herself to have Shalla change the listening golem's recordings later.

Up until now, all of Ialari's words spoken to Thomas had a rather strong accent. While she spoke the common tongue of the humans and did so with some skill, she learned long ago that she had to speak slowly and deliberately else her accent would make her words unrecognizable. Her accent, when she tried to control it for conversation with non-isur, blunted her words and made her sound cold, sometimes harsh. Yet this time when she spoke, it was as if she spoke with two voices merged into one. Her accent was muted, her tone was soft and smooth. It was obvious that the topic of the soul touched something important to her. "The creation of a soul...a lofty ideal to be certain. All around us there are constructs given the illusion of a true soul, the golems. You though wish to go further...soul of the animator for a template. A different form of immortality then?" Ialari paused in her notes and laid the quill down. She turned to Thomas and slowly lifted her flesh hand. She looked at her palm while softly rubbing it with the fingers of her metallic hand, the scythe etched into her skin obvious even in the somewhat dimly lit chamber.

Her eyes moved from the mark to meet Thomas' gaze. "I've had a few unique dealings with the nature of souls. They are immensely complicated and unfathomably powerful. I recently encountered a soul, far from here, that had through severe overgiving, split itself into numerous pieces. Each piece was an incomplete copy of every other one. I agreed to a deal of sorts where, in return for what I wanted, the fractured souls would use my body, my soul, to be remade whole once more." Ialari paused for a moment to contain her thoughts and feelings on the matter, her struggle noticeable from her momentary change in posture. Quickly though she then continued. "While now is not the time for excruciating detail regarding the experience, I can tell you that if you truly plan to create a soul, I would hope you take great caution and care in your studies. The soul is...potent and holds the potential for great danger, at least from what my own experiences have enlightened me of."

When Thomas mentioned his knowledge of animation and then offered to show her, Ialari's mood noticeably lightened. "Honestly, Thomas Cosa, I would be quite pleased if you'd show me what you can do. My time in this place is taxing on every part of me and something to change things up a bit is quite welcomed." While a part of her enjoyed the wealth of knowledge and resources to be had in Sahova, there was another part that yearned for the time she would return to the Retreat. This human though, as much as she despised admitting it, was a refreshing change to her routine. It was at a time like this she almost liked the fact that she could no longer feel the impenetrable hatred for his kind.

[Thomas Cosa]

"Not immortality, no," Thomas answered quickly, meeting the Isur's gaze as she looked up from her marked hand. "Or, perhaps, but not in the way, I think you understand me," he paused, considering his word choice very carefully. He had not meant to offend Ialari, in fact, he had hoped to impress her with his ambition, but it was obvious by her change of attitude he had not.

"I do not wish to prolong my own life, nor do I wish to create some sort of forever creature, at least, not in the same sense of the nuit. I wish to create something, to truly give life to something that would and will outlive it's physical shell," Thomas sighed, chewing on his bottom lip thoughtfully, knowing very well the wrong word or phrasing could steal away Ialari's trust - if he had even earned that much. "Animation can project life, or create a cheapen trick of it. True, the greatest among them can inspire something so close to actual life, but it never truly lives -- at least, not like we do. From my understanding, which is very limited, I confess," Thomas paused again, "Our soul is our eternity. It passes from life to life, unchanging, but always born anew. Anything I create, to even a Supervisor, should I ever be skilled enough, will die once it loses it's physical shell. I want the things I create to live, and to continue living into the next life. I do not wish them to fear death as a final ending."

Thomas nodded, smiling, "I would be happy to show you. Please, follow me," he pushed open the door to the dreary lab, motioning for the isur to follow. He quickly ledd them through the labyrinth of the upper levels of the caverns, burning lamps and glowling arrows pointing them to Lab 15. Reaching the giant entrance to the doors, Thomas signaled at Ialari, "And he we are!"

And then the doors opened, revealing one of the busiest labs in all of Sahova. Pulsers and nuit alike colaborating on various golems, the sounds of metal on metal vibrating throughout the air. 'So, what do you want to see first?"