Completed Ceira's Story (Ceira)

[Tsaba]

39th Summer, 513 AV The mysterious undead wizard sat menacingly in one shadowy corner of the bar. Although Tsaba never really thought of herself as a wizard. She was a scribe, who had the advantage of a few magical talents. And if she was mysterious, it was only because nobody was interested enough to ask her about herself. As for menacing... well, her various stitched wounds, paralysed finger, and the vague smell of decay that might create that impression were a little embarrassing, but something she had not yet found the time to rectify. The corner, which she had chosen for the relative quiet and lack of drunken louts, became rather less shadowy when she lit a candle and set it in front of her, close enough to clearly see the parchment that she was laying out but far enough not to spill wax upon it. Tsaba set up her ink and quill. She also checked on the food she'd brought; two pounds of smoked venison, securely wrapped in her pack, and one pound of cheese. She'd forgotten how much people normally ate, and thus had erred on the side of having too much, but she didn't want to bring it out until her companion arrived, lest somebody else in the bar decide that they wanted some. She ordered a kelp beer to justify her presence, and waited. bought1 lb cheese (2SM); 2lb smoked venison (5GM); 1 mug kelp beer (5SM)

[Ceira Everwood]

39th Day of Summer, 513 AV Well, I guess I'm back here again. Brilliant. Ceira was wearing proper attire today for her meeting with Tsaba, unlike yesterday where her clothing was... lacking. Her wavy hair was let out loosely, as per usual, though she tucked it in behind her ears instead, not wanting it to hang in her face as usual. She was standing outside the door to the Kelp Bar, the rust and tarnish hadn't changed since she last saw it, still covering the edges of the sign and the wooden panelling. It was the afternoon and the day's activities were just starting to wind down, but in a few hours she expected the nightly hustle and bustle to start up once more. Pushing the door open, Ceira walked quickly inside, trying not to be seen by the bartender. No one paid much attention to her - beside the odd glance here and there - which was quite a difference to last time. Well, this is a nice change... Where's Tsaba? Remembering her real reason for being here, she paused mid-stride and surveyed the room. She spotted a person with her back turned to her, with almost white-blonde hair. That looks like Tsaba's hair colour... There she is! Ceira strode up to the figure, eager to sit down and start this 'interview' or whatever Tsaba wanted. She placed a hand of the person's shoulder, before speaking to her. "Hey Tsa-- Oh. I'm sorry!" Mortified, she backed away, having walked up to the wrong person; a long, blonde-haired sailor with a plaited beard and a mug of Kelp Beer in his had. Well, thats definitely not Tsaba. Where is this girl? Is she late? Ceira looked around again, thinking she may have missed something - and she had. In the far back corner, where the deepest shadows that lined the small space were being shooed away by a small candle, was Tsaba. Oh, and is that food I see? Well, she kept her promise. With a grin, Ceira now marched up to the small table at the back, glad to have finally found who she was looking for. "Well, aren't I happy to see you? I was starting to feel a little silly out there." With another small smile, Ceira sat down opposite Tsaba, her back facing back towards the room. She doubted anyone would recognise her from a couple of nights ago, but it would be better for her anyway. She extended a hand in greeting towards the Nuit and as she did so, she managed to see the items placed on the table. An ink pot, some writing utensils and parchment as well, though there was also some food off to the side. Ceira smelt some sort of meat and cheese, which made her perk up ever so slightly. It seems like Tsaba was serious about this whole interview thing then. She decided to get the pleasantries out of the way. "So, how've you been since I last saw you Tsaba? Hopefully not being chased by angry animals out in the mountains, I hope?" Ceira didn't bother to hide her small smirk of amusement when she said this, she was just joking around of course.

[Tsaba]

"No, I try to limit my being terrorised by predators to less than once a week," Tsaba responded. "It wouldn't do to get addicted." She laid out the meat and cheese and brought her kelp beer to her lips, taking only the tiniest sip that barely wet the tip of her tongue. Even if the had been inclined to drink the stuff, the lack of a stomach rather severely limited her ability to swallow anything. That was something that she was going to have to take note of, for her next body. Keep a stomach, if only to temporarily ingest things for social reasons. Might also make a good storage compartment. "And how have you been, Ceira? Getting hit by sling bullets very much? I see you found the bar okay." She leaned forward, picking up her quill. "Why don't we start with travel? You're a wandered, an explorer. Why do you like moving about so much?"

[Ceira Everwood]

39th Day of Summer, 513 AV Ceira let out a small chuckle at Tsaba's response, it seemed as if the Nuit had somewhat caught onto her sarcastic ways, dealing back the humour she presented the woman with. Watching as the girl drank from a Mug of Kelp Beer, she unvolantarily shuddered, remembering once more the first time she drank alcohol. Never again will I drink alcohol. Never. Again. Its poison! "And how have you been, Ceira? Getting hit by sling bullets very much? I see you found the bar okay." This time, Ceira just grinned and nodded, before replying herself. "I've been fine, though there seems to be a severe lack of crazy Nuits that try to practice with the sling at night... So no, I haven't been hit with any bullets as of late." Her smile widened as she continued, enjoying the light banter. "I've been here before, so it wasn't that hard to find my way here again. Besides - all you have to do is smell where the Kelp is and it will lead you straight here." Saying this, Ceira watched Tsaba start to ready herself, so she nibbled on a small piece of cheese. "Why don't we start with travel? You're a wandered, an explorer. Why do you like moving about so much?" Well, from Ceira's point of view, this was a very complex question. There were multiple motives that made her become a wanderer, a nomad of sorts. The reasons had changed over time of course, but still a faint tinge of the original lingering fear resided deep within her. It was this train of thoughts that led her to answer Tsaba in a more... Free way. She didn't want to shed too much light on herself or her past, for fear of bringing unwanted memories to the surface, but she also wanted to stick to the truth as close as possible, for her own sake and that of Tsaba's. "Well, Travel, eh? First things first is the bond us Kelvics have. I don't think you can quite understand it, heck, I don't even understand it! But its this... Um... Pull? Yeah, let's go with pull." Ceira was starting to get a little confused herself, having never described the exactly feeling she got from it and also being that she didn't know much about it. "My mum once tried to explain that its like a magnet, it is trying to attract you to something - someone - but you don't know anything else besides that. Its a very special... Erm, feeling, that tugs at me and drives me to look and search..." She smiled ruefully, knowing that she wasn't doing a very good job as explaining. She wasn't good at... Sharing her thoughts or anything like that. She was more of a 'do' person, one that would rather show a person than talk to them about it. Though, it didn't stop her from trying to put her thoughts into words. "Its like you have a big fat X marked on a blank map. But you have no direction, no clues - nothing. Just a gut instinct that you have to go to the X. So thats why I travel from place to place, in hopes that I can find that X." Ceira was satisfied that she had tried to communicate her idea to the best of her ability, so she moved on to the other reason for why she loved to travel. "When I left home, I had no idea what to do, so I just started walking. I saw different sights everyday that developed a craving to explore within me. That made me want to go, well, everywhere. It was a tall order, but I want to experience new places, thrills... I want to see different sights and landscapes, to learn about different cultures and, for lack of a better word, odd things that I can only experience through my travels." Ceira frowned, trying to think of anything else to add. "To be brutally honest, I think I'm searching for that something that will make me stay."

[Tsaba]

"There is a real shortage of crazy Nuits in the area," Tsaba sighed. "I've been trying to address the lack, but alas, I am but one. And the kelp is certainly quite a distinctive smell, isn't it? It must be even worse for you, with your nasal sensitivity." She wrote down everything Ceira said, word for word, in reply to her questions, trying to preserve the woman's mood and tone in the script. The answer certainly wasn't what she'd expected. She'd only asked the question as a warm-up, to get the two on the same page with their mutual love of discovery and exploration. "I've never heard of this... bond," Tsaba admitted. "You're describing some kind of wanderlust? That your mother had, as well? What are you searching for?" The rest of Ceira's explanation... that made more sense. Tsaba understood the drive to learn, to seek. It was her lifeline. Without it, she had nothing to live for. And when a Nuit had nothing to live for... I'm searching for something that will make me stay. Tsaba had to smile at that. What stationary life could compete with the open road, for somebody like that? She must've seen so many things... as somebody just beginning her own journey, Tsaba wanted to hear about as many of them as possible. "You seem to be travelling alone. That can't possibly be safe. Why don't you travel with traders, or something?"

[Ceira Everwood]

39th Day of Summer, 513 AV Ceira reached for more food, but this time she picked up a slice of meat instead of the cheese. Scrutinising it fore barely a moment, she popped it into her mouth and grabbed another. Oh... I think this tastes like rabbit, no, its slightly different... Ah! Stuff it! Whatever it is, I like it. Scoffing down another tidbit, she watched Tsaba write, her quill gliding across the page quickly and efficiently in neat strokes. She nodded in regards to Tsaba's statement about her nose, not wanting to talk with her mouth full - she had been raised better than that and tried to be on her best behaviour in polite company. Indeed, most smells were amplified for her, though the green gunk that was the Kelp Beer smelt worse than most. "I've never heard of this... bond. You're describing some kind of wanderlust? That your mother had, as well? What are you searching for?" Mulling this over with a piece of cheese, Ceira actually thought deeply about how she actually felt about the bond. "Well, its not a wanderlust exactly, more like a deep desire to search for someone. Its a part of every Kelvic's nature, or so i've been told. I'm not sure about other Kelvics, but I travel in order to further my searches. My mother did as well, so maybe I got that from her. Its my own personal search and I have taken it upon myself to look for this 'someone,' even though I have no idea who it is. It could be anyone, anyone at all!" Ceira bit her lip as she tried to keep the faint sense of insecurity that pooled deep within her, she didn't know how long it would take to form a bond, heck, she didn't even know what creating a bond felt like! "Its just... Confusing and very, very complicated." I swear all of this is giving me a headache... "You seem to be travelling alone. That can't possibly be safe. Why don't you travel with traders, or something?" Ceira shook her head, deciding to focus on this question instead. She didn't want to worry herself with 'what-ifs' and just create a hole within herself, so she answered Tsaba with the best of her ability. "Right now I am travelling alone, but sometimes I actually do hitchhike or join up with others I see on the road. Occasionally they are suspicious, but I can sometimes hunt a few animals for them in return for their company and shelter." She paused to grab another small slither of meat and to lean against the wall of the tavern. It seemed like this interview would take a while, so she wanted to be as comfortable as possible. "But I like to travel alone sometimes, I can even go as far to say that I prefer it, however lonesome it may be." Shrugging, Ceira continued. "Its mainly because I only have to look out for myself, I don't have to constantly watch another person and make sure they are ok as well. It may seem odd, but it is easier to hide one person than a group if trouble arises. Besides, I'm not the best at looking out for others anyway, so I don't want to let anyone else get hurt because I end up doing something stupid."

[Tsaba]

So the 'bond' was a Kelvic thing. Good to know. Tsaba quickly wrote down everything she was told, and resolved to research it further in the library. That might help to explain why Arvan had come into the city and to the university, despite not seeming to be inclined towards scholarship. Not for the first time, Tsaba wondered if he underwent the Daek-Nuit too early. She strongly suspected that she'd have an easier time understanding what the Kelvic meant if she'd experienced more of the emotional tumble of being human when she had the chance. It sounded somewhat like love. Tsaba had been in love a couple of times... well, a crush. She imagined they were similar. But it was hard to reach eighteen without experiencing such attachment. The way the Bond was described, though, it sounded long-term and immalleable. Probably more like love, then; she'd seen love, in the grief of those left behind holding the hands of their dead loved ones. She'd had a sister, and she'd felt... Well. That wasn't relevant. Tsaba didn't entirely understand the desire to be alone; she'd felt it before, and it had been self-destructive. Interacting with others, keeping them and their needs in mind, was part of what kept her anchored to the world. "Surely," she said thoughtfully, "if you find somebody for this... bond... you would need to keep them and their safety in mind all the time?"

[Ceira Everwood]

39th Day of Summer, 513 AV "Surely, if you find somebody for this... bond... you would need to keep them and their safety in mind all the time?" Another stab of worry shot through Ceira at Tsaba's question. How can I answer this? Am I allowed to pass? A scowl replaced Ceira's worried look, it wasn't directed towards Tsaba, but rather towards herself for her own incompetence. She wasn't used to thinking too deep about some subjects, though this was somewhat forcing her to delve into some tender memories. Her mind wandered towards a girl, who looked almost exactly like Ceira herself. Though her face was much, much younger, similar to how she would've looked a year or so ago. Niia... Blinking hard and shaking her head slightly, Ceira pushed any thoughts surrounding that name - of that girl - out of her head. No, do not think about her-- Forget. Just forget about it. She repeated these words for around a chime, over and over again in her head, running through them like a mantra, though they lost meaning soon after. Glancing back towards Tsaba, she realised the Nuit was probably still waiting for a response. What to say... What to say... Whilst pondering this, another image of the young girl floated through Ceira's mind, but this time the girl was glaring at her, her hands flung out on either side of her as she stood in front of a small boy, protecting him. No! No, no, no! A chilling ripple of nausea swept through her as she tried to stop the horrible recollection there, she succeeded, but barely. She had never thought back to that day and she wasn't going to start now - some things were better left unopened. Ceira then shot Tsaba an apologetic look, as if already regretting what she was going to say. "Can I pass this question? I... Can't really say anything about this - I've never experienced the bond myself - but I suspect they would be very protective." Stopping there, she decided to say no more. Her whole demeanour had changed from confused, yet bubbly, to a more tight-lipped, cold and closed off person. She just wanted to move on, from all of this talk of bonds and bondmates. "Can we move on? Whats the next question?"

[Tsaba]

Despite her curiosity, Tsaba shrugged dismissively. She had agreed not to record information that Ceira didn't want to share, after all. Perhaps she could find a Kelvic who had experienced the Bond, and asked them. It sounded like a bit of a cheat, really. Most people had to work quite hard to maintain a connection with somebody else. But she wasn't there to learn the details of Kelvic psychology. Her interests were broader than that. Tsaba wanted to know about the world. She wanted to see Syliras, see the entirety of civilisation, through the eyes of the population. Through eyes that weren't dead and already drifting from it. She dipped her quill in her inkpot, and carefully considered her next question. What did she want from this woman? What could she tell her that the library couldn't? "Where is your favourite place that you've been? And why? Did anything interesting happen there?"

[Ceira Everwood]

39th Day of Summer, 513 AV Ceira felt bad at failing to answer the question previously, but that feeling soon melted away when Tsaba just disregarded it. She didn't know if that was a good or a bad thing, or whether the Nuit was angry at her for passing the question. Heck, she was just glad that they were off that topic in general - she didn't want to revisit any other unwanted... Well, anything. She didn't want to think about anything else concerning bonds, her past or why she started travelling. Which is why she was relieved when Tsaba continued with another question. "Where is your favourite place that you've been? And why? Did anything interesting happen there?" "Well, isn't this a bit of a tricky question, eh?" Ceira thought back to all the places she has been - Ravok, Nyka and now she was in Zeltiva... There were alot of choices. "Well, all the places I've been to has had their specialities, Nyka has these bridges that span over this huge crack under the city, Ravok has the canals and rivers... The lake is beautiful too! Zeltiva - well, you know what Zeltiva's like!" Ceira sighed, reminiscing about the cities. "But." Ceira allowed a faint smirk to adorn her face, having finally decided on an answer. "My favourite place would have to be the Wildlands. Sure, they're dangerous - in more ways than one - but I've seen so many things that a city just doesn't have. There's a rugged beauty about the Wildlands that you don't see anywhere else, you see both fauna and flora that are amazing and deadly at the same time, its almost mesmerising! That's why its favourite place, because it's constantly changing and so different to any city, its untamed." She sighed, before continuing on. "Alot of interesting things can happen in the Wildlands as well though. Both bad and good, though mainly bad." As Ceira said this, her back tingled slightly. She had a large scar that ran jagged from the nape of her neck to the below her left shoulder blade, though it had faded to a light pink or white now. "I have a nasty scar on my back, I'd show it to you but I doubt anyone here would appreciate me taking my top off." Ceira gave a lighthearted chuck and rolled her eyes. "When I was travelling at night... I think, I was attacked by something. It was dark, I couldn't quite see it, heck, I was more worried about trying to get away than what it looked like! It came from above, it was some flying beast. I was too focused on my own hunt for a mouse to realise that I myself was being hunted." Ceira frowned, she didn't quite remember much from that night, only brief flashes after the monster appeared, ones that involved her running and hiding, using her long legs in advantage. "It sliced me on my back with something sharp, maybe with its talons. I travel in my Maned form, its easier. I was lucky that night, since I hunt in my other form as well. I... I don't know what happened exactly, but I ran, I lost it somehow... in some craggy and rocky area." Her brow furrowed once more in concentration. "I kept running though, limping more like it because of the gash, blood covered my back and only when I started to see the sunrise did I even think of slowing down. If it had hit me a couple of inches higher, I wouldn't be talking to you today."