Glad that the awkwardness of the evening appeared to have excused itself from the bath, Jabari listened to the string of questions Rayage presented. After a chime of consideration, he responded."No, I haven't found the understanding I seek from those words, but I will take a riddle over nothing at all."
He thought back to The Crystal Cavern and the task Avalis set before him. She didn't have to reveal herself to the pleading youth, and yet she did. Jabari loved her for that, and would take whatever the once Otani queen was able to offer, no matter the obscurity. "For now, I will put one foot in front of the other until the truth finally reveals itself. And then, I will go home."
If he had been told to wait until the end of the world to return, Jabari would have accepted the answer and found somewhere to pass the days until then. Such sentiment showed on his face as the Chaser of Dreams continued. "Knowledge seems to be the key; knowledge of what I'm not sure. But while I try to work that out, I'll learn everything that I can about all that I can."
Another handful of ticks passed before he spoke again. "Do I seek out the darkness? I have honestly never given that option any thought." It was a sincere reply. After his fate had been revealed to a younger Jabari, the matter was rarely addressed. The years that followed were spent returning to the bliss of innocence. Gabrielle had seen to that. "I don't know what I would do if I did. I am no wizard, nor warrior, nor wise priest." What would he do if he came face to face with his fate? Contemplation was interrupted as Rayage spoke again.
Cute? The adopted son of The White Isle blushed at the word. "It's true, I have been sheltered. I didn't fully grasp just how much until I left Mura, but here I am and I'll have to learn to adapt as best I can." He made note of the advice given to be careful what he shared with strangers, while wondering what Rayge would do to keep him from harm. It wasn't disbelief, far from it. The slender daughters of Avalis had always been able to care for themselves and there was no reason the woman in front of him couldn't do the same. No, this was more of a curiosity that had been present ever since the dark haired figure arrived.
A curiosity that continued when the conversation turned towards his tattoo. Jabari reached to touch the Gnosis Mark, looking down at the stylized Seer's Lily inscribed on his side. Perhaps it was his conscious thought of the mark, perhaps it was his inquisitive nature towards the green eyed woman, or the act of touching the single blossom against his ribs... but the vision found him there, dark brown eyes gone pale in the moment.
A man, gaunt of frame and rotting of flesh, stood looking himself over in a full length mirror. Only, it wasn't his reflection shown, but that of Rayage. As he leaned forward to look over the dark bags beneath his eyes, so too did Rayage move closer, though with no such blemish under the eyes of her own pleasant complexion. Each movement that he made, so too did she. They both turned to look at Jabari and he returned to the present.
"I... should go." Confusion mixed with fear as amber danced with shades of pink along the teenager's irises. "It's g-getting late." Jabari did his best to appear calm despite the concern in his voice, heading towards the edge of the pool and retrieving his towel. With little to no regard for virtue, he made his way out of it's waters and awkwardly wrapped the towel around his waist, feet already moving towards the changing rooms.
Whether it was a deeply ingrained sense of courtesy or the lingering affects of hypnotism, none could say. But he stopped long enough to turn and face Rayage one last time, bowing slightly while murmuring. "Thank you for the pleasure of your company this evening."
He thought back to The Crystal Cavern and the task Avalis set before him. She didn't have to reveal herself to the pleading youth, and yet she did. Jabari loved her for that, and would take whatever the once Otani queen was able to offer, no matter the obscurity. "For now, I will put one foot in front of the other until the truth finally reveals itself. And then, I will go home."
If he had been told to wait until the end of the world to return, Jabari would have accepted the answer and found somewhere to pass the days until then. Such sentiment showed on his face as the Chaser of Dreams continued. "Knowledge seems to be the key; knowledge of what I'm not sure. But while I try to work that out, I'll learn everything that I can about all that I can."
Another handful of ticks passed before he spoke again. "Do I seek out the darkness? I have honestly never given that option any thought." It was a sincere reply. After his fate had been revealed to a younger Jabari, the matter was rarely addressed. The years that followed were spent returning to the bliss of innocence. Gabrielle had seen to that. "I don't know what I would do if I did. I am no wizard, nor warrior, nor wise priest." What would he do if he came face to face with his fate? Contemplation was interrupted as Rayage spoke again.
Cute? The adopted son of The White Isle blushed at the word. "It's true, I have been sheltered. I didn't fully grasp just how much until I left Mura, but here I am and I'll have to learn to adapt as best I can." He made note of the advice given to be careful what he shared with strangers, while wondering what Rayge would do to keep him from harm. It wasn't disbelief, far from it. The slender daughters of Avalis had always been able to care for themselves and there was no reason the woman in front of him couldn't do the same. No, this was more of a curiosity that had been present ever since the dark haired figure arrived.
A curiosity that continued when the conversation turned towards his tattoo. Jabari reached to touch the Gnosis Mark, looking down at the stylized Seer's Lily inscribed on his side. Perhaps it was his conscious thought of the mark, perhaps it was his inquisitive nature towards the green eyed woman, or the act of touching the single blossom against his ribs... but the vision found him there, dark brown eyes gone pale in the moment.
A man, gaunt of frame and rotting of flesh, stood looking himself over in a full length mirror. Only, it wasn't his reflection shown, but that of Rayage. As he leaned forward to look over the dark bags beneath his eyes, so too did Rayage move closer, though with no such blemish under the eyes of her own pleasant complexion. Each movement that he made, so too did she. They both turned to look at Jabari and he returned to the present.
"I... should go." Confusion mixed with fear as amber danced with shades of pink along the teenager's irises. "It's g-getting late." Jabari did his best to appear calm despite the concern in his voice, heading towards the edge of the pool and retrieving his towel. With little to no regard for virtue, he made his way out of it's waters and awkwardly wrapped the towel around his waist, feet already moving towards the changing rooms.
Whether it was a deeply ingrained sense of courtesy or the lingering affects of hypnotism, none could say. But he stopped long enough to turn and face Rayage one last time, bowing slightly while murmuring. "Thank you for the pleasure of your company this evening."
