Closed To know the beginning (Aoren)

[S'Essy]

AV 514, Summer 21st [The Scholar's forum]

It was a hot day just like any day in summer. Syna was shinging bright at the sky, giving warmth to the land. Everything was green. It started good for S'Essy. Zeltiva looked nice and lovely for her. And there was the ocean where she could swim if she wanted to. She was statisfied and she had a little time to get know the city in depth a bit more. A visit a place or two and if she is lucky, get know some people.

She was out the streets, walking slowly, looking around the places. Just like in Riverfall. She was seeking a place which could get her attention. Though she had an idea. She wanted to visit the University's library. She was curious what could she find there. So the direction was decided. She was heading towards the building but she changed her plan suddenly.

A forum was outside, a big forum with many people there, probably students. Being outside, talking and such, it was more interesting than the University. She was walking there, checking the big columns there. They looked a bit old, must be standing for ages. She liked the atmosphere of the whole place. After staring at the big columns she was heading to the center.

She noticed that a man was giving a speech while some people were sitting around him and was eagerly listening to what he said. S'Essy didn't hear it clearly and didn't bother to go there. Benches and chess tables. She never tried chess, she didn't know the rules. But she was not interested to learn it that day. She rather chose a bench to sit down.

She didn't see place like that anywhere else. She was wondering what could she learn here, what knowledge sharing she could get involved. She was looking at all the people. Turning her heads anywhere if she could join somewhere. Her head turned to a man and her eyes stopped there. An unusual feeling got into her as she looked at that man. She didn't see him clearly enough, but she already knew something about him. He was a Healer just like her.

[Aoren]

Aoren had a number of things on his mind. Zeltiva had opened for him a number of different avenues he had never expected to walk. As it stood he was presently in need of the relative peace of the Scholar’s Forum. At his side walked his ever present companion, the large black furred dog that had become his closest confidant. Isikai had grown considerably since Aoren had first purchased him in the Great Bazaar of Syliras. It amazed Aoren just how large the dog had grown. It wasn’t surprising to him given the rather active life the hound had lived thus far.

From the bottoms of his paws to the tips of his ears Isikai measured roughly thirty-three inches in height. He was already approaching the heavier side though it was a healthy weight as far as Aoren could tell. For the most part the Drykas man did his best to keep Isikai well fed, active and groomed. It had been interesting trying to find a way to bathe and manage the dog as he grew. Isikai was a fairly even tempered dog though he did have his mischievous streaks now and then. Aoren didn’t much mind. The dog had proven especially supportive during the storms that had passed the days prior.

As Aoren walked he suppressed the urge to smirk. A group of students walking his way parted giving him and his dog a wide berth. It was always mildly amusing to see people move out of the way. He didn’t keep Isikai on a leash. The animal keeper at the Bazaar had said he had been trained enough not to run off and while that wasn’t completely true, the dog had run off a couple of times since Aoren had been with him, it always turned out to be for a good reason. The most recent of which was leading Aoren to believe his canine companion almost had a sixth sense about things. He couldn’t prove it but Isikai was obviously a very intelligent breed.

“What do you think, boy?” Isikai quirked his head at Aoren. The dog blinked at him a few times before wetting his nose. He padded away from Aoren a few inches before circling around in the grass plopping down with a huff. Chuckling, Aoren shook his head.

“Meditate? I think that’s a good idea too.” As he moved to make himself comfortable he got the distinct feeling that he was being watched. The weight of eyes upon him made a strange feeling center itself on Aoren’s back. He shrugged his shoulders loosening the tightening of muscles he felt. Looking around his eyes came to rest on a young woman who was quite obviously staring at him. As he returned the stare several feelings passed through him.

Safe.

Kindred.

Same.

Unbidden he thought of the Goddess of Healing, Rak’keli and immediately he knew that the young woman he was staring at was also marked by the benevolent deity. He couldn’t explain how he knew it, he just did. The feeling made Aoren smile softly at her. Patting the side of his leg he motioned for Isikai to follow him as he walked up to her where she sat on a bench. The opalescent Gnosis mark would be quite visible on the right side of his face as he neared her. Her own mark, shining on her forehead, was visible to him almost immediately. When he was but a foot or so away he gave her a bow of his head and a slight bend of his waist.

“Good morning, friend.” Isikai took a few steps before coming to sit at Aoren’s right side. He lifted a hand running his fingers through the dog’s fur gently. Situated on the back of that hand was an equally magnificent mark of similar otherworldly and graceful appearance. A shimmering lily, the mark of Avalis, sister to Rak’keli.

[S'Essy]

The strange feeling was warm and pleasing, as he was also blessed by her... their goddess. The man also noticed her as she was awkwardly staring at him. He knew it as well, she was sure he did. He suprised her with his smile. For a moment she raised her eyebrows but then returned the smile at him. Maybe he could even read her mind because she wanted to go there to him, but he came first.

She also noticed that he had a dog. Was wondering if a bondmate but it didn't matter that much. They seemed to know each other well. The another suprise from him to call her friend. She couldn't lie, she already liked this man. "Good morning to you too, friend. It's always fun to see that I'm not the only one who is showing off Rak'keli's wonderful power." Was joking as she was staring at right side of his face. She was not the only one who was wearing the mark on her head.

Then as he patted his dog who was sitting next to him, her eyes wandered to his hand. She noticed another mark. It was a gnosis as well no doubt about it's divine look. It was a beautiful, shimmering lily. Avalis. Even Avalis blessed him. She looked back at him. How could she not like a man if Rak'keli and her sister favored him. She also looked at his appearance. "Blonde hair and blue eyes. Even Avalis marked you. Just a few scales and gills and you can call yourself the first male Konti who has ever lived." She said with a big smile on her face.

She slid to the right side of the bench. Giving him also place to sit down as with her left hand she gestured to join her. "If you are not busy, I would enjoy a company. Probably we can share each other a thing or two." She said. She was right to come to the forum instead. After all those terrible days when it was raining, it was nice to spend her time a bit outside.

[Aoren]

“Ha! Male Konti?” Aoren shook his head at the woman’s joke about his appearance and the relation of his Gnosis marks. Reaching out he swept away a few leaves and some debris as he took the seat she offered. Isikai padded up to the woman sniffing lightly before returning to Aoren’s side. He prodded the Drykas man’s hand with his nose. Aoren smirked raising that hand as the dog promptly lay his head in the man’s lap. Carding his fingers through Isikai’s fur he cast his gaze out over the forum observing those meandering about their business.

“I haven’t met many Konti though there are a number of them in Syliras, where I’m from.” Aoren thought quietly about the number of Konti that he had seen wandering Syliras. The most prominent of which was the advisor to the Grandmaster. Practically everyone in the city knew who she was. There were of course rumors that she was more than just an advisor to Loren Dyres. Whether they were true or not, Aoren couldn’t begrudge the two of them for their lives. What man or woman could refuse the company of another for sake of loneliness? It was something he understood as he’d spent practically his entire life alone.

“Do you come to the Scholar’s Forum often? It’s quickly becoming one of my favorite places to spend some leisure time.” He nodded to the professor lecturing in front of a group of students. “Every now and then you can stumble upon some very interesting conversations.”

“Are you a student here at the University?” He studied her for a moment. He took in the simple clothing and the slightly tired appearance. She looked as if she were just happy to be outside. He couldn’t blame her. The heavy rains that had rolled through over the past few days had forced many to stay indoors. The lack of sunshine, the dreary atmosphere and the flooding was enough to wear anyone thin. Aoren was perhaps a little tired in his appearance as well but for entirely different reasons. The rains had taken their toll on him. There was no getting around how they affected him. No, another matter weighed on his mind and had drawn out the restlessness brought on by the weather. His inspection couldn’t have been more than a few seconds before he turned his attention back to the general space of the Forum.

“I haven’t been here long but I have been amazed at all there is to learn here. I am firmly rooted in the belief that my decision to come to Zeltiva was a wise one.” Aoren left unsaid what it was that he was studying. From his appearance some would guess him to be studying the craft of being a sailor. Tall, broad shouldered, disciplined in body and manner, it would have been easy to assume he was suited for a life at sea. The truth of the matter was that Aoren had only ever seen ships from a distance and had only been on a small ferry or two in his life.

The sea was beautiful to him and perhaps one day he would take to it, but not now. Not many would guess that he was actually a student of the College of Djed and when he did reveal that it often changed how people interacted with him. He was content to leave that bit of information open to interpretation. Aoren would not lie if he were asked directly but he had learned quickly that it was sometimes wiser to let people draw their own conclusions. Isikai huffed looking from Aoren to the woman.

“Ah! Where are my manners?” He extended a hand to the Konti woman offering her a warm smile.

“Call me Aoren. This is Isikai.” The dog perked up slightly as his name was announced but otherwise remained quiet and observant.

[S'Essy]

"Didn't mean to offense you." Maybe her joke didn't go well as she thought, for a moment she turned her eyes somewhere else in embarrassment. But she gladly noticed that he accepted her invitation to join her. The dog suprised her a bit, but she was smiling at it as it was sniffing her then returned to the man.

She wanted to introduce herself but he took the initiate and started the conversation. She didn't mind, made her feel good that she wasn't the only who wanted to have a nice chat. She was even more interested when he said he was from Syliras. It was true, many Konti were there but Riverfall had many Konti as well. In every city she has ever been she saw Konti. "Yeah we are... everywhere. I came from Syliras myself."

Then she looked around the place again. Though many people were going away, the same amount of people were coming to the forum. Magnificent as it was. She was looking at the professor who he nodded to and was listening to him. It was tempting to join one of the group to learn something new. "I can't blame you, just by the very first sight you could tell that you will learn something here. And no, I'm not a student here, I came with a k--" She stopped for a moment.

"-- with somebody who is important to me." The konti didn't know why she didn't tell him that she came with a knight. She would trust him, but she wanted to be careful. His way of speaking about Zeltiva, his praising even made her want to stay more in the city and explore the places in more depths.

She looked back at him as he told his name and offered his hand with a smile."Nice to meet you Aoren, I'm S'Essy." She returned the smile and shook hands with him. For a tick she closed her eyes, preparing herself for any feeling if it would flow in her. But she didn't feel any bond. She let his hand and waved her hand at the dog. "Hello little fellow!" Her attention went back on Aoren. "So are you a student here? What are you learning in the University?"

[Aoren]

“You didn’t offend me. It is just the first time I have thought of it in that manner.” Aoren wasn’t a really self-conscious person. Not because he was overly confident in his appearance but simply because he didn’t put much thought into that aspect of himself. Sure, he bathed, he worked hard to keep up his skills as a combatant but with life as it was in broader Mizahar such things were more out of necessity than out of any form of avarice. He kept himself healthy because the only way to achieve the things he wanted to in this life was to be a healthy individual.

“You came from Syliras? I only left this past season. It took some time and quite a bit of saving to work up enough coin to afford the trip. I marvel at how these merchants can do it season after season.” Aoren thought on the caravan that he had accompanied during his trip this past Spring. It hadn’t been easy but it had been experience that had opened his eyes to the vastness of what lay beyond the walls of Syliras. He had always heard stories of the cities and some of the regions far beyond the Cobalt Mountains. It amazed him that he was living in one of those cities at that very moment.
Aoren caught the hitch in her words. He gave her a slight smile bowing his head. Beyond that simple gesture he brought no further attention to the matter. Whatever it was that she was hiding she could keep it to herself. He merely listened nodding in appropriate intervals.

“The pleasure is all mine, I’m sure.” He released her hand. Isikai perked up as S’Essy waved at him. The dog lifted his head then meandered over to the Konti giving her a sniff a few times before prodding her hand seeking attention. Aoren smirked shaking his head slightly. He was glad that Isikai was a relatively social dog. He would have hated to be forced to keep him away from people constantly.

“I am studying at the College of Djed. I found my knowledge lacking and it seemed an appropriate place to remedy that. A childhood mentor of mine was a student here himself some years ago. He always said that I might do well in these halls.” He chuckled shaking his head. Aoren closed his eyes briefly as he imagined the old man frowning down at him. Leoshan had been the man to teach him the basics of what he knew about magic. Aoren vowed to do the old man’s memory proud by excelling in his studies.

“I still have a great many things to learn and the more that I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know. It’s an odd feeling but I’m no less daunted by it.” He shrugged his shoulders before eyeing his canine companion. The dog seemed quite content to receive attention either from Aoren or S’Essy. His tail swished back and forth rhythmically.

“It looks to me like you’ve made a new friend.” Laughing softly Aoren leaned back in the bench. He winced slightly as his right leg stung. He hadn’t quite fully recovered from an incident a few days prior. It was something that still haunted him and only further cemented his uneasiness with storms. He was most definitely grateful that the sun was shining once more.

“If you don’t mind me asking?” He nodded to S’Essy’s forehead. “When were you visited by the Goddess?”

[S'Essy]

So Aoren wasn't in Zeltiva for a long time either, only came just spring. And he wasn't coming along either but with merchants. She was thinking about how they could do it, but probably the price must be really good for them. She was thinking how comfortable was for him the trip. For S'Essy she remembered the horse riding... How she disliked it, it was a very long trip for her. Not to mention being away from any sea, lake or ocean didn't help her either but they arrived at last.

As she released her hand his dog was already coming to sniff it. S'Essy looked down, gave a big smile and was patting the dog while she was listening to Aoren. Djed, something she didn't know much about it either, though she was practising shielding. She was thinking that she should read after about it to, might come handy. "I don't know much about that subject."

She nodded at his statement. It was even true for her, learning new things when you thought you knew everything about it. It was a strange feeling, shocking sometimes. Could be awkward, remember Tydus' telling her and proving how wrong she was about Laviku. That memory was embarassing for her, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and tried to forget it. "Yeah I can relate. I... often have that feeling." But also memories came when she first travelled to Syliras and was seeing how everything was so different from Mura.

She gave a chuckle, made a new friend. Another memory from her meeting with Tydus came to mind, but it was a pleasent one. Remember his Tavan, the little penguin. "It's always good to make new friends. So Isikai are we friend then?" She was paying her full attention the dog then. She was keeping patting his head. She didn't even notice when Aoren winced next to her. She only turned back to him when he was asking when Rak'keli visited her.

She stopped the patting, and placed her fingers on the mark. "I was born with it." She was a healer ever since her birth, she couldn't image her life without that mark. It made her what she was now. It was hard sometimes, but if she could just help someone's life, she knew it was worth it. But the hardest thing was to heal without judgement. "We, Konti are marked by either Avalis or Rak'keli at birth. We are Seers or Healers from the day we are born."

She leaned back as well. Her head was looking up at the sky, more memories came to mind. About Mura, about her family. She closed her eyes and was keep speaking."My mom and my grandmother are also Healers. Neither of us are really good Seers, Avalis must have seen that. But that's one of branch from the family tree... and I know nothing about the other one, but that's common among us." She openned her eyes and looked back at Aoren. More exactly staring at his Avalis' mark. "What is it like? What is it like having the sight? "

[Aoren]

At being lavished with so much attention Isikai seemed very content. He huffed laying his head in S’Essy’s lap nudging her gently. His tail swished back and forth. After a moment or two of simply basking in the Konti woman’s attention he lifted his head gently prodding her hand with his nose before padding back over to Aoren. The dog curled up at the man’s feet resting his head on the tops of Aoren’s boots. The Drykas man could only smile down at his companion.

Aoren listened to her explanation of how Rak’keli had marked her at birth. It was a concept he was familiar with. The mark of Avalis had been with him as far back as his earliest recollection. He couldn’t remember a time when he didn’t have it. He wondered what the elusive goddess was like. In truth he didn’t truly know all that much about her beyond her name and that she was the mother of the Konti race. He knew that she gifted her followers with the Sight and though it was a duty in and of itself there was much benefit in her gift. At S’Essy’s question he was quiet for a long while. So much so it seemed as if he wasn’t going to answer her at all.

“The Sight is a gift and it is a burden. With but my single mark I can look into the life of another living person. I can See who they were, where they came from, things they’ve done, people they’ve met and more.” Aoren thought on that. He recounted the lives he’d glimpsed. He recalled the things that being blessed with Avalis’s mark had enabled him to do. It was not always easy to find what he sometimes searched for but once he found it, it was truly a wonder to behold.

“When I use Divination, it is like a veil is lifted from my eyes. The world grows still…” Aoren’s eyes grew distant as he envisioned the realm where dwelled the Chavi. There were few words that could describe the immaculate beauty of the structures that, to him, were the divine threads that linked all people together. “…the winds become a gentle caress that dances across your skin and as the chaos of this mortal world falls away, you can feel it.”

Aoren folded his hands in his lap leaning forward. He didn’t seem to be staring at anything in particular. Indeed, he seemed to be looking beyond the here and now.

“All around you burst into life colors that make this world grey by comparison. Such marvelous structures the likes of which you’ve never seen nor can truly be described, spring up as far as the eye can see. You’re filled with a profound peace. More than that, you are lulled by it and if you wander long and far enough you will be lost to it forever. Everything is filled with a grand silence and in that silence you can hear the echoes of things that were, all streaming together.” Reaching over he gently ran his fingers over the Seer’s Lily on the back of his right hand.

“The Chavi sing the Song of Life and if you but listen, every question there ever was is answered in their divine lyrics.” He took a deep breath returning his gaze to S’Essy. He gave her a small smile and a tip of his head.

“That is what the Sight is. I imagine it only grows from there the closer one gets to Avalis.”

[S'Essy]

She was keep staring at the Lily on his hand. Avalis' mark, which she never understood. But now that she was thinking about it, she didn't know anything about Avalis at all. She didn't know about her nature, goals, nothing. Probably because she couldn't be bothered to learn more about her, as she was always Rak'keli's healer and she lived like that. Having Sight... that was something different.

She was listening how Aoren described his mark, his life as a Seer. She couldn't lie, she loved they way he explained. She could get a full insight about the mark and his connection. Everybit of it. And she listenned she indeed understood why Avalis didn't choose to mark her. It was too much a burden for S'Essy. Seeing things she might didn't want to. It was scary. She was amazed how could he handle it.

He could see the past with Divination. Most probably Avalis let him see the future when he gets more marks from her. She didn't know for sure. She also didn't know much about Chavi. But she didn't regret she didn't have it. She was chose to be a healer. She gave a nod back to Aoren and was smiling at him also. "Your explanation was amazing, I could understand the nature of your mark. And I'm amazed also by the fact that you can bear such a burden. I'm really afraid to have the gift of sight."

Neither of her family member had Avalis mark... not that she knew of. At least her mother and grandmother. Then she looked straight ahead, and her look was like somebody wasn't home. Her smile vanished. Her father. She knew nothing about him. And everytime she asked her mother, she refused to answer her any question about him.

Why didn't she think about that earlier? He could see the past, maybe through her past...She turned her gaze back to Aoren, she looked serious. "You know Rak'keli's oath, we must heal everyone who needs it. I don't know about Divination, but can I ask a favor?" She grabbed his hand which had the Lily's on it. "If you require payment, I pay but.. I could never know who was my father. Maybe it's silly but I want to know who he was. Through my past do you think you could see him? He was there probably when I was born and after it a little."

[Aoren]

“It can be a burden sometimes. There have been things I never wanted to see.” There was an unspoken sanctity about the privacy of a person’s life. Aoren wasn’t the kind of person to go snooping around in the past without sound reason. He knew quite well that sometimes there were secrets in the past that should simply remain thus, a secret.

“The gift of Sight is not something to fear. I haven’t met any other Seers myself but from the nature of the gift itself I can say it’s more something to be admired than feared.” He nodded as she mentioned the oath mandated by the goddess Rak’keli. He was to heal without bias to all those in need of the gift. That oath had yet to be tested with him. He wondered if there would come a time when it would be. He was a little taken aback when S’Essy grabbed his hand but he didn’t pull away. He listened to her request then considered it carefully.

As he thought on it he stared carefully into the woman’s eyes. He could see the earnest plea in them. There was a longing there that he was all too familiar with. Briefly he wondered something for a moment. What wounds existed beyond the physical? Did emotional wounds leave a mark as well? Acting on that curiosity he reached for his Djed pulling it to his eyes. With a blink he invoked the powers of Auristics to peer at S’Essy’s aura. He knew he wouldn’t be able to discern a great deal as the magic was still largely unfamiliar territory to him. Nonetheless he searched for something that might stand out to him as representing her emotional state concerning the subject of her father. After a few short moments he began to feel the strain of using the magic. He released his hold allowing his Djed to recede back into himself.

“I can help you. It will take some time and a bit of meditation but I can. I know what it means to search for one’s father.” It was a pain that Aoren knew all too well. He could relate to the ache brought on by the loss of family. The longing that came with wanting to know who they were, where they were and what they were like. He had only recently come into contact with a brother he’d never known he had. It had been a very…different experience. It was something he thought on often. He wanted to get to know the man as much as possible.

“I cannot promise that I will be able to find the answers you are seeking but I will try.” He took both of her hands in his own. With a deep breath he did his best to clear his mind of distracting thoughts.

“Focus on your earliest recollection. Clear your mind of all thoughts save those of your family, your father, that which you desire. It will make it easier as I search the Chavi for the memories you seek.”