[Medical Library] Chapter 1: A fateful meeting (Open)

[Kiska]

Noon of the 1st Day of Fall of the year 510 AV

The glare of the sun was faint, even for mid day. The clouds were a thick cover overhead, though not of an ominous sort. One could see blue patches behind the pure white veil, and a thin mist lingered around the feet of all that walked below. Kiska found herself staring up at the Opal Temple. He eye was fixed on a certain section of the temple, the north tower. This was where she had been told that she would find the famed library of Mura. She smiled to herself as she walked to small path that led into the library itself. Though this was not her purpose for coming to Mura in the first place, she was more than excited about unearthing all the treasures the library had to offer. She pushed the door to the library open, the smell of variously aged papers and books wafting out to greet her. This was her kind of place, filled with row after row of books neatly organized on shelves. She knew what she would find here, texts of medicines and herbs of varied uses, maybe some other texts of some other type thrown in here and there. The library was thick with silence, though that was not an uncomfortable setting for Kiska. Looking around, Kiska could see many Konti, young and old, scattered about the library, nose deep in their books. Few others of different races were in the library today, though the Konti didn't seem to take notice of them. Kiska was dressed plainly today in a maroon dress. She had opted not to wear her headscarf today. As always she wore her leather sandals, she never went without them. Kiska made her way to the shelves of books quietly, running her fingers lightly over the spines of the books. Books were a precious thing to her, they were the keepers of knowledge and of memory, of time and of eternity. This place was a sacred place in her eyes. She slid a book from it's position on the shelf and looked at it more closely. 'Herbalism,' she thought to herself, reading the name of the book, 'I could do to know a bit more about that, my plant knowledge is too limited.' She would often hold conversations with herself mentally, having had no others to talk to for quite some time. She sat in the nearest seat she could find and opened the book to the first page. She immediately became emersed in the book, searching its contents for any knowledge she could draw from it. The library took no notice of the small Benshiran woman, studying away in it's depths, hours could pass this way, just her and the book. The Konti around her would come and go and do as they please, but the small Benshiran woman would take no notice of the library around her, unless directly disturbed. This was her sanctuary, the only place she truely felt safe in.

[Ero]

After many minutes of fruitless searching, Ero finally asked for directions. The Konti she asked directed her to a large building. Ero stood outside, almost reluctant to go in. She had heard that it was one of the largest libraries in Mizahar, but she hadn't realized it was a Medical library. She was certain that there would be almost no information for her in this place. "Well, I already made the trip, might as well go inside." She thought to herself. As she stepped inside, a noticeable hush fell over her. The press of such a vast amount of knowledge lay over the whole building as if it had been submerged in the ocean. Everyone was doing their best to be quiet, dispite the fact that it felt like the bookshelves would swallow any sound she made. As Ero stood in the entryway, she realized she was starting to draw stares. She had heard of other Akontak in Mizahar, but had never met one herself, and imagined that the people here would also not have had such an experience. She was of rare blood, not just Akalak and Konti, but also something more. Ero quickly became uncomfortable with being stared at, and strode over to the nearest booksshelf. After a quick glance, she picked simply grabbed a book at random and carried it over to a table where only a small benshiran woman sat. The woman seemed fully engrossed in the book, so Ero took the time to calm herself. As she did, she realized the book she had grabbed was about herbalism. "What good is herbalism to me?" she murmured to herself. She sat back and rested her head against the back of the chair. This place got under her skin for some reason. Best to sit here and rest a little bit, then set off and find something else to do. She had heard mention of some sort of Suvai Pavillion where Konti went to train with their racial weapons. Maybe Ero could show them a thing or two.

[Kiska]

"What good is herbalism to me?" She heard the words spoken from the lips of a pale green woman who had come to sit next to her. He hair was the finest silver Kiska had ever seen. An Akontak, she had heard of them. There were few in the world, and she had never met one. She was interested, yet tried not to show it too much. "Herbalism is being able to use your enviroment to serve you. Herbs can be made into medicines, spices, drinks, aromas, and all kinds of useful things. I hear some can even make you stronger." She said, eyeing the muscles of the Akontak from the corner of her eye. No doubt she had trained with the Akalak at some point. She continued reading. She had gotten some training from some medicine men from her home village, but most of what she read now was new to her. They had taught her simple uses and names of common herbs. This book was like a treasure chest to her. "There are other books here I'm told, if you're not interested in herbalism. Maybe a history of the Konti healers would suit you better?" She said this in as even of a tone as she could manage, trying not to sound too eager to talk to one of the rare Akontaks. This was only the third hour she had been in the city, an already she was beginning to love it. Any place that held libraries as vast as this or exotic green skinned women was definitely a place worth her time. Thinking about it though, this Akontak seemed less than enthusiastic about the library she sat in. If one were uninterested in books, why would they be here?

[Ero]

"Right, well, I'm no herbalist, and wouldn't know the first thing about herbs, nor do I have any desire to learn about them. I am actually looking for the history section, but I don't know where to start looking." Ero confessed to the small woman. With a little concentration she was able to get a general feel for the benshiran's aura, without doing anything overt. The chords she heard sounded benevolent enough. "I guess a friend would be useful here, I'm pretty much completely lost in here," she thought to herself. "I am Ero, from Riverfall. I'm here to find any connection between the Akalaks and the Konti." she said, feeling a little silly. She sounded a little like one of those Knights she had met once on her travels. All very prim and proper. She closed the book before her and moved over closer to the other woman. "To be honest, I have never been in a library like this before; the biggest library I've ever seen only took up the wall of one room in my uncle's house." Ero said. "and who are you?"

[Kiska]

Kiska's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. 'The Akalak and Konti? What kind of connection could there be between them? They're as completely opposite as any two races could get, and except for the Akontak like her, there's really nothing to connect them,' she thought to herself. "My name is Kiska, I come from a small village near Yahebah in the Eyktol deserts," she generally wouldn't tell someone so much information about herself upon first meeting them, but this girl had trusted her openly with her name and origins. She didn't seem like much for false politeness or subtlety in conversation though. "Herbalism is more or less...a hobby, for me. Or at least it's not what I do as far as a profession goes." Kiska closed her book and stood up, putting it back where she had taken it from. If there was one thing that could distract her from something, it was searching for things. "Most libraries are organized by what type of books they have. This one has primarily medical books, but any others would still be categorized. There's more than likely a history section all to itself. I'll help you find it." She looked back to Ero, hands clasped in front of her, waiting. There was something peculiar about Ero, but Kiska couldn't quite place it. Something just seemed different about her than most other people. It could have been that she was of a rare blood, or her color, but Kiska didn't generally care about appearance. More than likely, it was that the girl had just come up to her, as if Kiska were the most inviting of people. Kiska wasn't used to being approached, people didn't usually take a liking to her. She should be wary of this girl, yet for some reason, she wasn't. It was hard to be wary of someone as blatant as this. Surely she wasn't hiding anything, but Kiska would watch her closely to make sure of this. Kiska hadn't always been so wary of those around her. Sure she had always been watchful, being the oldest of the four children of her father, but wariness was something she had aquired over many years of hardship. It had started at the death of her brother, when she lost the trust of her parents and those of the village. Her enslavement had been the most defining experience for her though. Kiska showed no outward signs of this pain to others though, as it may cause them to see her as weak and try to take advantage of her. Kiska made a mental note to come back later to study the book she had been reading, and more than likely many many others. "What kind of connection are you looking for exactly? Events that have happened between people of the two races? Or are you searching for something or something in particular?" She was already scanning the library for signs of different sections of books, looking for any kinds of histories. For the most part, these books were all about medicines and related subjects, like herbalism or healers.

[Ero]

"Thank you Kiska, I doubt I can find the history section alone. To be honest, I am a little overwhelmed by this place for some reason," She said with a shrug. It felt good to talk to someone else who was an outsider. She offered the woman a smile, and followed her deeper into the library. She explained to Kiska that she was simply looking for any connection. As they walked, Ero looked around and took in the sights of the huge library. She told Kiska about the feelings she had felt when she was in the room with both an Akalak and a Konti, and how it felt like they fit together perfectly. As she examined the small woman, she felt a tingling in her skull. Ero realized that this woman before her was indeed a dabbler in herbalism, as well as philtering and medicine. She also seemed a little knowledgeable about how to take care of herself in the wild. Ero also got the feeling that this woman had better investigational skills than most anyone else Ero had ever met. But what stood out the most to her was the muscles in her arms. They stood out, well developed, and Ero realized that it was because this woman was quite proficient with a bow. Ero shook her head and smiled to herself; she always felt slightly guilty when she worked her gift on others. It felt a little like reading someone elses diary. Ero cocked her head slightly as they walked, looking the woman up and down. As her eyes lingered slightly at the other woman's hips and the way the fabric of her dress clung to them, she thought she heard the slightest echo of a giggle in her mind, that of Sesim. She blushed and looked away, a little confused with herself. "Anyways, I want to see if there is any record of a community of Konti and Akalak living together for an extended period of time. I know that some Konti stay with their husbands in riverfall, but there it is the culture of the Akalak only. I also want to know if there are any similarities between the Konti culture and the Akalak." She said quietly, careful to keep her voice low. "At least, that was the plan. I'm not sure how much information I will find here in the library. I was thinking I might explore the rest of Mura and pick up some information that way." Ero explained. She realized that she had been talking for a while, and Kiska had't said much. "How about you? what brings you to Mura?"

[Kiska]

Kiska shrugged, but mentally she was reviewing what knowledge she possessed of the two races. The Akalak, the blue skinned all male race of Riverfall, were generally warriors. The Konti were a peaceful people of all female healers and fortune tellers. Complete opposites, yet for some reason, she could see this woman's argument. Her fingers scanned the spines of the books, 'Anatomy of an Akalak', 'Anatomy of a Charoda', 'Anatomy of a Konti', 'Anatomy of the Zith'. This was not what she was looking for. She moved on, hesitant to respond to the Akontak's question. "I've heard stories of the Konti fortune tellers and healers and the knowledge Mura possesses, especially in their famed library. That is why I'm here. I hear there are more places in this city worth visiting, but I've not been anywhere but here since I arrived this morning." Though in appearance she was calm and truthful, inside Kiska was working hard to achieve this appearance. She knew she was hiding something, but she didn't feel that it was anyone's business but her own to know why she was in Mura. "Some work wouldn't be too bad either. I find things. Information mostly, but I'm not afraid to look for people or places if need be." She looked Ero over again, being half Konti, she had some similarities to her mother race, the light colored hair and pretty face, but she bore far more resemblance to the Akalak, with her green skin and massive figure. "I'm surprised, being half Konti, that you're lost around here. I would think one should know all about both of their parents races, but who am I to talk? Both of my parents were Benshira." Four years since her departure, it didn't hurt to talk about her parents really. She had had decent relations with them by the time she left home, but they had been harsh to h er as a child. That would probably be the reason that she was sometimes harsh or cool to other people, without meaning to be of course. She had realized years ago that she would probably never see them again, and this was completely okay with her. One shelf in the library seemed slightly different. There were far fewer books on this one, and it was slightly isolated from the rest. "That must be it," she said, pointing at the books in mention.

[Ero]

Ero nodded. Those were all good reasons to visit Mura. But the news that the Benshiran woman had only recently arrived meant that she was probably about as lost as Ero herself. she seemed to know her way around the library well enough, maybe she had been here before. As far as fortune telling went, Kiska was spot on. Ero herself had come to see if she could learn something, as she only had minor skills in that herself. She thought about the gnossis mark on her thigh, but mentally shook her head. She was only barely an adult, and still didn't trust her skills with such power. Her mother had warned her of people who had lost track of themselves and gone completely insane. This was no time for insanity. "Well, you see, I have never been here before. I was raised in Riverfall, and haven't actually been to many other places." she admitted. it wasn't something she was sad about, it was more a point of pride. She was proud of her combat skills, proud of her discipline, and the other perks that came from growing up in a city populated with warrior-men. "That must be it" said Kiska, pointing at a shelf with noticeably fewer books. Ero nodded and thanked the woman, happy to have had help. she never would have found this on her own. She stepped over and began examining the spines of the books, looking for a title that would catch her eye.

[Kiska]

Kiska watched as the woman searched the books for something useful. She knew there probably wouldn't actually be too much of use to her here, for what she was after. But if there was, Kiska could find it. "Do you need help searching for the information you need? I'm ... pretty good at finding things when I try," she said, walking over to where the green lady was looking through books. Kiska didn't know very much about the Konti, as she had met very few of them on her journey here. Judging from the amount of histories in their library though, they couldn't have been a very old race, though she wasn't quite sure how a race could just come to be. Possibly the races were created by the different gods though, and that was how they all differed so greatly. Kiska browsed the shelves for something useful. From what she could see, they would all be something worth reading, but she didn't think this girl would be willing to read every book here. "Why don't you try this one?" She said, reaching up to grab a book from the top shelf. She couldn't reach it, and attempted to jump to get it. She still couldn't reach it, and looked over to Ero. "Could you reach that for me, please? The one called 'An incomplete history of the Konti: Volume 1'." Kiska did not envy the woman her height. It seemed like things would be so much harder being tall, not being able to blend in, not being able to fit comfortably in certain places, though she did wish she had the reach this woman did. What she wouldn't give to be able to reach books in high places. Kiska half laughed to herself. She felt silly just thinking about something like this.

[Ero]

Ero nodded. "I could probably use some help. I have little bit of skill in finding information, but I'm not as good as you." She had always traveled alone before, and while that had made it easy to keep Sesim under control, it was very lonely. She had many times sat at her campfire alone, or simply stood in her room at an inn, wishing to have someone to call a friend. As the thought she felt the familiar huge weight come down on her again; she was so very alone. Ero had never met another Akontak. She had heard that there were some out there, but nothing specific. Even among the Akalak she was a stranger, an outsider. So far the Konti had been no better. The only time she had felt close to being accepted was when she was in the throws of intimacy with someone. The sudden crush of emotion caught her completely off guard. She had to take several deep breaths to keep from doing something absurd. She felt the need for kinship, for friendship, for a connection of some kind with someone. She wasn't sure why, but she could feel that this woman could provide the relationship she needed. She turned back to the bookshelf and looked to see if she could find anything to help her get her emotions back under control, hoping Kiska hadn't noticed. The books were of little help. She shook her head and cleared her mind, bringing herself back into balance. At Kiska's request, she reached up and grabbed the book, unsure of how someone so small could have seen up that high. Shrugging, she handed the book over, and decided that she would at least try for friendship with this woman. If nothing else Kiska had proven to be far better at finding information than Ero herself. "So, you help people find information as a profession?"