Through the Fog (Solo)

[Talya]

Summer 90, 515 AV

The day was quiet, as it was young. Talya had left her temporary lodgings early, as she knew her shift wouldn't be until late into the night, and she needed something to do with herself, lest she grow both bored and antsy. She had decided, that since the day was fairly hot, she would go to the beach, to swim and hopefully cool herself off. It was for that reason that she now found herself there, sitting upon the bank. She sat on the warm, dry sand, the paler grains, with water trailing down the length of body, and falling from her matted, water-logged hair. The transparent beads sizzled whenever they hit the sand, before they were absorbed and darkened it. Sand clung to whatever remained damp, and her eyes narrowed, as the sunlight filtered in, as it made them sting. She looked out over the water- the blue-green of the undulating waves, before they crashed into the shore and burst into a pile of foam. Which frothed and bubbled, and was then sucked in, although they couldn't always pull the stones or the shells they sent onto the shore back. They often stuck in the sand and forced the water to flow around them, but sometimes, they made their way back, and didn't add to what was already littered higher up upon the shore.

Talya liked it there- she found the breeze that swept over the water and onto the land cooling, the atmosphere relaxing, despite the call of the local aquatic birds as they circled the sky, or dove to retrieve a shell or two from the shoreline, if not something from below the surface of the water that she simply could not see. She remained because she had time to spend, as much as she remained to watch them and to relax, and give her body more of a chance to dry off in the summer heat. But it wasn't always fun for her simply to sit, so she decided to try and find something else to do to pass the time. She began by throwing a nearby rock into the water, and watching it make a big splash, and then cause the water to ripple. Then she threw another and another, but it quickly got old, and tedious, and boring, so Talya forced herself to stop and then sighed, as she looked around for something else to do with all, (or even just a small portion), of her time. She decided then, with everything that was around, now would be as good a time as any, (if not a slightly better time than most), to practice her magic. Specifically, auristics.

Thus, Talya began by taking several deep breaths in through the nose, and out through her mouth, expelling her breaths with long sighs. Sighs in which she tried to mirror the sound of the nearby water, but failed more often than not. When she felt as though she had sufficiently calmed herself, and cleared her head, Talya looked up to the sky, and picked out a seagull that seemed to do nothing more than circle lazily above her head. She narrowed her dark eyes even further as she concentrated upon it- the curve of its slender orange beak, the whiteness of its feathers, and how its little orange feet, which had been tucked into its body during its flight, were pressed against it. The stretch of its wings, and how some of the larger feathers fanned out- letting light break through, which was reflected in the shadow that made its way down below onto the sand. She took note of its eyes- they seemed yellow to her from where she sat, but then again, they could be white or something akin to a gold tinted hazel too. Whatever the case, Talya didn't linger on them long, but instead, kept her gaze on the far larger body of the bird.

Within about another minute, perhaps two, of watching the seagull circle as she breathed deeply, the bird's aura came into view. It was a soft blue, similar in tone to the sky overhead. It puffed outward a bit, more than it billowed, at least to Talya's naked eye, almost as though it were mirroring the nature of a cumulus cloud. Although, she thought, she could see the lines of its color wavering here and there, especially about the edges. When she sniffed the air, she thought she caught the scent of something oceanic. It wasn't the musk of the water however, any more than it was the scent of salt, but something else altogether. It smelled kind of like mussels, and it smelled kind of like crap, she thought, although, she could be confusing it for clams, or even some sort of fish. She wasn't very well versed with this sort of thing. When she listened to the aura- she picked up on a number of things, the first, being the sound of a whistling wind, the second, caws of another bird. The third, the sound of the water, lapping up against something- perhaps the edge of the dock, or some sort of rock. It was a lazy sound; not at all tumultuous, and in many ways she found it comforting.

As her pupils dilated, and began to sting as more light infiltrated them, she narrowed her eyes further as she studied the animal. She couldn't pick up on any sort of taste associated with the aura, and she couldn't touch it, and thus decided, that there was nothing more that she could glean. Thus, she turned away, and allowed her connection with the aura to break. It vanished into nothingness, and a wave of exhaustion washed over her, as her temples began to ache dully. She thought back on the aura- she supposed the shade of blue meant it was a creature of the air more than the sea, and it was feeling rather calm at the moment, maybe a little sad too. Not deeply sad, as the color wasn't deep or dark or brooding, at least, in her mind. The smell suggested to her, that it was perhaps hungry- the more specific scents, (although she did not know them), perhaps, what it preferred to eat, or what it could be circling the air and looking for right now. The sounds she heard, she thought had to do with how it could fly, or it liked the open air. The second sound- the caw, with how it sounded itself, or the sound of a mate or a lover or something it wanted to attract? Maybe even a friend, while the final sound, she felt, hinted at its second nature- the fact that it was partly of the sea, in that it liked to dive in and eat from it, and be around it, and what not.

Talya sighed, wistfully. She idly wondered what it would be like to fly as she looked around for another target to study.

Talya

[Talya]

Summer 90, 515 AV

Talya's eyes swept over the beach. They made no sound as they moved, they left no trail in their wake. But the same could not be said of something else, as there was an endless hiss of sand. A faint trickling, which proved impossible to discern over the roar of the broken waves, as several grains of sand ran back into the empty spaces the walker left behind. Their sloppy, uneven prints leaving a trail within the earth, which Talya soon discerned, after having squinted to block out some of the sun's light. She followed their length up to their owner, who proved to be a man of about middle age, she thought. He had black hair, almost as dark as her own, which fell in waves down to the tops of his shoulders. It was laced with strands of white and gray, giving it a sort of ashen, peppery appearance. His eyes were lighter than hers, but this was a task easily completed when she was in the form of her mortal seeming, they were a bright hazel, she found, which seemed to match perfectly with the tanner undertones of his lips, and the caramel colored skin that covered his body. His nose was wide and flat, his nostrils constantly flaring, she found as she studied them. His form was wider, fairly well built she thought, especially considering his age, but she wasn't entirely sure. His clothes were simple- tunic and trousers the shade of a burlap back, with no shoes. His big feet remained unadorned in the hot sand.

Talya smiled at him, as she concentrated on the shape of his round face- taking in the contours of his cheekbones, and following the area where his five o'clock shadow was likely to grow in a little later on during the course of the day. Her gaze became increasingly distant, as though she were looking through the man, as opposed to directly at him, as he continued to make his way down the beach, along the shoreline, and toward her. His eyes sparkling as they caught the sun's light, and her heart began to beat faster and faster, as with her unbroken concentration, she was able to make the man's aura, finally come into view. It was a large, winding mass. A soft orange in shade- several hues lighter than that of an orange, but she didn't know anything specifically, to liken it to. It billowed and whipped angrily around him, as though it were a shirt left out on a clothesline in an extraordinarily rough breeze. It was laced with golden undertones; specks of red, which seemed like globs and splashes of paint, that had been thrust off the tip of the brush, and at the aura which was visible before the Ethaefal- approaching her, with each step of the man; its owner.

The Ethaefal sniffed the air. Her nostrils flared as they reddened. They were taking in smells- many things, that swirled as though in an eddy. She smelled smoke, she knew, as that was the most distinct scent among them, although there was also something that was clearly, metallic. There was something more as well- something earthy. Like dirt, or grass, but not quite either, and then the scent of water. Of salt- the smells that just about every Zeltivan aura she had ever seen or read, had appeared to possess. She strained to listen- there were sounds associated with the aura as well, sounds that somehow managed to break through the crashing of the waves. There was a sort of clanking sound. It wasn't precisely like chains being drawn across a stone floor, or even that of food, any more than it was the sound of keys jingling together, or a hammer being brought against metal, so as to shape it into something else; something more. It was something that Talya couldn't quite place her finger upon, but she knew it was something familiar, something she should remember if only she thought hard enough about it and continued to listen, but no matter how hard she tried it never came to her, as the man came to the space before her, waved, and then continued past.

Talya brought herself to smile and to wave as he moved on. She turned her head to follow him, so that the aura would not fall. Sweat poured down the length of her brow; the beads shimmered within the sun's light, as the illumination was reflected off their surface. She licked the air, it tasted salty. It was what had been carried to her by the breeze over from the bay. It was not of the aura, any more than anything else was, (at least), she couldn't pick up on anything, and as such, breathed in deeply through her nose, and out through her mouth before turning away. With her concentration broken, the aura faded away into nothingness. She gasped for air for a moment, as her heart fluttered. She waited for her body to calm down before thinking back on the aura- and seeking to dispel the few secrets it held; or at least those, she could glean from it. She thought that the predominant color within the aura, orange, meant that the man who bore it was an adventurous soul. That he was rather energetic, and loved a good thrill. That he was happy, and loved being outdoors. The flecks within the aura, that she had seen, she thought, merely added to, and confirmed her first impressions. She thought that the red suggested a passionate soul as well, and that the gold meant he was either at his peak, or on top of the world.

The smells she had been uncertain of, at least in their specifics, but she felt that she knew the man still, even so. She thought that the earthly scents, coupling with those of the water, meant that he liked to spend his time in both realms. The metallic scent confused her though, she didn't know a place that smelled of metal other than a forge. So perhaps he worked there, or liked it there- maybe he was a weapons enthusiast? Maybe he liked to simply buy them to collect them, or maybe he liked to fight with them? And would use them during the course of whatever sort of adventure he was likely to have? Maybe he thought on them fondly, as they had gotten him out of many a tight corner during his adventures, if he had none now. Talya wasn't sure. She thought also the scent of the sea meant that he could have been a sailor, but she wasn't sure. If not in the way of profession, perhaps for entertainment- there was always canoeing, or rowing, and things of that sort, after all. Just as there were a number of activities he could have done on land- there were sports he could play, there was running, and hiking, and gardening and all manner of things. He could aspire to be anything- a courier, a runner, a gardener, but she somehow doubt that, and thought them only hobbies, (if he did actually do any of those things, and she wasn't entirely off base).

The sounds associated with the aura confused her as well. He didn't seem the type to have been a prisoner, (but what did she really know)? And he didn't seem messy or smelly enough when he had passed to have spent a lot of time in the forge buying things or working as any sort of smith. But maybe he cleaned up well. She squinted, she concentrated, trying to remember the sound. It didn't sound quite like a pick in a lock- giggling around until the thing clicked into place and it opened whatever you were trying to get into, so she doubt he was a thief or anything of the unsavory nature, but again, she wasn't sure. By then, her mind was spinning with all of the possibilities- they were simply endless! It hurt her to try and think of them all, so she let the matter drop. She would never know for sure unless she asked- she looked up the length of the beach, but the man had vanished, so she couldn't, she would just have to let it go. With a deep breath, she forced herself to move onto something, or someone else. Whatever seemed closest, and perhaps, the easiest.

Talya

[Talya]

Summer 90, 515 AV

Talya searched the land again- but there were no other people in sight, so they moved over to the bay. But all she saw were the waves- and the few things that they washed up, before thinking on it, and deciding that perhaps, it were best to draw the items back into its depths. She noticed several stones, and several shells, but she doubt they had auras. She noticed some kelp too- or what looked like kelp, as it was a slimy, lifeless, deep green blob, which had rolled up toward the edge of the wet sand. It looked kind of like the thing they brewed back the Quill's Rest, but much larger, and in some ways, not as faded, (after the color had begun to seep into the boiling water to make the tea that they were known for, and that they served). Anyway, she studied the thing she was pretty certain was a strip of kelp, which folded this way and that, over itself, and rested limply against the sand. She breathed deeply, in through her nose and out through her mouth, and concentrated on it, as the waves that crashed into the shore rocked it continually in the sand. After a few minutes, its aura came into view- it was thin, and didn't seem to move much. For the most part, it was the same color as the kelp, although it was flecked with oceanic blue. It smelled of kelp, and it tasted like she always imagined kelp would. It sounded too, like the lapping off water against a container. Everything about it pointed to the fact that it was kelp, and that was it. There was no depth to it- for the flecks merely suggested that it was a water plant, or of the water, which it was.

Talya sighed as she let the aura fade into nothingness. That had been far to easy for even someone as untalented as her. So she decided to move onto something else. Her eyes moved upward, toward the sky. There seemed to be the same old birds there. She followed one with her eyes- it was a pelican. It circled the air tiredly, or at least, what looked to be tiredly, as it searched for food, (or so she thought). She smiled as she watched it, and after nearly a minute, its aura came into view. It billowed outward, as though it were a dust cloud being blown forward from behind, by a fairly strong wind. It was a pale purple in color, flecked with a soft, sky blue, and a grassy sort of green. It stank of fish, more than anything Talya had ever smelled before- even the Zeltivan docks. The aura didn't taste like anything, nor did it sound of anything other than the undulation of the waves. It was a simple aura, but she felt, that it fit the bird rather well. Which made all the sense in the world, she knew, considering how it was the pelican's aura, after all, and not the aura of some other person or creature.

Anyway, after she had committed the image and the other sensory facts that were associated with the aura to her mind, Talya let the aura fall. A wave of exhaustion passed over her as she did so, which made it all the more difficult to keep her eyes open. But she fought through it as she began to sift through her knowledge, and interpret the aura she had just seen associated with the pelican. The color of it confused her. It wasn't like the other birds she had read, any more than it was like the majority of the auras she had seen upon the people she had read during her stay in Zeltiva. Purple was the color of majesty. Of those that reigned, for the most part, she knew. She wondered if the bird had feelings. If it saw itself as majestic, either in beauty, or the way it soared through the air. Or perhaps, it was a ruler among its kind- a leader among its flock, or whatever you called a group of pelicans who banded and lived together. Anything was possible, in the case of things you could not talk to. Anyway, she thought that the flecks of color she had seen associated with the aura had to do with the fact that it liked to be around the water- as it fed from it. The green, more specifically, with the fact that it was both vibrant in nature, and healthy. Or perhaps, even healing from an ailment rather well.

The smell of the aura, she thought, had more to do with what the pelican liked to eat than anything else- FISH! While the lack of taste, she was grateful for. She didn't want to taste pelican, or what it liked to eat any more than the next person. The sound of the aura, she felt lacked depth to it- and had only to do with how it liked to be around the water, again. She sighed, she was getting bored with the repetitive nature of things, but felt the need to keep on trying, to keep on practicing, so she searched the beach again for something to practice on, as her temples began to throb a little more harshly now, than they had before.

Talya

[Talya]

Summer 90, 515 AV

Talya's gaze returned to the land again. First, they searched to the east, and then the west, for a person she could study with the help of her magic. There was no one for awhile, but after a short time, she could see a black speck upon the horizon, which grew steadily larger, and larger, until it became a hazy line, which grew more distinct over time. When the features could begin to be picked apart, as the figure drew near- Talya surveyed them with a curious eye. She found that the person who was approaching was female. She was younger, perhaps in her mid twenties. She had strawberry blonde hair, which ran down her shoulders, to her waist in rivulets. Sections of it had been braided, and tied with little pink ribbons, but for the most part, it was left down in its entirety. The strands fluttered in the breeze, as much as her simple white dress. She kept her gaze down, she was smiling at something, but the Ethaefal wasn't sure exactly what. Her feet, perhaps? Or her sand, maybe the way it filtered through the spaces between her feet, or something? Her skin was pale, her cheeks and her nose dotted with a smattering of freckles that had a rusty sort of tone. Her nose was small, and seemed to fit with her face just as much as her thin lips, and ivy colored irises.

Talya smiled down the length of the beach at the woman as she continued to approach. She kept her eyes fixated upon the woman's slender face. No feature specifically, just, her face. After nearly two full minutes spent breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth, the stranger's aura came into view. It was a pale pink in shade, similar to sakura blossoms. It flowed neatly around her, as other colors wove their way into the aura- shades of darker pinks, a little white, a tinge of yellow and a cafe au lait sort of brown. The aura carried a few scents, Talya found, as her nostrils flared, and her heart began to beat faster and faster. There was something like the scent of clean clothes- the grassy, airy smell they developed when they were left to dry out on the line on a windy day. There was also the scent of jasmine, and perhaps hibiscus? No mint? No no, not mint. Something else. Talya furrowed her brow as she thought on it... it wasn't grass per se, it was far more flowery than grass. It wasn't rose... but she wasn't quite sure what it was, and decided to move on while she kept on thinking. The aura too, smelled of oranges, and other citrus fruit- tangerines, and lemons perhaps. It didn't taste of anything, and it didn't sound like much other than some sort of fluid dripping into a container. She could hear the rhythmic plip-plop as it fell into something, and began to wonder what it was as the woman passed her, and she was forced to turn her head to follow her, lest she make the aura fall as her concentration was broken.

Talya stared at it a little longer as the woman moved away. She couldn't sense anything else, and let it fall. Now her temples throbbed as it disappeared, and she was left to wince, and try to concentrate through the pain. Try to figure out what this woman was all about. She thought the color pink meant she was shy. Passionate, yet prim and proper- in the sense that she held it in, and didn't make to much of herself, in an outward sort of way. She didn't do anything to let on that she knew what she liked- so that others could find out too, and bottled everything inside, letting everyone save for herself truly shine. The colors that were found in flecks could mean a number of things- the white that she was innocent and pure. The brown, that she was perhaps, a little under the weather, or a bit stubborn or stuck in her ways. The smells, on the other hand, were a different manner altogether, and a far more difficult one, it would seem. The scent of jasmine, (and whatever the other flower Talya couldn't identify was), could mean a number of things.

The scents could be rather simplistic in nature- they could hint at how the woman, perhaps enjoyed the smell of them both, either in general, or the form of perfume. They could also hint at how she liked to eat them, (if both were edible), or brew them into tea. They could also signify the way she saw herself as a flower, waiting to bloom, or a delicate thing in a world of roughness and harshities. They could signify her love for plants- perhaps an interest in gardening, cooking, brewing, herbalism, botany, or some other job or hobby that would bring her person into constant, or near constant contact with them. They could also hint at her name- jasmine could be a name, but it didn't seem to fit the girl, Talya felt, she hadn't been exotic looking enough for a name like that. It could signify the flowery way she spoke, (unfortunately, she had said nothing in her passing, and Talya could neither confirm or deny this notion), or her love for poetry, or art, or beautiful things. The citrus, on the other hand- suggested more so, she felt, than the plants that she liked the smell. Perhaps even eating or cooking with the various fruits she had picked up on. She couldn't blame her, she remembered thinking the last time she had tried an orange, ages ago, that they were rather tasty.

The sounds associated with the aura- now they were trickier. It could hint at anything- her finding the sound comforting, her needing to pour liquid into a container for one reason or another- it could be metal into a mold if she was a blacksmith, (which she doubt), it could be something as simple as water into a glass, or any other drink for that matter. It could signify the fact that she fixed leaky things- whether it be a roof or something else, (again, doubtful). It could be that she missed the rain, or longed for one- perhaps to water any plants she kept, or something. It could signify the fact that she liked water. That she felt there wasn't enough. It could be just about anything really, and as such, it hurt Talya's head and made it spin. Her temples hurt all the more as she winced, and thought, and clutched at her head, and tried to massage her temples, but it was too late. The pain overcame her, and she passed out in the sand, to be awakened at a later time, when the wave's finally crept up the shore; washed over her, and forced her eyes to prey themselves open again.

Talya