Closed Where The Sea Meets The Sky

[Kamilla]

1st of Fall, 519AV

Dusk.

The sun was setting on what had been one hai of a first day of the season. The change of the season had brought about a far more tangible change as well, a complete transformation in fact. Kamilla had been turned into a Konti, something she was not too distressed about, her curious mind was instead troubled by the question of why and how. Of course she felt uncomfortable in her new skin but after seeing Sophia's monstrous form earlier that day, she felt somewhat fortunate to have come out of the miraculous metamorphosis with a pair of slightly webbed extremities, some scales, pale blonde hair, lavender irises and a pair of almost imperceptible gills. She'd definitely gotten a better deal than the svefra who was now a reptile.

Luck aside, Kamilla had already noticed some slighter changes that resulted from her new form. For one, she felt drier than usual, currently taking her second bath for the day, though it's purpose wasn't to wash, simply to hydrate her skin. The cool water felt wonderful surrounding her, natural, and she enjoyed the way her body seemed to just glide through the liquid in a way completely unlike before. She would have to try and submerge herself in a larger body of water soon.

She lay there, in her stone tub, the shimmering barrier that separated her cave from outside currently lowered, allowing the sea breeze into her cliffside home as she enjoyed the distant sunset. She couldn't help but wonder about what was happening, why she and Sophia had changed. She figured the two of them weren't special cases and it might have been another of the odd occurrences that seemed to plague Syka. What a mysterious place it was proving to be. She needed answers.

Wanting to try out one of the more miraculous features of her new body, Kamilla decided to take a deep breath before comoletely submerging herself beneath the water. She had gills. That meant she could breathe underwater. She felt the instinctual urge to breathe in without opening her mouth, but her heart was pounding and common sense told her not to. It had only been a season since she'd nearly drowned to death, so water still terrified her, the memory of the pain she'd endured while her lungs filled with water was not a pleasant one.

Despite the rapid beating of her anxious heart, Kamilla managed to keep herself underwater, quickly running out of breath but refusing to resurface. She figured that if she forced herself to stay where she was, she'd eventually run out of breath and be forced to used her gills. She hoped that the instincts of her new body were correct. A moment later and a huge gasp, and she was proven right.

Kamilla could feel the air being expelled from the subtle slits in her neck as she took a huge gulp of water, gills flaring as the water passed out of them. Her breathing was panicked and erratic, but miraculously, she was doing it, successfully. The new Konti let out an excited laugh, surprisingly audible beneath the water. The lack of air bubbles to disrupt the water meant that her voice could carry well even beneath the surface. How intriguing.

545

[Jehu]

Jehu

His escapades had not lasted long, though the torment of his revelation and the trials of his unwelcomed ZIth physique had seemed like hours. He had retreated to his bed, though sleep eluded the Zith. No, he wasn't Zith, he just looked like one, right? The repeated mantra could not hide the fact that he was far more than just Zith in appearance. Jehu couldn't lay hold of anything specific, but as his mind wandered in the dimness of his tent, he knew things had changed about his very nature.

Fleeting thoughts of Kamilla, themselves not unusual, were more intense and less inhibited. The desire to further test his new body, to find out how things worked grew sharper. Could his claws tear open prey? How much could he carry in flight? His eyes worked well in the night, what could they do in the day? Certainly a curious man on his own, Jehu found his drive to discover these things, and more powerful, keeping sleep at bay.

But perhaps what would not let his mind rest was the inevitable. What would the others think of him? But really, his true worry was what Kamilla would think. He tossed and turned on the pile of pillows, trying to get comfortable with those damn wings. Suddenly he sat up, allowing them to spread a bit. Maybe more work on his flying would help preoccupy him...maybe a brief flight by Kamilla's cave.

Outside his tent, Jehu flexed and moved his wings again, getting attumed to their feel, function and range of motion. He had already figured out the basic mechanics of flight without killing himself, now, to simply enjoy them, if that were possible.

A running start seemed to help, and Jehu took off across the sand, it was not as easy as it was the day before, when he had Chaktawe feet made to tread the sands. But with a steady beating of his wings, he pulled up from the beach. Climbing higher, Jehu still kept fairly low, uneasy with the heights. Then he turned his body and banked his wings so he could veer south towards Treasure Point.

In the last burnt orange light of the sun, his new vision made Kamilla's cave easy to see. Jehu still battled in his mind over the pros and cons of actually revealing himself to her. Though a rather anti-social person, Kam had warmed up to him, and he to her. They had been through some things together, and he considered her a good friend. Jehu would confess that he wouldn't mind them being more. But that was never going to happen, now that he was a monster. But Kam was also a mage, so if anyone could explain what happened to him, it would be her. Would she help him, or fear and reject him?

Flying closer, Jehu practiced hovering outside of the cave. He couldn't get his body right at first, and kept dropping until he found that perfectly upright, he could linger in the air, though it was taxing on his muscles. He moved slightly, unable to see where she was. But he couldn't stand not knowing what might happen. With sudden spontaneity, Jehu landed on the ledge of the cave entrance. He knew she had a magic barrier that she put up sometimes, and he didn't want to bounce off of it. Reaching out, he found no resistance. But he couldn't just charge in, especially as he was. An unpleasant image flashed in his mind of Kam shooting magic at him, sending him plummeting from the cliff with burning wings.

"Kam?" He called. His voice was somewhat different, given the subtle changes to his teeth. "Its Jehu..." His nerves twisted his gut into a not. "...do you have a chime?"

[Kamilla]

Kamilla had no idea how long she'd been submerged without resurfacing, it was hard to tell. After the first chime she'd taken to breathing water quite well, in fact, she felt quite comfortable doing it, almost at home. Her eyes, which she usually avoided getting water in, were perfectly unbothered as they peered scanned her body, slowly gliding along the smooth patterned scales running along her sides. She definitely had to try and swim in a bigger body of water.

It was surprisingly soothing underwater, the calming silence lulling her into a meditative state, eyes casually watching the patterns of light cast by the sunset through the distorted surface of the water. Kamilla felt relaxed in as way she had never experienced before and she made no attempts to move for several chimes, her mind going blank as she was simply filled with content. It must have been at least ten chimes, perhaps more when she finally returned reality, a soft growl permeating the underwater silence, one she recognised as her stomach protesting it's lack of food.

Glancing upward, Kamilla was surprised to see that the surface of the water in the bath had come to a complete stand still, perfectly flat despite its contents. The new Konti felt a smile spread across her face, grateful to have experienced such a delight, even if her from were to only last for a day, which she was now having mixed feelings about.

Deciding it was definitely time to resurface, Kamilla slowly pulled her legs up to her chest before standing up in one fluid motion, returning to the world above the water and making a conscious effort to switch back to her lungs. Her long straight light blonde hair blocked her view and she ran her hands through it, pulling it back over her head, unsurprised that she could see perfectly fine despite the water running along her naked body.

"Roo, that was incredible… I…"

Her excited rambling as she stepped out of thr bath and onto the cold stone floor was interrupted when she noticed a pair of clawed feet on the ground a few feet away from her. Her lavender gaze rose slowly to inspect the intruder, face stuck in a frown rather than one of concern… until she reached the creature's upper half and she noticed the large imposing bat like wings, dark purple skin, the full intimidating force of the creature in front of her finally hitting her

She'd already been petrified by fear once that afternoon, by a monstrous snake person that turned out to be Sophia, this time her shock and fear caused her hands to shoot up, two hovering spikes of ice ready to impale the creature at a moment's notice. "Who are you!?" She asked, a hint of panic beneath the more stern tone of her voice, though the lighter melodic version of her voice that resulted from her new form lessened the intimation somewhat.

It occurred to her that the creature before her could be yet another one of her friends turned monstrous, but she wasn't willing to take that chance. The dark skin, claws and large pointed wings made her uncomfortable in an instinctual level. She'd heard of giant bat people that snatched unsuspecting travelers from the ground when she'd lived in Riverfall, this creature resembled their descriptions a bit too well.

563

[Jehu]

Jehu

There was no answer. A quick glance around cave, at least from what he could see from the edge of the ledge, revealed no sign of Kamilla. The stone tub was full of water, but otherwise empty, its surface without a ripple. Jehu wasn't going to intrude. They were friends, he and Kamilla, but she had never given him permission to come and go from her place unannounced. Technically, he did announce himself, but it was apparent that, if Kam was home, she didn't hear him.

Then, something burst from the tub of water. A woman appeared as if birthed from the static bath water. Jehu took a defensive posture instinctively, his hands lifted, claws bared, wings expanding a bit. It wasn't Kam. It was a blonde woman, a beautiful, naked blonde woman. He swore he could see faint scales shimmer across parts of her skin in the low light. Was it some jungle creature, like the sea creatures they had faced in the ruins the season before? He knew there were strange beings around. Mathias told him they were Verusk. But even if it was one of them, why was it in Kam's bathtub?

Then the woman swept the hair from her face, smoothing it over her head. The revealed face, the voice, it was Kamilla! Jehu had frozen in place, vexed by the strange situation, trying to reconcile the woman with Kamilla. Then it all clicked. She had changed too. He had seen Konti in Riverfall, and that was what Kamila looked like, only more beautiful. Though, he saw a glimpse of gill slits open along her neck, which was unnerving.

Still frozen, trying to find his tongue, Jehu's eyes widened as Kamilla saw him, but didn't see him. Suddenly she was brandishing wicked spikes of ice, threatening to impale what she saw as a monstrous intruder.

Not expecting the sudden pending threat, Jehu reacted instantly, took a quick step back, then another, right off the ledge. He fell backwards and disappeared from view. A moment later, he appeared again, rising up on beating wings to hover before the entrance of the cave.

"Kam! It's me, Jehu!" The Zith holding out his hand to stay any attack. "This happened to me today! What happened to you? What is going on?" He asked with exasperation.

[Kamilla]

It seemed her intimidation attempt on the monstrous creature had worked as the claw brandishing bat creature took a few cautionary steps backwards, Kamilla now wondering if it was indeed someone she knew. There was no time to voice her question as, with a jump of her heart, she watched the winged being back step right off of the edge of her cliffside patio, the mage instinctually making a futile lunge as the silhouette disappeared from view.

"... Uh, Kam…"

Spikes still hovering, Kamilla was completely frozen in place, out of shock. The tone of the androgynous talking flower's voice told her that the creature had indeed been someone she knew, but who? Who had she just witnessed, no, caused to, plummet to their certain death. Finn? Jehu? Ken? Someone else? The very thought made her stomach churn. "Roo, who was i- Oh my!"

Words escaped her as the winged creature reappeared just as suddenly as it had disappeared, Kamilla unsure of whether to feel relieved or scared. It was still possible that it was simply a beast.

This time the dark skinned creature did not land, it's massive wings beating at the air to keep it hovering in place, a large dark silhouette eclipsing the sunset, a stark contrast to the bright orange of the sky.

She didn't lower her spikes, just in case, unable to make out any of the creatures dark features as long as the sun was at its back.

Finally, came a familiar voice, one which Kamilla easily recognised as her, formerly Chaktawe, friend Jehu. The creature confirmed it. Then came the questions and she was hit with a feeling of deja vu, an amused chuckle escaping the Konti's lips. "Jehu…" She paused to take a wary step forwards, ice spikes dropping into the bath, "... You half scared me to death, half almost scared me into causing yours."

Despite the burst of adrenaline and rapid beating of her heart, Kamilla had already begun to examine the dark silhouette of her, once Chaktawe, friend. She couldn't help but admire the beauty of Jehu's form against the backdrop of the sunset. "... You're flying." She spoke as if it were the most normal thing to say, though it was clearly true. Powerful wings beat at the air, keeping Jehu afloat, seeming effortlessly.

The cool sensation caused by the gusts hitting her damp body caused her to look down, panicking for a brief second as she realised she was naked, though it felt less important since it wasn't her body. She was just grateful that the burn scar on her leg had vanished with the metamorphosis. "Uh… you're not the first to ask…" she began, turning and walking back into her home to pull on a pair of white undergarments, her back to him, speaking while she did. "The short answer is… I don't know."

Now somewhat decent, Kamilla turned around to face her winged friend again, lavender irises searching for the intimidating figure. Much like with Sophia, knowing who the creature was could only do so much to put her at ease in the presence of something so… unfamiliar. "And I'm a Konti… apparently. what are you?"

555

[Jehu]

Jehu

Jehu hovered outside Kam's cave, bobbing slowly with every beat of his broad wings. He was hoping she recognized him, or his voice. The icy spikes in the woman's hands remained poised for attack as her wide eyes stared at him. His own gaze widened as well. He got a good look at her, seeing the familiar features in the unfamiliar frame. The full lips and youthful features remained, thought the rest of her showed the traits of a Konti. And he could see it all. While She had seen him naked the night they fled the creatures in the undersea ruins, he now had his turn. Even with the subtle hint of scales, he found Konti-Kam very attractive.

He was staring, but she didn't seem to notice, for Kam was staring at him. Finally recognition touched her eyes, and a soft laugh bubbled from her lips. "Yes..its me. And i am flying!" Jehu responded, elated that Kam had actually laughed, and not screamed in horror. Only then did she note her nudity, and turned to put something on to cover herself. Jehu landed on her porch again. Taking several steps in, his polite desert shyness had been trumped by Zith curiosity and libido. Jehu watched Kam dress without shame and with keen appreciation.

Her short answer to his great question was that the mage couldn't explain the changes either, and she suggested they were not the only ones. Kam turned, somewhat covered, and gave him a good look over. It was time to get acquainted with the new them.

"I actually recognized what you are. I spent some time in Riverfall. A Konti helped me learn how to write. I think I am a Zith. I haven't seem them, but I have seen artwork of them in Riverfall too. And I have heard stories." He said solemnly. "Kam...I am a monster." Jehu exclaimed with dismay. "Zith are hated, they kill, enslave and even eat people."

[Kamilla]

Kamilla watched in amazement as the new Jehu landed and stepped towards her, claiming to have already known what she was, due to prior experiences in Riverfall. She had also lived in Riverfall for a while, but didn't think she'd ever seen any Konti, or Zith, though she knew the akalak hated the latter. The giant patriarchal race even organised regular hunting trips, just to cull the winged menace… if she called correctly, something about them being slavers, she thought.

Curiosity rising, in a very different manner than it had the season before, Kamilla instinctually hesitated for a moment as her lavender eyes slid across the Chaktawe's interesting new form, before she took a few steps towards him, each less cautious than the last. It was Jehu afterall, and without the sun directly at his back, she could see a few intriguing aspects of his body that she wanted to get a closer look at.

She came to a halt at his side, reluctantly taking his forearm in her hands, inwardly cringing at the unexpected furry feeling. It seemed that it was indeed a fine coat of hair, and not skin, that gave Jehu his dark purplish appearance. Interesting. "You're not a monster... You're still the same Chaktawe that saved me from drowning only a season ago... but with wings."

"I don't recall seeing any Konti OR Zith when I lived in Riverfall, though you certainly fit the description…" As she spoke she was examining Jehu's viscous looking claws, undoubtedly used for rending flesh, at least that's what she thought. "Dark 'skin', wings…" Now she was behind him, cautiously and gently touching the bat like wings, noting the leathery texture, before moving back to his front and slowly cupping his cheek with her left hand, a thumb carefully pressed at his chin to tilt his head downward. "...fangs." She released him a moment later, not wanting to linger so close to the predatory looking protrusions, and taking a small step backward. "It's quite remarkable, and…" she paused, in search of a more polite way of explaining his unsettling appearance, but ultimately unable to do so.

Hands going to her new delicately scaled hips, Kamilla allowed herself to give her friend another once over with her lavender eyes, this time picking out his features and deciding that he was undeniably Jehu beneath all the fur, albeit a scarier version. "You took to flying quite well. I thought for sure you'd plummeted to your death a moment ago… How is it?" She'd done her best to disguise her curiosity, but in the end it had won out. Being able to fly seemed like an amazing thing to experience.

She stood there, damp with long pale hair sticking to her partially scaled skin, half trying to reconcile the creature before her with the image of the handsome Chaktawe and half lost in thought. "Do you feel any… different?" She wasn't sure if he'd understand her question, if she searched deep down, other than the obvious physical deviations, she still felt like herself on an abstract level, or at least she thought she did. She wondered if the transformation was simply skin deep.

It occurred to Kamilla that she was not nearly as upset by her unexpected metamorphosis as she probably should have been. But then, she was just grateful to still have two regular legs and to resemble herself. Jehu had been almost as lucky, Sophia in her new Dhani form… less so. Poor girl. She could not imagine have to deal with having a tail instead of two legs, the fact that the former svefra had learned to move in her new body so quickly, both surprised and impressed her. Then again, it seemed Jehu had taken to his wings just as well.

652

[Jehu]

Jehu

Jehu was relieved that Kamilla did not recoil from his appearance, though she seemed to be hesitant until she could be convinced that it was Jehu. But the Konti Kam drew closer to examine him. That was the Kamilla he knew, the curious one that wandered alone into sunken ruins to explore. On his part, Jehu had no doubts about Kam's identity, in spite of the change in hue of hair and eyes and even skin. The shape of her face and the pout of her lips when she was concentrating very familiar.

Jehu stood still as his friend examined his strange and terrible form. It comforted him that the mage was not afraid to touch him as she studied his Zithness. She completed her circuit with an inspect of his mouth. The examination was very academic, which was not surprising for the intelligent and matter-of-fact Kam.

A small smile touched his lips as Kamilla made the declaration that it was indeed her friend, and that she still considered him so in spite of his frightening new form. She did agree with his assessment on the race he had assumed. So the conversation moved on with a more relaxed tone, and Kam's question about flying urged Jehu's smile to widen. Flight was the one boon he found wonderful with his unwelcome transformation.

"Kam, it is amazing!" Jehu exclaimed in a quiet voice, as if he shouldn't find anything enjoyable about his dreaded form, but his clawed hands gestured to emphasize his excitement. "You can't imagine what Skya looks like from the sky, and how immense the jungle is." He explained with a bit of awe in his voice. "I wish you could see it." For the first time, Jehu wondered how much he could carry in flight, say, a petite Konti. It was worth exploring.

Kamilla's next question was posed carefully, and Jehu considered it for a few ticks. He assumed, given the nefarious and dangerous reputation of his new species, taht perhaps she wondered if he had the urge to enslave or eat her. "I feel the same, like me. Maybe some small inclinations, but its such a huge change, its still hard to sort out my thoughts and feelings on the whole thing." He answered honestly. "But, if you are worried, I don't have any desire to abduct or devour my neighbors." Jehu's grin grew wide and teasing.

"How about you? I don't know much about Konti, other than what they look like. Are there things that are different for you, in your body or anything?" Jehu posed, curious. "...and do you know if we are the only ones?" Jehu asked. Though he was sorry for Kam that she had undergone the miraculous, bizarre changes, it did seem to prove that it wasn't an angry god cursing Jehu for some transgression. It was something beyond just him.

[Kamilla]

Still subtly examining her friend's new winged form with her lavender gaze, Kamilla was unsurprised to hear Jehu confirm that flying was indeed, amazing. She could not deny that she felt slightly envious, reminded of times spent watching her yowlwing, Yennefer, soaring on the breeze. Even with her mountainside home and the view it provided her of the jungle and ocean, she felt the experience would be entirely different with the assistance of a pair if wings. "I wish I could too."

Leaving the topic of flight behind, at least for the time being, Jehu went on to explain that he sill felt like himself, making a good point by saying that the change had been to big for him to actually notice the subtle changes just yet. At his comment about abduction and devouring, Kamilla let out a little laugh of amusement, somehow gentler sounding thanks to the slight change in her voice, she still hadn't gotten used to the subtle musical ring of her voice.

"I'm not worried… besides, what makes you so sure you'd succeed if you tried." With that she added a playful lavender wink in Zith Jehu's direction before turning and walking deeper into her cave home, "I feel the same, I think I just seem to get thirsty and… dry more frequently… Speaking of, would you like some water?" Depending on Jehu's answer, Kamilla would use her pitcher to pour either one or two glasses of cool water.

Hearing his final question, Kamilla would turn and offer him a small smile, "No we aren't the only ones. Sophia paid me a visit today… she's become a Dhani… a giant snake with arms. And since she lives near the opposite end of the settlement, we have to assume that everyone in Syka has experienced the same miraculous change. If not further." It bothered her, not knowing the cause of such a fantastic display of power.

In the back of her mind Kamilla wondered why exactly the magic wave had occurred, it was far too large a scale to have been unintentional, surely. So why? Was someone plotting something, what advantage or purpose could mass metamorphosis possibly have? Had it been an accident instead? It seemed highly unlikely that something so powerful could be done accidentally. How long would it last? That was the biggest question of all, though she'd certainly gotten the better end of the deal in comparison to her friends. Yes, Sophia had a tail and Jehu had wings, but they'd also had the biggest change to their real selves, whereas she'd simply come out of it with some fairer features and some scales.

Sighing, Kamilla caught a glimpse of the bathtub she'd emerged from a few chimes ago. "On the bright side… I can breathe underwater. I was thinking of testing it in the sea, but I'm worried about those creatures. There's still no news or sign of them since, which is suspicious." She paused for a brief moment, examining Jehu's new teeth, or fangs. "Would you like to stay for supper? Options are, random pie or vegetarian soup." She let out a little laugh, those were always the options thanks to the magic pie cozy and cauldron she'd found during their trip into the sunken ruins.

563

[Jehu]

Jehu

Jehu found the moment surreal. He was still...him, and Kamilla was still her. But neither were themselves, to the eye. His relief that she didn't seem to hold his unfriendly form against him continued, and her close examination had helped alleviate his self-conscious hesitation about appearing before her. But that was Kam. He had never seen her truly undone, even when they were being pursued by murderous mysterious sea-beings. The closest was when he pulled her from the watery hole in the ruins, and even then, that was more physical stress. She had quickly recovered from that near-death experience as well.

On his part, Jehu did miss Kam's true appearance. She usually looked, well, sort of like one of his own kind. Dark hair, her features, she was beautiful to him. But the Konti appearance was fascinating, and having the boon of seeing her new body in its entirety, Jehu could say Kam still had a beauty all her own.

He was grateful that Kam was willing to put him at ease, to joke with him. She made him feel less like a monster. When she offered water, Kehu quickly replied. "Yes, please! ZIth don't seem to have the extra water storage my people do...did..." He shook his head as if to clear it. "I get thirsty all the time now."

Sophia was a Dhani? Jehu knew of the creatures. Indigo was half Dhani, and he had heard talk of Dhani from time to time. Kam's description was alarming as he tried to imagine the pretty Svefra botanist with a serpent's body. He shivered. How terrible. What had happened to them? His desert culture upbringing wanted to pin the transformations on a god, but after coming to Syka, and meeting Kam, he learned magic was much more prolific in the world than he had thought. It was beyond him to know, and Kam didn't seem to have answers. But she was making the best of it and, like Jehu, was finding the benefits of being something else. She could breathe like a fish, after all.

"Really? Looks like we can cover the land air and sea now." He grinned. But the smile faded when she brought up the sea people. He had seen no trace of them once the tides returned to their normal levels and buried the ruins beneath the waves once again. He hoped his friend had no crazy ideas of further exploring them since she could breath underwater. They had found some strange, magical things in the ruins, and it might be tempting to return to find more. But Jehu wouldn't be able to follow Kamila if she did that again. Jehu looked at her strange but lovely lavender eyes with is own, now possessing white like hers. "Promise me you won't go into the ruins." Jehu was sincere, the concern clear in his voice.

While he knew the magical food Kam offered would be good, he was a bit disappointed there wasn't meat. Jehu usually didn't care, but it seemed his new body preferred it. Nevertheless, he wanted to stay. " I would love...whatever you have." He offered, his previous sober tone gone and a toothy grin flashing for a moment.

"And, can I..." His dark clawed finger reached towards her, aimed a her neck, where the faint shimmer of scales reflected the setting sun. "...feel them?"