In the light before night.

by **Octarus** on November 19th, 2019, 6:23 am

2nd of Fall, 519AV

19th Bell

Springwater Square

Tonight, the city was more alive than usual. Hundreds of lanterns and candles were lit around the city as people took to the streets to celebrate Leth in their own ways. Public spaces like Springwater Square were easy to congregate in without being to disruptive to foot traffic, so naturally they were favored by the partygoers and devout alike. The Square was particularly busy tonight given its proximity to the temple of Leth. Octarus had expected some people to be out while he made his way to the temple, but he hadn't expected the crowd he found. It was quite unlike the daytime crowds, though he couldn't quite yet put a finger on how. There was just a different kind of energy in the air this night.

As the Ethaefal looked for a way to navigate the chaos of the square, a familiar voice called his name. It was Naera, from the Villa, a fellow caretaker that he'd spoken to in passing from time to time. He gave a small nod of acknowledgement before sidling through the crowd to insert himself in the semi-circle of people she seemed a part of. Thankfully the rest of the group seemed engaged in an animated conversation about where they should go drink, so they had a little privacy for the moment.

"Almost didn't recognize you in those clothes. Did you just get those, or have you been saving them for the occasion?" She asked, leaning in so she wouldn't have to speak to loud over the ambient noise of the crowd around them.

"Bought for the occasion, what do you think?" He asked while looking around to see if he could recognize anything else. Not that he didn't appreciate talking with an acquaintance from the Villa, but she was with a group already. Hanging around with them all evening would just be awkward with just his tenuous link to Naera to go on. Besides he wanted to see the temple before too long, and going with a group didn't suit his taste.

"I think they look.. great for the occasion. Really, it goes well with.. well your form" Naera said, gesturing broadly towards him. She seemed to have trouble making eye contact with him which was strange for her as she was normally so direct at the Villa, but perhaps her attention was on the group. Maybe it was better if he extracted himself as soon as possible. Might be expected of him even, though he did not pretend to grasp Lhatvian mannerisms given his brief existence here.

"Thanks, it has been good seeing you, but I've got a previous engagement to get to if you don't mind?" Octarus asked, though he was already starting to backpedal out of the group.

"That is quite alright, see you back at the Villa" She said as he took another step back, and bumped right into someone behind him. He looked back at the person he'd knocked into, and back at Naera whom was thankfully turned back towards her group.

"So sorry.. um I didn't, I wasn't watching my step." He said, looking apologetically to the woman he bumped into.

Ledger :

by **Dev'Ania** on December 14th, 2019, 5:36 am

Dev’Ania blew out all of the candles in her small shop. After Ennisa left, the fortune teller stayed at the shop and rested for a while. Lately, she had been staying up late as her mind was consumed with various thoughts like how her future would be, about the mage killer, and about the shop. It was just after dusk rest now and the liveliness of the city could be heard all the way to the small fortune-telling shop. Now that the Konti was all rested up, she decided to join in on the festivities celebrating Leth. After all, she didn’t have anything better to do.

The fortune-teller stood in the doorway for a chime, making sure she was ready to close up for the night. Just as she was about to close the door, the small black kitten emerged from the shadows with a purr.

“Emmy! I almost left you here, silly kitty. Come on, girl.” Dev’Ania picked up the cat and placed her into the bag on her back. The kitten loved to be carried around in the packed back, but Dev could not understand how she was comfortable in the cluttered bag.

She made her way across the bridge onto Zintia Peak, admiring the warm glow covering the city from the thousands of lit lanterns lighting the streets and buildings of the peaks. Despite the Temple of Leth being located on the next peak, this peak was still quite crowded. She made her way through the city to her home. Entering her small apartment, she placed down the growing kitten on the ground and looked through her bag. She searched for her notebook but quickly realized it was not inside the bag she thought she left it in.

The Konti became alert and worried. She must have left her book at the shop or worst, she dropped it on the way home. She slung the bag onto her shoulder and rushed back out of the door. If anyone was to take her notebook, she would be very upset and worried about the secrets she held within it.

Back on the streets of the city, she examined the ground for the missing book. She tried to stay on the exact path she had taken to her apartment. As she crossed back on to Shinyama Peak, she pushed through the crowds of people making their way to the temple. The Konti approached the front of her shop and was immediately relieved. Laying open on the ground in front of the door was her notebook. She hurriedly picked it up and placed it snug into her bag. “Thank the gods I was able to find it,” a sigh escaped her mouth, “I don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t find it.”

Now that Dev’Ania was on Shinyama Peak, there was no use in going back home to change clothes and then returning to join in on the festivities. She decided to just stay and visit the temple. She strolled through the warmly lit city, wandering into the square. As she walked by a group of people, she was suddenly bumped into someone behind her.

As she turned to see who it was, a man proceeded to apologize. The man was tall and slender with skin that glistened in the light of the moon. She accepted his apology and gave one of her own as she observed the glittering horns that extended through his golden hair. “Oh, no worries, sir. I should have been watching where I was going also.” Dev’Ania chuckled lightly. There was an awkward pause before Dev continued to converse with the man. “My name is Dev’Ania. The city is just so beautiful during these festivals, isn’t it?”

by **Octarus** on January 21st, 2020, 2:24 am

“My name is Octarus.” He said and stepped in closer to the woman so he wouldn’t have to talk as loud. “I find festivals fascinating. Across all my time on this plane, I find myself learning the most from how people celebrate.” He sighed. “How do you celebrate this evening?”

His nose wrinkled at the phrasing of his question and patting the air apologetically he blurted. “I just ask because I am new to the city, and still growing accustomed to the pace of life here.” He resisted the urge to study his shoes, and instead focused on the woman. She didn’t exactly seem equipped for the festivities wearing a pack, but then again perhaps this was some peculiar Konti tradition he didn’t know about. He filed that away to ask later if he got the chance as he’d always regretted not learning more about the Konti people when he had the chance in Riverfall. He supposed he might have learned a thing or two about them in a past life but learning things like that was like trying to hook a jade kina dropped into the bay twelve days ago.

In Riverfall there had been more to think about though than chatting with wives in the garden. There had been the Sea. The Sea of Grass. It had called to him, to his mortal seeming. Then his tattoos had burned with memories of that lost life on the Grass. But that was before he had blotted them from his skin, and eventually his mind till they were naught but dull aches in the back of his consciousness. Pangs that affected him daily still but could be managed in the back of his mind.

His eyes refocused on the woman in front of him. Dev’ania was it? “By the way, I’m sorry if I’m intruding on your time here.” He said, slipping a few jade kina from his coin purse and pressing them into her hand. “For your trouble.” A hint of a flush came to his cheeks at that, but he bit back that budding emotion, and maintained a sober expression.

Open In the light before night.