[Verlyna's Emerald Pond] Meditations in Green [Vizyous]

[Hadrian]

"I have never been to Ravok," he admitted. "My father is a merchant and I did travel with him sometimes before I struck off on my own, but we're Syliran born and bred. Ravok is... the enemy." He said that in a knowing tone; he was aware of the deep-seated prejudice, and was likely more open-minded than most Sylirans after his education, but he was still leery of the city of the Evil One. "I fear I might be enslaved and turned to someone else's ends if I ever went there, but I don't know the future. Perhaps someday I will." When Vizyous began to ask questions, Hadrian looked down at their hands. His own hands were only slightly more human than Vizyous. They were already long-fingered and elegant; now they were even slenderer, paler, and the claws were something entirely inhuman. He looked up again, making eye contact with the Symenestra. He had been told that he had a creepy gaze; perhaps people were worried that the creepy kid was going to hypnotize them, but sadly he had no such skill. Yet. "I am learning how to wear Symenestra hands," he informed him calmly. "Your hands, specifically. Then I will take a vial out of my satchel, mark it with appropriate glyphs to preserve the contents, and then I will open your vein with my claws and catch some in the vial to be kept warm and alive until such time as I might use it in a proper enchantment. Have you changed your mind?"

[Vizyous Aconitum]

Vizyous perked up at the information, curious about what his father had sold. His own employer had sold mostly weapons, armor, and stolen valuables like jewelry. "Ravok is beautiful from far away, but once inside it's beauty dies. I'd prefer Sunberth over Ravok any day..." He trailed off, his voice going once he saw that Hadrian was looking back up at him, a strange look in his blue eyes. They almost mimicked the waters of the pond when lit bright with Syna's light, holding the same enchanting, dangerous qualities. Vizyous had learned not to become entranced by the ponds waters, though, and focused on Hadrian's lips and the words coming out of them.

The thought of his own hands being worn by someone else and then used to puncture a vein on his body seemed more than a little disturbing to Vizyous, and it took a moment for him to regather his thoughts from the mental image Hadrian had painted. "... How are my hands, then? Do they fit well?" Was all he could say, an amused smile appearing suddenly. The joke was well needed and distracted him from the strangeness of seeing an extra pair of his own hands. "I haven't changed my mind. Do as you wish, a bit of blood lost won't harm me."

His voice lowered, almost as if he didn't want the mimic pair of hands to hear him, "Although, be careful with those claws. They can be very painful if you hit them against something the wrong way. I once nicked a shopkeepers wrist when she was handing me an item." He grimaced, recalling the misunderstanding.

[Hadrian]

Once the transformation of his hands was complete, he held one up to peer at it, trying to memorize the sight of it and the feel of it from the inside as well as the feel of Vizyous' own hands. He flexed the hand, curled and straightened his fingers, admired the claws. Not terrible work, especially doing it on the sly like that. His other hand kept hold of Vizyous by the wrist; it wasn't meant to frighten or enrage, but he wasn't done yet. "I can see these being useful," he said. "But it always feels a bit strange to work flesh like this. I'm not very good at it. This is one of the more complex... and successful attempts I've made." His clawed hand dipped into his satchel and pulled out a glass vial. His thumb brushed over Vizyous' wrist and then punctured him there, holding the little wound over the mouth of his vial, collecting the vitae. "I'll only fill it about halfway. Let me know if you begin to feel lightheaded and I will stop."

[Vizyous Aconitum]

The dumbfounded look on his face appeared once he saw Hadrian's complete work, the human hands that once had short, bitten nails now longer and much more dangerous. He scoffed at the mans words, "I believe you humble yourself far too much. I've never seen anything like it." Vizyous kept notice of the hand still holding his wrist but didn't worry, still too amazed both at the work Hadrian had accomplished and the modesty he displayed.

Unless, of course, this was nothing compared to others that could mold flesh like that. The Symenestra was scared to think of what the outcome would be if he ever began trying to practice magic that could transform his body. He already had a hard time keeping track of his personality issues, he couldn't imagine tampering with his body too.

Once Hadrian retrieved a glass vial from his bag, Vizyous took in a deep breath and closed his eyes, feeling a claw that felt foreign but should have felt familiar brush against his wrist. His eyes snapped opened when he felt it puncture the thin skin, the cool glass of the vial soon pressing just below the small but bleeding cut.

His gaze fixed on the container slowly filling with his blood, nervousness beginning to creep up on him. All he could think of was that he was not bleeding enough, that more needed to be spilled for Viratas, and growing deep within was something feral. Vizyous made eye contact with him, wondering if the human could see his thoughts. The usual control he had over what his eyes portrayed fled when he caught sight of blood, it had been that way since he could remember.

"I'm fine," he reassured Hadrian, his gaze returning to the vial that was nearly at the half-way point.

[Hadrian]

Hadrian could not, as a matter of fact, read his mind, but he gave a rhythmic squeeze to his wrist to keep the blood flowing. This was a blood sacrifice of which he felt more confident. Vizyous was a sentient being and had freely given his consent to let blood, and Hadrian felt there was a power to that greater than simply taking life from a woebegone alley cat, even if he had done his best to make the cat's final days the most comfortable of his life. He did catch sight of something in Vizyous' quickened gaze, and he wondered clinically whether the sight and smell of blood aroused Symenestra sexually. "Should we offer a prayer to Viratas?" he asked quietly. From another man it might have been a taunt, but Hadrian was simply curious, eager to sponge up anthropological data from every encounter. He wanted to know, and he would offer a heartfelt prayer of thanks to Viratas for this font of blood-power because it didn't stain his soul.

[Vizyous Aconitum]

Hadrian's softly spoken question was unexpected but relieved Vizyous of the anxiety he felt. Focusing more on the words that he knew so well calmed him, reminded him of times in Kalinor that weren't so bad when he could be surrounded by followers that all shared the same mind when it came to beliefs.

"Viratas, this blood is withdrawn from my Symenestra body and given to this Human. Although our exterior is different, our interior is the same, and we recognize this." The words were spoken with clarity and confidence, although this was the first time he'd addressed Viratas in any language other than Symenos and they almost felt foreign. "My God, thank you for this connection between all living beings, thank you for teaching us the importance of life and meaningless killing."

His gaze went from the blood flowing from his wrist to darkness as he shut his eyes, picturing in his mind only himself and Hadrian, no pond or grass around them. Vizyous was Symenestra, distinctly different from the Syliran-born human across from him, yet beneath the clothes and skin, they were alike. Liquid flowed through them that sustained and nourished them, and without it both of them would not be alive.

"I ask for your forgiveness. My recklessness in the past has led me to forget the importance of this connection. I have killed." This was spoken in Symenos, the words making it out of his mouth for the first time although they'd been in his mind since he'd entered Alvadas and begun trying to stop his old ways of living. Vizyous felt the plea for forgiveness was long overdue, out of fear of a response more than anything else. He did not wish to anger Viratas, although he knew his God had without a doubt witnessed his crimes.

"If you have anything to say..." The Symenestra told Hadrian quietly, perfectly content to simply stay there with his eyes closed. He always felt most peaceful when all he saw was darkness. Vizyous made sure to remain quiet until the human was done with his prayer, even if no words were heard and it was only spoken in Hadrian's mind.

He wasn't sure if the man worshiped any god or goddess exclusively, but the word we didn't go over his ears unnoticed when asked if he wanted to offer a prayer. The human must have been grateful for the offering of blood. Which reminded him, he hoped that it was going to be used for good purposes. Vizyous trusted Hadrian to use it to power magic that was not intended to harm.

When he felt the man was done showing his appreciation to Viratas, Vizyous repeated the closing words to prayer that he'd heard and spoken at least a hundred times before. "Moz seh krevas dav'ene obris zhevat." His eyes opened, signalling to Hadrian that he had finished his prayer. "May this blood give greater life." He repeated for him in Common, smiling. Vizyous felt better overall, despite the initial odd feeling he'd experienced at praying for the first time in front of someone that was more the observant outsider than the participant familiar with Viratas.

"I do hope it aids you," his thoughts returned back to what the blood was going to be used for, "and I trust you will use your research with good intentions."

[Hadrian]

Hadrian kept a respectful silence while Vizyous intoned his prayer, realizing that he was making another concession in speaking Common for Hadrian's benefit. He doubted the god cared one whit one way or the other in what language a prayer was offered so long as it was offered with a true heart. When Vizyous fell silent, Hadrian offered his own prayer, though he did not know this particular god well. "Thank you, Lord Viratas, for Vizyous and his gift. I accept in it your name as he offers it in your name, and I pray for your blessing upon my works, and that I prove wise enough to make proper use of this gift." As Vizyous closed the prayer, Hadrian saw that he had enough blood and, on a strange whim, he leaned down and ran his tongue over the wound before putting pressure on it with the pad of his thumb to help it clot and scab over. "Moz seh krevas dav'ene obris zhevat," he repeated, the flash of his tongue as he spoke a more brilliant crimson than the faint pink of his lips, his eyes drilling into Vizyous as they were wont to do. No wonder he had no friends; Hadrian was a creeper, but he could mimic the phonics well enough to add his closing in Symenos, even if he didn't know what he was saying until the Symenestra translated. "As you say," he agreed. "Put pressure on it, won't you? Then I can preserve your blood."

[Vizyous Aconitum]

The calmness that had claimed Vizyous while Hadrian had said his own prayer slowly unfurled into quiet shock when he distinctly felt the humans tongue run firmly across the small cut. His eyes opened in an instant, just in time for him to see that yes, the human had just licked up his... a shiver went through his body.

Unbeknown to Hadrian, he'd just performed an action that meant much more than cleaning up a cut. While the Symenestra had been aware that even just the act of giving his blood to someone else would be ambiguous, there was nothing ambiguous, in his mind, about what Hadrian had just done. He'd willingly and without prompt had taken what Vizyous considered most important into his system, implying a deeper connection than curious acquaintances.

The Symenos repeated back to him furthered the flush heating his skin, ears barely connecting with his brain about the instructions Hadrian had given him. Surely the human knew the implications of what he had just done, he could not have simply just been curious or felt he needed to clean his skin of blood. While some Symenestra would have been revolted at the thought of a human even seeing their most vital fluid, Vizyous felt only embarrassment for the obliviousness of Hadrian, and attraction for the eyes looking into his own that seemed strangely amused by the blood on his tongue.

"Do not--" The Symenos slipped out harshly before he realized he'd spoken it, his thumb going to press against the slowly clotting cut, "Provocation--" Vizyous struggled to find the correct words, "Do not, in the future, unless your inviting to further bond..." He seriously doubted that Hadrian had intentionally meant to provoke him sexually, the human seeming far too clinical towards him and everything he did, so Vizyous continued pressing against his cut, not noticing he was pressing harder than necessary considering how small it was.

He let out a deep breath, feeling that he'd possibly just made an awkward break in conversation. Had Vizyous expected it, had he not been caught off guard with his eyes closed, he would have reacted differently and with much more maturity-- but it hadn't been so.

[Hadrian]

Hadrian was not an expert on Symenestra culture, despite his focus on anthropology. He knew the basics, to be sure, but had never specialized in far off Kalinor and its spider people. The possible implications of his action only occurred to him after the fact, when Vizyous seemed so flustered by it. At first he was on guard to the almost violent passion throbbing in the man's voice, then stared at him as if unsure whether a joke was being played with him as the butt. "I apologize," he said quietly, cautiously. "I did not intend to offend you." A faint flush bepainted his cheeks, exacerbated by his pale skin. "What... what sort of bond are you implying?" Vizyous' manner indicated some break in taboo, and while that was generally something sexual in human cultures, he wasn't sure it was quite the same for the Symenestra. When a response wasn't immediately forthcoming, Hadrian continued, "I didn't mean to upset you." He quickly looked down at the vial of blood, pulled a stopper out of his satchel to stop it up, and a grease pencil with which he began to trace out glyphs on the glass surface, glyphs of stasis, viscosity, and warmth.

[Vizyous Aconitum]

Hadrian really hadn't intended to provoke him, that much was obvious. The way he spoke and questioned made him almost seem innocent, but Vizyous couldn't imagine that a magic user could be such a thing. The intentions to learn about magic may be harmless, but the power behind it required corruption, even slight.

After the third apology, Vizyous felt it was time to explain, his words coming carefully. After all, he hadn't had such an experience in his life, where a stranger licked at his blood! In a way, he was just as confused as Hadrian. "I'm neither offended or upset! How could you have known?" He told the human, who quickly busied himself with containing and preserving his blood within the glass vial. There was a faint bit of color to his cheeks, likely the result of feeling embarrassment and confusion for his possibly offensive mistake.

"I realize you did this without such thoughts, but the first thing that comes to my mind when one takes in another's blood is that the person they just drank from is now inside of them." Vizyous let that linger for just a moment, wanting to explain to Hadrian in case he ever had such an urge again, so that the human would think before he acted. "The blood that already connected us is not distant anymore, but mingling together-- flowing throughout your body, making your heart beat, powering the legs that you depend on to take you where you wish to go and the mind that tells you where that is. It's no longer a representative bond but a physical one of the most intimate kind."

His own words had brought a faint blush to his cheeks, although Vizyous felt generally much calmer now and less flustered. "That bond is supposed to be unbreakable, one of lovers and mates that will never separate even after death." He smiled at Hadrian in amusement, "Unless it's done without that knowledge-- speaking of knowledge, what is it that you're doing?"