Lost on the Streets of Alvadas (Syndela)

[Rafaelle]

Timestamp: 56th Day of Summer 511

Even after all this time spent within the walls of the clandestine city, he failed to learn its strange ways. Truth to be told, even those that lived here for decades could not fully comprehend what was in store the next day. And still frustration was his most frequent companion. Straight beams of the sun still showed above some of the buildings somewhere ahead but even the twilight was nearing an end. Long menacing shadows crawled along the pavement and the length of every building.

The architecture, the smell and the distinctive sounds of the city that were soon going to die out were all too familiar but at the same time, the rogue did not know where he was, exactly. Due to the chaotic nature, he could rarely plan anything ahead, relying solely on chance. However, as nobody could really guess the way the streets changed themselves, he found it easier to blend into the shadows after a petty theft.

This evening walk had stretched a few hours beyond what he had normally expected though. This must have been one of those days when the city simply works against you and even trying to keep a cool head did little for the way changes took place was completely arbitrary.

Naturally, the man hastened his step again to cover as much distance as he could while he could still clearly see. He stopped at another crossroad to realize darkness had already accumulated in every corner. Narrowing his eyes, he could discern a dead end to his right. And to add to his plight, all the houses in sight seemed to lack doors... and the windows were too high for him to reach. I knew I should have bought a rope for climbing, he thought to himself. Deciding to retreat into the pathway from whence he came, Rafaelle whirled around only to face a wall as though there was no road to begin with.

The predicament left him with two options and he had to act quick lest he wanted to spend wandering the ever-changing streets under the dark cover of the night as well, blindly tracing along the walls with his hands like a blind beggar. Both narrow roads looked equally unwelcoming at this late hour, however. They seemed to trail off into darkness, both of them.

His eyes barely of any use, the thief relied on his hearing in an attempt to ascertain if any other creature, friend of foe, could be residing somewhere in vicinity.

[Syndela]

Stones riddled the pavement, fixated away from a metal drain that was toward the back of the small courtyard. Cream painted buildings surrounded on all sides, terraces with second stories too high to be reached from the ground below. Each house was in sequence with the next, copying the same door positions, windows and railing on all stories. The only wall that was not covered by some residental blockage was the stone archway. A arched tunnel corridor accompanied with the darkness that bellowed in it's depths. Centred in the middle above the metal and slightly rusted drain was a tap, partly bent and crooked from years of communal use.
The sight of the tap faded behind an abrupt veil of cloth. Shirts, pants, coats, undergarnments, socks, sheets and pillowcases patched along the lines that were adjacent with the houses, rimming around in a square that connected from railing to railing. Cutting sight toward the rest of the small courtyard, the swaying clothes in the darkness held an eerie feel, transcending the fading sunset into a still moment that held the criss crossing of laundry mirroring toward purple sky.

With graceful momentum, the Symenestra leaped, jumping over the tap effortlessly with a fluid motion as legs gently splitting to prevail the usage of distance. A long shimmering ribbon of silk followed, painting a line of vibrant blue, lavender and rose. Floral colours danced against the air as the suited woman landed with not a sound. The suit curved down her body in a swirling pattern. From the neck it twirled down and crossed convienantly over her youthful credentials. The line of silk followed around her curved back and parted over her lower waist, subjecting against low hips, between thighs and to finally climax by circling down one leg until it reached the ankle, leaving one leg and both arms bare.

Sweeping her legs up once more, the woman twirled as she leapt until her legs swiveled and faced the clouds. Gravity held no boundaries and she walked on the air, making way to the ground with soft steps and finally rolling under herself to place her feet on the ground. Unfortunately the feet were not properly levelled and as Syndela graced the ground with her toes, they slipped. Moss covered rock near the tap and drain made the ground slippery and no matter how much she faught, the momentum dragged her until she split her legs out. Thighs smacked against the ground with a soft clap. The pale woman growled softly and reached out her elongated arm to grip onto the human water producing device and pull herself to her feet. She felt compelled to feel grateful that no one had seen such a disgraceful landing...or so she thought.

[Rafaelle]

His eyes slowly adapted to the dark. But staring into the pure black from whence nothing seemed to come never did any good. No sounds were discernible except for the beating of his own heart and an eerie quiet wind somewhere in the distance. Or perhaps that was a trick of his own imagination.

Suddenly, something stirred in the depths of the tunnel, past the archway. And the pavement was hit with hooves. Many hooves. At least four pairs of bloodthirsty red eyes peered at him now. Large equine silhouettes stepped out of the dark, into the dim light of the waning twilight yet their features remained hidden by some strange odds. Behind, the horses of pure shadow carried a chariot from whence a whip lashed forth to drive the animals into a canter right in the human's direction. The neighs combined with the rattling of wheels and the sound of relentless galloping blared violently and only served to heighten the grip which fear had of Rafaelle's heart. Wide-eyed, he pressed himself against the wall, his fingers fiddled the precious amulet frantically. His eyes closed shut and he turned his face away as if bracing himself for the inevitable crash. Right as the horses were about to smother him against the wall ,however, they dispersed into thin air instead, carrying with them the echo of madness that they brought along.

The street was empty again, save for himself, and Rafaelle recovered from another hallucination. Ironically, as ominous as they were, the disturbing visions had their own way of guiding him and without hesitation, he chose the dark path from which the hellish chariot was born.

The shadows were not as thick as he thought, after all, and quite soon he witnessed soaked garments put out to be dried in the air pas the small leading tunnel. They swayed lightly to give the man a glimpse of a tap and with it, he came to witness the Symenestra. Quickly and quietly, he moved out of the tunnel to shroud himself in a shadow of a corner from where he could observe her more clearly, as well as take the precaution of making sure she had no unexpected 'friends' about. But all his worries were washed away by the enthralling sight. Even if her dance was not perfect, the enfolding darkness and veiling clothes hid any flaws. Nor did he knew any better.

Rafaelle hated to admit it to himself but the unusual circumstances and the recent hallucination filled him with dread. He was overjoyed to see another living soul at last, although her exotic features and near-ghostly movements made him wonder if she was but another vivid hallucination.

It did not matter, however, at least he could try and make contact. The rogue came out of his hiding while slowly clapping his hands together for an applause. "Bravo, that was simply spectacular!" He exclaimed, approaching her from the rear without giving a thought whether he was going to startle the dancer or not.

[Syndela]

Slightly damp feet felt comforted by the more steady stones. Moss was a naturally occuring phenomena in the city of illusions. During the short amount of time spent here - two to three weeks - Syndela had spotted the weird formations of moss clinging to objects and areas at random. The slick green substance made roads trecherous if found and added a derisive value to it's essence, especially when humans would slip and trip over. She was sure the foliage could come in handy in situations and had noted to take pockets of the moist substance and place it in a thin jar.
Now the green trickster had all but frustrated the dancer and she scratched at it with her claws. Pulling up by the roots it was flung down the drain, for preference to forfeit stumbling. Not that she needed her ego harmed anymore.

The female was here to learn after all but the emptiness of the dance could not escape her. Whilist she was an adequate and talented dancer, there was something missing. Other artists of the same calibor had musicians, chanters and buskers perform with them in unison to bring the dance truly to life. Yet, there was beauty in the silence that often converged with her work. A precious tool to be used yet could not compare to the fullfillment of music.

The beauty of that silence broke with the loud clapping coming abruptly from somewhere nearby. Startled, the female instantly turned defensive and leapt into the air, quickly scaling the nearest terrace. Laced body suit flicked hints of sparkling silk as eyes met eyes. Syndela leered down at the interupting human, the long strands of white hair lined with black fell from her face, hanging before her features and obscuring the brief moment of eye contact between the two.
In the kerfuffle of chaos it seemed that Syndela had forgotten her possessions. Discarded forgotten against the cobbled stone ground were the precious ribboned silk and robes. Beneath the shroud laid casual wear but even so the equipment could not be left there. All that stood between retrieving it and heading back to safety was the man.
His appearance suggested he was young, though nothing could be sure in Alvadas. Long loose hair tied back and accompanied by a handsome face. If he was a battle hardened warrior or such he would at least produce some scars. So the thought of dealing with a less hostile human calmed her, but just ever so slightly. Humans were all the same no matter how innocent they appeared to be.

" I did not see you there. " An accentless voice answered back, the tone of the woman chilling, threat audible in the hues. Truth be told any random appearance by a human made the female jump, especially after such an embarassment of a fall. If he approached in sight she would have remained but the sudden nature spooked her. " Why are you here? " The white woman questioned who clung to the wall. Precariously they climbed down the cream slated stone, not nearly meeting the ground but giving enough distance to prod the human about his sudden appearance and still remain safe. For now at least.

[Rafaelle]

He stopped, clasping the slender fingers of his left hand around his right, just as soon as the dancer climbed the wall with unfathomable speed. In unconcealed awe, he watched her perform the insurmountable feat. Certainly not human. And more chatty than any other vision he has had in the past. Must be real.

The young fellow had barely anything threatening about him indeed. He was not exactly tall nor short. No marks of war marred his pale countenance nor did he have any visible weapons about. His gait was graceful akin to that of a carefully treading feline. Even if he was a warrior in civilian clothes, he put no effort into displaying anything to make him resemble one.

He cocked his head and studied her with intensified interest with his grey eyes. Her remarkable facial features and the make-up(or tattoos) that covered it. The way her tight outfit complimented every fine feature of her feminine body. And through her dance, the Symenestra certainly knew how to display the right assets in an alluring way.

He offered her a friendly smile, albeit somewhat awkward. Still shaken by the vision he had before, the young thief was still trying to compose himself. "Greetings to you. I was simply taking a walk to this fine tap so I could refill my skin with water and by sheer chance our paths crossed. I hope I was not of any inconvenience do you, Lady... ?" Rafaelle inquired for her name. And though he tried to sound completely confident, there was something coy and forced about his speech, as if he strained to concentrate on it through a loud noise or some other distraction.

[Syndela]

Straining tone mixed with a certainty of apprehension, she sensed that maybe he could be one of the many mad men that collected in the town. Sanity was such a fragile thing, breaking strong and weak minds alike. Alvadas and the insanity it brought with it was not exactly alien. During her few weeks here she invested some time in a map and studied about the absurd cases. People drowning in ponds, others being trapped inside mazes like mice and houses containing mirrors that unleashed horror and heaven on those who saw them. Everyone in the town had to be a little crazy to fit in. Some having more sheep loose in the top paddock than others. This boy, man, whomever he was seemed to fit that exact cliche. The way he spoke or how he carried himself. Like he had spent too much time wandering around in circles and getting lost infact.
However, he was a human. One of the many who controlled settlements sheerly by number and mass. Overgrown, overfed and over-endulged people.

Slithering down the wall and landing hands first, the Symenestra arched her back and let her legs dangle over her head until toes touched the cobblestone. Black nails gripped and pulled and in but a blink or two she stood to face the young male. Humans had lifepsans similar to her own race, and judging by his face he could be around the same age as her. Early twenties? Mid twenties? He did look tired.

" Fill your skin after I've taken my possessions away. " The long black arms extended out, longer than any human could ever reach. " This belongs to me. No touchy. " The common seemed somewhat fluent but broken, the second language was still foregin on her tongue and some expressions were just harder than others to convey. One of the long arms snapped out and gripped the cloak wrapped around the common goods, dragging it away with a sudden movement. Reacting, the other snapped up the silk ribbon and retreived it enough distance away. Now, with nothing else to worry the Symenstra raised her lips, giving the young adult a flash of fang. White sparkling canines held behind her lips yet the feeling of them possibly growing longer could not be refused.

" Finish your fill so I can finish. " Syndela hissed back, hauling the equipment away with a few eager paces. She would not grace him with an introduction just yet and only hoped he would take his fill and leave sooner rather than later.

[Rafaelle]

He could guess she thought of him as crazy. At that silent moment after his question was hung into the air the way she regarded him then told him everything for he had seen it too many times. Maybe it was pity. It was hard to guess but he could certainly tell through reading the subtle lines and the way her eyes roved over him. He thought of himself as mad as well but usually it was not hard to conceal the truth. But here, he was compromised because of the environment. Alvadas was famed for all the lunatics and crazies gathered from all kinds of remote corners of the realms. Not to mention only a minute ago he snapped out of one of his lucid visions. There was little the young mage could do to help his case but to try and suppress any signs of insanity. Not a hard task... right? And with what certainty could one state that this Symenestra was sane hereself?

With an implicit warning issued, the woman collected her clothes and he did not mean to interrupt. As a thief, however, a sting of regret stung him for not checking her clothes for any valuables. Such a perfect opportunity lost. Bitterly, he clenched his lower lip between his teeth. With a silent sigh, the male head towards the tap and pulled out the cork of the waterskin slung around his shoulder.

The night was almost upon them. There was just a little bit of red left somewhere over the horizon, the last few rays of the tired sun. The eerie chill and an occasional howl of a dog echoing from a deceptive distance were unnerving to him. As he filled his water supplies, he could not help but wonder how would this strange woman find her way if he himself had no idea.

"Excuse my excessive inquisitive nature, but I feel compelled to ask. How are you going to find you way.... wherever you are headed? The last street I crossed before coming here changed, you know. The pathway from whence I came no longer exists." He peered at her with a corner of his eyes, the waterpouch held in his hand swelling constantly from the water while he spoke.

[Syndela]

At the chance he divested his attention in filling his waterskin did the female take her own needs into mind. Wearing such a suit as this in the coming of night would not be the smartest of choices. The black robes were quickly collected and unravelled, black silk akin to the oncoming dark were pulled along her arms. Crimson cloth tied at waist and with hood ready to sheath her face, Syndela was ready to leave as quickly as Rafaelle enterred. An elegant hand cupped up the last remants of clothes from the ground, cradling them against her chest while the other scavenged for the backpack and quickly plunged the clothes into it's depths. It was so swiftly done, so well practiced for it had been a daily routine to pack her belongings as quickly as possible. Time was valuable and to waste it when a possible threat stood between you and your exit was a fault she refused to cause.

Questionably, she glanced up, catching his eye for a moment before her swaying white fronds covered over her face. Syndela brushed the hair back with a loose claw, hooking the black highlighted fronds around an ear and fastened herself for a responce to the odd question. " I climb these walls. I don't use the roads. " Red orbs danced on the pale features of the Symenstrian as she answered - black irises shrinking until red velvety drapes of crimson was clearly discernible.
" Take a map from the sanity centre. Yes, the streets are at random but at least you'll be able to identify what area you be in even if it's not in the correct place. For a human you should know better. This city is owned by your kind, after all. "

A snarky responce was all that met his kindness, but when it seemed short was when did it expand. " Sanity centre is at the entrance. You go there and talk to lady and she should give you map. " Syndela had not met such a coy individual before. Those that saw her when in a city, town or travelling aboard often slipped remarks or suggestions her way. Some continued to show the same awe, childlike curiousity and innocent as he did, but this boy held back from trying to taunt her or least run for some reinforcement. In such a short duration she had relaxed a considerable amount, finding the ease to stand tall without needing to hunch over her belongings like an old hag nor run into the shadows in flight.

White hand rubbed against her hip, feeling for the kris that still laid in the confines of the sack. Good, it was still there. " You finish? " Syndela then pointed her finger at the waterskin. Inflamed leather or hide had swollen and inclined it was full by both appearance and weight. What was she doing? Talking to a human boy alone as nightfall came in her dance outfit? Sensing she was lingering around for no particular reason, she peered to the arched corridor, only to see it had vanished. Instead in it's place was another terrace, surrounding the courtyard on all four sides. They were trapped....well no, just he was. Gravity couldn't contain her within this courtyard prison, but for the human it would be near impossible without some help from the residents inside one of the houses. Blood eyes met his, silently prying as to what he would do.

This afternoon was growing stranger by the moment.

[Rafaelle]

Almost no sound was made as the very foundation of the houses shifted again. The changes taking place were hardly distinguishable. And he was too busy watching her. Cold water coated his hand in small streaks, letting him know that the waterskin has been filled to the very rim.

"I must have lost my map when I-" his sentence was interrupted by the strange looks she gave him after realizing that the city had decided to keep him confined between the four walls of the courtyard. By habit, his fingers began to fiddle with his amulet while his mind raced, eyes darting about the place. There were doors. With but an uncertain glance spared towards the strange woman, the thief approached the nearest one, knocked against what seemed like hard surface of mahogany. No answer. He knocked again. And still, nothing but silence of the beckoning night. What were but seconds seemed like an eternity to him, and he could clearly feel the curious swirl of Syndela's eyes his back.

He cleared his throat, passed another quick glance over his shoulder and instead of knocking again, he pulled at the door knob with desperate hope that it was actually open. And it was open. But the flood of happiness was evanescent. Right beyond the door there was a wall. The mage slapped his palm upon the hard surface in disbelief and traced it along every inch as though he thought it might have been a trick or perhaps there was a button he needed to push in order for a hidden path to unfold before him. Nothing.

With a weary sigh, he turned about to cast his eyes upon the other door, opposite of where he stood. What were the chances that it actually led somewhere. His evening walk was teetering somewhere between a bizarre dream and a nightmare. Rafaelle looked at her and chuckled lightly to somehow relieve the uncomfortable feeling of isolation and claustrophobia. "At least it is safe in here and there is water in abundance..." His gaze then travelled to the many clothes left to dry above them. Perhaps there were just enough to braid together a rope. "Could you do me a favour?" He asked her. "You see these drying clothes? I think there are just about enough to cover the length of one of these houses if tied together. I would be forever in your debt..." He tried to make the question sound as little desperate and pleading as he could but it was evident that he wanted to remain in this place no longer.

[Syndela]

Observing vicariously from a distance, learning of his ways with each test that presented itself. The Symenestra admitted that even she grew confused at the alarming rate the corridors and houses switched, and upon seeing the door open to reveal another wall sparked another eccentric emotion of glee. Was she truly that sadistic? Watching the human run around hopelessly without much clue as to what to do only revelled her - it was a secret endulgance after all. A secret that she had planned to keep to herself.

Suggestion pointed her skyward , glimpses of dark clothes spotted against the darkening sky. Night came fast and with it the chilling cold. Sleeping out on the streets was tolerable but in the summer when the heat of day had turned to chill? Night was a decider, turning sickly men even more sick with it's viruses and chilling winds. Syndela planned to not be in the approaching cold, but yet couldn't remove herself from the young man. What made her grow compassion to aid him?

The female glanced down and frowned, suspicious to his motives. Brow twisted and instead replaced the angry expression with a neutral vibe. " I will retrieve the clothes if you pay me twenty copper. " It was not enough to by a full meal but it would supply some ingredients. " You pay and I give you the clothes. " The ghost-like woman repeated, slowing wind blowing the equally pale hair behind her in a brief gust. Syndela fixated to the sky, asserting her position with the current time.

Dogs in the distance howled barked and whined. The sound of a metal gate creaked. Wind whistled between the buildings. But other than those sounds, nothing but silence was audiable. She felt the growing drive to leave the human here and ascend the terraces herself, but if he would pay her...
Negotiation, was it worth wasting this time over?