That Farm (Open)

[Asara Willow]

Sunset, Summer 75th, 511 AV

The sun was in Asara's eyes as she surveyed the hills of the southern Wildlands through pale gold eyes, searching the vibrant landscape for any signs of the place where she had awoken the previous season and the farm she had fled from after a greusome feast. Zafkil, the horse she had taken from the farm, the horse that was originally hers from Kalea, neighed loudly and flicked his tail, slapping Asara's arm. He recognized this area, and he knew exactly what it was that Asara was seeking.

Asara hissed a few words in Symenos and nudged Zafkil's sides, urging the horse to head towards the small farm about a kilometer or so away, nestled against several hills. It was truly a lovely place in the light of the setting sun...

Yet it was also an ugly place, for Asara had taken a life there without feeling remorse. She still felt no remorse, for she believed she'd defended herself from a man who'd have split her open.

Now, as she headed to the farm of a brutally devoured human, Asara payed no heed to anyone who may have approached her or the farm.

[Ianus]

He was still wandering the Syliran Wildlands, searching for something he didn’t find. After riding for more than two days, his body was heavy with exhaustion, especially during the day. Only a few bells of riding, and a tiny farm nestled between rolling hills attracted his attention. A chime of concentration and a blink had told him that the complex of buildings was devoid of any sentient being. So he had taken Firefly to the stables and provided her with food from there, falling into a pile of hay and dust soon after. Syna’s rays fell through a window and tickled his nose, telling of Her lover's impending arrival. A little less tired, the Symenestra rose and slowly walked through the stable, examining everything more carefully this time. Dust had gathered on the floor and the tools, nobody had been here for a while. He wondered what had happened... bandits, wild beasts, the possibilities were plenty in such a dangerous world. Once again he hesitated, breathing in and out, closing his eyes and opening them when he was sure that he’d see the colors. A second world unfolded as his crimson eyes opened to the auras of all things. His mare had turned into a shape of content blue, mixed with a little purple. Then his gaze wandered out of the door standing open. And there he caught sight of a small colorful blob in the distance. Someone was approaching. He remained frozen in place, the pale statue of a Symenestra with black hair reaching just his chin. Black nails shimmered on his fingers, although the toenails were filed down. As the figure approached, he saw deep reds infused by streaks of pink and violet. Another Symenestra dreaming of things beyond his comprehension, oblivious to her surroundings. Another Symenestra! He left the stables and settled down leaning against the wooden wall. There he awaited the arrival of someone familiar: the pale shadow of a Symenestra dressed in fabric made by humans.

[Asara Willow]

In all honesty, the farm had not changed. The entire place appeared empty, dead. No horses neighed from the yard or stables, all had fled long before after the death of their owner. Zafkil would be the only one to return, and he didn't even belong to the human who had kept him.

The Symenestra slowed Zafkil as they approached the stables. Sweat shone on his coat from running so hard in the setting sun's light, and Asara briefly felt a flash of annoyance. She had been getting accustom to the yellow glare, but she wished she'd traveled by night. The problem with that was the Zith, though.

Zafkil suddenly stopped, flinging Asara forward and crushing the breath from her. She hissed angrily to her loyal horse, and he shook his head, telling her the issue was not with him. It was with the foreign scent he had caught as he entered the yard.

Asara quickly dismounted and brushed her fingers over the daggers stuck into the waist of her breeches, ensuring they were present in case she required them. After all, the human could have had some relatives who'd discovered him before he was consumed by her corrosive venom.

With a quick shake of her head, Asara left Zafkil with a word telling him to stay and crept towards the stables, the closest building to her. It was when she turned the corner to the door of the stables that she saw him... Another Symenestra? Had to have been. He looked just like one... Even so, she froze as though expecting him to lash out at her. It was some reaction she expected of humans at the sight of her, hardly necessary when encountering one of her own race, yet she couldn't help but be wary. When he didn't move, she slowly approached, taking pleasure at being able to look down at someone for once.

"What are you doing here?" Asara skipped any formal greeting, choosing to speak in an almost demanding voice. She felt no regret though. It was like she was accustomed to speaking like this to him, a complete stranger as far as she was concerned. She chalked it up to being surprised at finding another Symenestra, in the stable of the farm she had first come to.

One would call it a coincidence.

[Ianus]

He listened to the protest of the horse, the pounding of hooves on the ground and imagined the Symenestra slipping into a slightly grumpy mood. The colors were so strong, so vivid that he could see and feel them through the walls of the stables that were between them. Drinking in the presence of another sentient being, but also singing with the rush of the djed in his veins, he waited for her appearance. When she came round the corner, he merely raised his head to look at her. There was no surprise and no excitement, only a watchful look in his eyes, red as blood. The woman froze and then slowly approached him as if she wanted to make sure he didn’t attack her like some wild animal. No, the change in her aura indicated otherwise. Orange and yellow trickled into the deep red of excitement and caution. He blinked, trying to find out what that particular change in colors meant. Orange and yellow. Superior...? Even then, he couldn’t really believe it. And it made no difference for a voice hit his ears. In a rough tone she had spoken. He’d almost consider it rude, hadn’t he anticipated her mood before the first words left her lips. Blinking through the blinding flood of colors, he realized that her beauty was different from the mirror image he was used to looking at. While he featured black silk strands, her hair was white, and while his eyes drowned in the color of blood, hers were golden. He noted the differences with a bit of curiosity, like a wanderer discovering a new area to explore. Only after a moment he realized that she had used Common to address him. Lips curling up a bit, he replied in the pleasant hiss that was Symenos: “I have come to find refuge for a night or two.” It was a test, and the glint in his eyes probably suggested as much. The colors were swimming before his vision and getting blurry around the edges. Apparently he still hadn’t slept enough. But to find shelter for another few bells, he had to wait and observe.

[Asara Willow]

A small, almost mocking, smile lifted her pale lips as she looked into his fiery eyes... At this point, Asara was beginning to believe she was the only member of the Widowers with gold eyes. Dhalvasha's, Seven's, and now this male had the same bloody gaze. Garnets everywhere.
Oh well. Gold was always worth more, wasn't it? Asara secretly agreed with that thought.

"This is an ideal place to keep to oneself. At least, when I stayed here it was appropriate. Did you walk?" Asara changed the topic gracefully, using the elegant and creeping tongue he had. She was very comfortable in this language, as she wouldn't be required to think too hard to translate from Common.

Slowly, she crossed her pale arms, her eyes narrowing in the slanted glare of the yellow face. She'd never find peace in daylight. It gave her such a headache.

Almost absently she examined her filed nails and then raised her pale gold eyes to look at him again.

"What is your name, again? I'm afraid I failed to catch it the first time."

[Ianus]

The bittersweet impression of her smile didn’t go unnoticed. There were so many colors, they mixed and matched like a whirlwind, and it was difficult to pick those who spoke a clear language. He blinked, attempting to focus, but there was so much red. Of course, a Symenestra often shone red even in the darkest of nights, since that was what they were. Even the one with golden eyes couldn’t deny their very nature. There was something else, though, and first he didn’t fully understand it. But then, it dawned on him, her words, her gaze, the way she tried to appear laid back and uninterested, all of that whispered the solution in his ear. And when he realized what the most obvious message of her aura was, a smile flickered across his own face like a ray of moonlight in a cloudy night. So that was it. Her Symenos was smooth and practiced, but that couldn’t fool him anymore. Now his mind wandered and worked, trying to find a single spot of interest, gathering words and weaving them together, only to let them dissolve again when they lacked the right melody. Looking up to the darkening sky, he briefly wondered how long it would be until... Ignoring the trivialities in her questions, he moved on to more intriguing grounds. “What are names? Nothing but paperthin masks that can be changed at will. If you need one, I was known as Savere Chrysanthemum.” He held it back, the laughter bubbling up in his throat. Instead, he continued, tugging at her colors with his mind. Even a single word could send the colors inside another person into a maelstrom. “Why are you here? Our kin is made for climbing the deepest darkness. Not for occupying the farms of their victims.” It had left splotches and ugly ripples in the house’s djed, and he had seen and analyzed. Now he attempted to delve into the woman’s mind the same way, coloring her as transparent as glass. However, just as he ended, a hint of silver disturbed his appearance, flickering through his eyes and sending near-transparent ripples over his skin. The transformation was beginning.

[Asara Willow]

This person was so... Unusual. He seemed on the verge of speaking, saying something that would probably have put her on edge or, maybe, piqued her curiousity. She hadn't encountered a pure blood Symenestra in the Wildlands, before. This meeting was strange. What were the odds that she'd return to this place and find someone else of her race.

At his response to her query for his name, another smile flitted across her face. She was amused by his response. The way he introduced himself though left her wondering something... Like, what was his name now? And why did he seem on the edge of laughter?

She was about to ask when his next words froze her breath. How did he know? Was he there that day, over a season ago? Did he come here, knowing she would be here too? That was a troubling thought. If it was correct, he could be someone untrustworthy. He could be an enemy, or maybe some investigator who'd turn her in to the authorities. Her gold eyes darkened.

"For someone who knows what I've done here, you sure talk about it like it's a joke." Asara's eyes gleamed and she stepped closer. ]"Or is this just some sort of trick? Have you even been in the house yet?" She hoped he had not, but still, it would not explain how he knew... A headache threatened to erupt behind Asara's eyes as her thoughts swirled in a confusing blend. He seemed to shimmer as her already damaged mind fumbled with coherent thought and rationality...

Asara blinked and tilted her head. The male really was shimmering! She stepped back in shock, drawing in a deep breath to ready her Res for use should he do something threatening.

"What is happening to you?

[Ianus]

With interest he watched the storm of colors that erupted around her. Red dipped into pink, a first taste of panic, and lots of dark oranges and browns circled around her head like dark clouds filled with rain. When she stepped closer, Savere didn’t react. However, her words caused his face to drop a little, reveal the slightest hint of surprise. Her words were strange and removed, as if she tried to deny what she really was. It seemed like she had never even heard of the word Harvest. How was that possible? Living at a farm somewhere in Sylira, always on the verge of being killed by wild beasts or bandits, it was not the natural lifestyle for a Symenestra. And she had spoken in Common first of all, not Symenos. He raised his eyebrows in an unspoken question – the woman had obviously caught his interest. In more than one way. However, before he could even think of a response, further weaving the word game, the change of his appearance continued. He felt it under his skin, saw it flickering on his hands and felt the colors and shapes changing. Teeth and claws disappeared into soft skin, a pair of horns sprouted from his temples in a pale shade of green. He grew by a few inches. His body retained the bony frame, although his limbs weren’t quite as long anymore. Black hair remained, although it looked smoother and somehow... shinier. The crimson red of his eyes reverted into silver. As the surroundings darkened and Leth peeked over the horizon, his skin seemed to reflect the opalescent moonlight. This was no Symenestra anymore, but something infinitely more beautiful. Still the colors danced before his eyes, but he felt his eyes burning whenever he blinked and his fingers trembled from the constant rush of adrenaline caused by djed in use. “This is what I am now”, he explained. His voice was barely audible, yet rich with unspoken emotions. In some way, he felt naked. “Call me Ianus. Now that you know me, tell me something about you, will you? Why is it that a Symenestra lives away from her kin and acts as if she was an ordinary human?” There was gentleness in his words, and a distinct lack of the self-confidence his Symenestra mind had emitted. Still, he longed to drink in the ever-changing colors of the golden-eyed woman, longed to know her.

[Asara Willow]

Asara felt her Djed rise in her, her Res preparing to be formed should this thing wish to harm her. As usual, it was forming because that Sitana who lived in her darkest thoughts was trying to dominate. She smothered the rise of magic and knelt next to the male. Her curiousity had been piqued, and she couldn't give up a chance to investigate.

She hesitated as he remembered his uncanny knowledge from just a few chimes ago and eyed him almost suspiciously. He was bigger than her, but so were most other people. He didn't seem to have venom in this form, or at least fangs and claws, so she had a small advantage... But that didn't quite reassure her. She'd never met something like this male before, she'd never known something like him existed. And why did he change with Leth's arrival? Was he Symenestra in the morning, and whatever he was now at night?

Very cautiously she reached out a hand. Her good arm was relaxed at her side, ready to lash out should he hurt her. She kept her gold eyes on his now silver ones as she touched the curved horns, the pale, impossibly rich and lovely colouring drawing her attention first. She had to admit, he was incredibly beautiful in contrast to the loveliness he had possessed prior to his transformation.

Her fingertips ran along the smooth surface of his horns and a small smile pulled up the corners of Asara's lips. She drew back her hand but didn't bring it back to safety. She wasn't done. Instead, she reached and slid her thin, long fingers under his chin to tilt his face to the side, very gentle so he'd have no reason to harm her. She wanted to see if he had hidden his old appearance somewhere. She suspected him of morphing.

"Ianus? What does that name come from..?" Asara asked quietly. Still, she sighed and decided to reciprocate. [color=BF00BF]"My name is Asara Willow. And, as the answer for your question, I do not live here. I've come to see about something."[/color]

She bit her tongue to keep from telling him why she pretended to be human. She supposed she was spending too much time around an alien race while trying to piece back her memory and was imitating them. She did wish she'd be able to fit in, but she was growing to despise the human race again, even stronger than before, after that girl tried so hard to kill her. Her eyes flicked back to Ianus'.

"What are you, Ianus? Did you just Morph? Where did you learn to change like that? Why change with Leth's arrival? Symenestra see better at night." She smiled at her questions slightly, her eyes flashing brightly.

[Ianus]

To his surprise, the woman didn’t possess the slightest hint of respect as she reached out to touch him and feel his skin, inspect his face. Yet the touch sent ripples through his entire body and he found himself cringing. How long had it been that someone else had touched him? Under Syna he was the dangerous spider creature, and under Leth, his Lord, he was one of the most beautiful beings in existence. Of course, it was apparent that he didn’t belong, he was detached from the mortal world, and his beauty only instilled awe and too much respect. Nobody really got close to such a being, in fear of what would happen to them. Mortals didn’t fly near Syna lest she burned them. But the Symenestra woman lacked a sense of privacy, and Ianus drank her curiosity in with greed. Staring into her face with a stoic expression, he actually observed her face and the colorful aura dancing across her features. There was awe, of course, and a burning curiosity not unlike his own feeling. The corners of his mouth curled in a half-smile while she turned his chin to a side. He enjoyed the gentleness of her hands. When he answered in Symenos, the words were riddled with a strange accent. “Ianus is the name I chose as an alternative. My real name cannot be pronounced in any mortal language.” Hues of orange and a bright pink showered his eyes in her confusion. They started to hurt, and he kept them shut for a few moments. Seeing her colors, he was sure she wouldn’t harm him anymore. Amusement was his only reaction to her questions... at first. Then he freed his arms and gave her forehead a slight poke with his slender index finger. Sliding down at the wall, he settled into a lotus seat, his preferred position. A quick gesture invited the Symenestra to do the same. The darkness spreading out between them didn’t lessen his excitement at her words. One word in particular. Morph. “Asara, I’m an Ethaefal. After Savere Chrysanthemum died, he was allowed to exist at Leth’s side as a divine being. However, the Valterrian weakened my Lord, and so I was thrown into the mortal realm again. Now I live as the memories of my own past and the shadow of His domain.” Speaking so long felt unusual, so he fell quiet. Almost as an afterthought, he added: “So you have knowledge of magic.”