[The Chapel]Clear-Cut(Veldrys)

[Xelhes]

Fall 37, 511 A.V. So he could start training today? It was far sooner than Xelhes had anticipated, but not something he disagreed with. The sooner he could learn the better. Simply the fact that he had found someone who was willing to try and teach him about being a healer was enjoyable, for he had believed it would be much more difficult. Now he could only hope to prove a competent student for Veldrys, as well as mentally hoping the Symenestra was a good teacher as well. Though it did seem odd that the man had nothing else to do. Surely there had to be something else to do during the day? What of the others who would come to the Chapel? Even someone like Xelhes had things to do during the day, be them trivial or important. Anything to fill up his free time. Having spare time was not always a good thing. It let the mind wander, and sometimes it wandered to places Xelhes did not like to go. "Later today is fine with me. I must be lucky to have met you on a day you were not occupied with other events and individuals. Hopefully I will be a competent student, since I have only really learned about herbs from various books, as well as some slight personal viewing. Normally though I find it inadequate. Some plants looks so similar, yet with a mere difference in the shade of the color they are, you can tell if it is edible or poisonous. My eyes are not yet trained to pick up on some of the subtle differences." There were simply too many kinds of plants. Most were safe, but of course there was always one lingering about that could prove toxic, be it through ingestion, or from simple physical contact. "Yes, prejudice is a problem I see everywhere, and I do not think it will every leave completely. Some fowl things told of others may be true, but there is normally always a reason, be it something that occurred in the past, or that the race is one that lives off pure instinct." The thought of Myrians seemed to visible darken Veldrys' mood. Could it be due to an encounter the man once had with a Myrian, or simply the tales told of them? Xelhes was slightly surprised to learn that the Symenestra ate fruits as well, but also had the thought in the back of his mind. It would make sense for a race to be able to consume both plants and animals, as sometimes you could only find one or the other, though obviously many animals in the world only could consume one or the other. The Symenestra could not properly consume solid foods... Interesting was the only word to describe it. Xelhes had yet to hear of such a thing. Yes, some animals could not eat plants, or meat, yet he had not really heard of a humanoid race that lacked the ability to consume solid food. It seemed odd as well. Veldrys had proven that Symenestra were hunters; yet they lacked the ability to properly eat most meat? The two facts seemed almost against each other. "Your culture weave silks?" Xelhes looked at Veldrys' robe once more, wondering. "Your robe, is it made of silk weaved by a Symenestra? It looks to be of high quality, or to my eyes it does, though sadly silk is not something I can afford that often." The concept that the Symenestra had literature did not come as a total surprise to Xelhes, though the fact that it was in the conventional human means was a bit. Most races must have some way of recording what they knew, be it on walls, flesh, or any surface, let alone using simple verbal transfer. "I would love it if you brought a book next time. It would be nice to see how Symenestra wrote compared to the books wrote by humans, let alone the chance of seeing what differences there were in written language." He was getting overexcited again, like a child who had been told he would be getting candy. How could he help it though; learning about new cultures and people fascinated him. When Veldrys mentioned meeting the Ethaefal, Xelhes almost instantly spoke, trying to remove the idea before it was further pursued. "Sometimes keeping distance is the best thing to do, for everyone." With the talk of repaying Veldrys, Xelhes gave a slight nod, though looked unsatisfied about it. "Very well. I shall try to tell you what I can, and hopefully be a student who is easy to teach." The Ethaefal was still unsure on what exactly he could tell Veldrys. If the Symenestra had already met others like Xelhes, who was to say he did not already know what Xelhes did. What if Veldrys knew even more? It was a sad thought, but a possible one. "No...like I said before, my knowledge on the deities is limited to Leth. I never attempted to learn about them, or those that had been blessed with a fragment of their power." With Veldrys' words, Xelhes began to quietly think before understand. It took a few seconds, but he understood quite well, or had an idea. "The memories are in by blood...which would mean you need access to my blood in order to find those memories." The idea of blood did not disturb Xelhes, as it was what sustained life to an extent. Instead it was what Veldrys would have to do to access the blood. Would he use magic to simply interact with it while it still flowed through Xelhes' veins? Would he have to cut himself so the the blood was released from his body? How much blood would be needed also was not said. "If my assumption is right...then I am alright with it. Having my blood used in some way to regain some memories sounds fine to me. I should have more than enough to survive." Judging from what Xelhes had observed about Veldrys, he did not think the act would be dangerous. It had already been performed on other Ethaefal, and Veldrys did not seem the kind of person to do a dangerous ritual in an open space, let alone a sacred one. So far the Symenestra seemed trustworthy, as well as acting rather polite, and maybe even kind. It was odd, the Symenestra was a hunter, and Xelhes knew he should hold some fear for that reason, yet he felt fine being around Veldrys. Would it be the same if any of the hunter in the man arose? With these thoughts Xelhes could not help but worry about what Veldrys thought of the Ethaefal. True, some effort had been used, but Xelhes had tried to be as social as he could, yet Veldrys had showed no sign on what he thought of him. The thought that Veldrys might think of him as a divine, like most people did of the Ethaefal, was the worst case scenario to Xelhes. Having one think he was divine was upsetting, for he was not close to any form of divine creature. To Xelhes, Ethaefal were simply lost creatures who had only a small light of what they once were, flawed just like all others, and maybe even more so than most.

[Veldrys]

„I have had students that knew less than you“, Veldrys replied as Xelhes told him what he knew. He thought of the Isur Vanos as he said this. The man had been completely clueless, and the language barrier had made it hard to teach him anything. „I will teach you how to tell poisonous plants and edible ones apart – although some plants are only poisonous if you eat larger amounts of them.“ He shrugged his shoulders, deciding that it would be best not to elaborate on this right now. There would be more than enough time for that when they met again to start Xelhes‘ training. „By the time we are done your eyes will be able to pick up on that subtle difference.“

As Xelhes remarked that there was always a reason for the foul things that others did, Veldrys only nodded. That was true, at least as far as the Symenestra were concerned. They weren’t evil, bloodthirsty rapists. For them it was about nothing less than the survival of their race, but he wasn’t so sure where other races were concerned. Zith were evil monsters that were beyond redemption as far as he was concerned, and Myrians weren’t much better. As far as Veldrys was concerned they had taken that which rightfully belonged to his own people.

„Yes, we weave silk“, he confirmed and gestured for Xelhes to come closer to him, to touch his robe and see how soft it was if he wanted to. „My robe was made by members of the Anthurium Web who weave the finest silk in all of Kalinor. For us Symenestra silk is not expensive. Almost every one of us wears it. Maybe I will be able to sell some of you at a lesser price sometimes. As for books, if you don’t mind religious texts, I could bring my copy of the Viratassa, our holy book. I also have a bit of Symenestra poetry, although most of the books I own have been written in Symenos, the language of my people. Still, I might be able to translate some of it for you.“

He noticed Xelhes‘ excitement and couldn’t help but smile. He liked it when people found his race and his culture fascinating, when they didn’t condem him right away and confront him with horror stories about the Harvest. Although the Harvest was a part of his culture, it wasn’t everything. There was so much more to the Symenestra.

It surprised him that the thought of having his blood used didn’t disturb Xelhes at all. A lot of people were bothered by the idea. But it was of course possible that the Ethaefal still had the wrong idea of it, that he thought that he, Veldrys, would simply cast some kind of spell or say a prayer, and everything would be revealed.

„I will need to taste your blood“, Veldrys informed him. „And it won’t be enough if you bleed into a bowl and let me drink it afterwards. The blood needs to come straight from your body, from a living vessel. I will either have to bite you - any part of your body will work – or you can cut yourself.“

[Xelhes]

Fall 37, 511 A.V. "My knowledge if not my biggest concern, but the possibility that I lack the mentality to learn from a teacher. So far the only form of training in anything is from books, aside from my short journey to reach Denval. I know my mind is well suited to learn from simply reading, from understanding theory or diagrams, but I cannot guess if it is able to learn by another's methods." A teacher was not something the Ethaefal had searched for, just as he never really searched out for much of any contact. The few he did make contact with though he tended to become rather open with, acting far less detached and cold than to a random individual. "In the texts I read it tried to explain the different types of poisons a plant contained, some causing pain, while others caused brief stiffening or paralysis of limbs. It was interesting. Plants that bring out their toxins simply through physical contact were also mentioned, though rare. For my eyes to learn how to find the differences for plants would be a benefit in more ways than one. Sharp eyes are useful for more than simply identifying a herb. With a sharper vision, a more focused mind, he would be able to distinguish many things differently in the world. It would broaden his view, allow him to see things that once were hidden from his sight. A new world of knowledge could be found. After the Symenestra nodded and motioned for Xelhes to go over and feel his robe, the Ethaefal did so, almost reluctantly. He was unsure why, but something in the back of his head made him consider staying where he was, to maintain the distance between himself and Veldrys. Taking a seat beside the Symenestra, Xelhes gently felt the sleeve of the robe, eventually closing his eyes to focus on it. The silk was soft; extremely soft. Far softer than any of the silk Xelhes had worn at least, thought the quality was probably much greater as well. "I wish I could accept the deal, however even at a lesser price I do not think I will be able to afford clothing made from this. Besides, we only just met. Accepting silks from you at a lesser price is not something I can do, not from a man who I have little ties to." Many people would have gladly accept an offer on lower priced silk; lower priced anything actually. Yet, accepting an offer from someone he barley knew, and who knew almost nothing of him did not bode right with Xelhes. It was almost like stealing, or being pitied upon. Both of which were unpleasant for the Ethaefal. Religious texts and poetry. Of the two Xelhes would rather see the religious book, or as Veldrys said, the holy book. Poetry, while nice to listen to, was something that went beyond Xelhes, despite trying to understand it. The way the words messed together, how they sounded, it did not register properly to him. Yes, he understood that the sentences in poems were pretty, but with the meaning behind them invisible to the Ethaefal, such pretty words had little value. "I am fine with you bringing what ever literature you are comfortable showing me. The Viratassa sounds like a fascinating text, considering how little I know of the Symenestra, let alone the religion your people possess. The texts being in a different language is fine if you will translate for me. Who knows, I may even be able to pick up on a few words, assuming I am able to pronounce them." Some languages simply could not be carried over from races. Xelhes knew that, his name was proof of it. The name the Ethaefal possessed while he was not mortal was now lost to him, the language of Leth's realm impossible to replicated through a mortal mouth. Xelhes was the closest thing he could come up with, and yet it was still nothing close to the name he once had. With talk of tasting blood, needing it fresh, Xelhes visibly stiffened. His gaze turned away from the Symenestra, his grip on Veldrys' robe tightening, having completely forgotten that he still had his hands on it. Blood was not something he was completely fond of, but it was not repulsive either. No, it was the thought of cutting himself that triggered a reaction. To bleed was normal, but to damage ones self? The very thought of it, taking a blade to his arm or hand, slicing it, letting the red fluid erupt force. The images in his mind sickened him, and his body shuddered at the thought, his hand finally releasing the death grip it had on the Symenestra's robe, only to move to Xelhes' other hand; to grip it. The action was unconscious, as if it was trying to preserve itself, forcing the hand to stay where it was. Xelhes was not capable of injuring himself, now proved that with the reality of it possible. Taking a breath, removing the image, the thought of self harm from his mind, The Ethaefal visibly relaxed, regaining the composure he once had. "You will have to bite me...I do not think I have the capability to hurt myself. The though of taking a blade, slicing my flesh is....Though I fear you biting me as well. Your teeth seem to be like mine, and if that is the case, it is most likely going to be painful but...I do want to remember. The chance is there that I could remember something important that I would not otherwise." Another shudder ran through his body. Yes, cutting himself, turning against his body, was not something that would happen. It was odd, Xelhes had never known this side of himself until now, when the possibility arose. What else did he not know of himself? Maybe the memories Veldrys could invoke would help to answer that question.

[Veldrys]

„I always found it easier to learn from a teacher“, Veldrys replied as Xelhes voiced his concerns. „Books tend to bore me after a while because they never talk to me and tell me whether I really understand what’s been written in them, besides somebody who has only gained his knowledge from books will never truly excel at what he does. Learning from others and watching them is necessary, to some extent at least. As for my teaching methods, if they don’t agree with you, I can adapt them a little. It won’t be a problem.“

He found it strange that Xelhes was so reluctant to touch his robe. It was just a piece of cloth, a demonstration of his people’s skills. He didn’t see what the Ethaefal’s issue was. As Xelhes declined his offer to sell some silk to him at a lower price, he nodded. „I see“, he murmurred. „Although I have to admit I haven’t made the offer because I’m such a selfless person. If you wear my clothes, other people might get interested in Symenestra silk. Maybe I’m a merchant’s son after all.“

He said the last bit in a somewhat strange tone, remembering the many conflicts he had had with his father because he hadn’t wanted to take the family business over. Healers were important of course, but his Web had been merchants for generations, and his two younger sisters weren’t particularly interested either. Sometimes he felt a little bad for his father. If his sisters didn’t change their mind, he would likely have to sell everything, but he knew that he, Veldrys, would never have been happy as a merchant, spending his life in Kalinor.

„I will bring the Viratassa with me then“, he decided as Xelhes admitted that it sounded fascinating. He couldn’t help but remember another day, years ago, in a different part of the world, a boy of mixed blood that had been just as interested in it. He had taught him the language of his ancestors using the holy book, and for a moment they had been very close.

He noticed how Xelhes stiffened at the revelation that he would have to be wounded in order for the mark to work, but he didn’t react to it. He simply let the Ethaefal think about the idea and make his own decision. Being a healer and a follower of Viratas on top of it Veldrys had no issues with blood, but he knew that most people reacted differently.

„It will not be too painful“, he promised. „I’ll be gentle. As I told you, I already used my gift once, and Lysander didn’t seem to be in a great amount of pain afterwards. It will probably only sting a little.“

With that he fell silent. He suddenly remembered an incident with Cian Noc and Theo, the farmer, a short while ago. There had been something wrong with their gnosis marks. Whenever they had used them, they had been in pain. There was something wrong with the gods, but would it affect him? If he drank Xelhes‘ blood, would he be in pain as well? Cian and Theo had been marked by Bala and Rak’keli, but he had a mark from Viratas. Maybe he would be safe.

He decided not to tell Xelhes of his concerns. The offer had already been made.

[Xelhes]

Fall 37, 511 A.V. Xelhes thought on what Veldrys had said about learning from books, unsure on how he personally thought about it. It was true that he did not excel at anything he read, but at the same time he had not read as much as he would have liked either, nor did practical work based on what he read. Knowledge was knowledge; did it really matter where it came from? "I guess there is truth to your words, though I am slightly against them simply because books have been the only source of learning I possessed. However, after spending a lesson with you I am sure my opinion of it will change. I cannot begin to imagine the difference between being taught by someone, and reading about something, learning about it myself." "Oh, is that so? So part of the reason was for advertisement? I understand..." So the offer had been more geared towards furthering the Symenestra products, and less simply a kind gesture. Xelhes knew he should not be completely surprised by it, but he was a little. He did not want to think of himself as a walking advertisement for Symenestra silk. Thinking on it, Xelhes agreed to what Veldrys said. The man really did sound like a merchant, let alone a merchant's son. "Yes, you do sound very much like a merchant, but from what you said it sounds reasonable. From how you worded it, you seem like a parent was a merchant, or that one has referred to you as such before. Having a talent for selling and buying would be useful, buying for low and selling high." In reality, Xelhes was actually partially offended by Veldrys' comment. It made sense, trying to get others to desire a Symenestra product, yet it did not change the fact that Xelhes felt like he was almost used. It was then that he believed he may have understood why he was reluctant to go near the Symenestra. Self preservation, just like the thought of cutting himself would later upset him. Veldrys had been kind so far, yet the fact that the man was equip to kill unnerved Xelhes. He felt bad for it, that such a thing made him weary of Veldrys, but it, and it was more unconscious reaction than a conscious one. Xelhes knew it would eventually go away with time, but how much time was beyond him. Maybe he was more prejudice than he would have liked to be. With Veldrys confirming that he would bring the Viratassa next time they met, Xelhes nodded happily. There was so much he could learn from a book that Veldrys' race believed to be holy, a book that contained the basic religion they followed. The language barrier would pose a problem initially, and Xelhes knew that there was a chance Veldrys would leave out pieces, but eventually there was the chance Xelhes would learn how to read the book on his own. It was odd, learning about the religion of another race before that of the form he assumed during day. Maybe it was because this was the only chance he had to learn of the Symenestra from one of their own, while humans were the population of Denval more or less. At any time he could learn about the religion of humans, yet the religion of other races was something that could only occur on rare occasions. "The pain is not what does this...more the thought of doing harm to myself. Thinking of cutting myself, of hurting my body, it caused the reaction. I think it is self-preservation kicking in...maybe. Or it could simply be my own fear. I am not sure." The mention of Lysander not seeming to be in a great amount of pain simply made Xelhes shake his head. So, the child Ethaefal had been perfectly fine; but then again had he acted the same way Xelhes did? Had Lysander's body rejected the notion, freezing up at the notion of turning a blade on itself? Then again, the other Ethaefal may have simply had Veldrys bite him as well. "When the time comes I will be alright, so long as you bite me and I do not have to perform the action myself." The idea of Veldrys biting him was also an unsettling one, though one that could be worked passed. It was a bite, nothing more. Now the Ethaefal wished he was more accustomed to physical pain, feeling like a child overreacting to a small scrape. People suffered much worse than what he would, so what did he have to complain about? "There is still time before night, so would like to continue telling me about the Symenetra? What kind of place are you from? Is family structure the same? Could you give me a small telling of the religion you have before I read the Viratassa? Stuff like that..." Xelhes realized he may be asking for a bit too much, but he was interested in the culture, and did not know how to really go about it.

[Veldrys]

Veldrys couldn’t help but laugh a little as he noticed that his remark about being an advertisment for Symenestra silk had apparently offended the Ethaefal a bit, although he wasn’t completely sure why Xelhes‘ reaction amused him. „Please, Xelhes“, he said. „If my offer made you uncomfortable, let’s just forget it.“ If their roles were reversed, he decided, he wouldn’t mind being used at all if he got something valuable in return, but different people had different thoughts on that matter, and there were more important things to discuss anyway, so he just decided to change the topic.

He had already begun to think about how he would best begin to introduce Xelhes to the Viratassa and the worship of Viratas. It would probably be better to leave certain facets of his religion out for now. Reading a few prayers with him would be a good idea. Maybe he would also show him a few of the pictures in his book. He remembered that Seven had found them interesting. He would also teach them the words they said whenever they took a life. Being an Ethaefal, Xelhes would probably appreciate them.

As Xelhes explained why he reacted that way to cutting himself, the Symenestra nodded. „It won’t be you cutting yourself though“, he reminded him. „I will do it, and you will be free to close your eyes or look away if it makes things easier, but on the other hand you should eventually learn to overcome your fears. Self-preservation is important, but one shouldn’t react like that to small things.“

As far as Veldrys was concerned, this was a sign of weakness. He wondered what Xelhes would do if something were stuck inside his leg for example and there was nobody to help him. What would he do if he had to harm himself in order to get better?

As Xelhes voiced his interest in hearing more about the Symenestra, Veldrys nodded. „Of course I’ll tell you more. I originally come from a city called Kalinor, south of here. It is underground. My people haven’t always lived there though. Before the Valterrian we lived in Falyndar, in a city in the trees.“ He sighed as he thought of it. Even though he had never seen the floating city with his own eyes, he couldn’t help but yearn for it. He always thought of the home of his ancestors with a hint of sadness. „Do you find it strange that we changed like that, that we went from living high above ground to dwelling in a cave?“

„As for our family structure, it is roughly the same, although we call our families ‚webs‘. Our webs have a mother and a father, but my people never have more than three children as our fertility is limited. We value our grandparents just like humans value theirs, and we hope that our children follow in our footsteps. As for your question about religion, I think it would be best if we discussed this later on when we read the book together. I have to admit, I’m a little curious what a man who has no clue about the worship of Viratas thinks of it.“

[Xelhes]

Fall 37, 511 A.V. When Veldrys laughed, Xelhes was unsure of what emotion he felt first, anger or pleasant shock. The Symenestra had giving the Ethaefal some words on how he had laughed at during an inappropriate discussion and yet the Symenestra himself was now laugh as such; much like a hypocrite. Yet just as soon as the emotion emerged, it was replaced by the pleasant shock that Veldrys did have some humour in him. Up until this point the most the Symenestra had done really was maybe a small smile, but not a full scale one, and had given Xelhes a talking to about laughing. Despite the fact that it would be foolish to do so, Xelhes could not help put poke small fun at the Symenestra. If the man was to become his teacher, they might as well become more accustomed to each other, and poking slight fun at each other helped some people develop it. "Oh, so there is some humour in you after all Symenestra. Here I thought you were all composure, small smiles, and interesting eyes. I guess you proved me wrong." The Ethaefal made sure to smile after the comments, showing that he was simply trying to have fun, maybe even lighten the mood. It was also then that Xelhes realized something else. "If you are ok with it, would you mind telling me your name? I just realized that I told you mine, but have no idea what yours is. Knowing such a thing might become helpful if you are to be my teacher...unless you want me to just call you Symenestra, Sir, or Teacher?" How could he have forgotten to ask previously for the Symenestra's name? It was probably when Veldrys took no heed of Xelhes' attempt at a handshake, the Ethaefal having simply forgotten to ask after being rejected. During their interactions he would like to have some name to associate with Veldrys, not just some title. Besides, it would be far more polite to call him by name rather than Symenestra all the time. Much more polite. With the talking of Xelhes having to get over his fear, that he should not react such a way to small things, anger showed its face once more, though Xelhes did what he could to contain it. Small things? To Veldrys it may be a small matter, but to the Ethaefal it was not. If one could avoid injury, they should, simple as that. Allowing yourself to get hurt was almost disrespectful to one's self, but then he thought about other situations as well. Maybe in the grand scheme it was just a small thing, and compared to other problems it was most likely was even less than small. With a quiet sigh, he let the emotions in him dissipate, becoming calm almost instantly. He had to stay calm, to stay friendly. It would do him no good to act rude or harsh to someone else, not anymore. The whole reason he was trying to act better was to meet people and become more friendly; letting this stop him would only be an embarrassment. "I most likely will in time, once I grow up a little. I am still just a child by most people's terms, even if I look almost like an adult. Biting is probably what I still prefer, plus it would be more direct than cutting me. If you bite then my blood should go straight to you, instead of the gap where it is exposed to the world. Though really, I doubt such a thing would matter." Xelhes had no idea if letting the blood become mixed with the particles in the air would weaken the affect of Veldrys' ability, though he doubted it. Such an ability probably was stronger than he gave it credit, yet at the same time such an ability also seemed like something that would become easily limited if anything interfered or mixed with the blood. A city in the trees; it was a fascinating idea indeed. Xelhes had heard word of Kalinor before, a city that lied inside a cave, but not much detail about it. Most people he knew did not leave Denval, so it was not something he expected to learn about in detail. "What kind of city is Kalinor, architecture wise. Are the building arranged in a certain way? Are the different social classes separated to an extent where all the higher reside in one section while the lower are in another?" Maybe it was harassment , though Xelhes cared about that no longer. Veldrys had agreed to tell him what he knew and maybe by the end the Symenestra would regret such words. The question Veldrys posed to Xelhes made him think for a moment, tilting his head to one side and focusing on a point on the wall. True, it was odd that the race would change from a city in the trees to one in a cave, yet after a moment or two of thinking, Xelhes started to make sense of it. Veldrys had said they lived in Falyndar before the cataclysm, meaning the transition happened before the event, and they now resided in the cave city of Kalinor. The sheer amount of destruction the Valterrian had caused was uncountable, the world changing completely. Had the Symenestra done it in order to preserve themselves once they realized the destruction that was occurring, or had some resource ran out while in Falyndar and so they moved to the cave? Deciding to take a guess, Xelhes looked back into amethyst eyes with slight confidence, hoping he was right. "I found it odd originally until I spent this time thinking on your words. You said your people resided in Falyndar before the cataclysm yet not afterwards, and the damage the cataclysm caused is unimaginable. A city the lies in the trees is wide open to the dangers of the world, yet underground one can go unseen and would have the rocks around them acting almost as a shield. So my guess is that they did not really choose to go from Falyndar to Kalinor, but rather did so in order to preserve their race. Had they stayed in the open the Symenestra probably believed the destruction the world was facing would end them, and so they hid themselves from it as best they could; and succeeded, as you are proof of that. If not that, then maybe a resource ran out and they were forced to move, but judging from your words the first is more probable." How the Ethaefal loved to try and think, although sometimes his guesses were no accurate at all, such as in cryptography. He loved trying to solve the puzzles, yet his mind was not nearly sharp enough to do it yet. Listening to the family structure, Xelhes understood how similar they were, with the minor differences. Family was to be respected the way humans were suppose to respect theirs, though it seemed Symenestra could only have three children maximum, which was odd. "A maximum of three? Is the fertility caused from the male going sterile after a certain amount of time or the female losing the ability to produce eggs after a time? I know that for humans it is normally females that lose fertility first once they reach a general age, but most men stay fertile until they die. Or at least...I think that right." Of course Xelhes had learned about reproduction since his fall, as it was one of the first things he thought he should learn, especially when he had the body he did. Yet really the knowledge was something he was not sure of as he had never been with anyone, nor thought he would be. Not until he got better at dealing with others. With the concept of webs, the Ethaefal could not help but think on the spider idea again. Though the physical difference was there, he understood the theory behind the book more. Veldrys' limbs were elongated, and while he did not have eight, it still reminded him partially of a spider's legs. As well, the Symenestra weaved silk, called their families webs, and could not consume solid food. The author may not have been right, but now Xelhes understood how the idea arose. "I will be as honest as I can about what I think of Viratas and his worship, though of course I will try to keep anything offensive from being said." Pausing for a moment, Xelhes thought about trying to say something that might have the Symenestra leak some form of information on the religion. In case he did find something offensive, learning a small amount now would help him at least gauge how much tolerance he would need to show. He found it hard to think of something right now that he would be so offended at that he would say unnecessary words to Veldrys; especially because of the fact that the man would not say them in an attempt to simply anger Xelhes, but also that there was not much that did anger him. There were somethings, like the concept of Ethaefal being divine, the Temple of Nikali, and simply breaking morals for no reason, but aside from that the category was a small one. "True it may be best to wait...but how about just telling me a small detail; something to make me look even more forward to reading the book and learning from it." Sad, yes, but really it was the only card he had at this time. If he had to Xelhes could wait until later to learn, but really he did want to learn some things now, possibly to make it easier on Veldrys later. Looking out a window he saw that the world was becoming slightly darker, though not night yet. Veldrys had spoke of wanting to eat, so maybe it would be best for Xelhes to take his leave soon. The Ethaefal was almost sure that after how Veldrys had talked of eating that he would not want the Ethaefal there to witness it.

[Veldrys]

„I like to prove people wrong, in more ways than one“, Veldrys replied. He smiled as well, although his smile was lighter than Xelhes‘. As the Ethaefal told him that he didn’t know what his name was yet, the Symenestra furrowed his brow. He had assumed that Xelhes knew who he was anyway since there were very few of his kind in Denval and only one Symenestra that had been marked by Viratas, but apparently this was not the case. „Forgive me“, he murmurred. „I must have forgotten. I’m Veldrys, Veldrys of the Vervain Web, and I would prefer if you adressed me with my first name. I’m not sure if I deserve to be called ‚sir‘, and being adressed as ‚teacher‘ makes me feel strange, although I teach occasionally.“

It seemed as if his statement that Xelhes should get over his fear had angered the man, but Veldrys couldn’t figure out why. In his opinion it was the right thing to do, so why did the Ethaefal have a problem with it? „A child?“ he wondered. „What do you mean? You look like a man to me. You can’t be much younger than I am, and most would consider me an adult. Does the age of an Ethaefal have something to do with the time when he falls from the sky?“ He dimly remembered talking to Lysander about it. Lysander had been young in more ways than once. His mortal form had been that of an adolscent, and he had fallen only a short time ago.

„It doesn’t matter. From what I have seen so far, blood that has been exposed to the world has exactly the same effect, but I will bite you.“ He had seen priests of Viratas that had collected the blood of the worshippers in a bowl and drunk it afterwards, and it hadn’t been contaminated or anything like that, and he had once drunk from the pool in the temple in Kalinor and not felt strange afterwards, but of course one could never be completely sure.

„We don’t have social classes per se“, he replied as Xelhes asked more questions about Kalinor. He didn’t mind telling him. As far as Veldrys was concerned, this didn’t have anything to do with harrassment. On the contrary, he enjoyed educating others about his culture. „We don’t have any kind of nobility. There is the ruling couple, but everybody is allowed to talk to them. Most Symenestra aren’t particularly fond of those of mixed blood, but I’m not sure if you could call halfbloods a social class. Most Symenestra are equal, and weavers, priests and merchants live next to each other.“

„As for the architecture of our city ...“ There was a distant look in his eyes as he thought of his home that was so far away now. No matter what was wrong with his people and their society, a part of him would always yearn for Kalinor. „Our buildings are made of a material that seems to resemble stone at first. They are shaped like coccoons. They have no windows, the door is at the top of the building, and they hang from the ceiling. All the houses are connected by thick ropes. You should come to Kalinor sometimes. There is no other place like it in the entire world. Of course navigating the city is hard for somebody that is not a Symenestra.“

As Xelhes tried to guess why the Symenestra had fled from Falyndar to the underground city of Kalinor, Veldrys nodded. That was a good explanation, but he didn’t really want to think about it too long. That they had been turned into venomous cave dwellers was depressing, even though it had been the only way for his race to survive.

„Symenestra men are usually only fertile for half of their life, not unlike human women“, he explained. Most people would have found talking about such things slightly awkward, but Veldrys didn’t mind at all. As a healer he was used to it. „A Symenestra man who hasn’t fathered a child by his late thirties will probably never become a father. As for our women, I assume that it is the same with them. At least I have never heard of a woman in her sixties or seventies that has given birth. What of Ethaefal? Can your kind have children?“

He had never asked Lysander that. Lysander’s earth-bound form was that of a boy, and thus he considered it inappropriate to discuss matters of fertility and sexuality with him. You just didn’t talk about such things to children, no matter whether they were immortal children that had fallen from the sky or not.

„I think it’s possible for me to tell you a small detail after all“, he decided. „My people have a questionable reputation, but in some ways humans are worse. They kill, and they don’t mourn the death of the one they kill, at least not in the way we do. We Symenestra say a blessing when we spill the blood of a sentient creature, an animal or something else, for they have made the greatest sacrifice of all. ‚May this blood give greater life‘. This is what we say when we kneel beside our prey. Think about what this could mean.“

[Xelhes]

Fall 37, 511 A.V. "Veldrys...Ok, I wanted to make sure. Better to ask and make sure than simply assume." It was an embarrassing thought, calling someone a name you believed they were, only to find out they had a completely different name. Xelhes knew he himself would not be all that impressed by someone calling him an entirely different name, especially with a name as unique has his own. He had yet to meet anyone who had a name that was close to Xelhes, which partly helped his view on this. "Alright, I will just stick with Veldrys then, until maybe you feel like you deserve to be called Sir. However, being a healer I think you deserve the title already; acting in your time to save the lives of others, to better their health, is a very respectful role." Being told he looked like a man made Xelhes smile, for others had said the same thing as well. In both forms he retained the same general age, yet his mind was not quite there. "I am not sure what the other Ethaefal may think, but to me it plays a part. I came to this world with more knowledge than a newborn child, but I do not possess as much as an adult would. During the night I would like to think I become older in a mental sense, as some memories return. From those I can at least remember how someone that is the age of this body would, in a general sense. Although I no longer keep track, I am only a few cycles of the seasons old." Most found it hard to believe one who looked as he did was still so young. He tried hard to mature as quickly as possible to the age he was, but Xelhes sort of always felt that he would be behind. There simply was not enough time to get caught up, and Xelhes still was not sure how this body aged, with the two forms he had. Not speaking of the biting, Xelhes just nodded and left the topic behind; listening to the talk of the social structure Symenestra possessed. From how Veldrys put it, it sounded like a much people centered version of some places in the world, where one person or two people controlled the area. However for humans, Xelhes was sure that most did not simply allow others to talk to them. Instead it would probably only be those of importance would be allowed to speak, the commoners not getting any say in most affairs. It helped to show how the Symenestra were similar, but different as well. "I find the half blood view to be almost the same for some cultures, especially if it is one that only possesses half of the race's blood in the area. Sometimes I even consider Ethaefal as almost half bloods, because of our forms. By day I am mortal, by night I am a memory of what I was in the heavens; and I bet my blood tastes like that of a mortal as well. Thought of course I do not think my race is the same as half bloods completely; differences do exist." Deciding to drop the topic, in case some unnecessary racial comment came about, Xelhes tried to imagine what the buildings of Kalinor looked like. The result was his mind wandering back to that of spiders, knowing that they also used cocoons, though not as buildings. With more knowledge the similarities of Symenestra and spiders became apparent to Xelhes. What other qualities did they possess that were also similar to the arachnids? In the end the images he composed were most likely not ones that were true, the buildings instead being made of silks; the notion of spiders having now invaded his mind. "It sounds like it would be a great place to visit, if not for me to simply see it with my own eyes. Though yes, the navigation sounds difficult, but I am sure I will manage somehow. If it did not offend one that lived there, I could just try to pay a Symenestra to act as a guide for me. A guide is probably better than me just wandering out on my own as well, let alone trying to ascend a cocoon by myself." Oh yes, that would be a rather amusing sight to behold. So, it was both the males and females that lost fertility as time went on, more so the males it appeared. If that was the case then it was obvious most males would be attempting to father children as soon as they could; those who were Veldrys' age already probably had tried. "Thirties huh? I guess you had better start trying soon, before you lose your chance. Not having a child when the possibility was there, sometimes it can be enough to break a person later in life." With the topic of Ethaefal being able to have children Xelhes became flustered a little. The truth of the matter was, he had not real idea; but of course he did have a theory for it. "I-I believe we can, to an extent. My mortal form is that of a normal human, so if I was female I believe it possible I could become pregnant if the act occurred during the day. At night however my body is different. I do not need food or water, and I am not even sure if it ages. If the celestial form does not age then it would be impossible to have a child. The whole thing is complicated...I wish I knew myself. I would be lying to say I did not want a child, but I do not think I shall ever possess one; not one that is of direct relation to me." It was a touchy topic for Xelhes, one he did not speak of often though others had never asked him about it either. The ideas were awkward to say out loud, even though there was nothing really to make it awkward. After being posed another question by the Symenestra, Xelhes began to think on the words again, looking off at a point in space as he focused. The said a blessing when they killed a creature that possessed blood, saying it had made the greatest sacrifice. Their prayers was 'may this blood give greater life.' Nodding to himself, he returned to matching his gaze with Veldrys', hoping he had an accurate answer. "It sounds like your people understand the two sides of the action that occurred. They know the animal had to give up its life, a tragic thing indeed, yet it was only through its death that another life could be sustained. To me, the Symenestra seem to understand the fact, and how it is an unavoidable one. It could be a reference to rebirth as well, that once the being as left it will return as a creature greater than before; or a reference to the 'blood' of the animal support the life of a being already considered greater than it." Smiling a little to himself, though not a happy one, Xelhes could not help but feel that the Symenestra's view may be a bit more accurate than the human way. Xelhes was an Ethaefal, so shy of the ghosts and remnants that remained of those passed on, some could consider him an individual who had brushed against death, yet still existed. "Sometimes death is not something to mourn, I know that. It is not the end of a beings existence; the fact that my people exist prove that. Death is not the end, but another chance, so it should not be mourned. Yes, it is a regrettable thing as once something has died it will not return to the world the exact same as before, but the simple fact that it will return is reason to be happy." Xelhes knew the idea better than most could ever hope. The memories he had would not be enough to return to the person he was in a previous life. He could act like that person, try to start from where he lost it, but the differences would be there. This body, it was different than any other life he had, and his personality was different as well. Even if he had all the memories, he could not act the exact same again; the differences would be there.

[Veldrys]

„You are like Lysander then, even though your earth-bound form is that of a man“, Veldrys concluded as Xelhes explained that he had only fallen a short time ago. „If you gain more knowledge, if you learn more about the world around you, will you mature, at least mentally? How will you know when your mental age has caught up with your physical age?“ How did a creature that never grew old measure such things? There were so many questions on his mind, questions he had not dared to ask Lysander. Xelhes wasn’t much older than the other Ethaefal, but he looked older, and thus Veldrys found it easier to talk to him.

From his conversations with Lysander Veldrys remembered that the young Ethaefal had been frustrated by how young he looked and asked him to teach him Morphing. He had thus concluded that Ethaefal never aged physically, otherwise there would have been no need for Lysander to use magic to make himself look older. Did Xelhes have the same wish sometimes, to alter his appearance? What about old Ethaefal? Did they ever wish they had white hair, that they at least present those around them an illusion of age so as to blend in better?

„I do not share my people’s views“, he remarked as they talked about halfbloods, even though Xelhes hadn’t asked him what he thought of them. He just felt the need to make it clear that he was different from them. The first, brief romance in his life had been with somebody of mixed blood, and since then he refused to see them as inferior. On the inside they were all the same, no matter what their body looked like.

As Xelhes remarked that he’d better start trying soon, Veldrys shrugged his shoulders, but he didn’t say anything. It would be clear to the Ethaefal that his remark had made the Symenestra uncomfortable. Of course Veldrys wanted children. Like every man he yearned for somebody that would sleep next to him, children that would call him father. He wanted a part of him to live on after his death, but he wasn’t sure if he was willing to pay the price. He wasn’t sure if he was willing to sacrifice a life in order to become a father.

„Why do you not think that you’ll have a child that is directly related to you?“ he wondered and furrowed his brow. „Since your mortal form is that of a grown human ...“ He noticed that it seemed a bit of a touchy subject for Xelhes, and thus he didn’t finish the sentence, but moved on to another topic that was just as complicated, but probably slightly easier to bear.

„You understand my people well“, he remarked as Xelhes voiced his thoughts about the prayer. „Almost as if you were a Symenestra in a past life. It means all that. Besides that, the death of our prey allows us to live. Without occasionally taking the life of an animal, we couldn’t exist, and we want them to know that.“

As he heard Xelhes‘ last sentence, he looked at him thoughtfully, and then he asked, „Are you happy then?“