A Blanket of Stars [Jilitse Please]

[Cosette Merryweather]

Timestamp: 26th Night of Spring AV 510

Sitting alone on a lonely stretch of sand under a cloudless starry sky and a half-cast moon Cosette was peering into a long telescope she had borrowed from her master. Back in Syliras, when she still had a pulse she’d always taken the time to appreciate nature in all its forms but now that she was in a state of half-death she’d been too preoccupied with the desire of regaining life that she hadn’t stopped to enjoy what life still had to offer.

And now she had an opportunity to admire nature to the fullest, at its most breathtaking.

Perhaps this blessing, this endless canvas of indigo stretching as far as the eyes could see and the shining constellations burning brighter than she could ever remember was a reminder of how she shouldn’t remain brooding, of why she should hope despite how desperate her condition was.

Smiling the Cosette pulled her gaze away from the telescope’s lens, her naked eyes rising up to gaze at that blanket of stars shining brightly above her. Somehow, those gentle lights, as small and as distant as they were comforted her. Like the glow of a candle their presence was subtle and comforting, it hardly changed things, their brilliance to weak to make a difference but just by being there they made the girl feel better, they made her feel a little less lonely.

And then just beyond the horizon she saw it. A star was falling into the sea, its shimmering form leaving bright glitters in its wake and slowly other stars joined it. Books might have described the event as a meteor shower but knowing little about such things Cosette could only stare in open mouthed wonder.

And then an idea occurred to her. She lifted her palms together, bringing it underneath the stars as if she were cupping them and she murmured a silent prayer. “Please make my wishes come true.”

[Jilitse]

Jilitse had long been contemplating about what she wanted to do. No amount of crafting and animation had been able to clear her mind. And as such, on one of these lonely nights, she went out of the Citadel.

She needed to get away, if only for a moment.

She slung her robe on and did not bother to tie it up. She was naked underneath, her pale flesh contrasting sharply with the black cloth. Her hair swished gracefully as she sashayed out into the sandy beach of Sahova. The salt does good for the skin, she thought. She threaded the beach lightly, staring up in the sky.

Far away was a glimmer of a falling star. And another. And another.

The draft from the sea waves gently blew at her. Jilitse looked away. Such phenomenon was not new to her - in her long unlife, she had already seen many falling stars. They are nothing but falling dust and rocks, celestial bodies that have fallen from their places in the sky. From a distance she sensed another creature, its black silhouette barely touched by the moon. It was not moving, but it was not alive at the same time. She walked silently, stalking the unknown being. She felt like calling out to a golem, just in case this one was a hostile. Against better judgment, she decided not to.

She sneaked from behind, noting that the beast was almost as big a huge kid. She grabbed one of its ears, long white and fluffy, tugging a bit tightly. She stepped closer and peered at it with scrutiny.

It was certainly undead, it did not have a pulse. It did not look capable of doing her any harm. With her other free hand, she grabbed its face, turning its cheek left and right.

"What an odd specimen. I shall bring you to the laboratory." She attempted to pull the strange creature with her.

[Cosette Merryweather]

Too distracted by the celestial display Cosette only noticed the person behind her when she felt hands closing in on her long fuzzy rabbit ears. These cold hands were squeezing, twisting the soft pliable flesh causing a shrill yelp to escape her lips.

Finally when the woman, another nuit judging by appearances, relinquished her hold on Cosette's floppy ears though this was not going to be the reprieve the young girl expected. The stranger was far from finished, now her hands had slid down to her cheeks where she was turning the young nuit's face from side to side.

What did this person want from here that she was scrutinizing her profile so intensely?

The woman answered her question with her statement. The older nuit was going to take Cosette to the laboratory, she had probably mistaken her for an escapee from the training grounds. It was foolish perhaps, to think that just because everyone here was fundamentally weird nobody would see her ears as a novelty. Apparently her theory wasn't as sound as she believed.

"Specimen?" Cosette struggled against the older Nuit's pull, her feet digging into the soil to keep the other woman from taking her way. "I'm not an animal, I'm a nu..." no, she wouldn't admit that, she was still human. "I'm a mage just like you!"

"Stop at once or I'll report you to one of the masters of Mashaen!" she cried, hands raised shielding Cosette's face from the woman's cold and stern hands.

[Jilitse]

Jilitse jumped back, letting out a singsong laugh out of her lips. "A mage, hmm?" Then a morpher, by its appearance. Jilitse felt both annoyed and amused. She stroked the other Nuit's bunny ears once more. She lifted one ear up and waved it lightly from side to side. Oh how therapeutic! She patted the other nuit's head. And then it threatened her. "How naive."

"You are not from around here." It was a statement, not a question. "Your threat bears no weight." Jilitse mused, "Nobody calls upon the Council for their own purpose, little child. If you cannot protect yourself from a stranger, it is best that you leave Sahova, go away."

She spun around and walked away, her hair swaying in the wind. But her interest had been stoked. What does she have to say about the presence of an unknown Nuit in the island? Chaos, truly. People are not free to come and go in Sahova, being a Nuit is not an excuse. Not since Drainira left. Qiao had been quick to tighten security significantly. The Citadel almost feels like... a prison. There was an explanation for the presence of this young undead. And she wanted to find out.

She turned her head to the side, glancing at the other girl over her shoulders. "But, of course, you must have good reason to be here." A mad one at that. "Tell me your story, perhaps?"

[Cosette Merryweather]

It looked like this woman wasn't finished with her ears just yet and Cosette couldn't help but squirm uncomfortably as the other nuit played with her ears.
"W-w-what are you doing with my ears?" she stuttered, hands coming up to sweep away the floppy appendages away from the stranger's hands.

Cosette crossed her arms, lips curling into a pout. She'd been told to go away again. It was almost like everyone here knew that she didn't belong, then again it wasn't like she wanted to be here either. Perhaps long ago that was true, but now that she'd recovered from the mental breakdown that came with becoming undead she had her wits about her again. "Maybe I am naive, but what's wrong with that? Its better than being jaded with everything life has to offer. I have no plans of staying here for good, its a barren place and I can' grow, not in such a small prison."

So the woman wanted to know why she was here? Well, it wasn't like it was some big secret. "I'm looking for a way to reverse the nuit condition. Sahova has no useful information on the topic but I'm trying to learn something that I can use to acquire that information elsewhere." there were magic disciplines that helped in information gathering after all. "...There's not much of a story to tell, they're probably just letting me live because there's an inconceivably small chance I can stumble into something they want on my quest. Mashaen was the one who suggested that I go to the mainland, look for clues there. I'm back because I'm not yet properly equipped to do what I set out to do and this is the best place to arm myself at."

[Jilitse]

Reverse the nuit condition?! That was totally absurd. What an odd quest. She faced the other nuit. "I don't think that's even possible. But for the hope in your heart I truly pity you. Give it a hundred years and you will find being a nuit most convenient."

She slung her arm around the other nuit's shoulders, and they started walking on the sandy shore. "My name is Jilitse, but you can call me Jil. I've been around here for as long as you can remember, and believe me, your endeavor is one that I have heard of very often. You have been turned into a nuit against your will I presume? Or have you finally regretted choosing to be a nuit?" It did not matter. "What name do you go by?"

"It is not a very good time to be here. Right now Sahova is nothing but the best place to get killed. A word of caution: keep your quest to yourself. Other nuits might not think well of your pursuit. How long have you been around?"

She let her robe be flipped about by the wind. It was a bit chilly, and Jilitse found the weather amiable.

[Cosette Merryweather]

Cosette shook her head and she peered into the other nuit's eyes, her own lifeless orbs betraying a hidden strength of will that was in sharp contrast to her otherwise harmless appearance. "I believe it can be done. Maybe its impossible to return to the way I was originally but I have hope." Cosette clasped her hands to her chest and exhaled a soft breath. "I won't be a nuit long enough to change my mind."

The other nuit flung an arm jovially over Cosette's shoulder and she glanced nervously in the other woman's direction. "I'm Cosette... a nuit by circumstance, not by choice. One of your own, Horatio Welsh," she spoke the name with utter disgust, "turned me into this through a ritual, he subdued me... I killed him the moment I recovered." which was perhaps part of the reason why she hasn't been killed yet. Perhaps Farke had made that public knowledge, that she killed a master animator who was supposed to be powerful enough to hold his own among any member in the council of five. Perhaps that was enough to deter any attempts on her life - at least until they found out she wasn't skilled and only lucky.

"I arrived yesterday on boat with a friend who wanted to see the citadel... Yes, if I had known how unstable the situation was right now I would have chosen a later date to visit." and even more than she, Malia was practically defenseless save for her gnosis. Perhaps she could use that to defend herself if things got out of hand... "Master Farke hadn't informed me about what had happened here. The last time I was here was only a few seasons ago, just a year shy of when I was turned nuit. The archmage was still the unopposed ruler of Sahova then then... what happened to Drainira anyway?"

[Jilitse]

Being a nuit was something Jilitse was proud of, and she frowned upon other people who thought of being undead as if it was a disease. Other people were resolute to find a "cure" - a cure, they say because they thought being a nuit could be healed by medicine or magic. She smiled grimly as Cosette walked with her. She believed that the unwilling should not become nuit. These were the people who give nuits a bad reputation. They were the ones who go mad because of helplessness and despair. Well, aren't we all consumed by our own madness, Jilitse thought of Horatio Welsh. Still she could not believe how a master animator could be killed. She stared at Cosette, there was a certain toughness about her. Now, why were you turned into a nuit? She wanted to ask, but decided to reserve the inquiry for a later time.

"You say you arrived with a friend?" Where is she, then, Jilitse wondered. Another half-morphed nuit? However, at the mention of Drainira, Jilitse froze. She stepped away from Cosette and folded her arms behind her. That explains it. "A lot of things happened when you went away. Mashaen is still the Archwizard, his skills as a wizard is unmatched, not even by Qiao. But, he had gone unpopular lately." She threw a glance at Cosette, her eyes piercing the other girl, "You must have come across Drainira when she was still the Citadel's golem." The citadel itself, in fact. "She is gone now. She escaped--" was that even the right word? "--by transferring into a different body. A traitor, everybody calls her, for almost destroying Sahova. Think of the damage this had cost us. Without a supervisor, Sahova is in turmoil!" She shook her head lightly. It was best not to reveal the true and exact details. "Mashaen is accused of conniving with Drainira, even orchestrating her escape. You should not talk about Drainira within the Citadel, lest you be labeled her ally. You should really learn to hold your tongue. You might find yourself getting dragged into imprisonment - and even death - without you knowing why."

"Your friend? Where is she now?" And she absently laid a hand on Cosette's bunny ears, gently smoothing it this time. "Let us find her. It would be a welcome to face another bunny girl."

OOCNow both our posts are splashed with pink!

[Cosette Merryweather]

"I can understand why he'd become unpopular. He's a strict man but a fair person... I don't think Qiao liked that, he couldn't exercise his powers with someone like Mashaen watching over him. I believe the archmage was... and still is best suited to the role of commanding Sahova. Even Sagallius recognized his excellence after all." this statement probably spoke volumes about Cosette's mindset and it would betray who the young nuit's loyalty lay in.

"Yes, she was still the citadel back then... you say she transferred bodies?" Cosette bowed her head, her temple a knot of concentration. "What kind of body did she transfer into...?" If it was another golem then perhaps the transition wouldn't have been difficult. But there was still another possibility... "I'm not her ally, I've only talked to her once so I don't have an opinion about her. However If her method of sentience transfer was based on our own Daek-Nuit I would want to speak with her. Drainira never had a body and I suspect she has no blood or ichor... then don't you think its possible for us to make that kind of jump? In theory I could jump into a living person as long as the body is souless-" Cosette stopped that train of thought.

There were things she wouldn't sacrifice. Her humanity was something she wanted to keep intact, if she stole someone else's life then she would no longer be worth of being with the living. "That was a horrible idea... sorry for mentioning it. Do you think its possible to create a simulated living body through animation? Something that's practically the real thing?"

"She's around... I wouldn't worry about her, she's more like the other nuit here, apathetic... I'd have to say Jil, you're a little less like your companions than I first expected. And about my friend, she's no bunny girl."

[Jilitse]

Her friend was apathetic. And not a bunny girl. What a disappointment. An inquisitive one, this Cosette. "If you had met Drainira then you would know that she was not an ordinary golem. She had her own name, her own intelligence and sentience. Golems are created through animation, yes, pretty much like how Daek-nuits are created. They are given soulcore. You are unfamiliar with the methods of animation?" And yet you have killed a master? Pity, Jilitse thought. You should have had him teach you Animation, before killing him, whatever your reason was. Magic is hard to come by, much less learn if you do not have an able teacher. Opinions were best kept to herself.

"Against your claim, I would say I am very much like the other Nuits here in Sahova. I can't see how we can be different. We are all dead. Some say we are an aberration to the cycle of life." They reached a rocky part of the shore, and Jilitse waved to Cosette to follow her. She elegantly clambered on a rock and sat on it, motioning for Cosette to join. "We are all mad, bound by eternal cause. I have been contemplating suicide, just now, before I met you. Funny, isn't it? How the living want to live longer, and the undead want to die sooner?"

"I think everyone is neither good nor evil, it only takes a while for any creature to choose. To follow the predestined path lain before them." She doubted if Cosette would truly understand. "In that way I am like any other nuit here. Undecided about what to do. Playing the loyal follower until I find a piece of my own mind and will."

"Drainira had her own body, Cosette, and the way she was created was of unparalleled talent - by the Archwizard, of course - because she was connected to Sahova. She had now transferred into another vessel. Exactly how, I am too inexperienced to understand. Where she is, I do not know. Why you would like to find her, I cannot imagine. What she is up to and what she might be capable of doing, I can only fear. Drainira was loyal to Sahova for more than 500 years, and look what she did. She betrayed the very place she had dutifully served. Now, it would help if you do not mention Drainira to your friend, nor talk about her any longer. Even with a supervisor gone, the walls have ears. I would appreciate it if we talk about other things. It had been a while since I had talked to another nuit. And you are not from around here," Jilitse thought that the odds of Cosette being a spy or one of Qiao's was at best, 50-50, "so tell me what you want to do, besides trying to find a way to live again." She started murmuring to herself and stared up in the sky.

The stars were still raining.