(Flashback) Familiar Things: Part IV

by **Javial Kripsin** on January 21st, 2012, 8:32 am

2nd Day of Autumn, 507 AV

Javial had arrived just as had been arranged seven days prior, but despite his most potent hopes, there had been no Ilkraz. It wasn’t until nearly a bell had passed that the bald mage made his way to their meeting place, his skin showing the red glare of sunburn in most places. The mage seemed cheerful enough to raise his hand in a wave, but Javial went straight to questioning his untimely arrival, “Where have you been? You’re late, dreadfully so.”

“Oh.” Ilkraz lowered his hand before bringing it down to his chin, rubbing it like a true erudite, “But perhaps it is you whom is early.” He retorted, clearly unabashed by such accusations.

Javial wasn’t buying it. Things had not been going well, and his displeasure was starting to show itself. The man knew the importance of looking calm and seeming understanding when doing business, but this would be their fourth time together, and he truly wished to see some results, “I’m on time, you’re late. Let’s…” the broker took a breath, trying to calm his words and move past his initial annoyances, “…not worry about it, lets just get to work.”

“I’m glad you feel that way. In fact I felt so bad while I was on vacation about how we haven’t managed to find you a familiar that I decided I would show you something special when we got back. I’m going to show you how to Summon a familiar. It only takes the most rudimentary knowledge of Summoning so even a fool could do it. Oh, not that you’re a fool or anything.” Ilkraz commented while pulling a large blanket from his billowing robe sleeve. It seemed the man nearly always had one on him. With a flourish he swept the sheet out into the air and followed it down to the ground with his hands, smoothing it out once it landed upon the ground.

Much as he always did, his hand touched upon the blanket and as he pulled it away a fine summoning circle had been made. Javial was quick to call for a pause so that something could be clarified, something he had been wondering about for a long time, “Ok, stop. I’ve seen you do it several times and now I need to know, how in the world are you making that circle so quickly?”

by **Javial Kripsin** on January 21st, 2012, 8:32 am

“Hmm?” Ilkraz looked up as he began folding up the blanket, his head craning upward to look at Javial, “Glyphing and earth Reimancy of course. By attracting amounts of earth with shaped Res I can pull it away in the shape of…whatever I want. Like this circle. Nothing special, right?” This man was more modest then Javial had took him for. It seemed for all of his oddities, he had a host of magical skills to him. Familiary, at least some ability to Summon, and now Glyphing and Reimancy as well?

“Sixteen circles line the outside there, those are where your astral coordinates go, in this case the coordinates for Fyrden. Sixteen coordinates, sixteen slots, written in counter clockwise. No problems at all, right?” Javial walked a bit closer so that he could more appropriately examine the circle, but Ilkraz was quick to raise a hand and make a request, “Oh, don’t come too close! I wouldn’t want the circle upset. It needs to be just so before we do anything, not that I’m saying you would upset it or anything…now this here is a minimal circle. You can summon familiars with it since they want to work with us, but anything else would be a bit dangerous. Your familiar travels to the world and seeks out a familiar, then brings them back, and that’s all there is to it. Well, there’s more, but that’s the idea.”

Just as Ilkraz had finished explaining how the circle worked, Ulnix bounded into the area in his fox form, before going through his routine transformation into the mist thing he truly was. Javial seemed extremely content to be learning his knowledge, and was busy putting the quill to his paper in order to accurately copy exactly what this minimal circle looked like. He also made an effort to note the coordinates, as there was no telling when those might come in handy. Even as he worked Ilkraz was moving the Summoning along, putting his recently bloodied finger against the outer ring of the Summoning circle and bringing the glyph made structure to life as Ulnix entered the very middle.

“Astral coordinates 6701984710485453, and away we go.” The Avavali spoke, swirling about in the middle and everything came to life. He slunk away into the brilliant watery portal beneath him, disappearing from view. His time away was not long however, as he arrived soon enough with a large, spherical thing seemingly made out of glass-like liquid. Its raw size was the largest of anything Ulnix had brought through the portal thus far, probably measuring a diameter as wide as a man.

by **Javial Kripsin** on January 21st, 2012, 8:35 am

“Oh ho! You brought a big one this time!” Javial was quite excited, although he knew not to subscribe completely to the notion of ‘bigger is better’; at least some part of his male tendencies raised an argument that such a notion was often true. Nothing had gone exactly as planned so far in the search for a familiar, which was something to take into consideration as well. The enormous sphere also didn’t leave much room for Ulnix, whom condensed itself into a corner.

Ilkraz, meanwhile, did not seem at all pleased by seeing the enormous ice-watery globe, “Ulnix! This is not what we talked about at all; this is a total mess up! Stars above…we’ll be getting negative reviews about this for sure!”

“Hey, it’s not my fault, she followed me.” The Avavali responded, not fretting the presence of the second familiar in the least, “But things are super tight in here, so hopefully we can move this along…”

“No it’s fine, it’s fine.” Javial waved his hand dismissively, stepping closer to the outer most portion of the circle. From there he could see his reflection clearly in the polished surface of the globe, his face curved and distorted almost comically as it bent around the shape of the sphere. “While it’s here I might as well at least get some information. Why is it so big though, I mean look at the size of this thing!”

For the first time, unlike the many other familiar’s that had made sure to speak up immediately, the globe talked. Its voice was unlike the three previous Javial had met in that it had a decidedly female tone to it. It was clear, but without feeling. It simply stayed level, devoid of changes in tone or pitch, “Interjection: I am not a thing. Clarification: I am Shirelieu.”

Ulnix felt it necessary to add some of his own informational tidbits, “She’s huge because on Fyrden we grow and grow for as long as we’re there. When we come to Mizahar and bond with a mage, we give up our old form and take on one crafted from your Djed. So, you know…that means the bigger we are, the longer we’ve been around. Shirelieu here has been rejected by like, a hundred mages, so she’s been in Fyrden a really long time. You know…because she’s been rejected by a hundred mages." Ulnix made sure to put sufficient emphasis upon that last portion.

by **Javial Kripsin** on January 21st, 2012, 8:38 am

“Correction: One hundred and twenty one mages.” Shirelieu spoke, her surface shimmering lightly in the autumn sun, rotating ever so slowly like a miniature planet upon its axis. Though her response to form a correction was swift, the overall speed of her speech was quite placid and calculated.

Javial had his reservations about those types of numbers. “Wait, how is that even possible? Why would you have been rejected so many times?” he asked, stepping slowly around the circle attempting to see if any part of the floating Shirelieu was different, or if it maintained a perfect sphere.

“Reply: I am not well suited for combat or defense. Hypothesis: Most mages prefer a familiar prepared to defend itself or the mage. Conclusion: I am lacking an attractive and critical attribute.” Shirelieu responded, in apparent total honesty. While Javial understood the value of a slick tongue, he had found when confronted with the many varying personalities Fyrden had to offer that he would have preferred a more restrained, level headed familiar.

Born from Sunberth, Javial understood that watching your back and being ready for a fight was important, but it seemed like every familiar tried to stress its offensive and defensive capabilities, even to the point where it became a common question asked by Javial himself, “What’s the big deal though? There’s more to the world than fighting, I get things done without even leveling a sword.”

“It’s not that easy.” Ilkraz was now getting involved in the discussion, removing a sandwich from his sleeve, much as he had produced the blanket prior, “Sorry, I can’t debate well on an empty stomach. Simply put though, since the mage and the familiar are tied together permanently, kill one of them and both die. When a mage makes enemies, if the familiar is easier to kill than the mage, then it obviously it makes sense to attack the familiar. Not much is going to kill Ulnix there, since he can’t even be touched by typical means. Anything less is seen as a liability. Oh, no offense Shirelieu, not that you’re a liability or anything.” He said as he peeled the top piece of bread from his sandwich away, inspecting the contents much like he had done in their first meeting.

by **Javial Kripsin** on January 21st, 2012, 8:40 am

Javial in the meantime, was in something of a state of shock. Somewhere along the line the premise of the mage dying if the familiar died was lost to him. “Wait…kill the familiar you kill the mage?! How did this not come up in conversation? That’s a pretty important bit of knowledge in a business agreement!”

“Sorry, I can’t answer questions well on an empty stomach, check back in a bit.” Ilkraz replied, much to Javial’s chagrin. Sure enough the mage made no further attempt to clarify the point, and instead replaced his bread and began eating his sandwich.

Javial’s hand came up to his forehead, rubbing his temples in an attempt to soothing a slowly intensifying throb that was beginning in his head. “Right, right. Well fine, Shirelieu, while you’re here I might as well learn a bit about…whatever you are. So Ulnix is an Avavali, what is your species? Can you do anything at all? Do you enjoy talking in an unending fashion or can you at all be silent?” the man quick fired his questions, almost in a rush to get things over with.

“Identification: I am Irylid. Elaboration: I exist upon the dark side of Fyrden. Assessment: I witness all reflected upon my surface. Fact: I recidivate silence.” If Shirelieu had any particular feelings about the potential of being bonded to Javial, she wasn’t making them immediately known through her words. Unbeknownst to Javial while the Kirt demonstrated their icy demeanor through lies and trickery, the Irylid were instead simple and straightforward, but almost completely without any apparent emotion.

Those words, had Javial heard her correctly? Did this familiar just say that she witnessed everything reflected upon her surface? Immediately his hand dropped from his head, and as before he was greeted with a mirror-like reflection of himself, “Witness all? You mean you can see…everything? All at once? From every angle? Wouldn’t that become confusing? How could something even remember everything that they were seeing?”

by **Javial Kripsin** on January 21st, 2012, 8:43 am

“Clarification: Anything reflected upon my surface is witnessed by me. Fact: My surface exists in a spherical shape, and my visual memory is superior to that of a Human. Conclusion: I witness and recall nearly everything.” the orb offered the information as it was requested, but didn't appear to hand anything personal over, an interesting show of restraint from a creature that should have wanted to escape the terrible Fyrden at any cost.

This was it! This was what Javial had been seeking all along. Could such a thing truly exist, a familiar which sees everything in a three hundred and sixty degree arc? For an information broker Shirelieu might as well been made out of gold, because this meant that she could observe things while Javial worked, without missing a single detail. “Shirelieu, that’s an incredibly valuable ability. We could make a lot of money together. My livelihood involves gathering valuable information for resale. If you can help me gather that information, we can make the perfect team.”

“Observation: I enjoy knowledge too much to sell it.” Shirelieu responded, causing Javial’s blood to run cold. This is the one Familiar he couldn’t let simply slip away. Besides her ability to view things from all directions, her personality, while almost entirely absent, was at the very least static.

“No no. We’re not losing the knowledge when we sell it, once you learn it you can keep it. We’re just…making money off of people who want to know it as well. Shirelieu think about it, with money we could purchase all sorts of additional knowledge. Scrolls, lessons on things, books…” Javial was prepared to go on in an attempt to persuade the familiar to join his cause.

“Comment: I have heard of books. Introspection: I enjoy books. Clarification: You would gain many books with money?” it seemed it was Shirelieu’s turn to ask a question. In a conversation that was nothing but good, as to Javial it meant that he had interested the floating ice orb enough to participate in the discussion. Was it desperation that was driving him toward her, or something else? There was a certain attraction in her abilities of course, and the personality seemed much better...adjusted to the lifestyle Javial had made for himself. Most importantly though, he felt like this might even be a familiar that he could genuinely trust, which had been the entire point of his search.

by **Javial Kripsin** on January 21st, 2012, 8:44 am

“Of course. With enough money you could buy anything you wanted. We could purchase an entire library with enough money, that’s a huge collection of books. There are places hidden in this world that probably have scores of books no one has even read before. But to find these places, we will need to gain intelligence, make contacts, and progress my business. What do you say? We’ll live smartly, work together, and come to possess huge stores of knowledge.” Javial said, the hint of the taste of adrenaline lining the outside of his tongue. This was exciting, incredibly so.

For a while Shirelieu simply remained silent, only the slight turn of his shape reminding Javial that she remained active. Then, as his breath was held, she made her decision, “Conclusion: I will join with you on Mizahar. Comment: I will remember what you have said, so you do not forget it.” The Irylid added, clearly influenced by the man’s promises, which meant he was now bound to try his best to keep them.

Shoving the last bit of sandwich into his mouth, Ilkraz clapped his hands together, “And all ends well. See I told you this was a good idea. Plans coming together, bonds made between worlds, it just makes the heart race doesn’t it? Well, I shall now deconstruct the circle, and Ulnix will ready the contract. You’ll need to sign the contract in blood. You can’t use my knife though; I don’t want your blood on it. Not that I’m saying your blood is dirty, or anything.” The wiry mage stepped over toward his carefully drawn patterns and began erasing them, causing the circle to collapse. Shortly afterward the mage tossed a scroll into the misty form of Ulnix and after it simply was held aloft in the air for a moment it landed upon the ground with various runes inscribed upon its material.

“This is the contract between a familiar and a mage. You can only make it once so you need to be certain. In life you two shall be bound. In death you two shall be bound. By Djed you two shall be bound. By thought you two shall be bound. By contract you two shall be bound. By blood you two shall be bound. If you are willing to this commitment, step forward and sign your mark. Or…you know, float forward in your case Shirelieu.” The eccentric mage knelt down next to the contract, waving both parties in hastily. He knew that those of Fyrden could not exist outside of the summoning circle without a mage, as they needed to symbiotically feed from the mage’s Djed.

The large sphere moved forward, some condensation building upon its surface before it dripped downward upon the contract, seeming to become absorbed into the parchment. Javial removed his own knife from his pack, typically reserved for dining purposes, and inspected its surface to ensure that it was still suitably clean. Satisfied he drew the edge across his thumb, lips tightening as he did from the brief shock of pain. Replacing his knife and sweeping the tip of his quill across his tongue to remove the ink, he turned his cut toward the ground and allowed his slowly dripping blood to cover the tip of his quill. With the point stained in scarlet, he carefully prepared his signature upon the contract, which similarly disappeared. Then, in a brilliant flash, the contract seemed to glow for a moment before vaporizing entirely, the faintest hint of ashes disappearing with the soft, slow fall breeze.

by **Javial Kripsin** on January 21st, 2012, 8:45 am

A grave feeling befell Javial, causing him to drop to his knees. Had something gone wrong? He could feel his Djed being forcibly manipulated and consumed, removed from his mortal form. The icy Shirelieu shimmered in the air as well, melting rapidly as huge chunks of her outer shell collapsed to the ground beneath. As yellowed streaks shot from Javial into what was left of Shirelieu’s cold liquid core, the Irylid suddenly stabilized, and her outer layers quickly frosted over and then froze solid right before the gasping mans eyes. Though she was identical to her previous shape, she was now barely the size of an orange.

Ilkraz looked on proudly with a nod, while Ulnix fluttered around more energetically then usual. The Avavali’s voice resonated as it surrounded the now miniature form of Shirelieu, “I told you we would find you a partner one day. Or, I’m pretty sure I told you that…”

Shirelieu seemed to recall the conversation perfectly, if indeed there was one, “Reply: You have my thanks.”

Javial felt a bit out of the loop, his hand clutching just over his head, clenching the fabric of his coat. It seemed the strange sensation had finally ended, allowing him to stand up to his feet, though still a bit shaken, “Was this some sort of plan? Did you trick me into something?” his tone was clearly nervous, the man was not used to being played.

“What? Not at all. Shirelieu is a very particular familiar, and she deserves a very particular partner. If you had seen her first, the chances were good, being a guy that loves to know everything about everything like you are, you’d pass up until you had met the rest of Fyrden’s species. She doesn’t bode well to being rejected, as you can imagine after the hundredth time, so recalling her after the first time would have most likely been impossible. Oh well, it all turned out well in the end. I suppose this means my obligation to you is terminated, good luck to you.” Ilkraz offered at least some explanation before abruptly turning around and preparing to head back to the city proper. Ulnix transformed into his fox form, and Shirelieu simply hovered in arms reach of Javial.

“Wait! What do I do now? How do I make all this work?” Javial straightened himself up, not completely satisfied that he understood the entire prospect of being bonded quite yet.

“Huh? You know…you be yourself, she’ll be herself, and things will happen and such…” the mage called over his shoulder as the distance between the two grew, more cryptic and non-specific than he had ever been before. Javial made a living finding answers for people. It seemed now it was time he found his own.

by **Lazybones** on January 23rd, 2012, 3:12 am

Thread Complete!

Notes: <3 KOTOR.

"Introspection: I enjoy books." Freaking lost it man. xD

If I've missed anything, please let me know! This is my first actual exposure to Familiary magic. I'm very intrigued!

Javial

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