[Flashback] Come What May (Eridanus)

[Nira'lia]

15th Winter, 506AV 'Garlic contains antimicrobials that can speed up the healing process,' Nira'lia repeated in her mind. She used her finger to keep her eyes focused on the small text that she read, afraid she would lose her focus. The old book on the desk described how everyday ingredients could serve as natural remedices. The book contained basic knowledge that most expert healers would already know, but Nira'lia was indepth in finding out about as much as she could. She wanted to learn beyond her knowledge, and for this she tried to memorize the names of the ingredients she could find almost anywhere. She was surprised to see that sprinkling sugar on a wound could help stop the bleeding. Ice, on the other hand, could reduce the swelling as well -- but she already knew that. At the moment, she was reading about a common kitchen ingredient: garlic. Garlic was a helpful ingredient in getting rid of bacteria, and she continued reading about how to convert the garlic to a paste. In her mind, she wrote down the steps to make the paste, which involved mincing the cloves, and then crushing it until acceptable. 'Do not leave the garlic paste on the wound for extended amounts of time. Garlic contains compounds that may burn the skin if left too long...' she was so engrossed in the book it that after a half hour, she was already on the last page. It wasn’t a lengthy book, but she felt good about being able to finish it within half a day. Smiling and feeling content, she stood up and returned the book where she got it. Nira'lia scanned over the many other books on the shelves. There were tons of them, and she stood tiptoed just to get a better look on the ones that were much higher than eye level. Her face was in awe, just like it was every time she came to this place. Nira'lia told fortunes and worked as a healer on a day to day basis, but on the few days that she had time to herself, she was often at the Wright Memorial Library. The Konti looked to her side as a handful of students passed by. They spoke about the class they had just attended. Nira'lia frowned to herself, feeling intensely envious of these students. When the students passed, she resumed to looking for another book she would be interested in. She once again stood in front of the shelves that held the medicinal books. By a stroke of luck, she found she spotted the second volume of the book she had just returned -- Quick Home Remedies, Volume II. As she reached to get it, Nira'lia realized that it was further up than she realized. The Konti stood on her toes as much as she could in an attempt to reach the book that was just an inch away from the tip of her finger. She looked silly, and she knew just that as some female students passed by and giggled at her. Embarrassed, she frowned and planted her feet flat on the ground once more. Nira'lia looked around, wanting to see if there were any ladders nearby. Instead, she spotted someone close; and by his height, she knew he’d have no trouble helping her. "Excuse me, sir..." she said, attempting to get his attention. He had her back to her, but she hoped he would know he was being addressed. "Would you be kind enough to reach that book for me?"

[Eridanus]

'Though Reinfeld (415 AV) successfully reproduced changing an item's internal djed pathways through magnetism, a research team (Coven et al., 449 AV) happened to chance on experiments that decided otherwise. Coven argued that magnets only succeed in doing so due to the role of magnetism in that Reinfeld's particular Magecraft Paradigm. He further argued that the choice of introductory primer used on a pre-enchanted item was the sole factor in pigeon-holing the item into a specific Magecraft Paradigm, and therefore whether magnetism worked depended on its acceptance within that Paradigm.'

Eridanus flipped a page as he read a thinly bound research paper on Magecraft. As a second year Magecraft student, he found that it was important to see what other wizards thought about it, and so he found himself at the library often, reading up on these thoughts.

'This paper will use Vylen's (430 AV) underlying outline regarding choice of primer as an assumption when proposing its thesis. However, it will also take note of the limitations of Vylen's outline (Garen & Yondley, 431 AV) as an inherent flaw in the outline. Still, this particular outline is chosen because of its clarity and superiority in design with regards to my thesis.'

The vantha pursed his lips as he considered the writer's claim. He had not yet properly analyzed Vylen's underlying outline, but he was surprised to see the huge claim that it was superior in design to other published papers focused on choice of primers.

Suddenly, he heard a female voice, one that seemed musical yet serious at the same time from behind, and he turned around in reflex. There was a shorter girl with pale blond hair that framed her young face, though she could not be that young from the curves in her body. The most prominent thing was the iridescent scales in various parts of her body which immediately meant she was not human.

Eri's eyes flashed a light blue as he took in the konti's appearance, reading the title of the book she had in her hands. It seemed that most konti were always preoccupied with healing and related disciplines, which he always applauded. The post-apocalyptic world needed more builders and healers, not destroyers like himself.

"No problem," He replied, following the direction of her point and spotting the book Quick Home Remedies, Volume II. "An aspiring doctor, I take it?" He asked conversationally as he reached up to take the book from the shelf, passing it over to her.

[Nira'lia]

The Konti was in awe as she looked straight into Eridanus's eyes. She had seen something flicker in them -- as if the shade of his eyes had changed in an instant. Nira'lia looked very curious, her mouth slightly agape in surprise. He was a Vantha! She had met very few of them in her lifetime, as most of them resided in the North. How curious to find one in the most unexpected of places! His race was one that interested her greatly. She had always been fascinated with the ability of their eyes to change colors. If she could remember correctly, the shades of which their eyes changed to was connected to what they were feeling. She wondered, what could a shade of light blue mean? She returned her attention to the book he was handing to her. Blinking, Nira'lia took the book in her arms, careful not to let their hands touch. It was a habit of hers that was quite obvious to most people, but she really tried to avoid her involuntary Konti gift as much as possible. Prying into the thoughts and memories of others seemed uncalled for, especially when the person had no idea it was happening. When she took the book, she could see the dust that had accumulated on it. Nira’lia peered at her hands and saw that they were dirty, and that’s when she knew she was the only one interested in these books. Maybe the students of the university focused on more advanced topics. Sometimes she thought of peering into the chavi of the student’s just to have an idea of what a class in the university was like. The idea made her smile in a silly way. Nira'lia looked up at Eridanus. She smiled, her expression a vibrant and gentle one. "Thank you. And, well... I guess you could say that." Even though she didn't mean to pry, she took a peak at what he was holding. It seemed to be a research paper of some sort, but she couldn't fully comprehend the title. The title on the front cover had words that were foreign to her mind. All she could make sense of it was that it was related to magecrafting. And she gathered in her mind that if he was reading a research paper, it could be suggested that he was a student -- or maybe even a professor. Chuckling, she looked back at Eridanus. "My, that seems like a complicated read. You are a student or a professor in magic... or perhaps a researcher? That is quite interesting."

[Eridanus]

The vantha's eyes shifted into bright yellow and he observed the Konti with interest, noting how she gazed at him in curiosity. Regardless, he did not mention this, choosing to hand over the book wordlessly. He also noticed how she took certain pains to avoid physical contact, which he assumed to be shyness. He knew that some personalities prefer not to come into physical contact with those of the opposite gender, though he did not expect Konti to have these kind of personalities.

She seemed to peer into the journal he was holding, and he gently tilted it so that she could view the words more clearly. It seemed that this Konti was as curious a individual as him, and his eyes flashed into a brighter yellow as he took a greater interest in this Child of Avalis.

"You flatter me," He replied, a hint of of a chuckle in his involuntary sing-song baritone that was a result of his mortal seeming. Most vantha tend to have a musical quality in their words due to the elaborate nature of Vani, and he was no different, though the accent was played down greatly compared to actual born vantha and not 'vanthafaels' like him.

"I am but a lowly student trying to get a sense of the complications present in magic," He continued. "Am I right to say that you're either in Herbalism or Medicine?"

Students taking such courses related to healing often dabbled in similar disciplines, and if she were a student here she would most definitely be in one of those courses.

[Nira'lia]

Nira'lia took a moment to stare at the journal's title, her curiosity getting the best of her. She still couldn't understand what it really meant, thinking that it was too much for someone like her who had limited knowledge about the world of magic. "Oh, a student!" she replied, when she finally understood who he was. Nira'lia smiled without meaning to. She liked his voice -- it enchanted her in a way that she couldn't explain, as if listening to it was like listening to the low and fading sound of a flute. "Well, for me, magic is complicated in itself... I wouldn't be able to make sense about anything about it!" The Konti blinked at his question, thinking about it. The question was an easy one, and one that she could answer without a thought. But the question caused her to daydream... if she had a chance to study in the university, what would she take? Would it be herbalism or medicine? These were two paths that she was greatly interested in, and she was fascinated by the fact that Eridanus had rightly judged that, even if she wasn't actually in those classes. "I'm no student," she said with a laugh as she stared at him. But the idea of being one always made her hope, and so her eyes sparkled as she thought about it. "But yes, I would think that if I had the chance to study here, I'd probably take both of those. That is possible, right? You'll have to forgive me, I know nothing about the University. Nothing at all, although I am very curious... tell me, what is the University like? I'm also curious... what drew you to study about magic?" She had spoken too soon and had rambled on without meaning to, but she was simply curious of this man. Nira'lia continued to look at him, observing him entirely. Although she couldn't place why exactly, he seemed very interesting. It was not often that the students took time out of their busy schedules to spend a moment to talk to the uneducated Konti, even if it were just short chats in the library. "Oh, I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, realizing what she had done. "I do this often, I ramble on and on to strangers, and I take their time when I'm not supposed to! Please, excuse me, I am sure you have a busy schedule," she bowed her head down in apology.

[Eridanus]

"It is for me too, my friend," Eridanus replied jovially, gentle amusement dancing in his eyes as it shifted again into a yellow-green shade. "Especially Magecrafting, which probably explains why there are so few enrollments into this course."

The konti was pleasing to the eyes, as were all of her race tend to be, and Eridanus did not find himself bored as he listened to her sudden barrage of questions. Waving a hand dismissively, he chuckled, a tinkle of musical laughter temporarily disturbing the usual silence of the library. Several students automatically turned to look at the source of this disturbance, but he winked at them roguishly, causing guys to return to their studies muttering while some girls blushed furiously.

"No problem, stranger. It is rare to find one so curious and passionate about seeking answers of the unknown," The vantha remarked. "Yes, most people take more than one course at a time, particularly in the case of future doctors. It is generally expected of them to take courses in Medicine and Herbalism, while the smarter ones pile those two courses along with Philtering and Poisoning for a more holistic education. I have heard of the last year's valedictorian taking Botany on top of those four, but I think that's a little overkill, don't you agree?"

Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, he remembered that her question was similar to Professor Stonemiller's one when he was being interviewed about his suitability and eligibility to learn the complex science of Magecraft.

"To understand, and to learn. I guess my curiosity usually gets the better of me, and when my passion drives me to master a particular unknown I always succumb to that motivation. Though, I wanted Magecraft because I wished to create marvels and legends. Perhaps to leave behind a legacy? No, that may be too material. That's it then; to create marvels and legends. I wanted proof that magic was not something used to destroy, that it could play a powerful part in building and progressing."

The student paused his soliloquy, cocking his head curiously to one side as he perused the beautifully surreal Child of Avalis. The konti could not hope to compete with the celestial glamor of himself when he was in his divine seeming, but were at the level where mere mortals cannot hope to match. Instead, they had a mixed combination of both; an echo of the unearthly beauty of the divine-touched together with delicate features mortals find attractive.

"Eridanus, at your service," He cleared his throat softly before introducing himself, remembering that it was usual custom among mortals to exchange names. He did not want seem rude after all.

[Nira'lia]

Nira'lia couldn't help but stare at how the other people in the library reacted to this man's actions. She looked at awe at the strong effect he had on the people around them, and she found it downright fascinating. Well, he was a popular one, wasn't he? "Well, that's a very good reason to study Magecraft. And yes, I do agree that creating is much better and more useful than destroying..." She listened to his every word, taking it in. When he cocked his head to the side, she blinked blankly and unconsciously mimicked his action. They looked quite silly for a moment, but Nira'lia couldn't help but wonder why he was staring at her in such a way, as if he was analyzing something that she couldn't know about. "Oh! Eridanus, I see," exclaimed the Konti when she realized that they had not introduced themselves. She gave a light chuckle, one that was soft and seemed to fade into their surroundings. It was almost a whisper that none of the students looked up from books, unlike the reaction that Eridanus had gotten before. His name sounded foreign to her. It was like hearing a word from another language for the first time. She repeated his name, trying to get the feel of it, and to make sure that she was saying it right. When she was satisfied, she proceeded to introduce herself. "My name's Nira'lia. And, I... well, at your service as well," she told him. Nira'lia had no idea what the latter part of what she said actually meant, but it sounded good when he had said it. Nira'lia took a moment to think to herself. For some reason, there was something about him that seemed oddly enthralling, and it was not only because of his Vantha features. She couldn't place a finger on it, but she just knew that there was something different about him. Oddly enough, she also felt a sense of familiarity, as if she had met him before. But, no -- she knew that was impossible. "You seem like a fascinating man, Eridanus," she said simply, voicing out her thoughts, not even thinking about how he would take it. "Your ideas about the purpose of magic are quite interesting... not just in magic, actually. I think nothing should exist only for the purpose of destroying. I hope you put your ideas to good use... society needs a vision like that." Nira’lia spoke with serious conviction as she said this. She truly believed in what she had said.

[Eridanus]

"Nira... lia? Nira'lia. Pleasure to meet you," Eridanus said, rolling the unfamiliar words around. The sound of the name was foreign to him, but it seemed fit the foreign looking konti. They were not mere mortals anyway, being children of Avalis.

"It is... a strange view that I have Nira'lia," The vantha admitted. There was something about the lure of magic that drove people onwards, and often they forgot about the original reason for learning it. Most learn it to fuel their destructive tendencies, as were most personal magics capable of doing. Reimancy, Projection, Flux, all these disciplines enhanced one's combat abilities.

Yet, Eridanus was sure magic was more than that. The rest of the wizards focused on studying and researching, trying to understand magic better for the sake of gaining new knowledge, new power. That was not inherently wrong, for society needs researchers and scientists.

There was still something missing. Society had the destroyers, fighters and defenders to guard the remnants of civilization. Society had the researchers and scientists to push the boundaries of known industries.

"We needs creators. Builders. Science cannot progress without construction. Humanity cannot progress without expansion."

The student pursed his lips as he shifted his footing, unknowingly changing his posture as he further observed the konti. With a gaze that was now beginning to shift to a warm green, he asked, "Why do you learn Herbalism for then? What purpose do you have in your actions, your goals?"

[Nira'lia]

Though she had been listening intently to his words, Nira'lia had been caught off-guard by the change of tint in his eyes. She paused for a while to think about his question, not wanting to sound silly or childish. Eridanus spoke with wisdom, and she suddenly felt incredibly immature in his presence. She wondered how such a young looking mortal could speak like he knew so much about the world. If she only, or if she actually took a glimpse at his chavi and was able to see how vast it was, then she would know that he was no ordinary mortal. But she didn't know that, and she was simply left in awe at how such a young person could speak about creation and progress as if he had seen so much of the world. "I've never really thought about it. I used to be a slave, so I had no choice but to learn medicine and herbalism, because that's what they wanted," she replied, and she felt shame at admitting her past life. It was not information that she usually divulged to strangers. "But when I do analyze everything... it's been more than a decade since I was given my freedom, and here I am, spending my freedom learning more about what my enslavers forced me to do for them. I-I... I just like being able to help people. I know how harsh the world is, and it would be painful for me to just stand by the side and do nothing when I can actually help people. I'm sorry, that sounded lame... but I guess it's true." She flashed a wide grin at him. A blush graced her pale cheeks, because in the end, she really did consider her answer childish. In all honesty, she considered herself nothing like him. All she knew about was her life in Sunberth and in Zeltiva. She didn't know much about the outside world, but she found herself agreeing with him – now that she took a moment to think about it, she believed in progress, in moving forward. She knew very well what it was like to suffer, and she always told herself that it was better to move forward than to stay stagnant and non-progressive, to learn new things and to discover happiness in ideas she had never known before. "As you can see, my wits are nothing compared to you students," she chuckled. "I'm not even sure by what you mean when you say you want to create in order to move forward... I get the gist, but what exactly do you mean? Do you mean creating new fields of study? What exactly can magic... well, create, in order for humanity to progress? I do agree that progress is great, but evidently, I am so clueless when it comes to your field!"

[Eridanus]

The konti seemed to be looking at him with a sort of awe that made him feel slightly surprised. After all, these Children of Avalis were a wise and experienced race. He knew that they aged differently than mortals, but was not familiar with the specifics. Therefore he had no way of knowing just how old this konti was. Then again, using this line of thought she was probably surprised at his worldly perspective which, coming from the mouth of his young mortal seeming, was highly unusual.

She shared some personal details with him, which he suspected - by discerning her body language as she spoke - were details that she usually kept hidden. His gut instinct told him that she was putting some element of trust in him for some reason, though he did not know why.

"I... was also a slave as well, to the winged predators borne after the Valterrian," He remarked, referring to the ziths.

If she was sharing some of her history it was only fair that he did as well. Furthermore, he empathized with her for he used to be enslaved as well. Being a slave to the zith was a horrifying experience, for everyday was a torment knowing that if he performed too outstandingly or under expectations he would be eaten. Watching his fellow slaves being eaten in the same manner traumatized his mind. Years of planning the final rebellion that resulted in the deaths of many of his fellow comrades were nerve-wracking, and the culmination of the whole thing left him a changed and scarred man.

Pausing as he shelved these sudden memories away, his eyes had changed to a sorrowful black that had endless depths as he thought about these memories. Realizing that he was in the present, he quickly changed his expression from a sombre one to a more cheerful one, and accordingly his gaze lightened to a soft almond-gray.

"It's not lame, Nira'lia. Healers are wonderful in a world of turmoil and conflict. They provide an element of certainty to a mortal world rife with uncertainties," Eridanus assured the konti. He had even considered this path, but he discovered that his potential did not lie in medicine. It was that of destruction, though he hypothesized that destruction and construction are two sides of the same coin. If he had potential in destruction, if he tried perhaps he could channel those power into construction instead. He did not know if he was right, for only time would tell. All he could do is try and wait.

"I'm not too sure myself. For example, Reimancy can create devastating magical storms, but it can also help build caves, provide drinking sources, divert storms. Construction and Destruction are two sides of the same coin, I am pretty sure of it. Accordingly, some disciplines have better known destructive sides and less known constructive sides. Some people call me a crackpot when I say this, but I believe there is something that ties magic together, some kind of common string, a similarity that all magic disciplines are derived from. If I can just discover what that is, and truly understand both the destructive and constructive aspects of it, perhaps I can usher us all into a new era of peace and prosperity."

His speech began with uncertainty, but as continued talking his rhetoric strengthened with conviction and passion. His now iron-blue gaze settled on the konti, a slight smile gracing his visage as he added, "Sounds mad, doesn't it?"