Flashback Encountering Kin (Crypt)

[Kyarni]

Kyarni watched as the man collided with the branch, wincing a little. She wasn't one for payback, and actually cared for the well-being of others, especially kin. She rushed forward, falling to her knees on the ground beside him. Loras swung his big head around to look at them both curiously, a little spooked that his rider had left the saddle so abruptly. He turned, nose to the ground and walked over, nosing at the man who was paralyzed on the ground. Kyarni was struggling not to panic, trying to figure out what to do. She mumbled to herself in her native tongue, trying to stay calm as she pinched and poked at him, making sure no bones were broken. Then she pushed and shoved at him until he was lying on his side. Her own back was still aching and taking breaths felt like too hard of a task, but she ignored her pain in favour of helping him. "Crypt? Cousin?" she whispered in hushed tones, her hands fumbling, unsure what more she could do to help him. Hope he was not dead, for one. "Wake up. You're not dead." she hissed, panicking.

[Crypt]

I... can't... breathe... Having the wind knocked out of you was extremely troublesome for Crypt. The throbbing pain in Crypt's chest only made things worse. Crypt struggled to remain conscious as he attempted to draw breath. The image of Kyarni leaning over him faded in and out of his vision. After what seemed like eternity, Crypt finally took a breath, inhaling slowly. The much-needed oxygen rushed into his lungs, and he fought the compelling need to gulp the air greedily. After a few minutes, Crypt recovered enough that he was able to sit up gingerly and check himself for any injuries, taking off his shirt, wincing as he touched a sore spot. Ribs? They... look fine... Thank the gods. No broken ribs. It's a miracle. But... I have a pretty nasty bruise on my chest... Damn, it isn't pretty... Crypt looked up at Kyarni. “Are you... are you alright, Kyarni?” he spoke slowly, concern and guilt evident in his voice.

[Kyarni]

Kyarni coughed, wincing and clutching at her chest. She'd been thrown off many times, but she'd anticipated it and been able to land on her hands and knees. Loras had been even more high-strung when she'd first gotten him, and he hadn't appreciated beginners being put on his back. As Crypt took a breath, she let hers out, sending a silent tank you to her goddess. She stayed kneeled by his side, her hand on his shoulder as he sat up, her eyebrows drawn in concern. However, she turned away when he took off his shirt, busying her eyes with the two horses some feet away. She encountered men often on her travels and rarely around the village, but she was still modest. Kyarni pursed her lips and raised her eyes slowly back to him, trying not to stare at the bruise on his chest. She nodded briskly. "Yes, fine. Are you?" she asked, still a little winded. She hurt and her head throbbed from smacking the ground, but nothing was broken or bleeding, so she deemed herself fine.

[Crypt]

"Thankfully, no ribs are broken. Just this damn bruise here. Might have to wait at least a week before it starts to fade." Crypt resisted the urge to shout vulgarities out loud, shaking his head. It would not do to expose his cousin to such... uncouth words. Maras trotted over to Crypt's side and sat down beside him. Crypt leant against the large body of his horse, feeling the warmth within. Though it was only mid-morning, it was already looking to be a long day. After a few minutes, Crypt decided that he had rested enough. He stood up slowly, taking care not to cause any more pain that he was already feeling. "Look... Kyarni... I'm sorry for making you fall. I must be the worst cousin you've ever had..."

[Kyarni]

Kyarni eyed the mark and frowned. She wished she could help, but she knew she couldn't. She'd just have to hope it would fade soon. Everyone assumed that Kyarni was too innocent for certain things. It infuriated her. She'd been living for thirty-two years and everyone still called her a child. Yes, among the Konti, she was still young, but to a human she should seem older. An adult. Loras nosed at his rider's back, drawing a slight hiss from her. He lipped at her hair, concerned. She turned and gave him a little smile, reassuring him with small words and a scratch to the star on his forehead. Kyarni stood up with him, shaking her head. "No. No." She said, touched his cheek in a reassuring manner. "Do not worry. I'm fine." She said, dropping her hand. "We should stick to our own horses." She said, giving a sheepish grin and patting her stallion's neck.

[Crypt]

“Well, Kyarni, what brings you here all the way from Konti Isle? It's quite a fair bit away. 'Tis a miracle that we ever met. In this... overgrown forest...” Crypt used his left hand (for it was less painful that way) to gesture around him, “I've been traveling all the way from Avanthal, the City of Winter since last Fall or perhaps Winter. It's been a harsh journey; injuries, starvation, thirst, cold... I'm glad I'm still standing here.” Crypt rubbed Maras' nose, feeling the warm and moist texture and the slow breathing of his Strider. He leant against a nearby tree, running his hands over the rough, calloused surface of its trunk. “May as well have a good look at you...” Crypt went on, a hint of weariness evident in his speech. The young wanderer closed his eyes for about a minute, slowly gathering his Djed. It was still difficult, more so due to his bruise, which sent a dull throb of pain into his chest with every heartbeat. Clear... Clear... Clear. Thrice now hath storm betrayed us; three times shall we build it fast. Never again shall my sight flee; Call off your hounds! - for I shall see. Crypt opened his eyes, blinking in the sudden bright light, then focused on Kyarni, his pupils contracting. She was a singularity of pure light. Her aura was almost as brilliant as Syna's Light. Countless strands of white light emanated from her, gently moving to some unknown rhythm. No magic had tarnished nor enhanced her; she was still intact, unchanged. And yet... Vibrant orange strands fought with the white threads, the latter always yielding. Curious, Crypt focused on one of the anomalous strands. Alright... Just there... Ah. This song... What does it mean? Rebellion? Stubbornness? I detect a hint of... Damn, I can't place it. More? He focused deeper into her, attempting to find more about her. Removing the layers that shrouded her aura, Crypt found something else that intrigued him. Beneath the outer layers of that single point of light lay a shifting mass of iridescence; a rough sphere composed of myriad strings, all of different colours. He again focused on one of them for what seemed like eternity before finally gaining a small insight. She's... thankful I'm not hurt badly? What? No, can't be sure of that. This... melody is more than that. Go deeper? Yes - OW! And just like that his brief analysis was cut short. Crypt winced as he returned the flow of Djed back to normal; a ringing was now present in his ears. Something had happened to them, and now he was hearing sounds about an octave higher than what they once were. His eyes felt unusually dry and sore, and he blinked rapidly to allow his tears to lubricate the surface of his eyes.

[Kyarni]

Kyarni gave him an amused little look, but didn't smile. She hardly ever did, at least not when interacting with people. Horses were her people. Sea creatures were her people. All animals were her people. Her eyes grew a bit wide. She'd never ventured up into the North. She wasn't sure Loras, or herself for that matter, would be able to withstand the temperature. It was quite a long way away. "I travel all the time. Never been up to Avanthal before." she muttered, scratching Loras on the crest of his neck, eyeing the length of his mane and vaguely reminding herself to trim it when she returned to Mura for the summer. The stallion's mane and tail were always knotted and grotesque, and though she wasn't big on keeping her own hair in the same condition, she liked to keep him looking pretty. Kyarni turned her attention back to Crypt lazily, just in time to feel a warm tingle spread through her body. Her eyebrows pinched over her brow in confusion, staring him back. It was indeed making her very uncomfortable, but she didn't say anything and didn't move away. It felt almost as if he was glancing directly at her soul. But then he was wincing and blinking. Kyarni huffed, amused, but also confused. She'd make a joke out of it, to try and ease her discomfort, rather than asking what in the world he'd been doing to her. She didn't feel hurt, just warm and odd. "Does my beauty blind you, cousin?"

[Crypt]

Crypt was too preoccupied with his current problem, answering Kyarni's question with a slight nod of the head. Still, hearing Kyarni's high-pitched voice made him chuckle slightly, for it was something entirely new to Crypt. Alright, that was funny. Pity the effect's fading now. The ringing's still present, but I guess it'll go away in a couple of days. What did I do then? I was only trying to observe her aura, but why did I feel a sharp pain around my eyes? Oh, wait. Her uncle told me about something called over-giving when he was training Crypt finished his internal monologue, deciding to leave the self-berating until later, and then turned to Kyarni, favouring her with a cheeky smile. “Why yes, m'dear Kyarni. You're more radiant than the Sun or the Moon. Your beauty rivals that of Morwen's Lights; your hair is as pure as moonlight. Why, men would fall over themselves to see your wondrous eyes for even just a glance, and your figure is a gift from the gods. I'm sure that one day, you'll meet a dashing and charming young adventurer that will sweep you off your feet, carrying you in his arms, and declaring to the entire world that you are his bride, and that your radiant beauty cannot be denied, for one would have to be a god-forsaken dimwitted cretin not to know that. In fact, here's the majesty of your beauty in a poem, though I fear that I may be quite an amateur.” Crypt cleared his throat, and started improvising a poem, taking liberal amounts of the verses from one he had read of in Alvadas. “Shall I compare thee to a moonlit night? Thou art more radiant and lovely: Thy hair dost flow like fluid silver; What mortal woman could wish for more? Winter thou art, yet not so cold, In springtime, in flowers One sees thy face, The summer's Joy is full of your grace, And though autumn leaves fall Your beauty fades not.” Crypt could almost see the first faint shades of red colouring Kyarni's face.

[Accolade]

Crypt

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Flux	+ 1 XP
Persuasion	+ 1 XP
Riding	+ 1 XP
Auristics	+ 1 XP
Poetry	+ 1 XP
Observation	+ 2 XP
Rhetoric	+ 2 XP

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Maras is reluctant to take a bath
•	Uncle Escarvon's daughter - Kyarni
•	The cautious nature of Crypt's Konti cousin
•	Mounting a horse: Kyarni's unnatural 'grace
•	The blinding aura/beauty of Kyarni
•	elementary physics: inertia is not good

Notes :

Wonderful thread! I enjoyed it. If Kyarni returns I will be happy to add her grade in.

The Sylir has spoken

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can figure it out.