1st of Spring 493AV
Artifex strolled through the crowd, admiring the comings and goings of his people as they went about daily tasks. All around him people hustled and bustled, merchants sold their wares, and children scampered. All around it was a marvelous sight to behold, and it made Artifex proud to call himself an Isur. He watched for a while as the scene unfurled, until eventually he arrived at: Cylini's Exotics.
The shop was rather large, and its confines held a wide area of cages, habitats, fences, and animals. Reptiles of a wide variety were housed here, and many Isur took them for pets. However the more rare pets were not as common; these being the Brynkil and the Drakori. Artifex had arrived in order to purchase a Drakori. However he had not arrived at this decision easily. He had wondered why he was purchasing one, to what end. He had wanted one as a younger lad, and he could even remember asking his father...his father. The recent seasons had been hard to cope with, and adjust to. He had managed though, but only with the help of his faith, and some of his fellow clansmen.
He strolled around the inside of the shop, and it hit him that he had no idea how this worked. He had heard from others that a Drakori had to pick you, and that the whole choosing process had to be mutual. However for good measure he decided to go talk to one of the attendants who happened to be nearby. After a short few minutes of explanations Artifex decided he had the gist of it. He had to find a Drakori that he liked-on a personal level-and then the Drakori had to pick him in the same action, thus making it a mutual act, and sealing their bond. When he had heard about this he had admired the Drakoris' sense of loyalty to their masters.
Thus he wandered for a time, passing by all of the Drakori that were available. He noticed that they ranged in size from small to large and that their color variation was rather limited to a greenish-grey and a light tan. None that he noticed held any qualities he was looking for, and more importantly none of them struck a chord in him. It was only after several minutes, and several offers of help from the attendants turned down that Artifex noticed one that caught his eye. It was a rather large male Drakori, larger than all the others he had seen. It stood at 3ft tall and 6ft long, weighing what he imagined was about 200lbs or more. The Drakori was a placid greenish-grey, and it stirred from its slumber as he approached its cage.
He crouched so that they were at eye level, which he realized was mildly irrelevant given that he had been told Drakori were blind; they did however have an Auristic ability as a result. The Drakori flexed its muscles and seemed to taste and smell the air simultaneously. Its blind eyes were deadlocked on him, and he wondered what thoughts inhabited the Drakori. Something about it struck a chord in him that he could not comprehend. It was like seeing someone you met once before, a long time ago. He felt that the creature had the same sensation coursing through its brain. Surprisingly the Drakori was not angry, or acting violent. It seemed silent, almost contemplative.
He turned to ask a question of a nearby attendant, when he heard a sound from behind him. It was the sound of the Drakori attempting to follow him; which it couldn't of course being that it was in a cage. He moved further away and the Drakori tried yet again to no avail. He smiled. He took it as a sign that the Drakori had taken a liking to him.
Oh Father i thank you for the reward you have delivered unto me for my patience in my search.
He made his way through the process of purchasing the Drakori, enough feed to set him steady for a while, and a blue collar to honor his clan (he made sure to keep the collar from hindering or hurting the Drakori. The loss of the money was not so much a monetary loss, but an emotional loss; as it had slipped loose his fingers he felt like a part of him was missing, the last ties to something lost cut. However as he looked down to the Drakori that stood beside him, looking up at him, Artifex smiled. Perhaps not all was lost. Perhaps by caring for the Drakori, he could hold onto the past, while forging the future. He was told that the purchase came with a training course in animal husbandry.
The course taught him the basics of how to care for his new Drakori, and he paid close intention to everything he was told. During which some time passed.
At last after a bell or two as he thanked Cylini and the attendants who had helped him, a thought broke through in his mind. What was he to name his new found friend? This he contemplated for some time as they walked about the plaza. Children scattered to and fro, trying to get a glimpse of the massive Drakori. The Drakori payed them little heed. It simply kept pace with him and occasionally tasted the air. This question consumed him until at last he found himself amidst his History Park, where the Drakori seemed to tentatively nibble at some of the moss. It was there amidst history that the name came to him Pietas. He sat at a bench and the Drakori followed him accordingly, laying down beside his legs on the ground. He placed a single hand on the Drakori's forehead, making sure to avoid the spines. As he did so he uttered: "Welcome Pietas, welcome to my family, small as it may be now. I promise to always take care of you, and in turn i only ask you take care of me when the times arise. May we forever more be a family, and may Izurdin smile upon us".
Pietas's gaze seemed to be transfixed upon Artifex rather than his hand, and in fact he leaned into it for a time, before pulling back. He wondered how much Pietas had understood, he imagined it was more than what most people would give a Drakori credit for. He smiled. "Now come on Pietas, let's go home. There are people i must speak to, of things that are long overdue".
With that they departed from the park, Artifex with pride and some hope in his step; and Pietas with some moss in his teeth. Artifex smiled, the world was looking just a little brighter from where he stood. |
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by Artifex on February 8th, 2013, 3:44 am 
