The Unknown (Coltyn & Ximal)

[Tyler Avery]

Spring 1, 510AV Is it stereotypical to begin a dream whilst falling? Falling through a forest, sprinkled in snow. The light wetness falling with her, the cool wind lifting her hair. But hard, cold ground waited for her after just a few short seconds of bliss. The tree she had been perched in, after she had lost her balance, was far above her now. Now she lay on the damp ground, covered in decaying leaves. She kept still for a minute or two, trying to assess if she was hurt. After a large fall like that she should be. She instantly recognized this as a dream, after all there was no other way she would be in a tree. Let alone that high up above the ground. She assumed, this being a dream, she could not get hurt. Standing up, she recognized her surroundings as her home, Mura. She was on the forested coast of the Eastern Sea. Calmly, she found herself walked towards the water. Her feet, barefooted, felt the soft pads of leaves change into coarse sand. Her feet sunk into the ground and she shuffled over the the water where she fell to her knees. She placed her hands on the still surface of the sea and watched the ripples moves in all directions. Ignoring the dry dress she was wearing, she crawled into the sea, longing to be in the water again. The water, a deep, dark blue, engulfed her small body until she was completely under the water. Opening her blue eyes she looked around. She saw the common seaweed and corals normally found in the water surrounding Mura. She saw brightly colored fish swimming in and out of their small homes under the water. She even noticed a shy purple Seahorse watching her from behind a reef. She swam towards it, kicking her powerful white legs. The horse watched her warily then quickly ducked away when Tyler came too close. Forgetting it instantly, Tyler swam around the reef a few times, taking in the colors and shapes of the corals and living beings that resided here. Soon, though, she found herself craving air. Almost as if she was a human, out of breath. Confused and scared at her imminent drowning, she braced the surface. Where, gasping, she reached the beach and rested on the sand. Half in, half out of her precious water. She had never felt like that before. Never felt like air was something she needed to live. After all, being a Konti, she had the gills to breathe and live in Laviku's home. She let the water still itself around her feet and the sand get tangled in her short blonde hair. Her fingers buried and un-buried themselves in the warm cool sand, her eyes closed, nose soaking in the smell of the sea salt, the sound of silence. She lay letting her other senses take over, giving her valued eyes a rest.

[Ximal]

The question wasn't was what he was doing on the beach front...But how he got there last thing xi remembered he'd placed his head down from a good night's sleep and now he was here. Staring out at the ocean. Xi stto gazing out of er the shore line and the blue horizon, his chest bare and brazen though he looked down at his hands, he could see his hands still coated in steel, he couldn't quite make out why though. Xi took a slow breath the air around him clean and smelling of salt? Was he still in sun berth all that place smelt of was sweat, blood, filth and pain. Xi drew his fist to a close. He wasn't angry just ...confused though as he stopped to think things made sense. He was dreaming, so why ws he stuck as himself ? Why was he stuck as the man he was, not visiting the world of his dreams as the man he wanted to be ? Simple...He was visiting the world of his dreams, with no clear indication of what he wanted to be. That was the sigil of the steel on his arms and the fact he was shirtless. He was as he stood now, a fighter... survivor. Xi rose a hand to his face slowly the cold steel against his skin running over the light bearded brush that covered his face. Xi drew a deep breath as he looked onwards only now seeing a shape in the sands. Xi took slow steps out the sand shifting beneath his thick leather boots their steel coverings helping him sink and taking a slight tint and glare from the sunlight. He was the furthest thing from a knight in shining armour though. His thick black hair messy and loose around his head, being swept up lightly in the breeze from the shoreline. The shining gleam of light giving his hair a distinctly blue tint, making his hair almost as a dark a murky black blue as his eyes as he stepped out treading down and leaving atrial of heavy foot prints in the sand as he drew himself closer to the figure in the sand. As Xi drew closer the figure turned out to be a woman, thin of waist and clearly living from the motions of her chest rising and falling. Xi drew himself closer still somewhat intrigued by the strangeness of the sight before him. His voice came out slowly and in his usual low tone as he came within a few feet of her. "Are you alright over there?"

[Coltyn]

Running. Coltyn was running through the woods. He could feel the warm air on his exposed skin as he pressed forward. He could smell a mixture of pine and...leather? Yes. It was the scent of freshly oiled leather, mixed with the natural scent of pine...and salt? Something distinctly salty was quickly coming into range. Perhaps it was the sparkling water that had caught his eye a few miles back, just beyond the edge of the woods. Coltyn was running, through the woods, toward a body of water. He could hear his bare feet thudding against the densely packed soil below, as well as the steady rhythm of his breath being drawn in, then cast out, drawn in, then out. The air around him was so crisp and clear, only a generous God could provide it. But it wasn't just any God. No. It was an entity that was kind to its people, through each and every season, blending the four together as if they were one everlasting, idyllic day. Coltyn was running, through the woods, toward a body of water, in Spring. Yes. It felt like a day in that particular season. He wasn't sure how he knew it, since most days often felt the same, but he did. Perhaps it was the coloring of the leaves on the trees or the assortment of wildlife that soared through the sky above and crawled across the ground below. It was the perfect day for a run. That is...until... Coltyn was running, for his life, through the woods, toward a body! He suddenly sensed someone on his trail, swiftly approaching. He could hear the sticks on the ground snapping like bones being broken in battle. He could hear the dense foliage being thrashed like a sack doll filled with straw in the hands of a possessed child. And, more importantly, he could see an opening, just ahead, that showed him a beach and a body reclining upon it, mere inches from the salty sea beyond. Coltyn was running, for his life, through the woods...or was he? No. He was now standing, at the opening, watching an impressive male specimen approach a lovely female form, and it appeared that he was asking her a question. "Our yew airtight overt hair?" Coltyn distinctly heard him say, and for some reason, it made perfect sense to the man.

[Tyler Avery]

Silence was such a loud sound, it rose over every other senses until it is roaring in your ears like the waves on a stormy beach. Hearing doesn't take concentration, while seeing takes every little detail into account. It was nice to finally give her eyes a rest. They saw so much, knew too much. But here, in Mura on this beach, alone, she already knew everything. The coral, the sand, even the trees. They were all familiar. Now she could rest, and focus on the other beauties that resided, hidden, within the senses. She was so engulfed in the silence that she didn't even notice when soft sanded footprints broke it. When she heard the voice, very startled, she sat straight up in the sand, looking forwards. Her sudden movement rippling the water. Then she quickly snapped her head over to the sound, and moved her eyes swiftly over the being talking to her. A tall being, much taller than any of her sister Konti's. Tan skin, at least it was tan when compared to hers, suggesting he was human. A ragged beard, revealing him to be male. Underneath that thin beard she noticed a few scars across his face. He must be some sort of fighter. His eyes, though, were the most surprising. They were a dark, dark blue. Must darker than hers. They reminded her of the ocean, when deep below, right when the water changes temperature from warm to cool. This man was definitely not from Mura, well no human was from Mura. But he certainly wasn't present there at this time. She knew every face that traveled into Konti Isle. She spent enough time at the docks, doing just that, remembering everyone who steps into her home. She would have remembered his eyes. This man was Unknown. "Who are you?" She demanded, ignoring his previous question. She must know. Too impatient to wait for his answer she read his aura. She knew it would tire her, but he was Unknown. That is when she backed away from the man, scrabbling on her damp feet and hands away. The man had no aura. Why did he not have an aura? Everything has an aura. Desperate she turned her gaze to a tree, hoping to see if it had or did not have one as well. Instead she saw another man. He was tall as well, not nearly as tall at the other, but certainly much taller than she. He had about the same color hair at the other, yet his was shorter and he didn't have a beard. He had no scars. But he was well built, just like the other. He must be a builder, for no scars and large muscle represent working not fighting. Soon she realized that she was still trying to read him. Her head started to hurt, there was no aura. She quickly turned to a tree, just to make sure before she calmed her Djed. The tree had no aura. This dream; it was lifeless. She stood up, there is no use in sitting in the company of giants. Her eyes shifted, darted from each man to the other. She did not ask her question again, she assumed this one was smart enough to know that she, now, directed her question to both of the humans.

[Ximal]

Xi folded his arms looking down at her the steel cold against his skin and her question almost as biting as her startling to his arrival. She was a small thing light of a frame and light of much but still somewhat...controlled, tempered, powerful. Xi was...intrigued. though what caught him off guard was the presence of another man there, not quite at tall as xi himself but still tall and well statued in his own right. How did these two people whom he'd never met make it into his dream ? Though as the smaller woman glared daggers whilst trying to seemingly see through him. Though as she asked him who he was, and probably who the other guy was Xi answered. "Your supposed to give your own name before you ask the name of another person."Xi gave her a some what quizzical look ad he noticed her staring at his eyes. What was it with people and his eyes? Xi then turned his attention to the third person, the last piece of this rather...strange group. What would he do, do as Xi did and give no real answer or answer her and see what happened ?

[Coltyn]

Okay. So the party of two were strangers to each other and, it seemed, to Coltyn as well. Neither of them appeared the least bit familiar to him as he looked from the woman to the man and then back to the woman. "Flew our yew?" she questioned, which seemed to make sense to the man, but not to the Ravokian. Where they speaking another language? Confused, Coltyn remained silent, waiting to hear what the man would say. "Ore surprised two glaive ore moan same bee four yew ax duh same off a mother pear sun." he replied. Taking a few steps back toward the woods, Coltyn continued to be mystified by the words that were being spoken. Clearly they were communicating in a foreign tongue and, for some reason, he felt like he was intruding upon their conversation. "I...I didn't mean to...," he began to explain as he pointed to himself and then toward the path that brought him here, "I will...go." But then the thing in the woods, the thing that had followed him here, was waiting for him. He could sense it, lurking in the shadows. He could smell it, defecating freely, marking its territory. He knew it was watching, and he knew it was waiting. Watching. And waiting. Watching. And waiting. Until... "She's gone," he casually explained as if the beast in the woods was common knowledge, however, somehow, someway, he inwardly knew that this wasn't the case. His demons were his own to deal with, not the concern of strangers such as these. "The name is Coltyn, Coltyn Baker," he continued. "You know, like the talented men and women who toil all day to bring us those tempting treats we all loved as children," he informed them as he pulled a silver tray out of thin air. "I'm not an expert in making such items, but I sure do like serving them," he concluded as he offered up an assortment of tiny pies and cakes.

[Tyler Avery]

The taller man folded his arms at Tyler. Usually that is a sign of defense, did she... threaten him? Tyler could almost smile at that, almost. If she wasn't so offended by his following statement, and frustrated at not being able to see him, she would have. The mans dark eyes quizzed her, she had to hold back a cry of frustration at not knowing exactly what he was thinking. If only she could read minds. That was the one thing that eluded Tyler the most. It also happened to be the one things that annoyed her the most. She tried to calm herself, but that one thing, that one almost constantly Unknown thing, was teasing her, like it was a game. She didn't know which man to focus on. Her eyes constantly darted back and forth between the men. She wasn't intimidated often, but the sheer presence of a male did, not to mention the fact of their extreme superior stature. Plus the fact that she couldn't see anything but their normal appearances. As her eyes switched focus constantly she noticed that, even though she seemed to pay more attention to the speaking man, the smaller one seemed confused, and a bit nervous. She observed the smaller one for a few seconds. His eyes darted, as hers did, but not with hostilities, instead with utter confusion. He stayed unnervingly still and silent, it worried Tyler. He took a few steps back, back towards her Murian woods, after the tall man spoke a second time. As if he too was offended at his statement. She continued to watch the second man, willing to give the first a quiet delay. This was when he switched to nervous and quietly spoke for the first time, explaining that he would leave. Curious man. After he had turned back to the woods, he went rigid. Tyler tilted her head, very curious. Tyler turned her gaze back to the first human. How dare he, how many years older, wiser, must she be to him? how many more experiences has she dealt with than him? Where is his place to demand anything from an elder. "You, male, are in my home. My Mura, my Konti Isle, therefore I have the right to ask of you. not the other way around. You are the visitor. So I ask you again..." She looked back to the second man, seeing if he was still present to direct her question to both. But she soon trailed off, forgetting the first and watching as the small one spoke in a strange tongue to something within her forest. She watched him silently until he stopped his rubbish talk and turned back to them. He had a much lighter look on his face, and much to Tyler's delight, he answered her question. Coltyn Baker was his name, and she was quite pleased to make his company. Tyler did love cooperative peoples. In fact she was so pleased he had made himself Known to her that she almost laughed, and smiled a tiny bit, when he had a few pastries pop up. "I would love one." She replied to Coltyn's small spiel and she gently stepped over to him and retrieved a soft bread which she quickly devoured. Before she did, though, she took one more look at the tall man, telling him, with her precious eyes, to answer her.

[Ximal]

Xi glanced down at her and then back at the other man.Something was very wrong here and as she spoke he kind of surmised it. He was in a dream, at the very least an amazingly confusing one. What in the name of ovek was happening? Xi shook his head and listened to her words. He was in her home ? Where in the heck was mura ? Xi gazed down at her a now hardened edge to his eyes. "actually i think you'll find your in sunberth. So on the contrary, it's you who owes me an explanation of who you are." Then almost trying to be the peace...And apparently pastry maker, the other man answered. Stating his name as "coltyn baker" Xi shook his head and then thought. Was this an amalgamation of three places being smashed into one in this dream? The slums of sunberth coupled tih the pristine waters of where ever this "mura" was, and the a forest stemming from where ever the third person came from. Xi rubbed his eye's gently and felt a headache coming on. "Fine if you must know my name is Ximal. Now if you'd be so kind as to reveal your own?" Then his attention turned towards the third person and he regarded him with a look which was a cross between confusion and astonishment. He'd really just given away his name...Though that might have been the environment XI was living in that made him so cautious, after all sunberth was a very dangerous city.

[Coltyn]

"Eye wood loaf wine," the woman noted with a brilliant smile as she took a treat from the tray and gobbled it up. Okay. So the strange language would continue. So be it. She seemed to understand his words and, thankfully, she appeared harmless enough. The man, on the other hand, was clearly on edge. He had a look about him that read as trouble, danger even. Furthermore, he didn't appear pleased in the least with his female companion. There was something going on here, but it was beyond Coltyn's scope of comprehension at this point. The man was speaking, but not a word of it made sense. Looking down at the silver tray, the Ravokian was about to take a treat, when, quite suddenly, the pastries evaporated into thin air and the tray began to melt. Making a move to drop it, Coltyn watched as, mid-way between his hand and the sand, the oozing silver stopped, floated for the briefest of moments, and then began to rise, reshaping itself along the way. By the time it was level with his face, it was the shape of a bird. "Oh," was all he could utter as the silver creature began to flap its newly formed wings. Watching it take flight, Coltyn nearly forgot where he was and who he was with. Should he follow it...or be fearful of it? Was it a friend or a foe? It was hard to tell. The intentions of the beast in the woods was clear. It was out for blood. This, however, could go either way. It could be a sign of hope, a messenger of good fortune, or, it could be a symbol of doom, a harbinger of ill will. Birds were known to bring both. "Have either of you seen my brother?" he then asked, rather randomly, as his gaze remained on the soaring avian whose skin was now glowing as the sunlight struck its silver surface. "We were traveling together, through the woods, but I seemed to have misplaced him."

[Tyler Avery]

The Unknown man seemed confused, even through his stone-like expressionless face. Tyler read people quite well and it didn't take long for her to realize what he was confused about. He shook his head and looked back and forth between the two in front of him. It was soon after she had mentioned his presence in her home that his confused arose. At least to her basic knowledge. He didn't realize he was in a dream. She almost laughed aloud. She knew almost the second she entered this world. When he corrected her, she tried to keep her annoyance down. As she looked behind him though, she did in fact, see a dock. It was not Mura's dock, actually it was much more run down, in Tyler's opinion, than her so very familiar one. In the distance, directly behind the wooden dock, she saw the beginnings of a city. It was defiantly not a city she has seen before. Seeing as which Tyler had never left Mura, this could be any city. Sunberth, though, is what the man had said, she had not heard of it before. This sparked her curiosity. Her eyebrows rose slightly at the Unknown male. Her surprise rose more when he revealed his name. He had read the man as a secretive, stubborn human. She guessed that his realization that this was only dream provided no risks... Her mind wandered and wondered if her poisonous Suvi would work in a dream. She concluded that it may hurt him, possibly wake the male up, but never actually harm him. She shook the idea off with a quick blink of her eyes. Ximal... He did not give his full name, which, his first name, was more than she expected It eased her obsession a bit, though her spark was now lit with the wonder of Sunberth. Her eyes kept glancing at the city behind Ximal. So much in fact that she almost missed when Coltyn's platter turned into a bird. When she did notice the silver bird, as it flew in front of her face, she chuckled and poked at the bird, but missed it and instead poked at thin air. Her concentration turned to Coltyn Baker as he spoke of a brother. Although Ximal No Last Name and his city of Sunberth was increasingly more interesting, she did enjoy the arrival of new information on the Baker Boy. "You have misplaced your brother Coltyn?" She questioned, "Unless he is Ximal," she said, gesturing a hand to the tall human, "I have not seen him." Realizing she had not acknowledged Ximal and him revealing his name, she spoke in a tone of gratitude, "Thank you, Ximal of Sunberth, I appreciate knowing your name. My name is Tyler Avery. Please, I welcome you to my home of Mura."