Open Going Up

[Syveris]

22nd of Fall, 513 AV
Afternoon

Syveris walked through the Inner Warrens, her smile very evident on her face. She'd had a great day, on her opinion. During all morning, she had been working on her first colored glass vase, and she had been pretty happy with the result. Virat had helped her, of course, and it had been exhausting, but still, the piece was beautiful on her opinion, and she had done it. To make things better, the meal on the Communal Kitchens had been wonderful. So she was extremely happy.

To make a day perfect, only one thing was missing.

Syveris' smile grew when the Warrens ended in an opening and she saw the path around the mountain. Humming a tune to herself, she kept walking, excitement growing on her as she felt the wind on her face. The Edge of the World. Perfect for climbing, perfect for wrapping up a wonderful day. She almost wanted to run there. In fact, if she didn't enjoy the landscape so much, she would've done just that.

With each step, her excitement grew. No matter how many times she walked the same path and climbed the same wall, she still felt the same amount of eagerness to get to the top. She knew that, no matter what, she would love the climbing and she would love the feeling when she got to the top. It was no wonder that her mood always improved so much when she climbed the Edge.

It would be nicer if she had someone to share this excitement with, but it was alright. Maybe she would find someone on the Edge, or she would find someone along the way. If she didn't, it was also fine. Climbing the wall alone was also very fun.

[Syveris]

She walked alone during a while. There was no one in the path. It was a pity, but there was nothing she could really do. Syveris stopped, looking at the afternoon sky, It was very beautiful that day. Maybe it was her mood talking, but she didn't really care. She smiled to the sky, before bowing down and taking of her boots.

She brushed her feet on the ground, feeling the dirt under them. Sometimes she wondered if she felt more connected to the land or to the sky. Maybe it was both of them. It was a different kind of connection. Shaking her head and laughing at her own silliness, Syveris kept walking, making sure her feet brushed the path with each step. It would be a pain to clean them later, but it would be worth the effort.

She finally arrived at the Edge, and her heart ached with anticipation. The giant was right in front of her, waiting to be climbed. Syveris put her shoes back on, growling when she felt the dirt roll around her boots. However, she soon forgot about it when she looked at the wall again. Syveris approached the wall, almost with reverence. She closed her eyes, running her hand on the uneven surface. It felt right. Familiar, like an old friend that she hadn't seen for very long. Not that it had been so long since she climbed it, but never mind that.

With a smile, her heart beating with excitation, she kept running her hand on the wall, searching for hole she could use for climbing. When she found one, her smile widened, and she pressed her fingers on it, pushing her body up. Her other arm was already searching for another hole. A rope was waiving on her side, but she paid no attention to it. Syveris might use it if she needed, but she didn't really want to. Little by little, she pushed her body up, feeling the happiness fill her whole being. The wind blew, and she closed her eyes, feeling it brush her face and her hair. Happiness was so easy to obtain, she wondered why so few people seemed to find it. Her feet had already found some metal pegs to step on, and she drew a long breath. She had no one to race with, but that wouldn't stop her from climbing as fast as she could.

Syveris prepared herself.

[Turrin]

Picking of the saddle blanket, Turrin draped it over the back of the wind eagle. He adjusted the blanket till it even on both sides of Aponivi. Looking at the large Dek in front of him, Turrin bent down in front of the large saddle by the horn and said to his assistant in Nari, “Lift with legs not back. On count of three.” When the Dek nodded to him, Turrin bent down on his knees and started to count, “One...two...three!” The Endal grunted as he lifted up with his legs. He could feel the muscles in his legs, back, and arms start to burn as the Dek and him lifted the leather saddle over his head. Feeling sweat on his brow, Turrin looked at Dek and said slowly as he moved the middle of the saddle to equalize the weight, “Go on other side and make sure saddle don't fall off.” Feeling the weight press down on his hands, he adjusted his hands, so the weight distribution was even on both hands. Turrin looked over and saw the Dek on the other side of the saddle and said quickly, “Ready...now!” The Endal slowly moved the saddle over the wind eagle and dropped it on his back. Rubbing his muscles, he heard Aponivi in his mind, “Not the most graceful saddle-ling, Turrin.” Turrin patted the wind eagles wing and said patronizing, “My poor little chickadee... did I ruffle your feathers?” The bird stood up and for him to bucket the saddle and contacted him with a laugh, “Did I ever told you that I hate you human?” Turrin laughed and said out loud, “I think I heard it once or twice before.” Bending down under the chest of the eagle, Turrin grabbed the large leather slotted leather, put it through the buckle, pulled it tightly, and secured it to the buckle. He repeated the process of the belly of the wind eagle. When the saddle was secure, he loaded his quiver and bow for a possible hunt latter. Tucking his talon sword and hatchet into the saddle bag, he tied it off and climbed on the back of the giant eagle. Turrin nodded to the Dek and said simply in Nari, “Good work. Go rest.” Turrin contacted the giant bird with a smile, “I am kind of excited and scared to start my climbing lessons. I hope I don't fall off the mountain.” Aponivi laughed and said with a smile, “Yes, I would have to look for a new Endal...Maybe I will find a pretty girl with long red hair that would be nice.” Turrin laughed and said out loud, “I thought I was pretty...” The wind eagle said simply, “Actually you are quite ugly for human standards.” Turrin didn't have time to retort because the giant eagle already started to move towards the entrance of the aeries and jumped off into the air. As the wind eagle dived off the mountain, Turrin leaned as close as possible to neck of the bird to not get blown off the back of the bird. Turrin contacted Aponivi, “Since there is a strong current coming from the bay, bank left and ride the currents to The Edge of the World.” Still hugging the neck of the giant bird, Aponivi opened his wings slightly and banked left towards the southern side of the Skyinarta. Eventually the bird leveled out, spread his wings, and rode the wind coming off the bay. Turrin saw it was a beautiful Fall day, but he knew it wouldn't last with the current weather patterns of the Thunder Bay region. Turrin saw the edge of the mountain in the distance and contacted Aponivithe When they got to the edge of the northern side of the mountain, Turrin leaned into the turn as Aponivi banked left and gave the edge of volcano a large birth. Eventually, the eagle came out on the other side and he saw the edge of the world off in the distance and contacted his wind eagle, “Alright, I don't want to land where everyone is starting to climb, so find me a flat surface by it, so I can get off. I will contact you when I am ready to leave.” The wind eagle flew towards the climbing cliffs and stated to circle the area for a decent place to land. Eventually, he saw a out crop by the stairs leading up and said in the back of Turrin's mind, “I will set you down there by the large tree when you want me to pick you up. Contact me and I will come.” When Aponivi landed on the outcrop, Turrin jumped off the saddle and said with a smile, “Try to get some rest, Ok?” The large bird chirped at him, “I will. Try not to kill yourself, Myrian.” Walking up to the outcrop for the inner wall of the Edge of the World, Turrin looked around and noticed his instructor was nowhere around. While he waited, Turrin started to stretch out his arm, leg, and back muscles. A half a bell went by, and he knew that he wasn't late, but he waited for another bell and nobody showed up to instruct him. He was frustrated, so he watched the other climbers. He watched a pretty young Inarta woman with shoulder length hair stroll up to the side of the mountain. He noticed that she was starting to climb. He didn't want to break her concentration on the accent, but he was curious if she could show him the basics of climbing, so the day wasn't a total waste. He stood up, walk over to the edge of the cliff, and called up to her in common, “Hello. My name is Turrin Aponivi. I have been waiting for a climbing instructor for about a bell and a half, and I was curious if you have saw one?”

[Syveris]

Just before she started, Syveris heard a voice behind her. She closed her eyes in frustration when she noticed it was common. Why would an Inarta talk in common at all? Nari was such a beautiful language, and yet, people sometimes didn't seem to notice. But then again, she hadn't even turned to see the man, so maybe he wasn't an Inarta.

Dropping herself on the ground, she turned, looking at the man who had talked to her. He was very tall, and too muscled for her to be completely comfortable around him. He also didn't look like an Inarta. She took a step back, not sure about what the other wanted. She had barely understood what he had said.

"I'm Syveris." she said, blushing at the words that came out very slowly and with great difficulty. She only hoped Turrin wouldn't think she was stupid. "Can not speak common." the language sure felt weird on her tongue. She was struggling with such simple phrases, and that was about everything her mentor had taught her to speak.

"Can you speak Nari?" she asked, hoping that he could. The only thing she had understood was the name of the other, and that he was looking for some kind of instructor. She sighed. "I can't really speak common. I'm terrible at it."

Then, the realization hit her. He had said his name was Turrin Aponivi. Which meant that he was probably an Endal. After all, he had taken a surname and, although he didn't look like an Inarta, he dressed like one, which probably meant that he lived in Wind Reach, she just had never saw him.

Syveris blushed even harder. If he was an Endal, of course he could speak Nari. She only hoped she hadn't offended him by asking. She cursed mentally. Syveris didn't know the customs of other races, and she didn't had the slight idea if what she had said could be considered offensive to the other man. If he had been of other caste, she wouldn't have worried too much. But if he was an Endal...

"You're Endal, right? Of course you can speak Nari." she murmured. "Sorry if I offended you. Could you please repeat the question?" Syveris felt rather stupid. However, it was better than to wait and see if the other would be mad.

[Turrin]

Turrin watched the young woman as she jumped down from the cliff. As he looked at her, he started to wonder if there was something in the water that made Inarta woman beautiful, but he wasn't here to gawk at women. When she started to talk in common, Turrin face soften when the young woman started to struggle with the common tongue. He knew that he had to use his mothers' tongue, Nari. He was never vary good with the language, and it was often a sensitive subject with him because he struggled with it growing up in Wind Reach. It was his second language after common, so he often struggled saying words or phrases, but he never had trouble understanding it since his mother talked to him in Nari all the time as a child. The Myrian's called her the bird woman because she always was whistling or tweeting at her children. Looking at her with his golden eyes, he apologized in Nari with a smile, “Sorry my Nari not so good as my common tongue.” The half-inarta said with a smirk, “Syveris very strong and pretty name. Are you hunter?” The Endal knew vary little of the lower castes, so he assumed everyone was either a hunter or glassblower. However, it normally not the case, so he had a tendency to make a arse out of himself. Feeling a cool wind hit him, Turrin ran a hand through his burgundy hair and said softly with a smile on his face, “No need apologizes Syveris. I am not easy offended by little things.” Turrin decided to lighten the mood with a joke, so he said with a laugh, “No need to be nervous either I know that I sound like a drowning seagull right now.” Turrin knew that he sounded horrible, and he wished that he could speak more elegantly in his native tongue, but he was trying his best to sound fluent as possible in Nari for the Syveris even if he was failing horribly, so he asked his question again, “I had a climbing lesson today. Err..teacher was a no show, so...I curious if you seen any teacher around?” Turrin crossed his arms as he watched her. He hoped the Inarta woman was cower to him since he was a Endal. He just wanted to learn how to climb, so he had a better time moving through the Unforgiving on foot. Turrin wouldn't know what to do if he had to abandon Aponivi on a mountain. How would he get down to safety. These type of questions plagued him constantly, but he was pretty sure the answer will be, no.

[Syveris]

The Avora blushed when she heard the Endal compliment her name. It wasn't something that she cared much about, not even knowing who had given it to her. It was nice, nevertheless, that someone liked it. However, her blush soon went away as she kept hearing the man speak in Nari. It was weird, with a heavy accent, but somehow it was exactly this accent that made it sound interesting.

"No, I'm not a hunter. Although I wish to learn how to do it someday. It's very exciting." Syveris answered the first question, smiling at him, still a little unsure. "I'm actually a glassworker. An apprentice, still, but I hope I can be on my own on a year, at most." the Avora forced herself to stop talking. She could go on and on about her work, but she supposed Turrin wasn't there to talk to her.

When Turrin tried to lighten up the mood, Syveris laughed, actually feeling more relaxed both because he hadn't been offended and because she now could understand what the Endal was saying, even if sometimes a word or another sounded weird. "Don't worry, Turrin." she chuckled. "Your Nari is a little weird, yes, but I don't think it's not good. It's just... Different." it was how she felt, at least. She always enjoyed hearing outsiders talk in Nari. It was still the language she loved, but their different accents always added such a nice touch to it, and she always felt a little sad when all their accent was gone. It looked like the Nari they spoke had lost part of its soul. "That's a good thing, by the way. I bet that with time you'll have a better grasp on it. But where are you from, anyway? I've never heard your type of accent before."

Although she just wanted to ask more and more questions, Syveris refrained herself. The other was looking for a climbing instructor, so he might not have time to spend. The Avora looked around, seeing if she saw someone she recognized as an instructor, but she couldn't find none. "I don't see anyone I know..." the Avora answered, frowning. "I can help you find someone to teach you, though. Or... Or I could just try to help you!" Syveris offered, excited. It would be nice to have someone to climb the Edge with. "I'm not that good myself, and I might not be a good teacher, but still..."

[Turrin]

Turrin gave the a smirk when she started to talk about her dreams of being a hunter and her career as glassblower. She seemed excited and a little unsure about telling him about herself. He figured it was because he was a Endal, and the lower castes tended to be hesitant around them. Turrin noticed their was a confidence in her voice about moving on to the next level of her glassblowing. He knew the artisans glassblowers took pride in their work, so he figured Syveris was the same, so he said with a smile, “My sister was a glassblower before she died, and I was always curious on how to blow glass. Can I see your glass work someday?” Turrin understood Nari quite well, but he had trouble figuring the right whistles and tweets to make himself fluent. Syveris seemed quite alright with the way that he spoke. It was sore spot with him because he spend most of his young life defending himself from intolerant Inarta. He knew it sound weird, but she made him feel unique with his language troubles, and it made him relax around her. He gave her a wide smile as he listened to her talk about how he would get it in time. Turrin said softly in Nari, “Thank you for your kind words, Syveris. I think you are right. My Nari will come with time and practice.” When Syveris asked him where he was born, Turrin said proudly, “My sister and I were born in Toloba in the jungles of Falyndar. My mother was a Inarta musician and my father was a Myrian warrior. My father's people isolate themselves from the rest of world, so our common tongue is quite unique compared to rest of Mizahar.” He normally didn't enjoy telling Inarta about his heritage because most Inarta view Myrians as savages and cannibals. He didn't think Syveris would mind his father's race since she was tolerant about his language skills. He just hoped the woman won't ask if she had to worry about him eating because explaining the ritual was long and tedious process. He wanted to try climbing before he left to go hunting, but he won't deny her quest for knowledge if she continued asking him questions about Myrians. When Syveris started to look around for a climbing instructor, the look on her face told her that their was no one around. She offered to help look, but suddenly, the she changed her mind and offered to train him herself. The young woman's excitement made him smile, so he said with a warm smile, “You know more about climbing than me Syveris. I will gladly accept you guidance.”

[Syveris]

"Oh, I'm sorry about your sister. I'm sure she was a wonderful person. And a wonderful glassblower." Syveris wouldn't know the feeling of having a sister, but she could see that the Endal had loved his sister dearly. The Avora might even have known her, seen some of her work, if she died only after she was made an apprentice. However, Syveris didn't think his sister's death was something Turrin wished to talk about, so she decided not to ask. "Of course you can see my work! If you like it, I might even do something for you as a birthday present." she offered more as a way to try and cheer the Endal up, although if Turrin really liked her work, she would be more than pleased to give him something as a present. Syveris knew she wasn't the best, not yet, and there was much she could improve, but even so, she took pride on her work.

When Turrin mentioned his heritage, Syveris' eyes widened. Myrian? It sent a shiver down her spine. The race's reputation around Wind Reach was not good: savages, cannibals, blood-lust warriors... However, the way Turrin spoke, with such pride, made it impossible for her to be truly afraid. If the rumors were true, then it would be impossible to have pride of belonging to such a race, wouldn't it? Besides, Turrin's mother was an Inarta. Syveris was sure that no Inarta would marry blood-lust savages. And, looking at Turrin, he didn't look nearly as intimidating as she imagined Myrians to be. Maybe the rumors were wrong, or at least people overreacted to them. No, the Avora wasn't afraid.

"Myrian? Really?" she asked, curious. "There are some... bad rumors around about your people. But now I think that they are quite exaggerated." the Avora tried to chose her words carefully. She did not want Turrin to think she minded his heritage, so she decided against asking about the cannibalism thing. She doubted he would just go around eating people, anyway. "I heard they are fine warriors. You must be very proud of your father. Do you miss Taloba? I didn't heard much about Falyndar..." Syveris couldn't control her questions again. She wanted to know. It was so different from what she expected, and her surprise quickly turned into interest and curiosity.

When Turrin accepted her offer, though, Syveris forgot about everything else, at least for that moment. She smiled, happy. Then, she tried hard to concentrate. Even on this side of the Edge, there was the risk of falling, and although this was part of the excitement for her, the Avora didn't want anyone to get hurt because she didn't explain things correctly.

"Ok, first, see these pegs? This is one of the easiest places to climb, so you will find lots of these. Use them. They are easier to hold on to than the natural holes." she pointed at the pegs as she spoke. "The theory isn't really that hard... You grab the pegs, you push your body up, you find another peg, you grab it, you push your body up. Just keep doing that." Syveris paused, thinking. There wasn't much to say, really. Climbing for her was more like moving on instinct, more feeling than thinking. She knew it wasn't like that for everyone, though, so she made an effort to explain to Turrin. "Don't go hugging the wall, either. It'll make you fall." Syveris scowled. She had learned that the hard way. Thankfully, she had not been to high. "And always, always remember to check if your foot is firm before letting go of a peg. I think it's that... Any questions?" she asked.

The Avora looked at Turrin, trying to decide whatever to say what was on her mind or not. She did not want to say it and then have the Endal fall because he wasn't paying attention to the climbing. However, not telling him wouldn't be fair, either. Maybe he would focus too much and forget about enjoying it. Decided, she spoke again. "Turrin... This is only an opinion, so don't take it too seriously. But climbing isn't about just getting to your destination. It's about feeling. Feeling the rock beneath you, feeling the thrill of not being on the ground, feeling the wind... I think it might be very much like flying, although I can't say for sure." she blushed a little. This wasn't something Syveris shared with others, what she felt while climbing. She only hoped the other wouldn't find it stupid. "What I mean is... You have to look for the pegs, of course, but also feel them. If you feel it's safe, hold on to them. When you feel you have stabilized yourself, push up. Feel the rock."

x
x

[Turrin]

Turrin smiled at her when she called his late twin sister a wonderful person. Kaya had a special way of cheering up the sometimes stoic Endal. The half-Myrian remembered Kaya and him were almost inseparable growing up. Since Turrin and Kaya were shunned by the rest of his clan for being half-breeds, the two siblings often found comfort in each other away from their full-blooded Myrian cousins. Kaya had a knack for arts, so she didn't show much interest in the martial arts like Turrin. In Toloba, she tried to avoid violence at all cost, so she was instantly called a coward by her Myrian peers. Turrin did all he could to protect his sister from her bullies, but he couldn't do since most of them were female and not male. When she came to Wind Reach, Kaya stayed away from people her age in fear of being bullied like in Toloba. The only person who his sister warmed up to was his best friend Drusilla. When Syveris told him that he could see her work and make him a present for his birthday. Turrin gave the young woman a warm smile and said softly, “When you are ready to show me your art, I will be there, Syveris.” The next statement caught him by surprise and the half-Myrian could only just say with a wider smile, “I haven't celebrated my birthday in a long time...you are vary generous person.” Turrin didn't fault the woman for her rumors that she heard about his father's people. Most of them were probably true, and he noticed the woman was trying to back track on her statement. He raised an eyebrow at her because he wasn't insulted by her mentioning a rumor. When she asked if he missed Toloba. Turrin thought about it a moment and a part of him longed to be a warrior in the Goddess-Queen's army, but he knew his place was in Wind Reach now with his mother's people. Turrin eye brighten when she mentioned that she never heard about the region. Turrin said with a smile, “Falyndar is a land overfilling with life. My homeland is a tropical jungle on the southern part of Mizahar. My land is hot, humid, beautiful, and deadly. My father's people the Myrian's are the most dominate race in the jungle other than our hated enemies the Dhani. It is hard to explain my homeland without showing you, but civilization can easily be choke out by the nature if people aren't their to keep the jungle at bay. Even in the great city of Toloba, there is a delicate balance between Caiyha, Dira, and Myri. I remembered countless times my parents warning my sister Kaya and I about the large cats and reptiles that occasionally look for prey in the city.” Looking up at the sky, Turrin saw Aponivi soar overhead and said without looking at her, “In Toloba, we ride giant tigers into battle instead of wind eagles. In many ways, the Inarta and Myrian are quite simaliar in many ways, but both of them will never admit it.” “Syveris, you don't have to worry about offending me with rumors about my people, and you are right some our just rumors, but some rumors have truth behind them too,” Taking a shallow breath, Turrin collected his thoughts and continued, “In honesty, a part of my soul yearns to go back to Toloba and serve in the Goddess-Queen's army, but my sister, mother, and me were never truly accepted by my late father's clan, so we came to Wind Reach to start a new life. I love my new home, and I wouldn't trade my friendship with Aponivi for anything in the world.” Turrin listened intently to the young woman's instruction on climbing, and he looked at the rock face with the metal pegs hammered into the wall. The Endal looked all the way up the cliff, and he raised his eyebrow seeing it was about fifty feet high. When she asked if he had any questions, Turrin looked at her and asked softly, “What type of gear do you need for climbing if you don't have the pegs? Do you have to feel around for foot holes and hand holds?” The half-breed knew if he wasn't going to be able to make it all the way to the top. He might try climbing ten feet, but he won't risk going higher just in case. He fell and hurt himself, so he said plainly, “I will climb, but I will only climb ten or fifteen feet up. I want to get comfortable on the rock.” Turrin watched and listened intently to Syveris when she started telling him her opinion on climbing. Her explanation of her climbing were vary similar to his feeling when he was flying. When he was flying on top of Aponivi this was the time he felt the most free with the wind blowing through his hair as they fly off towards the horizon. The Endal saw the blush of embarrassment flow into her cheeks when she mentioned it was similar to flying. She quickly started to get back to talking on about the rock and pulling up on the pegs when he was trying to climb up. Suddenly, Turrin thought about a way to repay her for her kindness and said softly, “When we done with climbing, I will repay your kindness with a ride on Aponivi. What do you think of my idea, Syveris?”

[Syveris]

She could see the light in Turrin's eyes when he began to talk about Falyndar. Jungles were not her favorite landscape, but she could see that Turrin spoke with passion about it. It made her wish she was able to see what it was like. She could see the beauty and the excitement in living in a city like the Taloba Turrin described. "Well, then you must take me there sometime." she teased.

"Who... Who is Myri?" Syveris asked. The Endal had mentioned the name together with the name of other Goddesses, names she did recognized. However, she had never heard of Myri before. Not that she knew many Gods, anyway. And then, Turrin looked at the sky. Syveris followed his glance, and saw a Wind Eagle. She wondered if it was Aponivi. "Giant tigers?" her eyes turned back to the half-Myrian. "Well, that's something you have to tell me about later."

Syveris made a mental note to stop trying to be careful about Turrin's heritage. She sensed that, if she kept it up, she would risk offending the other more than if she just said what she was thinking. Well, that was good. Syveris didn't like to think too much about what she should or should not talk.

"Well, yes, if there isn't any peg around, then you would have to use the natural holds. However, I truly do not recommend it unless you know how to climb pretty well already." Syveris answered the Endal's question. "If you think about climbing in some other location, I'd suggest taking your own pegs and ropes with you." when the Endal said he wanted to get comfortable first, Syveris nodded. "Yes, I wouldn't climb more than that. You will probably fall on your first try anyway. I did fall... A lot. And I'm still not comfortable with climbing too high. Ah, and one more thing. See the ropes? They are also left here by others and can be a lot of help. I don't like to use them, but if you feel like you are going to fall, they can secure you. So they are really useful."

When Turrin offered her a ride, she looked at him, for almost an entire chime. Syveris could barely believe her ears. Her whole life she had wanted to fly, and now Turrin was offering her a ride. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, before she could finally find her voice.

"A... A ride? Really? Would you?" she could have cried from happiness. "I'd love to! If it's not too much trouble. And if Aponivi doesn't mind. You really doesn't need to repay me, you know, right?"

x
x

x Abstract