Learning is the first step (closed)

[Vick]

310 Av, Spring 13 Vick just kept his eyes upon the ocean. He was sitting upon the first pier not sure if any ships would come or not but that was not his goal. He was not homesick just yet he just wanted to look out upon the water. He had just spent one day upon Sahova yet his mind and body were slowly moving back to how he was before his parents kicked him out. His legs were kicking back and forth as his hands were holding him up as his body leaned back, a smile along his face as he kept watching the small waves of water push and pull near him. So many things to learn it felt like yet it also felt like time had no meaning here. He never did sleep and spent the last few Bells watching the sun move upon the surface of the water nor did he even get hungry like he use to. He missed food slightly but was unsure if he could even eat just to eat. He missed his friends. He missed his family. He would cry if he could yet he found even that he could not do anymore but maybe that was a good thing. It meant no one could see him being sad and he would just work on acting like he was not yet deep down he was in pain. So many things working about that his mind just could not understand at such a young and fragile age. He knew deep down things would be better in time yet he just could not understand it. "I thought I would find you here Vick. You really should not wander that far from Citadel for now until you get use the the island more." A voice said from behind Vick, his head turning and looking at a figure he saw the other day. His name was Boss Rubik, his teacher it would seem. He only saw his face, dark spots under his brown eyes and dark shaded hair. A pendant showing along his collar yet he was unsure what it was as he were black robes once more today like the other day. "Sorry...Could not sleep so I wanted to watch the sunrise along the water..." Vick said softly, his voice so soft that he could had been called weak as he looked down upon the wooden dock. "Of course you can't sleep dear Vick, you are above sleep now. Don't think of this as a punishment but of a gift. No more do you need to sleep when people tell you to and no reason for you to stop for what you are doing to eat or even if you are to cold or hot now. You will learn this in time but today we are going to go and learn. You only know the common tongue and even that is just at a basic level of understanding. I am going to spend some time teaching you more of it along with something else you will grow to enjoy." His words were fluid and smooth like a slow running river in the mountains running down smooth rocks that aged with time. He was right, Vick only knew the basic language of common which he was still learning due to his age but it would seem his teacher wanted him to learn more before he did anything else. He just had to nod as he slowly stood up. His body felt slower then what he was use to but he had no idea why that was still. He hated feeling slower then he was use to but it was a downside he had to guess until he found a way to work on his body. He moved behind Boss and with that they slowly walked on. He did not pay much mind on where they went and even his thoughts felt like pudding in the hot summers sun. Nothing but a mess and it made no sense to him as he bumped into Boss before he looked up. At first he thought his lies were mistaken but it took him a bit to understand what he truly saw. Books. "Welcome to the Great Library Vick. This is where we will spend the time and get you ready. Before we leave theses walls you will understand more then you ever have in your lifetime. Drainira, please fetch me empty books, quills, ink and books detailing to teach the common and Ancient Tongue." Boss said as he walked towards an wooden table sitting upon the side patting the seat next to him as Vick heard the voice of Drainira once more. "They are coming." Vick still did not know much of her even if he was told she had no gender he still felt her when it talked. He viewed her as a person and was unsure why the other Nuits in the island did not. He just took the seat without a word as other golems moved about dropping off the requested items upon the table before leaving them alone. Boss just put a empty book in front of Vick with quill and ink as he took another book. "First, going to brush up more on your common. So in order to do that you are going to learn how to write better and work on your writing. Then once you are done with that you are going to work on it to make it finer to read." "How will I know when I am done?" Vick asked looking at the books upon the once empty table. "Simple Vick, you will write this common book and once you are done with the last page you are going to move to the next. You will spend ten days and nights going over the books without break nor pause. If you need anything the golems will fetch it for you but you will work on this with all your energy." His words were kind yet did hold the tone it was an order to Vick. Ten days did not seem like a long enough time span yet he did remember what Boss told him just a bit ago. He did not have to eat nor sleep. That alone gave him more time and if he added up the nights he saw that it was not really ten days but twenty. Yet could he really improve in such a short time span? But the question soon became in his head, did he have a choice? With that Boss stood up and left the room. He felt alone once more even with the golems moving about. "Don't worry Vick. I am here but do what Boss Rubik has told you. I can't let you leave this place until then." The soft mechanical voice filled the room once more as Vick slowly nodded letting himself feel her about. Ten days and tens nights...he had to start now and he had to learn. Even if it was a hard goal he knew he could not fail.

[Vick]

Time. Time was a word he did not understand when he was alive but now it just felt something of a joke deep down in the pit of his stomach as he dip the quill in the black bottle of ink as he wrote slowly saying each word as he did. He knew the basic term of the lanuage but he was just a child still in the end. Yet they were acting like he was not. Did age matter to them or did they have the outlook everyone was old? "A soul is the spirtual essence of a creature that persists after death." He said out loud as he wrote down the letters. He did not understand what some of it was nor even the real meaning behind it. "Drainira, what does this word mean? Spitual?" Vick asked out loud as he looked at the book. "I think you mean Spirtual young nuit. It means a few things but Lacking material body or form or substance." The soft voice said wrapping around him. "Material?" "It means substance. Like how your body is a soild thing but you yourself are a soul in a spirutal term." Vick slowly nodded as she told him the answers and even looked ahead at his own questions which he was glad about. "The concept of soul is entwined with that of Djed." He once more wrote as he talked out loud as he looked up once more. The look upon his face of lost as he wrote it. "Entwined and Djed?" "Entwined is twist together. Like his hands were entwined around the book. Djed is from the ancient tongue meaning "Backbone" which you will learn more of in a few days." He was slowly learning more as he wrote more down. "A soul is made up of highly convented Djed. and is the purest form of Djed known to exist....Conetrated?" "I think you mean Concentrated young nuit. It means large amount in one area. Such as the group of people were concentrated in the living room after dinner." "Do you think I can really learn all of this?" "Yes I think you can learn all of this and more young nuit." "Why?" "You will understand when you are older young nuit. But for now work on learning more of the common and your writing. Soon you will think back and find yourself knowing far more then theses words." "Mortals and gods are made of Djed in terms of the souls. Yet they differ greatly in their quality and scope." The words were leaving his lips once more as he wrote upon the page slowly. His mind making note to try to keep his print neatly. "What does it mean by that?" "Think of it this way. Your soul is a small torch but if a god was near you they would be a large fire. You share the same ideas behind it yet you will just lack the right depth." With that he moved on writing and learning of souls. When his mind did wander and he put down his quill he found a golem poked him making him start once more. He was not tired yet his mind felt stressed as he kept reading even if it was at a slower pace then others would read. He was unsure how much time passed with no windows anywhere near him nor did the golems about show signs of stopping. "A soul holds several layers. From the innermost one theses are: Soulcore which is the deepest part of the soul. It gives the soul the propert of being this soul and is responsible for the concept of self but carries no other information. Persona is the second laryer, it holds the soul's personality, feelings, skills and memories. It is shed entirely during reincarnation." Vick wrote page after page of informtion, his hand felt tired or was it more that he thought it was tired from wriitng? "Astral body is the third laer and is the one that deals with the world. It maneuvers the physical body like a puppet. Aura is not much of a layer but more of energy that is warped around the soul and can be felt and read in several ways such as Auristics. Auras are not limited to souls however." His voice was soft as he let his head hit the surface of the table even if he was far smaller then what the other nuits were for they seem to hold more adult like bodies. He felt like he was being beat with words. He did not want to write anymore or even do this. He wanted to go play yet he knew no playmates were around. Maybe he could ask for a pet of sorts. A playmate of sorts but that meant a Kelvic of sorts but he was even unsure if the island could handle it or if he could. He might would have to ask Boss of sorts but maybe they could work something out. He wanted to play and have fun. Was that so wrong? He was still a kid afterall. A kid in a world far from his understanding. "Drainira, could you please bring me some charcoal? I wish to draw somethings to help clear my head." Vick said yet he heard no reply yet after awhile a golem placed a brown wooden box on the table then moved away. He moved his hand openning the box looking at different sizes of charcoal and without another thought he picked out a good size bit. He was just learning how to draw and even then it was clear he was a child in that view point. He slowly made a small inprefect circle upon a page in the book. He really was just working on shapes in terms of drawing but he knew it would help him with his other art. Malediction. Yet he still did not work on that yet but knew he would be working on it sooner or later.

[Vick]

How long had passed? That question came upon his mind so many times as he moved from book to book. His body never once showed signs of weakness or tiredness like it did when he was alive. Even when he was alive he could never write for long as his hands felt tired but now it did not. He lost count of the books he read and asked for help for but he also had to question how long he really did spend inside the room. "I see you have kept at what I told you yet have you really learn anything?" A voice spoke behind the little child as he jumped slightly not hearing any noors. He saw Boss standing behind him with his robes about once more. "Hello Sir. Yes I have learned a good bit I think..." "Good, now I am going to spend some time teaching you about the Ancient tongue but I am sure one day you will master it. You just need to learn with a open mind and keep a few rules in mind." He spoke very slowly and softly as he looked at the young child. His hands moving to a new book and quill as he spoke. "The Ancient tongue or Nader-canoch is a rather straightforward language. The difficutly is mainly about the low word count meaning that most words have multipie meanings depending on the context. You need to perform interpretation work and derive the correct meaning which is not a very easy task but you get use to it in time. This was not meant to be wrote down so reading it is harder yet can be done." Boss spoke as he kept his eyes upon Vick. He was to the point and made sure to keep his voice frim as he went over the lesson. Vick was unsure how he would learn it in time but did understand what he was saying so far. "Basic word order is Subject, Object then Verb..." vick was not sure how long had passed when Boss talked about the grammer rules. He learned the language only defined nouns and promouns and the words could had been transformed by replacing word endings. He learned the short vocabulary of the words which were only 32 words that had more then one meaning and in most cases had more then four meanings depending on the context and how one would say it. He forgot the term of time as Boss gave him the lesson and looked over the work yet he did not tell him how he did other then just nodding to himself as he read Vicks writings. "Come on Vick. Time to show me what you can do in the workshop." Boss said at last as they both stood up leaving the room. Vick looked like a child in so many ways as he walked along the tall black robe figure. "We are always working continuosly on projects and research, some magical and some evil in some eyes. Everyone is provided rooms to practice and hone their chosen disciplines. As of now you will work under me for the time being and can only work in the commnal laboratoires and workshops yet all the items will be free just let me know what you will need. Faster you work the faster you can move up." Boss told Vick as they went down a hallway as he pushed open a door. The room was filled with tables, vials, chests, tools of all sizes and trades, chairs and had little else but did hold other Nuits who were working about yet did not say a word to Boss nor Vick as they came in. "So Vick I will give some bones to work with. They are of a bird orgin but I want you to show me waht you know of your craft. Take your time but make sure you are not lazy about it." Vick knew a good few things of Malediction from the old nuit lady but he was still not anywhere near where he wanted. He just made a few objects and knew the tools to use and what he could work with but he really never did make a true item in his head. It felt like she was setting him up for failure as he thought about it as he picked out a empty area on a table. It was time he made something of note and learn quickly to move up the ranks in the island. How would he work? How would he look in Bosses eyes? What of his peers? Most did not seem to care as they were in their own little world of research. Maybe one day he would research his own projects in time. He was unsure how long he really had as he picked out a iron pick. He knew a bit of carving but it was hard to really sit and learn it as he mainly used the pick to edge out the symbols he needed in the bones mixed with his darwing skills. He really did not need to know all the other tools in his head as he was not making something out of wood like a wooded statue but more of digging into bones. He knew this task would take days and he had to spend more time to focus on what he wanted as he looked at a set of clean bones upon the table that Boss got. It was a body of a rabbit he was told after a bit as he just looked down. The bones were freshly clean and was killed not long ago so he would have the time to use to work. With that he nodded to himself as he got to work. His first real Malediction product to date.

[Vick]

He did not do anything. His eyes just looked down at the pile of bones to the point even his mind that jumpped from topic to topic went at peace as he lost track of time around him. The only sounds in the room were made by products and items upon the tables and working about the workshop yet even then the sounds were just sounding futher about as he was lost in his head. "I need a book. I need to know more of a rabbits anatomy and the bone sturture before I start this I think. I don't know enough of them to make anything worth while." Vick said at last as he turned to Boss who just replied with a nod before leaving the room without Vick. Vick did something at last that his parents told him to do when he had to many things upon his young mind. He kept his eyes close and his lungs at last did not breath as his body became still like a grave stone upon a freshly hole. Meditation was still new to him and he always had to focus upon his breathing yet he knew now he did not have to breath to live. He did not have to worry of the stress in his body for he was just using it like a puppet. His mind and soul just had to relax now and that alone made him feel better on some level. His own thoughts kept jumping from topic to topic as any eight year olds mind would. Yet to focus upon one thing at least for a bit he was told how to clear his head even if it meant just for part of the day as he was told he could get more work done then he could have more free time if his work was done faster. Slowly as if pulling the wings off a firefly his mind begin to slow. Each wing hitting the ground in his head was another thought becoming still. No more worries of what he would do later. No more fear of his family. No more fear of the island. Just researching the rabbit and then working with what he was given to prove to Boss he could do the work. His goal at hand was upon the front of his mind at last and not the last like it was. His eyes opened at last as he looked upon the table once more. Two books laid upon it with a new quill and bottle of Ink as Boss stood behind Vick once more. He did not hear the items being put on the table but did not care as he turned tha pages letting a blank one open on one and the anatomy of the rabbit on the other. A rabbit's bones are easily injured and broken, this can happen even from sturggling to get out of a human's arms. The skeleton is only seven to eight percent of the body's weight and much less dense then of other things such as a cat. Muscle makes up half of the body weight. The joints of the neck along the spine and head help cut back upon the shock of landing and jumping from a high distance. The book listed the overall bones of the male rabbit in a detailed list and semi detailed list. He knew a bit more of the rabbits body but still wanted to do more research later of small aminals overall. Yet with that he knew what he could do a bit more as he took the iron pick in his right hand letting a thought cross of his. What if he could learn to use his left just as well as his right later on? It would help him later if something took place with his right arm. He just took the skull setting it apart from the rest of the body. He knew rabbits had a very good sense of smell most of the time and that is what he was going to work on. He pushed the thought of how long it would take out of his little head as he kept looking at the skull of the rabbit. In life it was a pet at most and did not do much to help. Yet in death it would be able to help a person in more ways. It was the canvas and he was the artist meant to show the world the art of the dead.

[Vick]

It was indeed slow work. He could not rush it even with his limited use of the art he knew that. This was not something you could just make in a few seconds in the field but something that had to plan and work at. The sharp tip of the iron pick slowly scathing along the skull of the rabbit. The bone was softer then what he first thought it was. Not that it was like cutting into a soft white cheese but it was not like stone. As he made a larger circle he saw the bone dust slowly land on the table. His eyes not once blinking as they were in the past day out of habit as he kept his mind on the work at hand. His chest not moving since he cleared his head yet even that did not make him jumpy as he did not even think of breathing. Circles were left up to the crafter as he saw the old lady made very detailed types but she told him he would get better when he was better in the craft of arts and felt more better with his own skills. He would add more details later on in his life he was sure yet for now his hand slowly made a thin large circle at last. How long had passed? He was unsure but his hands were not tired not were his legs for standing yet he did not see as many Nuits in the room as he looked around before back down. He was not done. No he would not be done for awhile more. He could really get use to this. No need to feel tired, eat, drink or even worry of the little things he did worry about as he was doing something he did enjoy. He could work nonstop at this and have no more worries of anything. Maybe this is what they meant with the research they did. He moved the pick once more slowly making a inner circle inside the outter circle. Very fine line that could even be unseen if you were not looking at it up close but that is how he wanted it. If one did not see it for what it was then they would not try to think anything of it other then a skull. He looked at his work as the iron pick touched the table. A slow nod at last came from him as his eyes saw the markings as he smiled. He felt happy he was making a dent in the work at hand and knew he was somewhat almost done. "Boss, can you hand me a fine brush and black paint please?" Vick said as he took the iron pick once more. Chipping away once more with care. His thoughts only on each letter as the time ticked away in the world outside of the island. The letters were slightly rough but he did not worry of that. They would not be removed unless someone broke the skull in more then one way. That was his goal but he thought ahead like the little child he was. After he wrote what he wanted he left the pick on the table as he dipped the tip of the fine thin brush into the black pain. Letting the tip of it touch the skull he moved his hand so slowly he had to question if the paint would dry. After each letter was painted he moved about painting the circles hiding them. He waited watching the paint dry as he took the pick once more pushing it in his thumb yet no red came out. A white shaded substance came out that Vick just looked at as he touched it along the paint and marking. The white 'blood' just faded into thin air as nothing took place on the skull. "Use this Vick." Boss said as he held a lit candle to Vick. "Burn the hole before you lose anymore ichor. It will hurt yet it will pass." He said as Vick put his thumb into the flame. The term hurt was like a cut from the pick but this was something else. He never once burned his skin and as the skin closed as he let out a yell of pain. His free hand grabbing his hand as no tears came out of his eyes as he looked at Boss who just gave him a soft smile that was almost he was sorry. "You will learn to overcome pain Vick. It will fade in some time but keep working. I think you are just almost done." Vick just nodded as he looked at the skull. His eyes saw the black paint and how it hide the basic circles. Even he was not sure what it was just some insane person painting on a skull. Yet he felt happy he did the work. It was just his and no one elses. He moved grabbing a leather cord moving it between the eye sockets before tieing a knot at the base lifting the skull up. He made a crude necklace but he was happy as he looked at Boss. "Test it out." Such simple words yet held so much weight as Vick placed it over his neck letting it touch his chest as he did not feel the light weight skull. It weighed about a pound around his neck yet his lungs filled with air once more as he let his body smell the air once more. In and out the air moved his chest rasing and falling over and over as he kept his eyes shut trying to smell new things. He did pick something up that he did not know of before. Boss had a soft scent of rosemary coming off his robes. He could had been mistaken but he was not sure as he looked at Boss. "Well Vick do you think it works?" He asked as he looked at the young child with a dead look in his face. "I think so...Rosemary I think I smell from you. Is that right?" "Herbs are used to keep the body fresher but what do you want to do with the skull? I will let you make its fate." "I would like to sell it if I may and I would like to know if I could get a playmate..a Kelvic if I may..." "I can see why. I will let you know I will take care of the paper work in Synchrographs office as you take the time to get a better idea of the island." He said as he let his hands held out before Vick gave him the skull necklace. "I won't make any promises but you did well Vick. I am sure one day you will do better." With that Boss left the young nuit alone to his own amusement as he took the anatomy book with him as well. Vick was not sure what he would do as he nodded to himself. His lungs no longer moving as he let his mind clear once more slowly. How long had passed since he came to the island? He was not sure but he did not worry of anything as he let he moved about the citadel. He would learn the layout in time but was glad for the blue-lit arrows were about to help the nuits. Would Boss sell the items or get him a play mate? He was not sure but knew a golem would let him know sooner or later. For now he felt happy inside his head as he slowly took to the idea of this life.

[Panna Cotta]

VICK Writing 2 Research 4 Organization 2 Meditation 2 Malediction 4 Lore of introspection Lore of Sahova's Library Lore of Master Boss Rubik Lore of the soul and its layers Lore of learning another language Lore of improving how to read Lore of a rabbit's anatomy Lore of carefully making a circle Lore of carving soft bones Lore of maledicting a rabbit's skull Other: 8 gm Notes: I love the detail you put into the ritual. As for your other requests, we'll have to play it out.