Solo Fulfilling Promises And Breaking Curses IV

[Kelski]

Timestamp: 22nd of Fall, 518 A.V.

Continued From: Fulfilling Promises and Breaking Curses III

Kelski knew her question was blunt. What did Semele want them to do? The Goddess, however, didn’t flinch or seem to grow angry. Instead she stood pensive, as if waiting for both Gilthas and Kelski to actually hear her words. The trio of them stood in the saw grass of the dune almost adjacent to The Midnight Gem. The wind tossed all of their long hair, and moonlight glittered of Semele’s skin as if the sand that composed her body was made of mica or crystal or even bits of diamond. For all Kelski knew, it contained everything.

“I want you to get together, form a family – which you all lack – and be something more together. I want you to gather the talented lost, the ones that shine, and give them physical shelter and spiritual knowledge. You both are very empowering. I’ve seen the capability in you two. It is apt you found each other, but Gilthas, you need to make her your family in truth. I want you to leave this place of death and decay together with these souls and find a new life in a place you can thrive. This place will never be a place someone can be happy long term. Its violence and despair are driven by things you cannot see and cannot fight.” Semele said softly, the wind teasing her hair in front of her face.

Then she continued. “You each have purposes, real and true pathways, and you need to start walking them. You, Kelski, have come far from the days of being a stolen child, enslaved, and raised under the burden of another person’s will. It’s time you freed the remainder of your chains. You still wear some. You are a child of the sea and land. Embrace that. Find a place you can thrive that follows that nature.” The Goddess said gently, then turned to Gilthas.

“You were never born to this life as you were to others, but instead fell. And you were incredibly talented in a way that some of the lesser Gods and Goddesses would even envy. But you were so arrogant and self-centered. It’s not a wonder why Leth let you go, Gilthas. But beneath it all, you were arrogant and self-centered because you were terrified. You didn’t want to be rejected again, not as you were in Leth’s realm, and that was why you drifted without purpose and only giving your love to your experiments and creations. It’s a lonely life, Gilthas. And one you are not deserving of. You can be more and because of your experiences, you can help others to be more.” Semele said gently, glancing between them both.

“Together, both of you have the potential to do incredible things for people… far more than you could do alone. If you listen to each other, learn from each other, and above all respect one another you can be lifelong friends.” Semele said once more, then reached out and touched each of them on the cheek.

[Kelski]

“Gilthas, I used to be a lot like you. But I gave of myself, much like Zaraka, when the Valterrian happened. I am not sure to this day if I did it for myself or for others. I’d like to think I did it for others. But I would not have survived it, again much like she perished, if others hadn’t rallied around me and showed me the love that I was absolutely missing from my life in those days… the lack of love that drove me to make what might have been the ultimate sacrifice. You have a chance for that now with this second beginning. Find it. Hold it close. Build a support structure for other people that are lost. You had dreams before. There’s nothing to say those dreams won’t work in the now.” Semele added, glancing at Kelski.

“This Kelvic will help you. Just as she needs your guidance, you need her capacity to love and nurture. They are traits I did not think to find in a Predator who has been treated so badly, but our natures are our own decisions and once we make them it is hard to diverge from that pathway.” The goddess said, looking thoughtful. Then she continued onward, her words starting to trail away as the sand that formed her body began to slide off her, dissolving with the wind.

“I will be watching. I will be waiting. My gifts do not come easily, but my gnosis will assist you both. Learn from it. And whatever you do, use it for the better good of others, not just for yourselves.” The Goddess said in her earthy gravely voice vanishing even as the sand that formed her body blew away. Kelski stared a long time at where she stood, not really understanding what she’d been witnessing. A Goddess made of the very earth itself? Slowly, she turned and stared at Gilthas, her eyes full of questions.

His eyes met hers with an equal number of questions. They stood thusly for a long time, listening to the waves below and the gentle swishing of the grass teased about by the wind. Kelski didn’t move, even as the wind tore a bit at her braid and freed her hair to swirl around her face. It was one of those moments… those intense moments where she felt fate slamming against fate and interweaving into something stronger, something deeper than she could understand.

Gilthas reached out a hand then, entwining his fingers with those of her nearest hand. He studied her face, and glanced around until his eyes found the building she’d been walking towards. The Midnight Gem looked radiant in the failing light. Kelski brought djed up into her eyes, invoking her auristics as she sensed Gilthas was doing, and looked at her child through magical eyes. There was no mistaking its life, its vitality, and its magical nature. The Gem crouched on the bluff above the beach like a giant beast, surveying the domain below and all around it.

[Kelski]

The Eth turned and smiled at her. “I see now why you were not so afraid. Someone who lives someplace like this would fear no magic, I suspect. What is it?” He asked, nodding his chin towards The Midnight Gem.

“It’s an Architectrix. A building that has magical sentience breathed into it. It lives and breathes much like a person. It’s but a toddler now, but it grows quickly, and learns faster than any human child I’ve ever seen.” Kelski said, not admitting she knew very few human children. “My family guards the magic. They’ve passed it down from generation to generation. I am just the newest. Would you like to come meet it?” She said, asking carefully. “That’s where I was headed… to get you clothing and perhaps a bath if you’d like one.” She said thoughtfully, not wanting to pressure him.

He nodded, and hand in hand the two of them finished traversing the dunes until they came to the fenced acre and then turned to walk the fence line until they got to the little gate. Passing through, they walked up the trail, up onto the deck, and into the building. The deck lead to Kelski’s workshop and as she led him through that space towards the stare, Gilthas’ eyes were everywhere, wide with surprise.

“You are a jeweler.” He said with a laugh as they walked up the stairs.

“I thought that much was obvious already.” Kelski retorted before she left him at the landing and went to knock softly on Ebon’s door. The Kelvic woke, gathered some clothing, and came out to meet Gilthas. And meanwhile the mage was busy looking everywhere, touching the walls of The Gem reverently as if he’d never seen sentient buildings before. He was whispering softly to himself, looking slightly distracted as he tried to understand what he was seeing.

Mage.

The word was in a soft foreign voice in her head. Kelski froze, tilted her chin, and listened in confusion. What? Who was that?

Yes. Who is the mage?

It was a warm whispering in her mind, a hesitant voice, as if someone were just learning to speak. And it was agreeing with her, as if reading her thoughts, though she hadn’t been asking who the mage was but rather who the voice was. But she knew… she knew inherently who the voice belonged too. And the knowledge filled her with a bright note of happiness that caused a big smile to cross her face.

The Midnight Gem was fully awake.

“There you are.” Kelski thought at it. “I was wondering if we’d ever hear your thoughts past that of a set of chimes you can ring to agree or disagree.” She flooded her pleasure down the link between herself and the sentient structure, filling its awareness of how happy she was that it had found its voice. She thought of the voice, the tone and structure of it, and decided immediately it must consider itself female. Because it was indeed a warm rich nurturing tone.

[Kelski]

“She… The Gem… wants to know who you are.” Kelski said, something of wonderment in her eyes. “She’s never spoken to me… not in words. But now… now she has. I don’t know how to answer her. I don’t know how to put you into words.” Kelski admitted, looking sheepish as she stepped back and circled within the building.

Gilthas looked at her curiously, a singular eyebrow now raised on his now handsome face.

“Talk to The Gem. Tell her, if you will.” Kelski said gently, urging the mage to introduce himself. The mage, it seemed, was obliging. The other Kelvics were gathering now. Ebon was out of his room, having delivered the clothing, and Ember too came forward and together they stood by the hearth watching Kelski and Gilthas, equally curious. It struck Kelski that she already had a family, albeit an unusual one, made up of stray Kelvics and lost souls. Maybe this mage would be part of it as well.

The Lethefal spun, staring at wonder all around him. He raised his horned head and smiled, lifting his arms. “Greetings, Lady.” He said softly. “My name is Gilthas. I am a mage of the djedline Avancalas, falling shortly after the Valterrian when the world ended for the humans. I’ve been surviving beneath the depths of Sunberth cursed by Semele – and righteously so – for my inconsiderate selfish ways. I’d like to think I am reformed, but like any recovering asshole, I have a long way to go. Your lady here, freed me, thinking perhaps everything deserves a second chance… even the ones Goddess’s despise.” He said gently and then let his arms fall. “I am more than a mage though. I am a scavenger; researcher and I know a great deal about animals. I know a little about medicine, and I have interests in biology, chemistry, and genetics. The Brats of the city are the result of my hands. Though I only command a small handful of them now. Rats, you see, even oversized ones, tend to breed willy nilly and go and do what they will when and where they will.” He said gently, then glanced at Kelski.

“I would also very much like to be Kelski’s mentor if she’d let me. And perhaps later, her djed father when she fully understands what that is and what it entails. I know mages have a stigma in this city and it is not safe to be one. But because she is already one, it won’t hurt her to know more than she does now so she can defend herself if necessary.” Gilthas said, looking thoughtful. Then after a long pause, he twisted around and for lack of anything else to focus on, he stared at the hearth.

“I would be very appreciative if you would welcome me here as an ally. I will keep your secret and aid in your Mistress’ defense if she would let me. I need time to catch up to what’s happened on the surface, relearn the city, and find out what kind of world I am emerging into.” He explained gently then studied the hearth.

It’s fire crackled neatly.

“Kelski.”

The Gem said her name gently, lovingly, and extended its warmth out across Kelski’s senses.

“Tell him he is welcome here.” The Midnight Gem said softly. The words were slow in coming, as if someone had just recently learned Common and were trying to enunciate each word correctly and slowly.

[Kelski]

Kelski smiled at Gilthas.

“She says you are welcome here.” The Kelvic Sea Eagle said gently. Gilthas nodded, his eyes meeting hers then his eyes roaming around the room.

“Who is everyone else here?” The mage asked, slowly taking a seat on one of the big couches and settling in. Everyone there could tell he was still getting used to being there, among people, and very patiently quietly making his words easy, gentle, and simple.

Kelski was sympathetic. A lot had happened tonight. And she was truthfully exhausted. She’d made two trips to Gilthas’ place, freed him, and then met Semele and gotten marked. It was a lot for the jeweler to take in, at least all at once. But while the group gathered and introduced themselves, Kelski put on tea and then got out some bread from that day and cut slices with cheese cubes to serve with the tea. She wished she had little cookies or something sweet to go with the tea, but their pantry was rather bare.

When she got all the goods together, she laid a spread out on a tray and placed it in front of Gilthas, who looked amused but poured himself a bit of tea anyhow. He was polite if nothing else. Later, he’d explain to Kelski and the rest of the Midnight Gem crew that Eth’s needed neither food nor water to survive as long as they had sunlight or moonlight.

And while Kelski was getting the refreshments together, Ebon came forward, shook Gilathas’ hand and introduced himself as a healer here upstairs and a clerk in the downstairs jewelry store. The Night Lion was candid about his kelvic form and told Gilthas the brief story of how Kelski and her Akalak companion had rescued him from a mugging that had taken his bondmate’s life.

Ember was more open, and before too long was curled up against Gilthas telling him all about her mission here to check on her aunt Kelski, make sure she was doing okay, give her the book on Architectrix, and keep her on a good path until her family could come and reclaim her. The Mouse Kelvic insisted that her father, Kelski’s brother, would be along any day and when that happened things would change drastically. She got so candid that Kelski even found herself listening. Evidently it was not appropriate for a K’etir to be living in Sunberth. Kelski had no idea why that was, nor even what it meant to be a K’etir but Ember was forthcoming with Gilthas about it. And that was amusing to the Kelvic to no end.

The night grew late, and even Gilthas who was starved for company and any sort of story or social interaction found himself growing weary. He was given a guest bed in the guest room and everyone else made to clean up the main room, put away the food, and bank the fires. Then, only then, did the whole group disperse and head to their perspective beds. It had been a long interesting unforgettable day. In the morning, they could dissect what happened, and move forward with their lives.

[Kelski]

G R A D E S

Kelski

Psychology +2, Auristics +1, Teaching +1, Architectrix +2, Hostessing +2

Psychology: Goddess-Given Insight Into Your Own Nature, Architectrix: The Gem Found Its Voice, Architectrix: The Gem Is Female, Gilthas: Mage of the Djedline Avancalas, Hostessing: Introducing The Gem, Introducing Its Inhabitants

Note: Semele has given you a task.

PM me with questions or concerns.