Life was truly harsh, no matter where one lived. There were moments when it seemed to conspire in order to prove someone’s thought process wrong. Times like you thought you were safe, going to be happy, or had nothing more to learn like Kelski said. It would be in those moments that Life would change your view drastically. Someone would be taken away, leave on their own, or someone new would cross your path. Life had lessons to teach and gave no qualms about a person’s stubbornness or doubts. Because it would teach them, whether they liked it or not.
As the Sea Eagle spoke about learning, there was a drive to her words. A drive that he had heard countless times before from her. While she did not say it directly, Kynier suspected that in part Kelski had been talking about herself. Now she was pursuing something else as a means of growth. It seemed to Kynier that a Kelvic’s shorter life span only made them burn brighter with their lives. That is when they were not oppressed. It may have been part of that glow that he saw so briefly in her eyes when she glanced at him. It was another instance of so many countless occasions where he wondered what thoughts she was harboring in her mind.
The clarification about Masters and Mentors was something he appreciated. At her remark about apprentices and slaves, Kynier barked a single laugh to join her own. Kelski having a slave? There were better odds of slavery being completely abolished than there were of the Sea Eagle taking a slave. But the other half of her statement did not seem so outrageous. As a Master Jeweler it was only a matter of time before someone approached her for an apprenticeship. “One thing that Sunberth loves is spreading reputation and gossip. Given time, you may have more apprentices than you know how to handle.” His tone was an encouraging one. He had seen how much she had grown and didn’t suspect that she was going to be done anytime soon.
Going against the current to make something work. Kynier could see how that would be possible. So long as the members of that guild were able to see the value of the knowledge held within as opposed to the value of the assets and income. The theory sounded easy, but like many things, would probably also attract the wrong sort of people. Being the example that Kelski spoke of would be challenging to even establish. It was easy for him to get focused on such an aspect as the co-ownership. It was something he had exploited a few times as a spy on Doler’s request. And it was easier to exploit when the institution was younger.
Determination filled her voice as she described the people that would be accepted into the guild. Of the three types she spoke of, Kynier felt that he only fit into one of the categories while a second had appeal. He did not view himself as a caretaker by any standard. It was hard for him to develop that sort of attachment with a person, but once it was formed it was painfully difficult to break. “I am no craftsman, yet that has a very pleasant appeal to it.” He glanced at Kelski. “To me, this city would be the perfect place to revive such a concept. You would be able to find no shortage of people that would desire to be apart of something like that. Many of the younger thieves feel they have nothing to build upon and have to resort to stealing. Your Guild could help show them otherwise.”
Kelski’s words of conviction had him silent for a moment as he reflected on them. It stirred up a few old pains that he sought to keep buried deep within himself. Hazel eyes took her in thoughtfully before lowering to the ground they were traversing. “Kelski,” he said a bit softly, eyes still on the ground, “your want is understandable. It is something that many people, Humans included, feel.” Kyneir set his eyes forward, trying to disguise the old pain that was driving his words. “The yearning to help someone, to enrich their life without thought of reciprocation, can be damaging. When your Guild is established, remember, different people require different ways of being taught. Some,” he turned to look at her, “require only a soft hand for guidance. Gentle encouragement for them to make progression.” Kynier broke eye contact. “Others require a heavier hand for a sterner push. And it’s difficult to know which one a person needs.”
“Some people… only need someone to share a smile with, or a hand to hold, in order for their lives to feel richer.”
Kynier was not surprised by Kelski’s reaction about his relationship with Akajia. But it was different for him than it was for her. Kynier had felt guided by the Nigh Goddess, but never had he felt saved by her. Perhaps in his previous lives it had been different. It was easy to see how mortals could simply be tools to the Divine. Often, he felt that way, but it was never against his will. “The gods are intelligent and wise. I’m sure they only use us as tools from time to time but find ways to make mortal and divine interest coincide.”
Memory and writing. Those were the same things that he had learned about Qalaya as well. They seemed like small things to have influence over, but they had such powerful impacts on the world. For a moment, it sounded as though Dreamwalking was the power that Qalaya bestowed, until Kelski clarified that it was Nysel’s domain. He listened quietly as she described Semele. It was pleasant to see how talking about the mineral goddess affected her, though Semele was a divine that he felt no calling towards. The last one, Xhyvas was intriguing because of the air of mystery Kelski had when describing him. Transcendence and Possibilities? Sounds like a god that Numerius would be a Priest for.
A time later to talk. Kynier grew pensive at the statement. As much as it pleased him to have a conversation with her again, was it worth the pain of hiding how she affected him? The task of finding the killer served as a distraction. Without it, he didn’t believe he had the emotional tolerance to stand so close to her. Yes, he wanted to talk more later. To talk more even now, about anything, just to hear her voice. But he was certain he lacked the fortitude to do so and maintain the distance he had set. Maybe…
As he landed on his back, he quickly rolled his head around to gain his bearings. The creature was coming towards him until it ducked and shifted to avoid Kelski’s crossbow. The bolt missed but managed to give the creature pause enough for Kynier to cast his feet over his head, roll over his shoulders, and get his feet underneath him. The bolt that Kelski had embedded in its chest scrapped against the ground until the creature rose up onto its hind legs. Standing upright, it almost looked human. Its gold eyes looked down as it ripped the bolt out with a grimace. “That was impolite,” it said.
Blood could be seen trickling from the wound, but it did not appear to be very deep. After it dropped the bolt on the ground, the creature flipped its hair to reveal the strange tattoo on the side of its neck. Kynier’s eyes naturally shifted to look at it but then immediately turned away as the sensation of panic tried to rise up again. “Don’t look at the mark on her neck,” he said to Kelski. The monster grinned and chuckled, her attention on the younger Nightstalker.
“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” it said in a soothing voice. The tattoo on the neck glowed faintly as dark golden eyes met his. “Except for everything,” she said with a malicious chuckle. Dread took hold of him slowly. The cold trickle of it coated his whole body in sweat. Kynier couldn’t take his gaze away from the woman, he dared not. Everything began to feel so wrong. Why was he trying so hard to change Sunberth? A place that would tear his world apart and take his life in a painful spectacle just because he dared to understand and use magic. The paranoia smothered him from all sides as though the alleyway behind Tall Johnny’s were distorting to envelope him.
Kynier’s Auristic focus still had a hold on Kelski’s aura, but it was starting to be drowned out by overwhelming fear. The creature held out a hand, the cat-like slits widened to make her eyes a solid shade again. “Come to me dear. There’s no need to be so afraid.” The words echoed within him. Her words somehow made everything feel less worrisome. Kynier’s weapons slowly lowered as his breathing grew labored. He didn’t understand why he felt this way, but it was so strong that he didn’t really want to question it. Kynier took a step towards the creature and felt as though he were approaching a safer place. Wishing to feel the relief, he took another step closer. “That’s it dear,” the creature said with a grin as it held out its hand to accept him.
As the Sea Eagle spoke about learning, there was a drive to her words. A drive that he had heard countless times before from her. While she did not say it directly, Kynier suspected that in part Kelski had been talking about herself. Now she was pursuing something else as a means of growth. It seemed to Kynier that a Kelvic’s shorter life span only made them burn brighter with their lives. That is when they were not oppressed. It may have been part of that glow that he saw so briefly in her eyes when she glanced at him. It was another instance of so many countless occasions where he wondered what thoughts she was harboring in her mind.
The clarification about Masters and Mentors was something he appreciated. At her remark about apprentices and slaves, Kynier barked a single laugh to join her own. Kelski having a slave? There were better odds of slavery being completely abolished than there were of the Sea Eagle taking a slave. But the other half of her statement did not seem so outrageous. As a Master Jeweler it was only a matter of time before someone approached her for an apprenticeship. “One thing that Sunberth loves is spreading reputation and gossip. Given time, you may have more apprentices than you know how to handle.” His tone was an encouraging one. He had seen how much she had grown and didn’t suspect that she was going to be done anytime soon.
Going against the current to make something work. Kynier could see how that would be possible. So long as the members of that guild were able to see the value of the knowledge held within as opposed to the value of the assets and income. The theory sounded easy, but like many things, would probably also attract the wrong sort of people. Being the example that Kelski spoke of would be challenging to even establish. It was easy for him to get focused on such an aspect as the co-ownership. It was something he had exploited a few times as a spy on Doler’s request. And it was easier to exploit when the institution was younger.
Determination filled her voice as she described the people that would be accepted into the guild. Of the three types she spoke of, Kynier felt that he only fit into one of the categories while a second had appeal. He did not view himself as a caretaker by any standard. It was hard for him to develop that sort of attachment with a person, but once it was formed it was painfully difficult to break. “I am no craftsman, yet that has a very pleasant appeal to it.” He glanced at Kelski. “To me, this city would be the perfect place to revive such a concept. You would be able to find no shortage of people that would desire to be apart of something like that. Many of the younger thieves feel they have nothing to build upon and have to resort to stealing. Your Guild could help show them otherwise.”
Kelski’s words of conviction had him silent for a moment as he reflected on them. It stirred up a few old pains that he sought to keep buried deep within himself. Hazel eyes took her in thoughtfully before lowering to the ground they were traversing. “Kelski,” he said a bit softly, eyes still on the ground, “your want is understandable. It is something that many people, Humans included, feel.” Kyneir set his eyes forward, trying to disguise the old pain that was driving his words. “The yearning to help someone, to enrich their life without thought of reciprocation, can be damaging. When your Guild is established, remember, different people require different ways of being taught. Some,” he turned to look at her, “require only a soft hand for guidance. Gentle encouragement for them to make progression.” Kynier broke eye contact. “Others require a heavier hand for a sterner push. And it’s difficult to know which one a person needs.”
“Some people… only need someone to share a smile with, or a hand to hold, in order for their lives to feel richer.”
Kynier was not surprised by Kelski’s reaction about his relationship with Akajia. But it was different for him than it was for her. Kynier had felt guided by the Nigh Goddess, but never had he felt saved by her. Perhaps in his previous lives it had been different. It was easy to see how mortals could simply be tools to the Divine. Often, he felt that way, but it was never against his will. “The gods are intelligent and wise. I’m sure they only use us as tools from time to time but find ways to make mortal and divine interest coincide.”
Memory and writing. Those were the same things that he had learned about Qalaya as well. They seemed like small things to have influence over, but they had such powerful impacts on the world. For a moment, it sounded as though Dreamwalking was the power that Qalaya bestowed, until Kelski clarified that it was Nysel’s domain. He listened quietly as she described Semele. It was pleasant to see how talking about the mineral goddess affected her, though Semele was a divine that he felt no calling towards. The last one, Xhyvas was intriguing because of the air of mystery Kelski had when describing him. Transcendence and Possibilities? Sounds like a god that Numerius would be a Priest for.
A time later to talk. Kynier grew pensive at the statement. As much as it pleased him to have a conversation with her again, was it worth the pain of hiding how she affected him? The task of finding the killer served as a distraction. Without it, he didn’t believe he had the emotional tolerance to stand so close to her. Yes, he wanted to talk more later. To talk more even now, about anything, just to hear her voice. But he was certain he lacked the fortitude to do so and maintain the distance he had set. Maybe…
As he landed on his back, he quickly rolled his head around to gain his bearings. The creature was coming towards him until it ducked and shifted to avoid Kelski’s crossbow. The bolt missed but managed to give the creature pause enough for Kynier to cast his feet over his head, roll over his shoulders, and get his feet underneath him. The bolt that Kelski had embedded in its chest scrapped against the ground until the creature rose up onto its hind legs. Standing upright, it almost looked human. Its gold eyes looked down as it ripped the bolt out with a grimace. “That was impolite,” it said.
Blood could be seen trickling from the wound, but it did not appear to be very deep. After it dropped the bolt on the ground, the creature flipped its hair to reveal the strange tattoo on the side of its neck. Kynier’s eyes naturally shifted to look at it but then immediately turned away as the sensation of panic tried to rise up again. “Don’t look at the mark on her neck,” he said to Kelski. The monster grinned and chuckled, her attention on the younger Nightstalker.
“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” it said in a soothing voice. The tattoo on the neck glowed faintly as dark golden eyes met his. “Except for everything,” she said with a malicious chuckle. Dread took hold of him slowly. The cold trickle of it coated his whole body in sweat. Kynier couldn’t take his gaze away from the woman, he dared not. Everything began to feel so wrong. Why was he trying so hard to change Sunberth? A place that would tear his world apart and take his life in a painful spectacle just because he dared to understand and use magic. The paranoia smothered him from all sides as though the alleyway behind Tall Johnny’s were distorting to envelope him.
Kynier’s Auristic focus still had a hold on Kelski’s aura, but it was starting to be drowned out by overwhelming fear. The creature held out a hand, the cat-like slits widened to make her eyes a solid shade again. “Come to me dear. There’s no need to be so afraid.” The words echoed within him. Her words somehow made everything feel less worrisome. Kynier’s weapons slowly lowered as his breathing grew labored. He didn’t understand why he felt this way, but it was so strong that he didn’t really want to question it. Kynier took a step towards the creature and felt as though he were approaching a safer place. Wishing to feel the relief, he took another step closer. “That’s it dear,” the creature said with a grin as it held out its hand to accept him.
