Completed Looking around

[Taln]

43 Fall 522 AV Evening Standing by the Commons, Taln watched a tawny haired man walk away from the Foundry wearing heavy gloves, thick apron and large boots. He saw the hairs raise on the guy's neck and Mitt turned to look directly at him. And stared back with an attempt at an intimidating glare. The Inarta smiled and waved, his molten eyes unwavering on his target. 'That man's a bully if I ever saw one.' he thought, watching Mitt visibly struggle to keep up the staring contest. "You're going to burn out your retinas if you stare too long." Taln said quietly from about twenty paces away. Mitt frowned as he saw Taln's mouth move, but heard nothing. Taln wondered if he'd approach or just keep standing there staring for no reason. He suddenly blinked, forgetting sometimes that people probably couldn't help staring at strange eyes. He drew his gaze to his feet, put his chin down and looked up through his lashes to see what the guy did. Bullies didn't like taller. Taln sat down in a smooth motion, his hands quietly resting on his lap relaxed and spread out. The young smith slowed his step, then walked in the opposite direction muttering, "Freak!" A sharp laugh escaped him at the comment and he nodded in full agreement. This bully was much nicer than the far worse but appropriately earned names he'd been called in Nari. "Is the Forge still hot?" Taln called out to the receding smith. His only answer was a glare as the man walked off sweating profusely. He rose and approached the foundry, knowing very well the forge was still soothingly hot. Something tugged at him and he went inside, seeing Artik sitting on a chair nodding off with half lidded eyes. "Do you mind if I just be here for a little bit?" Taln asked him politely. Artik started to open his mouth but stopped and just looked at the eerie eyes matching the glow of he forge. Taln shifted his gaze down and tried again, but louder this time. "May I just be here for a little bit?" "Yea sure, just don't touch the kid's stuff-he gets really pissy. What happened to your eyes?" The tall redhead smiled proudly and answered simply. "Ivak's blessing." Taln stood before the forge and soaked in the heat with a peaceful expression, raising his hands toward it like it was an icy cold winter's night instead of a short while before sunset in the jungle heat. "Do you mind if I sleep near the forge tonight, outside, out of the way?" Artik looked at the bottle, looked at Taln and looked down at the bottle again. "Um ok?" he answered hesitantly. If the lunatic wanted to be near a fire on a hot humid night, that was his choice. "Thank you." Taln responded and left the man to his thoughts. Time to explore more. He walked silently along the beach, the sand warming beneath his feet. A large boar raced out of the dense undergrowth and headed for the water at a full run. Something quick and bright suddenly emerged from the jungle and Taln instantly sat down. A Lounge of Ixams filed out and headed toward the water with swift predatory steps. They flanked each side, driving the animal further out. Three of them slid into the water easily and the waves thrashed violently with each rapid shake of the head. Their scales glinted in the fading sunlight as they tore into their meal. Sharp nails clicked against the sand abruptly about thirty paces away and a gold and red Ixam hatchling ran straight at him. Taln looked directly into its eyes and stayed very still. "Be calm, you're safe, I'm no threat." The Inarta whispered soothingly and strongly, holding his gaze firmly. "You're beautiful. I think I saw you family further down in the water driving prey. I'd be careful though. You're too young to get close to big things when they're eating." "Stoker did you find some food to ea--" Mitt stopped mid word, mid stride. "Don't eat that Stoker, it's filthy and probably poisonous." The young Ixam turned his head to the side to better hear and view the sitting man. He took a few steps closer and took in Taln's scent. He winked at the creature and whispered, "You'd better go stay with him. He doesn't like being alone. I don't think he's accustomed to it." The wild beast left with a whip-like swish of his tail, barely missing Taln's foot in his haste to run back to Mitt and bouncing like a hyper puppy. Taln listened to the crying of the birds, watching them soar and glide on the rising thermals as the sun began to set. It was so beautiful here, it almost hurt to look at it. WC 809

[Taln]

He needed to adjust better. He'd been a Dek for twenty years with someone always telling him when to eat, how much, when and where to sleep, bathe, work, where to go and when to do it. Then it was ripped away. Taln could still remember the eons spent as djed. The lifetimes as each element and their many comforts. He'd left life as a terrified half blind slave to his own fears. He'd come back to his entire city full of rage and rightful hatred of him in being part of... Go ahead and think it. Maybe even say it. You're partly responsible for mass destruction and millions of murders. And you hid. Hid beneath the earth, feeding on the heat like a glutton and doing nothing for so many years. Ivak gifted you and so did other Gods and what do you do with these gifts? This new life? Taln rose and walked, as if running away from his thoughts, himself. He walked blindly with his head and eyes down, directionless in life and circumstance. At just before thirty two, he had almost no life skills to show for what he'd known, what he had done, all that he worked for, everyone he knew, known. He stopped walking when he realized he was retracing his steps to the Tisuma Baths. This was Syka. The red head stopped to ponder when he'd actually had the need to bathe. He hadn't sweat since his last life. But soot and dirt happened so that was literally dirty. It didn't matter how long he searched his memory, a relaxing hot bath wasn't something that had happened in this new life. The showers seemed like they did the job with very little eye to comfort or relaxation. They appeared to be purely functional but he'd give it a shot. He lowered his bundle, dropped his bryda, and stood looking at the shower for a chime. The top piece dripped water so... His eyes roamed down to a lever and he turned it to the side to see what it would do. A spurt of tepid water dropped onto his head like rain and he looked up in surprise, blinking. "I've got soap somewhere I think?" Taln murmured to himself, and eyeing his bundle on the ground. He bent and reached for it in the bundle with success. Taln could proudly say he had *possessions!* Enough that he actually had to think about! He scrubbed up and smiled at the moment. The man finally had more than just a single bit of clothing to his name. In soaping up, Taln realized that his mangled beard was probably something he should shave while he was at it. He now had the luxury of soap and a razor of his own! At last clean and shaved, he bundled up his soap, razor and two of his three outfits. Riches! He liked the bryda most because of sentimentality but they needed a thorough cleaning. Taln looked down at himself thoughtfully, noting he was bit thinner than he should be. When did he last eat? He could remember what he heard, perfectly. But random things usually ran together in an endless succession of days and nights. Coppery wet hair splashed around his face as he literally shook his head out of that train of thought. Finally deciding, he readjusted the shapeless lontev and twisted the Inarta garment into just shorts. He would not hide his scars or marks because even if they had material on them, they wouldn't vanish. The would remain, as did he himself. He tied his talon sword by the side of his waist and decided to see what they did for food around here. With no caste, how did they decide who ate what and how much? How much was too much or too little? Taln needed something or someone to gauge casual moderation of pretty much everything now. He'd wished for freedom for so long, but now he didn't know what boundaries were considered acceptable. A laughing loving couple each held a tray and walked to a table right beside him. The man looked to be about Taln's height so he guessed maybe that was the right amount of food to take? They wouldn't scold him for taking too much but finding the right medium in all of it would take time. Making decisions for his own welfare was a new and foreign concept. His stomach made a loud sound, definitely letting him know that he should eat. Plates, bowls and utensils were neatly stacked on a table. There were piles of meat of many different kinds and a lot he couldn't easily identify. That one looked most like marmot and that one there looked like snake so he chose those. 'For you Sai and Drusilla.' he thought. There were fruits and vegetables of all shapes and colors that had him just standing over it looking in awe. So much food in one place just left there! After a few chimes of standing there stupidly, he finally chose a few green leafy things and a small loaf of bread. The stacks of desserts didn't much interest him as he had no taste for sweets. Taln glanced over at the couple to reconfirm that he didn't take too much and decided to sit at a table farther inward near the back. He was used to observing others so maybe that would help. WC 908 Total WC 1,717

[Taln]

Something strong pulled at the edge of his consciousness, tugging him. Taln had learned to heed these instincts as important to him. And he was glad he did. Fire danced along the night sky and he watched with blazing eyes, following the graceful movements with love. Unknowingly, he strode toward it, feeling Ivak compelling him to do so. Taln's entire being gravitated toward something, someone, in an irresistible call he could not ignore. 'Right here. Here is where you need to be.' The three gnosis marks along his spine jumped up and flared brightly into life, driving him forward to the person who danced with fire. Rainmere Shantu moved with the bend of the flames, her body feeding it and inspiring it to grow on itself, soaring hotter and higher. Her lithe movements expressed her joy in the fire dancing, while her eyes were enraptured with the feeling. 'Yes, this.' he thought. The copper haired man couldn't just stand back and observe as he watched Rainmere's every movement as an eloquent ode to Ivak. Of their own accord, his hands and arms created and cradled a growing fire as if holding an infant and he held them up toward the sky. His eyes and the very core of his being reflected in the rapturous freedom of movement. The loving flames arced along his arms, flowed outward to his hands, gathered and grew, the fire soaring high but not fiercely. He whirled, his body and legs flowing behind as he listened to Ivak's call. The fiery tendrils leapt along his chest and reformed the sparks to enjoin with Rainmere in a heartfelt pas de deux. Each person moved together but in their own ways, complimenting and emphasizing but never quite in tandem. Their eyes each looked tenderly at the flames as they sparked and capered in a powerful tribute to Ivak. Rising and falling like the tides, the seasons, the sun and moon, like breathing as one. wc 326 total wc 2,043

[Taln]

When the dance completed, Taln smiled at Rainmere and thanked her. "Ivak's will be done." He said, turning to leave. She placed a small hand lightly on his arm and asked, "We meet tomorrow night for more talking yes? And maybe more dancing?" "We'll do that." He agreed with a smile. It was nice to meet someone else that loved Ivak. Feeling more settled, Taln's curiosity returned and he looked around at what might be nearby. A slim dark haired man about his own age, sat quietly with his eyes closed and Taln moved in closer to observe him. A slight roof was all that really marked it as an area but it had a wooden floor with slim pillars. The redhead sat down near one of the pillars and just looked at Zayne. Was he sleeping? Sitting up? He didn't appear tired. He watched the chest rise and fall rhythmically, the skin sliding easily over the ribs with deep calm breaths. Curious, Taln readjusted his seat attempting to emulate his posture. It was both relaxed but alert. Something about it was familiar... Yes! The hours spent as a Dek sitting on the floor and waiting patiently for someone to return when they told you to stay. You never knew if it would be for three chimes or three days. You could only wait. But if you appeared to be fully asleep the consequences were dire. On the other hand, if you looked around too much with your head up, someone would insist on taking you to task for not being busy. Deks and waiting were an essential survival tool back in Wind Reach. It was like stepping back into the past with a long deep breath. Taln's weight sank deep into the sand, feeling its warmth, dampness and grains of sand beneath. He drew up to the full length of his spine, relaxing his shoulders and hips to sit deeply. His long arms rested lightly splayed on each each leg, the heat of them felt by the skin beneath his palms. As his fiery yellow eyes closed, his ears opened, and his neck stretched upright without tension. A molten core simmered at his center, the heat soothing directly below his breastbone and curled almost down to his navel. Taln inhaled deeply, hearing the insects flying and chirping around him. He felt the heat of them, each one its own source of life. The heat of the brazier on the pillar behind him was distracting and tempting. He felt the flame bend toward the back of his head and he exhaled to push the fire back upright. He reentered the lava core within and rested it only within his chest, containing it with a gentle inward hand. Don't get lost in it. The tall Inarta felt eyes on him and noted that the man was no longer sitting like a Dek in waiting. "Hi, I'm Zayne. Welcome to Syka, and this is the Tranquility Center. Have you come for a massage? Were you working on meditation?" "I'm Taln, thanks." He shook his head no at the first question. "What's meditation?" he asked, leaning forward. The man smiled at him, glad that someone had come seeking answers. "That's a good question with many ways to answer." he began. He watched how Taln's restless gaze kept going to the flickering torches in the room and thought an analogy might help. "What are you looking at right now?" "Fire." Taln answered with strange longing. "So it's just fire?" "No. Fire is life, fire is everything." Zayne smiled again, noting that this might be the best analogy for that man in particular. "So it's just fire?" "Yes. No. It's.. lots of things." "Are they all good things?" "Yes!" he answered quickly then paused for a moment thinking. He didn't think what happened at Wind Reach was all good things. Zayne watched him think about it, wanting to encourage him. This was important that the meaning itself was something to learn for him to discover and fully comprehend it. Lectures, definitions and explanations wouldn't be true learning. "No, not all good things." he answered very quietly. The fire in the brazier flared up suddenly, lighting up the room brightly and Taln dampened it back down to return to a glimmer. "But most of the time it -feels- like a good thing." he shifted his gaze to Zayne's face, studying the complete composure. "So fire is good but not good, but feels good?" he prompted. "It's way more than that!" The red head exclaimed, and his voice warmed to one of his favorite subjects. "It's life, it's death, it's comforting, burning, pain, the smell of food, it's fear, it's power, it makes one thing transform into another, it gives and it takes. Fire is everything, and we couldn't live without it." His smile lit up as brightly as his eyes and he gestured as he spoke. "It's closeness of skin and nearness, it's passion, it's birth, it hurts but it heals... I .." Taln looked at Zayne earnestly. "How do I explain fire?" "Now we're making progress. So you're saying that fire means more than one thing to you?" he mirrored. He nodded, again searching Zayne's features looking for answers. "And if I said that that torch there is just a light?" "Yes fire makes light, but it's more than a light. It creates light. It has lots of different aspects to it and it's used in lots of ways. Fire is many things at once, if you think about it. " This tine the teacher nodded, but seemed to be waiting for more. "Do you know what fire is just by looking at that torch?" "No. If you see a torch and I see fire, we're just seeing only two aspects of a whole thing that has many more parts. Like you said- a good question with many ways to answer." wc 984 total wc 3027

[Taln]

Taln rose slowly to his feet and thanked Zayne for his insight. He would be back to learn more. He strode quietly through the Commons and along the beach. Leth rose high in the night sky and the Priest of Ivak headed back to that niche on the beach near the forge. A small outcropping of rocks nearby made for some small privacy that offered him what he needed at that moment. There was a lot of information to take in and comprehend. Taln sat before an anvil shaped piece of driftwood that would do nicely for his purposes. Each gnosis mark along his spine rose slowly, building from the bottom to the top, flaring and rising in strength. His fiery gaze was pinned on the wood and he urged the fire outward forcefully, but not letting it harm the object itself. It was a nice platform and didn't need to be consumed. Not yet anyway. Molten eyes contemplated the flames and he breathed them higher and whiter into the night sky, as if calling out. They were in fact, calling out to Ivak. His hands grasped the flames, stoking them furiously and lifted them yet still higher, still hotter. His heart beat faster and his breathing increased, matching an internal tempo that only he could hear. The fiery depths roared, crackling and shimmering the air around Taln. The heat blazed molten enough to force the air into massive heat shimmers distorting the view of everything within thirty paces. "It's here Ivak! I can feel the passion of it in everything! So many of them living that spark of life to the fullest in all its potential! The animals, people, birds, insects, plants, Djed and so much more with all in perfect philotic twining energy. I saw them at sunset today. The lines of Djed pulling and enjoining, playing and working together-it was a fine sight to see." He rose to his feet and the flames rose higher in tandem with his movements. "How do they live your gifts but not know them? Why do they curse your name?" His temper raised and the fiery tempest before him swiftly intermingled blues and invisible spectrums among the blaze. "You give to them with everything you have, providing all that they need to live, every moment, every breath, but they can't see you! I will tell them of your ways. I will show them your meaning. I vow it to you that this is my first and foremost purpose. You gave me my life back. No a better, freer, fuller life and I stand whole before you, because of you." Taln sank to his knees and the fire calmly simmered to lighter blue series of flames flaring atop the driftwood. Unable to speak all that he felt, his thoughts carried on for him for a few chimes before he found his voice again. "You forged me in your hottest of eternal fires, in air, water, earth and Djed. I died and lived for eons through you and the generous gifts of the Gods. I am the testament of your mercy and strength. I will speak of you and your ways until there's no breath left in my body to speak." wc 538 total wc 3,565