Time Has No Friends [Sivan & Destyn]

[Destyn]

Time Has No Friends

10 Searing, 121

Destyn frowned, casting his light eyes to the attentive grass at his feet, which seemed more eager to hear his tale than Sivan was.

"These days my memories are all of ash and blood." He began, and then it was true. Those unwelcome memories flew back to his mind like so much piercing shrapnel. The black smoke and the caustic smell of gunpowder that accompanied the deafening thunder of industry's progeny.

"My clan." He looked up at Sivan and his eyes glistered with tears. "All killed." He placed a hand over the rune on his chest. "My fault." The hand closed into a fist, which he pounded once against his sternum.

"All my fault. I brought the wrath of Industry against my people, and they suffered briefly. Now I suffer endlessly." He lifted the hem of his robe to show his bandaged, splinted leg. "This is nothing, but my heart..." He shook his head. "I should not have done what I did. The humans, their idea of justice is not..." He paused to search for the word in his second language, "...proportional?" He shrugged, hoping Sivan took his meaning.

"I steal. They..." He hit his chest again, as the tears that had been welling began to fall again. "They massacre." The tears fell without racking sobs, now. "I know mommy would say not to hate the humans- that only some are evil, but when I see her face now it is covered the blood they rent from her. And I hate the humans all the same." Then came the sobs. Even after her death, Destynrael was still disappointing his mother.

Time Has No Friends

[Sivan]

Though he was getting better with Common and he was trying to be an attentive listener, he had to remain quite quiet to keep up with the ebbs and floods of the Fae'ethalan's feelings. He waxed poetic at first, but as the plot of his personal drama came out, they certainly seemed to support that operatic depth of feeling. If he had to guess, he would assume the faux elf had run afoul of Zaichaeri forces. While Kalzasi certainly held a plurality of humans, its power structure subordinated all under the reign of Avialae families. And the southerners were known to prefer the science of clockwork to the magical arts and sciences. It was practically their new religion—their New Atheism, which acknowledged the existence of the Gods, but refused to treat with Them.

That confused him, but he had just tried to avoid them. It had been much safer coming to Karnor from Sol'Valen than if he had come by way of Dalquia, for certes.

"That is awful," he said. "I am sorry of your losses." It would be no comfort to bring up that they were known to hate anyone who wasn't human almost as much as anyone who practiced any form of magic. Many of the races had been created magically from other races, so even their existence was anathema. There was nothing to say or do that could truly help in the face of such loss. His own former master would have said that hate and vengeful thoughts were natural, though ultimately unhelpful. They would not bring back the dead. There could be no restitution. Perhaps Destyn could learn to live with his loss, grow around it like a tree when it came up against an obstacle.

That seemed unlikely if he was alone, though.

Sivan was bad with words at the best of times. Now he had none. The Fae'ethalan was weeping and all he could think to do was hesitantly reach for his hand.

[Destyn]

Time Has No Friends

10 Searing, 121

Destyn took a moment to live in the weight of his feelings. His clan had never been reserved about emotion, strong or otherwise. They were a small, tight-knit community with very few secrets between them. Everything was shared, from meals to grievances. One of the oddest things now was just that he had to share with outsiders, now. One of the Avialae houses shared a room in their stately homes, as well as meals and other boons. Now this strange, quiet elf was lending his ear to him.

"I know." Destyn replied, as the emotional eruption waned to a point that approached composure. "I know that there is nothing to say." He looked to the hand atop his and contrived to paint a smile onto his lips, in spite of the abject anguish that remained in his eyes.

"But I thank you for your attention and your kindness to one you know naught of, Sivan Sunrunner." He reached across his lap with his free hand to place it atop the elf's so it was sandwiched between both of his own.

"It is a boon to have the trees, the grass, the flowers and you. This is my first time dwelling a city." He practically sounded like he was singing with the lilt of his accent colouring his words. "And it is very lonesome to live around so many people, I think." It might have been strange to think for a normal denizen of Kalzasi, but for the like of Destyn a forest was more populous than a city in its way. Every stalk and stem had its own personality and he'd spent most of his life in the constant company of their songs.

"I think perchance you are one who comprehends this?" He posited, with a sidelong glance to the elf.

Time Has No Friends

[Sivan]

Sivan's face twitched with a momentary smile. He looked down at their conjoined hands, then offered up a lingering smile.

"I have been more lonely in a crowd of people than by myself," he agreed. Sometimes it had been a language barrier. Sometimes it had been the fact that he would never be enough to many of his races. The working unit of Master-Apprentice-Awoken had been the most peace he had known, the most connection. Now that was broken and if his grief wasn't so loud as Destynrael's, it felt no less real to him. And if he was careful of his emotions, it was only because his blood boiled too easily to rage.

"There is something to this place," he admitted grudgingly. "There are some good people. It is a strange place... Lake meets Mountain meets Sky meets Warrens. A... confluence?" He wasn't certain of the word, and he hadn't pulled his hand away so he couldn't gesture to help communicate what he meant. "I used to wander, but I think I will be only here for some time. To learn, to fix things. I cannot replace your clan, but perhaps sometimes we can be lonely together? Perhaps it will not be as lonely?" He was not good at making friends. IX had become his friend by virtue of their master, and now it slept. Flower had become his ward, so he wasn't certain whether they were friends at all, really. Master Jacun could be friendly, but their relationship was largely professional. Torin seemed to be a friend, though it felt as though that developed largely because of Torin's curiosity and persistence than anything Sivan had done.

Perhaps he and this lonely Fae'ethalan could become friends as a matter of choice.

[Destyn]

Time Has No Friends

10 Searing, 121

Destyn nodded profusely.

"Aye! For me it is also thus." One of the peculiarities of his Common was that he'd learnt it from two relatively archaic sources: The elders of his whilom clan and from the (appropriately) flowery verse of a few books he'd picked up on their travels. He tended to be drawn to hyperbolised accounts of fantastical incidents- Some embellished from true accounts, others conjured from the imaginations of their respective authors. It hadn't been a conscious choice on his part, but when they'd met up with traders on their journeys, the tomes to which he was drawn used heightened language that had since infused into his own.

"You wander?" Destyn seemed to perk up, at that, cocking his head to one side as his lips curled into a slight smile. He removed the hand that laid atop Sivan's to wipe at his teary cheeks. To what extent the Fae could process aught beyond his recent trauma, he'd found kinship with Sivan in the fact of his being drawn to the same place at the same odd hour. It hadn't occurred to him until this comment, that they might have more in common than that and their colouring.

"That sounds welcome to my ears." He replied, seeming touched at the sentiment. "I have thought of what it would be to ramble again, but with no kith or kin at my side it seems a solemn prospect. Even surrounded by these cousins of root and stalk, I would be alone." He paused, "But, if you were willing to wander with me, we might take care of each other and... You could show me more of your ways." He glanced to the images orbiting above.

Time Has No Friends

[Sivan]

Sivan smiled faintly, wondering what his life would look like when the time came to leave. If Destynrael were his friend and companion in wandering, he wouldn't be alone. If IX and Flower were fixed and wanted to stay, they would be a small party. His work would require a cart, most likely, and perhaps they would need covered wagons for shelter as well. There were so many variables that it soon became overwhelming even in his imagination. Perhaps Destynrael would prove to be a leader, but if not, suddenly Sivan would be responsible for even more people. It wasn't a terrible thought, but it was heavy in another way — heavy with responsibility.

"Father from Sol'Valen, mother from Dalquia..." He shrugged. "Me, not enough Hytori for Sol'Valen, not enough Dratori for Dalquia... and so I wandered. It was good for some time, but things fall apart."

He frowned, but he was not overwhelmed by it. Sometimes he was numb to the pain, or just denied its existence. But his wounds were certainly not so fresh as Destynrael's.

"It is dangerous enough with companions. It is too dangerous to go alone..." Perhaps if he were something of a warrior, or he had elected to study battle magics instead of wanting to build things and make things, he would be able to manage the danger on his own, but such was not the case. IX was handy in a fight, but IX was malfunctioning. And an elf, two Fae'ethalan, and an Awoken would be strange enough even within range of Kalzasi's rule of law. They would have to be careful where they wandered.

But that was not an immediate issue.

"First I must become master alchemist." He smiled, all self-deprecating. "And master artificer." He didn't mention his worry that he would have to delve head first in curses in order to help Flower.

[Destyn]

Time Has No Friends

10 Searing, 121

The young fae listened intently to Sivan's brief explanation of his personal history. It was nice talking to Sivan, because he spoke so deliberately and used such accessible words that he didn't have the same processing delay he typically dealt with when communicating in Common. He supposed that would go away with time and practice, should he remain in Kalzasi, but it was nice to have a brief respite with the present company.

"You have many talents." Destyn observed with obvious awe in his wide eyes. "I would have more, but I am not long beyond my Rite of Majority." He explained, with a grimace. He'd taken on his first rune to usher in his adulthood, and he'd have been afforded more in due course, if he was still living amongst his clan. Most of his erstwhile companions had been mages of sundry specialisations. He'd learnt Summoning from his own mother, but he'd been promised Masquerade as well. A thought which deepened his frown, as he considered how his affinity for mischief had been what brought down the wrath of Mankind upon his people.

"You should make something that eases anguish." Destyn suggested, "Or dulls memories, so they do not assail people with a dagger's sharpness. I would pledge my life to someone who could give me that." He said, gravely. After a beat, he realised how that sounded and sighed.

"I do not mean to wallow. We were talking about you. What are you working on in your several disciplines? May I know?"

Time Has No Friends

[Sivan]

"Oh," he said, falling into self-deprecation with ease, "they said I was strange so I made myself stranger. I studied magical things and not a lot else. No friends, just learning. I can't fight or do anything useful otherwise..."

He laughed quietly. "And I suppose I am getting older now. In Calid's March, I will complete my twenty-fifth summer."

Sivan spread his hands. Years meant different things to different people and different races. Being an apprentice made him feel younger, but being responsible for people made him feel older. It was all a tangled mess inside that he hadn't bothered to pick apart.

"There are some things to dull pain, but they can be dangerous. Addictive." Master Jacun sold some to the Velvet Cabaret and Sivan didn't judge him for it. The people who bought such things knew what they were getting into. "But also, soon I will have my aidolon, I think, and then there will always be someone by my side. Well, something. I hope it will be a good partnership." He was clearly a little worried by the prospect.

At the question, he considered. "I study alchemy with Master Jacun. He has a shop in the Plaza of Jeweled Arches. You should visit sometime. There I study whatever he tells me to study." He chuckled. "I do all of the small tasks. They repeat, but it is good." He paused to translate something his old master had said into Common: "Anything worth doing is worth doing correctly." He shrugged. "With artificing, I read a great deal... There is an Awoken who was my companion. It needs fixing. I fear it may be a long time coming, the solution. Semblance, I use with everything, truly. And with summoning, I will find my aidolon as I said..." He paused again. "Perhaps you should most certainly come to Master Jacun's shop. There is much herbalism to know, but alchemy makes things more powerful or removes bad things. Perhaps there might be something to help, though it would be temporary..."

[Destyn]

Time Has No Friends

10 Searing, 121

Thoughtfully Destyn considered the implications of Sivan's self-characterisation, but he found himself coming up empty as to the meaning.

"It is good to be strange. Better to be focused." He retorted, for it seemed from his delivery that Sivan might have regarded the assignation of 'strangeness' as an insult rather than a compliment. That was a perplexing way to look at things, but he was in a brave new world after all.

"I hope I am so wise and self-assured when I am twenty five." He announced confidently, "And that I have so many talents and disciplines." He was truly awed at how much it seemed Sivan knew. He must have been a very impressive person, Destyn thought. He'd have been an asset to the clan. More so than Destyn had ever been, to be sure. He was ultimately a fatal liability, after all. But he pushed those thoughts away by shifting his attention to the Sunrunner's enlightening revelation.

"They cannot be as dangerous as Industry." Destyn replied, "And I have choked on the noxious breath of that hungry, Southron god. I would forget it, if I could. No matter the danger." He looked down at their hands on the fountain's edge,

"Even in the one discipline I practise, you are more advanced!" Destyn exclaimed, sounding more awed than envious. "My uncle was to help me draw forth an eidolon, but I was... restless, unfocused... irresponsible." And now he was gone. But Sivan's master must have been formidable to oversee one with as potent and varied talents as the elf at Destyn's side, so he nodded vigourously at the prospect of meeting such a one.

"I don't know what a... a Awoken is, but everything else sounds wondrous! You will take me there?" He beamed, "You will take me there and help to ease my mind and teach it new practises?" It seemed Sivan knew enough about means to relieve his anguish to bide him of their dangers, which meant he might well know how to deliver them.

Time Has No Friends

[Sivan]

"An Awoken is a... manufactured body... with a soul. Well, it gets complicated." He wasn't sure he could explain that even with his Common improving, so he moved along.

"I think some of the things are available in... in Industry. They call themselves Zaichaer if I am understand your meaning correct. Perhaps they would not be so strong there with no alchemy, or more dangerous, too." He spread his hands. It was beyond the purview of his modest knowledge.

"I can help with your aidolon summoning." The young Fae'ethalan could count on that. He didn't have a more senior summoner to oversee him, but he had grown up speaking with elemental spirits. It had made him a quick study with summoning proper. Soon he would have one of his own, and then he thought he would be qualified enough to help Destynrael with his. At least, it would be safer for Sivan to be involved than not.

"My master would not approve of me taking you there tonight, I think. But..." He looked around, then back to the young orphan. "Would you like to walk with me? We can move slow. I will show you where the shop is and where I live so you will know. You can come with your leisure." His golden brow furrowed. That hadn't been right. "To your leisure? For your leisure." He sighed. Linguistics were not his strong suit, it seemed. But he was terribly critical of himself, a byproduct of forsaking relationships in favor of learning, perhaps.

Sivan glanced carefully at the other, wondering if he was being polite in Fae'ethalan estimation. Perhaps he was being strangely foreward. His reaction would be telling, perhaps. And if he thought walking would be too difficult with his injury, he did have a set of wings.