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[memory] kurohane
Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2019 10:30 pm
by Talon
13th Day of Frost, 112th Year of the Age of Steel
“You shouldn’t worry yourself about him, my lord.”
“But he’s hurt.” Talon stared at the boy in the bed. There were too many bruises to count. One of his wings was set at an odd angle. He looked thin and malnourished. He didn’t know of any Avialae in the whole of Kalzasi that looked like this. Well, at least not unless they had completed their Warren March but there had been no such ceremony that year. Talon knew, his was to be that Searing and part of him was afraid, so very afraid.
“You wouldn’t want to miss the rest of your party, my lord.” Talon gave the nurse a dubious look. The most excitement that had occurred all night was the crash in the gardens. They had been in the middle of cutting Talon’s cake honoring his birthday and the coming days in which he would devote himself purely to preparing for the Warren March. Talon had felt alone and isolated the entire night. People kept congratulating him but also staring at him as though he were either a ghost or a prize. The subtle smiles, the fake pats on his back, the way they never spoke of what he might do after he successfully completed the rite of passage.
Talon knew why. It was because no matter who well one prepared for the Warren March, there was never any telling how it would go. It was a death sentence for many and though dozens of young men went every year, it seemed as though less and less returned as of late. Talon understood why the barbaric practice was still in place. The Warrens were a real threat. They always would be. But Kalzasi depended on the resources that could be mined from its depths. The city had grown too prosperous from its cache of secrets to abandon it. So the Avialae sacrificed themselves in order to keep it. Like a fat beast that was ever hungry, it was fed the young of the city’s elite in order to appease it.
“I think I’ll stay here.” The nurse gave him a sad look then. A look of understanding. She curtsied and then stepped out of the room, having finished her work for the time being. Talon grabbed a chair and brought it next to the side of the bed as he looked over the boy who slumbered there.
It had been quite a spectacle when he’d crashed into the gardens. Like a caster shell bolting through the night, it had his father rocketing up out of his seat. His brothers and sisters had all let out gasps and his mother had immediately called the guards. They’d rushed forward and had brought the boy, bloody and broken back to them. Talon’s heart had immediately softened upon seeing him. This was no threat. He’d moved to go to the boy then but a hand gripping his shoulder tightly had stopped him. It had been his father. His father who had stared hard at the boy. His father who had nearly let out a hiss of anger and disgust. His father who has whispered that word.
Kathar.
They’d called the boy a Kathar. Talon suspected it had something to do with recognizing something in the symbols on the boy’s clothing. He knew what that meant. Their brothers in the ancient lands of Lorien. Far across the dangerous wilderness and into the bitter reaches of Turoth’s frozen north. Talon had only ever heard stories of them. Nothing positive, only that they were the slave soldiers of the Kindred and just as poisoned as those wretched spirits. But looking at the boy who was resting fitfully in the bed in front of him, all Talon saw was someone who had been hurt and who needed help.
He wasn’t sure what moved him to do it, perhaps it was because he saw something of himself in the boy. Something that wanted to be comforted. That wanted to be safe. But Talon began humming. It was a soft melody that spoke of the starry dark mountains of Astralar. Talon hummed and gently took up a cloth to wipe at the sweat forming on the boy’s face.
Re: [memory] kurohane
Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2019 11:23 pm
by Riven
Dark images haunted Riven's dreams; a flurry of different scenes in which he couldn't do anything at all. A gigantic man beating him up. A woman crying as a sword cut her pregnant belly open. A group of grown men kicking a boy on the floor. A whole village throwing stones at him. His own wings freezing and falling apart.
A man that looked like him melting, his black wings burning and turning into ash.
Riven woke up sweating; he didn't open his eyes right open though. The first thing he felt was the pain. Nothing unbearable; nothing he hadn't felt before... Until he moved his wing a bit. He bit his inner cheek to avoid screaming; a resource he was used to resort to when he got beaten up; usually, screaming meant an increase of hits and a decrease of mercy, if there ever was any. He finally opened his eyes; his eyesight was blurry, there was someone rubbing his forehead and humming something he'd never heard before. He tried to tilt his neck, but he probably had a bruised shoulder and it seemed like a bad idea. He breathed in: he couldn't really move, so he tried to comform witht he fact that he'd have to let his eyes do the work.
He looked around. He was in a well lit room; there were lamps, so he guessed it was night outside. He tried to remember how he'd gotten there, but it was blurry; crossing the mountains, out of food, the fever... Damn, he just remembered it and it hit him back like a firestorm; his head burned like hell. The melody the boy (he was pretty sure he was a boy) was humming was strangely soothing though. He remembered that, and then... The city. He saw a city, one with curved rooftops and elegant gardens. He couldn't have had imagined that; he had never seen anything like that. And then everything was black.
He decided to finally take a good look at the boy. He was bigger than him; almost a man, probably, with dark hair buzzed by the sides of his head, the rest gathered in a ponytail. He seemed impressed; he had noticed him staring... And he had stopped singing. Riven wished he hadn't. He was wearing some sort of clean, fancy clothing... And he had a large pair of silver wings on his back. Strangely enough, he didn't seem upset with Riven... So he guessed he wasn't one of his pursuers, and let out a deep breath. He decided to say something; he had a stupid doubt... But there was a possibility, right? It wouldn't be so bad. Besides, he felt funny; he wasn't feeling the pain anymore. He smiled a bit.
"Er... I'm not... dead... Am I?" He asked. Using his lungs was a tad tough; he remembered the huge bruise he had under his shirt.
Re: [memory] kurohane
Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2019 11:52 pm
by Talon
When the boy stirred, Talon paused in patting dry his forehead to avoid hurting him. A look of concern crossed his face as he watched the boy toss and turn before awakening.
“Easy. It’s okay. You are safe.” He watched as the boy got his bearings and settled down into a more steady rhythm of breathing. Talon could see the pain and discomfort written in the lines of the boy’s face. There was fear, very real fear, in the young one’s posture. It made Talon wonder what had put it there. When those wide eyes focused on him however, Talon was taken slightly aback. The boy’s eyes shone dimly, glazed though they were with the touch of exhaustion that must have plucked at every part of the boy’s body. Rings of blue fire stared back at him. Talon was struck speechless for a moment before he managed to get his bearings again. His grey eyes softened.
“No. You are very much alive.” Talon rose from his chair. He went to a nearby table grabbing a pitcher of water. He poured some water into a cup, then returned to his seat where he offered it to the boy.
“Do you know where you are? Do you remember how you got here?” Part of Talon told him that he should leave well enough alone. He had no business being around a boy suspected of being a Kathar. Were they not the epitome of evil? Had they not wanted to keep all Avialae as slaves beneath the claws of the Kindred? They were anathema to the Synnekar. Everything they stood for was appalling. Wasn’t it?
As Talon stared at the injured boy in the bed before him though, all he could feel was a great sadness and a desire to help. He shouldn’t feel that for a Kathar. Shouldn’t he?
“I am Talon. This is my home. You were brought here after you crashed into the garden.” Talon folded his hands in his lap. His wings stretched and then relaxed, the feather fluffing slightly before settling down.
Re: [memory] kurohane
Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2019 7:34 am
by Riven
Riven slowly exhaled as he confirmed he was not dead, after all. He chuckled a bit while the boy got up to get him some water; the simplest convulsion that came with laughing felt like a whipping of pain up his spine. He closed his eyes hard; he didn't want to scream and startle the only person taking care of him. He observed him come and go through the room; his mind wasn't as foggy now, and Riven was suprised when the water he came back with was for Riven and not his caretaker himself. He wasn't too used to be taken care of anyways.
"Thank you... But I don't think I can move my shoulder for now, and my other arm is broken. So I guess I'll... Wait?" He said with a bitter smile. He felt like someone had left an anvil on his chest, pinning him to the soft bed. And then the other Avialae began to ask him questions. He was pretty sure about him being an Avialae; he was bigger than him, and Riven was the size of a grown human already. He didn't look like a bird Rathari at all, if he had to be honest to himself. But he was missing the cruel, sadic smile most Avialae he knew had. Maybe he was like the Curate, who had actually been a decent man. It took Riven a second before realizing that the boy taking care of him had actually asked him a couple of questions... That he did not know the answer to. The right one at least. And his head hurt; the light overstepping had risen his body temperature way too much.
"Eh... I'm not sure. It's... blurry. I remember crossing the mountains... Sort of. And seeing a lake in the distance. And then... I think I fell." He said, staying silent for a while. His wing was broken, so that must had been the reason. It was fine before he passed out. "I don't really know where we are, either... People in the forests in Turoth mentioned the winged people of the north... But I don't think they meant..." He stopped. He was about to say 'my people', but he didn't think it was a good idea. "I think they talked about you. The winged men of the Jewel of the North." His head pulsed, and he lost focus for a second; his caretaker looked visibly worried.
"I-- I'm sorry. For ruining your garden... I guess." He said, smiling at Talon." You look like you were in the middle of something, Talon." He said, grinning when he said his name. "I... I'm Riven." He said, though his happy expression was suddenly darkened by another strong twinge of stabbing pain.
Re: [memory] kurohane
Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2019 8:47 am
by Talon
“Oh! Apologies. I should have realized…” Talon scanned the boy. The bandages and the splints keeping some of his injured limbs in place should have been a clue that he wouldn’t be in the best position to help himself. He set the water on the night stand beside the bed within arm’s reach. Well, at least within arm’s reach for him.
“Crossing the mountains?” Talon blinked. He couldn’t think of anyone he knew that would cross the mountains during this time of year. It was well known that the Black Road in the Astralar Mountains was notoriously dangerous as the year grew colder. Coupled with the natural dangers of the already unfriendly colossal peaks, it was a miracle that they could get through them during the warmer months of the year. The ability to fly helped immensely but that could only ferry goods so far. The city’s focus on maintaining the road was one of the reasons it was so well traversed as one of the safest passages through the terrain.
“These people you talked to were on the other side of the mountains?” It was more of a rhetorical question than anything. The way the boy was speaking, as though the Avialae of Kalzasi were foreign to him, that he was not one of them, confirmed what his father had known immediately. Talon observed the boy carefully. He seemed terribly fragile despite being the size of a fully grown human male. Lean, strong muscles formed his physique and there was a classic structure to his facial features that was similar but different from the Avialae in Kalzasi.
“You’re a Kathar.” Talon said it matter-of-factly. There was no accusation in his voice. There was no contempt or fear. There was perhaps a bit of sadness for the state of the young man in front of him but that was all.
“Haha, my garden is quite large. You have nothing to worry about.” Talon smiled kindly then. “You are in Kalzasi, the Jewel of the Northlands and home to your brother clan, the Synnekar Avialae.”
Talon took hold of the cup of water from the night stand and moved closer to Riven. He gently reached out and brought the cup to the young man’s lips so that he could drink.
“Here. Drink. You’re safe now, Riven. I’ll take care of you.”
Re: [memory] kurohane
Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2019 10:57 am
by Riven
Riven allowed himself to nod. It still hurt a bit, but he wanted to communicate with Talon. He wasn't sure about the reason, but he felt... Oddly at peace. Like the weight of fear had been lifted of his shoulders, now that he had little to lose. He didn't know if he was free or a prisoner to those people, but he simply didn't care; they had taken care of his injuries and Talon seemed genuinely worried about him.
"I don't remember much, honestly... But it was hard. I had to do it anyway. I couldn't just stay close to Tedezar..." He muttered. He still felt awful, but being able to share some parts of that made it a bit easier to endure the pain and the exhaustion. He was still tired... But he was fighting to stay awake, to show the boy in front of him that he wasn't a threat.
It had been the people in the forests, to the west. Mostly Dratori and some Rathari that inhabited them. Humans as well. They talked about the winged men almost reverently, with a great deal of respect, apparently. "I think they called it... I can't remember now. Something about a forge. I'm sorry, I'm just..." He said, his eyes closing for a minute. He was clearly struggling to think... But Talon's next sentence almost made him freeze.
"You're a Kathar". That was, essentially, true. Riven was an Avialae; the Avialae in Lorien formed the Kathar elite, the servants of the Kindred. Riven loathed them, but then again, he must have had a father... And that father had to be a Kathar as well. "I guess you're right. I am a Kathar... But I'm a traitor. They don't want me anymore; if went back to Lorien..." He didn't finish his sentence, but it was obvious that the outcome wouldn't be good.
"I... I never heard about this place. I thought... Synnekar? But Synnar was a traitor, and he was... Ripped open by the Kindred, and his followers' wings were ripped out until they bled to death..." He muttered. His instructor had delightedly narrated him the story several times; if Riven showed any kind of horror or compassion for the traitors, he ended up on the floor with a slashed lip to learn to shut up. He felt his strenght slowly sapped by the conversation. Talon ended up approaching the cup to his lips though; he thought he wasn't thirsty, but the second his lips touched that clean, fresh water, he kept drinking up, managing to finish the cup in spite of the pain.
"Talon... Thank you. You shouldn't be doing this... Right? You don't seem to be dressed for an infirmary..."
Re: [memory] kurohane
Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2019 11:21 am
by Talon
Talon carefully held the cup to Riven’s lips so that the boy could drink his fill. When it was empty, he set it on the nightstand. He would refill it soon but he didn’t want the boy to throw up.
“I don’t know what stories you’ve been told. I can only imagine that they’re terrible.” Talon returned to his seat. He rest both of his elbows upon his thighs and set his chin in his hands. He studied Riven pensively.
“We’re told the Kathar butchered us. Chased us through the wilds at the behest of the Kindred so that our heads could be split open for them to feast upon our brains.” Talon suppressed a shiver but his wings fluttered slightly. He brought one around so that he could smooth out the feathers, cleaning them absentmindedly as best he could. Usually this was something one of his sisters enjoyed doing.
“I’m not surprised you’ve never heard of us. From what I know, Lorien isn’t the kindest place.” Truth be told, nothing he’d ever heard or read about during his education had lead him to believe that any realm in Turoth was a kind place. They all sounded mired in spite, filth and fostered such a churning hate for one another it baffled him. There were times when he wondered if the Sundering hadn’t struck the world in an attempt to wipe the slate clean. Then there were times when he thought that all the cataclysm did was make it worse. When Riven commented on his attire, a fine black coat with silver trim and grey pants tucked into knee high polished boots, Talon chuckled. A sash covered Talon’s front and it was decorated with the symbol of House Novalys in soft silver and white.
“No. I am not a doctor. I just...you were hurt. I wanted to make sure you were okay.” Talon smiled. His grey eyes shone brightly for a moment. The most he knew about how to take care of anyone was what little he learned when one of his siblings was ill. Feeding them broth, telling them stories, recognizing when their fever was high. Talon was no doctor and he had no desire to be one, he knew that his talents and his interests lay elsewhere.
“Why did you run away?” Even as he said the words, Talon knew that it was going to be a sensitive subject. A boy did not run away from his home and flee without reason. If any of the stories about Lorien and what it meant for Avialae were to be believed, Talon knew that Riven’s life had been a terrible one. He couldn’t imagine living as little more than a glorified slave. It was an appalling thought to him. The idea of anyone living a life in shackles filled Talon with an inordinate rage. Slavery was outlawed in Kalzasi, though he knew several of the other Cities in the Noth allowed the practice and even perpetuated the trade. Such outlaws never passed through Kalzasi’s ports. At least, Talon hoped they didn’t. He’d only heard his father and the other council members discussing the subject a smattering of times. Talks of rehabilitating the victims and sentencing the slavers to serve in the Dead Legion had been all he’d heard. He knew that in the High City of Zaichaer, slavery was alive and well. It made Talon think on the irony of the city-states collectively being called the Free Cities.
Re: [memory] kurohane
Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2019 8:00 pm
by Riven
Riven's expression hardened when Talon mentioned how the Kathar had treated their people, and then mentioned Lorien. Basically, he believed him; their journey wasn't too different to Riven's own, except for the fact that the Kindred didn't eat. At least that's what the Curate had told him after... that person had told a little Riven that the Kindred would rip him open and eat his guts if he kept crying. And concerning Lorien... "I don't know how much you know about Lorien... But it's hell on this plane. I'd rather have you execute me than send me back." He said, with a dark expression in his eyes. He actually sounded serious.
His head dropped back on the pillow, tired and pained by the sudden memories of his homeland. He rolled his eyes playfully when Talon said he wasn't a doctor though; he didn't look like one at all. Rather than that... He paid more attention to the boy's outfit; it seemed pretty expensive, constructed using expensive fabrics and with a distinctive... "Talon... What's that symbol on your..." He asked, unsure. "You... You're a noble. Right? That's what they used to wear to parties in Lorien... But different." He said. The fashions looked familiar... But they were very distinct. He remembered several noble men attending parties as he flew through the Rien skies, from the fortress to the abbey.
Before he could get the answer though, Talon had made another question... And that was one he couldn't answer, as much as he tried to. He felt a knot forming in his throat; his wings contracted a bit and he felt the excruciating pain of his broken wing, making him strongly close his eyes as he remembered his reasons, the hatred... The man that had turned his life into hell, and the one that had given him hope to escape. His eyes filled up with tears. "I-- I just... I can't tell you. I just can't. I... Needed to get out and never come back." He whispered, looking right into Talon's eyes. "Please, Talon... Just... Trust me on that. I'm not one of them. I've never wanted to. I just needed a safe place to be away from them, but he... He chased me..." He said, sobbing. Tears streamed down his face; his countenance was filled with fear and despair; he just wanted that fear gone already.
Re: [memory] kurohane
Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2019 9:06 pm
by Talon
“I-” Talon hesitated. For some reason he didn’t want to tell this boy who he was. He was the son of the Shokaze, the ruler of Kalzasi, a prince in all but name. Everywhere he looked, people expected him to one day succeed his father. It didn’t matter that the Daizoku chose the next sovereign of the city and its holdings, it was all but established that he would be declared the next heir to the throne. And for the first time in his life, as he stared at the young man who had fallen from the skies, who had run away from a life that must have been terrible, Talon found himself questioning if he wanted that.
“I am just Talon.” That was all the answer he could give. It was true and not. He was himself but there was much that went along with that. There was much unspoken in that simple sentence. He discarded all of those thoughts however when he saw how upset his question had made Riven. Reaching out, the Avialae gently took hold of the boy’s unbroken hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
“Hey, it is alright. You do not have to tell me.” Talon smiled brightly. “No one is chasing you here. No one is going to hurt you while you are with me. You are safe here.”
There came a knock on the door before it opened. One of the servants stepped inside.
“My lord? Your father is calling for you.” Talon sighed inwardly. He couldn’t refuse his father. Gently he let go of Riven’s hand and stood up, speaking over his shoulder.
“I will be there shortly.” The servant bowed and stepped out of the room. As they did so, there came a soft fluttering of wings and a gentle trill. Talon was instantly smiling as he felt small paws land lightly on his shoulder. The feeling of a soft, fuzzy face nuzzling against his chin made him chuckle.
“There are you are!” Talon looked down into the chubby, fruit filled cheeks of his minova bat. The fluffy, furry winged creature had a pristine white coat of fur. The animal was emitting soft chirps of happiness as it perched on Talon’s shoulder. He gave the bat a few gentle pets beneath its chin.
“Trinket? I have a job for you.” The bat quirked its head and Talon nodded toward Riven. “Someone is in need of cuddles. Will you give them? Will you be gentle?”
Trinket, the little bat, perked up at the mention of cuddles. Nothing made the little fuzzy creature happier than warm snuggling. Talon chuckled before gently grasping the minova bat as it fluffed up in excitement. He extended the bat to Riven.
“This is Trinket. My friend. He is very gentle. If you allow it, he will keep you company while I am away.” The bat was leaning forward in Talon’s hands, sniffing curiously at Riven.
“What do you say? I promise to be back but I’d hate for you to be alone. Will you let Trinket keep you company, Riven?”
Re: [memory] kurohane
Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2019 11:49 am
by Riven
Riven nodded. The knot in his throat started to shrink; he tried to breathe in, the last tears running down his face as he made a big effort to banish the thoughts troubling him from his mind, leaving it blank. The wounds were still open, both physically and psychologically, and they hurt when given enough power, enough attention. He clinged to Talon's hard with the little strength he had left. He wasn't ready to face his fears yet; he cursed his own weakness... Before realizing that was exactly what the Kathar had wanted from him; to burn everything they had considered weak, to destroy every bit of emotion they couldn't use. He closed his eyes; his head felt like an anvil a blacksmith kept bashing with a hammer.
He managed to open them up as another person got in the room; from his position, he couldn't see her, but she had clearly referred to Talon as her Lord. He wondered why the older Avialae had avoided answering his question, if it was obvious that he was nobility even to Riven, who was pretty light headed due to whatever he had been given to soothe his pain. Talon seemed extremely uncomfortable about having to leave though; Riven didn't know why, but he understood Talon's answer better now. Whatever it was, he wasn't happy to leave... And Riven smiled a tad bit. It was nice knowing that he'd rather take care of him than attend any of his noble duties.
And suddenly a small creature got in the room from the window; Riven had never seen nothing like it. It did look like a bat, but its neck was covered in white soft, fluffy fur, chirping happily on Talon's (Riven guessed the boy was his owner) shoulder. He had a hardened leathery tail and he seemed to love pets; every bat Riven had seen in Lorien was leathery and had a pretty bad temper if you hit them on flight. He noticed his furry neck inflating and deflating as the minova breathed; he wondered if it was some kind of inflatable membrane. He couldn't avoid grinning thought; perched on Talon's gallant shoulder, the not-so-small bat looked adorable.
Riven smiled as both pet and owner approached his bed, Trinket carefully sniffing him. He felt self-conscious; the nurses seemed to have washed some of the dirt and his wounds, but he hadn't bathed in days... He hoped Trinket wouldn't mind. He didn't seem to, though. "I... I'd like him to stay... If you have to go. He's really cute... You're so soft, Trinket" He said, smiling. He didn't have much of an experience with pets, but that bat behaved almost like a puppy. He seemed intelligent enough to understand Riven wanted him to stay; as Talon extended his hand, he flew softly towards Riven's head and perched there, on his messy, overgrown blond locks. He patted Riven's head with his hard tail a bit; when Riven complained with an "Ow" He just jumped down to his good shoulder, staying there and rubbing his furry neck on the boy's cheek. Riven giggled a bit as Talon waved his hand and disappeared behind the door, saying bye in a quiet voice as he noticed his surroundings starting to fade. He turned towards Trinket and rubbed his nose on the bat's small belly, smiling as he started to fall prey to his exhaustion, not too long before he finally closed his eyes and his head fell on his pillow. Talon's pet made himself comfortable and coiled into a fluffy ball on the boy's shoulder, sleeping next to him now that his mission had been accomplished.
