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Post by Keleero on Jan 2, 2016 1:25:46 GMT 1
OOC: This thread takes place on the early morning of Day 16, before the current "present time" threads (Looking for Medicine/New Arrival(s)/Hot Water for the Injured). Keeping it closed to Keleero and Sefu to avoid timeline confusion  IC:Though he was used to dwelling deep within a mountain, Keleero was no stranger to sunlight. Steepside Mountain had a viewing space at its top where the great eagels dwelled, where any elf who wished could breathe fresh air and take in the view. Thus Keleero had the habit of sleeping when the sun did - a habit not all of his new 'tribemates' seemed to share. He wasn't completely alone at waking in the early morning, but he was alone enough to get a moment to himself. He didn't dare sleep all night, since that left him vunerable to attack and also could lose him time to build alliances; but he made sure to get a moment of wakefulness during daylight here and there. This morning he'd made his way to the hot spring he'd been busy shaping. It had come along well, despite him having to work alone, and he could hardly wait to finish! Not that the water was unsuitable for bathing now, no, but he wished to get the bathing chamber in a shape more like...home. OOC: Musen, feel free to have Sefu be in the hot spring cave or have him come in after Keleero, whichever suits you best
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Post by Sefu on Jan 2, 2016 4:10:38 GMT 1
This new place was different, very much different. It was colder in these caves compared to the intense heat Sefu was used to, and the darkness was only lit by fires, almost like constant night. Sefu knew from the other elves that there was a sun and that it did rise, but he was not strong enough to leave the caves and see it.
Aside from that the pearlescent-tressed elf felt useless. He was still weak and too much movement hurt his joints. It wasn't as bad as on the first day, but he felt like he was just a nuisance to these elves that had a hard time already. He couldn't even do any work since his hands were still to weak and his fingers were useless for any types of dexterous tasks. He had been urged instead to care for his body and only to move if he went to the springs to use the warmth to ease the hurts. And it did help with easing the near constant pains, which was a good thing since he didn't want to inconvenience Panaetha and Mindlingt too much. They were nice, but he didn't feel comfortable with having them heal his ailments, mostly because he didn't like telling them how much he actually hurt.
His sleep had also been fitful, with all the sleeping elves around him, and so this morning he had woken early again, slightly out of breath and disoriented. No one in the room had been awake so he had choosen to actually venture down to the spring for an actual soak. It would be his first time seeing the springs he felt strong enough to try and brave short travel.
For that reason he had been soaking for some time in the warm waters when Keleero entered the room. He knew that Keleero used to work on this chamber and wondered if he would mind Sefu staying there. He looked up at the other elf and then looked every where but at him. "Sh-should I let you work in peace?" He stammered and quickly moved to get up which resulted in him wincing and just sinking back in the water with a slight frown of pain. The quick movement had made it hurt more than it had before the water.
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Post by Keleero on Jan 2, 2016 13:48:04 GMT 1
Keleero started, not having realized Sefu was in the room until he spoke. I must be more tired than I thought. Not a good thing - most of the worst events in his life had transpired when he'd been sleep deprived. Maybe I should put in an effort to sleep longer periods. But that would require surer allies. Here there was no Dakran, Ashre, Hamitee or Ramora to keep an eye out while he rested. Sixteen days and he still had no one he trusted that well - he'd had millenia to develop his previous alliances, after all, and they had been strengthened by blood.
That said, there was no time like the present to continue that work! Keleero hadn't spoken much to Sefu in the four days the newer elf had been in the caves - he didn't seem like a very talkactive person - and Keleero doubted he'd get a better first chance than this. The two of them were alone and Sefu was clearly in pain. Keleero couldn't be much safer in this strange place. Time to make an offer of friendship.
"Oh no, do stay seated," Keleero said, holding his hands up in a calming gesture. "You don't look like you should be moving too much. Is the water helping? I could make the seat softer for you, if you wish." Not permanently, of course, but a little comfort wouldn't be too much of a strain on his magic. "I would have gotten the seats better shaped earlier, but I've been concentrating on getting the water flow right first."
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Post by Sefu on Jan 3, 2016 3:50:08 GMT 1
"Oh," he said and immediately sank down again before continuing, "th-thank you, and yes the water is helping to sooth the aches, but you don't have to go that far. Not for m-me." He looked down into the water, but in his eyes there was a warmth: the elves here were so nice and helpful compared to most humans.
"I-I think it's fine already this room it has it’s charm being so rustic. But I shall look forward to what your plans are for this chamber.” He nodded, his face stoic but with still warm eyes, as if to reassure himself that he was allowed to have an opinion on the matter. He was very curious about this stone shaping magic of Keleero’s. Sefu had always felt more conscious of his surroundings when they had been of stone, so he was almost sick with excitement to know more of the other elf’s skills.
He shifted slightly in the water and it mostly looked like he wanted to do something, but actually he wanted to say something and was too self-conscious to do so.
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Post by Keleero on Jan 3, 2016 17:07:18 GMT 1
Looked like he was on the right path with this one. Keleero did his best to keep his smile gentle instead of pleased - it wasn't as if he had any actual ulterior motives, other than his own survival. Keeping his expression in check was a bit tricky though, since it seemed he'd finally found a person he could related to. Keleero highly doubted elves like No-Sting or Choice would have used a word like 'rustic' or even knew what it meant.
"Rustic indeed!" Keleero agreed, smiling his first genuine smile in a long, long time. "I've thought about creating smaller vents for the steam, or perhaps to lead some of the hot water around in a circle in the walls and floor of the other rooms. We have a system like that back in Steepside Mountain - keeps our chambers warm even when storms rage outside." He didn't know if he could recreate that system, but furs could only do so much. "I'm really not used to this cold weather. What about you? What's the weather like when you come from?"
As he spoke, he continued in the task he'd set before himself; shaping the small likeness of a gigant eagel on one of the walls near the bath - a common decoration back in Steepside and also an opportunity to create a convenient handhold, for support when getting in and out of the water; something Sefu looked like he needed. Keleero made sure the gigant eagel's claws were dull enough to be safe to touch, but still accurate to its real life likeness - and that they ended up at the right height for someone like Sefu to naturally hold onto while getting out of the bath.
"We have plenty of these back at Steepside," Keleero chatted on, as if Steepside was a pleasant place to live and not...what it had become. "Though I can't count the years since I last flew on one of them. Magnificent beasts, big enough to lift a deer right off the ground. Do you have any decorations you'd like in here? Something to remind you of, eh, pleasant things?" The eagel wasn't really that to Keleero, but it was familiar. And he really needed familiar now.
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Post by Sefu on Jan 3, 2016 22:41:46 GMT 1
Sefu's social interaction had luckily only been encouraged since he had arrived here so he had the courage to continue talking especially since it seemed that Keleero actually enjoyed talking with him.
"It sounds very intricate this heating system. I think some might have had something like it back in Shurnis, but I cannot be sure. But everyone had windcatchers that ventilated their homes," He didn't really know much about it but he had been told so by Zayn who had been very into these things. "Heating isn't really necessary back there: during the day it will be very warm already. It would certainly be nice if it could be warmer in here. I find myself shivering from cold if do not stay near the fires or under the furs," he gave a tiny shiver as if just talking about it made him feel colder even in the warm waters.
Whilst both he Keleero spoke he admired the other’s work. It was very lifelike and reminded him of the birds of prey of home, but those had been nowhere near as big as this statue or what Keleero described. He started poking and proding slightly at the sorest points of his body, trying to massage some of the lingering pain away.
Sefu was brought up short, utterly baffled by Keleero asking him for his preferences in the decoration of the bathing chamber. He looked up at the other elf, his slight panic showing in his eyes and in the slight draw of the corners of his mouth. In the beginning Junayd had sometimes asked him for his opinion and used any type of answer as a reason for punishment.
“I, uh, I wouldn’t really be the one to ask that," He instantaneously averted his eyes again and lowered his head, but he did continue as his panic slowly drained from him. He reminded himself that the human could not in any way punish him any more, "b-but I did have a favorite mural I enjoyed looking at. Master Navid had this beautiful mural made for his wife after their marriage. I never met her but it was obvious that he had loved her very much.". Now instead he was slightly embarassed. In a way Sefu had been jealous of the devotion the old human had shown his dead wife and hoped that one day he would be able to devote himself like that.
He rose slowly from his seated position in the water and walked the small distance over to Keleero. He lifted his hand and made as if to touch the sculpture, but stopped right before his fingers caressed the stone eagle. For a short moment he raised his eyes to look the other in the face, but quickly looked back at the statue. "M-may I touch it?" he asked in a quite voice, almost holding his breath in anticipation. Sefu really wanted to admire the sculpture and he had been a very tactile person before in his life.
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Post by Keleero on Jan 4, 2016 16:59:23 GMT 1
"Then you must be from a place much like Sunset's home," Keleero said when Sefu told of Shurnis. He thought the windcatchers sounded fascinating - though sadly useless in this cold, windy place. "She's told me she used to live where there was sand as far as the eyes could see and heat to rival anything I've ever felt, outside of a hot spring. Though I confess I am no more used to cold than heat. Steepside Mountain always maintained a pleasant temperature, no matter the weather outside." Keleero didn't send these memories and examples. Not yet - it would be too familiar to share such things. He almost regretted that when panic suddenly entered Sefu's eyes. Keleero cast his mind back, trying to puzzel out what had set Sefu off. Before he could come to a conclusion, Sefu thankfully spoke again, not sounding overly upset. "A mural, what a wonderful idea!" Keleero hurried to say. He both liked the idea and wished to put Sefu at ease. He had no idea what a "wife" or "marriage" was, but he assumed those were human words. Not knowing any greater details of Sefu's past, Keleero at least knew enough of humans to put two and two together. Good that one of us can be glad to have been snatched here - no one deserves to be a victim to those beasts! No matter how well Jaseio spoke of humans, Keleero could never picture them as anything but monsters, set on torturing all elves. "What did it look like? I can try to copy it or make something similiar, if you show me." When Sefu got to his feet and waded through the pool to stand by Keleero's side, Keleero was reminded of how tall Sefu was. Not that Keleero was short himself - only four elves here other than Sefu towered over him - but Sefu always gave such a careful and hunched up impression one could forget his impressive height if distracted. "Of course you can touch it," Keleero said, gesturing at the eagel's claws. He could understand the need to not make eye-contact; in certain situations back at Steepside such a familiar act could have cost him dearly. "That's what they're for. I've always thought that decorations having a function as well as being pleasing to the eye is beneficial. Why make a boring old hand-hold when it can be beautiful?" OOC: Feel free to have Sefu show signs of rockshaping magic if you want |
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Post by Sefu on Jan 19, 2016 15:51:46 GMT 1
OOC: YAS! It shall be with much enjoyment! ^^
IC:
"What you describe as Sunset's home sounds much like Shurnis, though the humans found ways to make their cities green with plant life in some places," Sefu told. He'd had a few fond memories of spending time in some of those gardens, though that luxury had only been given him for a short amount of years.
“I would love to show you it, but I’m not sure how I could,” He thought of how Mindlight and Panaetha had shared through their minds with him and how familiar it had felt, though he could not remember when he had felt that before.
He caressed the eagle’s claws reverently and raised his hand to admire the detail of the body. He got to thinking that it would be wonderful if he could show Keleero by shaping the mural out of stone like the other had done the eagle. A twitch of the corner of his mouth was the only visible mirth that accompanied a slight snort which passed for Sefu’s laughter. If only such fantasies could be real.
But still he turned to inspect the room for a place where the mural might fit in. “They were usually painted on tiles,” he explained to Keleero while studying a piece of cave wall that was decently smooth, but quickly added, “I mean, the murals in Shurnis. Since there are no tiles or ceramic paint here it would have to be done differently.”
A small sigh left him and he carded a hand through his pearlescent strands. He made his way slowly to the wall downcast and caressed it thinking how wonderful it would be to have the exquisite mural made aeonic here.
And suddenly it was as if the stone had changed, shifted, formed to his wish under his touch though only so slightly that he was sure he was fooling himself with imaginings. The stone had probably been like that the whole time he just hadn’t spotted it. He stepped back, not daring to believe his eyes, turned to Keleero with eyes opened large in shock. “Did-? Wha-? Stone? Me? Why? How?” Sefu tried to utter something coherent, but the words ineloquently tumbled from his mouth without direction.
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Post by Keleero on Jan 20, 2016 22:43:00 GMT 1
Green plants growing with endless heat and sand - it sounded mad to Keleero, but he had to admit he had no knowledge of plant life beyond what little he'd learned from friends. His work had always been with stone, or to entertain... High Ones, did his dancing skills feel ever useless in this place. At least he had this. Contributing with making the living space more liveable made him worthy his share of the food at least in some ways. If only he'd been a hunter or a warrior...
Sefu's words thankfully distracted him from such grey thoughts. "I think someone here must know how to make paints," Keleero said, warming to the subject. It was so good to have someone to talk to about things that didn't involve grim survival! "I shall have to ask around, but-"
A familiar glow around one of Sefu's hands cut Keleero off short. He could feel what that glow did, how it moved and shaped the wall Sefu touched. It was there for only a heartbeat and the changes to the wall were faint, but there was no denying what had happened.
Had this been at back at Steepside Mountain, Sefu's blooming powers would have meant a myriad of possible things to Keleero. A fellow rockshaper was always a rival there, always a possible threat, but also a possible ally. Here though, where Keleero was the only shaper of that kind, Sefu's magic presented a much more clean-cut opportunity.
Keleero didn't need to force a smile in the face of Sefu's confusion. Either Sefu was a great liar or the elf had had no idea what he was capable of - which wasn't that unusual when one first discovered one's own magic. Sefu seemed a little old to be finding his for the first time, but Keleero wasn't about to question his good fortune.
"You're a rockshaper!" he exclaimed, positively beaming at Sefu - as much as Keleero had ever been able to beam at anyone since Steepside had fallen into the cruel hands of Elyro. His joy was genuine, though. Not only for himself and for the opportunity to offer mentorship to one new at magic, but for Sefu as well. Magic was a great gift, whatever Elyro and his ilk thought, and Keleero would celebrate any scrap of the High Ones' glory any elf could find for themself.
Keleero waited for Sefu to stop spluttering before he asked: "Have you had any lessons?" It seemed politer than to say 'you didn't know, did you?'
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Post by Sefu on Jan 21, 2016 0:57:30 GMT 1
Sefu’s confusion turned to astonishment. He was a rockshaper? He stared at his own hand that had been enveloped in a soft glow at the contact with the stone a short moment ago.
“I- Lessons? I’ve had many ‘lessons’, but no, I have had none concerning,” for a short moment he looked up at Keleero, but quickly turned his gaze to study both his hands with rapt attention, “rockshaping?” he answered as if he couldn’t quite grasp it.
He had this quirky feeling in his stomach he thought he recognised as happiness. He hadn’t been happy in any way for a very long time. And the way Keleero was beaming-though-not-quite-beaming was reassuring somehow. It seemed like the tall elf was trying to smile a smile that was deep in his eyes, but it only manifested by way of one corner of his mouth quirking slightly upwards.
He never wanted to leave this strange place that had taken him from his servitude!
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Post by Keleero on Jan 21, 2016 23:28:14 GMT 1
The utter shock Sefu radiated made Keleero feel secure in his approach. In his opinion, Sefu clearly needed a mentor. And what better way to avoid ending up with a rival rockshaper than to be said rockshaper's teacher? Even in a place like Steepside Mountain gratitude had gone a long way when it came to forming alliances - and Keleero had to admit, if only just a little, that this place was very different from his birth mountain. Hopefully different in a good way, but he wasn't about to bet on that.
"We could begin right away," Keleero said, trying to hide his eagerness. "I might not be the most experienced of teachers, but I have mentored other rockshapers before." He hesitated. "It...it would be easier if we were linked by sending, but I understand if you'd like to wait with that."
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Post by Sefu on Feb 3, 2016 13:54:16 GMT 1
“I-I wouldn’t mind starting now, I guess?” Sefu said hesitantly, “But I do not know how to link by s-sending?” He didn’t really know what it was or how it worked, but he guessed it was what Mindlight and Panaetha had done. “How does this ‘sending’ work?” He asked looking hesitantly towards Keleero.
He was eager to learn about his newly revealed ability and also this new sending thing, but he was fearing that it would turn out to be like how he had been ‘taught’ when he had first been caught. Even so Keleero didn’t seem at all to be like those humans with their whips, knives and fists, so he knew in a way that his fear was irrational.
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Post by Keleero on Feb 10, 2016 22:50:58 GMT 1
Oh, this was quite a surprise! Sending was as natural as breathing to Keleero, and while he'd come to accept that there were many kinds of elves, he'd never realized one could be untrained when it came to sending. Such a strange thing. Sefu even sounded like he had little idea of what sending even was!
Lost in thought at this revelation, Keleero found himself floating a hand's breadth above the floor; as he was wont to do when distracted.
"You've been able to hear others' thoughts that they've sent you, surely?" he asked Sefu. He thought he remembered someone telling him they'd sent to Sefu, but he couldn't be sure. "I think it is there we must start, before we begin with rockshaping. The teaching of the second depends on the first. But never fear, I'm sure you'll be a quick study when it comes to sharing thoughts. Let us make an attempt!"
**Can you hear me?** Keleero sent, making sure to keep the sending as free of emotions as possible. Only curiosity poked through his mental net, following his words into Sefu's mind.
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Post by Sefu on Mar 1, 2016 0:19:10 GMT 1
A tiny, almost inaudible gasp escaped Sefu when Keleero started to float. He was learning so much just this morning. Elves, or at least some elves, could also fly. The floating Keleero in front of him slightly stole his attention so he inattentively moved to sit down in the water again.
As Keleero spoke his attention was brought back to the actual subject at hand again. The dark skinned elf nodded in answer, “Yes, I have heard others voices in my head,” he affirmed and continued with a low mumble, “So that is what sending is…”
This time though being aware what was happening he was taken by surprise when Keleero sent to him. He could even feel the other elf’s curiosity. He was unsure of how to answer, but he tried to project affirmation back at Keleero, whilst concentrating very hard with his eyes closed. His insecurity about not being able to answer, but also his own curiosity and eagerness to learn followed with his first attempted sending. After a short moment he opened his eyes and looked to Keleero questioningly. Had he done it? He thought he might have, but what did he know?
OOC: you may decide if he succeeds and if he does, how well it goes through ^^
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Post by Keleero on Mar 4, 2016 23:03:24 GMT 1
Keleero was left stunned for a moment at the weak sending-reply he got from Sefu. It was a reply, that was certain - he could feel Sefu's feelings - but it was a jumbled, faint one, as if Sefu were sending to him from far away or deep beneath the ground. It wasn't an uncommon type of sending to receive, but it wasn't exactly that of a child's. Children often over-shared; something one learned to avoid quickly in Steepside Mountain. No, Sefu's sending reminded Keleero of those who'd been unlucky enough to earn Lord Elyro's ire; many of his favorite victims rarely sent, even after Elyro's fall. Keleero himself-, No! No, this is not the time for such thoughts!Still floating, and too distracted to have noted Sefu's reaction to his flying, Keleero did his best to not look like he was studying his companion closely (something at which he thankfully had millenia of practice behind him). Had Sefu been hurt like... that? Surely no human had such a skill! That possibility, remote as it seemed, terrified Keleero more than the memories of Lord Elyro. And how did one go about addressing such things, especially with an elf who was more or less a complete stranger?! Finally, after a long moment of silence, Keleero said: "Have you...have you sent before? Before you came here, I mean. I-I heard you answer me, in case you were wondering. I just want to know what kind of training you've had before...here." Awkward and stilted, but he hoped he'd managed to hide his fear. Anger and calculation he'd mastered long ago, but fear he'd never been able to completely best; and the thought of humans possibly able to send shook him to his core. OOC: Hope my description of Sefu's sending was okay with you! I'll edit it if not I based my thoughts on Sefu's sending on how differently children and adults learn among us humans - I just thought an adult learning to send should "feel" a bit different than a child doing the same; and since Keleero has been through some rough mental stuff, he's bound to go to the darkest places when he assumes things  |
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