Chosen [Part 1]
Nov. 1st, 2011 09:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
esp_dragonFandom: Original
Summary: Ras has just been chosen by the Gods to protect humans from geists, beings that prey on people's souls. Sent by Them to aid her is Aldran, a psyven; through the bond forged on their first meeting, Aldran can pass his magic to Ras for her to use against the geists. Only those bonded with psyvens can fight the geists, as a psyven's magic is the one magic that is truly effective against them.
But stories are told to children to placate fears and soothe nightmares. Ras has to learn that Aldran and living as a khertan are not what she expected and that the danger is very real.
While she adjusts to her new life, she and Aldran begin to discover all is not as it seems; however, realising and accepting the truth is not easy and ultimately, in the end, is it worth it?
Rating: G
Notes: *looks at the rating* Really? Wow.
*Snerk*Let's see how long it takes before I up the rating for massive swearing, and bloody fight scenes. The next part? Pffft.
Go go go!!
Woo, caps for italics again. XDD I don't want to be constantly editing the text for a missed / or wrong tag. No, actually, I'll tag it – I can find missed tags in the final editing process a lot faster than a missed capped word.
Constant abuse of the commaaaaaa~
I have a bad feeling for where I've ended this for today, since it's a lull in the conversation, but I hope it picks up straight away.
Genre: Fantasy
Word count: 2,926
Status: Work in progress
Well, this was the start of Ras' new life. Her necklace was heavy as it sat around her neck, with the duty, the responsibility she now had as a khertan. Ras couldn't make her heart slow down any, and it seemed like it followed the beat of the echoing footsteps around her and Aldran. She couldn't stop her stomach from twisting around either, feeling like there was something alive in it. Taking a silent steadying breath, Ras studied him from the corner of her eyes. Really, he did look like a regular human – he had four limbs, the same placement of his features on his face, but then there was the fact that his ears tapered off to a point, and Ras had seen a flash of fangs while he had talked earlier. But it was his tail, long and as expressive as a cat's, banded in purple and blue, that kept drawing her eyes.
A psyven. She was bonded with a psyven.
Ras couldn't stop that piece of information echoing in her mind, even though the entire building housed all the khertan and psyven pairs so it wasn't as if she would be unique or different from any of them, but...Ras had never expected to be chosen by the Gods to fight the geists.
She sighed, the anticipation in her dimming as she stole another peek at Aldran, this time focusing on his expression. For a being who had been tasked by the Gods to fight the geists, he did not seem happy at the prospect, his shoulders hunched, his head down, his tail kept close to his legs.
Aldran wasn't what Ras expected when she thought of a psyven - from the stories, she'd pictured they would be bathed in the Gods' holy power, confident of their abilities and in themselves, but it was the opposite for Aldran. Though his stature was taller than Ras', and he was built like he had been working on a farm for his entire life (training for when he would fight the geists?), his demeanour was the opposite. He had barely spoken a word since she had woken up, just watching her as if she might break if he said the wrong thing or moved too quickly.
"I'm all right," Ras reassured him once again, seeing his eyes flash to her, and though she wanted to rub at the phantom pain that ran along her arm, she didn't, because the worry about her could be read in every single line of his body. "The healers did a good job - I can't see any bruises." But her body seemed to think that there was something wrong, and kept telling her to be careful. "I don't even have a headache." Which, considering the blow to the head she had received the night before, was a testament to the healers' magic.
Unfortunately, that was the wrong thing to say - Aldran flinched and whipped his head away.
Ras bit the inside of her lip as she frowned. It was obvious he was sensitive about that topic, but if she talked about anything else, it felt like she was ignoring the issue and that was something she didn't want either. "Aldran, about last night-"
"No," Aldran interrupted quickly, shaking his head. "I - it was my fault. If I didn't-" He stopped talking with an audible snap of teeth, his tail whipping side to side in the most animated manner since Ras had first seen it.
Ras couldn't help but snort. "It's your fault a geist crashed through my window and tried to kill me?"
"I..." Aldran ducked his head again, his tail stilling. "No..." he said slowly, his tail starting to drift side to side. "But if I hadn't..." He pursed his lips and looked at the ground. "You wouldn't have been hurt."
Ras could only raise her eyebrows at him in disbelief. "You being there saved me - if I hadn't been chosen, if we weren't-" she waved an arm between them "-bonded by the Gods' will together, then I wouldn't have had access to your magic to kill it!"
"But..." Aldran flicked his eyes towards her, but then shook his head, closing his eyes. "It...It doesn't matter."
It clearly did, but for all the impression that he would spook if someone tapped him, Ras had the sense that she wouldn't be able to drag the issue from his lips unless he wanted to. And if the envoy of the Gods didn't want to talk, who was she to argue with them?
They continued through the building, the morning sunlight brightening with every passing minute. It wasn't that early, but Ras barely saw khertan or psyvens, only mages and healers, their robes marking them for what they were capable of. Did khertan and psyvens all have a habit of sleeping in, or were they resting from fighting the geists? Still, Ras had yet to see one pair - or maybe she had, and she hadn't realised it, not if the khertan walked without their psyven.
Aldran tilted his head down a corridor and then glanced at her curiously. "It was this way, wasn't it?"
"You would have a better idea," she admitted helplessly with a sigh. The previous night was a blur - she could barely remember even arriving there, let alone the path they took from one room to the next.
"Oh…" Aldran peered down the corridor before looking behind them, his tail waving gently. He nodded slowly. "Yes, I…I'm fairly sure this is the way."
They followed that corridor until they found a set of double doors. Ras glanced left and right, but it didn't seem like there was anyone there to announce them. "Hm - do you think we just walk in?"
"I don't know."
And if Ras had any sense of him at all yet, he would probably say to wait. But maybe she was being too harsh - he had grown up around the Gods; she didn't know what she'd be like if that had happened to her, constantly surrounded by Their power.
But now she was dallying. Taking a steadying breath, Ras lifted her hand and knocked on the solid wood. At the first tap, the door slid open on silent hinges and she stared wide-eyed at the leaders of the khertans and psyvens standing on the other side of the room.
Somehow, they both knew she and Aldran were there, and they turned to greet them, warm smiles on their faces. Lesten, the khertan, was old, his hair shot with black surrounded by white hair more than the other way around. His face was lined with wrinkles, but his eyes were younger, making it hard for Ras to place his age. Yaran, on the other hand, seemed more like in his mid-thirties (which, Ras supposed, made sense. Psyvens probably didn't age the same as humans), his tail a golden brown, black at the tip. They were the image of what a khertan and psyven were supposed to be, standing tall and proud.
After making sure Aldran was following her, Ras hurried over to where they were, not meeting their eyes. The room wasn't overly large, but it was spacious and well-lit, furnished with a few simple chairs that lined the walls. She was just about to bow when she caught Lesten waving his hands, making her pause.
"We're all equal here," he said, his deep voice not wavering in the slightest, belying his appearance. "There's no need for you to defer yourself like that."
"But..." Ras said hesitantly. He was the leader, more experienced than she was, especially when it came to geists and fighting them.
Lesten's smile softened. "You find soon enough that no-one here wishes for that."
That didn't seem likely to Ras but if he had said it, then it was probably true.
"Now then," Lesten continued, once Ras had straightened herself. "I would like to formally welcome both of you here - I was not able to do that yesterday sadly, considering the, ah, circumstances."
Ras huffed a small laugh. "Even if you had-" she stumbled as she reached for a term to address him by, before then hesitatingly continuing on "-I wouldn't remember it."
"No, I don't think you would," Lesten said, shaking his head. "How are you feeling this morning?"
"Much better, thank you." Her arm started itching again as if it had a mind of its own, wanting attention. At least, her answer was for the physical sense – in the mental sense, Ras wasn't so sure, her emotions constantly ramming into one another.
"That's good to hear." Lesten peered at her. "And do you think you are prepared to fight the geists?"
Ras hesitated at that question, her gaze sliding away from his. Prepared for this? No. No, of course she wasn't - she had expected to live a normal life, worrying over if she had grown enough food to feed herself, if she had made enough money to clothe herself. Now, everything had changed by the will of the Gods, where she would fight to protect the people around her.
"I... No," Ras replied honestly, flicking her eyes back at Lesten. "I had never thought that I would be in this position so..." And this would be where she was thrown out, Lesten angry because khertan were supposed to be eager to battle against the geists, to have a thirst of it.
Lesten nodded, his smile softening. "And that," he said softly, "was why you were chosen by Them."
Ras blinked at him, not understanding.
Yaran continued for Lesten while he chuckled at her expression. "Khertan are chosen for their heart, their willingness to protect, and also for their humbleness in this duty."
Ras frowned, the words sounding familiar. "Just like in the tale?" Though she had last heard it in full (as much as one could when it was told as a bedtime story) years ago and she had been sure it had only talked about the khertan's heart and protective nature.
"Like in the tale," Yaran confirmed. "However," he added, piercing her with an intense look, "the tale is not so detailed about the life of a khertan and psyven, bare only for the interesting parts."
"I'll keep that in mind," Ras said, wondering briefly how it was different, but unsure if it was the correct time and place to ask. Or if she was even supposed to ask them, or if she was supposed to ask someone else. Dammit, there was so much she didn't know!
"Good."
There was a brief knock on the door, and they all turned their heads towards the sound. "Ah, Ceilha and Dracer," Lesten said as soon as he saw the two women who entered the room, who nodded to him greeting. Ceilha (Ras assumed was the human, only by the fact she nodded after Lesten had said the name) was a few years older than Ras, her hair kept in a ponytail, her gait confident and easy; Dracer was a silent shadow beside her, but no less hesitant. "This is Ras and Aldran – they joined us yesterday, and need someone to guide them through on what needs to be done."
At his words, Ras couldn't stop the sigh of relief that whooshed out of her, the tenseness in her stomach easing somewhat.
Seeing her reaction, Lesten hid a smile behind his hand, but Ras knew he was, from the set of his eyes. "Did you think we would send you out straight away, without any direction?"
"I…I didn't know what to expect," Ras said, glancing at Aldran. Maybe that Aldran would know what to do, that she would know what to do, that the Gods would gift them with the knowledge – but that hadn't happened last night. Some, but not all.
Lesten nodded slowly, sweeping a hand towards Ceilha and Dracer. "You'll work with them for the time being, until you've found your feet."
Ceilha smiled and beckoned them over. "We'll see to it they know what to do," Ceilha promised over her shoulder as they left.
Was she supposed to say goodbye? Ras wasn't sure, but as no-one else was doing it either, she kept quiet. "This way," Ceilha said, once the door was closed behind them, walking away at once. Aldran stared at the door for a few seconds before hurrying to catch up, his eyebrows drawn in slightly.
When he realised he had her attention, he shook his head, flashing her a small reassuring smile. Which Ras didn't believe for a second, but now was not the time to ask, and she had an inkling what his preoccupation may be about.
Now that it was slightly later since Ras and Aldran had walked the corridors, there were a few more khertan and psyven pairs wandering around. There didn't seem to be anything that set them apart from anyone else Ras had seen in her life – still no glowing or a sense of them being touched by the Gods. Just, normal people - who had been chosen by the Gods.
"In case it wasn't clear there, I'm Ceilha," the human introduced herself, to Ras' relief. So she'd been correct.
"And I'm Dracer," the psyven added, a knowledgeable smile on her face.
"That's good to know – I hadn't been sure." It wouldn't have been good to call someone by the wrong name so soon after being introduced.
Ceilha smothered a laugh. "Yes, Lesten constantly has a lot on his mind and as we've known each other for years, there are some things that he takes for granted."
There was a small pause and Ras belated realised she was supposed to fill it. "Ras." Dammit, her voice had sounded squeaky there! And since Dracer had introduced herself then…
"Uh, I'm Aldran," Aldran murmured before his gaze skittered away. He had been following them a few paces behind Ras, she realised, and she wasn't sure if she was supposed to say anything about it. They were partners, equals (although, he had lived with the Gods so maybe not truly, but they were meant to be equal in this) and having him trail behind her like a servant unsettled Ras. When she caught his eye, Ras hoped she was able to convey worry over to him with her expression – it seemed like it when Aldran sent her a quiet smile and increased his pace to walk by her side.
"This is the weapons vault," Ceilha announced as she stopped next to a door, drawing Ras' attention away. When it registered what Ceilha had said, Ras frowned in confusion.
"But…we have magic," she said uncertainly, glancing in. There were rows upon rows of gleaming weapons lining the walls, most of them fairly small and easily carriable, though there were a good number of swords and axes as well.
"And sometimes, unfortunately, that isn't enough," Ceilha said softly as she walked into the room. Dracer held the door open, gesturing for Ras and Aldran to follow with a tilt of her head.
"Geists aren't just wild beasts that can be scared away with a few flashes of magic," she continued, turning around to face them. "They are as intelligent as we are, calculating and tricky." This close to Ceilha, Ras could see the shadows under her eyes, a thinness that spoke of missed meals. The signs of a busy life; Ras knew that, though not quite acknowledged it as something that would happen to her. "And there are only two of you." Ceilha looked at Aldran, and he froze under her gaze. "You have to concentrate to pass your magic on to Ras, and while that strengthens Ras, that also leaves you vulnerable."
Aldran ducked his head, his tail curling at the tip. "I know..."
Ras stared at them as the implications of what Ceilha said sank in. "I have to protect Aldran at the same time while fighting the geists?" That… The uncertainty crashed back into her – it had been an abstract worry protecting unknown people, but if Aldran was relying on her also to keep him safe… Fighting geists suddenly became even harder than Ras thought it would be.
Ceilha nodded, watching them equally. "It becomes easier over time, as you get used to each other, knowing each other's thoughts, what you can do, learning when to attack. But," she said, shaking her head, "we're going off track. Right now, we're talking about what happens when you aren't fast enough, if the geist catches you by surprise, or there are more than usual." She indicted the walls around her with a wave of her hands. "These are for those times, not before – geists have the strength of three men – letting them close for the sole reason of attacking them with a weapon may be the last thing you do," she told them sternly. "Make sure what you are carrying is something you can use, and is not selected to be impressive to the eye."
"I thought khertan were 'humble in our duty'?" Ras mused as she peered at the weapons, stepping close to the daggers, dismissing the heavier weapons straight away. She could possibly wield some of the swords with time, but she doubted she had that, nor would she have the proper training for it.
"That we are," Ceilda said with a sigh, "but that does not mean we are free of vanity in other places, and some individuals take it upon themselves to appear as if they are the original khertan told in the stories."
Summary: Ras has just been chosen by the Gods to protect humans from geists, beings that prey on people's souls. Sent by Them to aid her is Aldran, a psyven; through the bond forged on their first meeting, Aldran can pass his magic to Ras for her to use against the geists. Only those bonded with psyvens can fight the geists, as a psyven's magic is the one magic that is truly effective against them.
But stories are told to children to placate fears and soothe nightmares. Ras has to learn that Aldran and living as a khertan are not what she expected and that the danger is very real.
While she adjusts to her new life, she and Aldran begin to discover all is not as it seems; however, realising and accepting the truth is not easy and ultimately, in the end, is it worth it?
Rating: G
Notes: *looks at the rating* Really? Wow.
*Snerk*Let's see how long it takes before I up the rating for massive swearing, and bloody fight scenes. The next part? Pffft.
Go go go!!
Constant abuse of the commaaaaaa~
I have a bad feeling for where I've ended this for today, since it's a lull in the conversation, but I hope it picks up straight away.
Genre: Fantasy
Word count: 2,926
Status: Work in progress
Well, this was the start of Ras' new life. Her necklace was heavy as it sat around her neck, with the duty, the responsibility she now had as a khertan. Ras couldn't make her heart slow down any, and it seemed like it followed the beat of the echoing footsteps around her and Aldran. She couldn't stop her stomach from twisting around either, feeling like there was something alive in it. Taking a silent steadying breath, Ras studied him from the corner of her eyes. Really, he did look like a regular human – he had four limbs, the same placement of his features on his face, but then there was the fact that his ears tapered off to a point, and Ras had seen a flash of fangs while he had talked earlier. But it was his tail, long and as expressive as a cat's, banded in purple and blue, that kept drawing her eyes.
A psyven. She was bonded with a psyven.
Ras couldn't stop that piece of information echoing in her mind, even though the entire building housed all the khertan and psyven pairs so it wasn't as if she would be unique or different from any of them, but...Ras had never expected to be chosen by the Gods to fight the geists.
She sighed, the anticipation in her dimming as she stole another peek at Aldran, this time focusing on his expression. For a being who had been tasked by the Gods to fight the geists, he did not seem happy at the prospect, his shoulders hunched, his head down, his tail kept close to his legs.
Aldran wasn't what Ras expected when she thought of a psyven - from the stories, she'd pictured they would be bathed in the Gods' holy power, confident of their abilities and in themselves, but it was the opposite for Aldran. Though his stature was taller than Ras', and he was built like he had been working on a farm for his entire life (training for when he would fight the geists?), his demeanour was the opposite. He had barely spoken a word since she had woken up, just watching her as if she might break if he said the wrong thing or moved too quickly.
"I'm all right," Ras reassured him once again, seeing his eyes flash to her, and though she wanted to rub at the phantom pain that ran along her arm, she didn't, because the worry about her could be read in every single line of his body. "The healers did a good job - I can't see any bruises." But her body seemed to think that there was something wrong, and kept telling her to be careful. "I don't even have a headache." Which, considering the blow to the head she had received the night before, was a testament to the healers' magic.
Unfortunately, that was the wrong thing to say - Aldran flinched and whipped his head away.
Ras bit the inside of her lip as she frowned. It was obvious he was sensitive about that topic, but if she talked about anything else, it felt like she was ignoring the issue and that was something she didn't want either. "Aldran, about last night-"
"No," Aldran interrupted quickly, shaking his head. "I - it was my fault. If I didn't-" He stopped talking with an audible snap of teeth, his tail whipping side to side in the most animated manner since Ras had first seen it.
Ras couldn't help but snort. "It's your fault a geist crashed through my window and tried to kill me?"
"I..." Aldran ducked his head again, his tail stilling. "No..." he said slowly, his tail starting to drift side to side. "But if I hadn't..." He pursed his lips and looked at the ground. "You wouldn't have been hurt."
Ras could only raise her eyebrows at him in disbelief. "You being there saved me - if I hadn't been chosen, if we weren't-" she waved an arm between them "-bonded by the Gods' will together, then I wouldn't have had access to your magic to kill it!"
"But..." Aldran flicked his eyes towards her, but then shook his head, closing his eyes. "It...It doesn't matter."
It clearly did, but for all the impression that he would spook if someone tapped him, Ras had the sense that she wouldn't be able to drag the issue from his lips unless he wanted to. And if the envoy of the Gods didn't want to talk, who was she to argue with them?
They continued through the building, the morning sunlight brightening with every passing minute. It wasn't that early, but Ras barely saw khertan or psyvens, only mages and healers, their robes marking them for what they were capable of. Did khertan and psyvens all have a habit of sleeping in, or were they resting from fighting the geists? Still, Ras had yet to see one pair - or maybe she had, and she hadn't realised it, not if the khertan walked without their psyven.
Aldran tilted his head down a corridor and then glanced at her curiously. "It was this way, wasn't it?"
"You would have a better idea," she admitted helplessly with a sigh. The previous night was a blur - she could barely remember even arriving there, let alone the path they took from one room to the next.
"Oh…" Aldran peered down the corridor before looking behind them, his tail waving gently. He nodded slowly. "Yes, I…I'm fairly sure this is the way."
They followed that corridor until they found a set of double doors. Ras glanced left and right, but it didn't seem like there was anyone there to announce them. "Hm - do you think we just walk in?"
"I don't know."
And if Ras had any sense of him at all yet, he would probably say to wait. But maybe she was being too harsh - he had grown up around the Gods; she didn't know what she'd be like if that had happened to her, constantly surrounded by Their power.
But now she was dallying. Taking a steadying breath, Ras lifted her hand and knocked on the solid wood. At the first tap, the door slid open on silent hinges and she stared wide-eyed at the leaders of the khertans and psyvens standing on the other side of the room.
Somehow, they both knew she and Aldran were there, and they turned to greet them, warm smiles on their faces. Lesten, the khertan, was old, his hair shot with black surrounded by white hair more than the other way around. His face was lined with wrinkles, but his eyes were younger, making it hard for Ras to place his age. Yaran, on the other hand, seemed more like in his mid-thirties (which, Ras supposed, made sense. Psyvens probably didn't age the same as humans), his tail a golden brown, black at the tip. They were the image of what a khertan and psyven were supposed to be, standing tall and proud.
After making sure Aldran was following her, Ras hurried over to where they were, not meeting their eyes. The room wasn't overly large, but it was spacious and well-lit, furnished with a few simple chairs that lined the walls. She was just about to bow when she caught Lesten waving his hands, making her pause.
"We're all equal here," he said, his deep voice not wavering in the slightest, belying his appearance. "There's no need for you to defer yourself like that."
"But..." Ras said hesitantly. He was the leader, more experienced than she was, especially when it came to geists and fighting them.
Lesten's smile softened. "You find soon enough that no-one here wishes for that."
That didn't seem likely to Ras but if he had said it, then it was probably true.
"Now then," Lesten continued, once Ras had straightened herself. "I would like to formally welcome both of you here - I was not able to do that yesterday sadly, considering the, ah, circumstances."
Ras huffed a small laugh. "Even if you had-" she stumbled as she reached for a term to address him by, before then hesitatingly continuing on "-I wouldn't remember it."
"No, I don't think you would," Lesten said, shaking his head. "How are you feeling this morning?"
"Much better, thank you." Her arm started itching again as if it had a mind of its own, wanting attention. At least, her answer was for the physical sense – in the mental sense, Ras wasn't so sure, her emotions constantly ramming into one another.
"That's good to hear." Lesten peered at her. "And do you think you are prepared to fight the geists?"
Ras hesitated at that question, her gaze sliding away from his. Prepared for this? No. No, of course she wasn't - she had expected to live a normal life, worrying over if she had grown enough food to feed herself, if she had made enough money to clothe herself. Now, everything had changed by the will of the Gods, where she would fight to protect the people around her.
"I... No," Ras replied honestly, flicking her eyes back at Lesten. "I had never thought that I would be in this position so..." And this would be where she was thrown out, Lesten angry because khertan were supposed to be eager to battle against the geists, to have a thirst of it.
Lesten nodded, his smile softening. "And that," he said softly, "was why you were chosen by Them."
Ras blinked at him, not understanding.
Yaran continued for Lesten while he chuckled at her expression. "Khertan are chosen for their heart, their willingness to protect, and also for their humbleness in this duty."
Ras frowned, the words sounding familiar. "Just like in the tale?" Though she had last heard it in full (as much as one could when it was told as a bedtime story) years ago and she had been sure it had only talked about the khertan's heart and protective nature.
"Like in the tale," Yaran confirmed. "However," he added, piercing her with an intense look, "the tale is not so detailed about the life of a khertan and psyven, bare only for the interesting parts."
"I'll keep that in mind," Ras said, wondering briefly how it was different, but unsure if it was the correct time and place to ask. Or if she was even supposed to ask them, or if she was supposed to ask someone else. Dammit, there was so much she didn't know!
"Good."
There was a brief knock on the door, and they all turned their heads towards the sound. "Ah, Ceilha and Dracer," Lesten said as soon as he saw the two women who entered the room, who nodded to him greeting. Ceilha (Ras assumed was the human, only by the fact she nodded after Lesten had said the name) was a few years older than Ras, her hair kept in a ponytail, her gait confident and easy; Dracer was a silent shadow beside her, but no less hesitant. "This is Ras and Aldran – they joined us yesterday, and need someone to guide them through on what needs to be done."
At his words, Ras couldn't stop the sigh of relief that whooshed out of her, the tenseness in her stomach easing somewhat.
Seeing her reaction, Lesten hid a smile behind his hand, but Ras knew he was, from the set of his eyes. "Did you think we would send you out straight away, without any direction?"
"I…I didn't know what to expect," Ras said, glancing at Aldran. Maybe that Aldran would know what to do, that she would know what to do, that the Gods would gift them with the knowledge – but that hadn't happened last night. Some, but not all.
Lesten nodded slowly, sweeping a hand towards Ceilha and Dracer. "You'll work with them for the time being, until you've found your feet."
Ceilha smiled and beckoned them over. "We'll see to it they know what to do," Ceilha promised over her shoulder as they left.
Was she supposed to say goodbye? Ras wasn't sure, but as no-one else was doing it either, she kept quiet. "This way," Ceilha said, once the door was closed behind them, walking away at once. Aldran stared at the door for a few seconds before hurrying to catch up, his eyebrows drawn in slightly.
When he realised he had her attention, he shook his head, flashing her a small reassuring smile. Which Ras didn't believe for a second, but now was not the time to ask, and she had an inkling what his preoccupation may be about.
Now that it was slightly later since Ras and Aldran had walked the corridors, there were a few more khertan and psyven pairs wandering around. There didn't seem to be anything that set them apart from anyone else Ras had seen in her life – still no glowing or a sense of them being touched by the Gods. Just, normal people - who had been chosen by the Gods.
"In case it wasn't clear there, I'm Ceilha," the human introduced herself, to Ras' relief. So she'd been correct.
"And I'm Dracer," the psyven added, a knowledgeable smile on her face.
"That's good to know – I hadn't been sure." It wouldn't have been good to call someone by the wrong name so soon after being introduced.
Ceilha smothered a laugh. "Yes, Lesten constantly has a lot on his mind and as we've known each other for years, there are some things that he takes for granted."
There was a small pause and Ras belated realised she was supposed to fill it. "Ras." Dammit, her voice had sounded squeaky there! And since Dracer had introduced herself then…
"Uh, I'm Aldran," Aldran murmured before his gaze skittered away. He had been following them a few paces behind Ras, she realised, and she wasn't sure if she was supposed to say anything about it. They were partners, equals (although, he had lived with the Gods so maybe not truly, but they were meant to be equal in this) and having him trail behind her like a servant unsettled Ras. When she caught his eye, Ras hoped she was able to convey worry over to him with her expression – it seemed like it when Aldran sent her a quiet smile and increased his pace to walk by her side.
"This is the weapons vault," Ceilha announced as she stopped next to a door, drawing Ras' attention away. When it registered what Ceilha had said, Ras frowned in confusion.
"But…we have magic," she said uncertainly, glancing in. There were rows upon rows of gleaming weapons lining the walls, most of them fairly small and easily carriable, though there were a good number of swords and axes as well.
"And sometimes, unfortunately, that isn't enough," Ceilha said softly as she walked into the room. Dracer held the door open, gesturing for Ras and Aldran to follow with a tilt of her head.
"Geists aren't just wild beasts that can be scared away with a few flashes of magic," she continued, turning around to face them. "They are as intelligent as we are, calculating and tricky." This close to Ceilha, Ras could see the shadows under her eyes, a thinness that spoke of missed meals. The signs of a busy life; Ras knew that, though not quite acknowledged it as something that would happen to her. "And there are only two of you." Ceilha looked at Aldran, and he froze under her gaze. "You have to concentrate to pass your magic on to Ras, and while that strengthens Ras, that also leaves you vulnerable."
Aldran ducked his head, his tail curling at the tip. "I know..."
Ras stared at them as the implications of what Ceilha said sank in. "I have to protect Aldran at the same time while fighting the geists?" That… The uncertainty crashed back into her – it had been an abstract worry protecting unknown people, but if Aldran was relying on her also to keep him safe… Fighting geists suddenly became even harder than Ras thought it would be.
Ceilha nodded, watching them equally. "It becomes easier over time, as you get used to each other, knowing each other's thoughts, what you can do, learning when to attack. But," she said, shaking her head, "we're going off track. Right now, we're talking about what happens when you aren't fast enough, if the geist catches you by surprise, or there are more than usual." She indicted the walls around her with a wave of her hands. "These are for those times, not before – geists have the strength of three men – letting them close for the sole reason of attacking them with a weapon may be the last thing you do," she told them sternly. "Make sure what you are carrying is something you can use, and is not selected to be impressive to the eye."
"I thought khertan were 'humble in our duty'?" Ras mused as she peered at the weapons, stepping close to the daggers, dismissing the heavier weapons straight away. She could possibly wield some of the swords with time, but she doubted she had that, nor would she have the proper training for it.
"That we are," Ceilda said with a sigh, "but that does not mean we are free of vanity in other places, and some individuals take it upon themselves to appear as if they are the original khertan told in the stories."
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Date: Nov. 2nd, 2011 01:25 pm (UTC)I wonder what that says about Ras, that this is her association.
"Ras couldn't help but snort. "It's your fault a geist crashed through my window and tried to kill me?"
Veeeeery curious about that incident.
"she peered at the weapons, stepping close to the daggers, dismissing the heavier weapons straight away. She could possibly wield some of the swords with time, but she doubted she had that, nor would she have the proper training for it. "
Yeeeeep. Apparently I'm not the only one who finds that problematic.
This is really interesting! I can't wait for more.
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Date: Nov. 2nd, 2011 06:46 pm (UTC)XDD I'm fairly sure she grew up on a farm/rural area, so that's probably why.
"Veeeeery curious about that incident."
Heh. There should hopefully be little snippets about this incident cropping up every once in a while. I think once Chosen is finished, I'm going to write what happened in the present tense, rather than seeing it in flashbacks. :3
"Yeeeeep. Apparently I'm not the only one who finds that problematic."
XDD At least Lan has the excuse that she's in an MMORPG, and probably upped her strength stats/is naturally stronger since she's a warrior.
:D Thanks!
no subject
Date: Nov. 3rd, 2011 01:48 pm (UTC)Yes she does. But its a problem I had with most fantasy story's I've read- the MC just learns how to wield heavy swords just like that! (I'm having my MC use a gun because of that XD)
I kind of forgot to put a sig on my first comment. I hope you figured out who I am...
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Date: Nov. 3rd, 2011 10:12 pm (UTC)Ouch. *wince* 'Bonus points' if the character can acutally lift the damn thing without having done some sort of training beforehand.
Haha, I was wondering about that! 'Uuuuh, this is who I think it is right? Or am I just going to really confuse them by refering to a character they might know nothing about?' XDD;
no subject
Date: Nov. 4th, 2011 12:10 pm (UTC)Yep. Wooden longswords are heavy enough. I do NOT want to know what the metal ones are like.
"Haha, I was wondering about that! 'Uuuuh, this is who I think it is right? Or am I just going to really confuse them by refering to a character they might know nothing about?' XDD"
This is who you think it is XD. The character you were referring to is Prince, right (I can't refer to him as Lan. Just can't. Same with the other players. Kenshin doesn't give me that kind of trouble :3)
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Date: Nov. 7th, 2011 08:32 am (UTC)Right into the start of Ras' new life! Hm, a necklace~
We see Aldran's tail right away! :D A purple and blue tail, eee!
Aw, hm, first impression of Aldran. He seems pretty subdued.
Ah, so Ras was hurt before the story started. Interesting place to begin the story. :D
Aw, Aldran flinching... *waits to see how he'll turn out like* I can already see that he cares about Ras a lot. :)
Ras talking about being chosen. I already feel the name is very fitting!
Hm, Aldran grew up around the Gods? So he used to live...elsewhere before? (Not that he suddenly came into existence?)
Description for Lesten and Yaran. :D In contrast with Lesten and Yaran, I suppose Ras and Aldran appear quite inexperienced. :3
*wonders some more what happened the day before* I love that we're starting at this point in time though.
"Much better, thank you." Her arm started itching again as if it had a mind of its own, wanting attention. At least, her answer was for the physical sense – in the mental sense, Ras wasn't so sure, her emotions constantly ramming into one another.
*loves this line*
Sounds like Ras is being thrust into a situation she'd never considered before!
Lesten seems kind. :3
More new characters. Ceilha and Dracer? Ah, so all the pairs seem to be same gender.
Haha, it sure seems like Ras and Aldran would be thrown out without any guidance.
isn't that what happens a lot to newbies in stories?Glad they're getting guidance! Since... yeah, it would be strange for them to endanger new pairs if they're so rare and necessary.*wonders what this place is like* It must be pretty big to house all these pairs.
There was a small pause and Ras belated realised she was supposed to fill it.
Heee.
They were partners, equals (although, he had lived with the Gods so maybe not truly, but they were meant to be equal in this) and having him trail behind her like a servant unsettled Ras.
*loves that she worries over this* I'm curious about Aldran's life with the Gods...
Oh, so Ras still needs to pick a weapon to fight with. :3
The signs of a busy life; Ras knew that, though not quite acknowledged it as something that would happen to her.
Ahhhhhhhh.
"Make sure what you are carrying is something you can use, and is not selected to be impressive to the eye."
That would be practical. :3
I love this beginning! And I like Ras. :3 I've already said this, but I love where you started this story. This part also reads fairly polished to me. I wouldn't think this was written in a day. =P Also - awesome world building. <3
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Date: Nov. 8th, 2011 03:59 pm (UTC)*weeps* So many! So many one-shot characters like you wouldn't beliiiiiieve.
"We see Aldran's tail right away! :D A purple and blue tail, eee!"
This was the colour scheme of the dragon-hybrid race for the Through New Eyes/one of the earlier versions of Searching.
"He seems pretty subdued."
*laughs* Juuuust a tiny little bit. XDD
"Ah, so Ras was hurt before the story started. Interesting place to begin the story. :D"
Yeah. It was...fun. *snerk* Haha, I'm glad it's interesting - I'm far too used to doing things in chronological order!
"I can already see that he cares about Ras a lot. :)"
Heeee!
"Ras talking about being chosen. I already feel the name is very fitting!"
\o/ Much better and relevant than Searching! XD;; *clearly needs to work on the ability to title things*
"Hm, Aldran grew up around the Gods? So he used to live...elsewhere before? (Not that he suddenly came into existence?)"
I'm still sort of working that out, but I have a biiig ramble about it in the seventh part commentary. So, what I have at the moment is that the gods create psyvens on the planet, right next to their chosen khertan, so the psyvens have never seen the place that the gods live in. But no-one asks the psyvens about where they'd been before going to the planet, in case they make the gods angry with that question so that doesn't get corrected. I'm sure a couple of khertan know this, but not all. Or, if the psyven says 'I don't know' to the question, people might assume it's because the psyven aren't allowed to tell them what it looks like. XD;;
"In contrast with Lesten and Yaran, I suppose Ras and Aldran appear quite inexperienced. :3"
XDD Yep!
"*wonders some more what happened the day before* I love that we're starting at this point in time though."
*grins* I'll hopefully write out what happened in full once Chosen is finished. It's...probably going to be huge.
"Sounds like Ras is being thrust into a situation she'd never considered before!"
*laughs* This is so very true. *wonder if there's a part of the origin story that says it's young people who normally get chosen by the gods*
"Ah, so all the pairs seem to be same gender."
*flail* You noticed! :D Haha, of course, no matter what happens, my narrative characters will always be just that little bit more different from everyone else (which should be the point, I guess. XDD)
"Haha, it sure seems like Ras and Aldran would be thrown out without any guidance. isn't that what happens a lot to newbies in stories?"
Bwahaha!
"*wonders what this place is like* It must be pretty big to house all these pairs."
XD;;; I should probably plan this place out some more, rather than being really vague about it.
"Oh, so Ras still needs to pick a weapon to fight with. :3"
XD Yep. Not a sword though. Ah well. Realism sometimes wins out to coolness.
"This part also reads fairly polished to me. I wouldn't think this was written in a day. =P"
That would be because I read over it before I posted and made adjustments. XDDD *cheated* I gave up around the third part, so there's more mistakes after that.
"Also - awesome world building. <3"
aldkfj Thank youuuuuu~