Silver Dragoran wandered into the field outside of town, the sliver of moonlight the only thing illuminating her way. She desperatley needed to meditate. Events that had unfolded had left her shaken, and she felt a need to try to regain her Empyrean calm. However, she felt that it might stay out of her grasp for a while yet. As she sat down in the grass, she slowly exhaled and tried to gather her thoughts, closing her eyes. Only to fail miserably.
The Empyrean's thoughts raced on what had happened at the encounter with Atrius. When the Captain had needed her the most, he had tossed her aside. He had cast her away as though all oaths had been for naught. True, it had been to try to save her from the battle, but Silver would have willingly sacrificed herself for Jastery. All of the events that had led up to that fateful night had been sparked by Captain Belle's brash actions. He alone had decided to seek out the cursed sword. He alone had decided to go after that compas to find it. He had even taken it upon himself to kill Stiers. And he had almost brought disaster to Jastery.
Silver had joined the Crimson Corsiars when she had just left the Ixifar caravans and knew nothing of the outside world. Yet the Captain had promised her a place among the crew, to be treated fairly, and that the Corsairs would always work together to achieve their goals. Yet he warped their fates on his own. Were her hopes shattered, would she never be able to look upon her father? Since the Captain had thrown her out of the Corsairs, supposedly for her own good, should she join the crew once again now that the threat was over? What was to keep the Captain from repeating his actions? Either way, Silver felt alone in the strange town of Jastery. So alone...
Silver's eyes snapped open, tear filled and glossy as they reflected the dim moonlight. She indeed was alone. She felt so... tired. Her eyes seemed lost, and her aura was weak. Maybe she would find her OWN answers in Jastery. Either way, she was determined to persue her quest.
Silver looked towards the man as he spoke, his words a resounding truth. "Yes, I would have to say that I quite agree with you my brother." Her lips quirked into a wry, cold smile. "It is quite a challenge to live with this curse, to try to tend to masses that sometimes want to remain blind."
Her voice dropped near a whisper as she looked up at the black night sky. "It is quite hard to be a care taker of the lost when you yourself are lost as well." Her wry smile faded from her face at the thought. "Our duty weighs heavily upon us. Sometimes I feel I may be crushed beneath it. I was not raised as an Empyrean. I must find my way in the dark. But it is good to see bretheren in Jastery."
Turning fully towards the woman and showing his deeply scarred face, the man looked straight at her with a blank expression, his right eye shining brighter than his left.
"Don't let this face frighten you, my dear. It is but a distant memory and shouldn't trouble anyone except for me," He said with a slight nod and a small motion towards his right cheek. "I've lived with it for a few mests now, pain and all, but it's in the past."
As he said this, his eyes flashed, a seemingly inward flame flaring up at the thought of that same distant memory.
"As for our burden, don't let it weigh down so heavily upon you. You are among friends now here in Jastrey and you can share your thoughts and feelings among the rest of us, thus allowing your worries to disperse. Those that wish to remain blind, as you so say, only need a little more prodding along than others. And do not think we are alone as a single race in this fight. There are others, of different backgrounds and diverse race as well that choose to fight for what is right in this maddening and frightful world."
Pausing again and raising a hand to his forhead he said, "oh, please excuse me. I don't think we have met formally before. I am Cail, a humble Wizard and aspiring scholar."
Silver smiled slightly as she took heart in the man's words. She was not afraid of his scarred face, more like... intrigued. As she heard him introduce himself as Cail, she inclined her head slightly in greeting. "It is a pleasure to make your aquaintance, Cail. I am Silver Dragoran the Bard of- ... formerly of the Crimson Corsairs."
Her face flushed slightly as she mispoke, but she tried to quickly regain herself. "I lived along time away from others in the Ixifar caravans. But I have found the citizens of Jastery to be a welcoming lot. Yet it has always seemed to me that I do not know my place, where I fit in with the universe. I have just felt a little overwhelmed by the events that transpired involving the Captain of the Corsairs..."
She gave a small smile. "And I did not mean to sound as if I had qualms with the other races. I have never before been around others that were Empyrean such as I." Silver looked across Cail's scarred features. "If you ever find yourself in pain brother, do not hesitate to seek me out. My abilities are limied, but I should like to help if I could." The Empyrean woman smiled with a slight happiness at being able to help someone for the better once more.
"Ah, yes... The 'Crimson Corsairs'. I've heard of that certain... party that has recently come to Jastrey, but mostly I can hear the word 'corsair's' being shouted all over town when this Captain, Belle is it, is in trouble. And from the rumors I've heard since my absence about him dishearten me. Forgive me for being blunt, but I do not believe he has the right to be called 'Captain' at all.
"Well, whether you see it or not, you have a place here in Jastrey now. And whether you remain with the Corsair's or leave them, you will still have friends among us and the rest of the Terrene's. Having said that, it is a pleasure to make your aquaintence."
Being mildly suprised at her confession of being a Bard, Cail said, "Hmm? A Bard, eh? Well, I would have never figured you or, well... any of us to be of that profession, but to each their own. As for my affliction, the 'pain' as I can simply call it, is far from something that can be healed by the normal arts. I have to meditate constantly in order to keep my mental blocks in check. Without them, I would be a helpless mess. Perhaps, once the Circle of our Order is formed, my control will be reconstituted with the help of the others, but I thank you none the less."
Cail looked up towards the moon and let out a long slow breath as he closed his eyes. Lowering his head again and looking at Silver, he said, "Well, I believe it is time that I retire. I've been out here in this field for, well, over two days. I've lost all track of time, you see, since I began my ritual."
Silver smiles at his reaction to her being a Bard. "I found the life in the Ixifar caravans to be much more pleasant with music, and it allows me to help others. I enjoy seeing others made well and happy." She slightly tilts her head as she considers Cail's problem with his affliction. "Perhaps we may be able to help you once the Circle is formed. I do hope so."
As Cail said that he had to leave, Silver inclined her head once again. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Cail. I do hope we cross paths soon in Jastery. It is always a boon to the spirits to see a friendly face in times such as these."
Silver once again looked to the moon and the stars over head. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes to begin her meditation. As she began to once again find her center, a small smile crept onto her face. She felt at home when joined with the vastness of the Universe.
Not far from where the Empyrean woman meditated, perhaps ten or fifteen feet, a small form topped with a rather large hat could be seen in the edge of the treeline. The gnomeling seemed to be quite busy with something on the ground infront of her, though what it might be was obscured by the flickering light of newly lit candles contrasting with the darkness and moonlight. A quiet song could be heard while she worked, but the words themselves were muffled.
Suddenly there was a loud bursting or popping sound accompanied by a bright flash and a dark-colored cloud of smoke. The muffled thump of someone landing sqarely on her backside in the leaf litter was simultaneous to the mild explosion as well. Shortly after came the loud curse of, "Oh.. BOLTS!"
Silver's eyes snapped open at the sound of the small explosion and looked towards the source at the edge of the tree line. As she heard the curse, the Empyrean decided that fate had seemed to give her all the meditation she was going to get this evening.
Silver got to her feet and crossed the grass, looking over the uneven ground bathed in moonlight towards where a few candles were creating an extra glow in the darkness. Approaching slowly, Silver thought she could distinguish a gnomling with a rather large hat. "Hello there, little gnomeling. What brings you out here this evening, if you do not mind my inquiry?"
"Experimenting. 'Parently I'm still not too good at it, though." She mumbled in reply, getting up and brushing off before blowing out the candles. With the low light of the small flames out, it would be easier for their eyes to adjust to the moonlight so they could see. She packed away most of her things, what hadn't been broken in the small blast anyway, and glanced at the Empyrean when her vision had adjusted.
Kicking aside what looked like the charred carcas of some kind of small-ish rodent, the gnomeling spoke again and broke the few moments' silence, "I'm Kollista! Kollista Nightbane, but you can calls me Kolli. Who is you?"
The Empyrean woman waited paitently for the little gnome to gather her things. When she had finished with what she would be taking with her and addressed Silver, the Empyrean tried to hide a small smile at the child like exuberation of Kollista. "Greetings Kollista. I am Silver Dragoran. Are you new to Jastery?"
Silver stepped closer to the gnomeling in the moonlight, closing the distance now that whatever had seemed to have caused that little explosion was put away. "Or perhaps you are a returning resident? I'm quite new here myself, so I'm not familear with all the faces in Jastery quite yet."
"It's very nice to meets you Miss Silvers. I am new to Jastrey, yes yes yes. I just got here not too very long agos indeed. Actually, I thinks I saw you when I came through the portal from the verge behind that Empyrean Wizard fellow." Kollista smiled brightly, adjusting her hat to sit properly on her head. She adjusted her black robes and tossed her bag over her back.
"So what are you doing all the ways out here Miss Silvers?" She asked bobbing lightly on the balls of her feet. A dark smudge across her nose and cheek apparent from the explosion, giving her a very childish appearance.
Silver made herself keep her small smile, but a glint of sorrow could be seen in her eyes. "I come often to this field to meditate in the moonlight. I find it an excelent place to relax." She kept a light tone to her voice, since she didn't want to appear rude by throwing her emotional stress into the open once again. She honestly hadn't noticed the little gnome earlier; She had been to focused on trying not to be anywhere near the Captain.
The Empyrean gave head a little shake as if that would help to clear her thoughts, making sure that her demeanor appeared more collected than she felt. "So what, if I may ask, brings you to Jastery?"
"Meditate, huh? I had a teacher tries to get me to do that once. I felled asleeps every time." Kollista remarked. She studied Silver's face, but made no mention of whether or not she noticed something off about her smile. Something in the gnomeling's stance or smile may indicate that she noticed the Empyrean's discomfort, but nothing more.
"I cames to Jastrey cause this is where the spans lead? I guess. Well.. the spans tooked me to the Verge on this shard and the wizard fellow's portal tooked me to Jastrey. ANYWAY, I cameded this way on accounta I just earned my hat and am I Journeyman Gnome now!" The Gnomeling aswered the question promptly and with pride. Her eyes sparkled with her accomplishment and perhaps something strange and un-nameable. With a cheery wave and that same strange glint in her smile, the gnomeling turned and skipped past Silver toward town. It time to track down someone to take care of the burns she had managed to accrue during her experimentations.
Silver's smile didn't stay strained for long as the cheerful little gnome prattled on. She chuckled as Kollista skipped of towards town. That was certaily quite an interesting perk to her evening.
Silver felt that her spirits had lifted considerably from what they had been at the beginning of the evening. She wandered out into the middle of the field in the darkness, looking up at the glorious moon and stars in the heaven above. With a smile on her face, the empyrean woman settled back into the grass, laying with her fingers laced behind her head. It seemed like ages since she let herself just relax and bask in the moonlight.
"The day may come," said a voice quietly, but distinct, "when the moon and stars may fade and leave Orn to its doom. That is a sobering thought, no?" A white haired figure rose from laying on the ground to a sitting position, back turned towards his fellow Empyrean.
"Sometimes, I wish that was so, but, rather, the stars take me with them and just leave all my cares here. Alas, that cannot be for we, as beings who inhabit this plane of existence, are here as care takers to the lost, guides to the ignorant, and justiciars of the wrongful. That is our curse you see? We, the celestial born sons and daughters of the universe itself, must tend to the masses that continually destroy, kill, and usurp all that is good, kind, and decent in the world."
The man paused and then turned slightly to face the woman.
"Wouldn't you agree?"