News:

- Chubby Dwarves are low fat.
- Pippen accused of getting drunk and feeling Merry
- Mexican Hobbit corrupted by One Ring. Known as Smiegel

Main Menu

The First Lesson

Started by Wildfire, January 14, 2008, 07:20:39 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Dray

Kit had placed Jordan back in her pocket as she walked over to stand beside Ashe on the ridge.

She didn't respond to Ashe's invitation, but instead looked solemnly upon the apothecary.

The late-afternoon breeze pushed warm air across the valley and played with their loose garments and Kit's hair as they both drowned in their thoughts of trials past and challenges ahead.

Kit finally broke the quiet.

"Grandfather," she began, not looking away from Ashe's ruined home. "What exactly happened down there?"

Ashe knew she wanted to know more about the evil that had tried to take her.

Wildfire

Ashe dreaded that question but knew it would be asked. It had been a tough battle and one that she would not have been in a state to recall. "A battle of wills Kit." Ashe said flatly. "Your crystal on its' birth was empty, it did not harbor any emotion. The Eye, in it's everlasting greed, saw a chance to once again attain power but through you. Since it was the catalyst for your crystal to emerge and because you are a seer, it wanted to live through your crystal. It is the Eye of Portence...it could see ahead to the great and terrible things that it and you could achieve."

Ashe was recalling the few days that all of this took place. Even now the events were fading as much of it seemed as a dream. In a stoic voice he continued, "It made promises of bringing back your parents, and killing your aggressors...giving you the power of the gods. Had you been a lesser person...you might have agreed."

Ashe looked upon her with admiration, "But you didn't. You just wanted to be Kitalia." Ashe smiled as he thought of the destruction done to his house. "As for that down there, well, you can't make a psi-crystal without breaking a house." He said cheerfully.
Wildfire

One should never underestimate the stimulation of eccentricity

Dray

Psi-crystal, Kit noted the name of the object in her hand.

"Yes but..." she looked up at him and then back down to into the valley, unable to meet his gaze, "...what is the Eye? Where did it come from?"

Despite the experience and knowledge she attained with her adventure alongside Laren, days prior to her first encounter with the crimson gem, she only had a vague idea as to what it was.

Wildfire

Ashe hesitated on telling Kit exactly where it had come from. It was not shame he felt for it's creation, but rather regret that it had come to such an enduring manifestation. It was a necessary evil if it's creator, one he cared for, were to return and undo the catastrophe he had wrought. It seemed now however, others could be harmed by that choice he made so many years ago. That thought was haunting, and was now visiting back on him.

"It is the crystal of my brother. One day I shall tell you of it's birth. That day is not now though." Ashe said with determined resignation and a hint of sadness.
Wildfire

One should never underestimate the stimulation of eccentricity

Dray

"Will my psi-crystal be capable of that evil?" Kit asked with genuine concern. The question echoed in Ashe's mind, something about it was extremely foreboding.

Wildfire

His brow furrowed sensing the dread she felt in now having this mysterious entity in her possession. He leaned towards her and looked her in the eyes with a piercing green-eyed gaze. "Kit, only if you allow youself to be." he said unforgivingly.
Wildfire

One should never underestimate the stimulation of eccentricity

Dray

A chill went down Kit's spine at her teacher's serious tone, it was not the answer she expected. She successfully fought back tears as she asked, "...but what if I lose control again?"

Wildfire

He considered her question delicately. The aquisition of power always lends itself to losing control of ones moral self and impressing one's will upon others by force. He had seen people fall to that lust and never return while others were strong enough to fight it completely or pull themselves from it. Ashe secretly asked himself if she had the strength to endure her own power. He believed she did.

Ashe continued to meet her eyes, his intensity unwavering, "Kit, you are now the master of your destiny. You will only lose control if any lust for power drowns your compassion. I have faith in your strength such that it will not happen to you."
Wildfire

One should never underestimate the stimulation of eccentricity

Dray

Kit couldn't endure Ashe's gaze, she looked away and back over the valley's horizon.

"The rage that you experienced within me grandfather..." Kit paused, a lump of emotion caught in her throat. Ashe put a hand on her shoulder and also looked over the town below. Shadows had grown longer and the day had gone bye far quicker than he had realized.

As he watched the trees sway in the afternoon breeze Ashe inwardly sighed. He had hoped that Kit didn't have a focused recollection of all the events in the recent tragedy, apparently that was not the case.

"...some days I know not how I have managed to contain it," she finished.

"Kit, with my tutelage and your good heart you..." Ashe began, but Kit stopped him with a glare of such determination he was caught in mid-sentence.

"Promise me," she asked.

Ashe raised an eyebrow at her in reply.

"Promise me that if it gets out of control." Kit swallowed hard, and although her eyes were once again streaming with tears, her determination did not waver.

"Promise me that you will kill me without hesitation."

Wildfire

Ashe was surprised by her request. He wasn't sure if she was experiencing a backlash of regret from her ordeal or was simply scared of the power she harbored. He thought better than to make such a promise for the circumstances surrounding such a situation must also be considered. In his life he learned that there were few absolutes and death, although effective, was not always the best course to solving a problem.

With a hopeful look in his eye he proclaimed, "I can make no such promise as that. The promise I will make is that I will do all I can to help you regain control."

He thought a moment and considered if he could bring himself to end her life. Again, it depended on the circumstances. If it were for her salvation then he would so more out of mercy than want.

"However, if it should come to pass that you cannot be saved then I will do as you ask...but certainly not with a light heart." He didn't want to say those words. He shuddered to think that one as promising as her would die by his making.

He looked down at his hands and could still see the blood of so many on them. In using his gifts, Ashe preferred to think of what he was allowing to live rather than what he was killing.

Wildfire

One should never underestimate the stimulation of eccentricity

Dray

His answer seemed to satiate her current emotional need and once again stabilize her. The tears that had been released by her fluttering eyes as they defended against the wind from across the valley, were also dried by the same zephyr. The unattended drops had lost the battle for freedom as they had reached downward from the edge of her pale cheeks.

Again they stood for many moments and took in the majesty of the scene below them.

A mental nudge came from her new companion in her pocket.

"Thanks for the offer of hearth and home Grandfather. I accept whole-heartedly," Kit said plainly. Ashe didn't see any hint of amusement or relief in her features as he looked over at her, and she kept her gaze on the valley. He quickly surmised that she had made the decision more out of need than for want.

She looked at him and caught this intuitive assertion in his gaze. She smiled at him. "No offense Grandfather, but I know living with you will mean giving up some of the freedoms I have enjoyed. Hard for a youngin like me to make the 'adult decision' and move in with a 'concerned guardian' on her own freewill."

Wildfire

Ashe smirked at the notion wondering if he, himself, had truly grown up...or if anyone ever did. So often adults behaved more as what they would call children. Yet, even children could have a far more sophisticated view of things than adults. The world was truly painted in shades of grey.

"A wise man once said, 'Seek freedom and you will surely find a prison, seek discipline and you will find your liberty.'" Ashe professed. "You are your own person Kit. You are welcome to leave or stay as you will. While you are here you will find that I may be many things to you...friend, enemy, parent, teacher...are you prepared for that? Are you ready to find liberty through discipline?"
Wildfire

One should never underestimate the stimulation of eccentricity

Dray

"I'll settle for safety in numbers," Kit said gave him a teasing smile.

Wildfire

Ashe nodded with a knowing smile. He could see that Kit had fantastic potential but that her anger must be tempered. Should her fury become unbridled it could very well be her undoing.

The many memories that had flooded him this day became distant. He had become the teacher to both Maccabeus and Kit...and he suspected to others as well...and was now focused on the future.

With the omens of change all around he knew that he could not falter in the least to ensure their guidance. He laughed to himself thinking that life would be the better teacher.

He looked closer at Kit, seeing with his inner eye. Colors were streaming all around her casting her in a scinttilating rainbow of light. The colors spoke of her lifes past, present, and future. Right now, he could see that she had an inner calm of safety and focus. She would need to draw upon that if she were to exercise her gifts.

She was ready.

Satisfied with today's results Ashe asked as much as declared, "Well Kit, I'm hungry. What say we go back to the Thornhedge and get lunch? We'll gather your things, inform Julius where you'll be, and settle you in."
Wildfire

One should never underestimate the stimulation of eccentricity

Dray

"Sounds like a plan old man," Kit said playfully, trying out a new nickname. She smiled and decided that she liked it.

"Are any of my medics around? I really should thank Laren, Maccabeus and Jarmok for helping save my life," she said. Ashe noted that she flushed as she did so, apparently still a bit embarassed to face them after the ordeal.

"If not today, then at least by tomorrow," she added.