Borintas | The Silver Alps: I

Early that morning, after breakfasting with Orion, two liveried footmen delivered to their rooms many different parcels containing their new clothings.

The two made time to familiarize themselves with the new additions of their wardrobe. They were amazed by the fit and quality.

Moritz, in his light blue linen shirt, camel hemp trousers, and cork-leather sandals, did not appear oddly proportioned as he did in Noaki's clothings.

When Noaki inspected his mended coat, he found a note in one of the pockets. It'd been written by the tailor probably emphasizing better handling of his coat, or maybe further chastising.

After tossing the note in the fireplace, he spends a few admiring the tailor's craftwork. The coat was transformed into a rich dark sheen with the faint aroma of pines. It looked and felt alive when he tried it on. Though, the days were getting warmer so he left it behind and wore something very similar to Moritz, save for the shirt which had been dyed mauve.

With the excitement of that morning passed, they were now drifting along the Gamuush in a sturdy rowboat they'd rented from a local fisherman. Their backs were turned toward each other with a pair of angling rods dangling over their small vessel. Neither had any luck with their lines, but were enjoying the languid afternoon.

Noaki imagines themselves fitting in the backdrop of some scenic painting.

A little over two weeks have passed since Master Eiko's first diagnosis. Master Eiko, as Noaki later learned from Orion, had activated Noaki's dormant perception. Since then, he began experiencing strange phenomena.

A few days acquainting themselves with Orion compelled the Dalkarian to part from his original traveling party to join theirs. For this, Noaki was immensely grateful, without the Dalkarian's presence their ignorance might have propelled them into some uncompromising situation. With a little prodding from Master Eiko, Orion personally oversaw the basics in their education alongside training.

Noaki reels in his line and sets the rod aside. He reaches into their lunch basket and tosses pieces of leftover bannock to the aquatic birds. They eye him warily at first, but were soon scrambling to devour the bread.

Before he realizes what's happening, the lower borders of his vision flare tendrils of violet and the world slows. Within a limited radius, he makes out the faint violet outlines of every living creature.

In the reeds along the embankment, in the depths of the river, and in the space of the air.

Noaki watches in haunted fascination when a large serpent undulates past their vessel and captures its prey. A particular plump bird barely has time to respond when its entire form bulges inside the serpent's body.

The world resumes its natural pace and Noaki keels over the boat, his afternoon lunch drifting down the river.

"Gross!" Moritz laughs beside him, patting him on the back. "I told you to go easy on the wine."

"Did you see the size of that thing?" Noaki wipes his mouth with a cloth from the basket. "It was twice the length of our boat!"

Moritz shifts his attention towards the serpent's departing undulations.

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In the commons area of the Prowler Inn, Noaki and Moritz seat themselves with a view of Borintas. The town is submerged in the light of an ethereal gold sun. In the shades of absent sunlight, street lanterns illumine more so than is usual.

Noaki and Moritz dine over an assortment of local delicacies, and to Moritz's delight the main course consists of roasted duck with a helpful serving of diced vegetables. They feast well past sunset when they are joined by Orion and a new companion.

"Noaki, Moritz, it's my pleasure to introduce to you, Gavin Whitehawk." Orion beams, his patterns take on a pale moonlit hue.

The physiognomies of this middle aged man, Gavin, were rough. His silver eyes, piercing. Salt and pepper stubble sprouted along his jawline and his jet black hair grew thick and untamed. A white bearskin overcoat conceals his brawny figure.

Despite his size, his movements, much like Orion, were assured with a touch of grace. He was among the few people they encountered who could meet Orion's eye level.

Noaki and Moritz are stricken with awe and wonder with this intimidating person.

Moritz was the first to regain his composure and to introduce himself with a handshake.

Noaki mimics his friend's introduction, his hands were small in Gavin's but accepted with equal respect. .

"Aye, you'll have to forgive me lads, I'm not as silver tongued as my dalkarian friend here." Gavin occupies the remaining seat at the table.

"Would you two like something to drink?" Noaki sips from his mug. "Moritz and I've already eaten, I'm afraid."

Gavin nods gratefully. "Aye a mug of ale ought to do it. Selinoff?" His eyes meet Orion's.

"I'll share a drink for this special occasion." Orion nods to Noaki.

Noaki waves to the waiter and places their order. "I expect you might be too busy for private lessons tonight?" He asks Orion.

Moritz shifts in his seat. "It's alright if you are, we did ask for the day off."

Orion chimes a chuckle, easing the hidden tensions between them. "Well Gavin, it seems you won't have time to settle in from your long journey."

Gavin observes Noaki keenly. "You're the Okari with the heartstring instrument?"

"Yes, though I'll admit I'm not very skilled using it." Noaki shies away. Gavin's perception is unnerving him, not unlike Master Eiko.

"When I heard news Gavin Whitehawk was residing in Port Min-khashiib, I sent a post." Orion pauses to receive his ale, he thanks the blushing waitress before continuing. "No'aki, I sent word to him on your behalf. You'll not find many suitably skilled to apprentice for."

Noaki observes Gavin down his mug in a few gulps.

"I'm afraid you won't learn much under my tutelage, and master Eiko is quite busy with her practice," Orion admits.

Noaki remains silent, he looks to his friend for advice. Moritz shrugs a response. You must learn to use this again, Kaien's words echoes among his thoughts. "Could you teach me to use the bow?"

Gavin peers into Noaki's eyes. "Perhaps … if your abilities are exceptional."

Noaki shrinks in his seat. "I'd like to learn a little before we leave."

Orion downs his mug without spilling a drop. He slams it down with a solid clunk. "Shall we be off then?"

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The four split off into separate pairs, Noaki with Gavin and Moritz with Orion.

"We're not training in the arena?" Noaki trails after Gavin's silent figure. His bow slung over his shoulder with its familiar weight, though it felt strange to be carrying around.

Gavin ignores his question. "Selinoff's said you've lost your memories? "

Noaki doesn't answer, he didn't like to think of his amnesia much. He gazes into the sky, one of the three lunar bodies did not rise, it was the largest of them. "It happened some two weeks ago," he finally answers. "I don't like to think about it much, Moritz and I never really talk about it."

Gavin nods. He slows to match his pace with Noaki. "You find anything of your past?" Noting Noaki's hesitation he follows this with a reassuring smile. "It's alright lad, I know we've just met, but you can trust me, On Selinoff's honor."

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"I..." Noaki still hesitates. When he mulls it over, he recounts everything since waking up on the forested ground. He figures if Orion could trust this man to lead him off into the woodlands, why shouldn't he?

Gavin listens intently and does not interrupt, only interjecting questions concerning events Noaki worded oddly due to his ignorance.

When he finishes his tale, Gavin doesn't speak until they reach the borders of the town and enter a forest. "This opal, do you have it on you?"

Noaki reaches into his coat pocket, retrieves the leather pouch and hands it to Gavin who handles it gingerly. In that instant the strange phenomena of Noaki's perceptual experience activates and the world slows.

Gavin drops the opal into his palm, the instant the gem is in contact with flesh, the weight of an incredible, invisible force overwhelms Noaki onto his knees.

A translucent sphere manifests and ensconces Gavin's head. Millions of microscopic white lights bespeckle this sphere. The silver of his eyes flare white and the entirety of his physical form irradiates a luminous moonlit aura, and furs of his overcoat dance in some invisible field of energy.

It appears Noaki as if the two are submersed in the depths of some crystalline ocean.

The moment Gavin drops the stone into its leather pouch, the experiential shift in reality resumes its intrinsic atmosphere.

For a long while, Gavin eyes the pouch with a grim expression.

He hands it back to Noaki, "Aye, just as I suspected."

Noaki pockets the leather pouch. "What do you mean by that?" He clambers onto his feet, his knees wobbling.

"It is deifacted," He murmurs. "This shard is from the primordial ages."

"I think Master Eiko mentioned something like it before." Noaki recalls on that time. "You don't think this is why I've lost my memories do you?"

"I don't know lad," he responds. "Deifacted shards are powerful, unpredictable, and anomalous to existence. This primordial artifact comes from an age long forgotten to time's embrace."

"Would it be too much of an explanation if I asked what shards are?" Noaki heard that term countless times, though he never really understood what it all meant.

"They are like the name, shards. These shards are created from that which never existed." Gavin nods.

"That doesn't explain anything!" Noaki laughs.

Gavin grins, revealing four sharp fangs.

"You're an Okari?!" Noaki points to his own fangs. "I'm starting to realize we've all got these."

Gavin nods. "Aye I am, and surriyin alvarrian."

Noaki recollects his surroundings. "We're a bit ways from town."

Gavin halts. "Aye, We've wandered further than I'd been meaning. No matter, we won't be out long."

To Noaki's bewilderment, Gavin manifests an intricately woven recurve, he aims the obsidian bow downward. "Whoa!" Noaki steps back.

"You'll be wanting to use your hunter's perception lad." Gavin's eyes flare white.

Noaki understood, at least this much he could manage on his own. He shuts his eyes for a moment, and immediately the world begins to slow down.

Gavin's entire form burning and enormous white flame. The exuding field of energy encompasses such a radius, Noaki's perception can't pinpoint its circumference

Gavin pulls the string back and a brilliant white arrow appears, its tip burns with an intense white fire.

Noaki could feel the dense power of that fire, his pores perspire from heat.

Gavin angles his bow. Noaki would have missed the release if he'd so much as blinked.

The arrow surges toward the peaks of the western mountains and erupts in a brilliant blaze that illuminates the night sky.

Witnessing that demonstration, Noaki's fears of James and his cronies were silly in comparison. His heart beats and his pores prickle from the sheer magnitude of potential destruction.

Adrenaline amplifies his perception as he's witnessing that explosion in slow detail. So mesmerized was he, were it not for Gavin stirring Noaki, he might have frozen himself in that spot.

Noaki deactivates his perception and gazes into Gavin's dormant eyes. Deceptive eyes that hid a power far beyond his imagination. "What..." Noaki endeavors to bring words to his tongue. "What are you?"

Gavin steadies Noaki onto his feet. "Sorry lad, I infused too much energy into that demonstration."

Noaki shakes his head. "What you did there, it's frightening."

"This is a potential I see insids you." Gavin holds Noaki in his gaze.

"I doubt that very much, I can only see things." Noaki's abilities feel small, limited, and useless by comparison. "That range in your perception alone is so… I can't even see the periphery."

Gavin smiles warmly. "Once I'd been where you stood. I was much older." He urges Noaki down the path they came. "That oughta be enough for the night."

"Shame I didn't practice much," Noaki murmurs to himself. Upon seeing Gavin's expression he quickly adds, "I did learn a lot though. I appreciate your straightforward answers, everyone seems to be answering in vague riddles."

"Your ignorance is to blame for that." Gavin removes his hand from Noaki's shoulder. "I did not say anything untrue Noaki, I do see potential in you."

Noaki gives a muted response.

The recurve in Gavin's hand vanished in a brief flash of white fire. "Will you be my apprentice?"

For a long while, Noaki considers this. "What do you mean by that?"

"We'd travel together, Orion's arranged for the four of us to journey together, until the both of you can make it alone."

The woodlands are thinning, and Noaki can make out the lights of town. "I have to ask Moritz first." Noaki matches his pace with Gavin.

"Orion suspects the lad will agree, and though the dalkarian lacks our perception, he's rarely wrong. In fact," Gavin has a ruminating look on his face, "I've never known him to be wrong."

"I'll agree if Moritz also agrees with Orion." Noaki considers his friend before continuing. "If my intuition is correct, and they've yet failed me, I suspect Moritz will also wait want to ask me first"

"I understand, I'm pleased to hear it." Gavin hastens his pace. "Let's return soon. I've not rested much since Min-Khashiib."

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Moritz was in the midst of learning a new technique when an invisible force pressed down on him. This appears to also affect Orion, as immediately after, the dalkarian's eyes are luminous pink.

"What was that?"

"Spiritual energy." Orion closes his eyes. "A powerful kind. "

The weight of energy lifts from Moritz's shoulders. He repositions himself and focuses with intensity on the atmosphere surrounding him.

The night illumines a brilliant white, followed by an explosion.

Moritz and Orion gaze upward in unison, the remnants of some white explosion gradually dim.

"Now what was that?"

"Surriyin fire." Orion smiles. "Whitehawk's demonstration."

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Noaki waits long into the early dawn before Moritz returns looking worn and disheveled. It appeared Orion didn't spare much on behalf of his absence.

Noaki pours out a glass of wine for his friend who drinks it eagerly.

"Noaki," Moritz pants, after taking a few gulps of the fermented beverage. "Orion asked me to be his apprentice."

Noaki nods for him to continue.

Moritz downs another glass. "I told him I'd wait until I heard what you had to say."

Noaki's face beams. "Gavin made that same proposition, and I told him I'd ask what you'd say."

Moritz laughs. "I suppose this means we're both uncertain." He pours himself another glass.

Noaki pours himself a glass as well, partially to numb his experience of Gavin's demonstration, and to loosen himself just enough to recount everything he learned in regards to the opal.

Moritz doesn't speak for a long while yet, only nodding in solemn silence. "I suppose we don't have much choice do we?" He finishes his fifth glass. "If you really think about it." Moritz sighs, "there’s still a lot I don’t know and want to know, learn stuff. You know?"

"Like how to read?" Noaki recalls his frustration in that particular area.

Nodding, Moritz takes a sip. "Yeah, sometimes I forget we can't. It reminds me too much…"

"You learn anything new?" Noaki cuts in.

Moritz face glows, "you won't believe me until I show you." He takes another sip, "I'm still learning, but it essentially works like this…"

Like this they continued their exchange long into morning, irresponsibility consuming copious amounts of wine until they fell unconscious