[Dragon Mail: Alexander Varista]

[winterwhite]

[sent thursday night during this log

the paper smells a little burnt and has some streaks of ash on it, but nothing recent or alarming about it]


I will not be back tonight.

The Asha is gone. Spellswords came for him last Friday. I do not know why, but I suspect it was an attempt to contain him. They failed and he escaped. He teleported to Earth. I am going now to find him, if nothing has already happened to him.

I will come back. I promise.

Ask Ravindra or Nova to keep you company. I do not want you lonely, too.

Comments

[winterwhite]

History, as far as I can tell. Though it seems they were considered fantasy here, as was the rest of Zenderael.

I don't have much in the way of hope for there being something new to learn. Something to do, I suppose.

[socarnivorously]

[ disgusting. players are disgusting.

this 'knowledgeable' person -- he wonders if it's jordan or duncan. they were together in this, those three, directing their lives and that was why-

that was why he knew rei and ravi at all--

he crumples the original letter again, then begins the meticulous process of smoothing it out -- again. ]

It's an entirely different world. Why not explore it?

[winterwhite]

It is. She lives very high up. I can see over most of the buildings when it's light out. I can still see cars on the streets now if I go look. They have lights on the front so they can illuminate the roads, like a lantern would.

I don't want to explore it. Not like this.

[socarnivorously]

[ as long as she can remember it, describe it to him later... ]

I understand. [ no he doesn't ] So you'll just stay inside her very high home until morning reading books of little value? That sounds unpleasant.

Should I stay up with you?

[winterwhite]

[normally it would be wonderful, actually, but this time around she's inclined to agree. even the things she's interested in are lackluster.

really, she just wants to have all this uncertainty behind her and go home. it sounds simple, so why hasn't it been?...

should she just give up and go home? just wait there until something happens?]

No... no, she... suggested sending a dragon mail to the Asha. I just don't know if it would be useful at all. Still, I suppose I could track him from there. I just worry about the suddenness, or if he could respond.

[theresa gave her some apple slices, which she thought strange, if only because it was familiar. she's feeding bits to the dragon while she thinks, doodling harmless runes on the edges of the paper in the meantime. no real power, just a faint glow from them off the page until they get crossed out or otherwise disrupted]

I would like you to. But I haven't got anything else to talk about... it seems this is all I talk about anymore. I'm sorry.

[socarnivorously]

I understand. [ he does, as much as he can anyway, not being a golem himself -- but the pull to ensure one's existence, to doubt it, and to focus on it -- he understands ]

It might be the easiest way to find him, assuming he's close by... You can feel him, can't you? Use the dragon to narrow his location down from there.

[ the smells on her paper are a mixture of familiar and not, rei, dragon, but the paper, different, thin, and the pen, too, different.

and a scent, faint but present, that he can only attribute to the boy or to theresa herself... ]

What does it smell like? Earth.

[winterwhite]

Yes, I can do that. He's... he must be close, but I can't tell how close. I never really noticed it before, I never tested it...

What does Earth smell like? [her own sense of smell is probably worse than most average peoples', and certainly nothing compared to his, but she takes a moment to get up and go over to the balcony windows and open them up. it's not quite cold, it's overcast and a little humid maybe... damp, definitely]

It's very clean smelling inside... like tea and books... outside it's more like it's about to rain.

[socarnivorously]

It rains often there. Keep yourself dry.

Will you do it now?

[winterwhite]

Ah... yes. I will. I wish I had my other outfit...

Mm, yes. [it's late, but waiting doesn't promise anything, so...] I'll send you another letter when I am certain everything is all right. Within the hour, I think.

But if you fall asleep before then, that's all right. It's quite late, isn't it?

[socarnivorously]

It's fine. I[ is turned into an A, as per his signature throughout ]

[winterwhite]

[sent a little over half an hour later, again with different paper and a different pen. the letter smells a little vanilla-cinnamony.]

I have need of several books. I believe all of them are at the house. If not, tell me which and I will ask Fio to send the rest from the Library.

[and here is a list of about ten books, eight of which will be fairly easily found in the study. basics, most of it, but well used, varied in subject and nothing of any particular interest]

He has chosen a successor. I am to teach him before [...] the organ is passed over.

[socarnivorously]

[ he doesn't like this smell. he's not even sure what to feel about the successor part, and he is at that point of being so tired but unable to sleep that his mind isn't quite up to speed.

he focuses on locating the books instead. convenient because he's in the study already. he gathers the books, save for two, which he can't seem to find so easily. perhaps they're downstairs...

but before that, he'll send the dragon off, and it has to make several trips with the books.

he sends her list back with her, with the books found crossed out, unthinking that he might need it because he certainly doesn't remember the titles. ]

Can't find the other two. Haven't looked downstairs yet.

[winterwhite]

[the asha's asleep and she's dutifully staying awake to keep an eye on his mana levels. gabe's asleep too. maybe. she isn't really paying attention to him once he stops moving.

she checks the list and then double-checks the books that come with them]

It's all right. These will do for now. [will they? is the book on symbology- yes, there it is.] I can ask Fio for the rest.

I- is there anything I can do for you?

[it took her a bit to write that, more doodles (of penguins) and sigils on the paper]

[socarnivorously]

Come back whole.

[winterwhite]

I will.




I miss you. I miss you already. I'll come back. I'll come home. I promise.

[socarnivorously]

For every day that you're there, bring me back something. A pebble, a leaf, whatever catches your eye.

[winterwhite]

[there's not much where she is now... not much that interests her or catches her eye, but she's not in the mood, either. once it's light out, maybe, she'll take some time to go out. there's got to be something...]

Yes, I'll do that.

[socarnivorously]

What is his successor like?

[winterwhite]

[takes a minute to consider this question]

Insecure. Young, but that means little... the Asha was little more than a child when he was given the title. Accepting, but I am uncertain if he realizes the extent of what must happen.

Ah, but I woke him up. Perhaps he will in the morning.

I cannot comment, however. It must be done.

[socarnivorously]

[ insecure with a reputation for madness... ha ha ha ]

We are often not at our bests when woken.

[winterwhite]

I was not talking about you. Though it is certainly true. But I like you when you have just woken up.

[socarnivorously]

[ omg rei that 'we' was for people who are (or were once) human!! but he is endeared by her misunderstanding ]

Dim and groggy, you mean?

[winterwhite]

And warm. Usually you mumble something, too. And sometimes it takes you a long time to get out of bed. There is no rush. It is a good time to watch you.

[socarnivorously]

I'm glad you find it entertaining.

[winterwhite]

The times I have watched you wake up are among some of my favourite memories.

Thank you.