The Sea Holds the Stars
Fire in the Sky
"The first principle and basic nature of all things is water."
--Thales; as stated by Aristotle
-You could flee this dismal place.-
I will not.
-You have a right to flee. You are abandoned.-
I will not flee. Many wounds must be healed.
-You owe this place nothing.-
I will find the way.
-For what purpose? This place betrays you again and again.-
Not all wounds are as such.
-Think. You do not even know the way.-
I will find it.
-Why?-
I must make it right.
-At the cost of your life? A life most deem as nothing?-
If not, the darkness will come and pervade everything.
-You have only memories to protect.-
Memories can be enough.
The caverns were as confusing as they had been since he found himself down here. They easily disoriented him and sent the creature going into circles. Still, he had begun to map everything out by scent.
Earth against his own.
Renne kept on going even as the Hunter whispered in his head. Tempted him, beguiled him, baited him. The Hunter was right on one thing -- He owed this place called Rhy'din little, if anything. And he could in essence, escape the city. He could, in essence, free himself if he so chose.
He didn't choose.
He spoke his answers to the Hunter in a hushed whisper and kept on going.
His mind wandered as he did, twisting down the passages. He thought of the choice in front of him and the decisions he'd made in the past.
He wasn't perfect -- the stars only knew how much he'd fallen over in the past. But he wasn't completely an evil thing either. He had at one time, jumped whenever help was asked for. He had at one time, an innocent perspective on the world, untainted by betrayals or abandonment.
Or death.
He had come from a fallen place to rise anew. He had done so many times with the intent to stay on the rise.
He hated falling.
Renne kept moving until he heard the sound of the sea. Muted by the cavern's passages, distant and faint. Still, he heard it and he smiled. Stopping here, he thought to catch at least an hour's rest. It wasn't as if he knew time was most often against him.
--------------------
He woke to the sea against the shore. It was still muted but it wouldn't be for much longer. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes and wolfing down a small repast of some dried fruits and a cookie, Renne started on again in his trek.
When he found the mouth of the passage and heard the sea against the shore, he smiled.
One mile closer.
"Hello you blue rascal!"
The call honestly caught him off-guard. It ultimately sent the six-pound creature to fall gracelessly onto his rear but ultimately, it didn't matter. He heard and knew Cinder's voice.
A voice well-loved.
"So you plan to get back to the Holding House?"
He knew his goal. For now though, he was glad to just crawl along beside Cinder and talk. It wasn't momentous, nor was it some catastrophic event. It was just an aging elf and a torn creature from far away conversing as they moved along the shoreline.
It was calming. It was even funny.
It became especially funny when a new sweet was introduced. Cinder offered it and, curious as ever, Renne sampled a piece of this stuff called FruitaB?.
Had he known the texture of the stuff before-hand, he might not have looked so ridiculous with this FruitaB? hanging like caramel out of his mouth and down his small chin.
It was embarrassing, funny and the embarrassment really didn't matter. The stuff was pretty good once he learned how not to eat it.
"Eeh. Ith goo-th Thin-dtherrrr."
"Don't try to eat so much of it at once."
"Eey-eth."
"FruitaB?!"
It was a small shame he couldn't see the comical pose Cinder struck just then. He could still laugh at the tone of voice and what his imagination decided to concoct.
They walked onward, speaking of many things. Cinder put thoughts in Renne's head of possibly starting a jewelry shop. He expanded the imp's vocabulary.
When they stopped to rest for the remainder of the night, the imp found himself at least for a moment, at peace with everything.
He was a Pirate -- er, sailor.
He was a cook.
He was a Tree Biting Imp Extraordinaire.
He was confused and afraid of a lot of things but that would be dealt with.
He'd learn. He'd grow stronger.
For now, Renne simply lived in the moment. He didn't let the Hunter's whispering voice get loud enough.
For now, he put a little faith in a candle that never went out.
Fire in the Sky
"The first principle and basic nature of all things is water."
--Thales; as stated by Aristotle
-You could flee this dismal place.-
I will not.
-You have a right to flee. You are abandoned.-
I will not flee. Many wounds must be healed.
-You owe this place nothing.-
I will find the way.
-For what purpose? This place betrays you again and again.-
Not all wounds are as such.
-Think. You do not even know the way.-
I will find it.
-Why?-
I must make it right.
-At the cost of your life? A life most deem as nothing?-
If not, the darkness will come and pervade everything.
-You have only memories to protect.-
Memories can be enough.
The caverns were as confusing as they had been since he found himself down here. They easily disoriented him and sent the creature going into circles. Still, he had begun to map everything out by scent.
Earth against his own.
Renne kept on going even as the Hunter whispered in his head. Tempted him, beguiled him, baited him. The Hunter was right on one thing -- He owed this place called Rhy'din little, if anything. And he could in essence, escape the city. He could, in essence, free himself if he so chose.
He didn't choose.
He spoke his answers to the Hunter in a hushed whisper and kept on going.
His mind wandered as he did, twisting down the passages. He thought of the choice in front of him and the decisions he'd made in the past.
He wasn't perfect -- the stars only knew how much he'd fallen over in the past. But he wasn't completely an evil thing either. He had at one time, jumped whenever help was asked for. He had at one time, an innocent perspective on the world, untainted by betrayals or abandonment.
Or death.
He had come from a fallen place to rise anew. He had done so many times with the intent to stay on the rise.
He hated falling.
Renne kept moving until he heard the sound of the sea. Muted by the cavern's passages, distant and faint. Still, he heard it and he smiled. Stopping here, he thought to catch at least an hour's rest. It wasn't as if he knew time was most often against him.
--------------------
He woke to the sea against the shore. It was still muted but it wouldn't be for much longer. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes and wolfing down a small repast of some dried fruits and a cookie, Renne started on again in his trek.
When he found the mouth of the passage and heard the sea against the shore, he smiled.
One mile closer.
"Hello you blue rascal!"
The call honestly caught him off-guard. It ultimately sent the six-pound creature to fall gracelessly onto his rear but ultimately, it didn't matter. He heard and knew Cinder's voice.
A voice well-loved.
"So you plan to get back to the Holding House?"
He knew his goal. For now though, he was glad to just crawl along beside Cinder and talk. It wasn't momentous, nor was it some catastrophic event. It was just an aging elf and a torn creature from far away conversing as they moved along the shoreline.
It was calming. It was even funny.
It became especially funny when a new sweet was introduced. Cinder offered it and, curious as ever, Renne sampled a piece of this stuff called FruitaB?.
Had he known the texture of the stuff before-hand, he might not have looked so ridiculous with this FruitaB? hanging like caramel out of his mouth and down his small chin.
It was embarrassing, funny and the embarrassment really didn't matter. The stuff was pretty good once he learned how not to eat it.
"Eeh. Ith goo-th Thin-dtherrrr."
"Don't try to eat so much of it at once."
"Eey-eth."
"FruitaB?!"
It was a small shame he couldn't see the comical pose Cinder struck just then. He could still laugh at the tone of voice and what his imagination decided to concoct.
They walked onward, speaking of many things. Cinder put thoughts in Renne's head of possibly starting a jewelry shop. He expanded the imp's vocabulary.
When they stopped to rest for the remainder of the night, the imp found himself at least for a moment, at peace with everything.
He was a Pirate -- er, sailor.
He was a cook.
He was a Tree Biting Imp Extraordinaire.
He was confused and afraid of a lot of things but that would be dealt with.
He'd learn. He'd grow stronger.
For now, Renne simply lived in the moment. He didn't let the Hunter's whispering voice get loud enough.
For now, he put a little faith in a candle that never went out.