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 Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 3:29 pm
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Posted: Sun May 01, 2016 8:20 am
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❖❅ღ ☾Table of Contents / Rules / Contact Information☾ ღ❅❖
ToC
☾Staff Post
Cert, Link to Official Uncert & Inventory
ღ Table of Contents & Rules
❅News/Updates
❖Sol
Basic physical info, personality, etc.
☾History
Sunny Bug's Past
ღ Relationships
Family, Friends, Lover(s), Enemies, etc.
❅Familiar(s)
Information on Sev, ---, etc.
❖ RP Log
☾ Battle Log
Rules
Do not post in this thread unless you are staff, myself, or invited first. By posting this I am agreeing to follow ToS and shop rules, so I would invite the reader to do the same.
Contact Information
I am always open for plotting/rps! That being said, some ways you can contact me are listed below;
ღ PM
❅AIM: ScootersMcGee |
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Posted: Sun May 01, 2016 8:22 am
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Posted: Sun May 01, 2016 8:28 am
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❖❅ღ ☾Sol☾ ღ❅❖
Name: Sol
Race: Alkidike/Ice/Wind/Shifter
Gender: Male
Future Class: Undecided
Significant Other: None
Parents: Nimueh and Callum
Siblings: Ygraine
Children: None
Physical Description: Taller than the majority of earthlings with a lean, muscular build. He sports a few alkidike markings on his forehead and at the base of his antennae.
Personality: Independent, Stubborn, Silver Tongued
Sol is a very individualistic man who doesn't see the need in following stupid rules if they keep him from doing what he wants to do. He chafes under strict guidelines; like schedules, appointments, and generally anything his sister makes him do. That isn't to say he's lazy or refuses chores; rather, he just prefers to do them his own way.
He's stubborn, though one also on the quieter side. This means that when presented with something he doesn't like he isn't as quick to argue it as he is to pout. When he is pushed to argue, however, Sol will defend his position with a dogged determination. He's willful to a fault, which gets him into trouble with his family more often than naught. Especially when it comes to his little 'trips'.
Sol loves exploring so much that he'll often just go out into the woods by himself for hours at a time. Sometimes he'll tell others where he's going, more often than not he won't simply because Sol knows they would advise against it. It's something he's done since childhood, and failing eyesight or not, he doesn't plan on stopping now. Getting away unnoticed is tricky, especially with Ygraine riding rank on him, but he manages.
Ever since he was young Sol has been able to use his wits and charm to get out of trouble. There was a period in his teen years where his denial about his eyes made him obstinate, and hard to interact with. He's long since come to terms with things, and has since turned into a charmingly wicked man. He's learned that if he says the right things to the right people then he can get by with most anything. Especially if he puts on a convincing enough lie, and says exactly what others want to hear.
In his youth he tended to shy away from strangers, but now he can navigate through them easily enough. His conversations at minimal at best, though he tries to keep them pleasant enough. He'll never be as exuberant as his papa, but that isn't what Sol strives for. All he wants is to do right by others, and live his life in peace.
Interesting Facts:
-Despite his oncoming blindness Sol can still 'sense' living beings around him thanks to his antennae. Coupling his extra senses with his magic has allowed him to feel out auras, which help him to realize when he isn't alone.
-He has no way of telling if those auras belong to friend or foe
-Is a fan of crystal jewelry; even if he can't see the colors, he likes to feel the texture
-is an excellent dancer
-scared of infants; one wrong move and they're dead.
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 7:09 am
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 7:15 am
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Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2016 9:21 pm
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Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 1:52 pm
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❖❅ღ ☾Prentice Class Affinity Solo - Sol chooses Soul Linker!☾ ღ❅❖
Growing up in Zena, Sol learned the importance of being a helping hand. Laziness had never been a part of his lifestyle; at least, not to the point of being detrimental to his family.
Of course on more than one occasion he had bailed out on chores to do his own sort of adventuring.
Ever since he had been a small boy, clad in so many layers of fur that it made walking difficult, Sol had been prone to disappearing. He would often sneak away for hours at a time with only his trusty raptrix by his side. Sev was as much a comfort to him as she was to his fathers. At least with her by his side larger predators would think twice about messing with the small boy, and he would be able to share his finds with someone.
In those days he thought that Zena was so vast he would never be able to explore it all, but he was determined to try. Sol learned as much as he could from his grandmothers about tracking and hunting, that way he could be as useful to his family as possible. By his twelfth birthday Sol was already a skilled trapper. He would proudly return home in the early hours of the morning with several kills strapped across Sev's back. The boy was never so happy as when he could not only provide for his family, but also provide furs for his grandmothers to trade.
Sol knew now that in those days his family had been humoring him. More than half of the catches he brought home had been inedible, with even less salvageable for the fur trade. However, he had grown as a huntsman and now...now he had all the training he needed to pursue it as a full time career.
For so many years Sol had only ever imagine himself as a hunter.
A noble woodsman atop his raptrix with a spear in his hand.
And then...
...his eyesight began to fail.
At first it hadn't been bad enough for him to worry over. He knew that it was normal for Alkidike hybrids to have poorer eyesight than other earthlings, but this was progressing faster than that. He was only fifteen! And he dared not tell his fathers; no, for the time being, it was Sol's secret to bear.
For a while it left him moodier than usual. Instead of his little outings lasting for a day at most Sol would disappear for weeks at a time, often spending more and more time isolated further within the Zenan wilderness than ever before. Hunting had been the one thing to bring him comfort when his life had gone to hell; when his Papa had been taken from them. With first Callum, then Nimueh gone Sol and Ygraine had been on their own. Not entirely, they had their grandmothers, but without their fathers to guide them it had felt...empty. And the guilt, the overwhelming guilt of having his father taken from them just because those filthy Obans had wanted them instead...
By his sixteenth birthday Sol was a bitter, jaded, and isolated young man.
His tongue had become as sharp as his blade, and despite his worsening eyesight the young man pushed himself. His accuracy with the spear was starting to fall away, which left him frustrated and near screaming most days. Often he would throw the damn thing, relishing when it finally managed to hit something, even if that something was a tree and not a tasty prey beast.
The whole thing left him at a loss. He could edge his way around familiar trails, but newer territory left him uneasy. While he could still see, the trees and mountains weren't as clear as they had been a few years ago. It left him scared, and wary about leaving the area he had grown up in.
And if not hunting, then what WOULD he do with his life?
Standing in the forest, with the snow falling onto his shoulders, Sol looked down at the spear in his hand. It was freshly retrieved from yet another tree, worse for the wear because of the harsh treatment, but still there. He could use it as a cane if need be; if things got worse.
He hoped they wouldn't.
But feared they would.
What if his vision continued to worsen? What if he became...blind?
His hands gripped the shaft of the spear in a near death hold. He was just going to have to learn how to cope; figure something out before any of that happened and find out some way to be useful without letting his family know.
And then his thoughts drifted to Makani. The blind magic user in Sauti. He had been able to live his life without sight, so maybe if Sol tried using magic he could do the same.
"A healer, me," He snorted.
It was why he was staying in Sauti, after all. Why he had left his Papa, and decided to let Callum go back to Zena on his own. The transition didn't come easily to Sol. Being around so many people, day in and day out...It was something the teenager was struggling with. They were nice, and very helpful, as was Makani but it still wasn't home.
Still, offering to stay had been easier to explain to Callum than he had originally thought. Ever since his fathers had returned from Oba he had helped tend to them in their various stages of 'illness' and had learned much from the healers who had visited their home. It wasn't a stretch for Sol to learn the craft, and would certainly draw less attention from his fathers than if he suddenly decided to take up dancing.
And maybe, just maybe, he might be able to find a cure for his failing eye sight.
It was a long shot, sure, but something to hold onto in darker times.
Mostly, he was excited to learn as much from Makani as the older hybrid was willing to teach. Through his guidance Sol was sure to pick up the skills necessary to at least hide his oncoming blindness from his parents, and maybe, just maybe, find some way to fight against it.
(WC: 1,042)
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Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 10:12 am
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❖❅ღ ☾Prentice Solo One☾ ღ❅❖
When Sol thought about Irma his heart gave an odd little jump that scared him.
She was possibly the most beautiful girl he had ever met. Irma's family had drifted through the same area he and his Papa were staying, bringing them into direct contact with the windlings. At first he hadn't paid much attention to the teenagers in their group, as Sol had never been one to socialize much, but then...
...then he saw her.
Her eyes were as bright as the clearest lake in Zena. He had never seen such a pure blue in his entire life, and at first he thought she was a goddess. It didn't seem natural for an earthling to be that pretty. Callum had teased him endlessly for his open staring, but Sol hadn't been able to help himself. She was just so...soo...perfect.
Her crystals were so light they almost blended in with her sun freckled skin. They dotted across her bare shoulders like little bits of jewelry, accentuating muscles placed onto her small bones due to long, hard days of work. Irma was no pampered beauty; she had callouses and bruises, the same as any nomad, but to Sol they only made her more wonderful. It showed that she wasn't opposed to doing what had to be done, and that she could also take her of herself in the midst of all the work.
For someone so young to have it all put together...
That sort of confidence was intoxicating to him.
He felt drawn in by those eyes...and when she tucked strands of golden blond hair behind her ear he found himself with the strange urge to bite her ear. Not hard, just a little nibble, which was beyond weird. Why would he want to hurt her? It just didn't make sense!
Sol watched her for days and felt more like a creeper for it than ever before. She was shorter than anyone he had ever met before, which wasn't exactly unusual for earthlings, since he had a bit of alkidike height to him. Short and stout, with a solid frame. A solid frame with a glorious set of hips that begged to be touc-
And once, once she had even spoken to him.
They had both been inside the inn at the same time, gathering up breakfast for their families when she accidentally brushed against him. When he looked down at her she had been smiling. "Sorry about that."
It was so quick and chaste that he couldn't possibly imagine there had been more to it than that.
But, in Sol's mind it was something far more than it appeared.
Maybe she liked him too, and was too shy to admit it? Or maybe she was worried because of his hybrid blood?
The next day, when she was practicing trap making with her friends, he watched on from afar. Or, well, a closer version of afar since his distance vision wasn't so great. She was fast with her hands and -
"That hybrid's been watching you a lot lately, Irma. I think he likes you."
"Yeah, he's probably been watching you undress too."
Two of the girls starting giggling and Sol couldn't help seeing a flush spread out across Irma's pale skin. "I don't think he has very many friends," She said at last. "Maybe we should invite him to spend some time with us?"
Yes! Sol's heart leapt with joy. She wanted him to spend time with her, despite her mocking friends. He could ignore their stupid comments, so long as she wanted him there...
"Yeah right. He's probably going to curse us or something. He's weird, even for a hybrid. I bet he knows some weird magic that'll make us just as crazy as he is."
"Sava, that's rude." Irma furrowed her brows, then continued on with her work. It was a little while before she said something else, evidently taking it upon herself to change the subject, for which Sol was grateful.
So her friends didn't like him. Big whoop. They could make new friends; better friends.
But Irma seemed to like him, and that was enough for Sol.
(WC: 691 - 2pts)
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Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 12:04 pm
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❖❅ღ ☾Prentice Growth Solo☾ ღ❅❖
(Even though he's made the decision to be a healer, Sol still struggles daily with it. He's always wanted to be a hunter; to be what he feels is 'useful'. Now it's as if he's been delegated to the side lines just to cover his own failings, and it's irritating to him.
That is, until a cute lil gal he's been crushing on finds herself in a sticky situation. This will not only teach him that healing is a much more 'hands on', important role than he initially thought and that he can still make a huge impact on the world even though he no longer carries a traditional weapon.)
Spending time in Eira's Inn wasn't nearly as terrible as Sol had initially thought it to be.
In fact, it was ten times worse.
The work itself wasn't horrific. Sol was no stranger to long, hard days and heavy lifting. He made himself useful by volunteering for extra chores even once his 'work' had been completed. It seemed only fair, since Makani had offered to house him during his training. Every morning would begin the same; he would wake early, do what chores needed tending to, go to his magical training, and round the day out with a few more chores before bed.
It wasn't nearly as 'relaxed' as his old life. Back in Zena when he became frustrated he would often sneak away into the wilds for a few days, but here...here he had commitments. Makani was being kind enough to teach him how to use what little magic he was able to bring to life, so Sol resigned himself with sticking it out.
Even that wasn't the truly hard part.
The worst part about the whole thing was being around her.
Irma.
Her family's nomadic tribe had come far from the outreaches of Sauti. They had situated themselves in the inn for a while now, debating on which way they should go. Often times Irma herself would travel down to the river that ran close to the structure itself with a few of her friends, and frolic in the afternoon sun. The natural glistening glow of Sauti's winds would caress her skin, and fan her long hair around her back like wings.
Sol had been caught looking at her from afar more than a few times. He tried to remain stealthy, but it was so hard when all he wanted was to talk to her. In order to see the girl he had to get close, which inevitably led to him being caught by either Irma herself or her friends. It was always met with laughter, mostly because he would scurry away once caught but Sol knew what they said behind his back.
Her friends didn't like him. The other nomadic teens poked fun at his mixed heritage, even when they knew he was watching. Sometimes they would even make fun of Irma herself for having attracted such a weirdo to her side. It made him feel like less of a person for it. If only he keep hunting forever then he could prove to her that he was just as capable as any other guy. That he would protect her, and keep those blue eyes sparkling and that...
...that maybe it wouldn't' be so bad to date him.
Sol tied his hair pack into a bun to keep the long strands of golden locks away from his face while he worked. It was a windier day, one that made him wish he was brave enough to cut it all off. But bringing a blade that close to his antennae-
A scream ripped through the air and reverberated down his spine.
Without hesitation Sol took off in hot pursuit. His boots clapped a hard pattern against the ground, slapping down on the rough soil as fast as he could. As he came around a large stone he very nearly ran into another teenager; one of Irma's friends.
Her pale skin was flushed red and she had fresh blood on her shaking hands. "Y-you have to get help! SHE NEEDS HELP."
"What happened?!" He reached out to clasp her shoulders, trying to get her to focus when it was so obvious that she was close to a break down. "Who needs help?"
"Irma! W-w-we were sc-scouting in the cliffs, trying to find a route..to-to-to take when we were attacked." He barely could make out what she was saying. "It's the Drund. The others chased them away but Irma...Irma was attacked and she's dying-"
Sol barely managed to call out, "Tell the others!", before taking off at a dead run. What were they thinking?! Going after two full grown Drund on their own was suicide! Being in a group helped, but they were all so young, and barely experienced with any sort of weapon. And now Irma...
The teenager couldn't make his legs work fast enough. He flew through rocky crags, often falling down and scraping his own skin in an effort to make it there faster. At first he feared that he had gone off course, but within a relatively short amount of time he heard frantic voices echoing in the caverns around him.
He didn't need his failing eyes to find them. His antennae helped him to narrow which direction the voices were coming from, thankfully leading him to the group much faster. Not that seeing them was a good sign.
The other teenagers were battle worn; bloody, scraped and bruised. Each had their own battle wounds, but none looked as terrible as Irma herself. They had her laid out against the ground, head propped up on a friend's lap as she moaned through the pain that had inevitably driven her unconscious.
Sol dropped to his knees beside her, and reached out a hand onto to have it smacked away.
When he looked up the girl who had her Irma's head in her lap - Sava? - was frowning at him. "Don't touch her! She needs a healer and you'll just curse her."
"I am a healer-"
"-in training! What good can you do?"
Sol sat back and looked at Irma. Sava had a point; what good could he really do? Up until this point he had accepted his fate as a healer without much enthusiasm. He had always hoped that a cure could be found for his ailing eyesight, and that in time he could go back to his true passion. Thus, not much effort had been spent learning the magical arts.
But now...
Now he legitimately wanted to help Irma, and he knew he didn't have the skills necessary to save her.
But he could try.
"...Drund had a toxic venom that kills it's prey from the inside out. Did you know that when you fought them? Did she know that when she let it get close enough to bite her?" Sol all, but snarled. The bite wound that spanned her right side said it all. Irma had likely been defending her friends the only way she knew, and hadn't known enough about the beasts to stay away. Now her insides were being corroded and her friends wanted to keep him from helping her.
Good luck.
He hadn't been able to go with her because he wasn't a hunter anymore. Not a true one; a real man that could stand by her side. And yet, Sol knew in that moment that it didn't really matter. Who said he wouldn't have gotten hurt instead? Or that any of them would have made it out okay? Right now he just needed to focus on keeping her with them, and then maybe...
Sol pushed Sava's blocking hand away from him, ignoring her vocalized protests, and set about tapping into his magic. It was weak; as it should have been, since he barely used it. But with Makani's help he had been able to recognize it within his body and bring it out. He closed his eyes and hears to the world. In that moment there was only Irma, and the negative energies that tried to destroy her.
Unbeknownst to him a golden sort of light had begun to glow around his fingertips. Where he touched her skin that light phased through her and into him, pulling the venom away. It was hard work; work that Sol had to put his entire focus into. Sweat popped out across his skin, and his body began to tire as more and more energy was used up just to rid Irma's body of the toxins.
When he opened his eyes Sol almost fell back. He would have, if not for one of the other teenagers catching him. He was vaguely aware of their praise, telling him that she already looked so much better, but Sol knew that Irma wasn't out of the woods yet. Her body might have been cleared of most of the toxins, but she wasn't entirely clean; not yet. And he didn't have the strength to close the wound.
He was still too weak for all of that, but she would make it until a more experienced healer came.
And that was enough to give him peace of mind as he fell into unconsciousness.
(WC: 1,422)
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Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2018 7:24 pm
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❖❅ღ ☾Stage Two Solo One☾ ღ❅❖
Sol never returned to Sauti.
In fact, he remained in Jauhar long after telling Koril he would leave, stubbornly clinging to his independence with a fierceness that hadn’t reared its head in years. There was a ‘newness’ about the jungle that was both terrifying and all too inviting to his fading eyes. Why hadn’t he been able to see it before? When his eyes were crisp and new all he’d been able to focus on was what lay directly in front of him, not the bigger picture that threatened to abandon him. Sol wanted to hold onto the iridescent fungi, the colorful wings of massive insects, and that face, that precious speckled face for as long as he could. Even now, as he raised his hand to meet his face, Sol could barely make out the outline of his own fingers. The colors were still there, dull as they were, but everything else was fading. Time was slipping away from him, faster now than ever before, but the hybrid was determined not to give up.
If this was his fate then so be it, but he would be damned if he was just going to roll over and die.
It was true; Sol preferred the colder north to the wet heat of Jauhar, but that didn’t mean he had to isolate himself in his cabin. Those mountains were familiar to him, so much so that he could even navigate them without Sev by his side, but that didn’t mean the rest of the world was closed off to him. Koril had taught him that much; that, given the right company, anything was possible. He could feel the sharp grass of Tale against his skin, and taste the sweat off his brow in Jauhar. If he wanted to Sol knew he could go as far as Yael one day, maybe even Belrea, and that was enough for him to stand tall. He’d been avoiding his family for so long because he believed himself to be a burden, and while that panic was still very much alive in his chest it no longer consumed him.
His parents were damaged in more ways than Sol dared to count, but they tried. Nimueh had held firm right up until his dying day, and Callum….well, his papa was a mess these days, but he was trying which gave Sol hope. What else was there? With the Dretch pushing closer each and every day Sol knew that the amount of time he could afford to be on his own was limited. He may have been going blind, but Sol wasn’t stupid; one couldn’t afford to stay isolated in times like this. That didn’t mean he wanted to go out and shove himself into society again, but...taking up residence with a familiar face wasn’t out of the question.
Which is exactly what led him to Eema’s doorstep.
It wasn’t easy to find her. Even if he could see well enough to find the way, Sol hadn’t been able to remember it. A few days of asking around, though, led him to find the “hybrid healer” of Jauhar’s looming jungle. The closer he got the more everyone knew her. Eema was no longer her mother’s apprentice; she was a fully developed healer in her own right, and someone well loved within the community. Not only had she delivered their babies, but in some special cases, had given them babies too.
She was, after all, as wonderful a woman as she was a surrogate.
When he saw her again, after all these years, Eema welcomed him with open arms. He knew she felt guilty about the whole thing; about only being able to save Callum and not Nimueh, the night of the attack. No matter how many times he’d tried assuring her in the past that no one blamed her she didn’t listen, and at this point, he’d stopped trying.
That first night they spoke of anything and everything, talking well past sunrise, even though both were visibly wilting. She was...quite possibly the strongest form of support in his life, at that moment. Not even his papa or Ygraine knew about his eyes, and all that happened with Koril...He just didn’t feel comfortable telling them. What was he to say? And yet, Eema knew; somehow she had managed to pull it out of him in a way that left Sol both exhausted and also...extremely relieved. It was comforting, being able to vocalize his concerns to someone else, and have it all acknowledged.
I don’t want to be blind.
I miss baba.
I want to go home.
I never wanted Koril to leave.
Please don’t leave me behind.
She was quiet throughout his confessions, but when Sol started expressing that flash of steel, that bit of bite that remained within his soul, Eema snatched onto it. “No one left you behind, Sol; just you. The ‘you’ you wanted to be has been out there making the world his own for years, but you were too scared to catch up.” Eema poked his chest with her finger, making his antennae stand on end. He’d had no idea she was that close until he could practically hear her breathing. “You inherited your magic from me, but this, this part of your soul, that’s a combination of your fathers. They spoiled you, gave into your whims, and taught you to soar. You’re the one who clipped your wings, not fate. And if the world really doesn’t want you to fly then you’d better learn to run because you sure as hell weren’t made to stand still.”
Being blind was certainly going to complicate things, but Eema was right; he wasn’t made to wait. How many nights had be snuck out of his room, dead set on exploring the mountains when the moon was still fat in the sky? How often had he made his fathers worry over something stupid he’d done? And his sister! Who would Ygraine boss around if he finally started toeing the line?
There was so much more to life than sight. He’d already learned that he could still fly atop Sev, so long as he trusted his raptrix to take him where he needed to go. She may have been immature at best, but Sev was his lifeline; he would do anything for her, and he knew that she felt the same. Besides, with his antennae, he’d been given an advantage. Sol could detect movement and now, with his magic, he had vague understanding of when something was nearby, whether it was living or not, and whether he should be concerned about it. It wasn’t enough to help him fight, but it was just enough of a boost to get him through.
Sol was a runner, a huntsman and a tracker. Those parts of him hadn’t died when his eyesight started to fade; he’d just put them away. But it wasn’t as easy as taking off a coat. Ignoring those aspects of himself had left Sol bitter, distant, and aggressive. Had any of it helped? No.
And now, now Eema was extending a hand to help Sol find himself again, and as badly as he wanted to return home, he knew this was his chance. Accepting his new life was the first step, but now that he had he needed to learn to let others in. Eema was just the first step. She was as close to family as he could tell at the moment, since he didn’t feel like something this big should be shared through letters. His sister and papa deserved to hear it from his lips, especially since he’d gone through all the trouble of hiding it. Had they known? Or would they be shocked? Sol knew Ygraine would likely be mad, rightfully so, but he couldn’t imagine either one of them turning him away because of it. He just didn’t want the pity; he could handle himself, that much he knew now, and he just hoped...that maybe they would know that too.
Telling Koril wouldn’t have been so hard, but he’d held onto that secret like a lifeline. Now….now he kind of wanted to tell him, and maybe he would, if they ever ran into each other again. If being the key word here. Even though Koril’s bright features made it near impossible for him to blend into a crowd the simple fact that Sol was going blind would make it impossible for him to spot the hybrid. So...he would wait, at least until he figured things out. Then one day he would tell his friend, and maybe his support network would grow.
Until then, Sol planned on staying in Jauhar, with Eema. It seemed safe enough here, and he did need a tutor so he would stand by her. And if it kept him from having to tell his family by a few weeks, maybe a couple of months...then so be it.
(WC: 1,521)
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Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:07 pm
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❖❅ღ ☾Stage Two Growth Solo☾ ღ❅❖
[This solo is not only meant to be a reflection upon the recent events in Sol's life, but how he's changed as an individual. He is now completely blind, and is able to finally 'see' that the only person it was bothering was himself. His lack of eyesight never had any correlation to his self-worth, which was the exact reason he tried to hide it for so long. Now that he's returned 'home' he's living without hiding; meaning, those in the village know him for all that he is, disabilities included, and surprisingly enough he's been given a job offer.
It's a turning point for him. He's accepted that he's blind, he's able to stand beside a professional healer as an equal and he's in an area that he's familiar enough with to explore on his own without fear of getting lost. It's helping him to get back to who he is as a person, instead of being angsty and fearful, which all in all helps Sol to see that even if he can't 'see' it his future has always been bright.]
Returning to Zena after so long adrift didn’t come without its fair share of concerns.
First and foremost, Sol’s childhood home had been burned to the ground by non-other than his idiotic papa. Callum’s reasoning? A fresh start. By erasing all trace of the home he no longer felt connected with, the one he’d shared with a husband who passed, Callum felt ‘free’ to pursue his life once again.
How very convenient for him.
Edging his walking stick along the remnants of charred stone and timber gave Sol time enough to mull over his predicament. He’d barreled through both Tale and Sauti, keen on returning to his home during this brief window of warmth only to come upon a pile of debris. Was Ygraine aware of this? He couldn't imagine that his bullheaded sister had taken to this any better than he was, and honestly, Sol couldn’t blame her. It was just so thoughtful of their father to demolish the one solid building that Sol knew better than his own hand; the one spot in all of Tendaji that he could have navigated on memory alone, without relying on eyesight he no longer possessed. In a fit of childish aggravation he dipped down, feeling around until his fingers dipped over a stone, and Sol rose to give it a heavy toss. He never heard it land, which meant it had been muffled by the thin layer of snow coating the ground, and even that was exasperating. He wanted to hit something if for nothing else than to hear it break, but there was no time for that now.
Sev nudged her massive head underneath his arm until her head was nestled against his sternum. The raptrix gave a little whine and nipped at his fingers, trying to divert his attention away from the empty space. They’d been out in the woods for hours now; at least, it felt like it. Sol no longer felt the warmth of the sun on his antennae and the tips of his ears were beginning to ache. There wasn’t much sense standing out here only to freeze; he could, and would rebuild, if for nothing more than spite. These were his woods, the only place he felt comfortable roaming without Sev by his side, and he’d be damned if Callum took that away from him.
Of course, Sol admitted begrudgingly, if he’d ever bothered to tell his papa about his ‘predicament’ Callum very well may never have torched the cabin. Regardless of that fact, it was easier to blame the man in the moment, and with that in mind Sol turned away from the scene to mount Sev, completely trusting his raptrix to take him back to the village. No one was supposed to know he’d returned; that’s how Sol had planned it, but now that he was being forced to board in the village inn rumors had spread. It wasn’t as if he could ‘blend’ with the ice folk, after all, and in all honesty, Sol saw little reason to. These were the same souls he’d been conditioned to trust, so while a few still held reservations about the hybridity coursing through his blood the reputations his family set forth paved a golden road for him. It helped, that he had grandmothers in the area who were well respected, followed only by two fathers who had done their best to raise outstanding children. In that regard, he found his ire towards Callum fading. Even if his return wasn’t as ‘subtle’ as he would have liked, it wasn’t as if the healer was complaining. Sol had been greeted with warm mugs of honey mead, as well as a thousand condolences regarding his baba.
The first night had been sobering, at best. Everyone seemed to have something to say, and even before his eyesight had started to wan Sol had never been the most extroverted boy. So many that knew his family wanted to see how he was growing, to hear of where he’d gone, what he was doing, how his father was holding up, where his sister had gone, if he’d seen the cabin….those were normal, mundane questions, but the comments about Nimueh hurt in a way that Sol couldn’t explain. They burned down into his very core, into a spot that the mead couldn’t erase, and more than a few times he found himself biting back memories. Yes, he did remember when his baba would carry him on his shoulders through town…Yes, he remembered coming in to get boots just like Nimueh when he was eight summers old...It wasn’t in him to forget. He knew that much when he took a long, hard drink of his mead and finished off the stein. Unlike Callum, Sol knew the history of his life forward and back, as difficult as it was to retain all that information, Sol would rather have it with him than lose it.
Callum seemed hellbent on pushing through, however unhealthy it was, and Ygraine...well, it had been so long since Sol had talked to his sister that he wasn’t sure how she was coping.
Not much was different this evening. He arrived at the inn in the din of midnight, long after the formal dining hours, but with a few sweet words the chubby little innkeeper served him a bowl of lukewarm porridge. It was nothing to write about, but Sol took pride knowing he still held enough influence to get his way. Of course it helped that he’d known the server since childhood; and that her crush on him was as strong as ever. Imelda, was it? Maybe it was terrible of him to play her like that, when he didn’t even remember her name, but Sol was sure he would come to know it in the future. After all, it wasn’t as if he was going to leave anytime soon, and she did work at the only available inn around.
”If you’re still hungry, come find me and I’ll treat you to something really special.”
Imelda wasn’t one to be ignored, and who was Sol to turn her away?
Bowl in hand, he edged his way around to sit at the closest table. He gingerly sat his walking staff off to the side, propping it against the edge of the great wooden structure before wrapping his beads around the top. Somewhere in all of this someone else had decided to sit at his table, if the scrapping of feet against the wooden floorboards was anything to go on. Sol furrowed his brows, feeling out for the accompanying aura and with the help of his antennae discovered that it was just a single person; not a group. Which, as nice as that was, wasn’t exactly welcome. He was done answering questions, and most of his childhood friends were in their own homes at this hour. So, who could be sitting across from him and why?
“I had a feeling you might be up.” The familiar graveled vibrato reminded Sol of the village healer, Ol’ Pim, but that couldn’t be right. That man had been near death when he was still chasing his fathers’ coat tails, and yet, everything in him said this was the very same soul. He had the aura of a healer, one experienced in magic no less, and everyone in his movements told of a body fighting not only the frigid temperatures but old age as well. Even now, sitting across from Sol, he chuffed and shifted, as if the wooden benches were nowhere near comfortable. The tale tell signs of dry mouth were there, too; an open, airy breath, the sound of a tongue licking dry lips and then a cough, as if the act itself would help him. “Imelda’s still up too, huh? Sweet girl, you know, but a shoddy cook.”
Sol huffed and mournfully pushed his bowl of porridge away. “What do you want, Pim?”
The old man chuckled. “My my, you really have grown, haven’t you? You were so quiet when you were a boy; shame you didn’t turn out as nice as your fathers.” Sol heard some more shuffling, and with a little grunt of his own Pim settled once more. “I had heard rumors...well, first hand accounts, when Callum was still around, that you were practicing healing. Is that true?”
Edging his hand across the table, Sol took up his tankard of mead and took a long drink. “It is. I’ve studied in Sauti, and some in Jauhar. “ The first Ol’ Pim likely knew of already. He’d told Callum in letters about his teacher in Sauti, the man who’d helped unlock Sol’s potential and who taught him the basics. The second was Eema; the woman who was both his surrogate mother and a healer in her own right. While his apprenticeship had been nowhere over when he left, Sol felt confident enough in his skills to be of some use to others.
“And what do you plan to do now? Imelda tells me you’re going to rebuild, but what will you do after that?”
“The same as anyone, I imagine. Make due as best I can and stay warm.” He lifted his tankard in a mock salute and finished it off. There was a smug satisfaction in the silence that followed; it was rare that he’d ever heard of Ol’ Pim being quiet.
“And you plan to hunt?”
“I can try.”
It hung between them; the obvious facts that both men knew. Sol had, in recent months, lost his ability to see completely. There was no use hiding in; in doing so he had lost too much of himself, and the man simply wasn’t ready for more disappointment.
“...Sol, this village needs another hunter like it needs an ice cicle to the head. We’re healthy, thriving, actually, but what we don’t have are experienced healers. I’ve been the only one for years, and this body isn’t what it used to be. Why don’t you come work with me, instead?”
His gut reaction was to shake his head. “Sorry Pim, I’m not interested in being anyone’s apprentice-”
“I didn’t say I wanted to teach you; I said I wanted to hire you. And when I die, you’ll get the whole thing to yourself.” Sol’s eyes widened. A partner? To Ol’ Pim? It was certainly a step up from being someones apprentice, and while the older zenan denied teaching him, Sol knew he could learn a lot about treating wounded huntsman through this. “You can’t see, I can’t walk half the damn time, so it works out.”
Sol gave into a bark of sardonic laughter. “You really think the pair of us could keep this village alive?”
Even if he couldn’t see it, Sol could practically feel the smug grin in Pim’s voice. “I do, and if any of them so much as think about dying on us we’ll just bring ‘em back. So, what’d’ya say?”
In all honesty, it wasn’t a terrible idea. Sol had never seen himself living anywhere but in the snows of his birth, more so now that his sight was gone than ever before. And sharing a practice with a seasoned healer….not only would it expand his healing skills, but it might also help spread his name.
All throughout his late teens, right up until a few months ago, Sol had been living a half life. He’d been so focused on hiding himself from the world that he hadn’t noticed what the world wanted him to see. The people of this village didn’t care that he couldn’t see; so far only a few had made any sort of comment about it, and most brushed it off soon after. It was such a ‘non-deal’ that Sol found himself more troubled about it than any of them. By taking this offer he could set up roots of his own, and while traveling would be out of the question for now that didn’t mean it would be forever.
“I say...you find me a decent meal, and you’ve got a partner.”
A full fledged healer! Who would have thought? He would be able to stand on equal footing with a professional, and have his voice heard. It wasn’t something he’d ever really imagined for himself growing up, but...honestly, Sol was excited. He hadn’t felt so good about himself in years and he never wanted it to end.
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