Skip Navigation
What does it mean to be one's own self? [Open]
|
Post by Feos on Mar 15, 2016 16:41:25 GMT -5
What if the past, the present and the future are all one, a single reality and moment simply perceived by different angles? And how would that realization, if true, affect a person's understanding of reality and their subsequent behavior? What if time is not a flowing river, but instead a single heartbeat, one that contains every moment that has been, is and will be?
Those thoughts swirled inside Feos' troubled mind, as he sat on the grassy meadow, his back lightly supported by the eternal tree behind him. A gentle breeze was blowing, making the surrounding grass around him sway in waves, appearing like an emerald sea, with the tree a single lighthouse amidst it. Feos slowly pushed a lock of his light brown hair behind his ear and looked up at the sky. It was cloudy, and that made him sigh internally. The sun always improved his mood, even a tiny bit, and in his troubled state, Feos felt that he needed every drop of positive energy he could find.
A Phoenix. A being that has been revered as the embodiment of the circle of life and death, a messenger of hope, a noble creature. And yet...what did it truly mean to be a phoenix? For Feos had lived countless lives, only to die and be reborn, carrying only faint memories from his past life with him. In that sense....was it really him, the one who kept living? With nothing but blurry images and emotions, could it be that it was the same person that was reborn each time, or did each new start, each new path through this endless life, mold a very different person through experiences and random chance?
If so...what did it truly mean to be a phoenix? And Feos...who was he truly? Those questions were tormenting him, because he could still recall, more through the emotional scars and pain than the mind's memories, that in his previous life he was confronted with them and had no answers, causing him and those he had loved great grief and sorrow.
No. He had to learn who he was.
The young man sighed and shook his head lightly. Seeking into his bag's pocket, his slender, long fingers produced a simple, wooden flute that he had carved. It had made him think....how can one tell the difference between a natural talent and a skill that had been honed in a past life and simply returned, needing but a little sharpening to reach its previous potential? And if that applied to skills like playing the flute....could it also apply to personality traits, positive or negative? Was a person born "clean", or were they carrying a set of predispositions from the moment they were born?
Closing his eyes, Feos took in a deep breath, trying to empty his mind and calm his heart, and then he started playing. The flute's sound was warm and soft,, a slow, gentle music, without a certain purpose or direction, drifting like the clouds above and the breeze surrounding him.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2016 18:30:10 GMT -5
Foresta Academy was bigger than Mason expected. The impressive castle looked as if it had been there for centuries, and it was such an impressive size that it was impossible to completely view the school in its entirety from any ground position. Vines grew on many of the walls and the crisp spring air carried the scents of many trees and pleasant flowers. The school itself was at least twice the size of Mason's previously magical academy, Strudmarth, and the school ground (being most of the island) was far bigger than the space allotted to Strudmarth, considering the island is was located on wasn't quite the size of Foresta's.
While his previous school's island was mostly beach, rocks, and cliffs, Foresta was aptly named. Forestry and plant life seemed to cover almost every part of this island, and any part that has been altered for civilization still seemed to be full of colourful gardens and impressive ancient trees. "Guess we'll have a lot of to explore, hey Lup?" Mason says to his dog, sitting patiently beside him as Mason surveys the courtyard and school. His staff rested on his neck and shoulders, while his arms wrapped around it and hung over in a rest position, similar to many hockey and lacrosse players.
Mason had only been at the school for about a day, and he was utterly overwhelmed. He spent most of his morning organizing his dorm room, hanging pictures, putting aways clothes, and rearranging furniture to fit his liking. He had finally managed to fit all his belongings in a neat and organized fashion after a few hours, even including to have enough space for his dog, despite knowing that he would end up on the end with Mason anyway. He spent the rest of the morning and afternoon simply exploring the school. On passing, he even signed up for a Spring Tournament; a sparring tournament that caught his interests, despite not really knowing what it entailed.
Strudmarth was a good school, but not quite a good fit for Mason. Because the species of Europe were so vast, the student population to teacher ration was very uneven. To Mason, the teachers seemed stretched thin trying to encompass the drastic needs of the diverse student body. As such, Mason quickly reached the limits set upon him by the teachers, not having anyone to specialize with. After a while, he starting skipping classes altogether, and ultimately getting in trouble as he gave trouble to the teachers. At the end of his previous school year, he was kicked up, much to the chagrin of his father. After a number of long talks and arguments, the two decided on Foresta. It was a North American school, but was closer to him than the next European school (since the continent only has two).
Done with his sniffing, Lupo sits besides Mason, before resting his head on his lap. Mason absentmindedly scratches his head between his ears. "Now what?" I asks out loud. At that moment, Lupo's ears perked up at the sound of music. It was a flute, and the sound was not something the dog was used too. Curiously Lupo set off towards the meadow in a light jog. "Oi, wait up!" Mason said following the dog and sound. As the two entered the meadow, Lupo barked playfully and set off in a run towards the man against a tree, the sound of the flute exciting him. Mason starts in a dash, his arms pumping in forward to catch the dog. With the aid of his abilities, he speeds himself up, using air to push him forward. He catches up to Lupo and grabs him by the collar a few feet from the man against the tree. "Sorry about that mate. He's really friendly. Just not used to the sound," Mason smiles apologetically.
|
|
▲
The halls of Foresta lay still and silent, but I am still here |
Ancient Tree
|
Post by Turtlus on Mar 17, 2016 18:40:33 GMT -5
No matter how many times he bared witness to it, the natural beauty of this world never failed to mesmerize Knell. There were just so many things that filled his twisted mind with wonder; from the large plant known as a tree, to the small animals that seemed just marginally more useless than the mortals that deemed themselves sentient, the features of the meadow all worked in tandem to capture his undivided attention.
At least, they had, until his nature watching was interrupted by some unnatural and distasteful sound, carried by the wind to ensure it reached his non-existent ears. He quickly turned towards the direction the sound appeared to originate from, and the black mist around his glowing eyes narrowed as he saw what could only be some idiotic mortal in the distance, a small instrument pressed to his lips. Deciding that simply would not do, the Limbo Lord began to make his way toward the instrument wielding fool with great strides.
As he got closer he began to detect something pleasant about this mortal; the worm was currently dealing with some disagreeable emotions. 'Good,' he thought, 'I have been in need of a meal for quite some ti-,' his thoughts were interrupted as he saw another mortal and it's weird pet-slave-creature charge in the direction of his intended energy source, stopping just short of running the fellow down. A bit flabbergasted, he decided to halt his approach and observe the group from a distance.
|
|
|
Post by Feos on Mar 17, 2016 19:16:58 GMT -5
The melody the flute produced, a direct effect of the way the man's fingers danced along its length, it was always a mystery to him. Was it a melody he had heard before? He couldn't tell, because sometimes he had a vague feeling of having heard it before, but an equal amount of times it felt as if it was stemming from his core for the very first time. Feos tried not to think too much about it, because when he did, his fingers went stiff, his mind stumbled upon the next note he should play, bringing the melody to a sudden, unfullfilling halt. It was a source of mild frustration from time to time...like a vague existence in his mind, one that he wished to explore, but the moment he made a conscious effort to hold out a mental hand to grab it, it would vanish. It was also an exercise though, for the very same reason, one teaching him to empty his mind and simply go with the flow, externalizing his feelings and inspirations and trying to bring as much as he could of himself to harmony.
The first bark wasn't noticed, but the second one made Feos open his eyes, mildly surprised. After a moment's scanning of the area, the youthful man spotted the happy-looking dog darting towards him, followed by a guy who couldn't but be its owner and companion. Seeing the guy actually catch the dog, Feos certainly took note of that, since normally, a dog would be much faster than a human. Of course, in this Academy, this was probably the least that could be expected.
Feos raised his head lightly to look up at the standing guy, and slid his hand against his hair, pushing it back a bit. The guy's tone of voice and look and of course, the dog, they gave Feos the impression of a friendly and warm individual, and the Phoenix smiled a bit, nodding lightly. "It's fine. He looks quite friendly indeed, what's his name?" he asked in a relaxed manner, his stance getting a bit higher against the tree but remaining seated.
As he asked, he looked at the happy dog again and smiled just a bit more. Feos liked animals, and he felt as if the dog's happiness was contagious, lightening his mood and temporarily pushing back his previous troubled state of mind. Socializing....Feos knew it was good for him, but it didn't happen often. "You ran quite fast back there. It would have been fine even if he had reached me." Feos continued in a lighthearted manner, since he had not problem with the dog and wasn't afraid of animals, and it was also a slight praise to the guy standing in front of him as well.
When he had uprighted his stance a bit, Feos had briefly glanced to the side and saw a darker figure standing at a distance. From that distance, Feos couldn't distinguish any facial features, so for the time being he simply took notice of the person's presence there.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2016 19:46:57 GMT -5
Mason examined the the individual that Lupo had run too. He seemed young, around his own age, and of a calm and pleasant demeanor. Mason stood a bit tense at first, afraid that the man would be afraid of the dog. It wasn't uncommon; many people in the past had been afraid to see fairly large dog, wolflike in appearance, sprinting towards him. He smiled though as the man accepted the dog with a smile. "It's Lupo," he said in response, letting go of the dog's collar. The dog gently walked around the man, sniffing him, spending a lot of time on the flute, letting out a small grunt. "He's never seen or hear a flute before. He's just a curious guy," Mason said smile, scratching the back of his head.
"I know his name is kinda repetitive, but it fits. I'm Mason by the way," he said, holding out his hand with a smile. "Just transferred here. I'm sure I'm not the first new kid you've met, but..." he trails off. He was never the best at first impressions. As the dog finishes, content with his investigation of this new man and his instrument, he sits again by Mason, who join him in sitting. As the man points out his speed, Mason looks back to where he had started sprinting. "Oh, yeah. He's a fast pup, and I wasn't sure how you were with dogs. He doesn't do that normally," Mason say defensively and reassuringly. "He's very well trained, just curios by nature!" He smiles again, first at the man, but then to Lupo to scratch his head.
|
|
|
Post by Feos on Mar 17, 2016 20:06:13 GMT -5
Feos remained relatively still while Lupo moved around and sniffed him, but he was relaxed and a few times, he made eye contact with the dog, not too prolonged but still a comfortable one. "Lupo...a fitting name, he does resemble a wolf. And you two, you seem very close." the youthful man remarked, quite sure that the name was related to the latin word. He saw Mason's held out hand and reached out with his own to shake it, his hand warm to the touch and firm. It is said that when two martial artists shake hands, there's a subtle feeling of each other's energy, and if the handshake is heartfelt, a bit of their personalities too. Feos didn't expect it, but he could tell that Mason was quite full of energy and vigorous. It made him feel even a tad bit more relaxed and interested at the same time.
"My name is Feos Zephyr." he replied, now looking into Mason's eyes. "I arrived not a month ago myself, so I can be considered new too. What dorm were you assigned to?" he asked, and in his mind, he tried to make a guess at the same time. The handshake and the man's lean but toned physique showed that he had some sort of training, and Feos connected said training with a drive to accomplish something through the skills and powers attained. Thus, in his mind, Feos thought that this guy would most likely be in Serpens, but of course, he knew the guess was almost random and without much actual information to depend on.
Seeing that he would most likely not be playing the flute anymore, Feos covered it in an emerald coloured cloth with a thin golden pattern on it and put it back into his back next to him. He took in a deep breath of fresh air, letting it fill his lungs, and then let out an equally long exhalation, relaxing his shoulders and upper body.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2016 20:22:28 GMT -5
"Well, you are the first person I've met since coming here, so it's nice to meet you," Mason say while shaking his hand. After the shake, Mason hesitated for a moment, the handshake felt similar to previous master he had. The hesitation was brief and was following by a bright smile. "We are though," he said, referring back to his relationship with his pet. "I got him a few years ago and I've been inseparable ever since. I've been told that if I were an animal, I'd be him," a chuckle leaving him mouth as he finished the sentence. It was an amusement by the ridiculousness, but the accuracy of it as well. The two sat in silence for a while, but Mason enjoyed the company. In time Lupo rose to his feet and started walking around the meadow, sniffing and digging at time, though Mason, who had completely trust in his companion, made no movement to stop him.
"I've been assigned to Lyra, what about yourself?" His words were directed to Feos, but his attention was on a man not far in the distance. He squinted partially to try and make out his features, but they were hard to make out. It wasn't uncommon to see or meet mysterious figures in places like this, but that didn't stop Mason's natural curiosity.
"I know you're still new here Feos, but do you know who that is?" he ask, nodding his head in the direction of the man in the distance.
|
|
▲
The halls of Foresta lay still and silent, but I am still here |
Ancient Tree
|
Post by Turtlus on Mar 17, 2016 21:11:21 GMT -5
Knell was extremely pleased to see that the cursed flute had been put back into whatever hellish abyss the thing must have crawled out of, and made a mental note to destroy it when he finally got his power back. He was about to walk up and thank the useless mortal, positive behavior should be reinforced after all, when he noticed the other worm was looking at him.
Deciding that he didn't feel like walking, Knell quickly phased into the ground, only to appear moments later behind Mason. Then, he began to just stare at the back of his head, something he learned made mortals feel uneasy, which would hopefully turn to fright when the moron turned around and noticed him there.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2016 22:12:18 GMT -5
The gently spring breeze was a soft and constant sensation on Mason's skin, occasionally ruffling the top of hair, as he waited for Feos response. As he waited, the figure in the distance vanished. Mason cocked an eyebrow. Was it something that just simply disappeared? Did it even exist in the first place? After starring at the spot where the figure had been, he decided to put his focus back Feos.
From behind him, he felt a chance in the air currents, as if something had starting blocking their natural flow. Before he could fully process it, it was Lupo who confirmed his sensations. The dog started barking at the sudden appears of the man, which instinctively cause Mason to jump up and spin around, his fist in the air to defend. "Quiet Lup," Mason commanded, and while the dog stopped barking, it stood its ground, growling. "A bit of warning next time, yeah?" he said, a bit annoyed. "Are you the guy from over there?" he ask, directing now behind his back to where Knell had previously been with his head, though his eyes still fixed on the man.
|
|
▲
The halls of Foresta lay still and silent, but I am still here |
Ancient Tree
|
Post by Turtlus on Mar 17, 2016 22:46:03 GMT -5
The glowing eyes of Knell beamed down at the dog, and he let loose a bit of laughter. The cackle sounded like it was coming from a multitude of directions, and a quiet, nearly indiscernible echo seemed to accompany it. "So this slave-beast is named Lup? Kind of a silly name, but when did a deity have the right to judge?" he asked, his voice positively dripping with amusement; it was a stupid name for a stupid creature. Still staring at the mutt, he parted the mist that made up his face enough to reveal his jagged maw, which was already grinning.
Moments later, he shifted his gaze back to Mason. "Guy? That is a funny way of pronouncing god, wouldn't you agree?"
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2016 23:12:35 GMT -5
"It's actually Lupo, but that's neither here nor there," he say, lower his arms. At a snap of his fingers, the dog walks over beside Mason, his eyes still glued on the man who appeared, ready to defend Mason if needed. "God. Come on, you're saying that you're a God?" Mason asks in disbelief. He turns to Feos. "Do they allow Gods in the North America school. We only got demi gods really."
"And why did you bother with the theatrics? Is that just your thing? Not one for the mundane tasks like the rest of us mortals?"
|
|
|
Post by Feos on Mar 18, 2016 7:29:27 GMT -5
Feos was mildly surprised to hear that this guy was at the same dorm as he was. It was natural that Feos hadn't noticed, with how big the dorms were and how the Phoenix didn't usually pay much attention to what was happening around him, but he wondered what kind of talents and traits Mason had that made him a fit for Lyra. As for himself, Feos was interested in music and drawing alike, martial arts and even writing, and he needed ways to express his vivid imagination and inspiration streaks. "Same here, I'm in Lyra as well." Feos replied calmly, and for the next few moments, he allowed himself to enjoy the quiet beauty of the place. It has been said that two people are getting closer when they can be silent together without being uncomfortable.
Soon, Feos noticed that Mason was looking at another direction and inquiring, but the moment he turned to look as well, knowing that the guy mostly meant the darker figure, there was no one standing. He was shocked when he instead turned again to see the figure standing behind Mason, and his reflexes kicked in fast, with Feos leaping to his feet quickly, and the irises of his eyes subtly glowing white. One might think of it as excessive, but the dark figure felt off, and to see it so quickly and abruptly invading a secure distance and getting dangerously close, it could only cause a fast reaction.
Hearing Mason's talk with the figure, Feos allowed his intensity to drop a bit, and took a step so as to stand next to Mason and regard the stranger. That grin...it felt quite off, just like the way the person's voice sounded. And of course, the tone of voice and the words spoken, none of those was the least bit comforting or something that would put Feos at ease. He raised an eyebrow when he heard about gods, and shook his head.
"I don't know. I can't imagine why a god would attend this place. Of course, keep in mind that there are many gods, even minor ones who are hardly more powerful or influential than, let's say, a powerful human, but usually they all share the trait of immortality. Unless...." his voice trailed off in thought for a moment, then he addressed the god in front of him. "Is it boredom that guides your actions?" he asked. He had spoken with gods in past lives, and while most of them seemed innately able to cope with an immortal life, many of them, spirits including, tended to occasionally have the need to break their routine by doing something unexpected, unreasonable, and most of the times, rather inconvenient for mortals.
|
|
▲
The halls of Foresta lay still and silent, but I am still here |
Ancient Tree
|
Post by Turtlus on Mar 18, 2016 12:58:15 GMT -5
"Theatrics? Foolish worm creature, that was simply me approaching in hopes of acquiring this...friendship," the word caused his honeyed tone to momentarily break into one of perplexity, "that you mortals seem to cherish so much, I apologize if I offended you," he said. He couldn't really blame the thing for getting angry, their minds were so small, incapable of processing just how something such as he could be so powerful and magnificent. The thought caused another amusement-fueled chuckle to escape him, the disembodied thing lasting a bit longer then the the last.
As his cackle came to an end, Feos's words began to sink in. This unimportant thing had not only offered up the idea that his grand power was only slightly stronger than that of a strong human, but it had mentioned other gods, something that always piqued his interest. "Why yes, I do suppose boredom could be considered one of the reasons for my presence here." Then Knell's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Now I have a question of you, small one, how is it that you know of these...gods?"
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2016 17:38:06 GMT -5
Both man and dog keep their eyes glued to the figure, analyzing whatever they can. Mason makes sure not only to note the physical appearance of the God, but as well as the distance between the two, the space around them, the constant breeze in the meadow, and the fact that has, at the very least, the power to teleport in some fashion. The gods twisted smile didn't help to reassure his words, setting Lupo on edge more, his fur standing up now. "Easy boy," Mason soothes his dog, resting a hand on his head. Despite the odd feeling that the God emitting, Mason was sure that he did not pose a threat, at least, not in this instance. He had no reason, and even though they were the only three people in the meadow, they were still close to the school which was sure to have a security force.
"Friendship?" Mason chuckled. "That's the first I've seen someone go about it, but we're all different I suppose," speaking with an uneasy smile. Mason's hand stroking the dog calms him; he gets out of his taut position ready to jump, returning to a normal stance, yet continues to keep his eyes glued to the God. "It's not that you offended me mate. But, you know, personal space. You can't just appear behind someone and expect them to not get threatened." Mason, for the first time, takes his eyes off the God to check out Feos, who seemed easily startled by the sudden appearance, but has since calmed down a bit like Mason. Feeling more comfortable that he wasn't completely alone, despite having just met Feos only moments before,he turns back to the God. "I'm Mason."
|
|
|
Post by Feos on Mar 18, 2016 17:49:17 GMT -5
The phoenix took note of how Lupo seemed to be on edge, and hoped that the admittedly eerie atmosphere wouldn't make the dog attack the person in front of them. Something like that would have been too inconvenient. Yet, Mason seemed to be able to calm the wolf-like companion, and Feos relaxed a bit too upon seeing that. He was not too eager to have a conflict break out there and then.
Upon hearing the figure's words, spoken in such an odd voice, Feos tilted his head a bit to the side. Friendship? The god wished to make friends? The way he spoke about it, in such an odd fashion, Feos thought that this entity was probably not very much acquainted with the world of mortals or even their mentality, and belonged to the kind of entities that had an entirely different and bizarre personality and way of perceiving reality, most likely stemming from an entirely different and bizarre background. In such a case, Feos couldn't even be sure that the word "friendship" meant the same thing for both of them.
Giving a tiny nod to Mason, as if to somewhat reassure him, Feos looked at Knell and after thinking for a moment, he replied. "Some sought me out out of curiosity, some I searched for myself. Some, I stumbled onto by chance. Spirits, lesser gods. You speak of "mortals", but in this place you can find mythical beings among us, legendary existences. How can you know that some are not immortal such as you, or even divine themselves?" Feos asked, and his tone, mirroring his intent, was not a challenging one, rather one that would create and guide a thought process for the god in front of him. Feos didn't know if the god was a student or if he had simply found himself there, so he thought that this information about the island's nature and its inhabitants could prove quite important.
At the same time, why some gods would have sought him out, or how he could have found others, he allowed that to remain a mystery, his natural tone of voice not stressing on it, perhaps even allowing it to be lost in the background of the conversation.
|
|
|