Of Rare Friendships

The Eastern Wind, TRIBERIAS 2420 AA, After the Great Ascension. The name of the city was Triberias. However, no one ever called it by that name. No, not after what had happened several centuries ago. When the scaffolds had broken apart and the Sanctuary was divided into the four Winds. Not just the Sanctuary,  but the world below as well. The researchers were still not sure what had happened. For where the boundaries initially existed, a great white cloud. No, a great mist. A barrier mist like the humans now called it reigned supreme in the city and also in the world below. It was a mist really.  One that caused a distortion in the realm and prevented any that would want to move across from venturing forward. Those that tried reported failure. Even with their Virtue, the barrier mists remained extremely impenetrable and so, as with all other things difficult, this study was abandoned as well. Even with the barrier mists in place, what remained was still a paradise.  Islands that existed above the clouds in the four winds in a realm that was supposedly legendary. One that was actually real but also quite invisible to any human eye. Here in this sky islands the Great flourished, or rather lately, they tried to survive. Being in the clouds, the islands were unusually white. Glittery too, unlike the foggy darkness of the low lying thunder clouds that seemed to support the very clouds upon which the city stood. The air too was pristine. Pure and abundant unlike what one would expect at such an high altitude. The clouds effervesced, scattering the light of the Hope as it was refracted a million times over. Creating the illusion of glittering air and a million colourful butterflies suspended in the islands' atmosphere. Avian life flourished here as well and the occasional flock in an array of colours would always buzz by. Singing the songs of happy morning to any ear that would be tenable. However, to Havillah's weary soul and ears, all this beauty was lost in the intrigues of a world whose colours were much dimmer and the aesthetics much gruesome than the plane on which she now resided. Maybe it was born of boredom. It had to be. For her own life in her own eyes was nothing but monotonous. A dull repetition of the very same things. Day after day, month after month over what was supposed to be a very extended lifetime. A lifetime that had soon made everything appear quite mundane. When compared to the ever changing landscapes, the seasons and the times in a world that she had grown to love as she watched day in and day out from the hollows at the view point. **** Despite its repugnant atmosphere, this world had made their paradise lose all its lustre. Their long empty lives paling in comparison to a short full lifetime. One that was full of mystery and wonder and a certain intrigue that always left her brimming with yearning. And yet, she was still a Great. That much was apparent from her silver eyes. However, and unlike most of other Great, she  did not think herself superior in any way, but her people would soon strip her of her Virtue before allowing her to descend into a world that was always seen as morbid. Her fate already sealed a long time ago. By the hand of the ancients. Hers being a destiny that was special. A calling that was higher. Engraved deep within the light that now shone through her eyes as a Great and so, her eyes would forever be like jewels. In this case, jewels like molten silver. This being the distinguishing factor between the Great and the humans. One that set her apart from the lesser even as her mentor had chosen to refer to them. A lesser race that she now envied, but still, Havillah guessed their many differences made them all glorious in a curious way. She was not sure if the same sentiments were carried within the hearts these two females. However, she could only hope so.  Why else would her two friends always accompany her to watch the world from the view point in secret? She thought as she stared at the two of them.  One, a young women close to her age and the other but a little girl in her early teens. Moriella was a young woman of  twenty. She had a head full of red hair. A lovely shade of crimson that cascaded down her back in waves. Giving the illusion of the sun at sunset even as it rested against red shiny fabric of her golden embroidered Triban gown. Her eyes were like big round jewels that glittered like sapphires. With a conglomeration of topaz and amethyst interspersed within the blue of the larger sapphire. The other female was much younger and as such, she had a much smaller stature. On her head was a mop of yellow blond curly locks. An unruly mess that crowned her head like a golden fleece. It also cascaded down her back like mounds of wool before coming to rest beneath her spine. The locks curled up against the sides of a small round face and on her wide forehead before comimg to a stop a few centimetres above a startling set of shiny green eyes in form of yellow bangs. Yes, her eyes were like emeralds. Emeralds that were interspersed with flecks of gold that glimmered with so much light even as they skimmed the upper surface of a darkened cloud in order to better view the rolling landscapes that were still shifting beneath them. "Moriella, why do you think she is taking so long?" the young girl complained, pulling out her small white hands from within the wide berth of her green and gold embroidered cowl. She wringed them out even as she glanced out into the cloud nervously. "I do not know Cjaira, but I guess, it must have something to do with her mentor. You know how Appraiser is." Moriella, the young woman replied as she cleared away the rest of the cloud with just a flick of her hand. Cjaira stared back at Moriella's hand her jealousy clearly written all over her face. They were yet to notice her and as such, Havillah was able to hear their thoughts on the matter. 'How can you do that so easily?" Seeing her jealous expression, Moriella burst out laughing at the little green thing. "Not funny." Cjaira grumbled as she shook her head in frustration before turning her eyes to gaze at the ocean view that had now settled beneath them. "Why does the Elder hate her so much?" she suddenly aired out of exasperation. **** Without warning, Moriella's hands reached out to cap her small pink lips to prevent her from speaking more careless words that would have otherwise be considered dangerous. "Ssh...Quietly Cjaira!" she scolded as she frantically looked around with gingerly eyes for other eyes or ears that may have noticed. Satisfied that no one was listening, having not noticed Havillah that is, Moriella removed her hands from Cjaira's mouth and addressed her in a much softer tenor. "Now, I do not think that the old man hates her per se.  However, very few Great have a tolerance for Havillah's way of thinking and I am afraid, the good Elder just isn't one of them." "What is wrong with asking questions? Is not that how one gets to learn?" the younger girl countered much fiercely, but in a much softer tone. Having learnt her lesson from her previous encounter with Moriella's brusque hands. "When the questions are about humans then, I am afraid, many will still consider it a taboo." ***************** "Really? Yet you sit here all day long, along with me. Watching the days as the said humans go about their mundane activities." she finally decided to come out from behind them and the two jumped back in surprise, proving that Moriella's fears were not that much unfounded. "Havillah!" Cjaira finally gasped as she launched herself at her. "There are no rules against watching." Moriella scoffed as she looked away. "or at least I hope so." she added after some time before turning back to greet her friend with a hug. "I was so worried about you." she whispered away from Cjaira's hearing. "I am okay. " Havillah answered as she pulled away. Her downtrodden expression was not missed by her friend either way. But she chose not pursue it. Heavens knew that Havillah needed the reprieve and for that, she was grateful. Unlike the other two, Havillah felt that she had very plain looks, but that was not so.  True, her hair was an obsidian black and her skin, a light caramel. Her eyes however, were the real mystery. One that she was not aware herself. She had always thought that they were not crystalline like the jewel eyes of the other Great.  In truth, they did appear to be a molten silver. Overshadowed by a long line of dark obsidian lashes, but there was something else, a secret in those eyes that very few knew about. Either way , her hair was as long as that of Cjaira and Moriella, if not longer. And it cascaded down her back as straight tresses before coming to an end right behind her knees where her much fuller hips now swayed. In the height department, Moriella was much taller than both Cjaira and Havillah. However this was understandable where Cjaira was concerned seeing as she was much younger than the two older girls who were already in their twenties. "With your past experience, one would think that you would have learnt a thing or two by now." Moriella admonished as she stepped back to take a look at Havillah's seemingly haggard appearance. There were bags beneath her eyes and her posture was all wrong after a day spent under Elder Lionel's tutelage. "Learnt what? All the information that is to be contained within the ancient scrolls in the sacred sanctuary vaults?" she retorted but then laughed, tickled by the disgusted face that Cjaira was now making. "To tell you the truth, I do not mind the reading. It exposes me to a lot of information as a researcher. Information that I would otherwise have not been party to had I shown the interest. The insults on the other hand are a thing that I can do without and I find myself growing ever tired of his constant leering and predatory eyes." she added as she crossed her legs and dropped down to sit at the very end of the cloud's edge. "You have to agree. How eyes can change from carnelian to carbuncle is pretty scary isn't it? " Cjaira shared with a shiver and one had to wonder when she had been on the receiving end of the good Elder's ire. Still, Havillah nodded in agreement. "Yes. It doesn't help that I am terrible with the first Virtue." she said after some thought. "It just gives him all the more reason to torment me and I am afraid that I may not be able to hold out for long." "Havillah..." Moriella placed a comforting hand upon her should and she soon found herself leaning into the comforting touch. Was it comfort that she sought or was it kindness that she had been deprived of?  In Triberias, such kindness was a rarity. With the morbid decree of seven years ago, all anyone thought about was to save their own skin and thus, true friendship or kindness was a rare thing indeed especially among the much younger apprentices. So, why was she always this kind? A single tear escaped her eyes and trailed down her brown haggard cheeks at this rare show of kindness. "I am afraid that they will soon throw me out." she found herself spilling even as she choked back on more tears that were threatening to overflow her glowing silver eyes. "No... They can't do that! Can they?" Cjaira fumbled nervously as she took a seat on the vacant space that was left beside her. "But you're so good with the Second Virtue!" "It doesn't matter Cjaira. If she loses the First, she's as good as gone according to that decree of long ago." Moriella explained. "Not fair." Cjaira whimpered in response as she too wrapped her arms around her and joined her two friends in weeping in silence. Yes, silence now reigned among the three friends. A comforting silence as each one got lost in their own thoughts. Some of them reminiscing the peace while the others, they mourned the dark days that were sure were coming fast ahead of them. "What about the Third Virtue?" Cjaira suddenly spoke up as she pulled away from their group hug. Moriella blinked as Havillah stared back at her blankly before shaking their heads at what they considered a very outrageous assertion. "What?" she questioned angrily. "Cjaira, even you know that accomplishing such a feat is utterly impossible. You've seen the scales. No one has been able to wield the Third Virtue since the time of the ancients." Moriella replied and Havillah nodded in amity. "But we can't just sit down and do nothing! They are going to kick you out. Where will you go after that Havillah? What is going to happen to my... " she trailed off with another whimper. "I do not know Cjaira." Havillah admitted defeat. "Though I guess, I will cross that bridge when I finally get there." was all she could manage to tell them. Deep inside though, she was in anguish. Shevwas a let down not just to her mentor but to her family as well. What would she really do if - No, when she was finally kicked out? She thought as she sat back beside her two friends, watching the scene as it evolved through the viewpoint. After several hours of doing nothing else, Moriella and Cjaira excused themselves to get back to their training and leaving her to her own thoughts.  Thoughts that soon gravitated towards their existence. For what purpose did they all train? She could not tell. Through her own reasoning, there seemed to be no purpose in what everyone was doing. Slaving away in training with no vision whatsoever. Driven by the fear of expulsion, all they ever did was sleep and train, and nothing else. Nothing whatsoever ever changed in their meagre lives. In that boring life that what was somewhat meant to be living in paradise. Was this the sole purpose of the Great?  Was this what it meant to be Great? She continued to ponder this long after her friends had departed. Staring out from the viewpoint where the scene continued to remain the same. It was the same view of the ocean and a rocky island that had jutted out from within the depths of the Eastern sea. The sun was no longer shining in this scene. As it had already sunk beyond the horizon and now, a cold ocean breeze was picking up, blowing wildly across the otherwise barren landscape. Slowly, the dark clouds beneath her feet began shifting, changing form and growing ever darker and thicker with every passing minute. Lightening flashed from the depths of the same clouds even as a peal of thunder cracked. The strong wind stirred up waves and the walls of water broke. Clashing upon the massive rocks that were now looming like giant silhouettes all the way down in the ocean beneath her. The view became hazy as the first drops of rain fell down like a curtain to the rippling waters of the ocean below. Havillah stood up upon her limbs and stretched ready to head back. There was nothing more to see, she thought as she finally turned around, just as a sudden flash of orange light flashed inside a thunder. What was that?  She retraced her steps as a particularly loud peal of thunder tore up the skies, shaking up the air and the puffy floors that were the ground beneath her feet. That is odd! She bent down and stared out from the viewpoint. Curiosity now gnawing at her belly even as she stared out into the darkness, too shocked to believe what she had seen.