81st of Ymiden, 720th Arc
Morning
Yldria, Uleuda
The vast, empty blackness was cold. It provided an escape from the pain. He didn't really remember what pain but it was better to be here without it than to be there with it. That much he knew for sure. In this void of nothing, he allowed himself to bathe in the warmth, to bask in the light. Here, he was-... Wait. Light? Warmth? Sintih opened himself up to his surroundings, peeking out of one eye first, then the other. His face remained unchanged. It took him all of a trill to know where he was. And to know that he didn't want to be here. Coming here hadn't been his choice. It had been forced upon him. He had to leave, before anyone annoying showed up. He closed his eyes once more, his face unchanged as he did. But nothing went anywhere. Sin just stood in the same place, a mosaic of thousands of tiny crystals forming a humanoid shape with an almost fully translucent cloak draped over him. He peeked out of one eye, still bathing in the light of Yldria. It felt welcoming and he felt himself getting angry over the fact that he felt that way.
It had been over an Arc since last he'd been here but he still knew the way. The way that carried him through the smaller streets of Uleuda, further from the bright light of Yldria that provided sustenance for all Yludih, further from the crowded center around the crystal. Away from perceptive eyes, away from recognizable crystal faces, away from others. The light and warmth of Yldria faded slowly as he managed to put distance between them. That was how it worked. One source of survival with a limited range. It kept all Yludih safe and together. Together in a happy bunch of happy crystals all being happy. Sin whistled a short and sharp tone from his crystals, the Yludih equivalent of clicking your tongue, although with a little bit more anger than usual.
He passed through all three tiers of the city, ignoring the crystal people gathering together for their lessons in the meetings area and crossed between smaller crystal buildings used to house Yludih families while they stayed here. Here, where they could be who they were, without danger of being hunted down. Here, where they each shone with a bright light, one that faded in comparison with the light of Yldria, but bright enough that each one of them was a crystal lantern in various colors. Here, where they talked, laughed and learned in safety before waking back up in the cold, hard reality of Idalos. Once he'd passed the houses and the people, there was a short, open space before he reached the giant wall surrounding the entirety of Uleuda, the last line of defense against the cold, hard reality of where ever Uleuda existed.
As he started climbing the stairs up the side of the wall, he wondered why it wasn't possible to use his magic here. Stairs always tired him out. But he got to the top. The wall had Yludih on it, providing security against the outside but ever since his arrival here so many arcs ago, he'd never heard of anything coming even remotely close to the wall. But it allowed him to see far, to sink deep within himself where things were better. He found himself a flat crystal that made up part of the irregular building style of the Yludih and climbed on it. He was aware of the long drop down on the other side of it but he focused on the view ahead, rather than the view downward. Sin sat himself down, crystal feet dangling over the edge, at the bottom of which, sharp crystals awaited anything trying to get closer.
In the distance, the crystal forest stretched itself out, surrounding Uleuda in full. There was no break in the wild growth of the crystals and many of them had grown tall enough to overshadow even the wall he was sitting on. And beyond all the crystal and light, there was the actual nothing. The blackest, coldest void he could think of. The most terrifying place he could imagine. There, death would be a gift you'd be delighted to receive. Idalosians had it so easy with their fears. If only they could understand. He dove deep within in himself and from there, let himself sink deeper, dragged down by thoughts and memories that linked themselves together with the oddest of hooks. As he sank deeper, the light carried be each and every Yludih, the light that, at the best of times, was barely a strong candle flame within him, grew dimmer until it equaled that of a faraway star in the Idalosian sky.
Morning
Yldria, Uleuda
The vast, empty blackness was cold. It provided an escape from the pain. He didn't really remember what pain but it was better to be here without it than to be there with it. That much he knew for sure. In this void of nothing, he allowed himself to bathe in the warmth, to bask in the light. Here, he was-... Wait. Light? Warmth? Sintih opened himself up to his surroundings, peeking out of one eye first, then the other. His face remained unchanged. It took him all of a trill to know where he was. And to know that he didn't want to be here. Coming here hadn't been his choice. It had been forced upon him. He had to leave, before anyone annoying showed up. He closed his eyes once more, his face unchanged as he did. But nothing went anywhere. Sin just stood in the same place, a mosaic of thousands of tiny crystals forming a humanoid shape with an almost fully translucent cloak draped over him. He peeked out of one eye, still bathing in the light of Yldria. It felt welcoming and he felt himself getting angry over the fact that he felt that way.
It had been over an Arc since last he'd been here but he still knew the way. The way that carried him through the smaller streets of Uleuda, further from the bright light of Yldria that provided sustenance for all Yludih, further from the crowded center around the crystal. Away from perceptive eyes, away from recognizable crystal faces, away from others. The light and warmth of Yldria faded slowly as he managed to put distance between them. That was how it worked. One source of survival with a limited range. It kept all Yludih safe and together. Together in a happy bunch of happy crystals all being happy. Sin whistled a short and sharp tone from his crystals, the Yludih equivalent of clicking your tongue, although with a little bit more anger than usual.
He passed through all three tiers of the city, ignoring the crystal people gathering together for their lessons in the meetings area and crossed between smaller crystal buildings used to house Yludih families while they stayed here. Here, where they could be who they were, without danger of being hunted down. Here, where they each shone with a bright light, one that faded in comparison with the light of Yldria, but bright enough that each one of them was a crystal lantern in various colors. Here, where they talked, laughed and learned in safety before waking back up in the cold, hard reality of Idalos. Once he'd passed the houses and the people, there was a short, open space before he reached the giant wall surrounding the entirety of Uleuda, the last line of defense against the cold, hard reality of where ever Uleuda existed.
As he started climbing the stairs up the side of the wall, he wondered why it wasn't possible to use his magic here. Stairs always tired him out. But he got to the top. The wall had Yludih on it, providing security against the outside but ever since his arrival here so many arcs ago, he'd never heard of anything coming even remotely close to the wall. But it allowed him to see far, to sink deep within himself where things were better. He found himself a flat crystal that made up part of the irregular building style of the Yludih and climbed on it. He was aware of the long drop down on the other side of it but he focused on the view ahead, rather than the view downward. Sin sat himself down, crystal feet dangling over the edge, at the bottom of which, sharp crystals awaited anything trying to get closer.
In the distance, the crystal forest stretched itself out, surrounding Uleuda in full. There was no break in the wild growth of the crystals and many of them had grown tall enough to overshadow even the wall he was sitting on. And beyond all the crystal and light, there was the actual nothing. The blackest, coldest void he could think of. The most terrifying place he could imagine. There, death would be a gift you'd be delighted to receive. Idalosians had it so easy with their fears. If only they could understand. He dove deep within in himself and from there, let himself sink deeper, dragged down by thoughts and memories that linked themselves together with the oddest of hooks. As he sank deeper, the light carried be each and every Yludih, the light that, at the best of times, was barely a strong candle flame within him, grew dimmer until it equaled that of a faraway star in the Idalosian sky.
