A night to remember

[Elijah Ki'Ouj]

43rd Ymiden, Ar717

The bar was sadly rather empty, apparently it was not a popular night for drinking. However, Elijah was determined to make the night better. He wasn't sure yet how he would do it but he was sure he would be able to somehow find a way to enjoy the evening. It was an important trial after all, it was his birth-trial. 110 arcs before this trial he had been born to a woman whose identity he did not know to a young Biqaj man. His father was someone he would always love even now as he had been dead for many arcs he still loved him. He was not so sure his father would like what he had become though.

Still, as Elijah sipped his ale he searched around the bar for any faces who looked like they might want to have some fun. He also kept his eye out for familiar faces too, maybe their was an old friend or acquaintance about. His first look didn't bring up much, a few old drunks and some younger folk keeping to themselves in one corner. It was odd to see the place so empty, it was normally full of people. Was it some kind of special day he had not realised about? He couldn't recall any specific celebrations that would be taking place.

Then it hit him, normally this place would be alive with sailors and men of the ocean, instead it was quite and lacking the boisterous attitude of the happy Biqaj. This trial was the trial of the Commemoration of the Sea, something he had partaken in many times in the past and perhaps he would do so again now. A double celebration, a celebration of the ocean which he so dearly loved and the trial on which he was brought into the world. He turned back to the bar keep and offered him a 3 nels for another tankard of ale.

He turned to the people in the bar and stood, raising his ale into the air. "Raise a glass with me mates, today we commemorate the ocean. A wicked and fickle mistress but one I love more than any other." He kept it above his head and saw a couple Biqaj also raise their cups but others seemed disinterested but he was determined. "She gives us life and freedom, offers us a place of escape and safety. So to the mistress we all love and cherish, cheers." He titled his cup back and heard a few cheers scattered around as he took down too large gulps and looked at the unlively place.

Deciding there might only be one way to really get the interest of all those around him. "And as it is also my birth-trial, in the spirit of gift giving the next round is on me!" He raised his tankard again and this time he was joined by everyone in the bar, still not many were there but all of them suddenly seemed to be happier and more alive. He turned to the bar tender and tapped the bar. "One more for everyone and put it on a tab for me." He forced a smile and then leaned his back against the bar, wanting more to do. Maybe things would get more exciting and liven up soon.

[Cal'nist]

Sometimes, voices in your head can be helpful. This was, unfortunately, not one of those times. And it was seriously making him consider drinking, something he generally avoided.

Cal’nist’s bond with Whisper was still a fledgling one. Despite the time they’d spent together, for most of it, Cal’nist had been battling severe depression, and that had left him too tired and weak to actually figure out how his bond worked, exactly, or try and improve his relationship with his familiar. Sometimes, she was silent for trials on end, while other times she seemingly wouldn’t know how to stop talking. This trial was one of the latter trials.

Apparently, Whisper had gotten it into her head that Cal’nist was turning into a shut-in, which, of course, wasn’t true. Just because he never really went anywhere but work, training, or temple, didn’t really have any friends and didn’t seem inclined to pick up any hobbies didn’t mean that he was going to end up as a crazy loner. If anything, Whisper’s nagging would drive him insane. She’d remembered that today was some festival, the Commemoration of the Sea or something along those lines, and had gotten it into her head that it was something that Cal’nist should celebrate. Unfortunately, there were a few snags in her plan. First, Cal’nist didn’t know anything or particularly like the sea. Second, he had no idea how one went about celebrating that particular holiday. They’d argued back and forth all day, until Cal’nist had finally caved.

He wasn’t going down to the sea, though. He would, however, go to a bar, and see if he could be social for once. Whisper took that as a sign of a small victory, and was no doubt biding her time to see if she could goad him into further festivities. On his way home from work, Cal’nist had gone on a route that led him to the bars closer to the sea. He’d stopped at the quietest bar he could find, since he had no intention of going anywhere rowdy. He’d have to take baby steps instead. When he’d gotten to the bar, he’d ordered the cheapest drink there, and soon enough the bartender placed a glass of something called Melrathian Ale. Cal’nist didn’t sip it, instead choosing to examine the bar.

It was fairly typical, as bars went. Or so he assumed. The patrons seemed to be mostly young or old, with not much in between. The younger people probably had snuck in here without permission, while the older people seemed like permanent fixtures of such a place. One fellow, however, did end up catching his attention and Cal’nist did his best to study him without being caught. He was young, but not seemingly youthful, with medium-length brown hair, deep brown eyes, tanned skin, and a beard. Cal’nist wasn’t sure what about the man had caught Cal’nist’s eye, but the other man was striking.

Suddenly, the other man started moving and Cal’nist quickly turned to stare at his drink, hoping that he hadn’t been caught. However, it seemed that he was safe, as the man merely seemed to make a toast and then purchase a round of drinks for the entire bar. Apparently, the ocean was female, something that hadn’t occurred to Cal’nist, not that he cared all that much. Still, as the bartender placed yet another drink in front of the young Sev’ryn, he wondered exactly what the other man had hoped to accomplish. Maybe this hadn’t been the best choice of tavern after all.

Whisper, however, had other idea. Her cooing voice slid into his mind, and she appeared to him in between him and the man who’d made the toast. ”That one knows how to have a good time!” she commented with a laugh. Whisper was much more playful and mischievous than Cal’nist, and while usually he enjoyed her antics and her attempts to get him to break out of his shell, today he wasn’t really feeling up to it.

”Oh would you shut up,” Cal’nist replied, louder than he’d meant to, and in Common. He was trying to practice the language, since few people here spoke Xanathea and that made it hard to get by. Still, he forgot that no one could see or hear Whisper except for him. It was a common mistake, especially for him, seeing as he rarely had individuals around to point out when he was talking to himself.