Everything Blooms In Its Own Time [Kala, Pharaoh]

[Kala Leukos]

.

While Kala hoped that eventually, Phocion wouldn't have to make an effort, she appreciated that he was making an effort for the time being. She would make an effort to shield him from excessive socialization, knowing it was not his preferred activity. She engaged a bit in some sotto voce with the prince while Hilana and their escorts made some decisions. Both she and Phocion were amenable to the walk.

"I will have to ask Her how she does that," Kala murmured, half to herself and half to Hilana and Phocion. Hilana had artefacts from the silver sister, as Kala thought of Her. Kala still relied in large part upon the patronage she had established with a human runeforger before her apotheosis began for powerful artefacts. Perhaps Varvara had collected some things, but Sentinel Finn had showed her what Varvara had turned his sacrificed lute into.

"Lead on," she encouraged with a smile. A part of her wanted to fly ahead, as well, the last in the chevron formation so Ceran could cleave the air with his greater size, creating much easier currents to navigate. But this was a joint venture, and she supposed she could fly a bit when they finished what they came for.

In truth, she could have knelt there and communed with the Plane, but not knowing how long it would take them, it did seem best to find an idyllic and defensible spot for the larger party.

"How long does attunement require for you, Hilana?" she asked, curious rather than competitive. Outside of the foundational four, she had only attuned to Aether, and that in the Pantheon. She wasn't sure the experience would be the same even in another plane, not when the Pantheon had been created specifically for the Gods. She also wasn't certain she was meant to speak of it to mortals. She had managed to take Kaus there, but the Divine Twins had helped her shield him from the aspects of it that mortals weren't capable of withstanding.

.

[Hilana Chenzira]

She glanced up from her Volumen at the Northern Lady's words and Hilana wondered who Kala was speaking about, but wasn't sure she should ask. Possibly Sentinel Phocion knew, and it likely referred to someone they were familiar with. There was a reverence to the way that she spoke that made her wonder. The young woman kept the map open for the first few steps, watching her tiny little dot move on the paper, and when she was satisfied, rolled it up and put it back in the case. Ever since she had found it in the desert, the artefact had proven its usefulness a hundred times over. Skilled though she was as a navigator with a strong internal compass, these Planes were different; and this was new territory and new turf. This Plane in particular would have been quite vexing just from the amount of shifting greenery alone. She was glad that they weren't anywhere swampy just yet, and if need be, they would go around or over. One of the two.

The Sentinels waited until affirmation was given, and they could head out in the direction that Hilana had indicated. As she walked, her eyes roamed the vegetation around them, and some she touched as she recognized them, admiring the flora as they went. She knew she would be coming back here again, but it was so incredibly tempting to start loading a sack full of plants, from the roots to the buds. The botanist in her wanted to sit and try to draw and write down everything she saw, but she also had a feeling that that was an impossible task. There was simply so much of it, but she recognized a number of them from her books and lessons. Some were brand new, and those were the ones she wanted to sit and study with Semblance. But all in good time - she might find something new here, something she could take back with her and use.

"I take about an hour or so," Hilana admitted, and the young woman with the raven hair sounded a tad apologetic. "My first Attunement with Shadow took far longer, but I have been practising my meditation skills regularly since then, and when I visited the Elemental Plane of Light, Sentinel Finn said I was closer to one hour than two with the process." She didn't know where Lady Kala's skills with the practice of meditation lay, but she simply assumed that they were stronger than hers. "I'm hoping by the time I visit the Plane of Metal, then I will have it closer to half an hour." She smiled, her hands on her rucksack's straps as they walked. Shadows milled around her skirts and out, mingling with those around them. They were definitely happier to be visiting here than they were in the Plane of Light, from the looks and sounds of them.

It would be better yet to be able to go between Attunements quickly, but practice would make perfect. ""Is it difficult to communicate with them when they're up there and we're down here?" she asked her. She just assumed there was some sort of method to it, but she wasn't quite sure. Maybe it was something Runeforged. Hilana moved a branch aside so that those behind her wouldn't hit it, deftly holding it between the thorns.

[Kala Leukos]

.

Kala nodded and, "I don't actually know how long my attuning will take."

She didn't actually know how long this attuning would take, whether she would be faster or slower than the other woman. It oughtn't to matter, she supposed. Each soul was unique, after all, and many things required time and patience. If she couldn't remember how long it had taken to attune to primordial aether, it was because the Pantheon existed outside of Time.

No, that wasn't correct. Perhaps it was Time-adjacent. She could ask Avatar, she supposed, but she knew very little about chronomancy and only some about philosophies about the nature of time. Perhaps given time and growing power, she would transcend Time as well, but for now, her experience was defined by its passing.

"With the other Avialæ?" she asked for clarification. Then, "No. Kaus and I have been core-bonded since the womb. We would have to be quite far apart not to be able to communicate clearly mind-to-mind. My bonds to the others aren't quite so deep and they could travel a lesser distance before they were but a vague sense in a certain direction."

She wondered, though, whether that range would now be extended given the boys did worship her, albeit in a way dissimilar to how she had witnessed worship before. They had known her as a person, as a peer in the Warren March, and many other things before she began her ascent at Naori's insistence. They venerated her, but would still tell her if she had some bit of food caught in her teeth. So, it was strange, but more comfortable for her given the circumstances than it was to be more formally worshiped by the entire population of one's home.

That too would come with time, she supposed. Certainly, the Divine Twins reveled in it.

"They won't travel too far ahead or fall too far behind. They just want to scout in directions our honor guard cannot as easily, but they will remain close enough to come to our aid should we stumble upon unforeseen dangers. To augment our already competent protection."

A part of her wanted to fly, too, but she felt it would be rude to Hilana who had invited her here, and to Phocion who had come because she was there, a little glimmer of feelings she anticipated in the future: leaving mortal cares and connections behind.

.

[Hilana Chenzira]

Hilana accepted her answer readily. That made sense - sometimes you didn't know how long something was going to take until you actually sat and did it, especially something like Attunement. Hilana kept at it, because she found Elemental Attunement a powerful technique... especially since she had yet to select an Arche element. Would it be wood? She had a feeling there was a good chance that it may well be, what with her love of and affinity for plants and all kinds of flora. But she had made a promise to herself, and that was to attune to every element that she could and see how each and all of them sat with her. "We've got all the time in the world today," she assured her. "However long it takes is however long it takes."

Truthfully, she was in no rush to leave this place any time quickly, and if it took all day, it took all day. For someone who had grown up in the arid expanse of Atraxia, this was not what she was used to, but she loved it. There was so much here, and given the opportunity, she felt she could probably stay in here for quite a long time, just exploring and investigating. There was a lot to see on this Plane, and she would need to bring a few goodies back to Sivan. He'd doubtless like those.

Hilana nodded when Kala asked for clarification, and listened inquisitively to the explanation that came from it. She always found it interesting to learn about other races, and where they different, and the bond was interesting. She had met her share of Avialae in Kalzasi, and understanding the bond helped her understand them more as a people. Especially given her relationship with Raithen, and she knew that no such bond existed between them. He cared for her, might even love her in his way, but they were not bonded, and likely never would be. She loved him dearly, but she knew that their relationship would never progress beyond what it was now, aside from maybe being claimed formally as concubine to keep her father at bay. And that was completely understandable. "Is there any limit to the amount of bonds an Avialae can have with others?" she wondered, her hands on the straps of her rucksack. If Kala had a core-bond with Kaus, and now she had her Silver Wings, and she assumed they were all bonded, from a tactical and logistical standpoint like this, that made sense... that was already a handful. Now that she understood that there were different levels of bonds, she did wonder how all that worked. And if it was complicated hearing others in your head all of the time.

"Wings are definitely an advantage here, aren't they?" she smiled at the petite blonde. Especially if there was something bigger moving that they could see up ahead. Hilana guided them on the ground, and they could likely spy the resting spot faster than the walkers could. On the other hand, the canopy seemed quite thick in some areas, and that could be challenging. But Semblance would make it easier, or Kinetics, or whatever Crafts they possessed as a group. But they were making pretty good time with the terrain, all things considered, though Hilana was keeping an eye on Lady Kala to make sure that she wasn't going too fast.

The pond did come into view at last in the distance, and the Vastiana held a branch away for Kala so that it wouldn't clip her wing. "What do you think?" she asked her. "Do we like this spot, or shall we keep going for the lake?" All around the edges of the pond were willow trees, though their leaves were a lovely pastel purple. Some were bigger and some were shorter, but they were broken up by countless green trees that differed in sizes as well. Lilies and lily pads dotted the surface of the bright blue pond, and some of them were like Hilana had never seen before. The pond meant that there was an opening in the treetops that allowed the light to filter through, making the picturesque spot a bit more magical. The shores were not sloped so sharply that the banks were uncomfortable or risky, and some areas were grassy enough that they could sit fairly easily on the woven blankets that the Vastiana had packed for them.

Sources of water did seem to attract wildlife, or in this case, wild spirits, but with the guard around them and above them... this seemed like a good spot where they could meditate, commune with the spirits, and enjoy the picnic.

[Kala Leukos]

.

If ever Hilana brought Finn here, he would certainly tell her of the timeline where Ecith's jungles covered Atraxia. She might not be able to imagine it quite.

In any case, Kala was happy to answer questions about herself and her people. She hadn't seen any other Avialae but Raithen in Solunarium, so there was the added benefit of educating people around him to support him here where he was different.

"I do not think there is a limit other than one's ability to manage those connections mentally and emotionally," she said. "I cannot imagine living without my twin's presence at the back of my mind. The Silver Wings have all asked for bonds, and there are a few others outside of them for me. None nears the profundity of what I share with Kaus, though they are all, of course, special. Having this many, though, is not common. For the Avialae, it is helpful to have that emotional anchor, but it also opens us up to manipulation, as one can see with the Kathar in the Gelerian Imperium. Bonds between Avialae seem more equitable, though. And in Atoria, they have a sort of... grand connection... not exactly a hive mind as one can observe in, say, a hive of bees, but everyone is connected and one has access to everyone. With consent, of course. I think Atoria proves that an innumerable number of bonds is possible, whether or not it is advisable."

As for wings, she smiled, and said, "They open up the sky. On land, they can be more burdensome."

It was clear she wouldn't give them back, however, given the opportunity.

"This place seems appropriate," she said. It was all quite magical, and the presence of Wood was everywhere around them so one place was as good as any by some measures. "Perhaps we ought to see to business, the sooner to enjoy the rest of our visit?"

Kaus landed nearby, folding his wings neatly before approaching. He too was a master elementalist and would want to attune while they were there. Kala pulled a slim, leatherbound volume from somewhere on her person and handed it to Phocion "so you won't grow bored." It was a gift she had promised before, one of many more to come, no doubt. This one was a transcription of a scroll she had found in a Hytori library describing the schism between the Hytori homeland and the Re'hyæan religious movement.

She didn't know if she would ever see a Unity between Sol'Valen and Solunarium, but if he was curious, she was keen to assuage his curiosity.

That gift given, she released Phocion's arm and glanced at a thick, winding root that would make him a perfect bench. But he would do what he would do. She knelt with a dancer's grace upon some moss. Kaus sat cross-legged, leaning back against the bole of that root's trunk. He looked as though he might just be settling in for a nap with a smile, but she could sense his mind stilling.

Hers would too. She smiled at Hilana, then exhaled, her eyelids growing heavy and her focus on the world about her soft.

.

[Hilana Chenzira]

She made a mental note of this information regarding Avialae. Some of it was a bit trickier to ask Talon and Aoren about, oddly, despite the fact that she had known them longer than she had Kala. Perhaps it was the fact that Talon was a Prince, and considering the trauma he and Aoren had undergone, it was a bit more personal. Whereas Kala, while still a Noble lady, was closer to her own age and in a number of ways, easier to talk to. While there were no stupid questions when it came to Avialae, she felt that Kala may have understood her interest in why she was asking a bit better - to understand and support Raithen. Her Lux was important to her. "Thank you," Hilana told her. She often wore one of Raithen's feathers in her hair, which was something that was usually reserved for bonded partners, but the two of them held no magical bond. But she cared about it, and knowing these sorts of things might just help somewhere down the road.

When they seemed to approve of the location, Hilana was happy to get out blankets and offer them to those who wished to sit on them. Whatever was accepted, she was happy to pass out, the others she would leave stacked for the Silver Wings that might come down to join them. The three Sentinels spread out in a triangle to keep an eye on the area and on those that were settling in for their Attunement. Here, they maintained a constant sweep around them to stay abreast of any threats that might come looking - they were not going to discount the voidspawn hunters that were constantly looking to devour aether. The land around them was healthy so far, and hopefully, that's what they would find if they continued up to the lake.

Hilana settled down on the bank, her long skirts swept out enough for her to sit cross-legged before settling the fabric around her. Her rucksack, for once, came off and she put her Volumen away within it. She gave Kala and Kaus bright smiles, and placed her hands on her knees, palms up. She let out a breath, closing her eyes, and relaxed. She did not slump like she used to when getting comfortable, as her back remained straight, and her shoulders were down and away from her ears. Her breathing was calming, and as she focused on her breath, on the cool breath in and the warm breath out, her eyes closed. The more she practiced, the easier it became as it became a habit.

While she maintained her posture, she was relaxed, and about as calm as any of them had ever seen her. That wild energy of hers had had to be dealt with, as Athalia had told her: she needed to either exercise it, or find a way to calm it that didn't involve Mesmer. A Glade-cleaning of the mind, essentially, allowed for a better focus, had become a regular activity as the two sisters meditated together regularly. It was essential for improving one's arcane abilities, and if it was worth doing, it was worth doing right. Limb by limb, Hilana let herself relax, focusing on herself and her own awareness, as her thoughts calmed and quieted. Still, she did not allow her focus to wander: her attention was on herself, and on the Wood around them.

She reached out to elemental aether around them, feeling it, and embracing it. It would take time, and the Vastiana's senses were enhanced to the world around them. The willow branches as they rustled, the grass beneath her, the trees around them. The mosaic of scents of the flora around them made for an heady fragrance, and flower by flower, her brain told her what each one was. And with each identified, Hilana put the knowledge away. But it was Wood all the same, and knowing what it was made her feel closer to the element. There was a harmony with it, and the deeper her meditation became, the more she felt it.

Every breath slowed her heartbeat, slowed her mind. Her expression, though her eyes were closed, was soft and relaxed. Her chest was all that moved as she inhaled and exhaled. Glade-cleaning. Calmness. Wood. The aether of this place mixed with her own, and over time, the song of the plants became its own symphony. Where shadows whispered, the plants serenaded, and with the trees, she breathed.

[Kala Leukos]

.

Kala gave one last glance at Phocion with his book and his bench, smiled, and then settled into her meditative pose. If Kaus looked more like he was going to take a nap, well, he was generally less poised than she was. With his eyes closed, he was serene as any Hytori prince, his ebullient nature stilled for the time being.

She looked to Hilana, who was getting there, but trying to make everyone else comfortable first. Ceran and Indric were flying lazy circles above them, exploring a bit without wandering too far. Asallon thanked her for the blankets, and made himself comfortable. While not an elementalist, the summoner was going to make some connections with wild spirits here when he could be present in their own realm. Kanedama took a seat as well; summoning had gotten him into plenty of trouble and was responsible for his current state, but he was more concerned with Kala's safety.

All of the Silver Wings were ready to fight should the Solunarian contingent turn on her for any reason. They didn't think it likely, but any threat was taken seriously. They didn't know the Gods and Kings of Solunarium personally, didn't know if there were shadow groups that might attack her for their own purposes. Kanedama, for his infernal nature, was the most suspicious, but he was polite.

When Kala's eyes drooped, she was mostly open to Kaus and to Asallon. They could all achieve a trance and remain connected by their bonds. Asallon could sense the elemental flows around him, and the twins could differentiate spirits with greater ease. These didn't fawn over her as Freya's star spirit did, but they seemed to recognize the quality of her spirit and welcome her.

"Wild is the wind," Kaus murmured, barely audible. Air was his element, as hers was Fire. He became the breeze through the branches. She the smolder after a forest fire that opened pine cones and fertilized soil with ash. Everything was interconnected and it was nigh impossible to single out one element in one place, but here, Wood was certainly sovereign and it was easier to feel it without distraction.

She meditated upon the unity of the element, diverse yet still united.

.

[Hilana Chenzira]

The Silver Wings' caution and loyalty to their Goddess was commendable, but they had nothing to worry about with regards to the Sentinels that had escorted the party. The three on the outside had set up their perimeter, constantly watching and sweeping. The last time Sentinel Qaevyx had brought Hilana to another Plane, it had been the two of them and the Vastiana had used her Mask to hide her escort and herself from nearly all around them. But with the size of the party today, that was not an option, so they simply used the wards they had available to help secure their presence from hostile voidspawn that might be looking for a snack, easy or otherwise. Phocion was in the middle with the rest of them, but if something somehow slipped past the three anchors, they'd have him to contend with while the party was doing what they had come to do.

Hilana remained where she was, still and quiet, probably as still and quiet as she had ever been around the Moonborn Prince and the Avialae twins. The girl was usually full of get up and go energy, but that was well in hand now as she concentrated on the Wood element that was all around them. The sheer number of plants around them was what told Hilana that her Attunement was successful, because what had been relatively quiet was now quite, well, loud. She felt the plants that welcomed and greeted them, some of which were curious about them and what they were doing there. What had been on the edge of her awareness was now taking centre stage, but she remained quiet.

She was very much aware of how tricky Attunement could be, and as such, she did not move much at all from her position once she was successful. She did relax and actually lay back amongst the grasses, her legs still folded as they were, and spread her hands out amongst the blades, looking on at the trees that towered behind them. Beautiful, majestic, ancient. There were so many different kinds, and now she could properly pay her respects to them. Or, at least, she would. For a young woman who loved plants as much as she did, this was a little piece of paradise right here, and she couldn't have asked for more. She could watch the way each species interacted with each other here, and how each supported another so that they could all grow together. Sure, there were some that got a little weedy... but all had their parts to play here.

[Kala Leukos]

.

The twins were quiet when they came to, first one and very quickly the other.

Kaus took wing, exploring their environs with his new sense. He hadn't Semblance as his sister did—not even a sliver—but now he could sense Wood through his elemental Rune. Kala merely stood, offering a smile to Phocion and motioning him to continue reading. She rested her hand on the trunk of the tree, feeling its life with keener understanding even as she treated it as a barre to balance on while stretching her legs.

She remained contemplative, but turned to smile when Asallon came to, already attuned to his thoughts via their bond.

Kaus and the other Avialae returned and her part of the party was ready to stay or go per Hilana's whims. After all, she had arranged for all this and they were grateful.

"Thank you for bringing us with you, Hilana," she said, sincerity apparent in her tone and mien. "I will have to consider how best to reciprocate."

Of course, Kaus and Asallon thanked her for the opportunity, Ceran and Indric just to be able to see such a wondrous place. Even Kanedama was polite in the end.

.

[Pharaoh]

"Fascinating." Phocion muttered, closing the book as he completed it, glancing up to find people arranged differently than when he'd sat down. He blinked, feeling rather like Phædreon Extempestus for having fallen through time and lost whatever happened in the interim.

"Apologies. I seem to have lost track of time. What a splendid gift, Milady. I have, of course, contemplated on these themes, but this tome is refreshingly objective. Rather than looking at the schism as deriving from a conflict between the worshippers of particular gods, the author regards it more as a disagreement between those who favour more powerful, so-called 'greater gods' over more personal demigods, who tend to be active in the day-to-day lives of mortals. Our Re'hyæan antecedents focused on the divine children, where the Hytori prioritised the parents. This is all, of course, before demigods arose from our own ranks, but..." He shook his head.

"Again, my apologies. This sort of thing just gets me going." He offered sheepishly as he rose to his feet, stepping to Kala and offering a grateful kiss to her cheek for the gift and her indulgence of his idiosyncrasies. Flushed from having made so bold and uncharacteristic a gesture, he quickly stepped away and turned to Hilana.

"I am grateful you included me on this excursion. I hope it was to your satisfaction." He might have sounded cooler, if his blood wasn't up from that brief display of physical affection. That being the case, he sounded downright emotive. Hilana would find a basket of pastries delivered to her apartment the next time she was home. The courier who delivered it would have disappeared by the time the door was answered and there was no note identifying the sender, but the pastries would be exquisite. They tasted as though they'd been tailor-crafted to Hilana's particular preferences of late. Kala would, through less furtive channels, receive a book on astronomy penned by worshippers of the Platinum Dragonflight signed:

"Quid pro quo
Yours,
Pho"