Log file from Jaihyn.
1/8/99 2:04:50 PM
Courtyard - Atesh-Gah - Haven
If indeed the Hebrew folk of lost Earth are correct in their legends, then this must be the legendary garden from which mankind was expelled. The flat expanse of the great courtyard of Atesh-Gah is covered in the most luxurious grass of bright emerald green, broken only by a cobblestone path for riding and walking to prevent wear upon the lawn. Rich copses of carefully tended wood grow by the walls, lovingly groomed flower gardens acting as a barrier of colour before the rising trees.
Perhaps even more relaxing than the sight of the yard are the sensations of it. The lovely scents of flower and tree; honey-suckle, apple blossom, peach, and jasmine; combine with the soft cushion of green grass to provide a sense of peace and harmony that defies the looming sand-hued walls of unbreakable stone. Not even the shadowed maw of the main gate, nor the blocky, unimpressive presence of the impenetrable main keep can overshadow the beauty of this place. Indeed, the stark contrast serves only to enhance it.
Contents:
Khalil
Jaihyn strolls into the courtyard from the city, with a package in his hand. He spots the Agni-Haidar and bows, "Good evening, Imphadi." and waits to see what the reaction to him will be today.
Khalil is, as usual when he is not on duty, kneeling off to one side of the Courtyard. His sword lays next to him upon his folded haik. Having not started his meditation he gives a polite bow of his head to the priest. "Good evening yourself Imphadi. You are well?" Not quite a happy tone, but just one of being, neither happy nor angry.
Jaihyn nods and holds up the package, "You were right, the smithy did have very good sharpening tools. He put a kit together for me. Thank you for the information."
Khalil's eyes glance at the upheld package briefly before he nods. "I am glad that I could be of service. A blade should never be dull."
Jaihyn nods, "Indeed that is true. Imphadi..." and pauses, unsure if he should ask the question, the same one he was going to ask before Auvrey showed up. He stops and looks unsure.
Khalil smiles for a moment as he watches the priest, "I am not a Kaimakam, you do not require permission to speak. If your words offend me I will tell you of it. But we will not know unless you ask of me what you will."
Jaihyn nods slowly and settles down on the floor next to the man. "I am far from home, Imphadi, I have left my teachers behind but I still need to continue my training before I get rusty and receive bruises for my laziness should I return to my old teacher. I would like to ask of you..." he pauses again and then plows ahead, "If you are willing to take on a student, Imphadi." and then stops, watching the man.
Khalil seems speechless as he does not speak for a while. When he finally finds his voice, there is a hint of apprehension. "I am not a teacher, Imphadi. I can only share with you what I know and that is limited since I am but a Janizar. We may spar together if you want and perhaps you will learn that way. But I cannot promise that you will learn."
Jaihyn nods his head a little, "Forgive if I have cause you distress. Sparring would indeed be at least a way to keep in shape and I have no doubt that I will learn some new things. Perhaps after a while, after some assesment, you could recommend someone? My teacher back at home was Agni-Haidar."
Khalil coughs softly, "No distress, Imphadi. I merely do not wish to overstep my position and assume something that I am not. But I would enjoy having another to spar with, one who I do not know completely in body and mind."
Jaihyn nods his head and shrugs the cloak off his right side and unhooks the long, slightly wavy Varati sword, laying it down, still sheathed. "I have not been able to work on it since I got here." he taps the package with a rueful smile as explanation. "My teacher would have me covered in bruises from the flat of his blade from knee to hip for it!" he stares at the sheathed sword for a while and you get the feeling that he hasn't drawn it once since being here.
Khalil looks down at the sword and nods. "Then your teacher would have been kind. One's weapon should not be neglected. But let us see this blade of yours, perhaps it is not so bad since you have not used it lately."
Jaihyn lays his hand on the hilt reverently, telling the Agni-Haidar the first thing about him... it's his left hand. He draws the sword skillfully and looks critically at the edge of the blade, keeping the point away from Khalil. "It does not seem too bad, I think." While the edge may have dulled, the blade seems to have fared well, a little dull in shine but with no pocks or rust marring the length of it.
Khalil glances at the blade and frowns a bit. "A good blade, but still neglected. You are lucky I am only being a Janizar and not your true teacher. But you are not Kshatri, perhaps I should not expect so much of you." It is half to himself, half to the priest.
Jaihyn nods a little, "I am not Kshatri, I am Akhund. Not nearly as engrained as the Agni-Haidar or the Kshatri. Yet, I even know how to take care of a blade better than this. I fear I became so enamoured with the city that I did neglect it." he stares at the blade and runs his fingers down the flat of the blade, without truly touching in order to avoid the finger prints and oil from them. He lays the blade down and opens up the package pulling out stones and cloths.
Khalil watches in silence, making silent note of the priest's actions and the expressions on his face. His hand falls down to touch his own sword, assuring himself that it still remains where he had put it last. With a satisfied nod he folds his hands together, resting them in his lap.
Jaihyn collects up a rough stone and starts with that, working his way down to the finer stones, making the edge sharper and sharper as he goes. His face becomes very solemn and this seems to bring out that predatory cast in the features of his face. His technique is very learned and swift although he treats the blade as a delicate thing to almost be worshipped. Finally he shines up the blade with a cloth, seeming to retreat into a form of meditation as he does so.
Khalil gives a slow approving nod, keeping any and all emotion from his face, save for one of wonder. As he watches the priest, something familiar stirs within him and memories flicker behind his eyes. Lowering his eyes to his lap he lets the priest continue with the sword feeling it something private.
As he slowly shines the blade, the air around him begins to get warmer and sitting so close, even the Agni-Haidar can feel it, getting warmer and warmer and then suddenly the cold seeps back in and Jaihyn opens his eyes suddenly as if he didn't intend for that to happen or maybe that he did but didn't want to take it any further. He holds the blade up for inspection carefully, face still solemn but with some weird sort of fire in his eyes.
Khalil's head lifts as he feels the heat and he eyes the priest warily. "Are you feeling okay, Imphadi?"
Jaihyn nods, "I feel fine, better than in a long time, thank you, Imphadi." he voice does not seem so soft natured any more, but he still seems as polite as ever. "That was... exhilarating, but I wouldn't want to go all the way, as it were. I have desire to singe anyone today like I almost did to a friend of mine the other day in the market place." he smiles a little.
Khalil speaks with a distant voice, "Yes.. sometimes it is possible to go too far with something without our realizing. You show a strong will to resist such... urges." As an afterthought he askes, "Do you often singe people?"
Jaihyn chuckles, "Not usually. When I get excited, I tend to forget myself and flare up a little." he allows light flickering flames to dance around him, not anywhere near burning the Lion sitting near him. "Like that, only about three times worse. Fortunately, I managed to leap away from my friend before anything happened. But the more I meditate in a day, the less chance of me doing anything like that on that day even with strong emotions."
Khalil nods, staring at the flames for a while. "Meditation does seem to help. I am glad that your friend was not hurt any. I am also glad that it seems you have been meditating often today." He grins a bit before looking up at the priest, the flames forgotten. "Do you ever lose yourself... in the flames, as though you and them were one?"
Jaihyn nods, "Sometimes, but only on purpose. If that should happen without my full allowance then I would be of the Consumed. But I have a strong will and this has never happened or will happen. I sometimes do it mostly as a type of meditation. I haven't experienced anything else like it in the world yet."
Khalil says "Not even when you work with your weapon?"
Jaihyn eyes Khalil with surprise, "I have not tried that yet. It is an interesting idea though. It takes intense concentration to keep the fire in check... but it may be doable with certain weapons practice forms." he sits there, thinking about that with that great intense interest that many in the market place have seen on his face. Jaihyn blinks, "Ah, wait I understand. Yes, it is similar but the fire is very different from it. I can acheive a similar type feeling when I work with the blade but the fire..." he trails off. "Yes, it is very different."
Khalil's hard edge fades a bit and he allows his curiousity to let through, "What is it like... with the fire? When I practice the forms or spar, it is as if I am somewhere else, seeing with another's eyes. While my body moves on its own, I stand silent apart from it all."
Jaihyn nods, "I know that feeling with the sword, I experience something similar when I do blade work. The fire..." he stops, unsure how to exactly describe it. "Have you ever been in total, consuming pain, from head to foot?" he asks, starting there. If he knows the feeling then he can go from there.
Khalil nods slowly. "Yes.. I I know what it feels like to be consumed with pain... as if I were burning alive."
Jaihyn winces wishing almost the answer had been no, not wishing that feeling on anyone. "That pain, how it invaded the body and twisted and skewed reality, as if you were not... quite human anymore? That is similar to the fire but for me there is no pain, merely like... well, flames of energy dancing all over my skin and within my body. I think at that moment..." he trails off again, his voice catching and his eyes going wide with an odd look in them, "...that I am not quite human anymore." he looks back at the Lion with a more normal look on his face. "How do you explain how fire feels to be fire? I do not know."
Khalil shivers ever so slightly, hands sqeezing tightly together. But instead of revealing any of his feelings, the Agni-Haidar turns to stone as he answers the priest. No sympathy, no curiousity, once more he closes himself off to the world. "It is the balance of such a gift. For the ability to wield this power you must give of yourself. And though, I do not know wield fire, I do know what you experience. In my limited way I have been there. It is what makes us stronger, so that we may serve the Amir'al better."
Jaihyn bows his head, "That is very true, Imphadi." he says quietly. "I have not yet allowed anyone to watch me do this other than my Atarvani teachers. If one day you do wish to see, I would be willing to let you watch." he smiles and adds to lighten the mood, "At a safe distance with a bucket of water..."
Khalil shakes his head, "No.. I thank you for offering me such an honor. But I would not wish to invade your privacy." He speaks as if he from experience.
Jaihyn nods, "Perhaps one day." he says simply and then leans foward to start repacking the sharpening kit. "Maybe tomarrow we can have a sparring session?" he sheaths the sword with great reverence after blowing out any dust inside the scabbard and rebuckles it to the belt, on his right hip.
Khalil returns the bow, "Perhaps." He sounds doubtful. "Tomorrow will be a good time to start sparring."
Jaihyn bows, "Good night, Imphadi, may your sleep be full of pleasant dreams." and wanders slowly off to the guest room, in deep thought.
You ascend the stairs into Atesh-Gah, allowed past by the ever-present Agni-Haidar.
*******
Jaihyn
He is a tall man, over six feet but not by much, musceled but somehow he seems rather willowy and lanky. Unlike others of his Varati race, he has much lighter bronzed skin than most. Also incongruous to the others is the mop of mostly curly, sort of short, red-blonde hair and the flint grey eyes that don't miss much at all. He does have the sharp, chiseled Varati features to his face however, giving him a slightly predatory cast. All in all, he could be called handsome. He is dressed entirely in red. His loose, flowing pants are tied up at just below the knees and at the ankles, still giving him movement while not being in the way. His upper thigh length tunic is tightened with a heavy, tooled leather belt upon which several pouches hang on the left side. It's hard to tell if this tunic is long sleeved or has no sleeves as over all of this he wears a thick red cloak with a 'mandarin' style collar that he keeps snapped around his throat. He wears simple sandals almost in the tone of the caligae of the Empyreans without the straps crossing up his ankles. Beneath the cloak, there is an odd bulky shape on his right hip. He appears to be in his mid-twenties.
Back to the Jaihyn Log page!
Back to the main Jaihyn page!
Back to the home page!
ŠJune 1999
Get your own Free Home Page