Thirsting for Knowledge [Lekuna; Private]

The festive culture in Oak Town was something peculiar. Something to behold, to breathe, to feel. It was unique in that it resembled more of an annual cycle in which the street rats and high end citizens to come together and celebrate the birthday of this oldest settlement of Fiore. In these streets, the minds were as open as the doors. The ethic and moral that went throughout the place was largely liberal but forbade one to judge over another's preferences and decisions. It was a place where everyone was able to be who he wanted to. It was that precise reason that Oak Town had become a nest for the lawless and immoral to pursue lifestyles that went in the complete opposite direction of what Lyserg promoted and lived.

But yet, he enjoyed coming here. The history was rich, the library stocked full with the rarest of books and most importantly, the citizens that organized the festival and carried it out were not boring. He was able to play the game he had set up to pass the time to its fullest extent. It usually consisted of focusing on a person, guessing everything guessable about them and if he got them all right, he won. For the purpose of finding evidence, Lyserg did anything from stealing, harassing to simply letting his charme act on people. Most of the time, it did work out. And he won most of the games. For that purpose, he was here tonight. To play the game. To relax and clear his head. To calm down. Nobody was after him, he was in a fairly safe zone of existence in Fiore, and to celebrate that, letting his mind rest for a while in a healthy dose of folkly-culture was the best option. After all, he was just human and even he needed off-time every once in a while. In the meantime, he would pass his time with all the attractions, shops and quirks this town had to offer.

Leaning on a house whilst large wagons began pulling through the streets, a mellow light reflected in the turquoise pebbles, searching the crowd for someone to play his game with. It took a while before he found someone he considered interesting enough to be worth it, despite the weirdest creatures that named themselves human running around here. He was able to se the pocket thieves doing their work, bribed rune knights pretending not to notice, the richer folk having the time of their lives, the freaks of this town taking to performance art but yet, the crowd had not done it to him. Perhaps it was the fault of the quite numerous encounters he had with a few people strange enough to have caught his interest. The regular townsfolk paled in comparison to those he had engaged into the guild. His cloak fluttered as a light breeze gusted through the broad main street that the wagons were pulling through, throwing consumables left and right, playing music and dancing into the evening.

So Many Branches

each different but all the same

One day they will become one

The fickle sensation of something that does not belong into this world is vague. More vague than one might think at first, it is like a fragment of a conclusive thought. Things that don't belong into this world are not logical. They go against any- and every aspect of rationality. As such, actually perceiving them is impossible for normal people. That was what Lyserg knew. That was what he empirically thought correct. It was impossible for normal human beings to understand something that is not comprehensible within the laws of nature. Because of this, their minds would automatically register anything that exists outside of these laws, as comprehensible within the parameters of those same laws. Two people that looked exactly the same, not a hair that differed, were twins. Simple and easy answer. The possibility for anything else to be true was so fugaciously low, it simply did not exist for normal people.

Whenever his disparity to regular humans became apparent, Lyserg was in denial. He knew that he was in denial and attempted to rationalize it, which put him in a superstate of attempting to comprehend the paradox of the human mind. It took him a while to snap out of it, but as soon as he did, his widened eyes closing and opening up again, he pushed off the wall and in a loud whoosh his cloak flushed behind him through the air. 'A Trace... there has to be a trace...' His Mind was racing, trying to calculate several different things at once. Which way could they have gone? Why exactly did he feel as if his world had just been picked apart piece by piece in front of his eyes? Who could she have been? Where could she have come from? And these people, these goddamned people. In comparison to those girls, that girl, the possibility for a multitude of girls, they were nothing. Specks of dirt on a window of mind-boggling science that some could only find in fables and myths. Pushing through an overwhelming quantity of human bodies, following the faintest glow of magic he could find, relying more on luck and intuition than his actual ability to sense, he came to a halt, only 10 meters in front of a corner. Behind that corner, there was an alleyway. It was a dead end.

Breathing heavily, not because of exhaustion, but because of adrenaline, Lyserg's steps allowed him to approach at a steady pace in an equilibrium between immediate compulsion and paralyzed shock. Processing thoughts as if his life depended on it, a sudden stop of everything came to, as he leered around the corner, his body turning by ninety degrees facing into the dead end. His thoughts stopping completely was not something that happened often. What his eyes now held in their line of sight was a girl. Looking barely adolescent. Black hair, blue eyes, average height, casual body type. She did not appear special. No aura of supremacy or intellect. But she did not exist once. Across from her, she was standing there again. 

Twins to hell, these two were no twins. They were the exact same person. One in the same, parallel beings, not meant to ever meet. One of them, he could feel, was being held here. By magic. Magic, that he called his own. Magic he himself had tried to perfect over decades of study and practice. But now, he was seeing it being put to use. His spells. Barely a difference. And as if his personal emergency thought generator flipped a switch noticing he had come to a full stop, he brought out the only words he knew to bring out right now. "You should not be here." AN Instinctive movement brought his hand down to a small blade kept on his back. In a moment's notice it was unsheathed. With eyes widening in incomprehension, a hand drew a short sword in hostility.

So Many Branches

each different but all the same

One day they will become one

A defeated look replaced Lyserg's fury from after the grey particles began sweeping through the alley. "You..." He stated, balking from surprise. Not even registering that the girl acted casually, talking to him as if he was some commoner, his thought processes began once more, trying to comprehend the entirety of the situation at once. He was calculating the everything, the where, when, why and how. But despite being able to explain certain parts of everything for himself, the bigger picture stayed as an enigma to him.

In the meantime, whilst he was frozen in thought, the girl had blinked behind him barely using a trace of magic. That brought him back into the real world. Like a switch that triggered, he vigorously turned around stretching his arm out that subsequently hit the faded silhouette of a wall. "Wait, girl... you need to wait..." He demanded under his breath, but she had already made up her mind to leave. Lyserg tried to relax. These were his spells. The supposed twin and the blink. He knew them all too well. Their intricate workings, their feel, their signature, their theory and practice. He knew them front to back. But why did she? The coincidence was too great to be a coincidence.

Despite that, the wall in front of him was something new. It had a faint glimmer to it that he could perceive, likely only because he knew exactly what he needed to look out for when facing magic that used the workings of time. Gently touching the wall, he attempted to analyze what exactly this spell was made of. Ultimately deciding that what he was doing here was a complete waste of time however, he sheathed his blade and swung his fist, breaking through the wall as if breaking through glass, despite not making any noise. Turning his body back around the corner where he came from, the girl stood there seemingly having turned back around in curiosity.

"You're still here." He stated in astonishment. "You did not leave." Instinctively, he lunged out before the girl would have time to react, tapping her on the shoulder leaving behind a mark that she would likely not notice for the time being. In the case of her escaping, he would have the ability to blink to her at any given time, for now. "You musn't run." He stated, carefully grabbing her. "I will not harm you." He added, showing his free hand out in the open with nothing in it as a sign of amity. Although this was very contradictory and likely difficult to comprehend for someone in front of whom he had appeared as a blood-thirsty murderer, he had faith in the rationale of a time mage. As this was something completely new for Lyserg, his first instinct had been to erase any trace of time magic he did not know of.

So Many Branches

each different but all the same

One day they will become one

In a stare contest that only Lyserg was taking part in, his eyes stared deeply into Lekuna's attempting to figure out what kind of person she was. Ultimately, a time mage stood before him. And not just any type of time mage. His spells, his execution, the way they worked were his discoveries. There was a fragment of trust inside of him he felt he needed to allow for there to be a reasonable conversation. Finally, after some long moments of further pondering on what to do next, Lyserg slowly released his grip and carefully backed away from the girl, not letting his eyes off of her.

It was not spite that channeled his devious glare, moreso, a desire to figure her out. The fear in her eyes was apparent. That meant she was quite possibly, an adolescent girl afraid of her safety in front of an overwhelming male figure such as himself. A somewhat irrational fear that seemed to cloud her judgement of him. It told him she was human. Not in the biological sense. Her psychology included basic reactions and functions that benefitted regular people. But stioll, she was a time mage. So who, who in the world was she. Tearing at his innermost drive to control every aspect of his own person, he knew that he would not be able to explain this girl by himself.

"I..." He began speaking sheepishly making an immediate pause, taking a crouched stance wanting to signalize further non-aggression, keeping both hands at a low angle, fingers spread and knees bent. "I am unsure how to explain this to you." He continued, trying to pacify his prior attempt. "I am not one for winded speeches, so I will be blunt." He replied further, pausing once more piecing together the correct phrasing. "Everything..." He emphasized vigorously. "... contained in your abilities. From the spells, over their theory and execution... all of it, was created by me. I am quite sure you have uncovered the ability to become... ageless... 2..." He paused once more, knowing how ridiculous it would sound to a seemingly regular girl. "2400 years ago, I hypothesized, studied, crafted and practiced this magic as the first human in Earthland. Ever since my uncovering of these mysteries, I was aware of their potential danger." He continued, his voice beginning to shaking whilst vocalizing the actual distress he was feeling.

"I have kept tabs on any- and every living being on this continent that I have passed these secrets to. I know every bloodline, every family name, every ancestor and descendant of people whom I have showed this magic to, or who even happened to uncover the mysteries of these abilties by themselves. Using it has never come easily to anyone. It required year-long planning and studying, practicing and the scientific method for some to even scratch at its surface. Anyone who managed to even gain a fraction of the knowledge by himself spent years on the research. And now... now... you come along?" He stated questioningly. He was speaking slowly, carefully. His eyes wandered through empty space as if visualizing the things he was saying. Almost tantrically, his voice silently bellowed through the alley for no one but the girl to hear it. "I do not want to hurt you, but seeing traces of time manipulation I do not know of is... distressing. I have spent centuries studying the possible outcomes of some functions, finding them to be devastating. World-threatening. And you casually access parallel timelines to chase down a petty thief..." He finalized, dropping his voice with the last sentence with an outwards sigh.

His body began to relax, his posture normalized and his glare melted down to a defeated glance full of questions. "Now you tell me, girl. Who are you?" Naturally, he disliked pointless querys like these. But this was truly the only question he could think of at the moment.

So Many Branches

each different but all the same

One day they will become one

'The.... future?' Lyserg thought, eyes wide open. It explained some things, for example why he did not know her. Why she did not even seem the slightest bit reminiscent. How she could have learned the things she knew without him noticing it. Because when people learned something complex magic, it usually never went unnoticed. It was usually difficult to hide, and someone, somewhere always talked. 'The future. She came from the future.' He kept repeating inside his own head. Whilst it answered questions, it drove him crazy. He had thought about the implication of physically travelling through and into timelines often enough. But ultimately, he had decided it was too dangerous for the stability and consistency of reality and himself to actually attempt. But she had succeeded?

His insides burned with questions, too many of them. But he restrained himself, listening to her story. It was a puzzling one, to say the least. It seemed vague, the accessibility of time manipulation received by a goddess by implanting something into her left eye, or actually implanting a replacement? Katherine... he had read the name before. Many times, but once in relation to time magic. Perhaps a coincidence? Perhaps not. It did not matter for now. He would keep it in the back of his mind, but a goddess of time on earth seemed like a silly thing. Either she was not a true divine being, meaning some sort of descendant who was definitely mortal with no absolute domain, or... well there was no second explanation he could think of for now. But there was surely one. He knew most of those with domain over time. Their history, and their legend.

When she stopped speaking, emphasizing that she was quite literally a time traveler at last, Lyserg sat down on a large barell and leaned against a house wall. The lantern spread its light into the alley, putting a shade on half of his face, as well as hers. The sounds of the festival began to penetrate Lyserg's senses. Returning to complete awareness, he looked at the girl. "The implications of traveling through time have two possible outcomes. As a solute, abstract thing, time exists in a consistent flow of threads on which reality strings itself along infinity. That means that everything that was, is and will be already transpired. Traveling through it is definitely possible. I have made it work on paper before." He sighed for a moment and looked at the girl.

"It is all very theoretical, but when travelling through time, there should only be two options. Either you move through your own timeline and string it along events already happened before you lived, which should also mean that you would be able to travel into the future. Or you dive into a different, parallel timeline not belonging to you and move through that." Lyserg touched his right temple and rubbed it. "However your... father, managed to create that time machine... there are a lot of subtleties to it. It is certainly possible, I have crafted spells myself albeit not using them. I believe you." He stood up and crossed his arms. "But next to that, if you come from the future, you come with a mission. Nobody travels to the past to see what it is like. People come from the future to tinker events to their favor. What kind of events would those be?" He questioned with a piercing gaze.

So Many Branches

each different but all the same

One day they will become one

Lyserg was about to reply when Lekuna decided to make a proposition. Something to eat, a table, some time to spend. Comfort, in other words. Something he felt very inclined to. Especially in a situation that was covered by a misunderstood death threat as well as confusion and beriddled piecing together of Lekuna's existence. "It would be my pleasure." Was the only thing that escaped his lips for now. Lyserg lead the way back towards the festival, as that was where you were able to sit around inconspicuously without anyone throwing an eye you. Tonight, the two would fade into the tumultuous bunch that had assembled in Oak Town. Passing along a lively street, Lyserg stopped to view an old-timey type of building out of which loud talking and celebrating resonated. He preffered these types of places for serious conversations. More than the hermitical dusty bar in which eyes and ears were everywhere. "Well, this looks ideal."

Stepping in and opening the creaking wooden door the two were met by a huddled bunch of townsfolk, merrily drinking and celebrating this night together whilst local music played in the background. Waitresses and waiters running around from left to right, all with bright faces and energetic appearances. "How may I help you?" A voice trumpeted from his right to reveal a rather small, brown haired, but extremely broad-shouldered man to be its origin. "This floor is full, but on the second we still have a couple tables free, if you wish?" Lyserg smiled politely. "Something slightly departed from the scenery. We enjoy watching from afar more than standing in the center." He spoke smoothly and with an upbeat tone, much different from his natural stoic flow. The waiter nodded and lead them upstairs to a small table with two chairs, sitting right at a window that revealed the filled streets.

Lyserg pulled out a chair for Lekuna first before moving over to the other one and seating himself. He clipped off his hood and threw it over the chair. Underneath he wore a loose, white, long-sleeved shirt. It looked extremely casual. He wore a pair of male-fit leggings and black boots that dissappeared under the table. The waiter placed two menus on the table and claimed to be back in the next 5 minutes. Putting the menu aside and letting out a deep breath, his eyes rested on the person across of him. "So... Lekuna..." He uttered the name somewhat sheepishly, unsure if it was her given, or an alias. "I'll have to recap for my personal comprehension. You traveled through time and landed here. Round 80 years before you were born because the situation in your home country 80 years from now was critical. You were granted access to time magic by someone who was apparently able to grant you so, and now..." He stopped for a moment, tapping his fingers on the table before raising them off and raising them to the ceiling in a questioning manner. "What now?"

So Many Branches

each different but all the same

One day they will become one

Grace was a strange phenomenon. It gave note of itself at the most suspenseless of moments. As if wanting to show there was beauty in simplicity. Art in conformity. Directing eyes towards the lonely tulip growing amidst bog and mire. Lyserg mused at the young girl's movements. Her fingers gently disclosed the batch of thick, bright, black strands, shining almost dark brown in the light of oil lamps. It revealed what should have been a second steel blue light bulb tracing him so ever-closely. But instead, a clockwork. It moved, it watched, it breathed. Lively, but mechanically. Counting down towards something. Or counting away from something? The shapes were clear as day, but the lines became muddier with every rapid movement resonating concetration from the young lass.

Amenable words rung through calm atmosphere. He listened, considered, calculated. Wanting to know more about the quaint creature before him. Wanting to settle for a time, blend out the flux of afflatus, caught between a daunting end of comfort and the solace of a moment of sophistication. "If you are able to, I would like to speak about Katherine. Where this person came from, what exactly she wanted from you." Lyserg professed with prudent steps. "Were you intended to meet this Katherine upon arrival? What were you told to do upon arrival?" Continuing in a more direct manner. A muffled but buoyant ringing of laughter slithered through the ramshackle dissolving structure. "Also, what exactly would you be studying? I am quite proud to say that my collection of works regarding this manner is extensive. I know most, if not all published works written on the topic."

Toiling skips signified a waiter. The sweaty, small young lad from before emerged out of the downstairs livelyhood. "Have the folks decided yet?" Thick, local accent only surfacing now. Too busy being exhausted as that such a hard-working man would bother keeping up a most tidy facade. Lyserg glanced over at his table-mate before his clasp handed  over the botched menu. "The Cordon Bléu, a cruse of water and a bottle of any red wine you may recommend." Satisfied, sparkling pupils met the chin-bearded mage. "Very well, sire. The Terras de Quercia is from our homegrown. Popular and critically acclaimed. And for the miss?" He asked with exasperated jolly in his tone.

So Many Branches

each different but all the same

One day they will become one

Simplistic, short and dissatisfyingly uninformative. Annex was different. It was not because she lacked openness, plenty of that. In a way, Lekuna was too frank. Her words sounded departed, disregarding any personal barriers she could have. Uncaring to a fault. The information he received was not thought through, but sprayed on a canvas for him to figure out or move along. And the more Lyserg observed, the more he realized why the tingling sensation that the conversation was unleveled had only become increasingly apparent. Because, despite her mind being allegedly a large step away from what the norm should be, Lekuna was still a child. Poised by youth to walk straight ahead. Not stop to think carefully, deeply about the implications of acting or not acting in certain ways and manners.

However, albeit noticing the typical attitude of a young person, Lekuna was not vain. In fact, humility appeared intrinsically present in all of her words, but ever-smaller than the confidence she managed to portray. A fickle smile graced Lyserg's lips as she asked for material. Of course he knew, but he was rarely asked about these matters, and never by someone of her age. "A good grasp of the basics... you are disfiguring time to your needs and unraveling the natural continuum on a very high level. Others required years to even understand the concept of the possibility of such an action. You may not fully comprehend the functions of the magic, but your inherent talent as well as the apparent gift your implant grants, has allowed you to skip ahead several years of theory." Lyserg pronounced in a laudatory fashion.

The turquoise pupils framed by the hawk-like slits actuated to the right. Out the window, but not to the streets beneath. To the sky above. Dark, somewhat cloudy. Stars barely visible. Solitarily seeking an answer. "With the speed at which you are progressing you don't need to study the basics. If you concentrate on the necessities, my estimation is for you to master intricate workings in not even several years. The only one who progressed as quickly as you, whom I also know of, was me. But even I was not as swift as you." A hint of defeat in his voice? Perhaps, aligned with a pungent notion of a scheme, for Lekuna to notice. "Forget the basics." He continued, positioning his eyes back central to glance at the girl. "If I were to show you how to advance, your progress could blow even my already optimistic estimate out of proportion."

Just then, the waiter reappeared. A bottle of wine, a wine glass and a full cup of water on a tablet. Placing both the glass and cup in front of Lyserg, he began opening up the bottle. Sampling the scent, he poured him a small taste. Elegantly allowing the wine glass to prance around between his fingers, Lyserg nipped, and placed the glass back down. Satisfied by the taste, he nodded to the waiter with a "Mhm." and he was poured a full glass before the bottle was placed into a wine cooler. The small, sweaty man vanished once more.

So Many Branches

each different but all the same

One day they will become one

A wretched expression, peering at him in nauseatingly disgusted manner. But not at the visage opposite of her. The glance permeated through the glass, filled with red liquid. A subtle scent, and not present enough to cause physical convulsion to this extent. Lekuna did not like alcohol. Obvious. But a tone, a word and Lyserg would have taken deference. Irresponsible of her, and entirely not his fault. Placing the glass of wine back on the table after taking a sip, he savored the taste for a moment before shifting his attention back to Lekuna, after ordering a glass of water for herself. Once more, humbling words reached out to him. Humble, but determined. Defined with clear outlines of intention. It was not that she was easy to read, it was that she made herself so. Stunning, and certainly impressive to Lyserg. Most people her age attempted to hide, change, shift their personalities around. Half-blood actors wishing who layed on a new character everyday. She was so different, it felt refreshing. Perhaps that was how it was like 80 years from now? Lyserg mused at the fact that he was bound to find out if he just waited long enough.

"Begin..." He pronounced slowly. The fickle crown of reason above him wondered how seamless an introduction to the rest of foundlings would proceed. Likely, not at all. Gil and Nai... thinking to them, they were unreasonable people. However Gil was brought up, Nai's experiences had turned him into an immature, juvenile brat. Gil being the narcissist he was, this rational girl in front of him would look upon them with dismay. "There is... a catch to all of this." He finally stated. He liked Lekuna, he really did. And because of this, being anything but honest and rational seemed like lost opportunity. "I own a name... and I have taken it upon myself to gather several individuals under it..." He continued with cautionous voice. "It is not something I wish to give up, nor something I wish to put behind. The catch would be... a requirement. You need to come with, and find your place amongst these people. Your education would experience no drawbacks due to this, I know very well to manage my time. I simply ask you to be tolerant of this idea. It is largely ignorable if you wish for it." Lyserg did not lie. He did also not euphemize the circumstances in which the guild was in.

"It might sound like sweet-talk, but I believe you could even teach the people there a thing or two about..." His hand swung around. "common sense." He finished, musing at the thought of someone of Nai's and Gil's age arriving, and being much, much smarter. It was then, that their food began to arrive. First two small salads, decorated as side dishes were plunked on their table. Lyserg moved his cutlery into convenient positions for the main dish to have space. And only seconds later, another waiter with what they ordered arrived. Lyserg was impressed. The scent was incredible, the food still hot, the plates warm. Despite the appearance of the scenery and the common clientele, the restaurant knew what high standards meant, despite who it was you serve. "Have a nice meal." His stoic voice sounded at Lekuna with a slight bow of his head.

So Many Branches

each different but all the same

One day they will become one