[Xanta'Kun] The Riparian Falls

[BlueberryKitty]

For all that the city of Riparia sat beneath the looming shadow of a volcano, it still was a city of beauty and nature. The same water source that in previous ages had made the city the site of a famous waterpark still gave the life-giving liquid to the city. Trickling down the side of the mountain in sparkling streams that joined together, rushing down the rocks and cliffs in a beautiful series of waterfalls water flowed. At the very base of the mountain these falls had dug a shallow lake, and continued to dig at the volcanic rock even as spectators watched. Recognising this as a place of great beauty, the city of Riparia declared the area a city park, and took great pains to landscape and care for the place.

Sanded paths wound through individually themed gardens, over tiny wooden bridges that spanned small man-made streams with bright fish. Trees and shrubs were carefully cultivated into pleasing shapes, and flowers of different varieties were planted into brilliant displays of colour. One of the gardens was a small labyrinth of trellises covered with sweet-smelling roses of multitudes of different colours. Another had a path that circled a small pond covered with lily pads, lotuses, turtles and frogs. Everywhere were graceful stone benches for strollers to sit and reflect in the peace and beauty of the Riparian Falls. Sitting beside a carefully landscaped waterfall were the stone images of three monkeys; one with his eyes covered, one with his ears covered, and the last with his mouth covered. These seemed to be a popular favourite.

One small garden was composed entirely of rocks. The sanded bed displayed various natural rocks in different colours and shapes, each arranged artistically beneath the dappling shade of trees. In spring and summer most of the trees bore large blossoms, such as fruit trees, dogwoods and myrtles. Close to the large falls, a smaller fount of water had been divided to form a curtain of water behind which strollers could walk on a relatively dry path.

[Xanta'Kun]

Crxatum, Summer, Era XI in Age of the Darkening

It was late, and the city was dark. For most photosensitive beings, it would have been to dark to see, but Xanta relied on his sonar, not his eyes. He walked through the deserted city streets, passing dark windows, some with their occupants loudly snoring. Others had candles burning, but their owners were more than likely asleep as well.

The need to feel cool water on his skin had practically been making Xanta chaffe. It had been nearly a pattern since he had even been swimming, a crime that he found hard to forgive himself of. Soon enough he passed the guardhouse near the gates to the city, and even the guard on duty had his feet propped up and was snoring.

Outside the city their was a light breeze, which had previously been blocked by the thick outer walls. Xanta looked up at the stars, a natural beauty that he had only rarely glimpsed during his life under the waves. He followed a trail that hugged the city walls, leading towards the mountains that protected and threatened Riparia at the same time.

The trail became a path, which was covered with small pebbles, ane eventually led him into the Riparian Falls park. Trimmed hedges and carefully placed plants greeted him, and the sound of rushing water was filling his ears. His skin formed small bumps as he thought of the water.

When he reached the edge of the black pond, he shed his clothes and jumped right in. The water was so refreshing on his gills that he involuntarily smiled. He let himself sink to the bottom of the shallow pond and just laid there, enjoying the silent, black stillness of the pond at night.

[BlueberryKitty]

The dark water closed over Xanta'Kun's head like the caress of a familiar lover. Bubbles clung to and tickled as they made their way back up to the surface of the lake, making a temporary curtain overhead. Beneath the pitch black water eyes and ears were absolutely useless, and it was that reason the sea-elves had evolved that useful thing called sonar.

Before him, the bottom of the lake lay blanketed with waving fronds of water plants; some algae and the like. The stems of waterlillies and lotus climbed from the depths to the air, spreading their leaves and blossoms beneath the stars overhead. Tiny fish darted between the underwater forest, though their paths stayed far away from the strange large creature that just joined them. Only the larger, brightly coloured koi fish bothered to investigate the elf.

Near to the mountain, the waterfalls continued to rain down their thunder into the swirling and churning waters, slowly digging the lake deeper. Where Xanta was though, the waters were almost still. Very faintly though, the Thelryi caught the distant sweep of sonar from some other source. Or.. was that his own sonar being echoed back?

[Xanta'Kun]

In the still calmness of the pond Xanta lost track of time, and nearly fell asleep on his bed of algae. While he was tottering on the cusp between consciousness and unconsciousness, however, a faint glimmer of sonar caught his attention. It wasn't enough to get him moving, nor to make him pay further attention, but he noted its presence nonetheless.

After a few minutes, the same reflection, or whatever it was, caught his attention. This time he decided to check it out. If he fell asleep he might be late to work anyway, so it was better to remain awake. He silently glided through the water to a place of especially thick water plants, and hid himself well, with only a small opening to peek out of. Several koi darted out of their hiding place as Xanta took it over.

He said very still and very patiently, watching through his little window to see what the anomally was. Probably nothing... he thought to himself. He laid back a little in the weeds and let it buoy him up, like an extremely soft bed.

[BlueberryKitty]

The same spray of sonar periodically swept over the location where Xanta had been, and also the bed of water plants he had chosen for his hiding place. There didn't seem to be anything furious about it, just a gentle sweep of inquiry. Strange, what could be told from the simple array of clicks bouncing off of things. The plants did a very good job of hiding him, however. Sonar was limited in that it couldn't discertain between things, it could only tell if there was a thing there. The whole mass of elf and plant was just one big blob of sound when it returned.

This screen also made it harder for Xanta to take note of the darker shape gliding through the water toward him. Eyes and ears weren't very useful down here; though when it was daylight he might have been able to see much better. The shape continued to move toward the bit of lake he'd chosen for his dip, moving slowly and methodically as if searching for something, but without the urgency that might have made it seem dangerous.

[Xanta'Kun]

Xanta decided that whatever lived in this small of a lake couldn't be much of a threat to him, plus the fact that the clicks from the creature seemed to be simply looking, rather than hunting.

Pushing a couple clumps of tall weeds apart, Xanta emerged into the open area of the pond, where he could more easily detect the shape and size of the creature.

[Quix]

Summer of Era XI
In the Age of the
Darkening


Quix was up at an unusal time of day. Night had set upon the city of Riparia and he had just returned from his meeting in Midpoint where he placed his resignation as Thane of the fare city he abode in at the time. He had noticed the beautiful life-fillling falls more then once on his journey to and from the Thanal Palace. The glittering blue water pulled at Quix's soul and body. It was that desire to be back in his element of which he grew from a youngling to what others seem to call an adult.

With it being so late in the evening Quix figured that he would not be bothered if he took a swim in the majestic waters that came from the falls in the serene city park.

Quix Kept all of his clothing on for he was use to swiming in it. He carried not weaponry on him except his sturdy bone dagger that helped him from time to time opening a snack of oysters along the sea floor.

Quix looked around him as he strecthed out and then with a quick bounce of his feet he wentup in the air and downward into the refreshing water.

[Xanta'Kun]

Xanta jumped, startled by the crashing sound of something falling into the water with him. Whatever it was, it was a large creature, enough to send tangible shockwaves throughout the pond. Xanta quickly forgot the creature he had previously been investigating, and turned his attention to the sonar reflections coming from the direction of the splash.

After the bubbles cleared, Xanta could make out a humanoid creature, much like himself. When he swam closer, he could even pick out the webbed hands and feet of another Thelyri. What were the odds?

Xanta began humming in the deep bass that Teleris' used to communicate underwater. Another Thelyri should easily be able to recognize and interpret it. Who are you? he asked in the deep song of a Teleris.

[BlueberryKitty]

Xanta'Kun wasn't the only being startled by the crash of a newcomer into the night dark water. The shape that he had been stalking; or perhaps had been stalking him darted quickly behind a curve of the bank, disappearing mostly from sight. Tentatively, a spray of sonar sounds spread out, bouncing around til the being felt safe enough- this could only be yet another Thelyri.

At the sound of the song, the simple query, the female swam out to come closer to the two males. A lovely creature, small, slender and with long dark hair, she floated gently in the comforting waters, watching the pair of males.

[Quix]

Quix felt the cool water rush through his viens. It definitely was rejuvenanting. As soon as his feet hit the bottom and the spalsh that was created by himself was settled, Quix felt the sonar ping from not only one being but two. The first one asked him who he was . Why not answer him nothing can be to harmful out of it.

Quix sent out a sonar ping in response. "My name is Quix brother."

The second ping he felt was different. It was a sweet yet serene but somewhat filled with more fear then the other two feelings. Quix sent out another ping in hope of response. "I did not mean to scare you, I mean only good. What is your name?"

Quix waited patienly for a response finding it a bit odd that he ran into two others of his kind.[

[Xanta'Kun]

"Xanta'Kun," Xanta replied to Quix, the other Teleris he had found. Kun was a title representative of an outcast from Thelyri society, and he was so used to telling it to people who didn't know better that he didn't feel any shame until he realized another Thelyri would undoubtedly recognize it, and possibly be hostile.

Amidst his thoughts, it occured to him that Quix wasn't even addressing him, but a third party, possibly the creature Xanta had previously been investigating. Hopefully Quix hadn't caught him revealing his title, and he could 'forget' to mention it later. He refocused his attention to the direction in which he had last seen the being, and his sonar revealed it to be a Telera. Xanta was stunned, it was honestly the last thing he had expected. He was naked, in front of not only another male, but a female. Once upon a time, long ago, he would have thought nothing of it, but the customs of land lubbers were making him soft. He had to suppress the need to cover himself.

Again Xanta let out the deep rumblings only detectable by another Thelyri, this time not in speech but rather in a gesture of greeting, much like a smile would be on a human. He longed to be with other Thelyri, it had been so long since he had so much as conversed with another of his race.

Grabbing a few clams from a nearby rock, he approached the Telera, and gestured to Quix to follow. Clams were good icebreakers.

[BlueberryKitty]

What was it about this place that drew so many of their kind into it? This city was so far from the sea that was their home, but it was accepting. And, it had this lovely place with water deep enough to swim within; it wasn't truly that odd to find others of her own kind swimming here, just that they were here to begin with. She was a little shy around others to begin with, and it took a lot of her self-control not to flee as the two males approached her.

A typical female, she was delicate when placed beside the two. Her long, dark, seaweed green hair floated about her head, supported by the water like a crown. Her hands gently moved, keeping herself stationary in the gentle currents of the still end of this lake. Her gills fluttered gently as she drew in the water, and blew it out once again. The black eyes seemed larger in her face, as she watched them both. She wore not a stitch of clothing, but around her neck was a slender rope made of twisted fibers with a small shell threaded onto it. It floated gently away from her throat, then fell against it once more as she treaded the water lightly.

Her song was much higher in pitch than the pair of males. It couldn't carry as far, without being lost to the swirl of the water. Her reply was timid though not frightened. "I am Suraissa."

[Xanta'Kun]

Xanta continued his deep thrum of a greeting as he approached the Telera. "Pleased to meet you," he rumbled. He extended a clam to her in his webbed hand. After she took it, he cracked one open with his teeth, and sucked out the slimy meat inside. It was beyond good; not many places on the surrface served raw seafood.

He flapped his hands about in the water, turning himself a 180 to face Quix. He extended the Teleris a clam as well. "So, what brings you two here at this time of the darkening?" They were undoubtedly thinking the same thing, but he was the first to voice it.

[Quix]

To much of the other Thelyri's doubt, Quix regonized Xanta's title. It did change Quix' thinking quickly on who Xanata was but for now it did not matter. Having this many of his kind or kindred around was what Quix was looking for. It had been to long since he conversed with others of his race.

Quix noticed the clams that Xanta carried, he also noticed that Xanta and Suraissa were nothing but bare. It didnt shock Quix but he had grown acoustom to land-dwellers ways and still had his usual clothing on. A Fishnet shirt and white pants (non-see-through in water..lol). Quix was lured over to meet whom introduced herself as Suraissa along with Xanta.

He didnt want to startle Suraissa so he stayed a distance away from her enough so that it seemed she'd be comfortable enough around to other males yet not too far as to be uninviting.

"Is this your home?" Quix asked Suraissa

[BlueberryKitty]

Suraissa examined the clam for a moment, then extended a webbed hand to accept it. However, unlike Xanta, whom crunched the thing open with his teeth, she let herself lazily descend to the bottom of the pool where she cracked her clam open with two stones. Much better on the teeth, and still just as tasty to slurp out of the shell.

Once this task was complete, she pushed off gently from the sandy bottom to rejoin the two males. Listening, she waved her arms enough to still her motion, and remain floating beside them. "Enjoying the water, what else? I live here, but not -here- at the pools. My home is in the city with the surface dwellers. But I cannot stay away from the water for too long. And you?" Her dark eyes fixed the males in turn, curious as to why they were here, so far from the sea as well.