A Soul's Request

Aya has been a far more frequent visitor (even nigh-resident) of the Temple District in recent months, though doing so sequestered more often than not might make that fact unknown to many. This day, however, she is outside of any temple structures and amidst the hot, hazy, and bright afternoon sun. Well, she would be... if she and her bench were not wrapped in a bubble of shade. It is not dark enough to utterly obscure her sight nor sight of her, but does make the immediate vicinity more cool as she quietly watches the passersby of the plaza, contemplates, or some combination thereof.

Normally, summer afternoons are the time when Seldan is nowhere to be seen in Alexandria, having better - read, cooler - places to be. Still, today, it can't be helped. Dressed in hunting leathers rather than his typical armor, a bow and his haversack over his back, he makes his way through the Temple square, his attention on his much taller sith-makar companion at his side. "I was able to break the spells upon it," he is explaining. "To do so is risky, and never would I do so outside of a circle, for these - gems - contain an essence that, when released, seeks to poison the mind of one nearby. I had cast protections, and thus did it find no purchase, but I know not whether it is no more, or nay," he explains.

Zeke listens intently, and like Seldan he is outside his normal white clerical vestments. Instead he wears a sleeveless shirt of black and blue, and a pair of short-legged pants that accommodate his needs. He carries a pack on his back, and nods as Seldan talks. "Protectionsss are wissse. Iss it posssible that the.... esssssenssce iss sssome-thing that returnsss to where it came when cassst out?"

While some may be attired in different garb from the norm, and Aya cannot fault any for this given the day, some are yet conspicuous amongst the typical pedestrians. As one example, there are only so many tall blue Makari about the city. Aya notes the scales first, which then draws her focus to Zeke and his vicinity. This, in turn, brings Seldan to her notice. She rises from her seat and makes her way towards the pair, her radius of personal shade moving along with her. Her steps are firm, but not in great haste (especially for her), and she makes effort to approach from within their perceived field of vision even if it is not the most direct path.

"That may be so. When dispelled, it attempted me, broke upon my wards, and vanished," Seldan answers, but stops short as the figure of shade in the middle of bright sunlight approaches. "Zeke, a moment - what is that?" Pale blue eyes stare in the direction of the approaching Aya, until she is close enough to be identified. "That is - mistress Aya? An interesting trick," he muses.

He jerks his head in her direction, slowing as he approaches. "An interesting magic," he offers by way of greeting.

Zeke finds himself noticing the moving shade as well, blinking at the moving shadow and tensing from head to toe until it becomes clear that this is in fact Aya. He doesn't relax much upon seeing her within the darkness. "Peasssce on your nessst Aya." He offers just the same.

"It is not so potent of one," Aya... downplays(?) the effect, "but useful all the same. The blazing sun and I tend to disagree." She dips her head to Zeke. "No offense intended to The Sun, Himself, of course, and peace on your nest, Zeke." She comes to a stop near enough for conversation, though just short of imposing any shade upon them. "You are welcome to partake of the respite from the heat if either of you wish."

Aya now turns her attention back to Seldan, though there is a mild pause before she speaks. "I apologize for the interruption. I know that many ask much of you, Seldan, or expect such without asking. Still..." another pause "I would seek a favor of you, or your advice at least, if I might?" A brow arches mildly with the inquiry.

"I see." Seldan hesitates, casts a glance at Zeke, but remains outside the bubble of shadow in the end, despite the sweat that beads on his brow and dampens his hair. "I can but serve as best I may, Mistress Aya," he acknowledges cautiously. "How might I aid you?" With another glance at Zeke, he assumes a parade-rest stance and appears to wait for more information.

Zeke doesn't hesitate to defer the option of joining Aya in the shade. "Thisss one enjoysss the Dragonfather'sss light." He responds, it's not really a judgmental statement, but one might be forgiven for thinking it one. His eyes flicker to Seldan and he lets out a soft sigh, but seems to restrain himself from saying anything at the moment.

The sphere of dimness around Aya suddenly begins to shrink until it vanishes within to leave herself once more bathed in the sunlight; dismissed with a thought or perhaps having reached the limit of its existence. In either case, it does allow her to step nearer the two for ease of conversation at polite, even discreet, volume.

"The matter is of magic," she offers for general context. "You are the most competent wielder that I know, and one of the very few whom I trust. I..."

She pauses and frowns lightly. "I am unaccustomed to requesting aid." One final pause before she explains. "I have need of someone with the power to complete a powerful summoning, should the need arise. I can prepare all the is required in advance, but I would be unable to enact it, myself." Her last words seem to provoke a familier uneven twist to one corner of her lips.

The request - specifically the word _summoning_ - brings Seldan up short with an intake of breath. He straightens to his full height, his expression fading into quiet sobriety. "What would you have me summon?" he asks, the words falling from his lips one by one like glass.

If Seldan's demeanor could be considered 'cool' Zeke's was perhaps the polar opposite. His eyes flash with the fire of someone who's holding their temper by careful regin. "Aya." He says sternly. "Think carefully on what you are assssking thisss onessss' kin to do."

Aya seems mostly unsurprised by the reaction to that particular word, though her lips purse at the intensity of it. She lifts a hand, palm forward in a gesture of apology, placation, and/or pause. "It is the most apt term, but not as you might..."

Her words trail of a moment and her lifted hand lifts further. It rubs across her brow, and not only to remove the beads of perspiration from the recently renewed kiss of the sun. She exhales a breath before answering simply and directly, "Me. I would be the one you would call back to this world, Seldan... if you chose to."

Surprised, Seldan blinks, caught entirely off guard by the odd nature of the request. "The gift of calling souls back from the Halls is not mine, mistress. I am not unwilling, but I would hear your tale." He continues to wait, in that curiously alert pose, although some of the brittleness drains from it to leave it merely a cautious, waiting thing.

Indeed, calling a soul back from death was more Zeke's purview than Seldan's. Still, he doesn't interrupt the conversation with his curiosity nor the worried-irritation that is slowly leaking out of him.

Aya lowers her hand as the level of ire lowers, perhaps her own included. She exhales a breath, this time more in easing than exasperation. "Yes, the business of souls would be a matter for Zeke," she nods to him acknowledging this, "and for the temples, were mine not... unusual." She is neither mage nor priest, leaving that as the most descriptive term to come to mind. She now offers more of the requested tale.

"After my soul was removed from my body, retrieved and punched back into me by my sister, I was still not ... whole." Another word she isn't entirely certain of, judging by her tone. "After Seyardu implored a servant of the light to mend me, I was warned that I, still, was not complete. If I were to fall, my soul could never be returned again. I thought it was while the fiend that replaced me, -became- me still lived. When it was destroyed, I learned that I was mistake."

She looks between the two of them as she speaks. "I cannot be restored as others might. My soul cannot be returned by the gifts of the gods, even if I wished it. When I was certain of this, I first believed that I must simply accept it... but now I think I've discovered an alternative."

Seldan listens intently, not a muscle moving in his stance, his regard full of that same sober assessment and quiet contemplation. "I see. Eclavdran ruined your soul, but with the aid of others, you have managed to return it - in perhaps a different form." The words come slowly, consideringly. "What is this alternative?"

Zeke blinks at this news and tilts his head. Like Seldan he's curious, and with good reason. Souls are a thing that are important, and the disposition of one did not easily change. Aya's unique situation was... well, unique. "Would you like thisss one to leave?" He asks, realizing suddenly that this conversation might be something she wants private. "Thisss one can allow you two ssssome privacy."

Aya focuses upon Zeke at his inquiry, "I would not keep you if you must be elsewhere, but I would not ask you to leave, Zeke. You would know more of souls than I, perhaps more than either of us. I am not mage nor priestess: all that I know of this is theory, conjecture, a feeling. I would welcome your insight. Besides," she gestures to Seldan, "you are his kin. He often seeks your counsel, or you his, no? So you might learn all, regardless."

Now to Seldan's question. "I must believe my soul would go -somewhere-." The alternative is rather horrifying. "If it is barred from The Halls, it must go elsewhere? Perhaps this is why it cannot be called from The Halls?" Her layperson's logic continues. "If that is true, then I could use the same tactic that our enemies used for so long to torment us. Should I be destroyed, here, I could simply be called back as they are." A pause before she admits, "That is my hope."

This all takes Seldan several moments to digest, and he blinks slowly, the heat of the day beading on his brow. "It is well with me, kin, for I would have your counsel in the matter of souls. This is - an unusual situation."

He maintains the same posture, his gaze steady on Aya, and he does not look over at Zeke. "It is in my mind that those who have aided you have - reconstructed your soul, in a manner of speaking, and thus its nature is - not one that may be restored by divine means." The words are carefully chosen.

His eyes lower to the cobblestones at their feet. "And thus is an arcane means needful, to return you, as you are now, to your body." The lids close as the true gravity of the request, and why he was entrusted with it, becomes clear. "You are certain of this?"

Zeke rubs his chin as he listens to the explanation. "It might be wisssse, to be sssure. If you are not." He replies slowly and with some care. "Unlesss you are?"

Aya attempts to keep her response simple, but her expression falls given the answer and nature of the topic. "No, I am not sure. It is a theory. A hope. It is one that I hope never need to be used, and I haven't been in any haste to test it..."

Another moment of silence passes. Finally, Seldan looks up. "I shall research the magic involved, and inform you whether I can do as you ask. If I can, I shall make the attempt. No more can I promise. I would understand its nature, and see if I may learn more of what has become of your soul."

"Asssking the ssssource might be wisssse." Zeke replies lightly, a trace of amusement in his tone now. "Thissss one can commune with thossse that ssserve the deitiesss, and assss sssuch could perhapsss gather ssssuch anssswersss for you." He looks at Aya. "One hasss the right to know the disssposssition of their sssoul."

Aya blinks and looks between them both. "I intended to ask only if you would be willing to enact the spell, if it might work. I... thank you." Her head dips to them both. "I am grateful for anything either of you could learn... even if it is that it can't be done." She is well out of her league in this, and its her soul.

"Zeke, as always, offers wise counsel," Seldan answers, with a very small smile. "We have only just returned from a hunting trip, and I would lay down our burdens ere we seek the counsel of the Draco Solis' servants, but this would I do, at the very least. Zeke will need to prepare, and so will I, but that will not be long."

"While we do so, Mistress Aya," he goes on, seriously. "You will need to have in your mind the questions that you wish to ask, and it may be best that you set them to parchment and ink, ere we begin. The servant will answer yes or no, and occasionally may not know the information that you desire. If you wish, I shall ask the questions, and you will hear the answers."

Zeke bows his head to Aya. "Thisss one isss glad to be of assistance. It isss asss Ssseldan sssayss however. Thisss isss a thing that requiresss sssome sssmall time to do. Thisss one hasss enacted the sspell more than onsce, and agreesss with Sseldan'sss sssuggessstionsss."

"Of course," Aya offers in a tone that is very much understanding and grateful as opposed to more... well, traditionally Aya. Perhaps unexpected alterations of a soul are not necessarily negative in there entirety? "At your conveniences. If you need find or send for me, I can be found at the Fernwood, or the healer's building of Eluna's temple." She begins to turn, but pauses. "Again, my thanks to you both. Neither of you have any obligation to aid me, and perhaps cause to not wish to. Peace on your nests." The last is offered in farewell as she turns to step away. It seems far less inappropriate than wishing the light of sun or moon upon them. Especially as her conjured shade appears anew once she has moved away.