Oneiro(critical)
Oct 3, 2020 18:39:28 GMT -6
Post by Badrani on Oct 3, 2020 18:39:28 GMT -6
Badrani remembers vaguely, the last few steps he took out of his clan's desert lands. The burning sands that he missed but could never return to. The dry dip, once filled to the brim with life-saving manaah, now so many steps behind him and he could never turn back. He remembered clutching the egg to his chest, the white egg- of dreams... For the first time. Of course, he had already obtained the other thing. The vile thing that he would take to the soft-skins to be allowed free passage. Something called a 'farm' that was perhaps like the wet-time ghost town he'd never see again. He remembers vaguely pressing the vial into the palm of the tiny speckled soft skin, the one with bright eyes the color of the life that grew on the ground, sapping as much life-saving manaah as it could.
There was something dangerous about the package pressed back into his palm. A packet, containing 'creh-deets'... Apparently the currency used in the Labs. Useless things, but things that were apparently worth more than all the minerals the traders preferred, since most places didn't take gems. It was apparently enough to pay for a per-miiit, which would give him land. The idea of owning his own parcel of land- that was interesting. A place no caravan could cross.
There was so much manaah. It fell from the sky. It laid in pools on the streets. Young ones and old ones and pets swam in the stuff. It was mind boggling. His people would, and did, kill for water.
The culture shock was extreme, but he had his egg. He knew her, she was a part of him. He could tell. So he comes to the Hall of Dreams, and quietly steps in, ducking his horned head beneath the curtains. He clutches the egg to his chest. He bows to the shalaya draconic. His people were perhaps born from a draconic- according to the stories. He smiles, all tooth and grizzled. He lays down on pillows (it had been so long since he had laid down upon pillows!) and gently holds the egg close to his chest.
It was time to sleep. Usually he had fitful, nightmare-filled rests. He hadn't rested well in so long... Naturally he falls asleep before his head can hit the pillow.
Badrani is laying on his back in the sand. It is night. The clear sky above him swirls with stars and constellations, spinning faster than he felt was natural, but he did not question it.
He stands, and for once his bones do not creak.
The world is darker than usual. The full moon rises above him, ephemeral. He eyes are lead to the nearest dune, and he notices first a white creature. It almost looks like a hare perhaps... The creature leaps, and as it does, he runs up the sand dune. The rabbit leaps in front of the moon, but falls down into a river of water caressed beneath the heaping dunes.
The sands are black. It isn't the shadow of night creating the illusion, the sands are actually black. The river reflects the stars above in a deep blue and purple string of shimmering delight. The desert heat of daytime passed is now bleeding out of the land. He runs down the dune, nearly falling as he does over his own head and tail- and finally, he hits the cool manaah.
He swims up the slow river, taking in the landscape as he does. The night is clear and mysterious. He can't entirely puzzle why he is here, or where he is going. It takes more power than usual to keep afloat. Before long, he swims between thick lily-pads as he goes further towards the source. He wasn't sure what the source was, but he could feel that he was going towards it.
In the shadows of the black sand dunes, he could just barely make out the lily-pads themselves, and eventually they choke out the entirety of the river. Somehow, he swims between them easily, even though it did not make sense. He could see ahead an oasis, a lake in the desert that was feeding the river winding between the dunes. He swims into the lake, away from the mouth of the river itself, and is treated with the beautiful sight of glowing lotuses in the lake. They floated atop the celestial water, in the shadow of the black dunes of the desert and below the moon's soft and reassuring glow.
He watches the water for a long time, even after he hauls himself out. He's not sure why he is here, or what is deep below the water. It is a complete mystery to him, and he is perplexed by it. However, he also feels like the answer isn't just going to be given to him.
Badrani lays on his back in the sand until the morning comes- and as the morning comes and the sand begins to heat back up, the entire thing disappears, as if it had only been a mirage. He knew that it had been real though- and perhaps the water would be back at night.
He smiles, and waits, feeling at peace, even with the secrecy of the world of black sand and meandering rivers.
He stands, and for once his bones do not creak.
The world is darker than usual. The full moon rises above him, ephemeral. He eyes are lead to the nearest dune, and he notices first a white creature. It almost looks like a hare perhaps... The creature leaps, and as it does, he runs up the sand dune. The rabbit leaps in front of the moon, but falls down into a river of water caressed beneath the heaping dunes.
The sands are black. It isn't the shadow of night creating the illusion, the sands are actually black. The river reflects the stars above in a deep blue and purple string of shimmering delight. The desert heat of daytime passed is now bleeding out of the land. He runs down the dune, nearly falling as he does over his own head and tail- and finally, he hits the cool manaah.
He swims up the slow river, taking in the landscape as he does. The night is clear and mysterious. He can't entirely puzzle why he is here, or where he is going. It takes more power than usual to keep afloat. Before long, he swims between thick lily-pads as he goes further towards the source. He wasn't sure what the source was, but he could feel that he was going towards it.
In the shadows of the black sand dunes, he could just barely make out the lily-pads themselves, and eventually they choke out the entirety of the river. Somehow, he swims between them easily, even though it did not make sense. He could see ahead an oasis, a lake in the desert that was feeding the river winding between the dunes. He swims into the lake, away from the mouth of the river itself, and is treated with the beautiful sight of glowing lotuses in the lake. They floated atop the celestial water, in the shadow of the black dunes of the desert and below the moon's soft and reassuring glow.
He watches the water for a long time, even after he hauls himself out. He's not sure why he is here, or what is deep below the water. It is a complete mystery to him, and he is perplexed by it. However, he also feels like the answer isn't just going to be given to him.
Badrani lays on his back in the sand until the morning comes- and as the morning comes and the sand begins to heat back up, the entire thing disappears, as if it had only been a mirage. He knew that it had been real though- and perhaps the water would be back at night.
He smiles, and waits, feeling at peace, even with the secrecy of the world of black sand and meandering rivers.
Badrani wakes, with the warmth of the morning sand still against his back even though he's far from the dream he had left.
He felt like he had almost had the answer in his palm before it had ended, but it was gone all too soon.
He misses her as she slips through his dream-fingers.
[(Image One), (Image Two), (Image Three) : Name (Shahrazad), Body Type (Tigerlike), Affinity (Perplexing), Nature (Secretive).]
He felt like he had almost had the answer in his palm before it had ended, but it was gone all too soon.
He misses her as she slips through his dream-fingers.
[(Image One), (Image Two), (Image Three) : Name (Shahrazad), Body Type (Tigerlike), Affinity (Perplexing), Nature (Secretive).]
