Academy of Drell, Part IV

[GnomeWorks]

He was just talking to himself. I wonder what his problem is?

"Hmm..." Charlotte says, examining the sarcophagus, her mind racing. "Perhaps this isn't a real sarcophagus... there might be a stairway, or a hole, or something, underneath it. Or perhaps it is a real sarcophagus, and there's a switch or lever somewhere that makes it move and reveal whatever is below it."

Charlotte looks around, searching for any sort of unusual projection that breaks the repetitive surface of the wall.

 

[Zhure]

Charlotte looks closer at the walls. The repetitive surface of the wall, upon closer examination, appears as if each tiny door is actually some sort of hinged opening, complete with a handle on top. They look as if they open outward, hinged at the bottom.

Sildarin leans in closely to the flaming mouth of the sarcophogus. From this close, it looks like a real flame, but has no heat, only light. Sildarin's knowledge of psionic effects tells him it's certainly possible this is a psionic version of continual flame.

Rallyn also approaches the sarcophagus. It is lying recumbent on the dais, thus it sits like a bench on the raised platform, with the head facing -- roughly -- east, directly opposite from the only visible opening to the room.


edit - clarification: the sarcophogus's feet are facing the door, which is on the west side. The feet face west.

 

[Lichtenhart]

Victor nods at Rallyn and follows Sildarin.

"Sildarin? Are you fine?"
Then he lowers his voice, making sure only Sildarin can hear him.
"You were speaking with it, right?" pointing at the psicrystal on Sildarin's forehead "I wonder how it feels like. It should be beautiful to have always someone to speak with, to share secrets with... To be never alone. It is a good thing, nothing to be embarassed of. On the contrary, I envy you. I never had close friends and my family..." he winces with pain as he touches his scar "Well, let's say they didn't like me much." Victor shakes his head, as if he's chasing away bad thoughts.
"You don't have anything to torture yourself about. We won't laugh at you or worse, if you let out something. I surely won't."

 

[Dalamar]

Sildarin nods when Victor indicates his psicrystal.
"The other... side of the coin... is that... you're never alone... No privacy..."

Ask him if he would like to talk with me!
No, I'm having this conversation on my own.

"atleast... you knew your family... knew their feelings... I was... given away... to the academy... shortly after... my birth..."
A small smile creeps to his lips and then vanishes.
"That's the reason... for my outburst... back at the cafeteria... yesterday..."
Suddenly he raises his gaze from the floor and gazes directly to Victor's eyes, totally differently from his normal way of looking.
"Why, Victor? Why do you and the others care for me? I'm next to nothing to you and you barely know me."

 

[novyet]

"Hey Charlotte, you have some idea about the sarcophagus? Need some help looking around? Anything that gets us out of here quickly is good with me. Don't forget the footprints I found earlier. Maybe they could be the clue we need?"

 

[Lichtenhart]

"I could ask you the same question. I have seen you step forward and take Yodwin's pain upon yourself. I have seen you attack that machine to protect us and Sh'ar. It could have killed you, but you didn't hesitate. That is definitely something to me. And it's true, I barely know you, but I like what I know of you, and I'd like to know more. You're a good and brave person, one that I would be proud to call my friend. And if you're worried because your parents forsook you, well, they probably don't deserve you!" says Victor, withstanding Sildarin's gaze.

 

[Dalamar]

After keeping his gaze locked to that of Victor's for a few heatbeats, Sildarin blushes and lowers his gaze again.
"It's nothing really... I just... don't like seeing... people get hurt... I do... it on impulse... if I thought... about it... I wouldn't dare do it."
He falls silent for a moment.
"And my... silence... I never... I always... blurt out... what comes to my mouth... and often... it's not... really flattering... so I... don't say anything..."

 

[Lichtenhart]

Victor puts his hand on Sildarin's shoulder and smile warmly at him.
"You're not saying the truth, Sildarin. Can't you see what you're doing? I'll tell you. You always sell yourself short, you lock yourself in your silence to keep other people away... Because you're afraid that if you let them in, they will forsake you and hurt you, like your parents did... So you build those high walls, all around you to keep them out, away, where they can't hurt you, you never let them see your true self, and if it shows up, you run away and say they're wrong. But it's cold, and lonely where you've locked yourself, and I think you've suffered enough for a fault that wasn't yours. You can't keep on suffocating everything within yourself, otherwise you're going to explode. You have to trust someone. Those people, Rallyn, Ellie, Charlotte... won't judge you, they won't hurt you. You can trust them... You can trust me."

 

[Dalamar]

Sildarin smiles shyly at Victor's words.
"Maybe... Maybe I do lock myself up... But it seems... you are the key... Thank you..."
He extends his hand to Victor.
"For everything you... you've done to me..."

 

[Lichtenhart]

"Now you're really being flattering. I did nothing."
Vic accepts Sildarin's hand and hugs him.
"Let's get back to the others, before they wreak Kazak's wrath upon us all. We still need to find a way out of this place. We can talk again later"