|
Lessons
Feb 5, 2006 16:49:53 GMT -5
Post by Ashard on Feb 5, 2006 16:49:53 GMT -5
Shadows shifted along the surface of the walls as the sun arced in the sky, having woke but a few hours earlier. Rays of light beamed brightly through the grand glass windows of the ballroom, reflecting off the three great crystal chandeliers that were suspended from the towering ceiling. Several strong white pillars stood all around the hall, stemming from the glistening marbled flooring and finishing at the decorative ceiling. Elegant moldings adorned the contour of the room as well as the doorways, archways and windows. Magnificent flower arangements sat strategically about the space.
There was not a soul in the room and yet it was very much alive. What appeared to be men and women in elegant attire spanned the entire area. Some were coming down the majestic stairways that resided on the north and south ends of the ballroom while others admired the grandiose paintings of past royalty that hung on the walls. Several charming pairs swayed to the angelic music that swept through all around them. The piano sat to the west of the room on an exquisit stage, seeming to be played by a man in a tuxedo. To the south-west some folks were gathered around the bar invested in iddle chit chat while the man behind the counter served some 'drinks'.
New corpses had arrived in the graveyard in the past weeks as deaths have been on the rise throughout Karador, and a few of the previously living had become ghosts. Before they left to take on a new way of life, Ashard only figured it right to show them a few tricks of the trade. The five students were doing rather well.
|
|
|
Lessons
Feb 5, 2006 19:24:57 GMT -5
Post by Otho Sarus on Feb 5, 2006 19:24:57 GMT -5
"Fancy ourselves as courtiers do we?" A voice lined with the cares of age, and heavy with the burdens of many trials floated across the vast emptiness of the great hall, somehow managing to reach the gostly dancers even from such a distance. A loud click, followed by a loud clack echoed throughout the hall, seemingly in time with the pianist, as the old man walked over to the group, his staff striking the floor with regular rhythm. Eventually, he reached the side of the grand piano and stopped still, leaning casually on his long wooden staff, "I thought you had a graveyard to look after?" The old man raised a quizzical eyebrow in Ashard's dierction, looking quizically at the spectre through his deep purple eyes.
|
|
|
Lessons
Feb 5, 2006 19:58:42 GMT -5
Post by Ashard on Feb 5, 2006 19:58:42 GMT -5
The man at the piano continued to play. Taking sips from their wine glasses, the group of chit chaters burst out laughing as one of them spat some of their drink. Something funny was aparently said. Folks seemingly scuried about and kept their pace as if nothing had changed when the old man crossed the floor.
"I thought you had a graveyard to look after?" the old man directed at the figure he took for Ashard. Then, without any holding off, all the dansers stoped as well as those admiring the artwork and one of those in the conversation. Each of them slowly turned to face the old man with a smile and replied in tune, "I completed my chores before comming." They all noded proudly. "Right now I'm teaching some new ghosts how to use their powers so that they can move on to a place of their choice with ease. I can't just let them go without any knowledge of what they've become now can I?"
|
|
|
Post by Kiara Karador on Feb 6, 2006 5:18:06 GMT -5
With a smile on her lips and a seemingly heavy weight taken off her shoulders, Kiara entered the Ball Room, dressed in a long gown, though the color could not be distinguished for her entire ghostly appearance was made up of grays as if she were a beautiful mass of formed mist that floated through all whish Ash had prepared. The only thing that seemed real in her appearance was her onyx eyes, they seemed to sparkle in under the crystal whish reflected the thousands of small candles that were held in the delicate arms of those chandeliers so far overhead.
She had not as of yet noticed Otho as she approached, her attentions totally on the seemingly, live and brilliant illusion set before her by her best friend. It wasn’t until she moved closer to the pianist that her form came to a complete stop, her eyes swinging about to stare with open pain as they fixed on him. She had not seem him since her death, since the war against eh Devil and his hordes of Demonic creatures. She was at a loss, her beautiful form changing now, from the gray misty figure she had chosen to that of her usual self and she stood there, frozen for several moments, her now shimmering golden dress the only thing that seemed to move as a slight draft from the open window swept past her, for the moment, solid form.
Only in the most emotional of times did Kiara’s form transcend to the natural world, only the most emotional, or if she greatly desired it. This time, it was the sudden wave of great emotions that played through her as she continued to gaze upon the once beloved sorcerer and friend of the Karador line.
She did not say a word, nothing would come to her lips, thoughts wouldn’t form in her mind, it was as though she was in a momentary point of complete shock.
|
|
|
Lessons
Feb 6, 2006 13:27:29 GMT -5
Post by Ashard on Feb 6, 2006 13:27:29 GMT -5
Having eyes all throughout the room for the moment, Ashard could see everything that went on at once even as he entertained the old man that had arrived. As Kiara's aparation came forth as a grey mist from above, the keeper smiled. Or rather, all those that had been dancing and looking at the paintings and the one that removed himself from the chitchat corner had smiled widely as she came.
Ash kept all of his characters going so as the event they had set up would not stop, especially since Kiara had now taken solid form. He knew there was no need for her to do so and that only left the option of her being extremely emotional. So him keeping his charade going was mainly so as not to draw any unecesary attention on her by his five pupils. Kiara did not need folks gawking at her right now, and as hopped, the students kept to their business.
Her reaction to the man before them asured Ash that Kiara and the old man actually did know each other. What he could not tell as of yet was if it was a good thing or a bad thing. His friend was in shock and he did not know how to help her out for the moment. So he would let things go until he gathered more information.
|
|
|
Lessons
Feb 6, 2006 14:39:31 GMT -5
Post by Otho Sarus on Feb 6, 2006 14:39:31 GMT -5
Otho's wide grin slowly faded, as his deep purple eyes met with the gaze of his long dead friend, a woman he had never thought he would see again, a woman who had allowed to die over two thousand years ago. The old man had never forgiven himself for that, and likely never would. It had tortured him for centuries, down the seemingly endless mardh of time. It was selfish, he knew that, but Otho had almost wished that she wouldn't be here. That she was in fact well and truly dead. He could not face her, could not bear to speak to her. not now, not so soon. Even after two thousand years he didn't feel ready to talk with her, and probably never would be comfortable around her. It was with this thought that the old man suddenly vanished into thin air with a barely audible pop, as air rushed to fill in the space he had once occupied. "I'm sorry." The words hung in the air, heavy with shame and long tended grief, they echoed about the room in a ghost of a whisper, before finally fading away after the old man who had spoken them.
|
|
|
Lessons
Feb 6, 2006 21:37:59 GMT -5
Post by Kiara Karador on Feb 6, 2006 21:37:59 GMT -5
Kiara’s form shimmered and faded from the natural state and returned once again to that misty like ghost of her entrance. The wind that came from the open window no longer able to touch the gown she still wore as well, the pain filled expression that lined her features seemed to have grown all the more at his departure and his words.
She turned her head and gazed at the actual Ash and inclined her head to her best friend.
“I am sorry, I can’t… not now… I must take chase, he will need me I fear.” She said in a soft and most quiet voice that bordered on grief, a deep and ancient sadness that went far beyond the natural state as well, lined her onyx eyes that still seemed the one part of the phantom, that stood next tot eh pianist who still played on, that was forever alive and never ghostly.
When she had finished speaking, she began to leave, it was as if she allowed the breeze to blow her misty form from view to be carried out the open window, a ghostly mist passing all by, riding on the back of the wind as it was sucked from the room with a delicate sort of finality to her departure.
|
|
|
Lessons
Feb 10, 2006 21:16:38 GMT -5
Post by Ashard on Feb 10, 2006 21:16:38 GMT -5
“I'll be here.” Ash's voice drifted softly to Kiara as he watched her dissipate, leaving the room.
He started to dance once more while other parts of him went back to inspecting the family portraits and his main part re-joined the chit chat corner.
“So, where were we?” He paused briefly to collect his thoughts before going on, “Ah yes. Your progress.” Ashard smiled at all of them. “The five of you are doing great. I know that the graveyard chores may not have been your favorite tasks , but you got through them well and have learned that much more about controling your new found powers.”
A student spoke up now, “It may not have been the greatest things to do but we are all thankfull that you have taken the time to show us how to function in our new way of life.”
The other four noded in agreement with Peter and another chimed in, “I am especially thankfull that you have brought us here to finish our lessons. This is a place I thought I'd only ever be in my wildest dreams.” Catherine exclaimed exitedly.
The grave keeper smiled as they spoke unto him, “I wanted to do something special for all of you before you left and did not have any ideas. Then I overheard your conversation the other night in the graveyard. So to be honest, this is all your fault.” He winked at Catherine.
“After today you will all be ready to each go in your own directions. So this is in a way a place to learn as well as say farewell.” He said, looking them in their eyes one at a time. “Though you do not know everything you can do you know the main things. The rest you can learn as you go on in life." The six of them laughed at that comment. Life. Though they were all dead they learned to consider it a new way of living. "What you do with your new skills will be up to each of you.” They all smiled at the keeper as he smiled at them and he finished. “Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to ponder on a few things.” With that, Ash bowed his head and walked away from them.
Opening two large doors to the east of the grand ballroom, Ashard stepped out onto the marble covered balcony to take some 'fresh air'. He now leaned on the railing that trimmed the outer edge of the balcony and the two magestic staircases that curved all the way to the bottom where the inner garden rested. He breathed deeply, though not having all of the five sences anymore, remembering the smells of fresh flowers from so long ago. Some things about being alive were missed, but he figured he had it good anyways.
He stood there, waiting on his friend, hoping she would be alright. If she did not come back to find him on this day, he would seek her out.
|
|