Log Cast: Rayek, Suntop
Log Date: 3/17/98
Log Intro:  Rayek has finally been released from Blue Mountain, reunited with 
the Palace of High Ones and his lover, Ktai, who is -not- dead as he originally
 thought her to be.  Though tension has risen between the two concerning Ktai's
 not-so-recent Recognition with another, the two have set off for Sorrow's End
 to tell others of Rayek's release and to hopefully seek out some time to relax
 as well. Little did they know..

Hall of Memory

A circular room containing a low bench. The high domed ceiling soars up into
 restful shadows. Framed by a circle of painstakingly worked stained glass is a
 chair, lovingly shaped from silky smooth stone. The floor is painted pale blue
 and inlaid with tiles of russet and opal in a circular pattern. From the high
 ceiling are suspended fringed tapestries on either side of Savah's chair, with
 a multitude of pale pastel square panels patterned with floral designs. A
 carpet of scarlet fabric with a gold border lies at one edge of the room
 beneath Savah's chair.

The colored panes behind Savah's chair flicker with a gentle light, powered by
 her magic.

Contents:
Suntop
Murals
Obvious exits:
Ahdri's Chamber<W>  Savah's Chamber<S>  Out<SE>  

A slender dark-skinned hand reaches and pushes back the beaded curtain that
 covers the doorway, a pair of amber-touched eyes looking in. He hesitates, then
 steps in, blinking, then a light frown creasing his face when he sees the sun
-haired lad there rather than the gentle Mother of Memory he seeks. ** Suntop?
 **

Suntop starts awake and glances over at the send. Upon seeing the figure in the
 doorway, he rubs his eyes and has to blink a few times. ** Rayek?? ** He shakes
 his head to clear it...perhaps he is dreaming. But Rayek is still there! He
 jumps down from the over-large chair and sends, quite astonished, ** How did
 you get here??? **

Rayek is indeed there, but not the Airwalker you remember. His height has been
 increased by nearly two heads and his build is something more akin to a Glider
 than a shadow of the Chief Hunter of the Sun Village he was barely a lifetime
 ago. His eyes, golden touched with amber to set off a yellow darkness to them,
 fall upon Suntop almost amusedly, a corner of his mouth twitching slightly
 upwards in dry humor. ** I walked? ** he offers, then lifts his head, gazing to
 the Chair, brows furrowing. ** Where is Savah? **


[Rayek]
Tall, graceful, but sort of gangly in a way you can't quite tell. His obsidian
 hair, occasionally flashing an indigo highlight or two, cascades over his
 shoulders and settles somewhere just above the small of his back. His eyes are
 slanted, almost serpentine, with long lashes framing golden-amber irises, a
 down-tilted nose set evenly between them. His face is finely chiseled and
 perhaps a little long, wisps of black hair curling slightly to frame his face,
 his skin a smooth, milk chocolate tone. A pair of upward sloping ears peek out
 from beneath his obsidian mane, elegant points on each tip.
His clothing is as light and graceful as his body seems to be, flowing materials
 as airy as clouds and, to those that would recognise them, of obvious Glider
 design. Shades of dark yellow to set off the amber-gold of his eyes, as well as
 darker colors, the clothing is bunched and tied unceremoniously, as if a point
 across to its makers. Though its wearer will stand proud and tall as needed,
 the insult forced upon the delicate fabrics is there nonetheless.
He has brightened since he first returned from Blue Mountain, no longer brooding
 or silent, his eyes perhaps once more taken upon that proud metallic quality.

Suntop looks the once-familiar form of his friend over and says, rather
 seriously, "She hasn't changed her methods, has She..."

"She hasn't," Rayek answers simply, his tone both grim and dry. He takes a step
 forward, eyes still lingering on the Chair, then shifting to Suntop, his face
 creased. Again, he repeats, perhaps softer, but perhaps terser as well,
 "Suntop.. where is Savah?"

[Suntop]
Named for the sun-bright golden hair which now falls freely to the middle of his
 back, Suntop, although no longer a child, still retains a bit of innocence
 linked with that past time. But upon a closer, deeper look into his brilliant
 blue eyes, that innocence seems to be intertwined with an unlearned, unstudied
 wisdom and power that seems far too old for his seemingly young age. By all
 outward appearances with the exception of a darker hair, eye, and skin color,
 Suntop strongly resembles his father, Cutter; he shares the ferally-slanted
 eyes, high-cheekbones, turned-up nose, muscular build (albeit slightly less
 broad in the shoulder) and delicate chin of his father, but has the dark
 copper-hued skin of his mother, Leetah. As he glances about to regard the world
 his sensitive yet worldly eyes seem almost sad and lonely at times, but that
 aura is belied by the bright smile that frequents his lips.
      He is dressed in clothes that he hasn't worn in turns, it seems. His open
-neck shirt is white, with the exception of purple and gold sun-decorations on
 the cuffs. Over this shirt is a vest with a yellow sun on each shoulder, the
 brightness represented by an outer circle of orange, red, and finally purple.
 The shirt is belted at his waist by a strip of leather dyed a bright ochre
 color. His snug leather leggings are the same color purple as the sleeve and
 vest decorations and on his feet are a pair of light brown boots that come up
 to the middle of his calf. Peeking out from the folds of his shirt is his ever
-present medallion of translucent red glass rimmed in gold.

Suntop looks up at Rayek, eyes wide. "You haven't heard?" He sighs sadly and
 rests a hand lightly on the armrest. "Underworlders were here for the
 Festival...and instead of reveling, they chose to take over half those gathered
 into slavery...we could do nothing or they would have killed Savah." He looks
 back up. "But she is safe...I just recently 'went out' and spoke with her."


"I have heard nothing.. -nothing-.." Rayek whispers hoarsely, his eyes widening
 and paling to a sickly shade of yellow. "I had only recently returned to the
 Palace... Ktai suggested.. there was supposed to be.." ...there was supposed to
 be a celebration for -him-. For -his- safe return. There was supposed to be
 attention and warmth and he could bask in the limelight as he had done in his
 youth.. The Airwalker scowls, as if something has just occured to him, and his
 head jerks up - blinks - then down again to Suntop, flustered at reliving the
 awkwardness of his newfound height. "They.. -stole-.. the Mother of Memory?" he
 hisses softly, eyes narrowed and almost serpentine. "..for.. for -slavery-?"

Suntop waits patiently, his eyes calm despite the fact that he sometimes wants
 to smack Rayek for his self-centered thoughts. With a sigh he says softly,
 "Savah as well as many others."

"Many others.." Oh, Brownskin, how long were you trapped in that Mountain? This
 has indeed struck a chord in you, hasn't it.. The thought of your precious
 Mother of Memory bound beneath the ground, in the dark, her freedom stolen from
 her, even if she could Go Out when you couldn't.. His lips curl back with both
 distaste and displeasure. "And nothing has been done to correct this?" he snaps
 quite suddenly.

Suntop frowns at the tone of voice. "Nothing has been done yet because she 
-wishes- nothing to be done. Don't think that just because you were not here
 that no one has thought of a rescue, Rayek..." Obviously this young one has
 been both patronized and underestimated of late.

Rayek's eyes flash at that, golden sparks feeding off into his irises and making 
them seem much brighter and more metallic than they really are.. but the effect 
is brief, to say much, and as quickly as it is kindled, the fire dies and Rayek 
lets out a slow - very slow - breath. "You.. are correct," he allows grudgingly, 
his lips pursing. "...I apologize. But why does she..?"

Suntop relaxes slightly. "She says they are in no danger and... " He sighs again 
and looks towards the Square. "Until we can stop bickering here then we cannot 
plan anything coherent."

(No danger?) O o . Rayek would argue that fact, but does not, his arms crossing 
over his chest as he inclines his head in reply. "If many were taken, then many 
were left behind.." He gives a soft snort, following Suntop's glance over his 
shoulder to the beaded curtain and the Square that lies outside. "Bickering.. 
Has Savah suggested anything?" He turns his head back to face the sun-haired 
elf. "Surely, no danger or not, she does not expect to -stay- down there."

Suntop shakes his head slowly. "We were not able to talk for long...she told me 
to speak for her...but..." Something is obviously left unsaid. Nevertheless he 
lifts his head and squares his shoulders, looking up at his now-taller friend. 
"Until the other chiefs here are willing to listen to each other then we can do 
nothing. Savah recognizes this fact."

"Wolfrider chiefs, no doubt.." Rayek muses. There is no anger in his voice now, 
simply stating fact. Wolfriders have their heirarchy like wolves do, and more 
than one chief wolf in the same room is bound to drive tensions high.

Suntop nods. "Even Mender though..." A smile tugs at the edges of his mouth. "He 
was reminding me a lot of you..."

Rayek's eyes flicker, coming to rest entirely on Suntop, both dryly amused and 
curious. "Was he?"

Suntop nods, trying desperately to keep the grin in check. "He wouldn't settle 
for being one in a group...he was the -chief- and all had to obey -him-." 
Suddenly the grin fades completely, his eyes growing melancholy. "I hadn't known 
Mender to be like that..." He shakes his head as he remembers that night. "He 
was almost cruel..." He looks back up. "That did not remind me of you..."

A frown has settled upon Rayek's face. "I certainly hope not," he murmurs, then
 reaches up to brush some ebon strands back from his face, "You put him in his
 place?"

Suntop says "I wasn't going to accept his Challenge, Rayek...I am not a
 Wolfrider."

Golden-amber eyes regard the sun-haired elf almost thoughtfully, then a corner
 of his mouth flicks up, a faint smile that is lopsided as well. "No," Rayek
 answers simply, his voice as even as it is soft. "You are not." Then the clouds
 clear from his eyes and he straightens, arms unfolding a bit. "But.. Mender's
 temper or not, Suntop.. something -has- to be done."

Suntop nods.
Suntop says "Of course. I would like to gather all the chiefs together to
 discuss our options...when I can find them all..."

Rayek hmfs softly and tilts his head. "What.. chiefs -are- here? Cutter..?"

Suntop shakes his head. "No...WolfFlame, Mender, Picture, Ember...those are the
 ones I know of and each want to lead the rescue...their -own- rescue."

Rayek inclines his head once more, recognising all but one of those names, and 
lifts a hand to tap his chin thoughtfully. "WolfFlame of Ravenholt, Ember of 
LostHolt, and Mender of here.. where is this Picture from?" he asks absently, 
not really expecting an answer as he hurries forth with his next statement. "I 
think you are right, Suntop.. though I don't doubt seeing a lot of snarling and 
teeth-baring in such a meeting."

Suntop ponders a thought. "Perhaps they should all remove their weapons before
 it then..."

Rayek arches an eyebrow and grins, sending amusedly, ** I doubt it would go 
-that- far. **

Suntop shakes his head. "You didn't see Mender."

Rayek's eyes flicker again and he nods, giving him that. He looks uneasy, but
 then, when was the last time the Airwalker saw Mender in a fit of temper?
 "Better safe than sorry," he finally says, a sigh threading through the words,
 but not quite escaping. His eyes then harden. "I don't suppose we could attempt
 a rescue.. -without- them?"

Suntop frowns slightly. "How do you think we could do that? They must have 
taken almost five hands of elves...besides, their entrances are hidden and they 
might be expecting something. What good would we do as slaves down there?"

A muscle in Rayek's upper cheek twitches. "What good would we do standing 
around, arguing amongst ourselves?"

Suntop leans up against the chair. "At least no one is harmed."

Rayek regards Suntop steadily. "You are certain of this?"

Suntop nods. "Savah has assured me."

"And.. -She- is certain?" Rayek cannot help but press, his arms once more 
arranging themselves over his chest, tightly held.

Suntop says "She is as certain as she can be." He regards Rayek for a moment. 
Finally, he asks, "Have you an idea?""

There is silence, stony and uneasy, then Rayek seems to wilt slightly, muscles 
in his face twitching slightly before they too come to a rest. Grudgingly, 
almost defeatedly, he admits quietly, "No."

Suntop pushes himself off of the chair and walks over to rest a hand on one of 
Rayek's crossed arms. "Perhaps you will help us all think of something then...to 
work together on this."

The smile, once more lopsided, appears on Rayek's face, void of the emotion that 
would clear the clouds from his eyes. "You would expect any less of me?" he says 
almost amusedly, then the smile turns bitter, though not unkind. "And to think 
Ktai and I came here to relay the 'good' news of my escape from Blue Mountain.."

Suntop's smile seems almost forced. "I am sorry to have disappointed you...I 
know you were expecting more than finding me asleep in Savah's place."

"Hmf." Once more, Rayek's eyes travel to the chair, and a half-smirk appears on 
his face. "You were.. not exactly what I expected, no."

Suntop nods and steps back slightly so he can look up easier. "How did you get 
free of the Mountain? And why did she reshape you too?

"Why?" Rayek lifts his hands, regarding them as if he expects -them- to give him 
the answers to the questions he so desperately wants answers to. "I sometimes 
wonder if I will ever find out why.. as for how.." A smirk, smug and an another 
echo of his former pride drifts across his face, his eyes glittering dimly. "..I 
played madness."

Suntop arches an eyebrow. "Madness? And she believed it?"

Oh, but Rayek's eyes do shine. "I am here, am I not?"

Suntop blinks...unbelievable. "Incredible...welcome home then, Rayek..." He 
offers a soft smile.

The smirk grows, slightly, but it evolves into a smile, perhaps not quite as 
smug as before, yet still proud. "I am.. glad to be back," he answers simply, 
genuinely, then lifts his chin - at a send? His brows furrow, then he looks to 
Suntop, fairly apologetic. "Ktai sends.. I should see to her.."

Suntop nods and gives an almost sheepish smile. "And I should get some real 
sleep."

Rayek nods, a golden gaze sliding to the Chair where Mother of Memory should be 
seated. "And perhaps in a bed," the Airwalker advises amusedly.

Suntop's smile brightens. "Of course in a bed..." He turns to walk out, adding, 
"Perhaps with another to help keep me warm..." with a rather sly smirk.

Suntop steps outside into the dancing square.
Suntop has left.

[LOG END]