"Taking Down the Wall" 6/16/96 Cast: Ktai, Mender Event: Ktai has injured herself in an uncontrolled attempt to go Out to Eveshka's aid. It has taken much time, but Rayek has at last convinced Ktai to seek Mender out for a Healing... --- The pale elf in yellow emerges from the Palace, having relented and taken refuge inside to rest. Dark eyes scan the area, and she tilts her head, slowly learning to utilize other senses than her magical ones to see who is around her. Mender sits on a rock in silent contemplation. Spying a moving figure he looks up and offers a soft smile in greeting. "Ktai. Shade to you." She blinks, thinking that over briefly, then surprisingly, smiles back. "Hello, Mender..." Her voice is growing in strength, but still carries that light lilt. Slowly, still unused to relying on her feet, she moves towards you. Mender stands and walks somewhat quickly over to you, offering a hand. "How do you feel today?" Ktai's lips quirk. "Like I've slept in a rock... do you know how long it has been since I have not slept outside? It was so quiet... unnerving, actually. I hope you are well yourself..." Mender studies you for a moment with a soft smile, then nods. "Yes, I am well. Well enough for a healing, in fact." His smile broadens some, hopeful. Ktai smiles as well. "It would be nice, yes. Speech... leaves so much... unsent." She makes a motion, as if to indicate a loss of words. Mender nods softly in understanding and makes a motion for you to sit. She sits slowly, absently tugging her skirt around her, almost seeming at ease for once. Mender kneels beside you and gently places his fingers on your temples, closing his eyes in concentration. Shortly you begin to feel a soft, warm sensation where his fingers are placed against you. She takes a sharp indrawn breath, her eyes snapping reflexively closed. Mender, with his eyes still closed, opens his mind to yours while searching for the barrier preventing yours from opening to his in return. With his warm, soft sensation, he gently probes inward in your mind. It feels like blackness... dark and swallowing... trying to surround you... and not let you go. Winnowill's touch? No... but something akin to it. Mender lets out a soft breath and enters the darkness in an attempt to light it, to see that which must be healed. The darkness is deep and almost overpowering... the sensation of pouring water into an endless well... that neither fills, nor empties... it is just there. Mender lingers a moment, trying to get his bearings together. Probing a little more inward he begins calling. ** Ktai...where are you? ** Your send bounces back towards you... ** Ktai...where are you? ** Mender frowns slightly at that, not knowing where you are, and decides to take a more aggressive stand. His soft probings quickly turn into one large wave of healing in a determined effort to find that which is blocking him, and defeat it. There can be felt a wall... reflecting and absorbing the magic... it is quite nearby. Mender focuses his attention on the wall and again softens his touch to feel it and study it. It is an old wall... possibly older than you are now... but it still feels relatively new. It is strong, and weathered, yet it holds fast... allowing nothing in or out. Mender takes in a deep breath, readying himself and begins to focus his attention on one portion of the wall, sending bursts of healing directly at it. The wall absorbs some of the magic, and reflects some more... it seems purely random, and yet with the healing, does not rebuild itself. Something flickers, though, in one of the reflected bits... something almost tangible. Mender focuses his attention on that one flicker, putting all of his concentration into finding it. A memory...? The touch of another Healer... powerful yet young... it fades almost as soon as you sense it. Mender frowns again as somesweat begins to appear on his forehead. Not finding the memory he begins to re-employ his battering technique, focusing on bringing down that wall. Something almost seems to 'bat' at you. There is a definate feeling of a send... yet not a send. /Go away./ Mender turns his attention to that, trying to find it. ** Ktai? ** There is a slight part in the wall, a thin 'crack' through which the wispy send emerges. ** Go away. ** Mender works on that crack, not quite trying to open it yet, but keeping it from closing. ** I'm here to help you, Ktai. ** The send half-echoes, half-responds. ** You aren't him. ** Mender decides to attempt to slowly open that crack while simultaneously trying to bring this sending to full force. ** I'm not who? I want to help you, Ktai. ** ** Valdir. You aren't Valdir. ** ** No, I'm Mender. I'm a healer. ** ** Go away. ** ** Why? ** ** You aren't Valdir. ** Mender continues to magically pry at that crack, still determined to let this soul free. ** Who is Valdir? ** ** He was my soul... and my Healer. ** The crack widens a touch, infinite sadness slipping out, and wrapping once about you before fading. Mender pauses a moment, slightly taken aback before continuing. ** What happened to him? ** ** He died. ** This is imparted to you as emotionlessly as if she had just pointed to a rock and named it 'stone.' ** Then why are you waiting for him? ** There is no answer... only a tightening about the crack. Mender frowns determinently and keeps that crack from closing. ** Ktai! You can't hide like this. ** ** Why not? ** ** Because you're too pretty of an elf to curl up and hide. ** So different from her outside self... as if she has forced herself to be two - seperate, yet whole. ** Right. ** She doesn't sound convinced. Mender keeps working on that crack and tries hard to send some warmth to the hiding voice. ** I wouldn't try to help you if I didn't think you deserved it. ** Matter-of-factly, the voice sends back. ** I don't know how to drop the wall. ** ** Will you try to help me take it down? ** Quietly now, there is an answer... whispered breath, and faint send - they both echo one word. ** Yes. ** Mender smiles softly, physically, while magically working toward the voice. ** Reach to me. Together we can pull you free. ** The wall shivers, but does not allow any freedom. ** I... can't. ** ** You need to try, Ktai! Reach for me! ** A faint flicker... Mender reaches for you the best he can. ** I'm here, Ktai. ** You locksend ** ** to Mender. Mender locksends ** Ktai? Are you here? ** You locksend ** <> Yes. ** to Mender. Mender keeps his presence near you, trying to 'pull you together' in a comforting way the best he can. [And so the healing continues, Mender helping Ktai recollect herself.]