October Sael - Tumblr Posts

SAEL

unknown | he/him | 195 cm | Saelethir | from the Stars

Visions of you Make the vision of me seem So in touch only to see Call from the mountaintop What you desire from me You never need, you never needed anyone

— Temples

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Prompt from: @oc-tober2023 [ I am not following the same order ]

~ Home

It is strange.

To walk this earth, when it no longer resembles his memory. The brightness of his surroundings has stolen his sight, along with the absence of the moon and stars. He feels lost in a world that once was his home.

Those were the most drastic changes he noticed and felt everyday. The smaller ones only occurred to him with time. For one, they seem to favour community. The more people, the better. They prefer being around others and even crave their attention and approval. This concept of needing others has never occurred to him before.

Furthermore, they can see and yet they are blind to the many things that he saw as essential. That one took him a lot of studying and listening in and it was the most difficult to understand. He still wasn’t quite sure, he completely gets it.

They don't touch him to understand him emotionally or mentally, because whenever he reaches for them, there's no response. It seems that talking is their preferred method of communication. And they do talk. A lot.

“Sael!” He heard one of them shout the name they had given him, “What are you doing moping around in the corner on your own. You can help us.”

Sael only knew who the one speaking was, because while his surroundings remained invisible to him, he could see their essence. Each one had a different colour, a different light within them. It was alive, it told Sael of their feelings too, but some shone brighter than others and the one speaking, had a weak one. He was almost certain, he called himself Ralof and his essence was a mix of red and orange.

“Come on. There is a lot to do.” The one called Ralof said and as he moved closer, Sael could see him a little better. They liked to give people names, Sael had noticed them call each other by it to get another's attention. As they now did with him too. Which is why he needed a name, they said.

It took him some getting used to. He had never been called before, there had never been a need for it. When this place was still his home, there had been only him and the lost souls of the dead. They searched him out on purpose, for the moon and the stars were connected with Sael and he was able to guide them back to them. They needed him and thus came to him willingly. He never needed to get their attention and they didn’t need to get his.

Sometimes he wonders if that is the reason why these people killed the moon and stars. They didn’t want him to guide them back – they wanted to stay down here at all cost. Sael wasn’t sure he approved of their method though and why they kept him around if there is nothing he can do for them.

When he looked for the one called Ralof, he was already gone and off to somewhere else. Sael did not see where he went, his essence too small to track. They were all moving around a lot, Sael had listened them for a moment. Sometimes they speak to each other, other times they argue. They seemed busy and at the same time, he did not know with what exactly.

Sael’s attention was grabbed when one of the brighter ones passed him by, a shining blue, it sometimes reminded him of the light of the stars. As the only clearly visible thing to him, he followed him instead. When he stopped, Sael attempted to reach out, until he remembered, that as usual, it would be a one sided conversation on his part. So instead, he put to use his many hours of observation.

“Aegon.” He called him by his name. A shout for attention, something that should work. It was strange, hearing the sound of his own voice, foreign and clumsy to his ears.

“Ah, sorry, didn’t see you there.” Aegon’s essence flickered for a moment – he was happy to see him.

“You’re just in time to witness how marvelously I can tie a net.” Sael heard him struggle with something, then a tiny snap, “Ah, never mind, it snapped. I guess we will never know. To be honest, I don’t know why Elora has us set up decorations this early. It’s still a few weeks away and she always puts me on the most boring of tasks.

Why don’t we try something else. Something more fun. Let me see.” Aegon seems to be thinking, looking at something Sael couldn’t see.

Then suddenly, he grabbed his wrist and Sael instinctively read his feelings - there was excitement, mixed with a certain focus. He was thinking about thousands of different things at once, but all were bright and warm like his hands. At first Sael thought he liked sharing his positive emotions with others, because he was very tactile and seldom in a sour mood, but since they don’t do it to communicate with him, he wasn’t so certain why he did it at all.

Yet it wasn’t entirely unwanted, since it gave Sael a short glimpse of what they try to tell him with their many words and with Aegon, it was always a pleasant experience. Like now, he knew whatever Aegon had spotted, he was excited to share with him.

“We can choose the hanging decorations. Usually that’s what Elora does, she has a set plan for what goes where, but she always needs a ladder.” He chuckles as he pulls Sael after him, “Don’t tell her I said that.”

Aegon was also the most talkative, which was helpful, because Sael hadn't figured out how the rules of talking to each other worked yet. He was told however, that there are very strict rules to follow. Yet no one had explained to him those rules, but he doesn’t blame them. Afterall, he hadn’t told them that he mostly communicates through touch either.

“I think I will take this one, I always wanted to hang it up." He snickers as Sael hears something shuffling about in front of them, "Elora never hangs it up because it reflects the light and 'it could distract someone', but I like it."

"I like bright things."

He sees Aegon’s essence swell, glowing even brighter. "You get me." He's happy.

Not knowing what was lying there in front of him, Sael used his hands to feel about. It was a strange act in itself. Inanimate objects don’t have feelings or thoughts and yet he is touching them.

“Take the one that speaks to you the most. Whichever it is, we hang it up.” Aegon explains, “If you want me to describe them to you, let me know.”

Some were with sharp edges others were of a more fragile material, it crumbled when he touched them. Then he found one that was solid and smooth. It was thin and boney. It felt familiar. It felt like home.

He still remembers the lost souls that came to him with sorrow and grief. Anger and desperation. Their lives had ended, but their struggles followed them regardless and tied them to the ground. Touching them, it felt like the decoration in front of him. Even if the item had no feelings to get rid of, no need for him to guide it to the stars. It was familiar enough that he liked it.

“Ah, yes, that’s a classic. Good choice.” Aegon praises and with a bit more confidence, Sael draws it closer to him, “Now let’s see where we can hang it up…”

Sael took the object with him as he followed Aegon, blessed to have found a piece of home, despite it no longer resembling his memories. It seems that home was never really gone and he wonders then, where else he could find similarities. 

It made the drastic changes to this world, a little less overwhelming. [ 1.447 words ]

Next Part ➜

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[ new image at the end to avoid spoilers ] Prompt from: @oc-tober2023 [ I am not following the same order ]

~Choice

“No.

This is unacceptable.”

After Sael had figured out how to hang things up with the help of Aegon, the yellow glowing one came over, essence flaring.

“I told you to place the nets around the room, Aegon. The hanging decorations come last, because they each have a set place. You have to consider the angle, the size and where the chairs or standing positions are about to be, so no one gets distracted or walks right through them. How is anyone supposed to enter the room with that thing right in the doorway?”

“Sael and I chose them. It’s his first Halloween, I’m sure you can let it slide.” Sael heard Aegon rustle next to him, not quite sure what he was doing, “Besides, I did place the nets.”

He heard the yellow one groan, he vaguely remembers she called herself Elora. “I didn’t mean you should cover yourself in them.”

“Well, they are kinda sticky.” He heard Aegon move around next to him, apparently struggling with something, “Wait, Sael, can you hold that for a moment?”

Still not used to being addressed through words, Sael did not immediately react or understand what Aegon wanted from him, but luckily there was no need for it. Aegon took his hand for a split second, Aegon’s irritation and confusion rushing through Sael at the short touch, but then he already let go again and what remains was a weird and sticky texture lying in his hands. It was rather unpleasant.

“Can you pull at it? Maybe then it gets off of me.”

Sael was uncertain how to operate further, trying to get rid of that weird thing in his hands, but no matter how he turned his hand, it stuck to him. He slowly starts to understand where Aegon’s irritation was coming from – he too felt it now.

“Now you are covering him in it too. I can’t even watch. Aegon, stop spinning.”

He heard Aegon make unpleasant noises. “Ugh, I think it’s in my mouth.”

“Because you won’t stop turning, would you just-”

“Is it someone's birthday?” They get interrupted as another member joins in on their conversation and Sael sees a purple essence floating about merrily.

“This is not the set decoration, Lorna, so don’t get attached to it.” Elora explains, a sigh somewhere hidden behind her words.

“Oh, we will keep it.” Aegon counters.

“This one is blocking the entrance and you are hanging up birthday decorations, Aegon.” Elora says, “We are not throwing a birthday party in case you forgot.”

“Well, I like them both the way they are.”

It seems eventually everyone was gathering closer and Sael had difficulty to keep them apart when they stand so close to another. There was the other brighter one among them, he saw the pink essence shine brightest among the gathered. It was easy to focus on them.

“The Seeress is right. We’re the ones having to look at it until the end of the month.”

“That’s news to me.” Lorna snorted, “Didn’t know you live here, your highness.”

“I don’t want to be the one asked all night, who’s birthday it is.” The pink one explains, “Blocking the entrance however, good choice.”

“Oh, because they have to walk through it like a haunted house. See how many dare to do so.” Ralof said, he was the red one Sael remembers.

“I was about to say it keeps the number of attendees to a good minimum, but your point makes the same statement, so I agree.”

“That means more booze for me, so I’m fine with that.” Lorna says.

“Oh, what no. We want people to come, don’t we? We put so much effort into it.” Ralof says.

“Well, some of us did, other’s just stood around looking pretty.” Lorna complains. “Even Sael picked something up and he can’t even see. What’s your excuse?”

“I arranged the celebration for the whole city. I have chosen enough decorations.”

“Show-off.”

After that, their voices mixed as did all of their essence as they moved closer. The volume was at the highest, the arguments starting again. It seems to be a common occurrence and Sael wonders why they favoured closeness if that is the outcome. Perhaps it was part of this celebration they keep mentioning.

“Hey, don’t worry about them.” Aegon says, stepping next to him, “It’s a celebration for everyone, isn’t it? I think it’s important that each of us sets up something of their own.

I mean you do want to celebrate it with us, right? It’s not a must, there are other things we could do too. I’m sure Nul has prepared some events throughout the city that are interesting too.”

It was a question, perhaps directed at Sael, perhaps not. He wasn’t certain about questions yet. Only that it made Aegon stop talking and awaiting for Sael to do so instead. He wanted him to speak – to answer.

“You-?” He wasn’t even sure how to ask back, what it was, that Aegon wanted from him. Which words, he wanted to hear.

He could see Aegons essence nudge to one side in confusion.

Letting out a frustrated breath, Sael wrecked his brain for anything else he had observed that would help him communicate with him better. He remembers that one of them, often used many and other times very few words. The yellow one, yes, Elora. Sometimes she speaks a lot, other times, she just says one word. That seems to satisfy and stop further questions almost always. Perhaps that could help.

Sael cleared his throat, trying to familiarise himself with using his voice. Then he spoke: “No.”

Aegon’s essence quirk up surprised for a moment and it made Sael wonder if that one word might only work for Elora.

“Wait, you- you don’t want to celebrate with us?” Then he let out a nervous laugh, “I mean of course you don’t have to. I was just surprised. I just thought- ah, never mind.”

“See, even Sael doesn’t want to come any more.” It was Ralof that spoke, “We should stop arguing about whoever is coming inside or not, because I say, everyone currently present, is certainly invited.”

“I can’t.” It was Nul and everyone seems to turn towards them, “I have to oversee the festivities in the city. You’d be surprised at how many go up in flames.”

“Ask the Commander to do that for you. We need you!” Ralof tried to convince them.

“I won’t miss them.” Lorna says.

“It’s Sael’s very first celebration ever. And-” It was Aegon talking into the room, but then he seems to address Sael directly, “We’d love to have you celebrate it with us. If you want to keep it small, we can do that, if you like it big or go all out and about in town, just let us know and we do that instead. However you like to celebrate it, we’re with you. If you have us.”

There seems to be a murmur of agreement going through the group and Sael was slowly but surely understanding what they were asking of him. They wanted to be with him and everyone else to a set time and event. A promise, a choice. They wanted him to make it. To choose to be with them.

How very strange these people behave. Sael was certain he would never stop learning about them.

So a choice he made, trying himself at another short word that he had picked up on the go, that best conveys the feelings he would usually share directly:

“Neat.”

[ ~ 1250 words ]

Prompt from:@oc-tober2023 [ I am not following the same order ]

~ Education

Sael is teaching the others about stars. (Only an Image for a change)