TheCavernMonster
Cav || Caligo
The sky is still bright on the edge of the Glade where Aerial sits, though the light fades fast. The sun is melting into the horizon line, staining the world orange.
The clink-clop of metal and hoof can be heard against the marble of a crumbling dais. It'd been for prayer once, to the Mother, but Caligo had never seen anyone pray here. The closest he'd even seen was when Cultists had smeared it with blood. He takes a seat on the floor, legs crossed, staring at the place where a statue to direct one's devotion to would usually be located. There is a puddle there. He pays it no mind.
"I owe you an apology," Caligo tells the air. He does not bother with a proper greeting. The air does not reply, but he can still imagine the reaction of the person to whom he speaks. The tilted head, clasped hands, and peaceful expression as they'd ask 'whatever for?'
"I haven't visited," he says by way of explanation. "It's been over a decade, and I haven't visited once."
Caligo wrings his hands.
"I believe...I believe it's because losing you hurt the most. Cruel thing to say, I know, but it makes sense when one considers it." He lays down flat on his back and lets his long hair spread around him. The stone is cold against the nape of his neck. "With everyone else, I have had closure. I knew how they went, and for what reason. I had others who grieved alongside me. I was not alone."
Caligo closes his eyes.
"When you died, I was alone. You were the first person to care about me, and the last. Funny how that goes, isn't it?" It isn't. He knows it isn't. He chuckles anyway. "How are you?"
Silence. A leaf drifts to the ground nearby.
"I am going to imagine you are doing well," Caligo concludes, "that you're having some tea right now after tending to the bees. I'm doing...alright. I'm alive, which I personally find rather amazing. Things haven't been easy, but Gods have they been worse before."
He opens his eyes again, smiling. There are faint crow's feet in the corners now; a sign of his age. His next birthday will be his 40th.
"I come here bearing news. Tiring, I know, but it's something I think you'll be happy about." He takes a pause. "I'm studying Aeromancy! I've been a student under Elduin for a while now, but he's recently released me from my apprenticeship. I'm practicing on my own, now."
A cloud drifts by. It vaguely resembles a feather.
"Elduin is wonderful. Do you ever check up on him? He's a Lunarmancy Archmage, now. You'd be proud." Caligo's ear flicks as a bug tries to climb onto it. The bug makes a prompt retreat.
"You-," he stops. He blinks rather forcefully, eyes shinier than usual. "You weren't always the best." He says it softly, like it's a horrible sin to admit it. "You had a lot of fear inside you, and it made you do things that were unwise. Things you regretted." He lets out a huff. "Pot-meet-kettle there, huh. I wasn't the best, either. Wasn't even a particularly good person." His smile fades a bit. "Still aren't one."
Caligo sits up. "My point, though, is that you tried. You tried, and you know what? You helped people! You helped me! You're my best friend...though I'm not sure if you could say the same in reverse."
He shakes himself, then moves to stand. It's getting late, and it's a long walk home.
"You are a person, Kharis. I just...wish you'd gotten the chance to truly be one." Caligo sighs. "Vale'tar, mi filo. I'll see you again. Not soon, I don't think, but I will."
As he walks away, a mourning dove coos somewhere in the distance.
The clink-clop of metal and hoof can be heard against the marble of a crumbling dais. It'd been for prayer once, to the Mother, but Caligo had never seen anyone pray here. The closest he'd even seen was when Cultists had smeared it with blood. He takes a seat on the floor, legs crossed, staring at the place where a statue to direct one's devotion to would usually be located. There is a puddle there. He pays it no mind.
"I owe you an apology," Caligo tells the air. He does not bother with a proper greeting. The air does not reply, but he can still imagine the reaction of the person to whom he speaks. The tilted head, clasped hands, and peaceful expression as they'd ask 'whatever for?'
"I haven't visited," he says by way of explanation. "It's been over a decade, and I haven't visited once."
Caligo wrings his hands.
"I believe...I believe it's because losing you hurt the most. Cruel thing to say, I know, but it makes sense when one considers it." He lays down flat on his back and lets his long hair spread around him. The stone is cold against the nape of his neck. "With everyone else, I have had closure. I knew how they went, and for what reason. I had others who grieved alongside me. I was not alone."
Caligo closes his eyes.
"When you died, I was alone. You were the first person to care about me, and the last. Funny how that goes, isn't it?" It isn't. He knows it isn't. He chuckles anyway. "How are you?"
Silence. A leaf drifts to the ground nearby.
"I am going to imagine you are doing well," Caligo concludes, "that you're having some tea right now after tending to the bees. I'm doing...alright. I'm alive, which I personally find rather amazing. Things haven't been easy, but Gods have they been worse before."
He opens his eyes again, smiling. There are faint crow's feet in the corners now; a sign of his age. His next birthday will be his 40th.
"I come here bearing news. Tiring, I know, but it's something I think you'll be happy about." He takes a pause. "I'm studying Aeromancy! I've been a student under Elduin for a while now, but he's recently released me from my apprenticeship. I'm practicing on my own, now."
A cloud drifts by. It vaguely resembles a feather.
"Elduin is wonderful. Do you ever check up on him? He's a Lunarmancy Archmage, now. You'd be proud." Caligo's ear flicks as a bug tries to climb onto it. The bug makes a prompt retreat.
"You-," he stops. He blinks rather forcefully, eyes shinier than usual. "You weren't always the best." He says it softly, like it's a horrible sin to admit it. "You had a lot of fear inside you, and it made you do things that were unwise. Things you regretted." He lets out a huff. "Pot-meet-kettle there, huh. I wasn't the best, either. Wasn't even a particularly good person." His smile fades a bit. "Still aren't one."
Caligo sits up. "My point, though, is that you tried. You tried, and you know what? You helped people! You helped me! You're my best friend...though I'm not sure if you could say the same in reverse."
He shakes himself, then moves to stand. It's getting late, and it's a long walk home.
"You are a person, Kharis. I just...wish you'd gotten the chance to truly be one." Caligo sighs. "Vale'tar, mi filo. I'll see you again. Not soon, I don't think, but I will."
As he walks away, a mourning dove coos somewhere in the distance.
