Resurrection (For Sorgram)

[Isla]

The woman stayed quiet, her eyes closed a moment. She'd been going over and over the scrolls. Resurrection, what a tricky thing. She watched him a second, her eyes flicked over the scroll again, a groan as she adjusted herself just a little bit, a soft sigh “damn it..” she whispered, setting back a moment, taking a few seconds to compose her thoughts. It was somewhat annoying really, the way it was worded, it bothered her slightly. She copied the scroll so she would have a better handle on it. She smirked, “Dorsam Dormak..” she smiled, shaking her head, “who came up with some of these names?” She laughed, making her own personal joke, the words tripped from her tongue though as she memorized the entire ceremony, the idea of covering a body in ash gave her a little bit of the creeps, but that was simply because she knew just how.. interesting it was to try and clean oneself after such.

She sighed, at least she understood why they had the large receptacle there, it was full of ash, kept to a magic warmth. She moved a little bit, adjusting her robe she made her way toward the alter, her hands moved over the top of it a moment, mumbling the words, still unsure why they needed to stab the corpse. Thought the part that really creeped her out was the idea of kissing the dead body, but that was just something she had a problem with. She sighed as she turned around, holding the scroll she settled herself on the alter, reading them carefully again.

[Sorgram]

Standing, nay lurking in the shadows, he watched her as he often would many within his temple. it was not something that he wished known, but he liked to pop from the shadows and startle them, usually before ravishing them with severe and lusty attentions. However, he was watching her efforts, please by them. She had to learn the words and then accept them. As a Priestess, she should know that what was decreed but it was often done for a purpose. His journey to the Fire and Mountain had taught the severely impatient drak that many times over. His flaming violet eyes wandered over her form. Many moons ago, he would have tamed that one, but now, she was in a better position and the chaos that touched her life was now greater than he could have instilled in the past. He smiled and let a low chuckle sound from his throat, deliberately perhaps, so that his presence might be detected. However, he remained in the shadows, admiring her beauty. His lips licked in remembrance.

He smirked inwardly as he looked over her robes, so deliberately worn as to conceal her feminine charms in a way as to not reveal them too much. Oh, she could not hide them as she truly desired, at least from him, for she knew what it would do to him, though he believed, deep inside, she desired that result. However, he tried, defying him at turns and wearing slips underneath. Her beauty could not be hidden, even in the delicate way she alit upon the anvil and studied the scrolls. He wanted her to think and to question the scrolls, for in that understanding could be found, but not before. It was not his words but His that were written there and until she took them to heart and believed in all that was written there, would the gift of Relife evade her. He felt he knew her reservations and disgust, but she did not know that the taste of passing fire into a corpse was sweeter than the first kiss. Or that the ash that coated the body, was the blessing of their god and in such brushed away with but the gentlest carress to reveal the unblemished reborn beneath. Their mind chose the form it would take and many would keep scars out of pride or doubt. In true believe, perfection was.

[Isla]

She'd been reviewing things, again and again she had gone over each, pouring what little she had left into learning these things. She shivered lsightly, the sudden feeling as if a cold wind had blown down the back of her neck crept up into her mind. She bit her lower lip a moment, "Mallus," she said, curling the parchment back up, her eyes flicking over him as she adjusted herself, settling it down onto the alter she turned to face him, her hands folding in front of herself a second.

She watched him close,her eyes moving over his features again, not wanting to know what exactly was going through his mind. "Why," she said a second, "why do we have to kiss the corpse.. cannot fire be used in just the same way?" She tilted her head, licking her lips as she adjusted herself more, smoothing out the robe. "And.. just how long have you been there?" She quirked an eyebrow, curious if the creepy feeling she often got had been his eyes.

[Sorgram]

Moving towards her, into that space oft reserved for the personal, he would lean close and place a kiss upon her lips, catching her just as she strove to move. It was light, but carried with it much that existed between them. Leaning against the anvil altar, he would ponder her question but had known the answer for a long time. His hand moved through his ash grey hair, it was getting long, down passed his shoulders now, he wondered if he should cut it. His ruby eyes, violet because of the flames inside looked her over.

'I am always here' he would state mystically as he looked her over. always one to answer the question but not in a manner that was direct to the point. His lips were basted by his tongue and an imagined sizzle might be heard before he went into further explanation.

'Kisses are a passion, whether admitted or not, they convey passion in some regards. Whether the passion for child by mother, a lover for another, an enemy for a rival. they all contain passion. Within our temple, Passion is life and the spark of passion is uses to reignite that life, to restart that breathing to remind the body what it means to live. It is our duty as resurrectors to provide the body the message that it can continue to exist and should not begin its decay.'

Leaning back, he would look up at the ceiling of the temple and raise his head as well. Knowing more waited, he would cant his head to the side and look at his beautiful second.

'next question, eye luh' He smirked, a hungry look emblazened on his face.

[Isla]

She stared at him a moment before pulling back, smirking, shaking her head as she looked away a moment, "Yea.. I figured you would give a cryptic answer, do you ever get tired of it?" She chuckled, shifting a bit more, eyes flicking over his features again. "Uhm, lets see.." she smiled, moving just a little bit away from him, having tucked the information away for later. "What else do I need to know? There is the ceremony, the words, teh ash the kiss.. what else?" She waited curiously, a small shiver washing over her, feeling just the lightest touch of cool air.

[Sorgram]

Sorgram watched her and a twinkle of flame lit his eye, She had retreated, a game with them. One where he was the hunter and she the prey. As it should be. Not moving for a moment, he would look her over with a familiar look, one that stripped the subject of that gaze bare.

He sniffed the air and leaned over the anvil and let his eyes finish that long path of her form. His fingers tapping his mouth as he did so, tail swaying back and forth on the floor.

'You have to desire to bring them back and I am getting the feeling that this is something that will be a burden to you. Perhaps you do not want to do them. Which I will accept, reluctantly, I had always assumed, I guess I am an ass, that you were 100% driven to learn the ways of Relife.'

He paused and slid back, his body sliding along the anvil as he created a greated distance between them now. His fingers were tapping on the anvil and a dull ringing was permeating the great cavern.

[Isla]

She narrowed her eyes on him a second, a soft sigh leaving her as she crossed her arms, "Or you just like to keep me under that iron thumb of yours.. so you don't teach me.." she quirked a brow a moment. "Thats it isn't it? You don't want me to learn these things.. so you have the full run of it all.." A slow smile curled over her lips as she stared, "at least we got that out of the way, now.. I need to know what it is that I am missing.. I've read and memorized the whole of the ceremony.. why does it still feel out of my reach?" She moved a little closer to the anvil, her eyes locked onto his a moment again.

She watched how he moved, careful to keep herself just so far away, keep that moment countered with her own step this way or that. It was a game, but one she was intending on winning, tired of being sucked into the way he wanted things done she at least had enough sense in her to attempt to fight him off, though that burst, that was all in a quiet fit of anger then anything.

"I have wanted to learn.. " she said after a moment of thought, after she'd considered and weighted the words she could use now, not the ones that had first left her in a small fit of anger, her voice cool as she could make it, "as far as being 100% driven.. no I suppose I am not, because there is no real way for me to know what I am supposed to do.. I know the motions.. but there needs to be more.. doesn't there?"

[Sorgram]

The Grand Mallus smiled, as he turned to face her, resting on that anvil. It was a triumphant smile, she had gotten part of it. Her intelligence was great and although he would never say it, he appreciated her capabilities. It had never been his way not would it be, for him to say such. She would have to know it by reading him. Perhaps one day, if she let go, then perhaps, she would know him as deeply as she would need to to understand fully that High Priest. However, he doubted anyone, even his mate would truly know him that deeply. Not that he hid anything, it was that damnable chaotic soul. It changed on a whim, adjusted to a new path. The bard was close but he had leapt again to another ledge and she would have to climb up to it and he would already be off, perhaps on a downward slide then.

Moving around the anvil, on a tread away from her, perhaps a test, perhaps a need to walk. Was he appetite whetted? We should see, he thought, as he was directly across from her, just out of arms reach, his or hers, it was hard to say.

'Ahh, Isla, my thumb is not iron, it is the malleable flame, flexing and darting around corners, taking in all that is in its path. Nay, Isla, you are iron, rigid and firm. The Mountain is less stoic than you.' His words were a mere observation to provide insight, nothing serving to injure, perhaps to fan a flame, but never to hurt. 'I want you to replace me. I want to one day step out of the Temple and scorch the urth with my overwhelming desire to conquer and create upheaval. My duties at this time are to ensure that the Fire of the Mountain burns brightly. I cannot leave until that is assured.' Looking upon her, he would let it sink in a bit. 'I want you to know as much and more than I do, if Uvelcra is to let me go, then you must step up to succeed. ' His back turned to face the great pit of fire beyond the edge of the anvil and he looked down at the red orange glow.

'Isla, I am Fire, purer than any save on being in existence. I relish that and I know that I can burn as well as warm. I can destroy as well as create, but I have sought the Mountain as I know that I need to temper myself and keep in control. lest I be like others and rampage at the slightest grievance.' His head rolled backwards and he popped his neck. 'Isla, my dear one, you have taken the Mountain on wholly and bar the fire from coming in. You have the great strength and overwhelming resolve that once set you cannot be moved. There is nothing wrong with that, for someone who has no feelings.' He paused and dropped his head back and let his eyes find hers, turning his head, until it was upright, his body having followed so that he could look at her. 'That is not you.' He stated firmly and waited a few moments.

'Isla, To be Uvelcra's, you must be of two halves, not one, even I know that. You have been hurt and have built walls around you, blocking out that fire that you need. You like to bar the chaos of fire from you. It is why when I chase you, you run. You are not afraid of me or what I do, you are afraid of what I represent. You are afraid that once you accept what I seek to instill in you that you will be lost and in a whirlwind of uncontrollable circumstances.' He paused and pondered the situation. 'perhaps that has you frightened, perhaps not. I just know that as long as you close the doors, no more fuel for the fire can get in.'

His face changed slightly and a smirk crossed his lips as he whispered, 'But this mountain will freeze solid before I let you give up completely. Fire will chase you and until the Mountain moves on its own, it will catch you and burn you. Perhaps, if the mountain chased the fire and caught it, something might change.'

Dipping his head, he canted it to the side, 'You know the motions and so does a stone mason. With the the motions, he can make a perfectly shape stone block. However, the artist accepts that the stone has passion and he brings that out. thus we have sculptures of great reknown.' His arm motioned to that great black dragon statue that still remained from his wedding at the edge of the hearth. 'Mason or Artist, it is a choice, both have the skill, but which has the fire?'

[Isla]

She moved as he did, watching him turning to face her, an eyebrow raised as she adjusted herself just a little bit, pursing her lips a moment, her eyes moved over his features once again, curious just what he was looking so.. proud of himself again. She moved just a little bit, her head tilting, listening to him, watching him moving she moved, eyes on his features again, licking her lips a moment, "You think you are malleable and I am as you said, Iron.." she watched him even closer, "You seem to think that I like passion, that I lack fire and pleasure.." she grinned, adjusting herself just a little bit more, her eyes on his features, "just what is it that you think I would need to be more like you hmm?" She chuckled, "if I were to want to be more like you.."

She moved just a little bit, her eyes on him as she adjusted herself, settling quietly on the small stool she'd kept behind the alter, her hands folding in her lap, eyes on his features as she adjusted herself just a bit, smoothing out her robe. She pursed her lips in thought, "perhaps I do not want the chaos of fire to wash over me, to.. consume me." She settled her hands into her lap, her head quirked, "and why would you consider removing yourself from the world." She didn't like the sound of him leaving. She watched him closer, "I feel.. as you have pointed out, I feel far much more then you think.." she sighed, her eyes on his face.

"So how does one split themselves in two hmm? How do I become fire and stone.." she adjusted herself just a little more, trying to wrap her mind around the idea, a sigh leaving her as she adjusted herself just a little more, "so.. why is it that you want me to take places that are not mine.. want me to be what you are.." she voiced the questions before realizing she had.

[Sorgram]

'Alas, Isla, you misunderstand my meaning. It is not a sundering, not one becoming two. It is the opposite, you embrace Fire and become whole. It does not have to consume you, but it does have to surround you. ' He looked at her and lowered his gaze to find her eyes. ' Uvelcra is a dichotomy of elements, fire and earth. We, his chosen children, at our highest forms represent him in such. This post that I hold today will one day be yours, I suspect, but only when you have embraced your whole being.'

He walked around the horn of the anvil altar, towards her.

'As you run from me, you run for that other aspect of yourself. You run from that which you fear to embrace because you think you will lose yourself to it. But what if, it is a finding of oneself, versus a losing. Are you doing yourself a justice?'

He leaned on the anvil and tapped it lightly, the ringing sounding through the halls.

'In the past incarnations of the temple, contrary to the histories as publicly published, the Joiner has ascended to the position of Mallus. Not the Anvil or an outsider. It has its name for a reason, because as Joiner, you successfully brought two halves of a whole together as one. i believe in you Isla. I insist that we find this other aspect of you. I will assist you in embracing it.'

He was leaning forward to her and spoke conspiratorily,

'Dont worry, if it takes an elf's age, I will hang around to guide you there.'

His eyes were close to hers and his lips even closer, he could kiss her if he moved quick enough. Or she could kiss him, if she dared. After a moment, he would speak again,

'Isla, my cherished, I do not wish you to be me. Far from it, I wish you to find Isla, nothing less than that. Find all of Isla.'

[Isla]

She groaned, her hand lifting to touch her forehead a moment, a soft sigh before she dropped it and crossed her arms, "You know.. I don't think I want all you have.. thanks though, was sweet to offer.." she snickered just a little bit, her eyes following him, "I run from you because everyone else gives in.. if I didn't.. your head would become the size of this mountain and there'd be no living with you.." she snickered once more, trying to keep things lighter between them, moving to stand, the ringing washing over her before she shifted a bit, her eyes narrowing as he leaned in.

A step backward was taken, her eyes locked to his though, holding her own against him, "I am not.." closed her eyes just a second, shifting rom foot to foot as she tried to compose her sentenses perfectly, growling just a little, "I think.. I am tired.." she took another step back, "I've been studying.. and studying.. and apparently it is not enough for me to simply believe is it.. to simply do what the ceremony says.. if I'm missing something.. then it is unabtainable and I am to tired to continue to persue it.." she looked around a moment, seeing if there were any other about.

"You may have plans for me.. but I do not think they are what is in his mind for me to do.." she said, taking another small step back, "I'm doing myself as much justice as I can.. but there are others to consider.. and call me a damn mountain if you want.." she felt her temper rising, her head was hurting and it was getting far too warm for her just at the moment.

[Sorgram]

Looking at her maintaining the distance, though it was not as far as if had been before. Holding on the pursuit, he would let the snideness from his eyes and he would speak softly and strangely, there was no sarcasm or reproach in his tone. It was compassionate.

'Isla, I know in my heart and soul that you will succeed when you perform the ritual. You believe in the ritual and that it almost good enough. You have to believe in yourself. At least as much as I believe in you.'

He paused and looked towards her, reaching out, he would take her hand and lift it moving it to the Anvil. Placing his hand over hers, but he ensured that he did not touch the Anvil making sure that only she touched the mithril surface and standing behing her, he took her other hand and repeated the actions.

'Follow my words, close your eyes and pour your resolve to succeed into the Anvil, and draw forth.'

As he paused, she would sense him behind her but he was no longer touching her in any fashion and his words were soft and only her elven ears caught them.

'Darsam Dormak, taal marr hormessi, bar darnessiti, dehel kurjit bi azkagen fur Angdor-ews'