[center][h1][b][u]Karamir[/u][/b][/h1][/center]

[hr]

It was a strange feeling, but Karamir wasn’t sure when he closed the door behind him -- or worse -- where it exactly went. He looked around, his feet standing on a square tile of stone, Keibrik right next to him, but that was all that was normal. The stone tile seemed to hang in a void of what was almost nothingness, save for giant mountain grotesques plastered and hanging as if in purgatory with him. They were all giant faces and heads, each with a different expression and all as still and lifeless as garden decorations. 

“Well,” Keibrik’s voice echoed off of something, somehow, against all logic. As far as the eye could see there was only oppressive nothingness save for the heads, the sight threatening to absorb the mortal’s vision as his eyes attempted to dig deeper and deeper, looking for anything sensical. 

“Well,” Karamir echoed. He peered down into the void for a moment, before taking a step back, and glancing up at one of the heads. “Should we go back?”

“Certified genius, that’s what your gravestone will read,” Keibrik waved his hand over the empty spot where a door used to be, “No, I think it’s best to just keep going.” He looked over the edge of the tiny stone tile and with a deep breath, he took a step off. His body fell -- up. 

With bent knees he landed on the outstretched tongue of one of the giant heads (upside down), its stone tastebuds shaped like stairs. “Well, what do you know?” He called back to Karamir. 

Karamir’s surprise lasted only for a moment. Nothing here made sense, he had to remind himself, and things like control and logic were arbitrary at best. So without any further delay, he followed in Keibrik’s footsteps and walked off the edge.

The void seemed to take him as he fell sideways, quickly approaching the open maw of a particularly fat face with large sundial eyes. 

Karamir braced himself for landing, his knees buckling beneath him, but it never came. His body zipped into the mouth of the giant head, darkness taking him over briefly, only for it to suddenly relight. Keibrik’s voice seemed to fade away, and Karamir’s eyes fell on a new sight. He laid on a pile of bodies, each featureless and made of what seemed to be clay. They all seemed frozen in time, various gestures on their arms and legs. There were no walls, no ceiling, just the pile.

“Well it’s about time!” Keibrik scolded. The thief sat on a fine oaken chair atop the pile, a table raised in front of him as he sipped a half full teacup off a porcelain plate (pinky out). He wore a monocle on his face and a fine dark blue suit -- or was he always wearing that?

Karamir pushed himself up and rose to his feet. He took a step forward and nearly tripped as a limb caught his foot. “What… where are we?” he asked, looking down at the bodies with a vaguely disturbed expression.

His voice bounced around in an echo once, twice, three times while Keibrik finished his cup, only stopping as the noise skidded across the table, just for Keibrik to suddenly slam his cup face down over it. He smirked, “That’s enough of that.” The thief looked up from his capture and towards Karamir, “I suspect we aren’t much of anywhere.”

“So how did you get here? And how do we get out?” Karamir asked him.

“I didn’t and I don’t suppose you can,” Keibrik responded easily, “Or maybe...” The thief slowly stood up, snatching a gilded cane that leaned against the table. He squinted, “Ah yes, right over there.” He took a step, then another, and then he was suddenly gone. Karamir was forced to blink, his mind taking a moment to come to terms with the sudden nonexistence of Keibrik.

Once the initial shock had passed, he swivelled in place, scanning the room to see if the thief was still there, but all that was there was the empty void and the pile of clay men. He sighed. An explanation would have been nice. With nothing else to do, he stepped forward over to the spot where Keibrik had vanished, moving carefully to avoid tripping.

“No no, behind you,” Keibrik’s voice corrected him.

“Already tried that,” Karamir said, turning around. As he turned, he now found himself staring at a field of plush grass pocked with buttercups. In the distance, blue mountains ringed the meadow, with copses scattered here and there. The sky above was a deep cloudless blue and the smell of spring and autumn entwined on a fresh breeze. It almost reminded him of Kalgrun. In front of Karamir stood Keibrik, a wide smile on the thief's face.

“Oh you did, eh?” He smile grew even wider, only to snap to a sudden seriousness, “Karamir, I’d like to introduce you to a friend of mine--” He waved his hand towards a large brute of a man encased in boiled leather and a confident smile. The man smiled, a deep voice following.

“Hello.”

“Hello,” Karamir answered back with a nod. “Who would you be?”

“Names Ruby,” He grinned and held out a hand, “Don’t worry, I don’t really exist.”

“Same as me, I’m afraid,” Keibrik shook his head.

“You said that before, I think,” Karamir told Keibrik as he shook Ruby’s hand, wondering just where the big man had come from, but deciding he might as well go along with it. “Does anything from the Palace really exist?”

Keibrik looked at Ruby, “All of it?”

“All of it,” The brute nodded. The two looked at Karamir and Keibrik cleared his throat, “All of it exists, but it’s just easier to say it doesn’t -- er.”

Ruby pinched his chin, “Come to think of it, I don’t think I really understand it m’self.”

“Well it’s simple really,” Keibrik opened his palms as if physically giving the answer away, “Er... well. Yes, it all exists just as everything exists simultaneously?” 

“Sounds smart to me,” Ruby shrugged.

Karamir furrowed his brows. “And do you know that for a fact, or is it just what you believe?”

“Well think of it this way,” Keibrik sat in a chair no one noticed before, “If none of it exists, then what exactly are you doing?”

“I’d say he is existing,” Ruby rubbed his chin and joined Keibrik in a chair of his own.

“Well of course, because we are experiencing him the same as he is experiencing us,” Keibrik offered, “But does experience calculate existence?”

Ruby shrugged, “Balls.”

“Balls,” Keibrik nodded solemnly.

Karamir frowned. What [i]did[/i] calculate existence? At one point he thought the most difficult question was [i]why[/i] anything existed, yet here they were talking about what constituted existence in the first place.

“Karamir, do you mind?” Keibrik all but whispered, as if warning Karamir of a gaffe sociale. He pointed a slender finger behind Karamir, the man’s thoughts jumbling around behind him in full view. Karamir turned, and his eyebrows shot up in surprise. Even the alarm at having his thoughts fully on display soon joined the swirling words and images.

“It’s always a hassle when that happens,” K’nell’s grainy voice sounded from off to the side, the gentleman sitting in a rustic chair. He leaned back and crossed an ankle onto his knee, “Never fear, I know just the thing for it.” He snapped his fingers and a blonde woman with a sharp look about her suddenly appeared next to Karamir, a basket in her hands. She handed it to Karamir.

His ‘thoughts’ seemed to have vanished in the air, and as Karamir accepted the basket it wasn’t hard to guess what was inside of it. Carefully, he opened it and peeked inside to find his thoughts bouncing off the wicker walls of the basket, one nearly escaping before he slammed the hinged lid back down.

He looked up from the basket and turned to face K’nell. “So… is there a way to get these back into my mind?”

“I would hope so,” K’nell smiled, “But enough of that, how are you enjoying the palace?”

“Well…” Karamir began, thinking back on what he had seen thus far. “Some rooms were enjoyable. Others weren’t. But-”

“Well that about sums that up dunnit?” Ruby looked over from his seat, a fat cigar stuck between his teeth, a pipe of smoke coming off of it. Keibrik took a wooden pipe out from between his own with a soft click.

“Quite.”

K’nell gave the two a bemused looked before looking back at Karamir, raising a single brow, “Please, continue.”

“Well it’s hard to explain. My entire life has been aimless wandering. First I was on Kalgrun - there were moments of joy and there moments of suffering. Then I ended up with Diana, which was mostly suffering, and that was most of my life - I almost forgot what anything else was like. Like Kalgrun… this place seems to have good things and bad things, but it works differently. I’d like to see more, to figure out how it works… but I don’t think I can stay here forever.”

“If I may suggest,” K’nell started, “That you shouldn’t think too much, lest you overflow your basket.” He smiled and slid his hand into his coat, slowly retrieving his silver tin. He popped the lid and plucked a cigarillo out and between his lips. He slowly put the tin back and raised a brow at Karamir, “Do you mind?”

“Do I mind what?” Karamir asked, confused. He began to look around, as if there was some detail he was missing.

“I’m terribly sorry: do you mind if I have a smoke?” He tilted his head at the other two, who were smoking along, happily chatting among themselves now.

Karamir shrugged. “I don’t know what that is, but if it’s what they’re doing then I don’t see any problem.”

“Very good,” K’nell sucked in a breath, an ember appearing at the end of his cigarillo. He held his breath for a savoring moment before let out a stream of purple smoke. The tendrils wicked around the scene, dissipating into the spring-autumn air. He plucked the cigarillo from his lips and nodded, “Please, speak your mind, then?”

Karamir took a breath. “Well, as I said… there’s a lot I think I can learn here - experiences I never encountered during my time on Galbar - but at some point I’m going to want to go back. So if the offer is still open… I’d like to stay for a time, but not permanently,” he explained.

“As it stands,” K’nell blew out another stream of smoke, “You may leave whenever you wish, but if I may ask -- why stay? What do you intend to learn here?”

“Whatever I can,” Karamir answered. “The library had a lot of information, and much of it was interesting. You mentioned something called music, which I still haven’t formed an opinion on yet. And every room of this place seems to be different, so I’d like to know what else there is to see.”

“I see,” The words were followed with a snake of smoke, “And if I may extend a hypothetical: what if you were to expend your natural life span before accumulating all there is to accumulate, what then?”

“Well… I don’t actually know if I’ll be able to learn everything, or remember it all,” Karamir answered. “And there might be things on Galbar that I can’t learn here. So I suppose I’d have to find a balance. Stay here for a time, and then at some point I’ll have to leave, regardless of whether my learning is completed or not.”

“An interesting proposal to say the least,” K’nell puffed on his cigarillo, “By chance do you know what you’re looking for?”

“I’ll accept whatever knowledge I can find,” Karamir said. “I’d like to know more about the gods and their spheres. More about the Architect. How the world was made and why. I’d like to know what else there is in the world beyond what I have experienced. And I’d like to know what might happen next. Maybe I’ll find some of those answers here, or maybe I’ll find something else, but finding anything is good.”

“To each of these quests, I’d like to apply the same question: why?” K’nell looked intently at Karamir for a moment before turning to watch a ring of smoke exit his lips.

“Why not?” Karamir countered with a small shrug.

“Would you like me to answer that, or are you simply being rhetorical?” K’nell mused idly, finally flicking his cigarillo into the air, the leaves disappearing into nothingness.

Karamir shook his head. “It is an honest question. Is there a reason why I shouldn’t want to know these things?”

“We are now exiting the realm of objectives in favor of subjectives, dear Karamir -- a dangerous territory where opinions become entangled with truths and lies, waxing choices and changing opinions.” K’nell answered, “There is a single answer and that is -- If I may reiterate: Why do you want to know these things and to what end?” He turned to give his full attention to the mortal, leaning forward in his chair.

Karamir took another deep breath. “When I was first created, I had questions for my creator. I wanted to know if there was anything beyond the struggle to stay alive. He told me I would have to figure that out for myself. But as time went on, I found no answers, and only more questions. If I can find those answers, it will put those questions to rest, and I can share that knowledge with others, or find some other way to use it. I need a goal to work toward, and simply staying alive doesn’t feel like enough.”

“A distraction?” K’nell raised his brows.

“A purpose,” Karamir corrected.

“Do you know the difference?” K’nell smiled.

“Another question I need to find the answer to, then.” Karamir answered.

“Hm,” K’nell folded his hands on his lap, “You see, we are in a delicate position here.” He started, “You are currently on graces while you figure out if you would prefer to return to Galbar or stay with Diana -- a detail that I cannot stress enough is the limit of such an interaction. There are fundamental truths and primordial questions that you in your current state should not be anywhere near. By your own admission you cannot pin the purpose behind your learning, a dangerous way to start your discovery. It would be simply irresponsible for me to house such activities in my own place of work, especially since I have already gifted all of Galbar the lens to which they need to find the very same answers you seek.”

“Then I won’t pursue those questions during my time here,” Karamir decided. “But surely there are simpler, safer things that I can learn here? Questions like: what is music, what are books, why haven’t I encountered those things on Galbar? Are those dangerous?”

“Personally,” K’nell held up a finger for a brief second, “I would be rather insulted to be the cause of any sort of pause in the advancement of higher thinking. I am not saying you should stop, I am saying that you should find your own basket before and while you do.” He paused, “Do you understand?”

“I shouldn’t learn things just for the sake of learning them?” Karamir ventured, glancing down at the basket in his hands. “You’re saying I should find a purpose first; get my own feelings and thoughts in order?”

“I’m afraid I didn’t say anything of the sort,” K’nell answered and slowly stood up, stretching his arms upwards. Slowly he brought them back down to rest along his sides, “Do you like flowers?”

“Yes? Some of them smell nice, and some are edible. A few might be dangerous, but overall I don’t see why I wouldn’t like them.”

K’nell smiled, “Do you have a favorite?”

Karamir shook his head. “I do not. But I could find one.”

K’nell shook his head along with Karamir, “A shame -- ah but you know, I personally have a favorite, myself.” A happy grin buzzed on his face, “Would you like to see it?”

Karamir nodded.

“Splendid,” K’nell smiled and turned to the right, his black boots pressing over the grass without a scuff, “Right this way then.”

Karamir followed, glancing back at Keibrik and Ruby as he walked, but the two were too engrossed in their own conversation over the meaning of Ruby’s name. He continued on, catching up to K’nell.

The god kept a brisk pace, folding his elbows square behind his back as he walked, whistling idly, “So you really have no favorite flower, then?” He asked casually.

“There are flowers that I prefer over others, but I never saw the need to value one above all else,” Karamir answered.

“Oh I see,” K’nell nodded slowly as they walked across the meadows, “Do you harbor any favorites at all?”

Karamir had to think for a moment, as he recalled memories from the furthest reaches of his mind. “There was a flower in Kalgrun,” he said, after a while. “It was plain, and yellow, and it grew everywhere. The smell wasn’t anything special, but I liked the way a full field of them looked, and since Kalgrun might as well be the closest thing I have to a home it’s one of the first things that comes to my mind when I think of it.”

“Very good,” K’nell continued his walk, “My favorite color is silver -- or is it grey? Well, same idea I suppose. I once even had a friend who reminded me of that color.” 

“I wouldn’t say yellow is my favourite colour,” Karamir said as they walked. “My preferred colour would probably be blue, like the water. But who is this friend you speak of?”

“Oh, I have many,” K’nell mused, “Ah, here it is.” He suddenly stopped. The meadow was gone, as for when it was gone, Karamir hadn’t a clue. Instead they stood amid a park. Trees followed a carefully cobbled path, and spring fountains rippled tiny ponds. The two stood on the path, facing a line of bushes alongside it. Planted right before them was a single flower, its stem shooting out of a dark loam. It had wide broad leaves and was topped with a curly blue flower speckled with silver and long pistils.

Karamir knelt to inspect it closer, reaching out a hand but not quite touching it. “I see,” he said. “What about this flower makes it your favourite?”

“I suppose it just is,” K’nell answered, “It pleases me, that does make sense, does it not?”

Karamir nodded. “It does, I think.” After all, why would someone choose a favourite that didn’t please them? Then again, he considered Diana his friend when she had done little but hurt him. Did someone even need a reason to like something? He rose to his feet. 

“It’s a very picky flower you know,” K’nell idly mentioned.

“How so?”

“Well you see, it absolutely refuses to simply grow wherever you put its seed, quite the conundrum,” K’nell explained, “Or at least it may be, if the solution wasn’t so clear -- it requires the right soil, the correct vessel. Sometimes I have to treat the soil, other times I don’t, but either way -- the seed only takes root when the soil ready for it. Such is flowers, I suppose,” K’nell let out a silky chuckle.

“I don’t know anything about making flowers grow,” Karamir said. “So you like it enough to go to all that trouble?”

K’nell tilted his head, “I have a feeling you may be attempting to read into this little... parable let us call it... a little too deeply.”

That gave Karamir pause. He had been wondering if there was a deeper meaning behind this conversation, but his question hadn’t necessarily been intended to reveal that. Still, if there was to be any meaning at all… what was it?

Flowers had always been minor things he hadn’t given much thought to unless asked. They could be easily stepped on or missed by something that wasn’t actively looking for them. Was K’nell saying he should put more attention toward the smaller, pleasant features of life? Was that deeper or shallower than whatever K’nell thought he was implying with his question? It was impossible to say, so maybe he should abandon the line of thought entirely. “Maybe I am reading too deeply…” he said at last.

“Mind your basket,” K’nell reminded Karamir, a chin nudging at the wriggling wicker contraption. 

Karamir nodded. [i]Just stop thinking too hard,[/i] he told himself.

“Now if there isn’t anything else,” K’nell began to slowly turn towards the headway of the path, the palace in the distance. His eyes waited on Karamir patiently, “I’ll be heading off while you continue to decide?”

“There is… one more thing.” Karamir said, recalling another thing that had been on his mind for some time.

“Indeed?” K’nell turned back to Kalmar, “What would that be?”

“Kalmar told me that there were other mortals on Galbar. The two he mentioned specifically were Arya and Hermes. He said that Hermes was created by you, while Arya was created by a god named Orvus. If this is where all creatures go when they dream… is there any way I could meet either of them, to learn how their experiences differed from my own?” Karamir asked with a twinge of uncertainty. Aside from Atalantia, Keibrik, or Ruby, virtually every creature he met had been an animal, a beast, or some sort of divine being.

K’nell’s expression dove into his usual cheshire grin, “I hope you don’t find me rude in reminding you, but the Palace is no mere toy of learning and manipulation. While it is certainly not out of its bounds, I have already given you quite the rope while you make a gracious decision, do you understand what I’m trying to say?”

Karamir nodded. “This isn’t a place where I can see, do, or meet whatever I want, and I’ve already been given enough freedom as is?”

“Oh no, it absolutely is a place for such things for the right reasons,” K’nell quickly added, “I am simply reminding you that it is not your playground and that you are asking me to contort reality -- of which I can easily do, but can you just as easily appreciate?”

“I think I understand, then.” Karamir said. He couldn’t keep asking for help or guidance. He would have to journey through the Palace on his own initiative, make his own choices, and take what comes.

“Indeed?” K’nell raised his brows, “Well then I remind you to mind your basket, and inspect the fact that I never said ‘no’.” The god smiled again and began to turn away once more, “I take it that was all?”

Karamir nodded. “It was. Thank you.”

“But of course,” K’nell answered before fully turning away, arms still folded as he began to stroll down the path and leaving Karamir to himself. 

[hr]

[hider=Summary]
Karamir and Keibrik end up on a platform in the middle of a void with a bunch of floating heads. He and Keibrik jump into different heads, with Karamir ending up in one that is piled with humanoid bodies made of clay.

Keibrik was there, and somehow they ended up going into a meadow. Another guy was there, and he introduced himself as Ruby - a friend of Keibrik’s. They have a quick debate about the meaning of existence, only to find out that Karamir’s thoughts have somehow escaped his head and started to float in the air behind him.

K’nell shows up and contains the thoughts within a basket. The more Karamir thinks, the more full the basket becomes. They talk about Karamir’s time in the Palace, and also his intentions. Karamir has found his time in the palace to be a mixed bag, and claims his intention is to learn all that he can. K’nell gives him some words of caution, and Karamir is willing to restrict his search somewhat if it means staying in the Palace for a little longer, but K’nell also warns him not to do this.

The conversation then shifts to Karamir’s favourite flower. Karamir doesn’t have one, but after some thought decides it is a dandelion, which isn’t technically a flower but Karamir doesn’t know that. They look at K’nell’s favourite flower, and Karamir wonders if there is some greater lesson or moral behind the discussion.

Before K’nell leaves, Karamir asks if it would be possible to meet either Arya or Hermes within the Palace. K’nell gives a somewhat vague answer which Karamir perceives as a refusal. Before leaving, K’nell points out that he never actually said the word ‘no’, and cautions Karamir to ‘mind your basket.’
[/hider]