((Wow. I love reading your description of their crystals. *grin* It fits them all so perfectly. :yes:))

Kej watched in silence as examined the crystal, and nodded when she spoke. "Yes, this crystal was found long ago. It is easy for us to shape, so we mined it from under the city." His gray eyes scanned the room again, keeping watch for Sephiroth's return. "The elders once thought it to capture light from the stars . . . but that was before we chose to live under the earth."
The tall elf shifted, leaning over the coffin to fix a bit of what seemed to be a blanket.
"It puts us to sleep," Kej said, blinking slowly. "I don't know why, but when surrounded by this crystal, we will sleep for years if unwoken."

(that's what i was trying to do! =D yay)

Lyra nodded thoughtfully, processing all of this new information, there was so many pieces to the puzzle and it was all very confusing. "This might seem odd.." She said after some time, "But, i think that they may be alive." She continued puzzling over them sliding her hand across Sephiroth's crystal. "I...I think they are tied to the elves somehow, some kind of strong bond. I don't know what and all I can think of is that they are alive."

She lowered her head, sliding her hand across the broken edges, they were incredibly sharp and she nicked her finger, but only noticed the slight pain, like a sting. She winced slightly but her mind was enthralled, so he's rough on the outside, and sharp, dangerous so to speak when you try to get inside, because inside he is soft and smooth. Gentle maybe?

Kej looked at Lyna for a moment, his white eyes calculating. "The crystals have life?" slowly touching the surface, he frowned. "We are certainly bonded. This I feel you are correct in." The elf gently took the woman's hand and licked the small cut clean. "Be careful." Kissing the small gash, Kej kept his cold hand wrapped about hers for a moment before letting her go. "Please."
His pale eyes moved back to the crystal, and he let his mind dwell on the stone's strange qualities before turning his attention back to Lyna.

((Observations are amazing. :shock: You're good, girl. :lol: I love it. ^__-))

She winced having noticed the pain finally as his tongue passed over it, she was staring straight ahead but for once she wished she could see what he looked like. Kej is such a very nice well i would say person, but I suppose the word would be elf here wouldn't it. She nodded slowly, "I'll be as careful as I can, but I do need to investigate things with my hands. " She laughed lightly, "It's hard to see by just listening."

( i figured she needed something since she's blind o.o I figured touch and listening would be awesome XD )

"I know," Kej whispered, letting his gaze drift over to the running water nearby. He then blinked slowly, gently touching her wrist. "Would you like to go to the water now that he's gone?" Stepping toward the small waterfall that ran along the wall, the tall elf glanced back to Lyna, waiting for her response.
He took in her unseeing gaze, but it wasn't pity that struck him - it was protectiveness. He didn't want her to get hurt. And he didn't want her to be helpless. Reaching up to brush the small cut on his cheek, he frowned. As of yet the only danger was Sephiroth - and he stood no chance against the elven champion. Sephiroth was the best fighter that the underground city dwellers had - and Kej was merely a sentry. A watcher and a tracker. A caretaker in times of need.
Looking back to the waterfall, his white eyes traced over the smooth stones and gems engraved and placed within the liquid's depths. Even they seemed to have a hidden light. His slender form moved toward the water, sitting near the edge of the smooth ground. There were no ledges, nothing to keep the water in. Only a small pool that seemed to drop off into nothing where the falls struck. It wasn't loud - and it wasn't large. But it was soothing. Almost like a lullaby. To the elves - this was true music. Even many elven voices couldn't reach the quality of something this beautiful.
Sighing sadly, Kej realized that he would never hear the voices of his people rising in unison - not anymore. There were only three of them left. And he could barely imagine Sephiroth or Shara sing. Not unless they were feeling particularly . . . interesting. The thoughts of song prompted his memory, and it didn't take much thought to let his quiet voice join that of the waterfall's. A single elven voice rang through the city, gaining strength and spirit as he fell into the tune. Haunting, the song filled the echoing building, seeming to flow naturally amongst the smooth floors and wide caverns.
For a moment, Kej seemed lost in the music's call, his white eyes closed as sorrow enveloped him. He would never hear this song from the lips of his kin. Never see their faces as they sang - never feel their presense. Many of them had passed on within their own glass-like crystals, never to see the darkness of their underground home again. The elven male's song was tainted with his streak of sorrow, his elven words flowing smoothly despite his grief. A silent tear slipped down his face as he thought of the lost beauty and peace that the world had lost. Things would never be the same.
Blinking, he watched the water before him, staring sightlessly at it's cold surface. A quiet continuation of his song still hovered about him, but the elf's voice became . . . closed. Faded. Forcing the thoughts away, he strengthened his mournful song once again, filling the air with an elven tune.

((This song is the closest thing I can think of . .. the first one is what I would imagine Kej singing, and the second is a more complete version.
YouTube - Wood Elves
YouTube - The Passing of the Elves
They are so . . . calming. The beginning of this one is sad too . . .
YouTube - The Two Towers Soundtrack-08-Evenstar
You're going to have to do a lot of imagining to make the girly voices sound more manly . . .:lol: but hey! Elves blend their voices so well . . . you wouldn't think of it, I'm sure. ))

Lyra listened to his voice, allowing it to lead her to the water. She couldn't see, and with the echoes she couldn't tell exactly where he was. Nonetheless when she felt she was close she lowered herself to the floor, her hand passing gently over the stones, taking in the feel. A smooth surface like generations of feet walking around it had smoothed it out, or the water had been there before. She wouldn't be able to tell which without asking.

She closed her eyes, letting them rest to listen to his song, the way it blended with the sounds of the waterfall was beautiful. But she shivered with the eeriness of it, it was sad. Her heart longed to reach out and comfort him, but she had no idea where he was, and for the second time that day she wished she could see. her mother had always given her hugs when she was young and crying. Was it custom to do the same thing with an elf?

But the music was intoxicating. The sounds of music were a beautiful thing to her, she could bring up images in her head that reminded her of them. Sometimes they were just lines, but not today. The image that came to her mind was of a river. Once a long time before when she was younger she had investigated a river, the feel of the cold water on her skin, the smoothness of the stones... she had loved it until she had reached the deep end and fallen in, not knowing which way to swim, or even how to swim. Her directions had been jumbled, and were a mess. It's the feeling of that day that were being invoked in her. The images of the calm running water, always moving, which seemed lonely to her. The sadness in his voice etched on her mind, adding to the imagery and a tear rolled down her cheek.

She had been lost in the water, and that's how the song felt to her, was he lost now as well. His sadness ached her heart. The beauty of the song was not lost though and another tear fell. Soon she was crying with silent tears, just listening.

((*claps* That was beautiful. You really have a talent for this. *nods*
Another random song if you're interested.
I love this . . . the role play just puts me into this . . . mood. *sniffle* Elven voices have that effect, don't they?))

It was many minutes later when Kej finally let his song drift to a close, fading into the water's gentle falling as though it was meant to disappear just at that moment. Staying silent for many long seconds, the elf slowly looked over at Lyra, his cold hand straying to the woman's cheek.
"I'm sorry," he said softly, wiping away the tear that mimicked his own. His pale eyes lingered on Lyra's features, and he let a gentle frown crease his features. "I forgot what our music does to human hearts." Enchanting . . . yet terrible. Always something that would echo in a human's heart and mind for years to come. It was addicting - and you could find nothing else like it anywhere in the world. Elven music was something to be envied - and hated. It melted through one's being like it became part of it, moved your mind and emotions to feel what the singer was feeling. It was a charm and drug. Elves always sang.
"Forgive me," Kej whispered, moving to kneel in front of the woman. His hand was still on her cheek, and he ignored the uncomfortable warmth that radiated off of the human. The slender elf used his thumb to wipe her tears, blinking his own away. Seeing how much the music had effected Lyra, he smiled sadly. "Don't let my song trouble you. It is not a burden you need bear." He fell silent for a moment, watching her unseeing eyes.
"You should hear us all sing together."
His second hand reached up to place itself on her other cheek, and the elf rested his forehead against hers, ignoring the difference between their temperature as long as he could.
"I wish I could show you."

"Good music does that," Lyra murmured softly. She had opened her eyes again and didn't move as Kej wiped her tears away. Finally she brought her hands up to his and smiled, "Maybe so, but it was beautiful. " She shook her head slightly, "Don't mind my tears, it is a combination of things, they aren't really important. "

He leaned his forehead on hers and she smiled feeling the cool skin against her warm skin. It was an odd sensation these different temperatures. "I see pictures." She said after long moments of quiet, leaning against each other. "I saw and felt a memory from a long time ago. The flow of the music reminded me of it. " She paused trying to come up with what to say without making him more upset. "Music is something I can see, sometimes i see swirling lines as if i've moved my hand through the air and it has stayed in everyspot it moved in. "

Without ever having seen before, she wasn't sure how to describe how she could see, the world was always black besides her own designed pictures.

(Maybe so, but it takes me a little while to come up with exactly what i want to say. XD)

Kej smiled, listening to her words. "How silly of me," the elf said with a breathy chuckle. "It is your first time in the city, and here I am drawing you into melancholy." There was a pause as he thought of what to say. "Do you wish to see more of it?" Finally unable to stand Lyra's warmth any longer, he lifted his forehead from hers, but kept his hands on the sides of her face gently. Her hands covered his, and he drew a deep breath.
"It is said that the elves are an enchanting race," Kej said softly, "But I see the same in humans." Kissing her forehead, the elf ran his thumb over Lyra's cheek once again. "Is there something you wish to see? Our homeland has many homes and forgotten places. Perhaps you would like to see the gardens?"

"I'd like that." She smiled brightly, gardens were one of her favorite things in the world. Lyra loved the feel of dirt and sand and all of its little pieces, it had such a variety and delighted her with the many different feels. She stood up lowering his hands from her face and turned, hearing the waterfall clearly now that the sounds of Kej's singing had faded. "Is it deep?" If it wasn't, she figured she could look at it later, find out more about the waterfall as well. Though that would take her much longer than dry things that she could just feel.

She turned back to him. "So to the gardens then?"

"It is deep near the wall," Kej said quietly, taking her hand. Leading her out of the building, the elf drew her along the side. The dirt and soil was damp and cold, just like everything else that the elves existed around. Not only were there seemingly normal flowers, but crystaline plants as well. Everything shimmered with a pale blue dust, as though frost coated everything. Some of the plants were freezing to the touch - others only cool.
There weren't many differing colors - gray, blue, dashes of purple, and white decorated every flower and vine, tree and moss. Many of the flowers and mushrooms glowed, giving the area a surreal effect. Kej stated as much, telling her as much as he could about what was around them.
"These are my favorite," the dark-haired male said quietly, moving Lyra's hand to touch a soft plant. The roses were completely white, veins of baby blue and violet hinting at the edges and middle of each delicate leaf and petal. The stems were a dark gray that could easily be mistaken for an onyx metal - metallic, just like everything else in the city.
"My mother used to grow them," Kej whispered, his arm straying to wrap around her shoulders as he grabbed her fingers to touch another rose. "The roses smell beautiful when they bloom."

(sorry i haven't posted in awhile, moving, less internet when i'm home, that kind of stuff =/. Also i got a little frustrated with a certain friend that is on here >.> )

Lyra smiled, wishing that she could actually tell what all of the colors meant, what a glow looked like, but the way he described it, it seemed like it would be absolutely beautiful. There was a variety of plants, and than he brought her hand to a small rose. "It's so soft," she murmured, her hand sliding over the petals gently. He suddenly hugged her and she blushed, realizing as she did, that she had developed somewhat of a crush on this elven male she hardly even knew.

She let Kej move her hand to another rose and delighted smiles crossed her face. "The feel is very similar to actual rose's on the surface. " Her hand moved to the stem, "Are there no thorns though?"

(('S all good. ^__- We lost our other friend here . . . :lol: Can't do anything with Sephiroth until she posts. :XD Shara . . . well . . . I don't really know what to do with her. :XP))

Kej smiled, keeping her hand away from the base of the stem near the ground. "There are no thorns," he clarified, "but the roots carry a stinging venom." The elf shook his head. "It is used in poisons by my people." For a moment, his cold touch seemed to still, and the tall man stiffened slightly. The poisons were extremely painful, and were used in the greatest torture - or in war against the humans.
"I have never been to the surface," Kej said quietly, trying to switch the topic a bit. "But perhaps someday I will leave these caverns." Brushing his dark hair out of his eyes, his pale gaze lingered on Lyra's fingers . . . and then followed her arm until he was looking into her face. A small smile crossed his lightly metallic features, and Kej couldn't help but reach out and tuck a strand of hair behind the woman's ear.
"What is it like?" he asked, tilting his head slightly as he looked back to the roses. "I hear that the sky cries; that ice falls from the clouds." Kej shook his head, giving Lyra's shoulder a light squeeze before pulling away from her. Once again, it was the warmth that she gave off that made him back away. Clearing his throat, the elf slowly released Lyra's hand. It was strange how attached he was to her already. Not that he could help it. She was . . . different. When Kej saw her, he didn't think human, he thought friend.
Looking over her features, the elf smiled again.

(I'm not sure what to do with Nakeit quite yet either. XD but i wanted to throw a creature in =D )

Lyra removed her hands from the flower quickly, she decided she would stay away from the flowers unless she had Kej there explaining what they were to her. She smiled towards him when he brushed her hair behind her ear and she blinked her silvery gray eyes slowly. "I'm not sure what a cloud or the sky is like, but rain and ice come from it." She thought a moment trying to explain what it was like. "Ice is very cold and can cut when its sharp enough." She remembered something she had learned once before, "Ice and diamonds are the two things that can get the sharpest point out of any items in the world. " She shivered, "But that's not what it's like when it comes from the sky, it is more like little balls."

"Rain is nice though, it's like a waterfall when it pours, but you can be anywhere, it doesn't have to be close to a stream or lake. It can also be as if you have mist on you." She hesitated, "Do you know what mist is? I'm not sure if I am making sense." Lyra was getting used to the difference in their temperatures and was finding it actually quite refreshing on her hot blushing skin.

"I have been told of clouds," Kej said, slowly standing, "and mist I am familiar with." The elf moved to take her hand, but when she stood he let it go. Elves could hardly tolerate heat, and he was no exception.
"Perhaps I'll see it one day."
The elf chuckled as a flower nearby burst into a spray of damp sparkles that flit about the two of them, and reached out to wipe a bit of the substance off of Lyra's cheek. "These flowers burst whenever there is life besides my people nearby," he said, his smooth voice low. "A wonderful way to watch our borders." He explained the glow of the flower and what it looked like - an orb of sorts with glowing beads that flit about inside of it. "They make useful lamps," Kej said quietly, guiding her hand to the nearest one. It burst a few seconds after Lyra touched it, it's glowing material drifting about like small fireflies.

Lyra let out a small startled laugh as it touched her skin, "It certainly would protect your borders well, if it glows, that means its light correct?" She added the last part as an afterthought before continuing with the rest of her thought. "You could see them from far off couldn't you?" It's wetness tickled her, a small powder that was wet. She took note of that in her mind to jot down later when she tried to recall all the information she was learning, actually... "Would you mind if I take a bit to write some of this down. It's all rather overwhelming, there is so much information."

"I wouldn't mind," Kej said, chuckling. His white eyes surveyed the garden quickly before finding a good place for the two of them to sit. "Would you like to sit?" he asked, his fingers brushing lightly over Lyra's. "There is a bench a few feet from here." The elf forced himself not to touch the woman's hand again, instead clasping his hands behind his back. In all actuality, Kej liked watching her write. It was strange to think that she could, and he really liked to see it.

((Sorry for short post. Had my first 2 finals today, and I'm sorta beat. :XD))

(its fine, it gives me permission to post short since i'm tired XD )

"Sitting would be helpful," Lyra said with a smile, moving where she believed he had indicated with the brush of his fingertips. Shortly she found the bench and sat down, her hands moving to her bag to pull out her journal. It didn't take to long for her to find the last page since she marked them very well.

Pulling a pen from her bag she began to write everything she had found, again mentioning how she believed that the crystals were tied to the elves personalities, and she wrote about the things that Kej had told her of the flowers. So far she had no information on Nakeit, but she made mention that there was some kind of dog that she had heard. Briefly she mentioned the song, and the waterfall. Explaining the things she had felt. Her head lowered as a blush crept across her face as she wrote about Kej and his kindness.

In a way she hoped that he was not looking over shoulder but she had no way of knowing, and she did need to write down everything that she could. The last thing she wrote before marking the page was, 'and he seems to have issues touching my skin for to long, I believe it is because of the temperature differences.'

Watching Lyra write the first few words, Kej turned his gaze back to the garden, knowing it was rude to intrude on someone else's business. Looking over the wild foliage about him, the elf sighed quietly. It would need a caretaker if it was to survive much longer in these tunnels. Hearing Lyra mark the page, Kej tilted his head slightly as he stood.
"I'm going to retrieve a bit of water," he said quietly, blinking slowly as he surveyed the garden once again. "I believe a few of the plants need it to survive much longer." With long strides, the slender male disappeared quickly, returning a few minutes later with a bucket of sloshing water. Without complaining about the cold water that splashed out onto him, the elf moved to a large flowering bush, gently tipping the water out onto it's delicate roots before moving to a small tree with odd fruits.
After emptying the container, Kej wiped a few droplets off of his cheek, smiling. Picking one of the round fruit from the tree, he stepped quietly back over to Lyra, standing a few inches from her. "They say this fruit prolongs one's life," he said, his deep voice still smooth, "though I disagree." With a quiet chuckle, the elf took Lyra's hand and placed the blue and purple tinted apple in it. The cold surface warmed quickly, and Kej laughed. "It's very sweet near the middle, and tart on the outside." Taking one for himself, the tall male took the first bite. Chewing, he nodded. "It's a rather messy food, really." He accentuated his point by wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

Lyra curled her hand around it gently, feeling the texture, "it feels like an apple," she said with surprise. She than slid her journal back into her bag with her other hand. Moving to hold the apple with both hands she brought it up to her mouth and took a small bite. She licked her lips at the sudden tartness, making the smallest of faces, but bit into it again. It was juicy and tasted wonderful.

Her light laughter suddenly came out as she realized she had juices running down her chin and she quickly wiped it away. "Yes, they are quite messy." She smiled and bit into it again getting to the sweet part, again she made a face, but because it was quite the opposite from the outside, despite having warned her she hadn't known quite was to expect, or when to expect it.

Kej watched Lyra eat with a smile on his face, laughing when she made faces at the tastes. "Do you have anything like this on the surface?" the elf asked, raising an eyebrow as he moved to sit beside her once again. With a quick movement, the elf caught a drip of the juice from Lyra's fruit in his palm, and then wiped a small drop off of her cheek. Somehow it had managed to get there.
Why does she have to be so . . . attractive?
His white eyes moved over her face again, and Kej chuckled at another of her faces. Gently bumping her shoulder with his own, the slender male watched her finish off more of her fruit. He himself was almost finished as well, and wiped another bit of liquid from his lips.

Lyra blushed as Kej caught drips of the fruit juice off her face, she really had thought she had gotten it all when she had wiped her face. "Well.. lemons or limes might be similar to the outside of it. "She tilted her head trying to think of the inside, "The sweetness though i can't really place what fruit it is most like. Nectarines maybe? " She frowned, "I'm really not sure. "

She ate the last bite with a smile though, and wiped off her lips. "It was very delicious though, Thank you Kej."

(did it have a pit or anything? XD )

((Just to make it strange, I'ma say there was no pit. :XD))

Kej nodded, smiling. "You're welcome."
The elf glanced about the garden once more before speaking. "What else would you like to see?" He mentioned a few other things (strange forest just outside of the city, a few of the homes and their everyday lives, the library, tombs) to give her something to think about. "There's quite a bit down here."

((Oooh Talitha!! Where are you???? :lol: Poor Sephiroth is stuck with her for now. ;)))

Lyra listened patiently as Kej listed different places around the city. "As odd as it is, I would rather like to visit the tomb" Lyra replied after a moments thought. She thought about his song earlier and hesitated adding as a kind of joke, "I'd love to see the library though I do love stories."

She wrung her hands together nervously and than stood up Turning so that she could hear the waterfall.

"The tombs it is," Kej said quietly, slipping his cold fingers into Lyna's. Leading her forward, they headed past many homes and other buildings. It took nearly half an hour to get to the entrance - the tombs were a ways from the city, a series of caves carved into the wall of the cavern.
"It is even colder here," the elf whispered, sounding almost reverent. His white eyes were locked on the crystals marking who's family rested where, and his cool hand gave Lyna's a squeeze. Almost on instinct, the elf slowly started humming another tune - a mourning song. It was something that echoed through these caves almost constantly when his kin had been more . . . frequent.
"Where?" Kej breathed when there was a pause in his song, pulling his hand away from Lyna. He couldn't stand her warmth anymore, despite what he wanted. Looking from one section of the crystal-lit halls, the elf brushed his long hair from his face. "Who's family do you wish to visit?"