A Hand-Woven Universe 5 5. Like the Stone, Like the Stream

Years passed and time moved slowly for the young of Tapestry. Noone had grown up relatively normal, becoming a mature individual at a young age while going about his daily life.

He rubbed a sea stone between his thumb and forefinger, enjoying the cool sensation it left on his hand. His mind drifted back to the day many years before, the first time he had felt a sestone in his hand, and the sensation it left.
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That was almost seven years ago now, or maybe it was eight? He wasn't sure.

He walked through the center-most market in the city, trying to clear his head. The city of Tapestry was built within the largest cavern. Some say it had been carved out by the ancestor himself upon his arrival into this world. It served as a hub to every area in the conclave.

The glow of sun stones that lined the chapel-high cavern ceiling provided plenty of light for the city and could even manually be dimmed. There were a few basic shops around all specializing in one good or another.

It was rare for competition on goods to take place, and when competition would arise, it would be settled by the elders. Tapestry is and always has been a place where everyone gets along - out of necessity and common heritage.

To Noone though it was a world of silence. Even in the most bustling times, any and all noise came only from the scuffle of feet and the exchanging of goods. No words rang in the air. No talking abounded.

To some this may be peaceful, but to Noone it was often only a reminder of a world he could see but not touch.

The city of Tapestry was not big, but neither was it small. The last time a count took place was 5 thousand years ago. In the annals it is written that the population of Tapestry was just under 10,000 individuals. To the individuals in Tapestry though, it did not matter too much. Everyone is family, size doesn't matter. That was the mentality of the people here, and in the past 14 years Noone had seen this.

The sea stone between Noone's fingers suddenly stopped providing a gentle cool feeling to his hand. He looked down in time to see the stone start to disintegrate into dust. He opened his hand and let it run through his fingers. It fell to the floor unobstructed.

Ever Since Noone had received a sea stone from the elder years prior, he had become enamored with them. He held one all the time, the feeling it left on his hand was extremely comfortable, and It was a perfect texture for mindlessly rubbing between his fingers.

It took Noone an entire year to wear down the first one before it disintegrated. Noone was in shock. He immediately ran to Elder Azelle to try and understand what had happened. Elder Azelle laughed it off and gave him another one.

In recent years due to the rise in Noone's strength it wasn't uncommon for him to go through two or three a month. Luckily, low level sea stones like these are extremely common. Otherwise Noone didn't know how he would justify his usage!

SKREEEEE

Suddenly interrupting Noone's daze was the loud grind of metal against gravel. Noone saw - rounding one of the buildings - a large minecart 4 times the size of a man being hauled behind a very sturdy gentleman. This man was Tahmel! A foreman in the mines and by all account a good friend of Noone's father before the accident that took his father and ultimately his mother.

Noone walked over and grabbed one of the ropes from Tahmel, who nearly leapt out of his skin in shock. Many people had been scared this way by Noone's existence. For a race entirely dependent on their common heritage being able to feel each other's presence, Noone to them was like a ghost.

When Tahmel saw it was Noone who had grabbed the rope he merely let out a grunt and nodded appreciatively. Noone threw it over his shoulder and started to help drag the minecart. Immediately muscles bulged under Noone's clothes, his arms gripped the rope like a metal vice. Noone's initial pull had nearly caused the minecart to catch up to and tumble onto Tahmel, who's eyes had widened and forced him to leap ahead quickly to pace up with Noone.

Even with two of them dragging the cart it took thirty minutes for them to get it to the forge. No words were said in this time and Noone certainly didn't mind. Once they arrived, Tahmel set down his rope and told Noone to wait. Noone nodded and set his rope down, sitting down with his back against the minecart.

After a bit of time Tahmel had returned to Noone, they looked at each other before Tahmel broke the silence.

"Thank you Noone. You are very Strong. Much strong. I you know what is said about your attune check. If it became true, you are always wanted with us. We can put muscle to good work." He lifted one arm and flexed his own muscles to make a point.

"Thank you Tahmel, if it comes to that then I most certainly will." Noone appreciated when others would try to talk to him. Though it was a small thing, and most people were unbearably bad at it, he appreciated people would try.

"Mm. Call me Tommy." Tommy had always been a man of few words.

As Tommy walked off to the mines, Noone started to cut towards the elder's quarters. Regardless of whether he passed or failed the final attunement check, it would have huge implications for his life.

He was nervous.

"No matter what fate has in store for me, I will be strong." He thought to himself. Setting his resolution in stone.

…

Noone arrived in the elder's hall, a large maze of glossy tunnels with smooth walls that seemed to dance with light and energy. Elders have been residing in these halls since the very beginning and as such the stone in the area has been blessed with special properties.

He absentmindedly rubbed another sea stone.

On his way from the forge he picked another one up from the warehouses. The workers there knew him and gave him a handful knowing how quickly he goes through them.

As he approached Elder Azelle's quarters the door opened for him and Liter hopped out. He seemed to be in a particularly good mood. His robes were freshly cleaned, and he had out his most expensive pen. If you listened close you could even hear him humming out loud, truly peculiar.

"Ah! Noone!" Liter smiled and waved him over.

"You seem to be in a very good mood today Liter, how are things?"

"Good! Oh so very good! You see, when I was reorganizing the records for the primordial era, I found a book I had never seen before! Oh, how exciting! Well not so much a book as a tablet! From the primordial era! How very amazing!"

If Noone were to let him continue on he was afraid Liter would never stop. Ever since Liter had taken care of Noone it had sparked a fire in him for the language of the old ways. As such, whenever he had a chance, he would talk out loud. Since there were only three other people in the city who could accompany him, they all had to take turns dealing with Liters energy.

Liter specifically found it fascinating how the tone of what he was saying could represent different feelings. When he discovered this by hearing Noone talk and it occurring naturally within Noone's speech he got very excited and spent nearly a month re-reading certain text.

For the people of Tapestry, feeling was not represented by intonation, but purely by an exchange of feeling through their common heritage.

Chapter end