Nokar in the Guild Warz (too)

A fun activity for writers is to take your character(s) and place them in a different setting. For this snapshot scene I took my Nokar character and placed him in the world of Guild Wars 2. Of course, I had to make things difficult, so he’s a plant person in this alternate life and his one true love is a human.

Nokar in the Guild Warz

By Robin A. Burrows

Nokar stood on the balcony of a building overlooking the Claypool town square and watched the festivities below. He was surprised Eponee sent him an invitation to her gala. She must have been preoccupied with something else when she sent out the blanket invitation to the entire guild. Or perhaps she simply forgot that he joined the guild long ago when her sister first did.

The fireworks display ended and he finally spied her in the crowd – the one who filled his soul. At the sight of her, his chest clenched with a feeling akin to terror. She was still as beautiful as ever. It had been too long since he had glimpsed her face. He felt paralyzed and could barely breathe. But she didn’t notice him. Her human eyes couldn’t see as we’ll as his.

Today she wore a thin smile. He knew that face well – that loneliness. In the middle of this crowd, she was completely alone. Her lofty lord hadn’t bothered escorting her to her sister’s gala. If she disappeared no one would even notice she was gone.

He took a step forward; the sudden urge to run to her, grab her hand, and run away – almost overwhelmed him. He wanted to be the one to stand by her side and ask for her opinion, to make her feel included, to make her feel like she belonged – anywhere and everywhere she happened to be.

But that would never happen in this life.

He was born too late, at the wrong time, in the wrong body. And she didn’t remember. Not like he did. Not the endless dreams of what once was. He was just another stranger to her now.

He stepped back and his experiments scurried away from his feet. He had told the shades to stay behind. But they didn’t listen. They weren’t right. Maybe they never would be. But they were his only hope to become human again in this lifetime. He could always return to the Dream and wait, but not seeing her was worse. He’d tried it before.

Layla, the smallest, squeaked at his feet. She had the greatest empathy of any of his experiments. Before he could respond, Layla scurried off towards the party to do for him what he could not. Below, the revelers had paired off for dancing. She had taken pity on the only Charr in attendance, and was awkwardly stomping her way through a Charr ritual dance.

At least he hadn’t been born a Charr. At least this leafy body looked somewhat human. Her father would have never let a Charr suitor through the gates, much less catch the occasional glimpse of her fair face.

Layla glided up behind the Charr and watched them dance. He called to Layla using the link, but she squeaked back stubbornness. Not all shades obeyed him. But Layla had reached that point and gone beyond. She was too advanced.

Below, the Charr jumped at the sight of the young shade floating behind him. Layla tilted her head and squeaked, but no one understood. Revelers began to look around in concern.

Nokar hid below the wooden planks that surrounded the edge of the balcony. If they saw him at the gala, they would probably throw him out. He couldn’t bear to leave, not yet, not when he’d only just arrived. Not when it had been so long.

He waited until he heard fireworks once more before peering out again. Layla followed her through the crowd, the companion he couldn’t be. They had grown accustomed to its presence and ignored the shade like the many other young creatures that had often followed her home.

Now it was Eponee who caught his eye. He had never paid much attention to the youngest sister before. She was always busy with her silly games. Now every eye was on Eponee as she escorted a woman towards a human male waiting at the banquet table.

He imagined it was him waiting as a human at the table, and it was her sister that Eponee led to him. But the image fled from his mind as Eponee turned and he caught a glimpse of her pale, strained face. In that moment he felt her sorrow – and pitied her – because it mirrored his own shattered soul. Because no one should be forced to bear such a weight.

Who would have thought he’d ever feel pity for the girl who cost him his last chance with her sister.

His experiments stirred at his feet. Someone was near! He glanced around and didn’t see anyone, but the shades were sure they heard something on the balcony across the street. Nokar looked again.

A spot on the balcony shimmered ever so slightly. As he watched, the shimmering spot moved up the balcony and onto the roof of the inn. Someone was there. He was too close. He had probably already been spotted. The guild enforcers would be on their way to remove him from the gala.  It would be best if he disappeared now before he had to face even more embarrassment. Before he embarrassed her more.

As he made his way to the back gate, he looked for her one last time, but he could not see her through the other guests. He conjured up an image of her in his mind: a familiar smile curling around her eyes, her lips, her face. He would carry this image of her with him in his mind until the time came when he could see her once more.

~~~

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