[Flashback] A Chance Meeting

[Andresciel]

He shook his head "Sorry. Its something I do when I get nervous. I draw little sigils, and they aren't strong enough to do anything but create a bit of light." He brings his hands up, revealing both of them as he sighs. "Its known as Glyphing, a type of magic using symbols. I don't use Reimancy, my elemental magic often, but Glyphing...I always draw when I'm nervous and scared."

His eyes had closed, a sign maybe, but none-the-less, should he hear the sword come from her sheathe, he would strike. He wasn't a guy to be threatened with a weapon, no matter male or female, weapons meant seriousness. "It isn't nothing to fear. Come, let me show you. Its just a little light so I could see something on the ground. I would not use my magic in any form dangerous to you without cause." He stated, his voice calm, level.

He waited, his eyes remaining closed, "Please don't draw a weapon" Was what he said at last, sighing "If you do, I'll have to arrest you for drawing on a Knight, my friend, and I hate doing that. It always involves a struggle and someone, usually me, gets hurt. Why? Because I don't use magic in self-defense unless I truly need to." He paused, "It may sound stupid, but I'll have to use my hands to disarm you if you attack me, friend."

[Tessa Poe]

How could he just sit there being so damn calm!? It was driving her nuts! This wasn't normal, he wasn't normal, and he was still being so petching reasonable! Tessa could feel her anger boiling away, rising and building, what was she supposed to think? Or do? "Well how was I supposed to know that!? For all I know you were putting some kind of curse on me, or trying to petching bewitch me! Or who knows what in the hell else? You say it's harmless, that it's just a little light, but I didn't know that! What did you expect!? That I'd be all smiles and sunshine while you... you... Gods above don't you get it!? It isn't natural, it isn't right! No-one should have that kind of power! No-one!" Tessa took a deep breath, her throat feeling a little raw as she just yelled at him across the fire, she couldn't hold it back now, his little display had broken the damn behind which she'd kept her worries penned and they were in full flood, straight out of her mouth without a second thought. "You say you want to change people's perceptions of magic? To lead mages out of the darkness and into the light? Well I've gotta say you're not doing a petching good job of it so far! I mean... I..."

Tessa came to a stop, mostly because she'd run out of words. Her breathing was coming hard and fast as anger and terror warred against each other in her thoughts. All the while he just sat there with his eyes closed, apparently completely relaxed. He had some damn good reasons to be that way though. He well knew she couldn't do anything to him, not just because of his magic, but because he was a knight as he'd so kindly reminded her. He was right, if she drew on him he'd just arrest her, and she wouldn't stand a chance against him... unless she got him before he could use those filthy powers of his against her. But even then she'd be attacking a Knight! The penalties for that were... unpleasant to say the least.

She knew there was nothing she could do, except hope that what she was about to say would sway him, that he'd listen to her. "Look... I'd... just like you leave. Please. I... I can't... you're just... just go, please, I don't want any trouble with you, or the Knights, or your petching magic." Her voice was back to a more normal level, her fist still clenched tightly at her hip, hoping that he'd listen and move on. It was sort of a shame that it had come to this, he'd seemed like a nice enough man, and the fact he was Knight did speak volumes for his character, but still... he was a mage and there was no getting past that.

[Andresciel]

He pushed himself up, as he nods, turning his back towards her. "Very well. Should you need help, the Knights of Syliras will aid you. I'll put a word out with your name attached if I can." He stated as he shrugged.

He took only a step before looking back at her, the kindness and joy burned from his eyes. "Your just the same as everyone else Tessa. You hate me because of the art I learned, because I can do things that most people can't. If Magic was not natural, would any race be able to tap it? The Gods gave us this power, it is our right to learn it." He stated coldly, a sign of his hurt, "I have no power of curses. Most I can do is ruffle your hair, or singe you. I am a Reimancer, not a Hex Mage. I do Elemental Magic to survive. Just remember, it is my power given by the gods, not by some devil or demon." He stated, as he shook his head.

He turns back towards the city and began to walk, the hurt causing him to slump slightly even as he tugged his hood up. What he had said was true, the Gods had granted the power of magic to the races. He simply held the courage to use it, to call upon it when needed. A simple Glyph could do no harm, Yahal, his eyes hadn't even glowed. He wouldn't harm a soul, even if they did him harm. It wasn't his nature to use magic as such.

So with a sigh, he walked towards the great city of Syliras, his mind once more on Yahal even as a single tear slid off his chin.

"Why do so many treat me so cruelly, just because I can use my Djed?" He asked the Gods, expecting no answer.

[Tessa Poe]

Tessa breathed a sigh of relief as he stood, turning to leave, until he started talking again, trying to convince her that it was all innocent, but his words fell on deaf ears. She didn't care what he had to say, or how good his intentions were. The fact was he was a mage and she wanted as little to do with him as possible.

Gods just let him leave already!

She stood there, not moving an inch, eyes staring hard at his back and refusing to look away as he left. When he was out of sight at last Tessa dropped to her knees, shaking and shuddering as her fear finally won out over her anger. She stayed there for a chime or so, taking nice long deep breaths, trying to calm herself, she didn't have the time to indulge her fears like this, she had too many things to do. She came slowly to her feet, pushing her worries to the side and tensing before she dashed around the fire, her boot skidding through the dirt where he'd drawn his sign and scuffing it out. She wasn't going to leave it there. For all his protestations of innocence he was still a petching mage. She growled quietly as she stalked over to the fire, kicking dirt over that too to quench it. She'd not stay here, not for a chime longer than she had to. For one thing he knew where it was, and for another he'd done something magical to it. No, time to move, and quickly.

She set about breaking her tent down and packing it away, quite possibly setting a new speed record for doing it and was soon moving down the hill in the opposite direction that the mage had left in. She'd have to find somewhere more sheltered and not light a fire tonight, she didn't want anyone to have any clue as to her presence if she could avoid it. As she walked she thought back on his words, about how his... magic... was god given. If that was the case then the Gods were stupid. No-one could be trusted with that much power. It was like her Da said, sometimes when a man learns the sword all he'll do is use it; the power that came with such a skill was too much for some people to be responsible for. But magic? That was an entirely different matter, that was above and well beyond just being able to use a sword... she should just be thankful that he'd gone when she'd asked. She didn't want to think of the alternatives. Best to just find a fresh campsite and get set up before dark... though she honestly didn't think she'd be getting much sleep that night.

[Andresciel]

---End---

[Templar]

Adresciel: Reimancy: 2 – Running: 2 – Intelligence: 1 – Rhetorics: 2 – Glyphing: 2 Lore: Distrust of the Non-practitioners - God: Yahal Tessa Poe: Hunting: 2 – Rhetorics: 2 – Observation: 2 – Wilderness Survival: 2 Lore: Yahal: God of Faithfulness and Purity – Additional notes: Excellent thread! Well played characters! Keep up the good work and if you think I was not generous enough in my grading, feel free to PM me!