Close Calls (Ignotus)

[Samantha Slate]

"Thank you," He accepted the compliment gracefully, flashing Samantha a smile. She returned his smile with a sense of relief; he didn't seem too upset by her eyes. The mage didn't want this man thinking any less of her. He had already found her cringing before someone who, by all rights, should have been frightened of her. Samantha didn't want him to think of her as some helpless little girl. Just the thought of that sent a small wave of anger coursing through her, though it was quickly quelled by the man's calming influence over her. She turned her deep blue eyes upon Ignotus once again, savoring the peacefulness that he gave her. The woman had never met someone whom she could be around so comfortably before. "You're a wizard too?" The question shattered Samantha's serenity, and the warring feelings of suspicion and placid complacence battled within her. It was her distrust of the man that won out in the end. She came up with a multitude of reasons why she shouldn't trust him; she had just met him! Besides, he was a wizard and most importantly, he was dead! The mage still did not understand that at all. How was he walking around without a beating heart? Ignotus wasn't just moving, he was entirely in his body, soul and all. The man was not an automaton, but a fully sentient being. What could possibly cause that? Eyes now slate gray once again, Samantha returned the question with a frank statement, "And you're dead." She narrowed her eyes at Ignotus; he may have been open with his Reimancy, but she was nowhere near that foolish. Her arts were meant to be practiced subtly. You didn't just talk about them at a street corner with a complete stranger. Especially not one with more secrets than you yourself had. In Samantha's estimation, anyone with more secrets than she had was someone to be very wary of. The woman continued walking, never slowing for even a beat as she waited to see what he would say to her statement. It was probably foolish of her to say it so blatantly, but she could always explain that he looked a touch paler than a living man, or some equally silly lie.

[Ignotus Everto]

Her eyes had turned blue again, and she seemed to be taking well to the magic. Perhaps she wasn't a Hypnotist. The question now was, what were they? Thinking back, they had turned blue the last time he had tried to calm her as well, and they seemed to swirl whenever she was scowling... But no. There was no way his job could be made that easy. Yet sure enough, when he mentioned something that made her uncomfortable, the color of her eyes shifted again.

Well, at least he got his answer. Ignotus' brow creased, "Yes, I'm a Nuit. I was hoping that wouldn't be a problem. There are plenty Nuit in Zeltiva, all of them nice people. Perhaps you've even met a few?" he draped a blanket of apathy over the words; undead or not, it just wasn't important. He'd have to ask her how she found out later. "I'm sorry if I offended you," the wizard said morosely. At the same time, his voice worked to elicit a feeling of guilt in Samantha. She was afraid to tell a wizard she was a wizard. In a city full of wizards.

"I was just curious... In a purely professional sense. I'm what you could call a scholar, see, and it'd just be so helpful if I knew what you could do. It's only fair, really. You can share a little something with a fellow scholar, can't you? Of course you can." Soft suggestions wormed their way into her mind; there was no harm in it. It was only fair. He was trustworthy. Working to chip away at and reverse a conviction was hard work, but with a bit of luck, it would be work well rewarded.

[Samantha Slate]

"Yes, I'm a Nuit. I was hoping that wouldn't be a problem. There are plenty Nuit in Zeltiva, all of them nice people. Perhaps you've even met a few?" Ignotus said apathetically, clearly thinking it a bit silly that she would be worried about a Nuit in the city. He was right however; she had met Nuits before, among other races, and found them to be no worse than the average person. She always felt a little uncomfortable around them, though. They were too old, too experienced for her not to treat them with wariness. The one before her could be anywhere from fifty to fifteen hundred years old. For all she knew, Ignotus could pre-date the Valterrian by centuries! "I'm sorry if I offended you," the wizard told her morosely, apparently truly sorry for it even though he did nothing wrong. Samantha really didn't have any right to be so cruel... He'd saved her from a very unsavory experience, and was walking her home, besides. If anyone should be apologizing, it should be her. "You didn't," She assured him, guilt written all over her face. Her eyes softened to a light, lacy pink color that indicated her embarrassment and shame, "It's my fault." She still wasn't quite ready to divulge any of her secrets. Ignotus may have proven that he had no harmful intent towards her, but Samantha didn't know him at all. He could merely be using her, but...She just didn't think he was that kind of man. Samantha continued leading him towards her home, and resolved to ask him to stay for a meal. Immediately she realized the folly of that; it was midnight, far too late for them to be eating. He was a Nuit, too; did they even eat? The wizard had to find some way to make it up to him. The last thing she wanted to do was chase him away. He made her feel safe, at peace. She almost felt more comfortable than when she was weaving a shield. Almost. "I was just curious... In a purely professional sense. I'm what you could call a scholar, see, and it'd just be so helpful if I knew what you could do. It's only fair, really. You can share a little something with a fellow scholar, can't you? Of course you can." He did make sense... Samantha was sure he wouldn't abuse her trust in him if he gave it. He was too good a man for that. He'd shown her his own discipline, it really was only fair. Despite this certainty, Samantha couldn't bring herself to tell Ignotus exactly what she could do. He was too strange, too unknown. "You're right," Samantha agreed, "I am a wizard... How did you know?" She really was curious about that. Was he an Aurist, too? What exactly was he capable of?

[Ignotus Everto]

So pink was guilt. He'd have to write these down when he got a chance. Right on time, she started to divulge, "You're right, I am a wizard... How did you know?"

Ignotus shrugged, "Call it intuition. Something felt off." In truth, he really couldn't explain how he knew. Reality seemed to be slightly runny, and he had sensed it. That was as far as he could place it. She still wasn't opening up, though. This was starting to become annoying. He'd be damned if he would let it show on his face, though. With a playful smile plastered on his face, he chirped, "But come now, don't be a tease! The sky didn't fall when you said you were a wizard. What's the harm in telling me what discipline you study?"

Blue eyes met pink, and a pulse of Djed passed between them. It appeared that she needed something a bit more forceful. So when their eyes met, the thought popped into her head, "Why not?" She would feel better if she told him. Hopefully the implanted thought, and the desire to feel at peace again would be enough this time. Otherwise, he'd just have to settle for waiting and watching.

[Samantha Slate]

"Call it intuition. Something felt off." Ignotus told her with a shrug. Samantha was uncertain what he meant by that. Was it really possible to intuitively sense if someone were capable of magic? If such a thing could be done without the use of auristics, then she would need to do research on it. Being able to tell at a glance whether someone was a wizard or not could mean the difference between life or death in some situations. The woman was about to ask for details when Ignotus continued on with a playful, warm smile on his face, "But come now, don't be a tease! The sky didn't fall when you said you were a wizard. What's the harm in telling me what discipline you study?" Uncertainty clouded the wizard's expression for an instant. Why should she tell him? It was none of his business. And yet... It would hurt nothing if she were to reveal it to him. What harm could it possibly do her? Her talents were nothing uncommon in this city. Samantha suspected that hundreds could do either or both of the things she was capable of. Why shouldn't she tell him? After a tick or so of thought, Samantha made the decision(for the first time in several years) to fully let her guard down. Somehow, she just knew she could trust the man before her. He meant her no harm. Samantha returned Ignotus' smile and, after a tiny hesitation, answered his question. "I study Auristics and Shielding." She said, growing more confident in her decision, "It's how I knew you were dead. Your heart isn't beating. There is some strange liquid in your veins, too." The woman almost sighed aloud; it felt so nice to be honest with someone.

[Ignotus Everto]

Auristics and Shielding? He was fortunate tonight. Ignotus chuckled, "It's called ichor. It's what contains us. In a way, you could say it is us." he shrugged, "Funny that you should be an Aurist. I just so happen to have been looking for one. I've been trying to find someone as clever as you to help me with a little something. As I said before, I’m a bit of a scholar. A magical one, to be precise, and I would just be so grateful if you could show me how to do what you do.”

She seemed to require a slightly heavier hand, so he let Djed well up in his belly, rise up into his throat and permeate his tongue. With a final push, and a small pout, he said, “You can do this little thing for me, can’t you? Of course you can. Nothing bad happened when you told me you were an Aurist, and really, isn’t it in wizards’ nature to learn?” as Ignotus voiced his appeal, the thick miasma of magic floated out his mouth and dissolved into Samantha, her own voice telling her, “It could be beneficial…”

“I know it’s a little sudden, but I have a good feeling about this. Don’t you?” as he asked that, a fresh wave of peace rippled from him. The Nuit smiled and clasped his hands together like an eager schoolboy. “Please? The University is just so expensive…”

[Samantha Slate]

"Funny that you should be an Aurist. I just so happen to have been looking for one. I've been trying to find someone as clever as you to help me with a little something. As I said before, I’m a bit of a scholar. A magical one, to be precise, and I would just be so grateful if you could show me how to do what you do.” The man's words made Samantha visibly cringe. Everyone wants something, she reminded herself, Everyone. She'd been a fool to think that this man was any different from everyone else. He just wanted to use her and then throw her away like everyone else. The woman's now-crimson eyes locked onto Ignotus as she prepared to give him the (very) rough side of her tongue. Before she could get a word out, however, he continued on. “You can do this little thing for me, can’t you? Of course you can. Nothing bad happened when you told me you were an Aurist, and really, isn’t it in wizards’ nature to learn?" He appealed with a trace of a pout on his face. At first, this just infuriated her further. How dare he tell her what she should do? Again her mouth opened, and again it closed as a thought entered her mind. It could be beneficial... She wondered, unaware that the thought came from the mage in front of her. It did make a kind of sense. If he wanted her knowledge, he ought to give her a little something in return, shouldn't he? The mage's eyes softened to a light, comfortable blue, though tinged slightly with green, as Ignotus finished his little speech, “I know it’s a little sudden, but I have a good feeling about this. Don’t you? Please? The University is just so expensive…” The corpse(she kept forgetting he was dead, somehow) asked with a hint of pleading in his tone. She really did have a 'good feeling' about it... He had so much to teach her, she was sure. Violet and grey joined the mix in her eyes as she considered his proposal. Samantha tapped her chin thoughtfully, oblivious to the wind whipping her hair around her face as she thought over the idea of teaching. Ignotus could find a tome on the subject with relative ease, if he wanted to look. Among magic disciplines, Samantha's choice abilities were far from uncommon. Reimancy was much more useful, if dangerous. "Maybe..." She said in a half-absent voice, haggling. "I'll teach you if you teach me." The woman hinted with a little smile. She was wrong yet again; she liked this man. "Do you know anything else, other than Reimancy?"

[Ignotus Everto]

Ignotus didn't know what red meant, but the cringe suggested it couldn't be anything good. Petch. He really needed to start paying closer attention to what kept ticking people off. Unless, of course, it was just part of the territory. He knew if someone asked him to teach them, they would get a less than warm reception.

His brow furrowed when Samantha's mouth opened... Then smoothed again as it closed. The girl's eyes had turned blue again, and she seemed to be thinking it over. "Maybe..." she said with a small smile, "I'll teach you if you teach me. Do you know anything else, other than Reimancy?"

The first order of business was to throw his arms around Samantha in an embrace that was a lot less cold than it should have been thanks to the cloak. "I knew you were a good person, I did!" he gushed, before letting go, dusting his cloak off, and answering her.

"I know the basics of glyphing, though I'm no master, and the loveliest redhead taught me Animation a few weeks ago." He didn't mention Hypnotism. He never mentioned Hypnotism. No one needed to know that their thoughts may not be entirely their own, and Samantha was no exception.

[Samantha Slate]

Ignotus' reaction to Samantha's consent was shocking, to say the least. No sooner had the words left her mouth than he wrapped his cold arms around her, gleefully proclaiming, "I knew you were a good person, I did!" The mage tightened up instinctively. She really hated it when people touched her. They were all dirty, foul liars. Even Ignotus, who seemed better than most, wasn't someone she wanted making any physical contact with her. She didn't have the heart to pry him off of her or, as she would do with most anyone else, shove him into the sea. He'd saved her from a much more..intimate kind of physical contact, so she surely could tolerate his eccentricities. Thankfully, he released her from his grip after a few moments and began speaking as he brushed his coat down to supposedly clean it of whatever residue she had left there. Samantha couldn't blame him; she'd have done the same had the roles been reversed. She did note it down, however; he didn't like touching people any more than she did, it seemed. The hug must have been meant as some kind of thank-you that he personally found unpleasant. The thought pleased the mage. Ignotus was willing to put up with something they both found distasteful in order to show gratitude. To save them both from the chance of a repeat of such an incident, she grimaced in distaste. The woman could have hidden it, but in this case, letting her feelings show was good. "I know the basics of glyphing, though I'm no master, and the loveliest redhead taught me Animation a few weeks ago." Glyphing and Animation? Both useful, from what little Samantha knew of them, but nothing compared to Reimancy. It took her next to no time at all to decide on which one she'd prefer for him to teach her. In a businesslike tone, she replied, "Glyphing, Reimancy, and Animation? Impressive. Perhaps I could teach you my knowledge of Auristics in exchange for tutoring in Reimancy?" Samantha's voice held a hint of friendship; a fellow wizard was usually something to be avoided. It was a pleasant experience to be able to count one as someone she could trust somewhat. There was a sense of comraderie that was missing when she spoke with common folk; she had few real interests that did not in some way tie to Djed, so there was little to discuss with others who lived a mundane existence. Even among wizards, she always had to be careful. One could be manipulating or using her without her knowledge, if she trusted him too much. She didn't need to worry with Ignotus, though. He was safe. Samantha was sure of it.

[Ignotus Everto]

So hugs were a "no" as well. Good to know. She got straight to business, of course. "Glyphing, Reimancy, and Animation? Impressive. Perhaps I could teach you my knowledge of Auristics in exchange for tutoring in Reimancy?"

The hint of fondness in her voice, as well as the light tickle to his pride, made Ignotus smile. "Very well, if you'll accept Shielding as well in exchange for Glyphing. One thing, though..." his voice grew a bit more sober, "Learning Reimancy is not a painless procedure. It requires initiation, and it can be incredibly dangerous. While I'll certainly teach you, my ability with Res is far from fine at the moment. If I were to attempt to initiate you now, I'd likely kill you by accident. If you could give me a bit of time to hone my own skills before initiating you, it would put my mind to ease, and be much safer for you. Of course, I'll still be happy to talk about it with you, as well as anything else. Just a season or two should be enough time."

The words were augmented by the gentle push of Djed, a light assuaging of doubt. It wouldn't do for her to doubt him, after all. "At any rate, it'll just mean your lessons won't have to be broken up by you teaching Auristics."