[Flashback] A Lesson in Eternity (Rayage)

[Evalin]

Evalin nodded slowly, looking at Rayage with the eyes of one who sought to learn, whose gaze was filled with such admiration it bordered on foolishness, "Y-yes of course. I must learn to interpret what I see..." Her eyes fell to the rock once more, the man's words washing over her and filling her with a deep curiosity, What is it I will see when I unveil mine eyes to this hidden world? Can I really understand what I see? Shaking her head slowly the girl closed her eyes, letting her mind fall to a blank state as she took a deep breath, trying to steady her mind for the next attempt.

She pushed the confusion of thought back to the rear of her mind, focusing on that swirling energy within her once more. Concentrating, she pulled upon it, tugging it up and causing it to flow from a center deep within her chest, up her body and past her throat to collected in her head just behind her eyes. This time Evalin was more prepared, and she released only a small amount of djed at a time to fill her eyes so that she would not be overcome with sensations as she had before. Slowly lifting her lids Evalin's eyes stared at the stone in her hand, and what she saw made her tilt her head. This time the colors were not so clear, as if they were fogged or seen through tented glass. She had to concentrate to pull forth any detail from the aura at all, yet even so she felt her energy falling fast as her concentration grew harder and harder to maintain.

"There is..." She spoke slowly, her eyes squinting as she tried to make out the details of the rock, "A gray fog surrounding the stone... but there... is also something else." She lifted the stone closer to her eyes, tilting her head as she did as if to listen, "A faint ringing, like after you hear a loud sound and you begin to regain your hearing again." Faintly she remembered seeing a lining of silver in the stone's aura, but now she could not distinguish any change in color. Perhaps it was due to her inexperience, or that she had used too much djed, but quickly the aura began to dissipate, wavering and fading as the girl felt her strength ebbing. Closing her eyes suddenly the girl raised a hand to press against her forehead as a trace of black began to trail from the corner of her left eye. Opening her once more Evalin would turn to Rayage. Both eyes looked as if they had been strained, or that she had had little sleep for days, "Was that satisfactory?"

[Rayage]

Rayage watched her closer as if trying to interpret what she was thinking before she could even say it. Of course such abilities were unknown to the Alchemist, but it still could prove useful if she thinks he can read her thoughts. He was amused by the reaction that he imagined getting out of her. Priceless. Though now wasn’t the time for such folly or misguided attempts at control. It was time to test the understanding of the girl, of the intellectual power that she could possess. Did she really comprehend what he was saying, or just nodding and pretending to listen? The latter, of course, most annoying thought made him want to label her a lost cause if she didn’t get it right. He slowed down his thinking it was just her first time. He could allow her a little leeway. So it was decided. Learning magic, any magic, was not an easy task. It strained the mind, the body, and the very soul. It was a power that came with that balance which made magic worth pursuing.

She began concentrating on the stone again. He could sense a vague magic in the air. Though he did not need his auristics to tell what she was preforming because it was he who told her to perform that magic. There was silence as they both watched, looked, one more deeply than the other, but which one no one knew. His mind was rolling as Eva started to describe what she was experiencing in the rock when she connected with it via Auristics. She then looked as if she was going to be ill, and a black tear ran down her face. ”I don’t know, was it?” was the nuits response to his question, ”What did you learn? I don’t care about what you have seen or heard, but what did you pull out of that experience? Did you learn anything? If you haven’t advanced then no, it wasn’t satisfactory. Magic at first is not about pushing yourself to extremes when you are first trying to understand.” he said gesturing to her strained eyes, ”You have to take it slow. Understand and then do, because if you do before you understand then you will fail. Understand the concept first, understand the magic, and once you begin to understand it, to understand its limits, only then will be able to use that understanding to go beyond.” he lectured her.

”To learn magic there is a process, a discipline, an order that all need to understand or surely they will fail. Tell me, what have you learned?” he asked her, looking into those strained eyes, head tilted down looking over her like a looming shadow. Not a light, but a shadow with knowledge of many magical ways. ”Evalin, there is no race to understanding. It comes when it comes.”

”Sometimes patience is a virtue, no?” he asked bending down to take the stone from her hands, ”I believe that you have had enough practice for today. Perhaps go meditate on what you have experienced, what I have told you, and perhaps come to a conclusion all your own?” he asked her, but it sounded more like instruction.

[Evalin]

Evalin visibly deflated upon Rayage's words. Those words... such harsh yet truthful things spoken from lips that taught and hurt all at once. It was true... She had leapt ahead without understanding what she was doing. She had undertaken a task without fully understanding it... she had failed...

Her hands curled into balls as the stone was taken from her, and like a child she was shooed away to meditate. Standing slowly Evalin would offer a bow to the man cloaked in wisdom, her eyes focused on the cold stones, speaking in a soft voice, "I hear our words and... I accept your wisdom. I shall do as you say and meditate on my lessons this day, and think on my mistakes. Forgive my failure, for it shall never happen again." Straightening she would turn, wiping the ebony tear from her eye where the man could not see as she moved to the far corner of the small space. Settling herself down with her back against the wall she would fold her legs beneath her, resting her hands in her lap as she closed her eyes, letting the darkness consume her until the man called for her once more...

*****

Darkness... Silent and unbroken even by the every ticking tock that counted the seconds of time as it flowed every by the figure upon the rivers edge. Evalin was a wayward soul, trapped outside the current and free of its burden. Though... she wondered at times if this was all for the best...

I have become something... grotesque and monstrous... for what? To live for more years? To see my goals to fruition? Her mind grew silent as these words echoed through the emptiness, becoming points of light which she focused in this endless night in her mind, At times I do wonder... Perhaps it would have been better to live a short life than to have taken this curse... This thought was followed quickly by a shouting, a rushing from deep within her soul that blinded all else with an angry red light.

NO! it shouted, thundering through her very being and shattering that feeble self that had ruled just moments ago, Never was it my fait to idly while others yet lived! Never was I to sit and rot in a corner as life passed me by! What foolishness is this? What weakness have I allowed within my soul? Be damned that cursed Fate that locked this mind of steel within a body of tin!

Boiling rage, molten hatred and simmering loathing washed over her, filling her to the brim until emotion made her shake, yet still did she not open her eyes to see the world beyond the darkness, I have grown complacent... What is this now, is it because I no longer feel the press of my dawning death upon my brow? Was it only the sweet kiss of death upon my cheek all that drove me to wish and dream of something more?

Images flashed before her eyes, rushing past in quick succession. A man over her bedside, holding her hand and stroking her hair. Her hands clasped loosely around a piece of chalk, too week even to draw a circle upon the ground... The sounds of children playing outside when she could do nothing but stare up at the ceiling and dream...

Could it be that my weakness was, in fact, that which gave me strength? What a strange notion that strength could be in weakness... yet even so the girl could not shake the feeling that something of great importance had been lost...

Her mind turned to the lesson that had taken place not too long ago, or had it been days? Surely she could not tell any longer for she had sine stopped counting her life by the chime and instead by the endless possibilities. Still though there was a heaviness that sat upon her mind, filled her body to the brim as if she were weighed down by stones, sinking into a river that seemed bottomless. Her eyes ached, and all of her senses felt dulled.

Perhaps this is what the man meant... Perhaps I truly was too hasty and did not understand the risks... Magic was something that Evalin had always considered second nature to herself, and yet... why was it that now she knew so little? The man had truly opened her eyes so that she understood how little she actually knew... How foolish I must seem, like a child who becomes glutenous and greedy when a new toy or candy comes into her possession. I have over indulged, and this weight I feel now is my punishment...

Those words he had spoken run clear in her mind, What have you learned...?

her mind shook free of the magic induced stupor for just a moment to ponder this question. What had she learned? What was there to learn? She had peered at the stone just as he had said. She had described to him what she experienced just as she wised. What more could she learn? What more did he wish of her?

Again she felt shame welling up within her chest at his words to her. His disappointment... was more than she could bear, more than she could withstand, especially now as her mind threatened to be taken by the floating sensation that enveloped her.

What more was there to learn!?

She asked herself, and then her mind stilled a moment, an understanding beginning to dawn, What you see and experience must be interpreted by you... she thought, hinting at Rayage's words earlier about how every person experienced things differently, Thus... what I saw and heard had a reason, but what?

She thought back, her mind slipping through the folds of time to pull from her memory the sight of the stone in her hand. There had been a fog about the aura, yet when she first looked upon the stone it had not been a fog, but a grey light surrounding it. Something more as well... but...

A silver lining... It held a silver lining, yet the other stones held no such thing. For what reason? Again she thought back. What more did she know? What more did she experience? Her brow furroed in concentration as she tried to recall details, It was blurred and... I heard... ringing? Ringing... of what significance was this? What matter it?

Evalin's mind released the images and fell back into darkness, mulling over those bits of information gleaned from her shaken memory, A gray aura... a silver lining and... a ringing. What could it... She paused, mentally piecing together the pieces of the puzzle, The gray... It matched the stones of the wall and floor, thus the gray must... show that the object is a similar stone as the rest of the room. She fought to piece together further clues, The stone it... came from near the Alchemic circle. That is a place where the Man practices his craft. Could it be that... the silver lining represents where the stone originated or... perhaps where it originated gave it the silver lining? Thoughts swirled, amassing to form a clear picture as the pieces began to fall into place, And the ringing... The ringing came from just the stone, and none of the others in the floor or walls. She paused, thinking back further to when her eyes were first opened, There was a sound when my power was released, coming from the man perhaps? Perhaps... Finally the cogs of her mind clicked into place and she was struck with an epiphany, The stone... it was found near the alchemic circle where the man performs his experiments. His experiments require the use of his power to react, so perhaps... perhaps a bit of the man's power was left upon the rock as a result of the countless experiments he has no doubt done around it?

Finally she understood. This art, this power that the man had opened to her. It was nothing more than a new way to see, to hear and to experience the world. It was not something useful on its own, and in fact it required thought and understanding on the part of the practicer to be of use. It was, as Evalin now understood, the art of gaining insight where ones eyes simply fall short...

A new understanding in hand, Evalin felt a swell of pride light her soul as she struggled to restrain her joy. She had NOT failed! Perhaps... perhaps the man would be proud of her soon...

[Rayage]

42 Fall 313 AV

The nuit hadn’t even talked to the girl for a couple days. He instead went about his average day, scribbling on parchment his next big scheme or idea, experiments he had yet to preform and reflections on the past. Though his writing was hampered, brought down… best way to describe it was ‘distracted’ and ‘indirect’. It was like he had something else on his mind. Something nagging at him, something that he couldn’t make go away by willing it, something increasingly wearing on his nerves, annoying… Frustrated by the feeling he got up. No more, he had to heed to it, and so he turned about and went on his task of Evalin.

Finding her in a quiet corner of his small lab he smiled, ”Evalin,” he said clasping his hands together. This was the first word that he had spoken directly to he in two days, and already it was sounding like he was going to command her, ”So, what did you learn from that little lesson?” he asked referring to the events which took place a couple days ago, ”What did you learn?” he asked again that pointed question filled with all sorts of hidden meaning and importance. ”And are you ready for the next lesson, dear?” he asked. Nothing was quite like teaching a little girl how to do magic. It took a special soul, and a good understanding. Luckily Ray had a good head on his shoulders and could do just that.

oocshort post is short. Posted what I had before. What I had after seemed forced, and I didn’t want to control your PC… so yeah. We are getting there

[Evalin]

The darkness was broken by the voice of one whom demanded to be heard. Evalin's body felt stiff from barely moving for the entirety of the two days. Her bones and joints protested as she slowly shifted her arms, and then her legs. With what appeared to be a great deal of effort the girl slowly opened her eyes, but her lids felt if they had stones weighing them down. Looking up to view the man before Evalin took a moment to find the source of her words before she could speak in a soft voice, "I... saw your soul..."

She would pause, seeming to have trouble putting what she thought to voice. Each word seemed weighed heavy with strain, as if they were pulled up with great force of will, "The... Gray aura represented what it was, a stone just like all of the stones here..." Tilting her head she pointed toward the alchemic circle, "The... line speaks of where it was from. Close to the circle where your magics could act upon it, giving it a thin silver lining." Finally her eyes returned to Rayage, and she pointed to him as well, "And the ringing... connects the traces of magic to you. It sounds like your soul... To this last part Evalin seemed to hesitate, before speaking again, "No not quite that either... It simply was in your presence as you worked your magics, so it caught a residual of your soul, but it is a just a faint replica of what you possess..."

She closed her eyes for a moment, touching a hand to her forehead before looking back up to the man who held the keys to the greatest of power. Within her she controlled that flow of energy, pushing it up toward her head just as before, yet this time it took much more time. The djed slipped and trickled between her grasp like water held in the hand. After some effort the girl succeeded, filling her mind with the power and letting a small bit of it trickle to her eyes to reveal the world as it was. For the briefest moment Evalin looked at Rayage as she never had before. His aura was muted tones of gray and black, with the center over his heart burring a deep crimson. Throughout his entire aura there were weavings of silver that matched what she had seen in the stone, and in the background she heard... Ringing... Like great gongs in the distance, loud and full that seemed too big for the space they were in.

A chime would pass as Evalin stared glassily at the man, but closing her eyes she would sever the connection and shake her head, "You sound like funeral bells..." She said slowly.

Evalin allowed her mind a few moments to gather once more, the djed of her body slowly returning to a normal flow and her head clearing before she answered the man's question. With eyes raised and a determined look, Evalin would nod once, standing slowly from where she said, "I am ready. Teach me my dear immortal.

[Rayage]

You sound like funeral bells :

Yes, I am a dork haha but what you said immediately reminded me of Hells Bells

Rayage simply nodded, listening to her every word, ”So you have not only the symbolism, but also have contrived the meanings of such things, have made connections…” he said, cutting himself short of judging her, ”Very good.” he said, only took her a couple days to figure out. If he could do over he would have taught her it ‘better’, yes, this time he would do a better job. This next magic he was sure she would have an interest in, but before he advanced any further he heard that his aura sounded like funeral bells. It amused him. He couldn’t teach her anymore really. He had already told her to focus, for now she had to figure out the magic herself, her own symbols and signs guiding her to a deeper understanding of the world around her. There was nothing quite the thrill of self-discovery, or so the nuit valued over all else. He loved figuring things out for himself, but he naturally was driven towards solitude.

”Funeral bells.”[b] he said, hearing their faint ringing as he tried to imagine what she heard when she saw his aura, [b]”How poetic.” he told her with a slight smile, but it would come out looking morbid by the way he said those last two words. It was as if he approved of the imagery that his aura brought to focus, and although he knew everyone experienced aura differently he hoped, silently, that they would all experience that dreadful ringing when looking upon him with that magic. ”And pray tell, how do funeral bells connect with me, child?” he asked her the loaded question, already trying to figure out the answer for himself, but he wondered what they meant to the child.

Once she would answer his question, if she would answer, he would move on, ”The next magic Im going to teach you is one that I think you will find more use out of than I do.” he told her, ”I am still very new to this magic, but I happen to know, lucky for you, that it is not that hard to learn. In fact, I believe it will be easier than your trials with Auristics.” he said already setting his standards on what he expected from her even though just a couple days ago she overgave. ”This magic is called Shielding. It is the art of crafting three dimensional barriers.” he said, ”these shields can be tasked to do a lot of things, such as blocking out noise, useful for meditation, no?” he asked her, ’Or even block out heat or fire.” he said, ”But,” he raised a hand in the air, ”their main purpose is to block out all forms of djed, a natural defense against magic.” he told her, ”Interested?” he asked, already knowing the answer to his question.

”Shielding is simple.” he told her, those three words sounding more like a challenge than anything else. Things that Rayage thought was simple might not be to Evalin, but did that work in her favor? No, it did not simply because Ray projected his thoughts onto her as his apprentice. She was to be his legacy if he ever died, but nonetheless she would hold onto his magics, great and small. ”It’s the art of molding your inner djed to hold form around an object, tasking the djed to protect the object. Again,” he started, picking up the same stone from before, ’I want you to shield this stone.” he said handing her stone, ”The same stone you had yesterday. I am going to shield an object as well.” he told her, picking up a piece of parchment, ”Then we will delve deeper into the mysteries of shielding.” he said, ’though first, watch, with auristics if you will as shields are normally invisible to the naked eye.” he said, wondering if he could make her have further connections with auristics.

Going over to his desk he pulled out the seat and set the parchment on his lap. He had to take it slow, steady, as he wasn’t too good at this magic yet, step by step he had to remind himself of the procedure that he does in his mind. First he had to get an idea of what he wanted the shield to do. Well that was easy, for a clearly visible example, he wanted the shield to block out light. If light wouldn’t reflect on the paper the parchment would assume to be black and the change, the magic, visible even without auristics. Though he did want her to see the process as he did it. Putting a hand over the parchment in his lap, it hovered mere inches away, not touching. Starting at the top, he then started to visualize his djed going to his arm and pooling in his hand. He willed it, felt it, and knew that it was working, but slowly.

Oh well, this would be time for Evalin to get her Auristic vision ‘warmed up’ as all beginners had quite some time but more importantly concentration for casting. There were many variables in spellcraft, but everything seemed perfect. He wasn’t under stress, he had time to prepare, there was nothing weighing on his mind… All he had to do is manipulate his djed and give it meaning and form. Though first the djed would have to undergo a transformation through the will of the wizard. He had to give it a purpose so it could take on a form of its own, a form molded by the wizard, dictated by the wizard.

Then from his hand came a mist, though it wasn’t a thick mist, it was a slow trickle coming from the center of his palm. It took all his concentration to make even that slow trickle. It collided un-dramatically with the parchment, a little pin prick of the shield setting from upon the paper, the mist clinging to it. With more vigor-thought control the shield creeped along the parchment, his hand moving automatically down the paper, creating a line, a river of shield down the page. Stopping around the middle of the parchment he allowed it to pool and overflow, spreading and covering the page, centimeter by centimeter. If one were to observe the nuit she would see an intense look at concentration on his face.

The djed moved along the paper, curving around the edges and under it instead of spilling over. Once it was in place he tasked it with a thought: block out light. Once the task set into place, the paper faded to black.

Removing his hand he held the paper out for Evalin to inspect. If she was watching the shielding process she would see that the nuits shield held a slight red hue to it, ”Like auras, shields have different looks to them as well. It is all dependent on the caster.” he told her, ”To craft a shield you first must have a purpose for making one. What do you want it to achieve?” he asked, ”I tasked this one to block out light, which is why you can see a visible effect of the shield even though you are not looking at it through auristics.” he explained. ”Visible effects like this are an easy way to confirm that you are doing it right because you can see the results.” he said with a smile. Not that they couldn’t see the shield, as shielders of a higher level can see shields of lower levels.

[Evalin]

He had said it... He told her she had done well, complimented her, accepted her... Evalin's smile broke free, full and filled with the joy of one who had been given the highest of praise. She might have jumped and done other silly things, yet he limbs still did not wish to work as she wished them. Instead she bowed her head, offering the man her most humble thanks for his praise. At his question she would look up, taking a few seconds to think before answering, "Like the bells that ring when someone passes, your words ring out loud and strong, yet... there is a darkness there, a deep and hidden meaning as if there are further things that must be said, yet they cannot be heard, only felt..." It was a pitiful explanation, but in truth Evalin could not think of anything better to explain what she... simply knew. This was auristics, the ability to see more and experience more than one can normally... Oh how she now understood.

Evalin's voice grew silent as the man began to speak, creating wondrous images of a new, most curious form of magic which she had never heard of. Her mind worked in silent musings as she pictured this art in practice, what it could, its possibilities! A smile touched her lips at the man's smilingly obvious question, "Yes."

Simple... Those words rung in her mind as Rayage continued his explanation, and while she listened intently her mind also played with the hidden meaning in those words... That challenge, a test? He wishes for me to impress him, to show him that I am worthy of his time and his teachings... Evalin's nodded slowly as she learned the process of shielding, its subtle art of layering and tasking shields upon items to ward against foreign djed. She accepted the stone handed to her, and she looked down at its chipped and worn sufrace. Only just days ago she had looked at its true essence, and now... now she was to perform another art of magic upon it. An amused smile crossed her lips as she thought, This stone shall have quite the tale to tale...

She would follow the man to his desk, standing a little to the side as he took the parchment and laid it upon his lap. Closing her eyes she summoned the power within her, and with some effort was able to slowly draw it up to fill her mind once more, awakening her senses so that, when she opened her eyes, she could see the man's djed as it poured from his hand. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to concentrate on maintaining her sight, yet even as she watched she could feel it slipping away, however, not before she made a curious discovery, His djed is... red...? Blinking slowly her hold on the power faded, and her sight returned to normal once more. Looking at the man's expression she saw his eyes, cold and hard with concentration as the gazed up a task that was now hidden from her eyes. Then, suddenly before her eyes the paper faded to black, To think that it would be such a profound effect...

Glancing down at the rock in her hand the girl mulled over all that she had seen and heard. She did not respond to the man's questions, but rather gazed at the stone with an intense expression. After nearly a chime had past Evalin raised her hand, tilting her head as she looked at the stone that sat in the center of her palm. Within her body the power flowed, a sluggish pace, but flow it did until it traveled to her left shoulder, falling down her arm to resonate into the tips of her fingers. Raising her left hand to hold it over the stone the girl concentrated harder, her mind a blank as she focused on pushing the djed from the pours at the very tips of her fingers to form thin threads of power. The ends of these threads dangled down until they touched the stone, locking onto it as if coated with a sticky substance. Then Evalin's had began to move in circles, fingers twisted and turning in strange patters, as if she were weaving a web with her hand. These threads coiled and wrapped the stone, layering upon it and merging to form one whole and complete shield about the stone. As she worked the girl began to envision what she wished it to do. To repel djed, to push it away and to block it completely. She pictured the sensations she experienced when she cast her other power, remarked on how it felt to summon djed and to set it alight. Then she wove these feelings and memories into the shield, calling for it to protect the stone against reimancy fire.

Once the weaving was completed, and the shield surrounded the stone, she set it upon the desk and stepped back, raising her hands at her side as she closed her eyes. Her soul responded ever more slowly to the command she gave it, and it took nearly a chime to pull summon the res to collect in the palms of her hands. It was not much, just enough to fill her cupped hands half way. Opening her eyes Evalin whispered softly, an incantation to guide her spell as she called the res to lift and swirl around her hands and wrist, half of it floating to her left palm and the other half finally moving to wrap about the fingers of her right hand. Raising that hand to her eyes for a moment, Evalin smiled softly, whispered a few words more before thrusting her hand forward, eyes upon the stone as the res was sent flying, the whole of it transforming into a tongue of fire about a foot long before smashing into the stone.

The fire parted as it met the stone, shooting to either side to hit the desk and leaving scourges of black where it touched, yet the stone itself seem unharmed. The shield, however, would show a severe crack along its center, but then what else could be expected from a novice performing an art for the first time?

Evalin hissed a command, lifting her left hand and summoning the flames to return to collect around the res in her pal before it could catch fire to anything upon the desk. Releasing her hold on the spell the fire dissipated, and Evalin's eyes sought the man's, "Was that satisfactory?"

[Rayage]

Rayage listened to the explanation that she proposed, ”Funeral bells.” he said again, ”Your mind is so interesting.” he told her, looking at the shield that he had cast upon the parchment. It wasn’t exactly level, in fact there were many imperfections in it. It looked like a map of an area with jagged hills, rolling upon the paper, giving it an extra dimension. The dimension was unseen by those who didn’t have the eyes, though even the darkness upon the page seemed layered somehow it was an odd sort of magic which he had employed. Though it was perfect to show as an example, ”Just starting out, do not seek perfection in this craft.” he said, ”That will get you nowhere. Instead seek to understand the process.” he told her, ”Understand how the reacts and experiment with different styles of weaving the shield. There are many ways to do this…” he said, talking while he watched her fingers work over the rock. The discipline seemed to come almost naturally to her.

He watched on as the djed layered and folded itself upon the rock, her fingers moving like a spiders weaving. Yet, not as practiced or as graceful. He amused himself by daring to ask the question in his head, what was she going to do about objects which couldn’t fit into her palm? The thought amused him, thinking his way of crafting a shield to be faster and more efficient. Certainty the mist of djed wouldn’t leave a spot open like the tiny strands she was producing with the help of her fingers. The wizard in training had a lot to learn before she would truly succeed, that much, Ray knew. Lessons of immortality would come in time, of that he was sure, though he wondered just how dedicated she was to her new life. Surely she respected him enough he saw that through her facial features, when she beamed at even the slightest acknowledgement. Like a lost puppy it was pathetic.

Once the shield was done, then came the first of several mistakes Evalin would make. Setting the stone down on his desk, the nuit watched, the shield itself was just as uneven as Rays own. Then, from nowhere, she summoned more magic which the nuit did not think was the brightest thing to do, especially after overgiving not a couple days ago. Though this magic he hadn’t seen her wield before and was both surprised and astonished that she kept it a secret from him for this long. Fire. She could conquer fire. Not only that, but command it, as was evidence by the girl throwing the flame with such force across the room… and onto his desk where the stone lay. The nuit cursed out loud, as the fire bombarded upon his things, ”You petching moron.” he yelled, jumping back, hurrying to throw his cloak over the fire before it spread any further. What was left was burn marks. The shield, cracked, but then crumbled away, the force of the reimancy magic was too much for it. ”What in the gods name do you think you are doing, girl?” he looked at her accusingly, ”There are papers, research, notes in this desk worth more than your life.” he yelled pointing a finger at her. A rage built up inside him as the close encounter shook him. He was not going to lose his work again. ”Are you stupid, daft, or just plain retarded?” he yelled standing in front of his desk defensively.

”More importantly, what in Mizahar got into you, thinking you can play with fire indoors? No.” he shook his head. ”Never again.” he told her, summoning up djed and concentrating, focusing on the phrase ‘never again’. He chanted it, repeated it in his mind over and over and over again. The chant built up, ‘never again’ replaying over, faster and faster until, for that moment, never again was the only thought in his mind. ”Never again” he told her, using his words to manifest the thought, and through the manifestation djed laced words would be directed at the ill-minded fool, who cast fire at his desk, ”will you cast that magic in here.” he told her, looking her in the eyes, trying to use the power of his presence to completely dominate the space they were in. He wanted her to realize her mistake, he wanted her to respect him and respect his things. No more fire in the Lab. That is all he really asked for.

”Was that satisfactory?” he asked, repeating her last question to him after a couple chimes of silence. He was picking up where they left off as if it never happened, but only a fool would relax their guard. The incident was duly noted and it was a strike against Evalin. ”I ask you again, what have you learned? Perhaps you should go meditate again?” he asked her.

[Evalin]

Words, harsh words filled with anger and rage. Words that tore at the fabric of the girls consciousness, ripped apart her mind and confidence with the sharp edge of spite. Evalin's eyes widened as she listened, was beaten down by each syllable from the man she respected most. From the man whom had given her life, given her teaching, given her... But no it was never to be, or so it seemed.

I-I... I have failed... Again this concept struck her, pained her, consumed her and engulfed her in sorrow and pain greater than any despair she had known. She had displeased the man, brought about this wrath and anger. Would he be rid of her? Would he give up and say she was unteachable? Was she truly unworthy? What would I do if I were cast out now! What... What?

Those feelings of sorrow, guilt and regret welled, growing and intensified, and yet quickly they abated, falling free to be replaced by a new feeling, a new rush of emotion from the depths of her soul. Just as the man uttered those words laced with his manipulative magic it sprung forth from the depths of her being, a defiance that would be the first of many in their long to come relationship, Never... Never do it again? He... He orders me, commands me, demands of me and yet... What right have he? By whose will am I here but my own? No... NO be damned this! It was I who took the chalice of immortality! I who defied fate and overcame death! I who CHOSE this, and he may NOT demand of me that which I would never do! As these rolling emotions uncoiled and surfaced form the depths of her mind the girl's brows would knit together, a mask of rage and fury that could only be called from the unstable heart of a young woman, What I will is my own, not his! This is my life, my dream, my choice! I... I...

A growl from the back of her throat echoed in the closed space as from every pour the girl summoned forth a stream of res, a cloud of power that surrounded her, swirling and collecting about her shoulders, along her arms, fingers and twining in her hair. It looked as if she were surrounded by heat waves, the world distorted when seen through it. A his escapped half opened lips, and the surrounded res ignighted, flowing about her tongues of flame that held within them a core of res that fueled their fire. A force of will like iron directed the flames to spin an arm's length from her body, the res that twined in her hair remained unlit, though held in store for later.

"I am the Immortal Witch Evalin! I shall not be commanded, I shall not be controlled! I hold power, and now I hold within my grasp the time with which to hone it! Foolish man, I cast what I wish when I wish it, and neither you nor the Gods themselves shall direct mine actions otherwise!" Eyes of fire filled with equal amounts of anger and hurt stared at the man, an innocent child's anger at being unable to fulfill her masters wishes. Hissing a command and a steady stream of words Evalin's hands worked in a complicated fashion, weaving signs in the air like a conductor would to his bad. Then with a dramatic air the girl pulled her hands back, suddenly thrusting them forward with the will to directed the tongues of fire as well, willing them to shoot forward and surround the man, encircle him yet staying well enough away that there would be no harm to him. While the flames still spun Evalin turned, yanking the door to the hidden lab open and dashing out. With no one left to command the fire the flames sputtered out, the res dissipated and all returned to silence once more. Not a single mark was left upon the man, nor upon his precious desk or papers...

In the quite of the streets Evalin paused, her eyes turning to look back at the hidden lab from where she had just come. Within her the anger cooled, leaving behind and empty feeling of remorse and sorrow. The girl's hand's trembled from the exertion of res, her body felt heavy, and with just a few more steps she fell against the wall, sliding down to sit in the alley not far from the lab's entrance. Soft whispers called her her, peading for her to try once more, to cast just one more spell. What if this one spell would impress the man? Maybe he would take her on once more?

No... Evalin whispered to herself, pulling her knees up to rest her chin against them, placing her hands upon her head, He... he hates me. I have failed... I am useless... useless to him... From the corner of one eye a single black tear traced down her cheek. She didn't know why she had grown so angry. Why was it she had lashed out so? Perhaps it was simply remnants of her past self, her humanity... After all she was still just a young woman, one who had barely lived to be more than a child at all...

[Verilian]

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. . Thread Award . . Evalin +2 Philosophy +1 Interrogation +1 Observation +3 Reimancy +3 Meditation +5 Auristics +1 Shielding +1 Intimidation Lores: Staring at Rocks, Learning Auristics, The Aura of Stone, Weakness begets Strength, Disecting an Aura, Revelations about Auristics, The Aura of Rayage, Basics of Auristics, Basics of Shielding, Creating a Fire Reimancy Shield Rayage +2 Philosophy +5 Teaching +1 Shielding +2 Hypnotism +1 Intimidation Lores: How to Teach Auristics, How to Teach Shielding, Evalin knows Fire Reimancy, The Immortal Witch Evalin, Evalin doesn't like to be bossed around You Question My Logic? : So, there was a bunch of XP awarded. If you have any questions about it, feel free to PM me. Notes: Cool thread, guys. I really enjoyed reading it, and wasn't expecting the dramatic twist at the end. You have both reignited my desire to play such a character, also, so thanks!