Completed [The Quarters] Rekindled Interest [Kouri]

[Annalisa Marin]

76th of Fall, 513 AV

The room was simply, a small living space provided for only the barest of bare necessities. It allowed storage of items not needed to be carried about every day, a place to sleep, and a place to think. It was an efficient form of simplicity, the reflection of the population of Sahova in every single regard. It was an efficiency she herself could respect if it wasn't to her current detriment.

Annalisa Marin sat cross legged upon the thin mat of the room she had claimed, deep in thought and contemplation. The first night had been odd, to sleep without the crashing waves she had grown used to on the voyage here was actually unnerving in someway. Instead there was only the eerie silence of Sahova, broken only by the occasional sound of working golem machinery and soft echoing footsteps. In a way, the artificial silence had disturbed her more than any sound could.

The night was upon the citadel but that seemed to mean nothing to the tireless Nuit, for she had still seen some at work when she had left the common labs. Anna was almost envious of that tireless drive, the ability to work endlessly without mortal constraints to hold them back. The drawbacks of that life were still close in mind though, warnings Tsaba had provided about the nature of the undead. It was an unnerving existence in her mind, one used to being bound to one form and body. Would Rhysol even accept such a transformation? While curious despite her misgivings risking her god's disfavor was not something she was willing to do.

Her mind was a blur of interest and curiosity, thoughts and feelings kindled by the very nature of the island. While it seemed rough on the exterior Sahova's uses to her far outstripped the risks, risks she faced everyday merely by being what she was. Magic was not safe, it presented an uncertainty every time it was used. That this time could be the one when control was lost, when for a sliver of a moment the desires overwhelmed commonsense was a constant axe over the head of even a master of their discipline.

There was much to learn from this island, and of course much to exploit for the gain of Rhysol. While there were certainly selfish reasons for her coming to Sahova, Rhysol was still her master no matter what occurred. His desires were what she wanted to further while here, the propagation of chaos and lies was on the agenda. Once she had her finger on the pulse of the political climate of this place she could begin to work towards that.

There was one unexpected tripping point currently in her way, however, one thing that was a current roadblock to her lofty ambitions. The Judgment, the way the worthy outsiders were weeded from the unworthy. Anna knew she was worthy, she needed to prove it to the current wizards of Sahova to gain an apprenticeship. That was what she was currently contemplating, how to prove her worthiness.

She knew her abilities in manipulating the elements to be very considerable, power over three prime elements and two para-elements was certainly nothing to sniff at. Combined with her knowledge in Glyphing Anna knew that she could easily gain entrance. Perhaps a display of both talents on a suitable level would increase her worth in the eyes of the wizards? Creating a functional scroll was a mark of skill among glyphers, not massive but certainly it showed inner insight into the potential of the craft. Perhaps such a thing might draw the eyes of the wizards, especially when combined with a display of control over reimancy. Her skills with Voiding were hardly worthy of note, besides that was a wildcard she wanted to play very close to her chest.

Anna sighed and unconsciously brushed her earrings, memories of her bittersweet parting with her mother flooding to her. It had hurt to see her go, even after the frustration and argument thrown into their relationship. The spirit was her only family, possibly the only family she would ever have again and Anna had essentially cast her aside like so many others. Allowing herself a brief moment of humanity in her contemplations, the wizard wondered if her path was one of loneliness. Would she forever walk the path she walked alone? Once she might have welcomed such a thing, but interacting with her mother had changed her perspective somewhat. Regardless, it was a sobering thought as she sat alone in her contemplation.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to distance herself from such distracting thoughts. They were counter productive at the moment, she needed to think about the Judgment and how to overcome it. These thoughts... could be addressed later.

Now is not the time, mother. Once things settle down, maybe... she thought, the words somehow possessing a hollow ring in her mind.

[Fubuki Kouri]

Time seemed to pass slowly in the island of the undeads or at least, it felt like so to the ghost girl. Everyone was not in a hurry here, calmly and diligently doing their duties. There were no complaints, no groan of boredom, no slacking around, and definitely no quitting, it was almost the perfect kind of society. Looking aside the emotionless apathetic demeanor that most of these Nuits had or some of the more ghastly experiments that Vick told her about. Kouri was beginning to think that this "peaceful" society was actually better than Syliras, but nothing could match up to Avanthal, home of the Aurora people and Goddess-Queen Morwen.

She got some free time. Kriem, in her new body, was assisting Master Vick with tasks and Rena was still being held by Wanda as mortgage for her stay in Sahova. Kouri exhaled, her "breath" manifesting as frosty white mist. The whole experience with Wanda utterly shook her very core, destroying the accumulated insanity in her mind and returning her to the quiet Vantha girl from before, albeit more mature. Deep in thoughts, Kouri didn't realize she was heading into the Quarters. Her crimson eyes examining the beautiful ancient architecture. She focused the soulmist on her right hand and rubbed a pillar.

So... who made all of this? There is so much things in the world that I haven't seen yet... Looking on the bright side, at least Morwen blessed her with a powerful soul capable of taking care of herself and other people. How many little girls were actually capable of leading a group of three through the wilderness and traveled all the way from Syliras to Sunberth and then to Sahova? She wasn't sure, but she bet that there's not many.

Thinking on what to do, Kouri opted to familiarize herself more with the inhabitants on the island. Master Vick said that some humans indeed lived here for one reason or another. The "boy"... Kouri got a crush on him, it had been so long ever since she met a boy around her age. Well, Vick "looked" a few years younger than her, but it was obvious he was much older than that, just like Kriem.

"Vick huh... I wonder if he likes me..." She murmured her thoughts out loud in Vani, Kouri was beginning to get interested in terms of romance, mainly fueled by her ever persistent longing for affection. The ghost instinctively tried to get as much love she could get. She already got Rena and Kriemhild, but it was still not enough... she wanted more, she wanted... a friend. Kouri already got the "sibling" and "maid" part covered.

"Oh..." She was lost in her thoughts again, now she accidentally phased through the walls into a barren room. Filled with very little furniture that Kouri cringed at the "simplicity". The ghost was pampered with care and used to the comfortable way of life as a Snowsong, her hair was a proof of that, one couldn't have a hair that long without some form of maintenance in her life. Now that she was a ghost, it was irrelevant now.

She noticed that the room was actually occupied by a woman. A woman with long black hair, she couldn't see her eyes as they were closed at the moment. The woman looked rather sick, maybe it was because of the dead getting to her. She was deep in meditation, but Kouri didn't realize her immense aura of soulmist would scream "Caution!" to the sorceress. Hoping the woman didn't notice her, Kouri silently turned around and was about to leave the room.

Boxcode made by Savio

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna's thoughts on the Judgment were naturally followed by what would come after when she took her place as an apprentice. With the blessings of Rhysol and her own formidable arcane knowledge passing through apprenticeship would likely be rather simple if she played her cards right, danced to the tune Sahova played as it were. If her path was impeded in someway then steps could be taken as needed, ones likely involving subtle curses and either dead or broken rivals. Once she managed to gain some stock in the Citadel though, that was when things might start to get more than a little tricky. The Nuit had been playing on this political stage for centuries most likely, an advantage she most certainly did not possess.

There was no way her ambition could be achieved alone, not even if she managed to master every path of magic open to her now. It therefore stood to reason that allies would be needed later down the line, connections to assist her. Then of course there were a number of other variables to consider, such as magical projects to be worked on and advancement in her own fields. It was enough to make the weight of the situation seem crushing. There was so much to do that it was difficult to tell where she should start.

Anna let out a short sigh, thinking too much about possible scenario's was only going to complicate things. Focusing on the knowledge she already had and the implications of that was her best bet at this point. The Judgment. Succeeding in becoming an Apprentice. That was the important thing at the moment, the rest could be worried about after.

As she took another deep breath she found that the air tasted more chilly than it had been before, an odd change. Her hair stood upon its end, a familiar sensation running down her spine. It was the same feeling she got when one of two things happened, when magic was nearby or a ghost passed near her. Given where she was, Anna could have simply written it off as the former but when her eyes opened and beheld a curious sight her that was cast right out the window.

Tendrils of soulmist curled and twisted around her, her form perfect and powerful. To most she would look to be a normal girl, to one who had met several members of her race the distinction was rather stark. It took every bit of control and composure to avoid drawing a small amount of res into her hands, merely from being in the presence of such a creature. The ill aura about her sent the Chaon's skin crawling and slight trace of fear tingled its way up her spine.

A ghost. A very powerful ghost by the looks of her. More than either her mother or Elaine were, that much was certain just from being near her. Fear quickly melted into curiosity, which prompted her to address the ghost as she began to move away. Anna had gained a fondness for ghosts from Elaine and her mother, a desire to learn more about them and advance in Spiritism.

"Interesting. Of all the things I thought to encounter tonight a little girl was certainly not one of them. Though I have a feeling that you are more than the average little girl, child." The wizard stated aloud.

Anna most certainly did not want to give away any knowledge or experience in dealing with ghosts, especially to one she just met. The ghosts she had met had been benevolent, for the most part, however this one was a very powerful unknown quantity. Unfortunately, if things devolved into violence by some chance Anna knew she was in the worst possible place to defend herself. In a wide open space like the Prairie her reimancy would reign supreme, but here in close quarters Anna felt as though this ghost could rip her to shreds with barely any effort.

So words would be her weapon, they were her only defense here when faced with such a creature. If she was not hostile or malevolent then, Anna had to wonder, could she prove useful?

"Ah! I just came off as quite the ill mannered brute, you'll have to forgive me as sailors and undead tend to cause one to forget the finer points of social intricacies. There is no need for you to go, had I seen you sooner I would have given you a warmer welcome!" She said, slowly standing to her full height.

The wizard offered the ghost a rather overly dramatic bow, a wave of her hand accompanying it. Her façade was sometime rather enjoyable at times, an act that wasn't really an act in some ways.

"I am Annalisa Marin. Welcome to my little spot of Sahova. You'll need to excuse the rather barren arrangements of my accommodations, the Nuits for all their knowledge possess a rather terrible fashion sense." She said gesturing unnecessarily to the small room, a polite smile on her lips.

"To whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?" She inquired.

After being restricted to the Ancient Tongue since her arrival Anna was pleased to be able to allow a flow of articulated common speech to escape her, though her pride was slightly stung by the fool she was making of herself. The wizard never thought of herself as charming, mostly as intimidating and authoritative. She liked being in control, which was displayed by her speech pattern if one looked closely enough. It was a style that delighted in making another less cultured individual feel inferior. As such any sting to her pride was always mitigated.

The wizard's grey eyes watched the ghost carefully, waiting to see her reaction.

[Fubuki Kouri]

"Eh?" Kouri's head perked up when she heard the woman speaking. Most likely to her, who else? They were both the only inhabitants of the barren little room. The friendly nature of the voice compelled Kouri to turn around and face the woman, her large crimson eyes filled with delight. A human not cringing at the first sight of her and greeted her instead? Not many could do that. It was clear the woman wasn't afraid of ghosts because Kouri wasn't in her human disguise. Though she was still a tad bit cautious, this was Sahova, not Syliras, everyone here was more than meets the eye.

The woman spoke in Common, the way her speech flowed suggested someone with quite amount of experience in dealing with people. The woman made it looked like her ghostly state was a positive trait of hers, Kouri could appreciate that. She already accepted her ethereal state as a blessing, not a curse. Giving the woman a polite smile, her little mouth slowly opened, a small puff of chilly white mist flowed as her eerily child-like voice echoed in the room. "Ahahaha~" She put her right hand near her mouth as she giggled, evident of the highborn etiquette her mother gave her.

"I accidentally stumbl-..." She paused, alright, trying to speak too "fancy" in Common was not a good idea, Kouri didn't have the fluency to cover the more advanced vocabularies of Common. Vani was a walk in the park, Common was like a walk in the Sahovan Courtyard, utterly impossible without help. "...went in this room. Ehehe, why, I'm flattered." Good, two seasons of speaking Common actually helped some of her fluency.

"I'm just a little... girl." Kouri realized something, it had been almost two years since she died. While Nuits changed bodies, Ghosts were stuck in a perpetual state of immortality, how many more years would Kouri have to spend as a "little girl"? Vick didn't seem to mind, he was actually fond of using young boy bodies. But that was for another time, perhaps she could alter her own "body" to represent her age more or maybe she could come to terms with it and be a little girl forever. "But yes, I'm not exactly a Vantha anymore, hehe... you can say that I'm one of dead though not a Nuit, but a ghost."

"Woah..." Kouri's eyes narrowed as she struggled to understand what the woman was saying. Some of her Common were far too advanced for her to understand. She understood the last part of her sentence though, the woman wanted her to stay. "Of course~" She entered the room further as the woman stood up. She's... tall! Kouri now could see the woman's towering form compared to her small form. Kouri was a bit shorter than the average humans her age, being a Vantha.

As the woman bowed, Kouri lifted the hem of her dress and politely bowed as well, curtsying to the woman. The woman introduced herself as "Annalisa Marin", Kouri introduced herself as well "Madame Annalisa, an honor to meet you. I'm Fubuki Kouri Snowsong, but you can call me 'Kouri', ehehe~" She lifted her head, her crimson gazing up to the Anna's grey.

"I see..." Kouri examined the room again, it was truly devoid of any decorations, unlike the hallways and Palsa Hydrasa. Letting out another frosty "breath", Kouri cutely sat down on the floor, she decided to spend her time with this woman instead. "So, I'm curious, Madame Anna. Why do some humans live here? I mean.. this place is terrible for you, right? There's no food, no water, nothing. Is it the magic?" she tilted her head, there could be no other reason. Kouri herself came here to get her daggers enchanted by Vick, aside from exploring Kriem's hometowm.


Boxcode made by Savio

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna was pleased by the ghost's reaction, it was favorable to her and it was clear she had made an excellent first impression. The tall wizard waited for her guest to be seated before sitting back down herself, her eyes firmly locked upon Kouri's. Somewhere a twinge of remorse crossed her black heart, that a child was subjected to this fate was rather pitiable. To roam the world until they found some kind of peace, it was certainly not enviable. The feeling vanished as the wizard gave some thought to the dead child's question.

It was rather accurate for the most part, magic was what had drawn some to this island. It was certainly a factor in her own decision, though she had another force beckoning her here. A purpose higher than most, one she intended to see fulfilled. Rhysol desired chaos and even in this place the seeds could be planted.

Of course, she couldn't very well admit to this child who her master was. Most people took a dim view of the god of chaos and lies, not realizing how free in made one to embrace his ideals. Given the state of the living on the island, the wizard had already wondered if it might be possible to breed faithful from their despair. It was another possibility to look into once the Judgment was out of the way.

"Magic plays a part in why many flock to this place, no doubt about that. Sahova is unmatched in terms of magical research, at least from what I have seen thus far. However, I believe that many come here because they feel out of sorts elsewhere. The wider world takes a dim view of magic and here it is a way of life. It makes sense if one thinks about it, though that is mere speculation on my part." Anna answered, shrugging her shoulders slightly.

She was careful to keep direct references to her own motivations out of the explanation, still unaware if Kouri could be used as an asset or not. So far she seemed civilized and cordial, but one never knew what madness lay under the surface. Still, given her previous interest in Spiritism it might prove beneficial to keep an open mind to the possibilities.

"My turn, what brings a charming girl like yourself around Sahova? I can't imagine a ghost finds this place any more hospitable than a human, if the Courtyard is any indication." The wizard inquired, honestly curious.

Step one of getting a feel for this ghost was learning her motivations, such as her reasons for being on Sahova in the first place. From there, if the information proved useful, an assessment of whether Kouri was a potentially new partner in learning more about the nature of ghosts and spiritism could be made. Anna was stuck here on Sahova indefinitely, advancing Rhysol's agenda. If she was going to be here for long it seemed prudent to branch out her research once more.

[Fubuki Kouri]

The room became noticeably colder now with Kouri's presence, Kouri first saw it as a curse, for making the people around her uncomfortable, but she subconsciously ignored it as the time went on. She smiled as she kept eye contact with the tall woman, the woman's friendliness and hospitality were very much welcomed in the apathetic land of Sahova, people didn't chastise her like in Syliras, yet they seemed to not even notice her presence save for a few Nuits. She felt lonely without Rena's presence, Kriem was nice and obedient, but she didn't make a good social partner.

Kouri felt lost sometimes, the mark from Morwen, the one that - most - Vantha got when they were born, was lost upon her death. She felt like the Goddess-Queen had abandoned her, leaving a child of hers wandering around the world in a state that couldn't be called living nor dying. But Morwen was a kind Goddess, she would not do that, Kouri would not be granted all of these amazing powers at such a young age and just a short time after becoming one of the ethereal dead without her intervention, right?

Back to the matter at hand, Kouri had found herself a potential friend in this foreign land, a human friend nonetheless. She seemed wise and knowledgeable enough about magic, she was also capable of sharing her opinion, unlike Kriem's matter-of-fact answers. "Oh~ So... Sahova is the greatest magical place there is? Ehehe~ I can see that. However, nothing beats Avanthal!" She pumped her right fist to the air, small puffs of white mists departing her lips, somewhat showing how the people there would breath in the frozen city.

"Mhm~ I understand, most people sees magic as a terrible thing, especially Sylirans." She had experienced it firsthand. A knight crushing the hand of a man who used magic to defend herself from an arrogant squire. Most of the populace there also chastised her for her state, only select few people were actually kind to her, but that was in the past, she was away from that cramped up fortress now. It was very unlikely for her to come back there, she got nothing left. She could only hope Madame Atta, owner of the Flower Stand and Kouri's former boss, would not be worried about her.

"Well uh..." Kouri wasn't sure how to explain regarding Anna's question. She was here mainly to see Vick, explore the wonders of magic, visit Kriem's hometown, doing all that together with Rena. Those plans were crushed with Wanda did to her, well, Kouri brought that on herself. What... I... She could feel tears pooling in her large eyes, Anna's question brought that painful memory from a few weeks ago back to her. Rena was all alone and suffering, paying for her older sister's misdeeds while said older sister was happily wandering around the island.

"*Sob*..." She couldn't hold it back after all, a crimson tear fell from her right eye, curiously disappearing once it reached her chin. "I... I'm here to m-meet Master Vick w-with R-rena and Kriem, b-but uh... I... had been a b-bad girl s-so... Mistress Wanda d-d-d..." By Morwen, it was so hard to speak of that unspeakable act of cruelty "d-dusted her a-as my punishment." Kouri couldn't speak of this anymore, she curled up, hugging her knees and putting her chin on top of it.

The room's atmosphere felt even thicker as the ghost girl's emotional balance was disturbed. "I... I'm sorry... I will not do that again..." She spoke to herself, acting as if Anna was the master spiritist. It was a necessary "evil" on Wanda's part, Kouri's insanity had to be torn down, it would hurt, she would suffer, yes; but it was all for her own good.

Boxcode made by Savio

[Annalisa Marin]

So far Anna was seeing a lot she could work with in dealing with this young ghost, given her apparently emotionally unstable state. She had no idea where this so called Avanthal was so the wizard let that slide, doubting the place could be as magnificent as the Citadel. However her view of Sylirans was interesting to some degree.

The wizard had researched various places throughout the region in the library, Syliras was one of these places. A fortress city of order and peace, it had sounded like a society weak enough to make her vomit rather violently. Dedicated to outdated and frail principles, unable to withstand the power that came with change and chaos. Given that they apparently were especially paranoid of magic she saw very little reason to regard the favorably. She wrote them off as a society of unthinking fools and moved on to observing other things about this ghost.

Anna had to suppress the desire to allow a predatory grin to cross her features, emotionally unstable and wracked with sorrow? Oh, this was most certainly looking very favorable and extremely easy. Her attention was caught by the word 'dusting', an unfamiliar term used in an odd way. Further investigation would be needed, it sounded like a rather bad thing for a ghost as Kouri used it.

She offered the ghostly child a look of sympathy, followed by a slight sigh of disgust.

"Such a tragedy. To commit such cruelty upon one like yourself, to mar your brow with sorrow in anyway is quite the crime. Though, most everyone here has likely experienced something similar. I know I have, and I know I've been made stronger for it. Mourn now, but do not let your sorrow command you and paralyze you as that can destroy you." The wizard advised.

Anna knew from experience what crushing despair felt like, after betraying Velia the depths of self loathing that had fallen upon her had been crushing. Of course, Rhysol had been there to teach her the truth of her nature and uplift her from that dark place into the light of his glory. If she played a similar role here, albeit much more carefully, then the results might be favorable. It was simply a matter of choosing the right words.

"This is a question I once asked myself, a time removed from this one, what is my purpose? Why am I here? Once I found the answer to that everything became clear, once I was shown the path I found a form of clarity and acceptance within that path. However, while I was shown the path I belonged upon it fell to me to walk it." She explained, nodding slightly.

"You are broken now, but I know how you may reform yourself. I can give you some direction towards a purpose. Confide in me. I'll help you however I am able, Kouri, and to the best of my abilities." The tall wizard urged, peering into the crimson pools of Kouri's eyes.

Anna saw some potential here for a fair bit of manipulation, as heartless as it seemed to manipulate a crying child with promises selfish in nature Anna believed that the ghost could truly benefit from this as well. Perhaps she could move beyond that pain and find a new purpose, though the wizard would do everything she could to shape that purpose to benefit both her and Rhysol. A powerful ghost could be a potent tool, one that could further the goals of chaos.

[Fubuki Kouri]

"*Sob*..." Kouri let out another sob, her voice lingering perhaps a bit too long in the air compared to normal humans. Her long alabaster locks magically moved by itself and covered her own body like a blanket. Oh come on! What am I doing? I promised Rena to protect her! I can't do that with being a crybaby like this! Kouri slowly stopped crying and shook her head, she was done being depressed. She held immense power, even Wanda admitted that, did her acting like this befit someone who could decapitate a full-grown man effortlessly? No, it didn't.

She lifted her head, gazing back at Anna, her crimson tears gradually vanishing from her powder-white skin. The woman must had took pity on her, giving her words of comfort, Kouri appreciated that, she really did, but she had enough of being the scared little girl. She may looked like a little girl, but she was a big sister now and a Mistress to Kriemhild, she should act like it "I'm sorry, Madame Anna." Her voice shifted its tone, still high-pitched and child-like, but no longer held the shaking and quivering nature, it was like a mature woman's tone with a little girl's voice "That was poor of me to act like that..."

"I know, I know its cruel, the world is cruel, so that's why I strive to do good, to vanquish evil wherever I may go." She stood up, though with her small stature compared to Anna, it didn't make much difference to their eye-level. "I can agree with the Syliran Knights on this, they are good, they are protecting their people." She smiled, a determined smile of someone with a new purpose in life.

"Oh?" She tilted her head, curious, this woman knew on how to reform her? To give her a purpose? They barely knew each other, this brought a tinge of suspicion to the girl's eyes, her crimsons narrowed slightly "You want to guide me, Madame Anna? I appreciate the thought... but.." She approached closer, her locks trailing behind her "We barely even know each other until just moments ago..." Kouri had enough of being the gullible little girl, she was tricked too many times because of it. Almost everyone who promised to be with her disappeared without a trace, Master Cyrus, Sir Klaus, Madame Azcadelia, among many others.

"So... I ask you, Madame Anna, why do you want to help me?" The echo of her voice sounded interrogating "What would you gain from it?" She wanted to trust in the woman, but Kouri barely knew anything about her aside from her name "Or... are you a Spiritist who wants me to 'move on'?" If it was that, Kouri was tired hearing that over and over. She was not done here, she still had so much things to do, why would she move on? To just give up and let evil run rampant? It would require Avanthal to melt first before she even considered that.

Boxcode made by Savio

[Annalisa Marin]

So the ghost was not as gullible as she had first seemed, much more mature than expected even. Though that was Anna's miscalculation, her eagerness had been perhaps too much as had been her assumptions. She felt her stock of the ghost rise slightly, it was clear there was more to her than met the eye. More that she could use most likely if the situation was salvaged.

"Move on? Pah! I'm a selfish creature, Kouri, and you think my reason's far too noble. While I have certainly dabbled in Spiritism in the past I felt no desire to help my own mother to move on, knowing that she would leave when she felt it was her time. The same applies to you, who am I to say you need to move on?" She said with a shrug.

"Though, if I seemed forward then you have my apologies. I suppose I simply dislike seeing a girl as charming and polite as you wracked by sorrow. You are free to do as you wish of course." The wizard affirmed.

"My own gain would be better understanding of spirits like yourself, not to help them move on for only they have the will to do that. No, rather I want to harness that power alongside a ghost who would help me and in doing so achieve a partnership beneficial to both. A symbiotic relationship where the two are made stronger for their bond." Anna explained at length.

Her experiences with ghosts had been... less than ideal in terms of research, leaving her with more questions than answers. Possession was powerful, her mother had easily controlled her body like she would a puppet. Was it then possible for a relationship of mutual coexistence possible? A ghost taking residence in the body? Allowed to possess nigh unlimited power via Soulmist generation by a skilled Spiritist? They were theories worthy of testing in her mind.

Her tone was still warm, but her grey eyes allowed some weariness within them. Sahova was both wonderful and terrible at the same time, it was a great bastion of magic but it was also likely to kill her.

"Bah! I am a poor host for bringing up such topics, you must excuse my rather untoward forwardness. I have forgotten how to address proper company. Let us speak of other matters. You mentioned a place called Avanthal. Where is that? Your home?" The wizard asked after a moment of silence, changing the topic of the conversation quickly and decisively.

It had been her mistake to move too quickly, best to avert her attention before the situation degenerated. Moments like these reminded her that she was still largely an unproven Chaon, marked for potential and not for the number of terrible deeds carried out in Rhysol's name. She'd let her interest in ghosts get the better of her, hopefully it was something easily salvageable. If not... then there were certainly other ghosts with which to deal with and other magic to test, such as her much neglected Voiding.

Kouri was a creature that could likely possess the potential to cause much chaos in Rhysol's name, but so were many. It all came to flexibility and willingness to accept the freedom of his teachings.

[Fubuki Kouri]

Kouri's crimson eyes narrowed just a tad bit further, Madame Anna somewhat acted like Master Cyrus, trying to charm the ghost girl into believing and relying on her. If the feelings were sincere, then Kouri would have no problem at all in doing so, but in the end, Cyrus couldn't keep his promise, he disappeared. What was preventing Anna from doing so as well? She didn't want to experience another heartbreak. So the woman was a Spiritist after all, her curiosity grew, she was starting to believe that Anna was really trying to urge her to move on, only to recall her words once she "sensed" that the little girl was not her run-of-the-mill ghost. As far as Kouri knew, spiritists could sense ghosts like a bloodhound to scent. With this knowledge in her mind, the ghost girl's demeanor became cautious, her eyes not so relaxed like before. "Yes, Madame Anna..." She still tried to be polite. While it was no wonder the woman approached her with such generosity, she was a Spiritist, Kouri still appreciated the friendly gesture. "You know, I have met many spiritists trying to tell me just that." The memories regarding the faces of various Spiritists she met in her travels resurfaced, some of them pleasant, while some of them... not so. "Some of your kind understood and backed off, while some..." She had killed before, and that involved violent spiritists as well "Let's just say that it didn't end well for them." A tinge of regret coated her child-like voice, with her mind cleared of arrogance and power delusion, she realized she had been acting very, very violent and vicious in the past. Her hands were stained with the blood of humans and animals alike, but thankfully, she never killed innocent sentient beings before. It was always slavers, bandits, pirates, and hostile spiritists. Anna offered partnership, this was basically the same situation as Cyrus, Kouri saw Anna as Cyrus in female form. Power, ambition, partnership, they were the same. The ghost girl was not gullible and naive anymore, while she was still interested in working with a friendly spiritist, Kouri was not ready to lay all of her knowledge to Anna, at least not until Anna herself shared her secrets. "I'm... interested in it, Madame Anna. However, I must be sure I can trust you before I commit myself... what can you offer me in return?" She was a Spiritist, right? Surely she could provide her with something. An enchanted dagger? A trinket? Anything fancy and magical would do. Kouri let out a small giggle escaped her lips accompanied by the usual frosty white mist. Anna's habit of using exclamations rhyming with "Bah!" amused her, her mother would berate her for speaking like that. If only this woman could understood Vani, Kouri could show off her articulate and flowery speech... but alas, the lyrical language of the Vantha was not universal enough. Speaking of Vantha, now Anna was interested in her heritage. Kouri smiled, the woman interested in the Aurora people gained her favor, a good relationship should start with knowing each other's history "Yes, Madame Anna, Avanthal or Avanthal in Vani is a beautiful place in Northern Taldera! It's ruled by the Queen Morwen, Goddess of Winter. She is the best Goddess there is! She is loving, caring, and gentle!" Sure there would be no better God or Goddess than Morwen herself. "Our people are called Vantha, our language is called Vani, ehehehe~ I'm conversing in Vani right now, can you understand me? No? That's a shame you cannot comprehend the beautiful speech of the Vanthas." She giggled again, Kouri felt rather proud, being one so fortunate to be born as the most beautiful human sub-race of them all. "You know, Avanthal is most well-known for its aurora! Even our eyes represent them, you see, Vantha eyes could change colors on their own..." Her voice sounded a bit sad as she spoke the sentence, Kouri - technically - lost that trait when she died, though she could shift the color of her eyes, she must do so consciously now, she didn't want to bother. "Well, since I'm already dead... I can't really do that without consciously commanding my eyes to change." She rambled on and on about Avanthal, basically speaking of the Frozen city like it was paradise itself. After a few more chimes, Kouri realized she was being impolite so she concluded her story. It was Anna's turn now. "What about you, Madame? Where are you from? Ehehe~ Tell me about it!" If the woman was truly interested in partnering with her, she should answer truthfully.