Steaming Water and Serpents Galore

by **Evalin** on May 20th, 2014, 9:55 pm

67th of Spring, 514 AV
Location: Zinrah

Evalin's hand trailed along the wall of the barely lit tunnel, proceeding slowly so as not to slip and fall down the gentle slope before her, "Where is it we go Tsenrika..." She whispered softly, touching the gem that hung from her neck.

Know I not. This tunnel is one you have never been, and so I am unfamiliar with its outcome.

"We turned left at the stalagmite that twisted back on itself, just as always. Surely we have been this way before." Evalin frowned, at once glad she had left her staff in Aka's Cavern and feeling a bit defenseless without it.

The stalagmite you turned at twisted counterclockwise back on itself. The one you are referring to twisted clockwise. His matter of fact way of saying it annoyed the nuit slightly, but she could not feel anything great against the Familiar. He only spoke the truth, or at least what he believed the truth to be.

"But before that you said to take the right most tunnel after the tunnel that lead back toward the entrance." She continued to argue, but she could already tell where it would lead.

I did, but you proceeded down the tunnel just before the rightmost tunnel. The tunnel that you were meant to take was partially hidden by the rather large Dhani female who spit at us while we past.

"Oh, thats right... Remind me to kill her when next we meet."

As you wish.

But still the fact remained, Evalin had no idea where they were. With a sigh Evalin looked back at the tunnel, not enjoying the thought of having to walk back up those slippery slopes. However, just as she began to set her mind to the task a sound caught her ear. A spash, the sound of voices? From where? and why were they this deep into the tunnels?

Curiosity overcame the nuit as she continued down this tunnel for a ways more, the echos of the Cavern causing the sounds to carry much farther than normal and so it was several chimes before she turned the final corner and found... A large lake of some sort?

"Strange..." Evalin whispered, stepping out into the cavern. It was well lit by Zinrah standards, and the colors of the light reflected off of the rippling lake, "What is something like this doing here?" She slowly approached the waters edge, kneeling down to dip a finger in the liquid, and quickly pulled it out.

"Its warm." She whispered in surprise.

This appears to be a bath of some kind.

A bath? Then, for the first time Evalin looked around and noticed. The room was filled with Dhani. All shapes, and all sizes, lounging on the warm rocks or swimming through the lake, causing the ripples the Witch had noticed before.

"A bath..."

by **Evalin** on May 21st, 2014, 6:20 pm

Serpents slithered all about, basking on the warm stones in places while their Dhani formed Brethren slipped into the waters and soaked their scales past the waist. There was light conversation here and there, but it appeared that most were content to lounge and rest in peace. Looking Around Evalin could only name a handful of the Dhani, but a few she recognized from around the nest and acquaintances of Aka whom she had entertained from time to time.

How curious... Evalin looked back at the water, dipping her fingers in the warmth once more, They gather here to simply bathe together. What an odd custom.

Perhaps it is only odd to those who do not share this culture. Tsenrika offered.

Evalin shrugged, allowing the subject to rest as she slipped off her shoes, moving to the edge of the water to dip her feet into the warmth. She kicked her feet a moment, somehow amused at the sounds of splashing as she wiggled her toes, It is a shame such things such as this... It would be ruinous for my body.

Such is the price that is paid my Master, but bathing seems dull and pointless. Merely lounging in the heated waters. I would care for it not. But of course, Tsenrika was a creature of ice and cold. Of course he would find the heated waters uncomfortable. yet still, it made Evalin smile a bit to hear him speak this way.

Yes, perhaps it is for the best. I have no way of preventing the waters from harming my... body... She paused, her thoughts clicking into place as a sudden idea struck her and Evalin stood and chuckled, heading back for the tunnel, Or perahaps, my dear Tsenrika, we simply need to wear the proper protection.

by **Evalin** on May 21st, 2014, 7:08 pm

Evalin carefully folded her robes and set them on top of a stone in the tunnel where she came from. Once she was sure they were out of plain sight she also undid the chain from around her neck, setting sealed familiar on top of the clothes gently and with much care. Then she straightened, fully nude now, and closed her eyes, clasping her hands in front of her chest.

Doubt I the success of this attempt. How many years has it been since you last attempted this art?

At least two. Evalin said simply, Yet still it intrigues me. I have not tried this in some time. Are you not curious if it could work?

Curious indeed, yet I would wish for my master not to be pulled under the waters and drowned. There is little I could do in which case.

Evalin smiled because she could sense the smallest hint of a joke in the Familiar's words. After all, as a nuit she could not drown anyway. At worst she would become waterlogged and quicken the day she had to search for a new vessel ever closer. But still she began to quiet her mind, trying to focus on the task at hand. It was true, Evalin had not tried shielding in a very long time, and she was less than a novice at it. Still, surely it would not be THAT difficult to create something that would prevent water from getting through. Surely...

As she calmed her mind Evailn tried to feel the magic. To pull it from within her, to make it swirl... and there was no response. Evailn frowned but kept her eyes closed, trying to remember how it went. Shielding was unlike any of her other magics. It required different thoughts to activate, and called forth different sensations through her body. How had she done it before?

"Enough of your doubts. Be as the ice. Cold and defiant, shifting ever forward. Strong, mighty. Confident." Evalin felt hands brush her shoulders and across her chest, pausing there as the voice whispered, "I shall seek out those memories with you, and we shall accomplish this task you have set. Be you not concerned."

Tsenrika had taken replicate form and was gently probing her djed, searching out something there. There was an odd tingling sensation at her naval that then traveled up her spine, and as she felt this her mind was brought back to the past centuries before in the lab of her creator. She remembered sitting there, the little stone in her hand. What had she done?

This was before your other magics had grown to what they are today. Your djed was more easily shifted, more pliable and subjected to the changes required for many disciplines. Since that time your djed has become focused on those magics you chose to master. Now, as you seek out this old magic your djed believes you wish to summon up the power of one of these other disciplines. It is simple muscle memory of sorts... But let us work past this now and...

Evalin felt the tingling sensation again, and now she grabbed for it, twisting her mental fingers around this strand of djed which lead to some part of her magic that had not been toyed with in a very, very long time. It was like opening a door that had been closed for too long, its hinges rusty as they protested loudly at this action. Yet, she pulled harder, her face a mask of concentration as she summoned this magic to her fingertips until sudden she felt it. A rushing, a light filling her with a mixture of warmth and strength.

"Shielding is the magic of protection, and so it cannot be called upon with sheer force of will or rage or hate. It requires a set task, a purpose. From its feel, I believe I shall enjoy it quite a bit indeed."

by **Evalin** on May 21st, 2014, 7:27 pm

Evalin opened her eyes and unclasped her hands, looking down at her fingers as she did. The tips of her fingers tingled slightly as she felt a small trickle of djed coming from them. She could not quite see it, however, though she knew what it was. It was the magic of shielding, brought to the forefront of her mind. The art she only knew in passing. Faintly she wondered if she would be able to do what she intended.

Tsenrika was crouched in front of her, wearing her face as usual, and his fingers felt warm and left slight tingles on her skin where they touched. It seemed he had noticed the magic as well flooding through Evalin, "You wish to prevent water from touching your skin?" There was really no need for him to ask, but perhaps out of habit he did.

"Yes." Evalin nodded, holding her tingling hands out to her sides, "Just a thin covering, so that I can experience this 'bathing' that seems to bring such enjoyment to the Dhani."

"Very well, then I shall assist you. Begin the magic, and I will do what I can to ensure its effectiveness."

Blinking, Evalin looked between her hands, feeling the odd sensations as her djed began to pore forth. What was she supposed to do? Shields had to be layered over something right? Then, perhaps she could just...

Evalin cupped her right hand, letting djed pull there before pressing it against her body, spreading it slowly over her chest, bringing her left hand to help. The djed felt cool to the touch, and as she looked down she noticed there was a slight shimmer to it. In places the shield looked almost... black, but just as quickly it became clear once more. It was odd. Evalin began to smooth this djed slowly over her body, starting over her breasts and working her way down. Tsenrika moved behind her, summoning from her own supply of djed and began to do the same to the back of Evalin's shoulder's down. The work was slow, tedious and was like spreading thick porridge evenly across a surface. Thick and sticky porridge that did not spread easily. The time it took to get to the bottom of Evalin's feet was roughly 2 bells. Two bells of work, and the end result was a lumpy, uneven shield that was in some places too thin, and in others so thick that it might hamper her movements slightly. The bottoms of her feet were the worst, and when Evalin tried to stand she nearly slipped. The shield did nothing for traction, and the bottoms of her feet were unevenly distributed, causing her to wobble slightly with each step. Still, despite the peculiarites of her walking abilities Evalin hoped that it would work.

As she produced the djed of the shield she had whispered soft incantations, pulling to her mind the visions of water, of wetness and rain and tasked the shield to keep out all such things. Water will not touch me. Water will not hold me. This she repeated over and over again until the end of the entire process.

"It is well enough I suppose..." Evalin declared, looking down at herself, "But far from perfect."

"Such is to be expected from an art that you have not practiced since your creation." Tsenrika replied, sitting on the rock with her clothing, "But perhaps it shall do as you intend. I shall await you here Master. Enjoy your bath, if you are able." Another subtle joke? The Familiar seemed to be in quite the mood this day.

by **Evalin** on May 21st, 2014, 7:40 pm

Evalin begin with just a foot. Just one foot which she slowly lowered over the edge. Then she dipped in the next. She kicked her feet a moment, amused by the black sheen of the shield over her body that shown with each movement. She could still feel the heat. She knew she should feel wetness, but there was a very distinct lack of it now. Shifting her but against the stones Evalin lowered more, and more, and more of herself into the water, using her arms to keep from falling in, until she finally stood up in the water, the warmth reaching a little past her waist.

Keeping her arms slightly raised Evailn looked down at the rippling water, a bit of wonder filling her at the complete lack of wetness she felt. It felt warm, a fact that Tsenrika clearly disliked and made it known through their bond, but beyond that it felt just the same as if she were standing on land. She slowly lowered her arms into the water next, and then bent her knees slightly, letting the liquid take her weight more and more so that she half floated in a crouched position.

Looking to her left she saw a Dhani female hissing in delight as she lowered herself to her nostrils, eyes closing as she did, and so the nuit tried closing her eyes as well. Resting her back against the wall Evalin set her head back against the stones, eyes closed, and simply felt the heat of the water. It was... Evalin wasn't sure what it was to her. Sitting in heat, eyes closed, doing nothing. Was it enjoyable?

Evalin noticed some of the thinner layers of the shield were already coming undone, and it had barely been a chime. She perhaps only had half a bell at most, if she were lucky and she continued to feed djed to the shield in those failing areas.

How is the waters? To your liking?

It is warm, nearly unbearably so. Evalin replied, her eyes still closed, And there is little to do besides sit and ponder, which can be just as easily done on land without risking bloating should these shields fail.

I see. the act of bathing, as I thought, is surely a waste of time. Shall we continue back to the Cavern?

In... just a few more chimes Tsenrika. Just a few more chimes...

by **Catastrophe** on May 22nd, 2014, 8:05 pm

Evalin :

Notes :

Solo Steaming Water and Serpents Galore