A Game of Knowing (Izuyanai, please)

[Thomas Cosa]

76th of Winter, 515 AV

Thomas had a plan. He'd decided to play teacher to the Izuyanai-Kelvic, all in the name of magical advancement. It was an interesting proposal: exactly how long could the Kelvic manage before she broke? And even more interesting: how would overgiving manifest in a sub human? As far as the wizard knew, none had entertained the thought of teaching them magic on Sahova, so him being the first to conduct such an experiment, all the better.

The lesson would be simple today, more tongue-in-cheek than actual education. They would be testing each other's auras for lies and truths, each one learning to read the other like a book. Thomas would use it as a way to learn to control his own emotions and aura as well, considering people like Alses and Ald'gare patroled the halls of Dusk and the streets Lhavit, he would do well to learn to hide himself somewhat.

He was sitting in a desk that faced an empty one, a large window opened to the west, sunlight pouring in, dripping everything in bright yellows. All he could do now was wait for the creature to show herself.

[Izuyanai]

Izuyanai knocked and entered her assigned class room much like the very first time she had her lessons in the Towers. Much like the first time, she also had a notebook and writing material. Of course she remembered Thomas’ reaction, however, she took satisfaction in believing that she was subtly resisting his regime as teacher. Squinting in the bright light from the window, Izuyanai made her way to what must be her place for the day. “Good afternoon,” she said pleasantly, letting the sound linger in the room. The days leading up to this next meeting had been very boring. There had been too much snow outside and almost everyone had gone home from the Respite in celebration of the next festival. With no way to entertain herself, the kelvic had turned to her studies in earnest. However, that could only last so long. This excursion outside was refreshing and a change of pace from the quiet halls of her dorm. Izuyanai inquired, "What sort of assignment did you have in mind today?”

[Thomas Cosa]

Izuyanai was obscene in a halo of twilight satisfaction; purple hues dying the brilliance of her aura. Whatever the cause of her emotion, Thomas was determined to squash it. Did she think herself smart, accomplished, after one lesson? Or had she managed some trick that her mind lingered over, a memory the cause to her newly brightened colors?

"I think a game might be better than a simple assignment," he answered coolly, his eyes darting to her held notebook and writing materials. "And I would hope you would be smart enough to retain some of what I said last time, Izuyanai. Bring the notebook again, and the first thing I'll do is toss it into a fire," Thomas threatened, annoyed she hadn't been paying attention when he'd spent time to explain what was expected of his novice students. Those that were already practiced in Auristics wouldn't be needing notebooks or pens; theories were to be taught to the uninitiated only.

He gestured to the seat in front of him, a smaller seat than his, "I call this the Game of Knowing. We'll ask each other questions, tell truths and lies, and we'll have to figure out which is which. A good practice for discovering the subtleties of the aura, I believe. We can play a few rounds before we end for today," he paused, considering the Kelvic again. Would she be able to recognize the symptoms of her overgiving? "I can't imagine you'll last long without overgiving, and I won't be held responsible if you do. You should, at your level, at least be able to prevent the more permanent damages," he shrugged, fingering he the dents on his desk. With all the money the Dusks in their accounts, it was a wonder the state some of the classrooms were in.

"If you'd like to ask a question first?" Thomas asked, his own magic bubbling around as it began to envelope the Kelvic before him.

[Izuyanai]

The corner of the raven's mouth twitched as she fought to conceal her smile. Not unlike the cheek of an adolescent who knew they had been caught in wrong doing but either didn't care for or fear the punishment. She wondered if she should test his threat by bringing it again next time. Only with a twist. A surprise if he did throw it into the fire. But what was that about a game? "I apologize. It's just a habit of mine," she quickly dismissed. Izuyanai listened interestedly as Thomas went on to explain his game. The Game of Knowing, he called it. Just the title certainly sounded promising, and the rules didn't disappoint either. "That certainly sounds like an interesting method of learning. If we correctly accuse a lie, do we get to hear the true story?" she wondered. It seemed as though the deciding factor in this game wouldn't just be about magical skill. If that were the case, she would stand no chance against her teacher. Instead, it was about control, a battle of wits, mental tactics, and ultimately how well one could deceive themselves. After all, if they were to be reading auras, the only way to avoid detection was to alter what her aura gave away. Thomas' uncaring warning of overgiving cut through her thoughts and brought Izuyanai back to the present. The kelvic had never had any horrifying experience with overgiving before. She had only suffered a severe headache at worst as caution should be the very first principle in using magic. However, that was when she had been practicing individually. With this sort of challenge in her way, there was that dangerous possibility of getting carried away. Mind whirling at the chance to ask the first question, Izuyanai took a moment to strategize. Eyes trained on Thomas, she quietly gazed on while considering the possibilities. What needed to be done? An inconsequential question would make it easy to forge a false answer to. Perhaps something to unnerve her opponent. It would be a perfect way to make it difficult for him to lie and have a harder time detecting her own deceits. Two birds with one stone as they said. Something that might be unwelcome to her opponent would be personal questions. However that was too broad and it wasn't unusual for people to be reserved about themselves. She may as well satisfy her actual curiosities until she had more telling leads. Letting the magic spark and sputter, Izuyanai coaxed it into a steady flare and let her auristics settle around Thomas. Weaving in and out along the surface, she sought to gauge as much detailed information as she could. Focusing on the emotional aspect of the aura, the raven detected the usual harshness that even the densest of sentient beings could surmise. That combined with his aura of cool disdain was uniquely Thomas-esque. There was however, an unfamiliar intensity. Something like interest or focus. Surely it was focus in preparation for their game. "Hmm," she started finally, leaning slightly on one elbow as she phrased her question. The raven's eyes shone with a mix of curiosity and challenge. "How do you come to be employed in the Towers?"

[Thomas Cosa]

"Would you be rewarded so easily?" Thomas scoffed, visibly annoyed at her assumption. "The game itself is a show of what Auristics can accomplish, Kelvic. Use it to gauge a person's responses, to understand the right questions to ask. Play the game right and you'll know the truth well before your opponent knows you do. This magic we share is so much more than a lie dector," his magic enveloped her easily, her aura already known to it, flooding it as it demanded it's information pushed forward to the surface, "Use Auristics correctly, and you'll encounter very few who can hide anything from you," Thomas watched as she digested this, peaked by his own curiosity. Would she feel hungry for the power this magic could offer? Did Kelvics feel ambition? Luckily for him, the answer for that question and more floated before him within easy reach.

Light silver beads collected like due over the hazy grey veil that was her aura: conscious thought. His mouth twitched into a quick smile before he caught himself, knowing it better to keep his face neutral. Thomas was unfortunately expressive, and while in most circumstances he didn't care, he played the game to win. While he had obviously little control when it came to his own aura, the best he could do was hide his emotions from his face. He wouldn't give her anything but whatever she could pry from his aura. Student or no, her accomplishing anything met he was losing.

Her question was not entirely surprising, but it was a boring tactic. It would work well enough, he admitted sourly, and he wasn't entirely unimpressed she was able to think of anything at all. "The same as the others, I would guess. I was skilled enough to pass my interviews swimmingly, and was offered the position," Thomas shrugged, internally fighting to hold on to his pride loudly enough to block the obvious purposeful lack of information. It was a small theory he'd hoped to try, intentionally feeling an emotion in a desperate attempt to block out any other. If he was lucky, and it worked, the attempt might be worth investigating. He would need something to go against Alses in the future.

The wizard had thought over his questions before she arrived, and only allowed a few seconds to pass as he pretended to consider what to ask, "You mentioned last time that you were close to your brother, dead now, and your sisters didn't care for you," he started, hoping to kill whatever control she had over her emotions early on, making her aura more prone to his magic, "Was it just them, or did the rest of your family hate you as well?" He asked, making an effort to make his face show obviously condescending pity. It was a natural enough face for him, but to demand it from his facial muscles was awkward.

[Izuyanai]

His dodge of the question had been disappointing. 'Couldn't he weave a more detailed and exciting tale?', the raven thought. Though not doing so was likely his point. She also might have to start phrasing questions with little room for interpretation. Izuyanai let her magic sift through his aura in attempt to gauge any feeling of guilt or unease. However, it didn't seem to be needed in order to verify the truth of his statement. From a logical stand point, it was quite usual for anyone teaching at the Towers to go through with an interview. She did make an interesting realization regarding her own auristics. The sense of pride that flared from Thomas made itself known to her in the form of golden threads. Bright and bold in their color, the strands were still extremely thin and seemed to be delicate. They skimmed along his aura, embroidering elaborate patterns as they went. She had just enough time to wonder if the patterns pointed to anything in particular before Thomas posed his question. It was a truly jarring statement. She hadn't...mentioned...her brother's death had she? They had danced around the subject before, so that must have been when her teacher came to that conclusion. If so, aurists were a formidable opponent just as she had thought. All the more reason to become proficient in the magic herself. Letting the waves of suspicion calm down the raven shrugged, "I never really asked them, but no I don't believe the rest of my family hated me." Even though Thomas looked on with pity, his mentioning of her sisters had helped her resume a cool indifference in her mind. Just as they didn't care for her, Izuyanai never cared for them. There had always been a cold dislike on her part and a not so quiet disapproval on their part. The raven couldn't remember exactly when it was that the feud had started. It probably hadn't helped that her sisters were occasionally victim to some of her more creative mischiefs. Tittering slightly behind her hand at the memory, Izuyanai turned back to Thomas. Trying to keep her auristics under control while having a conversation was more difficult than it she had assumed. "I suppose it's my turn again." Tilting her head she questioned, "As long as we're on the topic of family...what was your family like? As in the structure, the make-up?"

[Thomas Cosa]

Her aura froze in shock, threatening to break as something Thomas couldn't describe pushed against her from the inside. It was pure and raw, a dangerous show of brightness. His magic lashed against her aura, throwing itself against her violently, desperate to see what she had, desperate to see what she was. He could almost taste all that emotion before she pushed back, holding everything in as her aura changed, rippling into a cool calm. Hopes dashed, he felt more irritated than before; Thomas could only remember they still had a whole bell left before he dismissed Izuyanai.

He could solicit some reaction from her in that time. Thomas continued to scour her aura as she thought again on a question, his magic pushing the delicate silver beads of consciousness away as he probed deeper. He only stalled when she asked about his family.

"Same as yours, I would imagine. A mother and a father, and some siblings. None of whom were Kelvic, though. We were happy," he tried an insult only to distract her, he stumbled on his emotional hold, his pride failing him as he remembered some of the later years of his family. They weren't happy, and he'd left them: his sibling too busy with their knights to see the abuses of their drunk, maniac father. His mother would have done something, he believed, but it had been years since she died.

"We can stay on the topic of family, if you'd like. One question I've been dying to know," he smiled, all teeth, "Why did your brother risk teaching magic to you? Or was he Kelvic as well?"

[Izuyanai]

Even though the golden threads of pride in Thomas' aura faltered and receded, Izuyanai didn't take much notice of them, only assuming that the initial emotional flare was fading. She did notice the implied insult directed her way, however. Sighing with a short burst of air, the raven cast a disappointed look at Thomas. It was a cheap shot. One that betrayed his ignorance at that. He could do much better. Blinking at the sudden smile he sent her way, Izuyanai turned away slightly as if surveying the room. The word smile was too delicate for his expression. It was more like a triumphant grin to the raven, and it didn't sit too well with her. From day one, Thomas had been insistent about her family. He obviously thought it was a weakness of hers and he wasn't completely wrong. However, he kept missing the mark and continued to pester her with pointless questions. Izuyanai wondered if he found it amusing. After all, that was her own excuse for many things. Still, even she wouldn't find it exciting to try and upset someone she had no grudge against. If she did have quarrel with them it might be a different matter. So did Thomas disapprove of her to such a degree? Not that she had ever seen him get along with anyone. The kelvic turned toward him again and carefully gazed at his aura. She could see the quiet ripples that indicated that there were emotions. However, whenever she turned to look at them properly, they quickly faded away into nothingness, receding into the depths of the aura. Izuyanai built on her sense of curiosity and artificially pushed it to the surface of her own mind, hoping it would mask her thoughts. Was Iriya's death a waste? Certainly. Did the raven miss him? Sometimes. Was his death a blow to her pride? Perhaps. As his close friend, Izuyanai liked to believe he was under her protection. To have him snatched away so easily and unexpectedly was crushing. Perhaps she didn't want to admit she cared at all. It was obviously better for her if he never did hit the mark, but the interrogation didn't fail to annoy her anyway. "He wasn't a Kelvic, unfortunately. He started teaching me because he was afraid I would run off on my own to learn magic. I think he thought it would be better if I learned from him instead of some suspicious mage. Though I can't say he was entirely successful in that endeavor." Izuyanai's lip twitched as she gestured to the current classroom. What should she ask next? Something unexpected. She wanted to see if she could catch Thomas' reaction in his aura. "What is your favorite food? It can even be a beverage if you like." It felt like something Iriya would ask, claiming you could tell a lot about a person by what food they liked. Perhaps Thomas would feel it was a very kelvic way of thinking. Unfortunately, at that moment, Izuyanai started feeling an unpleasant pressure in her head. A telltale beginning of a headache. She didn't think it would be a problem yet as she was usually able to cast a bit more after this point. It would be best if she stopped after another question or two.

[Thomas Cosa]

Colors burned away, filling her aura with a thick neon smog. He recognized the ever familiar grease yellows of annoyance, how it slugged against the outer edges, slipping and sliding without regard to gravity. There were brighter, more prominent colors he couldn't recognize, he couldn't ever understand; their existent bothered him more than annoyance, making a show of his own inability for his eyes alone.

"I like lemon cakes," he answered, bothered at how easily he was reminded of his mother, and then the rest of his family, yet again. They were dead, most of them. The boy they knew was dead, too. For a tick, Thomas wondered what they'd think of him now, so proud of his time spent buried away from the world. "My mother would make them, sometimes," Thomas hummed, distracted enough not to realize what he'd said aloud. What would they think of him, his accomplishments? He'd spent years now trying to forget, ironic, considering his gnosis.

His magic still lurked in Izuyanai's aura, more attentive than Thomas, who floated in his own thoughts. The spell waited and pulsed, humming in hungry anticipation for the colors that flapped in the clear sky blue of the Kelvic's aura. He'd been wary of how much autonomy it showed the stronger he'd gotten, but decided it was only natural; wasn't it called personal magic for a reason? It must be an extension of his own aggrieved curiosity, and why not encourage it, it wasn't like he couldn't force control over his Auristics. There just hadn't been much of a reason to, yet.

He sat in thought, now considering his next question. Thomas realized there'd been no direction in his questions, just a common theme of family. He was missing a goal, a more focused one than a silly reaction. The brother was obviously a subject to continue with, but what would upset her? What would break down her focus, force her aura into transparent clarity? "What was the happiest moment in your life?" He asked, his voice careful and hesitant. Perhaps, he might be able to try a different way of questioning? He just needed to pick up on something, anything.

His magic clawed at her sudden pain, a faded pink that would surely turn a bright boiled red the longer it was ignored centered on her head. Thomas assumed it just a headache, her body adjusting to her over use of magic. Nothing serious, but surely something that silly Etheafal would warn against.

But he wasn't Alses, was he?

[Izuyanai]

An approving smile curled on the Kelvic's lips as Thomas posed his answer. "Your mother, hm?" She let the words drift into the air as if testing the sound. He seemed far away as his eyes wandered to distant lands and distant times. Izuyanai's magic dove forwards as if to seize the opportunity, sinking a layer deeper in focus. The auristics caught that a heavy sense of nostalgia had clouded his aura but was quickly being scattered. It wasn't a surprise when a throb of pain pulsed in her head as the headache reared. However, it was questionable as to whether that, or Thomas' question had caused her heart to skip a beat. The raven thought it strange how the brightest moments in life were so obscured while the worst glared obviously from the dark. She simply couldn't think of when she was happiest and that caused her some concern. There were brief flares of joyous memories as she ran through them in her mind, however, none of them seemed to befit the title of greatest. Perhaps someday she would be able to answer that question truthfully. "The happiest moment in my life was when I met you," the raven said in recovery, sounding much too sincere. The act was quickly broken when the kelvic's expression cracked into a grin. Unfortunately, her mirth was not long lasting as another sharp stab of pain shot through her skull. "Ugh. I think it will be one last question on my part. What do you believe is your greatest accomplishment?” The pleasant light streaming in from the windows was now a little too bright, stabbing into her eyes and causing her to squint.