A Sliver of a Haunting (Reaver)

[Liam]

Liam watched in silence as Reaver manipulated his Res. He recalled the first time he had produced Res. It was devoid of the wonder and curiosity Reaver was displaying now. Liam's need for vengeance had overruled any sense of enjoyment he might have had in learning the magic. It was all business. He realized now he had the opportunity to try it again. Yet he was still driven by vengeance, albeit in a much more controlled manner this time. Perhaps he could spare a moment to marvel for the first time at what he was teaching his student. "I think that is enough for today. We can cointinue tomorrow. You don't want to overgive with this magic. It can and will kill you if you push too hard." Unless Reaver objected, that would be it for their training for the day. Liam was running low on energy as well, and wouldn't be able to possess Reaver again for training purposes. And if he did, it might be dangerous. If he lost control in the middle of casting all manner of bad things could happen. So they rested, Liam simply sinking into the ground and resting in the dark earth, and Reaver going wherever he went. Timestamp: Spring 66, 511 AV The next day Liam was waiting for Reaver's return in the exact same spot he had stood when they parted the day before. He had a plan now. Whereas yesterday he had simply been teaching whatever he thought important, the night have given him time to think over what Reaver needed to learn. Whatever element the nuit decided to choose, he would need to practice on a target. So Liam was going to practice his own skills and give him targets. When the nuit returned Liam greeted him warmly. "Good morning, Reaver. Did you sleep well? ..or whatever Nuit do?" Liam himself didn't truly sleep, only rested, and he wasn't sure what exactly Reaver did. He had never seen what his teacher did for rest, so Liam knew little about that aspect of undead life. Not that it mattered at all to what they were doing now, Liam was just curious. "So I suppose if you are ready we can begin the next part of the lesson. You will have to choose an element. Fire, Water, Earth, or Air. Once you transmute your res for the first time you will be stuck with that choice for quite a while. Your res wont be capable of multiple elements until you have mastered the first. Whatever your choice, they are all created the same way. Summon the res as you did before. Imagine the element you want to create. Sometimes it helps to associate an emotion with it. For instance fire an anger. But that isn't entirely necessary. It is all simply a matter of willing your res to do what you want. Tell it to burn, tell it to become water, tell it to turn into the element of your choice and it will do it." Liam waited to see what would happen. He was still surprised that his experiment the day before had worked at all. But since it did, there was no reason at all Reaver shouldn't be able to create the element of his choice. And then Liam remembered one more thing, "Oh, and once you transmute it you can only control it for a second or two. If you create fire, I suggest moving it away from you first." There were other things he would need to explain later, but for now he just wanted Reaver to do a simple transmutation.

[Reaver]

"I think that is enough for today. We can continue tomorrow. You don't want to overgive with this magic. It can and will kill you if you push too hard." Reaver would nod. It was rough work, enabling his ability to cast this magic with his own Djed, frightening. Reaver could hardly imagine what a ghost teacher couldn't teach with such abilities at their disposal. Liam seamed to vanish, and as no set plan besides 'meet tomorrow' had come up, he thought to rest nearby. Reaver went to a nearby tree, and slept on it's far side. His body would complain a lot more if he was alive, that he knew. Timestamp: Spring 66, 511 AV As Reaver awoke, he found Liam right where he left... already waiting. As he came back around his tree and approached, Reaver was even more shocked to find... a warm greeting. It seamed very unfitting for the ghost before him. "Good morning, Reaver. Did you sleep well? ..or whatever Nuit do?" "No, I happen to lack any dream. Perhaps it's due to them being dreamed already. However, I am much more ready for the day today." Liam started the lesson right after. He explained that Reaver would be stuck with one choice, of four elements. The ghost then waited. Reaver took a moment to gauge where his Djed was sitting. It recharged rather nicely, however it still held that strange tingle. Would it ever go away? He focused, and brought out a small amount of his Djed, which swiftly became Res as it left his body. Maybe I'm a natural? Reaver smirked. Natural. "Oh, and once you transmute it you can only control it for a second or two. If you create fire, I suggest moving it away from you first." "Ah, good to know. Control it first, then change it." Reaver took his little cube of Djed, and moved it in front of him, a bit of a ways. As it was mentioned the previous day, it was much harder to control it as it moved away. He left it about a foot away. He held it there as he considered his choices.Now, what would aid me the most. Air could give someone a much needed breath of life, but is just as likely to kill them from a sudden burst. Earth would be nice for splints or casts, but heavy and awkward. Water would keep things clean, but there's always plenty of that. Fire could... also clean things. Not only that, it could stop bleeding. With some preparation, it could seal a casing over a limb that didn't need moved, I should learn how to do that next. Clay, perhaps? Well, I have my choice. Reaver focused on his Djed, that had fallen to the ground while he was distracted. He brought it back up to the air, and made it into a gas. He focused, and at first, nothing happened. He tried harder, maybe it was distance? Or maybe the emotional tie. Reaver mustered one of his more common emotions, hope. Just like that, the Res burst into flame which swiftly dropped and dissipated before reaching the ground. He stared at the path it took in wonder all over again. It was the first thing he's done like it.

[Liam]

A twitch of a smile made it's way onto Liam's lips as he watched Reaver attempt to transmute his res. Liam remembered the difficulty he had had the first time he created fire from his res. But Reaver impressed him and was able to do it rather quickly, though it was also rather small. But that was to be expected. Producing large amounts of res was reserved for the very skilled, unless one wanted to risk destroying themselves in the process. "Excellent work. For now, you will only be able to produce fire. You can try other elements, but your res simply won't do it. Not until you have gained greater control. Eventually you will be able to wield all four elements, and any combinations of them, but your body won't allow it until you are ready. It is both a drawback and a blessing, because while you are limited, your body keeps yourself from doing too much." "There are some tricks you can learn to give yourself greater control over your res. As I mentioned, you lose control when you transmute the res. But there is a way around this. It is possible to change only a portion of the res, the outer layer for instance. This let's you continue to direct the fireball while it's activate. Just before it gets out of your range you can change the rest of it." "Another trick you can do with res is to attract the elements. In this case, fire. So if there is already a fire, or you create a fire that continues to burn after you lose control, you can draw that element towards your res. It's all done with willpower. Will your res to draw in the elements and it will do so. Will it to ignite and it will obey. Now, practice igniting a portion of your res for now, and leave the rest unlit. Once you've learned to do that we will work on pulling the element in."

[Reaver]

OOCYeah, he was a fast learner for the things you did with his own Djed while inside him. Without that guiding example, maybe not. XD

Reaver twitched a little. I used his Djed manipulation to guide me before, now how do I do this without his guide? Sink or swim, I suppose. It can't be that different. Reaver let his Djed out once more, set it the same distance away, and ignited it. He attempted to light the outside, but the inside just followed before he could stop it. The fire didn't fall like last time, however. It dissipated in the air instead. "Well, I'm reluctant to say I'm good at this." He drew out his Djed to Res once again. This time, he focused longer, and kept the ball closer. He drew it into a liquid form. He set the outside layer swirling around, while focusing on keeping the inner layer still. It took a minute, or maybe three. He just sat there staring at his own Djed. "Alright, I think I'm getting the hang of it." He reversed the flow of the outside, the inside finally came to a stop, and didn't pick up the reversed rotation. He set the spinning outside on fire, and then threw the inside through the air as hard as he could. The outside followed. As he felt the Djed swiftly leaving his focus, he 'let' the interior set itself ablaze on the call of the exterior. "And that may aid my research immensely, if not for the fire. What was I to do next?"

[Liam]

Liam watched as Reaver practiced, having some trouble at first but managing to successfully do what Liam had described. He was a natural for sure, and Liam was impressed with the nuit. "The other trick you can do is call existing fire to you. It allows you to control more fire without using more res, but it is a bit more dangerous." Liam pointed at the small patch of burning grass on the ground. "Now, before that goes out, summon up another ball of res. You'll only need a little for this. Once you have formed the res, concentrate on the fire on the ground. Imagine the fire being drawn to your res, will it to happen.. ..it's hard to explain. You sort of.. call the elements to your res. If it works right, the flames will fly off the ground and join with your res." Liam considered for a moment, and then added. "After you have done that, perhaps we should consider some target practice? Are you averse to burning small animals? ...if so, you could just practice on rocks. I will gather some up while you work on attracting the flame." If Reaver didn't mind the animals Liam would head off into the forest in search for the first living thing he came across. However, if Reaver had a problem harming small animals then Liam would simply begin gathering rocks. OOCYeah.. I'm not to sure how to explain these things. But my posts will get better once we get to target practice.

[Reaver]

Reaver resisted the urge to glare at his trainer, as he kept adding to the list of trials. Maybe it's for the best, but I hate casting so much at once. Learning personal magic quickly may as well be setting myself on fire. Reaver sighed, he was nowhere close to his limit yet, nor did he want to get there. That's when the offer to more training kicked in. "I don't see how making me aim would aid me. I rather doubt I'll be attacking someone with such a consuming art." Reaver focused on his res, bringing out the cube once again. He brought his hands in front of him, a foot-and-a-half apart. The cube rested nicely in the middle. He brought his hands forward, and looked to the flame. He focused very hard on the flame, willing it to his res, asking politely with his mind, even glaring at it. He sighed, the flame was like a mere ember now, perhaps he failed. Remember how your fire works, hope! Reaver closed his eyes, he focused instead on his Res. He willed it, HOPED it would instead take the fire from the leaf into the air. He focused, hoped, and maybe prayed a little. He opened his eyes, to see a flame dancing around his cube. He looked to the leaf, the edges where the ember had been were gone, and Reaver was unsure as to how he even managed to get a flame from there. He reduced his cube to a dot, and had it drop onto the leaf once more. He set the cube into flame as it hit, setting the leaf on fire. He stamped it out... mostly. Once it was once again embers, he re-did his last attempt. With his eyes open this time, he saw the ember jump up as a spark, and ignite in the air. As it hit his Res, it settled from a flair to a flame. Reaver kept it in mind, as he dismissed his Res, the flame vanishing with it. "You said target practice, but I'd rather use it in a method more suited for me."

[Liam]

Liam raised a ghostly eyebrow in curiosity. Reaver did not want to use reimancy as a weapon? Did he not see the value that such magic could bring to a combat sitation, especially considering the nuit did not seem to know anything about weapons? Not that it really mattered to the ghost, Reaver was free to do as he pleased with his magic. The nuit was doing well enough with his training, though he would need a lot more practice to master the art. but he now knew all the basics, which was important. As it had been with Liam, the rest would come with personal discovery. "Good," he said after Reaver pulled the spark to him the first time. "It may not seem like much right now, but being able to attract the element is far less difficult than actually creating it. At the same time, however, it can also be more dangerous. If you draw in more fire than you can handle, you might just lose control of it." Liam fell silent as Reaver reignited the leaf and tried to draw the flame again. The Nuit was a fast learner, but he also seemed irritated with Liam for pushing him quickly. Liam didn't see a problem with it, but then again when he had learned he had pushed his mentor faster than he wanted to teach him. Perhaps he should have taken it slower with Reaver, or maybe given him some demonstrations. Shown him how useful the magic could truly be, but Reaver once again stated that he had no interest in using it as a weapon. "Reimancy can be a deadly weapon.. though I suppose you could use it for other purposes. I have only ever wielded it to kill. But I can see how fire might be useful in other situations. Survival for one.. though you don't eat, so you don't exactly need to worry about cooking food. But I'm sure you had other uses in mind. That is all the basics, anyway. Summoning the res, changing it into an element, and drawing the element to it. You will get more proficient in time, and it will use less energy the better you get. ...was there anything else you wanted to ask, or would like me to show you?"

[Reaver]

"Ah, less draining as I improve? Perhaps it could have some combat value after all. What sort of potential does it have for setting up traps? It would be far easier to lead an opponent into an attack he can barely see, then attacking him, yes? I suppose in a pinch, I'd use anything I had as a weapon, so perhaps I should be prepared all the same. I just dislike using too much Djed in one place."

[Liam]

"Think of it this way. Picture a novice swordsman. In the beginning he finds the blade heavy, hard to wield with any semblance of grace. But he practices diligently, and each day he grows a little stronger. Beyond that, he learns new breathing techniques, different ways to hold the blade, all helping to ease the effort it takes to use the sword. In time only the most difficult moves or fights will tire him. His body has adjusted to the training and, though he still expends energy, he does it far more efficiently. The same goes with magic. The more you practice, the easier it gets and only the more powerful affects will tire you." Liam considered the Nuit's question, trying to think of the best way to answer. Magic was a complicated subject, and it was often difficult explain, but Reaver was a smart person and seemed to be catching on to everything easily enough. "The only way I could think to do that is if you spread your res thin across the ground and waited for someone to step in it before igniting it. ..but to do that you would have to be nearby and maintain it, which would likely defeat the purpose of the trap in the first place." Liam paused and thought for a moment before continuing. "I have heard of a magic that has the power to store magical effects in the form of symbols and glyphs for release at a later date. Maybe you could use such magic to create a trap.. But I know nothing about that."

[Reaver]

"I live on a wooden city floating on a lake. Making traps with fire shouldn't be that difficult. Can I form any odd shape with my Res? My other arts have evidence both ways. I intend to look into this... other art you mention." He pondered a while, deciding how to proceed. "So, is there more to your lesson then? I suppose I'll learn more your way, then you can learn my way."