Completed Practice Makes Perfect [Mercy]

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna was rather surprised at first when Mercy started using his sword as some form of improvised cooker, a little stunned actually. It seemed an odd use for weaponry, however if it got the meat cooked to an edible degree then she wasn't going to raise too many questions. Though the thought of eating off of a sword didn't exactly sit easy with her, it was a sacrifice she was willing to take to curb some of her intense hunger. She regarded Mercy, the imperious and arrogant expression that so defined her clear on her face. Her brow arched and her eyes cold and narrow, it looked like she was slowly regaining some of her composure. "Well enough to when it is chewy but still possesses some juices." She instructed, her tone indicating a command rather than a request. "Also, what manner of wizard are you that has to ask if these are glyphs?" Anna continued, her tone taking on a disdainful edge to it as she displayed the two glyphs on her hands for him. Perhaps her questions and tone were rude, but such was her way. To Anna, there was no one in the world more important than herself, the feelings of others were unimportant. She knew that many thought ill of her, honestly she couldn't care less. She had confidence in her own abilities and a passion for the arcane that few could match. That being the case, the reason that she could effectively teach was due to her narcissistic tendencies. There few subjects she enjoyed discussing more than her own self perceived superiority, magic was a huge part of that. In her self absorbed talks it was easy to gleam particularly useful knowledge on the ways of Djed and magic in general, if one could stand her patronizing tendencies. "Also, what were you thinking? Did you assume that another wizard would not notice so laughably weak an attempt of suggestion? Had I been less tired, I would have been more inclined to simply release gaseous res down your throat and have done with you." She said, her expression stern. The young wizard decided not to mention that his suggestion had worked to some degree. Were it not for her experience in the ways of Djed and her research into magic then it was likely that his magic would have been undetected. "Are you some novice, then? Or simply a fool who has gotten by on luck so far? Honestly, I don't even know what power you wielded and I can still see that such a thing was foolish. Right after you saw me manipulating res as well, meaning that your chances of detection were even higher than normal." Anna shook her head slightly. His blade was in close proximity but Anna was not really worried by it, even in her exhausted state she could feel the instructional fire alive inside of her. If he possessed any intelligence he would agree with her, honestly, to attempt something so brazen was mind boggling. She leaned back slightly, looking to the sky with a derisive snort. "'Are those runes' he asks, petch..." She said, shaking her head.

[Bartholomew Mercy]

Whole holding the hilt in his left hand with the base of the blade propped on his knee, he reaches forward to shift one of the pieces of meat more to the center, as if buying for time by focusing on the preparation of the meal. Her bombardment of questions and the attitude were quite annoying, yet he knew how to deal with them. He made her wait. Only when he felt like answering would he, and it may come as a surprise how logical, and yet humble it would seem. "I am no wizard, only a simple hunter with simple tricks." he rasped. "I had assumed you would see past my influence, or you would have ran, either way you would not enter the euphoria of Overgiving and burn down the forest." Again he paused, this time to flip the meat. He did this with his bare hands despite the heat of the metal. It was a slow cooking process, she could almost see how the meat remained juicy when slow cooked on the thick and hard to heat metal blade. When he spoke again it addressed almost a whole new topic, his skill level and something to make an attempt at putting the woman in her place, be it on that pedestal which she desires, or a depressing hole for her insults. "Magic is difficult to learn by practice alone, and pardon my illiteracy. I was not blessed with longevity in parents, or a proper tutor." At the mention of his parents his face twitches into a small grimace, but with his next breath the emotion is released and all goes blank. "I was more busy learning to light fires to ward away frost and find hunt to stave off starvation." Two things he doubted she had to worry about...

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna listened to the man's reply's as she watched the meat slowly cook, ultimately dissatisfied with the weak responses. Magic was no 'simple trick' as he had dismissively put, any form or discipline of magic could be extremely potent, education or no. Just possessing it placed one above the normal masses of Mizahar, with mastery over it there were few things one could not accomplish. As for his excuses to not having an education, that held slightly more merit for his lack of knowledge in glyphing however it was not excuse for his apparently poor understanding of magic. Loss of parents, however, was no reason to not learn more about the power one possessed. She had lost her own parents to the plague a season back, however that had given her more drive if anything. The loss was fresh but, considering the hardships she had faced in her life it was manageable. While he may or may not have meant it to come off as such, his words made it sound as though she was in danger of overgiving. Before his disruptive arrival, that was not the case. Anna had certainly reached near the end of her limits but she had not been terribly close to overgiving. His arrival had definitely added to that danger though, not subtracted from it. "I know my limits, I am not some novice reimancer who believes that their ability to cast a simple fireball makes them great. I am a wizard, one who understands the pain it takes to reach for heights beyond the reach of most men. If anything, your little stunt placed overgiving as a greater likelihood than not." She answer dismissively She looked at the fire, its light reflecting off of her eyes. Its crackle was soothing and familiar and its heat was comforting to her weary body. "If you wish to simply squander the power you possess, then you are less than a fool, you are a wastrel. The past is in the past, what you didn't have is inconsequential, what you have now matters." The young wizard continued. "You possess access to the University of Zeltiva, if you have the money, which could offer you far more than any simple life out here. Your fire starting abilities are likely better than my own, in menial matters, however unlike you I was learning to manipulate the essence of fire. If you believe such things do not bring a hardship all its own, you would be wrong on many counts." The sound of her own voice had quite a pleasant ring to it, to her any way. "Yet for all that I possess more power in my little finger than most men do in their bodies. My past is behind me, while it help to shape me I am continually learn and growing more powerful of my own volition. Whether you chose to do the same is up to you." Anna finished, with a dismissive wave of her hand. What he chose to do with his life was his own affair. If he wanted to live out in the wilderness for the rest of his life and remain ignorant that was his problem, not hers. What became of him after she left was of little to no concern to her, near inconsequential really. He would either chose to rise above the masses, or he wouldn't simple as that. For her part Anna picked up a nearby stick and started to trace a Focus glyph into the ground next to her. She kept her ears open for a reply but kept to her task as well.

[Bartholomew Mercy]

A look of annoyance crossed his face as she spanned her response across many breaths. This one spoke to much in her own defense, she held a tender pride which Mercy observes a need to defend. She did indeed sit herself on a pedestal above the rest, in his own eyes. The piercing green gaze rose from the sizzling meat to stare at her now, cold and emotionless. Though he did not focus djed there, some could find his eyes quite frightening, being so bright with life, yet disconnected from it. There was no mercy in a man who claimed such an act as his named for. "You talk too much." He stated in that rasp of a voice of his. That was his only response for the moment before he leans forward and flips the meat once more. The juices begin dripping from the edges of his blade, hissing in the fire below. When he finished and took a breath, he speaks again, lashing at her pride once more. "You were the frightened one, not I. Why should I take the blame for that?" In his mind it was logical enough. She had almost reacted in fear when he had done nothing but show himself, which was in good nature - ironically. "You speak as if you are better than me, stranger." That seem to come out of nowhere. "I offer you food in generosity, yet you clutch to such pride when speaking to me..." He paused here, reaching to touch one of the pieces of meet and squeeze. Juices dripped, but when it tore he saw almost no pink left. Moving his blade off the flame and resting it to the side of the fire between himself and this proud woman, he then lifts his gaze to stare at her once more. The way he said nothing it was insinuated for her to try and fill in that statement. If she dared look over her words to see the disrespect he saw in them, the way it seemed she spoke of his wasted life... "At least I have not lost my sense of decency." That was the last stab at her pride before he reaches behind his back, under the nettle cloak, to retrieve his pipe and a small pouch of tobacco from Eyris knows where. Plucking a small twig from the fire and using it to light the prepacked pipe, he chose to smoke instead of eat, his appetite long since lost.

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna had been often told that she was rather self indulgent and prideful, especially after her initiation to reimancy. The unimaginably painful event had affected a change in her, it signaled a turning point of sorts towards the path to power she now walked. She did not think herself to be better than others, she knew that she was better than others. She could manipulate powers that some men never dream of wielding, bend the laws of reality and play with the nature of the world. Of course this made her better than the mewling grubs writhing in the dirt at her feet. It disgusted her to remember when she had been one of them, just another face in the masses, unremarkable and expendable. The young wizard regarded her past self as weak and foolish, stupid and innocent. Everything she had said to Mercy she had meant, and she never took back things that she meant. Anna finished the rough Focus rune, glancing over to Mercy with a raised eyebrow. "I am better than you, Mercy, and I will continue to be better than you as I learn and grow more adept in the ways of magic. Words are cheap compared to power, if I wanted I could breathe gaseous res down your throat and kill you before you could raise your blade. It wouldn't take too much res, just enough to light a fire in your skull." She spoke of murder so casually, as if the lives of others held little value. "Also as I recall it was not generosity you offered, but rather an exchange of questions for food. I have the food, so stop wasting my time and start asking your questions, I don't normally offer information or lessons so easily. I'll be leaving once I finish eating so I suggest you hurry up." She said, brushing off the barbs against her pride. It annoyed her the disrespect he showed to one who was clearly his better in every way, but she would honor her side of the bargain. She calmly lifted the meat from its pedestal and tore into it as her hunger rose full force. It was certainly not the best meal she had ever eaten it was a little too overcooked and lack the right amount of juices, but considering her hunger it would certainly suffice. Her manners were poor, not they really mattered out in the wilderness. The only one here to judge her was Mercy and she had already tossed away his opinion as inconsequential. If he did something stupid, such as raise his blade to threaten her, then she could very easily follow through on her threat. Especially now that she was resting and eating, it wouldn't be overly difficult to breath out a small invisible cloud of res. She doubted it would come to that, he didn't seem to be the type to threaten or kill. Besides he wanted answers, he wouldn't get them if they fought. Anna continued to sate her hunger, offering Mercy her partial attention.

[Bartholomew Mercy]

While she spoke, his eyes closed. Listening to her voice was harsh enough, but now it gave him a headache to have to look upon such arrogance as well. When she mentioned leaving it was not a surprise to feel a wave of relief pass over him. He was not unfamiliar with supporting a traveler for a night, but they had at least been grateful... this one, not so much. "You would not be able to answer my questions. You are warped by magic." Puffing on his pipe once more he exhales through his nostrils, creating pillars of the smoke. "If I am less than you, then pray I never find interest in the crafts, lest I become more like you." And with that, he rose from the ground and returns to the downed deer. Retrieving his hunting knife and cutting the hide the rest of the way from the carcass, he rolls it up and rests it beside the nearby backpack, with the blade settled inside. Without turning to her, he spoke one last thing, remaining on one knee over his simple belongings. "You should leave. You have overstayed your welcome." With the same calamity as before, it seems he the man had little care for anything about her. He did show one shred of mercy on his dismissal, a last scrap of advice. [i]"Beware on your journey through life, no man likes degradation. I live alone by choice, but you may find loneliness choosing you. Magic may be grand, but it only gives one a way to live or die - not a reason."

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna shugged her shoulders at his reply, if he wanted to throw away potential knowledge and the ability to better himself that was his perogative. She finished her small meal, feeling much more like herself. The urge to cast was just a dull and faint whisper in the back of her mind now, she was still tired but was more fit to begin her journey back home. Once there she intended to collapse on her bed and recover from her extensive use of magic. The young wizard sighed as she slowly stood, brushing some of her dark hair from her face. A quick glance to the sky told her that she had plenty of time to return to Zeltiva before dark. That was good, she hated being caught outside after dark. Mercy's advice was brushed off as the words of a visionless fool, a weakling lesser wizard who would never advance his craft far with his mindset. She cast a sideways glance to the man, her expression a little bored if anything. "Others are either useful or they hold you back, there is no middle ground. I do not need the help of another or their companionship to live my life, magic is all I need." She said, shrugging her shoulders as she turned towards the trees behind her. "If you don't have the stomach for magic, I suggest that you never again use your power. It WILL change you someday, make no mistake." It was a warning, the only courtesy that she was going to offer this so called Mercy. Magic was powerful, however it did have a way of changing a person, depending upon their willpower it was either for the better or worse. Most often it was the latter but Anna considered her own change to be the former. As she took a step towards the forest, Anna remembered something, something that angered her slightly. His use of hypnotism on her was still quite fresh in her mind, as was the embarassing fear it had caused. It had been humiliating that such a simple trick had affected her, she did not take humitiation well. "Also, if we ever meet again and you try that little stunt you used earlier, I'll cook you from the inside out." The young wizard said, her tone as cold as ice and deadly serious. With that threat left between them Anna strode out of Mercy's camp, intent on finding her equipment and getting back to Zeltiva. If anything this little meeting a distraction, and the man's words only served to further cement her beliefs. There would always be people who told her that her path was wrong, that she was only the route to self destruction. She knew the truth, however, to become truly great one needed to overcome adversity and be willing to take risks. Obscurity was not her fate, Anna knew this in her heart, it was something far greater. Exit OOCI guess this is my last post here, unless you had something else planned, after your last one I'll put it up for grading.

[Bartholomew Mercy]

Mercy took to his feet only after the wizard had left. Sharp green eyes follow her path till she was out of sight. With a deep breath and sigh, the first shred of emotion fell across his lips in a small frown. He felt sorry for the woman. She may have been powerful with a strong will, but her mind - to Mercy's view - was weak as an impressionable child's. He said nothing as she left, he would only take to the fire and lift his cosmetic weapon, tilting the oversized blade so the meat slid off onto the ground. Despite her arrogance, he knew there was some truth in her words, as there was in his. Her last threat did not frighten him, but left mixed feelings. Advance and become like her, or forget and remain in his own mind? The question was so invoking he had to push it aside for now, lest he spend bells contemplating it. For now, he had to move camp. The blood of the deer and the burning meat would probably attract wolves or even monsters from afar. Despite today's events he continued on, just as Annalisa would. Maybe tomorrow he would visit Zeltiva and try to sway a few of the inhabitants for practice... End Good ThreadA short one, but very powerful in the end effect. I sense a rivalry starting... XD

[Paragon]

Annalisa Marin

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Land Navigation	1
Drawing	1
Glyphing	2
Reimancy	3
Intimidation	1
Wilderness Survival	1
Teaching	1

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Using Focus Glyphs to Improve Casting
•	Containing Fire Through Reimancy
•	Knowing Magical Limits
•	Professing the Virtues of Education
•	Victim of Hypnotism

Mercy

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Running	1
Observation	1
Tracking	1
Whip	2
Acrobatics	2
Hypnotism	1
Intimidation	1
Wilderness Survival	2
Skinning	2
Cooking	1
Executioner Sword	1

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Climbing with a Whip
•	Witnessing Reimancy
•	Focus Runes
•	Rejecting Education

Legend Becomes Reality

Really fun thread - we have some new adversaries here. Also, Mercy, make sure you complete the instructions in Banshee's post on your Character Sheet! If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can work from there.