Completed [Sitria] David Among Goliaths (Traverse)

[Soshakuakamamushi]

Soshakuakamamushi Caverns of Zinrah, 13th of Bell, 10th of Summer 513 A.V Aka hated it, she hated this place, all of it. Just when she found another settlement of her kin, it just had to be the home of the Constrictors. These brutes and giants irked her, in her eyes, they were uncouth, uncivilized, and just plain smelly. But still, they were all children of Siku and Aka grudgingly accepted them but it didn't mean she had to drop her guard, not when a Constrictor in Dhani form were pinning her to a wall with her giant scaly hands. "O-ouch! Let me go!" She tried to claw the hand wrapping around her waist with her own pale human form hands, but of course, it was futile. These brutes' strength were far far higher than her small and lithe form, as expected of these giants. "Sssahahahaha! What do we have here? A small fry, you're far away from that desert of yours, what is your business here, 'sister'?" The female constrictor that was holding Aka by her waist decided to speak first, she found a delicious Viper to play with today it seemed; not everyday she could encounter other children of Siku. Aka was very much terrified, but she steeled herself and tried to look brave. Though it was not really working, not when she was still visibly trembling "I... I... It's none of your bus-" "Sssilence!" The female Constrictor roared, she then inched her snake head closer to Aka's human one, their face only separated by mere inches now. "You don't belong here, Viper. This is the home of usss, proud Constrictorsss, and the only reasonsss that are keeping me from wringing your frail tiny neck are becaussse you are a female, like me. Alssso, you're still our sssister, no matter how sssmall and weak you may look... but I will not tolerate your insssolence for the sssecond time..." "Y...yes..." Aka gulped again, this time her thin wall of defiance broke down completely and she just leave her fate to this giant's hands... literally. "Good girl, now... I ssshall asssk one more time, what are you doing here?" "I... I'm... I... I have nowhere else to stay and I wanted to find a... a job, something I can do to contribute t-to t-this... mighty nest" Oh how Aka wanted to punch herself for saying those submissive words, but it had to be done. Acting up would only get her killed. The true reason though, she was forced to become a servant of sorts to a constrictor named Mamoru, if she ran away... he would most likely hunt her down and kill her. "Hmmmmm.... I sssee, you want to ssstay here and get a job? What can you do, sssmall fry?" The Constrictor was visibly eased by Aka's cooperativeness and the nest also could need another helping hand or two, especially from a fellow Dhani. "I... I uhm... I'm a Reimancer, I can manipulate fire and earth..." Aka decided to put her best ability on the plate. "Ah! An earth reimancer! Exssscelent, go sssee Head Reimancer Senescaaspia in Sssitria!" She was visibly very pleased, an earth reimancer could go a long way in helping maintaining and developing Zinrah. She released her hold on Aka and let the Viper dropped to the ground. "W-wah!" Using her limited acrobatic talent, Aka made a soft landing, preventing further embarrassment, she tilted her head to look at the Constrictor's giant Dhani form and bowed a bit "T-thank you! U-uhm... w-which way is Sitria?" Aka decided it would be best to just ask for guidance rather than wasting her time in these complicated tunnels and caverns. "Come with me, I ssshall guide you, Viper" The Constrictor gestured for Aka to follow her and slithered away to the direction of Sitria. A few moments later... "....." Aka finally arrived in what appears to be the cave serving as a magical learning center. At the center of the cave is a reflecting pool, heated by the vents, and lit by the glow stones. Around this pool is a sort of key to the walls, with each element and para-element arranged about. To the north - fire, east - air, south - water, and west - earth. She looked back and couldn't find the previous Constrictor, she had left her. "H-hello!" Aka shouted, her voice echoing in the cavern walls; she felt so tiny and helpless. "I'm an Earth Reimancer and someone told me this is the place to apply for a job!" She didn't know who she was talking to, she just hoped someone would hear her and guide her... again.

[Traverse]

It was strange to find the Constrictors of Zinrah in their human forms. Most of them despised taking shape of anything even remotely resembling a Myrian, the most hated of vermin, and it was just another thing that seemed to draw the calculating eyes of her stronger brethren as Aka made her way toward Sitria.

But when she called out, her voice seeming to shed a ripple through the small pool in the center of the room, it was no Dhani or massive snake that greeted her, but a pale and fair woman, long auburn hair reaching well below her shoulders.

"A Geomancer you sssay?" Her voice was quite soft, nearly sultry, quite unlike the abrasive female that had shown Aka the way here.

As the female stepped out into the light of the glow stones that illuminated the cavern, the viper could see that a distinct mark marred her features, a fierce red burn covering part of her face and extending down her neck and body. The woman was nearly naked but for a silver shift that loosely draped her form, walking barefoot toward the smaller viper.

"Most come here to sseek initiation, but you...you are not one of my former pupilsss." She was only a few steps away from Aka now, silvery eyes sizing up the intruder.

"Who are you ssister?"

[Soshakuakamamushi]

Soshakuakamamushi For a second, Aka had the thought the previous Constrictor was duping her. Perhaps she left her alone in this mysterious cave, filled with strange glowstones and all... perhaps, some monster lurked here and she was tricked into becoming a sacrifice. N-no... no! Aka shuddered, her suspicion was reinforced when sounds of footsteps echoed in the cave. "Hyaaaa!!" Aka cowered in fear as the mysterious figure approached, her legs were too frozen in fear to move. However... a soft, sultry voice soon graced Aka's ears, it was not the voice of a monster, but the familiar sibilant speech of Dhani; but this voice was much softer and... elegant than the previous muscular Constrictor. "A Geomancer you sssay?" Then the figure stepped into the glowstone light, Aka was now definitely sure this unknown figure was not a monster. She could see a beautiful woman with pale skin-tone and long auburn hair, but Aka immediately noticed the wide scars that covered her face all the way to her neck and body. O...oh my, i-is she alright? The woman looked perfectly fine though, then Aka realized she needed to save her dignity so... she did what she does best, denying things. "W-well! Yes! Ahaha!" Aka quickly stood up straight and let out an awkward laugh, obviously trying to appear calm. "I'm a reimancer, I can manipulate fire and earth and I feel my talents would be useful in helping Zinrah!" Note, she spoke her previous statement really, really fast. "Uuuh..." As the woman approached closer, Aka needed to tilt her head up more and more... why do all Dhanis here needed to be so tall?! Aka wasn't short, it's just they only bred giants in here! The woman's body also mostly devoid of clothing except for a loose silver shift. Aka was getting nervous, size did matter in attaining the superiority of presence. "W-well, of course I'm not your... uuh.. pupils... I just arrived..." More like captured... "...here a few days ago" With the woman only a few steps away from Aka, she instinctively took a step back and fidgeted with her hands. "I... I'm Soshakuakamamushi, but you can call me Aka... I'm uuh... I'm a Viper Dhani, I was born in Eyktol..." Aka decided giving her Dhani heritage and history was the most appropriate way of gaining this woman's trust.

[Traverse]

At the mention of fire, the woman's eyes narrowed, and her face jutted forward...much like the snake she truly was. Her nose was mere inches from Aka's, eyes wide and scrutinizing.

"A sstrange Dhani, ssseeking to be employed ass a Reimancer in our tunnelss?"

Her face drew back, expression thoughtful and she turned away. "Fire will be of little usse to you down here, viper. But Earth? That iss something I can work with."

As an after thought she spoke again. "I am Senescaaspia."

She did not ask Aka to follow her, but it was the only logical course of action as Aspia walked serenely form the great room. A Dhani paused in the entryway, looking with disdain upon Aka and questioningly at the overseer of Sitria. Aspia waved him off. "I have no time for your pesstering today, Lispar."

The Dhani hissed in frustration and slithered off, Aspia shaking her head. "Many seek the power Reimancy can give...yet you claim to already have it, and not just one, but two elementsss. Fire was your firsst, no? You shake, but I can see the fire inside you."

Not waiting for an answer, Aspia led down a series of tunnels that Aka would like as not be familiar with. Lit by glowstones, there was little constrictor activity around them, and Aka was soon to learn why. Shortly they came to a dead end in the tunnel...but not be design, but because it had collapsed. Chunks of stone and debris blocked up the tunnel.

"We may be good at building tunnels, but there are few enough experts. It is up to Earth Reimancers like you and I to maintain the tunnels, fixing them as well as creating new ones, even making beautiful structures for our Queens."

She gestured to the Debris. "Show me what you can do with stone Pyromancer...I wish to see."

OOCTime to strut your stuff!

[Soshakuakamamushi]

Soshakuakamamushi OOCStuff strutting coming up! ! Aka averted her eyes when the woman inched even closer, she was far too close for comfort. Especially with her aura, much larger stature, and sharp eyes; but Aka couldn't tell her that, not when this woman held her lifeline in gaining some respect and hopefully, indirectly, saved her life in the process. "U-uhm... y-yes, I want to be employed as a Reimancer, if... you..." Aka shrunk smaller and smaller with each words she spoke "...would... have... me" If she had a hole to hide in, she would... oh wait, she was in a hole right now, large holes called caverns. Aka sighed in relief when the woman mentioned her earth reimancy talents to be useful. Good thing I trained... If she only could manipulate fire at this moment, only Siku knew on what would happen to her. "Ah! It's an honor to meet you, uuh... Sister Senescaaspia" At least she told Aka her name, that's already something, right? When the woman walked away, Aka did the first thing that came to her mind; she followed her. It would be best to stay in Senes' company rather than some... brute Constrictor who could wring her neck on a whim. Speaking of the scaly devil, here came another constrictor, who looked so eager to turn Aka into a bloody pulp. Good thing Senes shooed her away, but Aka knew it wouldn't be the last time she will see that Dhani. "T-thank you, Sister..." Aka was truly grateful to Senes for 'protecting' her, an outsider. "And yes, fire was my first..." She could... sense me? How could she do that? I should ask Mas- oh yeah, he's dead... *Sigh* After a series of twists and turns, Aka finally arrived at what seemed to be a collapsed tunnel. Oh... did something happened here? Aka supposed Senes would explain it to her. "Ah, I see, Sister" Maintaining tunnels, creating new ones, and carving beautiful structures for the Queens; sounds like a good job alright and one she would enjoy. What about my Queen... oh yeah, she's dead... again So many deceased people in her past, Aka wondered if she's secretly cursed by Dira or something. "Show me what you can do with stone Pyromancer...I wish to see." That was her cue, the cue to prove herself and finally gain some acceptance within this foreign giant nest. "Alright!" Aka rolled up her sleeves and began right away. She rubbed her palms and concentrated Res in her hands in the form of thick slimy gels. "I will clear up the rubble by disintegrating the stones into dusts!" She was glad Galbern taught her the this-and-that about magic, especially Reimancy. Aka then approached the debris and rubbed her hands on the stones. As she rubbed them, she manipulated her res to turn the stony surface she touched into dusts. Slowly, but surely, the stones began thinning out, dropping as dusts to the cavern floors. Aka didn't create any element with her own Res, she merely attracted them, so it was not tiring for her. After ten chimes of rubbing and transmuting, the tunnel was half-cleared from the top to the middle-section, only half of the original debris remained; the half of them turned into thick pile of dust beneath Aka's feet. "Huff, so Sister Senescaaspia, should I continue or...?"

[Traverse]

Aspia watched the prospective reimancer as she turned the stones to a fine dust, which settled into the floor of the cavern.

When Aka turned to check with Aspia to see how she was doing, she would notice that the floor beneath her had changed. As Aka had moved forward, plowing a hole into the mass of rocks, Aspia had been behind her, adding a layer of her own djed to the floor. It was a black marble like substance that seemed to have a water like ripple through its form as the glowstones bounced of of the smooth texture. The stone had crawled up the walls in veins, seemingly reinforcing the top from a similar collapse.

Aspia rubbed her hands together, a few particles of res scattering like dust. "This is good, good. You work with the elements to help you last longer." She walked around Aka and cleared a hole in the rubble, moving a singular large boulder that was in the way, using a simply more advanced technique than Aka had, and the tunnel was at the very least cleared, if not especially tidy, dust and rubble still scattered around the two reimancers.

The constrictor locked gazes with Aka again. "You understand utility...but what of beauty?" She gestured to the floor. "We are here to keep our brothersss and sistersss safe, but there is art to what we do ass well."

She put a claw upon her chin. "You can use either or both of your elementsss...but show me the beauty in what you do."

Penetrating eyes bored patiently into Aka's quivering form. And of course...she had no need to blink as she waited to see what the viper would conjure for her.

[Soshakuakamamushi]

Aka turned around to check on her would-be employer and found she was also doing something. Aspia produced black substance that was most likely her Res and it slithered to the cavern walls, reinforcing the top. Aka's djed was shaped like a slimy gel with a reddish coloration to it, symbolizing her first element that was fire and the red color of her scales. Aka turned back and continued her work until she heard Aspia talking to her.

"U-uhm, thank you, Sister!" She bowed slightly at her praise, this was a good sign, Aka just need to keep this up and she would finally gain a position her in the nest, not just some 'small fry' that these giants could toss around. "Oh.. wow..." She couldn't contain her awe at the display of Aspia's powers, she just moved a large boulder. It was still beyond Aka's power.

"E-eh? B-beauty?" She instinctively stepped back when Aspia locked her eyes with her, Aspia wanted her to show beauty? Using her Reimancy? Aka was bewildered, she had never thought of using her reimancy for... art. Galbern had taught her to use it for battle... or did he? Oh how Aka regretted sleeping through some of his boring lessons such as... the one about using earth reimancy for carving. Gah! I forgot all about that! She made a mental facepalm, Aka knew the topic but had zero knowledge about it.

"W-well uhm...w-well... aaah... I... ah... I... I..." Figuratively, she was starting to sweat like crazy. She couldn't find a single idea and Aspia's penetrating gaze was not helping. But... Siku seemed to love her as she suddenly got a revelation. Ah! I could combine my acrobatic talents! Forming a plan, Aka slowly calmed herself and cleared her throat "W-well, Sister... I'm also an acrobat, I can show you a trick or two about... uhm... Acroreimancy!" Yes, she made up that name on the spot.

Aka rubbed her hands, creating more djed and separated them, slowly shaping those accumulated res into a ball-shaped slime, she then focused to ignite the outer layer of the res into flames but kept the inside still in res form so she could control it. "Eeeh..." She groaned. The strain of using her djed was beginning to show, she had been using them to clear the caverns. But she still needed to show Aspia she could do something.

Smiling to Aspia, Aka began to twirl the fireballs in her hand and throw them upwards, while the fireballs were airborne, she did a somersault before planting herself back and held out her hands to catch the fireballs as they fall... well that was the plan anyway...

Alright! I can do thi- "WAAAH?!" Her balance failed her, she landed in the wrong way and fell to the ground along with the fireballs, they ignited the cavern floor. "Oh no!! No no no! I uuuh... I..." She tried to extinguish the fires using her reimancy by redirecting its heat, but in her state, it was rather uneffective. She panicked and just hold her head, not knowing what to do.

[Traverse]

The constrictor watched the girl with veiled eyes, devoid of emotion, even her breathing not apparent in the dimly lit tunnel.

When Aka's fireballs plummeted downward with no control, searing into the floor the woman moved like a river, cloth on her body rippling like water currents.

From her hands came a spray of water that drenched the flames as well as Aka, who lay sprawled upon the ground. Rivulets of watter flowed down the tunnel, appearing like liquid silver over the jet black obsidian that Aspia had crafted with her geomancy only chimes before. Dry, and looming above the viper, Aspia stepped, her eyes boring down into the prospective reimancer.

"You quiver in fear and nervousnessss, sisster." The tone was strangely cold. Though she hadn't displayed much of an emotional range during their short time together, it was clear that Aka's display had enraged the master reimancer.

"I sensse sstrength in you, but you show me none. Where iss the true fire, eh? For all I sssee before me iss a puddle."

The Dhani folded her arms across her chest and waited. Would the viper curl into herself further, or perhaps lash out? Aspia was always curious to see how snakes reacted when backed into corners, literally and proverbial both.

[Soshakuakamamushi]

"Oh no no!" Aka kept shaking her head and started to flail her hands in panic "N- Waaaaaaaah!" when a stream of water seemingly out of nowhere extinguished the flames and also drenched her in the process. "*Cough*! Gah!" She coughed as some of the water got into her mouth, being a viper who grew up for at least a hundred years in the desert, she was not used to being exposed to this much liquid.

"E-eh?" Aka's ears perked up and she looked upwards to the staring Aspia, her emotionless expression bore down into her, but her voice was cold with a hint of tranquil fury in it. "I... I..." She looked down, unable to form words, but when Aspia basically told her she was 'weak', it hit Aka's Dhani pride and dignity. She gritted her teeth and frowned in anger, hands clenching at her side as she stood up... though her short height was not helping in facing the much taller Constrictor before her.

"I... I'm not weak!" She hesitated a bit, but she was determined to prove that she could fend for herself "I... I admit! I have no skill in creating art using Reimancy. I can do some acrobatics, but it's mainly used for battle... b-but that doesn't mean I'm weak! True fire, Sister? How about I show you this!" Aka flexed her hands and inhaled, she then exhaled while generating quite some amount of res in both palms until she felt dizzy and knew was close to overgiving.

Aka stopped generating and cupped her hands together, using the res to pull some of the rocks and dirt near them, combining it into a single stone and dirt ball. She then concentrated then manipulated the res inside the ball to began transforming the gathered earth until they started to melt and created a ball-shaped lava. She still kept some res inside the ball in its basic form to keep it floating in mid-air.

"S-sister! S-see?! I... I can do this!" She spoke to Aspia between heaved breaths. "I... I can fight! I can fight those... those savage cannibalistic people!" Of course those 'people' she meant was Myrians, Mamuro had told her all about them and to be frank, they disgusted her. For them to keep killing her fellow children of Siku and making life hard for the Constrictors in general.

"I... I may not be much of an artist... but I can be a warrior, Sister!" Her voice confident, she was determined to impress the master reimancer after her screw-up earlier.

[Traverse]

Aspia watched the ball of lava with shimmering eyes, and those thin cold lips slowly opened in a small smile, one of the few that Aka might be likely to get from the hardened mage.

"And not just fire, child...earth as well." Aspia nodded sagely, and took a step back.

"I will take you on. You would do well not to use your fire in the caverns of our home...but I will let those who go after those savage pigs that there is one among the Reimancy ranks who can go with them. You can aid us in building and defend our home if you see that a fitting task."

And then without so much as an explanation or follow up, Aspia began walking down the half formed hallway, disappearing around a bend and leaving the viper alone with her thoughts and a half re-designed tunnel. Well...it seems she had gotten the job.

Aka

Skill	XP Earned
Intimidation	1 XP
Observation	3 XP
Reimancy	3 XP
Rhetoric	1 XP
Socialization	1 XP

•	Lores Earned
•	A David Among Goliaths
•	Aspia: A Master Reimancer
•	Earth Reimancy: Important in Zinrah
•	Losing Control of Your Fire
•	Showing the Fire Within
•	Becoming Employed as a Reimancer of Zinrah

Additional Comments :

So nice turn around with showing Aka's tiredness in the last two threads, I think it really adds to her accomplishments, and also makes the XP feel better when you've earned them through blood sweat and tears.

Also congrats on your new job! I will be PMing you shortly with your wages!

Yes, I Bite.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can figure it out.