Closed Chaos and Order [Ronas]

[Annalisa Marin]

87th of Fall, 513 AV

Anna found herself leaning against an aging wall outside of the Citadel proper, eyes alert and waiting for something to appear. Even in this place the eerie nature of Sahova seemed almost oppressive to most of the living, even the Chaon found it somewhat unsettling. Then again she hadn't even been here two weeks, perhaps it was simply something she'd get used to in time. Or perhaps she'd die before even getting that chance, murdered by a crazed hypnotist that stalked her steps. Perhaps her end would be found today on this adventure out into the Testing Grounds, certainly she had by now heard the rumors of horrific beasts that roamed the grounds. Her little foray in to the Prairie when first she'd arrived had been without incident, though listening in on rumors she only now realized how lucky she had been.

The tall woman sighed and glanced down the path, her grey eyes expectant. The overcast of gloomy clouds were tinged a slight grey, indicating that Makutsi would likely deposit her gift of life granting water upon the world. Anna was dressed for the occasion in the same clothes she always wore, which were worn and weathered by this point. Her cloak was tattered and torn, some of the work her own doing. She looked very much the image of the wandering wizard, though her wanderings had ceased for the foreseeable future. Sahova held the answers she sought, the path forward led here for any wizard with potential.

Normally at this time of day she would be carrying out whatever tasks Amaryllis had set forth, however today was very different. The apprentice had inquired as to the best place in the Testing Grounds to try an experiment that could cause a great amount of destruction, powerful reimancy discharges being unrestrained. The Embalmer had simply smiled that strange and cryptic smile of hers and told her to wait in front of the Citadel. The apprentice had been unable to pry any more information from the Nuit, she'd simply said that it would be a surprise and set about her paperwork again. So, knowing better than going against a direct order from her mistress, Anna had waited. About four bells later and she was still waiting in the same spot.

The apprentice had learned to be a little wary of Amaryllis' surprises, one of those surprises had nearly seen her fried by the Citadel's Master of Reimancy. She'd also learned that every action, no matter how small, seemed to have some kind of meaning. Whatever the Embalmer wanted her to experience was likely going to teach her some lesson, or test her in someway. Still, if it involved her being able to test her little experiment without fear of collateral damage it would be worth it. Her pack was ready with ink and her brush, glyphing most likely going to play some part in the experiment.

Her spar with Roknus Maelstrom had taught her many things, one of which was that to be the best she needed to think outside conventions. The master's fire wolves were constructs she'd never seen before, the same being true for the giant cat that had nearly fried her. She needed to develop her own signature style of reimancy to be truly great, the same old bland spells were only going to get her so far. Thus todays experiment would be a trial run for much more to come.

Anna brushed her long bangs from her face, noting that her hair was becoming something of an issue again. She'd need to start grooming it a little bit better, though Sahova seemed to have a shortage of those skilled in the arts of cosmetology. Such was the price paid for living among the dead.

Grey eyes returned to the trail, narrowing slightly as her wait continued. She stay out here all night if it was needed, though that certainly didn't mean she'd like it. If Amaryllis was stringing her along then Anna had one petching big curse just waiting for the Chief Embalmer.

"By Ivak's blood, this better be petching good." Anna whispered under her breath, growing more impatient with just standing around by the minute.

She could have walked to the Prairie by now, finished her experiment and been onto whatever task the Embalmer wanted done next. In fact she was very close to doing so, the Nuit's surprise be petched. There was only so long she could stand just doing nothing, this was nearly as bad as the long voyage here.

The wizard sighed and decided to sit cross-legged against the wall, closing her eyes and beginning to cycle her breath in through her nose and out through her mouth. If she was going to be doing nothing, perhaps it would be best to take advantage of the dryness and silence while they lasted. She was going to wait, that was the only option open to her now. That was the way things were, she waited on other and not the other way around for now. Once she made a bigger name for herself, hopefully that situation would change.

[Ronas Dermir]

Season of Fall, Day 87, 513 AV Ronas emphatically did not like orders that did not make sense. Despite his loyalty he preferred to know what it was his commanders were sending him into the fray to do. It made it easier for him to actually accomplish the mission set before him. Nonetheless, the orders, though vague, were absolute. He was to meet someone, he did not know who, escort them to the Blood Hills and do his utmost to protect them on their journey. Orders were orders, and Ronas obeyed without question. As he strode up the path toward the Citadel, Ronas' gray eyes swept across the darkening clouds above. Rain. It ultimately did not matter either way but it would make travel a bit more difficult than he would have preferred. Then, a soldier did not determine the weather in which they march. And he had been on enough forced marches to know, that the only thing to do is to protect your feet and keep marching. The Blood Hills had been quiet as of late. A quiet Ronas did not trust. Every instinct as a warrior, as a soldier, as a mage, told him that whenever it was that quiet, something big was going to happen soon. Something spectacular, and not in a good way. He'd been training, honing his skills as best he could for what he knew was likely to come. But it was not a large beast, barreling down upon him, ready to devour him. No, it was a summons by the nuits to meet some unknown entity by the gates. When Ronas finally reached it, he observed the woman critically. There was not much to see. She seemed average enough, fairly tall with long black hair and somewhat ratty clothes. Her bag appeared to be fairly full of things and the state of her dress implied she was a traveling mage of some sort. The fact that she did not have the tell-tale unnatural paleness, nor the stench of embalming fluid, implied she was not a nuit herself. A guest of the dead, then. It did not matter. If she was not one of the dead, she was not in the chain of command, and he was under no obligation to obey her commands. Her cross-legged stance implied meditation. Good. Someone with the mental discipline to understand how to quiet the mind. He'd seen the effect of mages who did not realize the inherent danger of their art. Who did not push back the whispers and urges, who cast and cast until their very Djed, their very essence became tainted and warped. The key was discipline. And at least this woman looked to possess it. She would need it, if she intended to survive in the Blood Hills. "You are the one I am intended to escort," Ronas announced. It was not a question. His voice came out like gravel on stone, low and steely. His face was as impassive as ever, schooled into his usual frown. "We are headed for the Blood Hills. I am Ronas Dermir, Initiate under Master Eli Brent the Warden of the Blood Hills. I have been ordered to protect you, and remove any obstacles as necessary." Ronas paused, giving Annalissa a moment to open her eyes and rise, if she so chose. Ronas had his orders. If she chose to go with him, then they would head down the path toward the Praerie, passing through it on the way to the Blood Hills. "If we have time, we may detour to the Forest of Thorns," Ronas added. "It is the only location on the island with small game that is suitable for human consumption, and Sahova does not provide the living with sustenance. We are required to do it ourselves." Ronas did not say this with any sense of anger or frustration. It was merely a statement of fact. A soldier marched on his stomach. A starving soldier was an inefficient soldier, it was as simple as that. Ronas could not serve Sahova if he was not at his peak. Nonetheless, his mission technically did not include the procurement of food. If Annalissa insisted they headed straight for the Blood Hills, that was where they would go, for Ronas' first duty was to the mission. Now, and always. Turning to the wizard, Ronas continued to regard her coolly, gray eyes meeting gray eyes. "Are there any questions." Once again. It was not really a question.

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna's eyes opened to the sight of a rather tall man, staring impassively down at her. His form of address was curt and rather matter of fact, enough that the apprentice needed a moment to fully process the words. The word that did catch her notice was 'Blood Hills' and though she hid it from the man it surprised her. The Blood Hills were certainly not a place your average apprentice could just walk into from what she'd learned, undoubtedly this was the surprise the Embalmer had spoken of. What game was the Nuit playing, sending her into such a heavily guarded part of the Testing Grounds? Why not the Prairie?

Anna slowly stood, glimpsing at the man's hands subtly, Initiate of this so called Warden he might be though apparently he possessed no rank in the Citadel. No ring adorned either hand, though that would indicate that these Wardens didn't limit their numbers to wizards. That was an interesting bit of knowledge she filed away, Sahovan politics in the Citadel were becoming slowly more familiar but the Island as a whole clearly had a power system divided among other factions. Considering this initiate was to escort her that would provide a bit of time to pump him for information. Anna was unfamiliar with these 'Wardens', perhaps Amaryllis' reasons behind this were in fact a subtle method of teaching her a bit more of the politics of the Island. Anna shrugged it off and followed the Initiate, smiling slightly. Her agitation from the earlier wait was gone, now was the time to learn and grow stronger for it.

Judging from his lack of decay and the subtle rise and fall of his chest Anna gambled that the man was among the living. Another Pulsar, that was useful knowledge to have and it might make discussions easier. She chuckled slightly at his mention of food, Sahova didn't provide for the Pulsars outside of those proven perhaps but it did sparingly for those within that number. Anna could not say she had eaten particularly well, however it was better than the mere visitors received or slaves.

Still, that was no reason not to pass up a potential opportunity to get something in her belly before she started her experiments. A meal was nothing to balk at here on the island of the dead.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ronas. I am Annalisa Marin, Apprentice Wizard to Chief Embalmer Amaryllis. A detour would be lovely if we can afford it, casting on an empty stomach I find is rather more taxing than normal." The wizard offered with a good humored chuckle.

She easily kept pace with her escort, her mind already buzzing with potential subjects of inquiry. The main one was of course, who were the Wardens? What role did they play on Sahova? More importantly, how valuable of pieces were they on the playing field? Anna opted to keep those inquiries on standby for now, best to get a feel for what kind of man she was dealing with here. The opening moves to any successful manipulation was to gauge the target.

Anna blinked slightly when the subject of questions came up, her grey eyes not flinching in the slightest from his own. She'd peered into the gaze of a god, compared to that mortal men were nothing. His tone suggested it not exactly being a question. She simply smiled amicably, deciding that cordiality with her own personal flair for the dramatic was the best bet here.

"I have questions aplenty, but we waste daylight merely standing around. The rain will be upon us soon, and as unpleasant sounding as this 'Forest of Thorns' may be its still a better prospect than catching cold. I'll ask you later if the whimsy so strikes me, lead on Initiate Dermir." The apprentice bid, with a wide gesture indicating him to take the lead.

If he started on down the trail Anna would allow him to take the lead, going over possible spells to utilize just incase things went south. The apprentice was certainly confident in her abilities, however it would be wasteful to not take advantage of the fact she had an escort. To the Blood Hills no less, as dangerous as they no doubt were Anna was quite excited to be allowed travel there. She made a mental note to thank Amaryllis later for the nice surprise.

"I thank you for escorting me, the Testing Grounds can be a tad dangerous I hear. I fear I'm not as familiar as I should be with the Wardens or you Initiates, I've rarely had cause to leave the Citadel. Do you normally escort Apprentices around, or is this just a special occasion?" Anna inquired, making very certain to do so only after expressing thanks.

She chose her words deliberately and carefully, placing the sequence in the correct order to best elicit response. Her tone was conversation, like one who realized they were going to be spending at least a few bells together so they might as well chat. Hopefully he would rise to the bait.

[Ronas Dermir]

Ronas stood in silence as "Annalissa Marin" introduced herself. Apparently, she was an apprentice wizard to the Chief Embalmer Amaryllis. Ronas really had no particular interest in the politics of Sahova, so that information was of little use to him. She mentioned that the detour would be "lovely". Ronas' gray eyes snapped a bit. It was efficient, perhaps, but it was not "lovely". There was nothing lovely about the location, or the meager subsistence it provided. She answered his "question" by waving off any questions of her own. Good, at least she had a decent sense of priority. Ronas honestly did not have much patience for those who chattered on about nothing in general; conversations should be short and to the point. It was much like his own fighting and magic; quick and efficient. No wasted movement, no squandered effort. Waste was the enemy, and hesitation meant death. Ronas chose not to return Annalissa's chuckle, instead opting to nod his head and turn heel and march down the path, not really looking back but hearing Annalissa keeping pace. The path leading to the Citadel gave way to a large forest, which Ronas passed wordlessly, not introducing it or making much commentary upon it. In reply to Annalissa's thanks, and her questions, Ronas took a moment to think on his response. "The Wardens guard the Testing Grounds," Ronas explained as they walked past the forest. "We Initiates train under them. That is the extent of my knowledge of the organization as a whole, although I do know that each Warden is responsible for a specific section." Ronas took a sharp right, the forest loomed behind them like an angry beast. Ronas did not give it a second glance, continuing to walk toward the location he knew to be the Prairie. If Celeste Arumen was there, undoubtedly she'd sense their presence and perhaps provide an escort through her domain, but it did not really matter. They would not be traveling through the Prairie for very long. "As for whether this is a special occurrence, I would not know. I can only say I have not received orders to do it before." Ronas' voice was neutral, courteous, yet firm. "I am a soldier, not a politician. If the Nuits of Sahova order, I obey. How they treat me, or see me, is irrelevant. If they order me to fight, I fight. If they order me to die, I die." All of it was said as calmly as though Ronas had been ordering tea. The forest faded into the distance, and the harsh scrubland of the Prairie came into view. Ronas squinted his eyes somewhat, as the gray clouds above darkened still more. Ronas quickened his pace just slightly, hoping to reach the Forest of Thorns before the first rain. "Thanks are not necessary. I will protect you to the utmost of my ability, as that was what I have been ordered to do." Ronas intoned, as he continued the forced march, hand now on Equalizer's hilt, eyes scanning every which way. His every sense was alive, a habit he had formed over years of being a mercenary and self-styled "soldier". In truth, he did not trust Annalissa Marin. He had seen her type before, the type who'd betray their own to gain an advantage. And those types existed among the dead of Sahova as well, the constant backstabbing and politicking that occured within its stony gray walls. But Ronas was a solider. It did not matter if she betrayed him or not. He would carry out his orders regardless. Ronas' pace slowed as they approached the vine-filled, spiky, thorny forest, the inches-long wicked-looking thorns of the plants hanging dangerously close to the ground, looking to snag the unwary or the unlucky. Ronas did not speak, but silently indicated that they had arrived. Ideally, Ronas would have preferred to catch a Thorn Hare, but the capture, killing, cleaning, and cooking of such an animal would rob them of precious daytime. Instead, Ronas rooted quietly amongst the bushes and rotted logs that had fallen. The rain would drive away much of the edibles so he needed to find what he was looking for quickly. He was rewarded when pulling away the peeling bark of a larger rotted log revealed a cache of wood grubs. Their bulbous white bodies were fat from eating the rotting wood, and Ronas seized a handful and turned to Annalissa. "Here." he announced, offering the grubs to her. Despite their disgusting appearance, the grubs were an excellent source of protein, perfectly safe to eat, and most importantly, did not require any preparation. Given their limited time frame, these were an ideal meal. Certainly if a Thorn Hare appeared, they would attempt to capture and eat it, but Ronas did not intend to spend an extended period of time here. So he waited for Annalissa to take the grubs from him.

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna listened carefully to the rather severe man as he spoke, moving rather awkwardly through the forest near the Citadel and without his ease or speed. She really needed to get out more, being cooped up indoors for so much time and only seeing the sky rarely was hardly healthy. As she tripped after the man she made a note as to what the Wardens were, caretakers of the Testing Grounds. Given that they also possessed followers Anna was willing to hazard a guess that they were hardly just caretakers, they would have to be somewhat militant to survive long out here. Given that each Warden oversees a different area that also meant different customs and personalities migrated towards them, which was certainly useful information for future reference.

They left the forest soon enough, for which the apprentice was very grateful for and found a familiar sight was before her. The Prairie, a massive open plain she had previously used to test her magical muscles a few days before the Judgment. Likely this place had its own Warden to oversee it, Anna had to wonder who it was and what allowed them to survive so long here? She pulled her cloak closer around her, paying careful mind to her escort. Her grey eyes started to narrow as she listened to the man talk, coming to the conclusion that he was nothing more than a walking, breathing weapon. His purpose was found in the wielder's whim, he contented himself with knowing that his superiors knew best.

Anna idly fiddled with her bronze apprentice ring, wishing for all the world that it was silver. The tall woman was not content with being a mere Apprentice Wizard, to be lumped in with those inferior to her. She had survived an onslaught from Master Roknus Maelstrom himself, the apprentice knew she could have easily crushed every one of his apprentices given the chance. She wanted more, more than Apprentice Wizard, more than Wizard, more than even the honorific of Master. She wanted everything, and she wouldn't stop until either she had it or she died.

Of course, to reach that lofty ambition she needed to be cunning, savvy, and flexible. Anna knew she was not ready for that challenge yet, she was merely surviving at this point. Once survival was handled, then came upward aspirations first though she needed to deal with a particularly dangerous Hypnotist. Anna kept up the outward façade, yes she was just the mere apprentice, inexperienced and incapable.

"Nonetheless I thank you for escorting me, regardless of what I may mean to you it means a great deal to me as I have full confidence in your abilities. I fear I would be rather vulnerable and lost without you here." She said in response to his dismissal of thanks, her tone sincere.

This Ronas may very well prove useful in the long run, though she doubted he could or would help her little Daren problem unless ordered. Ah, the disadvantages of being a mere apprentice. No ordering around deathly loyal soldiers.

The apprentice made very certain to watch her steps as they entered a rather unfriendly looking forest, littered with spikes inches long jutting out from plants. No doubt this was the so called 'Forest of Thorns', it certainly lived up to its name. She made certain to observe and mirror the Initiate's movements exactly, having no wish to cut herself on the foliage. One infection was enough for her for this year.

Anna had expected to actually be eating some form of meat, so when Ronas thrust a handful of grubs at her she was understandably annoyed and a little grossed out. The apprentice had been hungry enough during her initial days here where thoughts of cannibalism had entered her mind, yet some how the thought of feasting on the flesh of her fellow humans seemed more appealing than the squirming creatures. She stared at the writhing larvae with some disgust, her expression unsure for a moment before sighing in defeat.

The apprentice grabbed a handful of the critters, ignoring with all her might the literal crawling on her skin. She gripped on of the buggers between her thumb and forefinger, looking at Ronas for a moment. She'd suddenly found the perfect way to describe him, but opted for the Ancient Tongue to convey it.

"Nader-Ala, Nader-Randjaq."

Translated it meant 'What we share is that which is unreachable, what we share is that which limits our freedom', it seemed oddly appropriate to describe the man as such. She barely knew him but much about him seemed very straightforward, a simply kind of honesty that she had once been capable of herself. She didn't explain the reason for the words, likely there wasn't any reason to. He was bound to duty, and in that he found what was unreachable to most which was freedom of spirit. The apprentice didn't agree with the philosophy in any way, shape, or form but that's just what she saw. Anna different but similar in her bonds. Chaos was freedom, Rhysol represented Chaos, therefore she served him in much the same way Ronas did his orders. That service limited her freedoms in someway, but it also brought freedom within that path she walked.

With that said she placed the squirming creature into her mouth and as quickly as possibly bit down hard on it's head. That didn't stop it from squirming, which prompted her to pulp the thing with each merciless chomp from her teeth. It tasted rather bland, though not nearly as disgusting as she had first feared. She swallowed and wordlessly ate another, this time not bothering to pulp it and simply bit the head and swallowed the squirming thing. She continued with the odd feast, waiting for the Initiate's signal to move on.

[Ronas Dermir]

Ronas merely grunted and nodded when Anna repeated her thanks. He found it utterly pointless to thank people. Actions were actions, unless the action directly affected him, acknowledging assistance with anything more than a brief verbal concession was inefficient. Nonetheless he nodded, and continued to walk. As he continued to stroll he kept a keen eye out for his fellow initiate Celeste, but she did not appear during their journey. Possibly the girl was busy. In any case it did not matter. Ronas was glad, though the emotion did not reveal itself on his face, when Annalissa accepted his offer of grubs. Most people would have refused outright, which would have resulted in a stern lecture from Ronas regarding survival in the wilds. But it was her words that caught his attention. Old Tongue. Something Ronas had not heard in some time; not since his own lessons in the art of Voiding. He was vaguely familiar with some of the words of that particular phrase, but he did not sense anger or insult in her words, so he chose to reply with one of his own. "Zhu Dar Suhalah," he replied, with a nod to Annalissa as she bit into the bitter grubs. It translated to "to fight or to die", the motto of the soldiers of the Suvan army. The phrase referred to the only two things a soldier should ever do. Ronas had chosen to appropriate it for himself. Ronas returned to the wriggling mass and pulled a few more of the grubs for his own consumption. Biting smoothly into the head of one, he quickly chewed and swallowed, eating the grubs one after another in rapid succession. The insects tasted bland and somewhat bitter, but it was not something Ronas was unused to. A soldier ate what he could, where he could. As he swallowed, Ronas indicated that they should continue to move through the veritable jungle of thorns. He'd already released Equalizer from its sheath, and was using its curved edge to chop away branches that were in their path. The clouds threatened rain that never seemed to come, but Ronas did not like the charged air, or the slight dampness that implied the rain was only chimes away. "These woods contain game, as I mentioned," Ronas commented, as they fought through the dense brush. "Though tracking and hunting them would take more time than we have. Should we be fortunate enough to stumble upon one, we will take the opportunity of course, but probability being what it is, it is unlikely that--" Ronas had suddenly frozen, each muscle tense, his right fist held up in the military symbol for "all stop". His gray eyes were focused straight ahead, where the fluffy white of a Thorn Hare was directly before them. It was a stroke of rather incredible fortune, since typically the small creatures were skittish and it took long Bells of patience to find one. Ronas approached quietly, cautiously, always trying to keep inside the hare's blind spot behind it and careful not to create too much sound. As he walked, Ronas focused on his astral body, willing the astral body to detach from the elbow outward. It was a painfully slow process, but Ronas had no desire to cause lasting damage to his limb, especially since they were not in a life-or-death situation where his Projection magic would be rapidly necessary. Chimes passed, the hare sprang forward a little more to nibble on some thorny grasses a bit further up, but Ronas continued to concentrate, now detaching the wrist and fingers, always keeping his eyes on the hare before him. With an almost popping sensation, the entire arm detached about four chimes later, and the corresponding limb fell limply to his side. Ronas was not quite close enough to use it, so he very quietly padded a bit closer, before reaching out with his projected limb. The limb did not "stretch", as Master Brent insisted it would eventually, as he was not yet skilled enough in the art to know his astral limb. It still felt like his arm, just... invisible. But there was another advantage to using Projection for this task. The spines on the back of the Thorn Hare bristled violently when Ronas' astral hand grasped it, trying to send its fast-acting poison to paralyze him and allow it to get away. If he had tried to use his actual hand, as he did the first time he did this, that would have in fact occurred, and he would be paralyzed and a liability to Annalissa as a result. But the astral arm was unaffected by the Thorn Hare's bristles, and Ronas quickly raised his other hand, which was still holding Equalizer, and brought it down with a quick chopping motion, striking the hare sharply in the back of the neck with the butt-end of the sword, killing it instantly. Ronas quietly re-sheathed Equalizer. With the hare dead, he could concentrate on just reattaching his astral arm, and he did just that, gray eyes closed as he focused on reattaching at his fingers, then his wrist, and finally at the elbow. Projection could be a dangerous art; if Annalissa was impatient about the time it took then so be it. This part of the magic could not be rushed. Though... Ronas noted the writing materials peeking out from Annalissa's pack. He'd been informed in the past that Glyphing could aid a Projectionist in their concentration and permit them to detach and reattach astral limbs faster and easier. "We were quite fortunate," Ronas explained as the limb finally attached a chime or so later. He was still not very good at this, and the arm felt stiff and tingly. Clearly he'd not attached it back perfectly, but it just took practice. He was certain the more often he did this, the easier it would become. Rubbing the shoulder slightly, he leaned down to pick up the hare. "This is a creature known as a Thorn Hare. They are by far the most common edible game available in this forest, although finding one can be difficult." Ronas looked back up at the sky, then back down at Annalissa. "Be careful of their spines. They release a fast-acting paralyzing poison, and will leave you unable to move for several chimes. While not fatal, it will almost certainly allow your prey to escape. I do not know if we have time to fully prepare this meal, although we should at least build a fire to cook it before the meat rots." As Ronas spoke, the signature red soil of the Blood Hills appeared, blood red against the brown and gray of the thicket of the Forest of Thorns. Carefully gathering a few of the thorny wood he had hacked with Equalizer, Ronas built a small circle and took out his flint and tinder. As he built the fire, he nodded at Annalissa's supplies. "I note you appear to be carrying supplies for the use of Glyphing," he commented mildy. "Though I am not skilled in the art I am aware of it. If time permits, I can offer what knowledge I possess in Voiding in return for knowledge in Glyphing, if that exchange at all interests you."

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna heard his reply with a suppressed chuckle, quite the dutiful one this Ronas was. Likely even the Syliran Knights had their limits, however this one most certainly viewed the mission as being much more important than his well being. He also possessed at least remedial knowledge of the Ancient Tongue, a language usually taken up by wizards. Though, considering the commonality on Sahova she supposed it was possible he had learned through extended contact with island's ancient inhabitants. That really depended upon how long he had lived upon Sahova, though it brought up the possibility that these Wardens accepted other wizards into their ranks. So that made them something like Battle Wizards, a theory to look into at a later time.

Her rather disgusting meal finished the apprentice followed in Ronas' wake, once again being very mindful of where she stepped. Anna raised an eyebrow at Ronas' words about time consumption regarding hunting, last she checked the rains on Sahova were a mere drizzle at the moment. Certainly nothing to get overly worked up over, it was unlikely to affect her experiment as a negative. Still she didn't comment on his haste, instead just keeping in step.

Anna halted when prompted, a word of protest on her lips that also died there when she noted a white creature a little further up. The woman hailed from the port city Zeltiva, most animal's she'd seen were fish, rats, and the occasional gulls circling overhead in the harbor. Undoubtedly it was the so called Thorn Hare the man had spoken of, meaning that the gods indeed must have sense of humor. She'd eaten grubs a couple of chimes ago because she'd been convinced it was likely to be her only meal for the day. Now she knew that the whole affair had been unnecessary, it made the prospective meal seem bittersweet.

The apprentice was rather confident that a simple earthen spike through the skull would have done the trick, it was close enough so that the action would have been easy to arrange. She allowed Ronas to handle it though, no reason to waste unnecessary Djed if he knew how to handle the situation. She'd likely need every bit she could keep if the experiment got out of hand.

The hare seemed to be gripped by an unseen force, unable to escape it and having noticed Ronas' earlier concentration Anna was willing to bet magic was involved. Though what magic he'd used escaped her, she made very certain to inquire after it after he was done. A sharp crack ended the creature's life, pleasing Anna that she now was going to have a half decent meal.

She listened to the Initiate's explanation, noting the spikes on the creature's body. It look harmless from a distance, but apparently it was certainly not the most cuddly of creatures. Idly she wondered if the spikes could be removed without killing the creature, it might be kind of cute. That, and one could probably make some wicked darts from the spikes.

Anna looked down at him as he mentioned time it would take to prepare the meal, her grey eyes hardened slight. She was not going to pass up a good meal after having so long without one.

"We have time. Have you ever considered taking the spikes off to construct darts? Seems like it would be an excellent self defense tool, I'd imagine that paralyzing poison is probably rare." She said, noting the change of color for the soil.

The apprentice settled down, allowing Ronas to be about his work. She heard his offer and regarded him with a slight grin, truly Rhysol was favoring her today. That or Amaryllis was much too clever for her own good, that was actually the most likely option as the Embalmer had arranged this little romp. She'd been looking for assistance with learning more of the Void, an exchange of glyphing for such knowledge was quite favorable.

"It has been a while since last I exchanged magical knowledge for magical knowledge, most of the time in the Citadel its services for favors and promises. Rather refreshing to be honest, simple and straightforward and without a thousand political tones to be aware of. After my experiment is finished I think we can come to some kind of arrangement. For now, I'd suggest you save your Djed for later. I might have need of the Void." The woman offered.

So, some Initiates were indeed Battle Wizards, that was interesting to note as it made the previously unknown quantities seem much more known. Annalisa wondered then how powerful and influential these Wardens were to command a bunch of Battle Wizards. Though if they were all like Ronas she imagined it wouldn't be overly difficult. Were they all Pulsars? Did Nuit join the ranks or not? Questions to ponder.

[Ronas Dermir]

Ronas paused for a moment at Annalissa's suggestion of utilizing the Thorn Hare's bristles as weapons. It was certainly an idea, one he had not considered before. "A fascinating suggestion," Ronas confessed, as he returned to his work. "I had not considered that, though given the size and nature of the spines, I'd imagine they would only really be effective in some form of blowgun. They are not properly shaped or balanced for being throwing darts." Ronas shrugged. He knew his magic, he knew his weapons, he knew his body. He rarely sought out new weapons, because there were only so many Bells in a day, and he needed to keep the skills he already had as sharp as he could. He did not have time to be adding new skills to hone on top of that, not unless they would have a direct benefit to efficiency the way Glyphing would. Ronas ran the flint against the tinder, rapping it once, twice, three times until the spark caught the tinder and a tiny flame appeared. Bending over, he blew gently on the fire to encourage it, until it was strong enough to catch the firewood he'd gathered around it. After about a chime or two, the fire was large enough for the thicker branches to be added. Ronas took the hare, and took out his hunting blade. With a deft motion, he split the hare, carefully removing the skin, fur, and thorns while being careful not to waste the precious meat. Deciding that perhaps Annalissa's suggestion bore merit, he decided to gather up a few of the paralyzing spines. Perhaps he could look into the possibility of carving a blowgun of some description. Regardless, it was a thought for another time. Ronas picked up one of several medium-sized, fairly straight sticks and began sharpening them with the hunting knife, whittling down their ends until he had a small pile of miniature spears. Then, he cut off some of the meat of the hare and skewered it upon one of the sticks, carefully positioning it over the fire. Ronas glanced over at Annalissa. She had agreed to his exchange of knowledge, which was a good thing in his opinion. Not everyone appreciated straightforward exchanges, but Ronas saw little reason for political games. She had knowledge that would be valuable to him. He had knowledge that could be valuable to her. An exchange would be the most efficient means of acquisition in this instance. "Acknowledged," Ronas intoned in reply to Annalissa's response of coming to an arrangement later. She was quite right that they should conserve Djed for whatever she was planning to do later. Ronas would not have even expended the Djed for Projection to capture the hare, but he could not think of any other way to capture it safely. Possibly Annalissa could have done it, but he could not presume that, and the hare could have escaped in the time it took him to ask. "You seem quite curious about the Wardens," Ronas noted, as he slowly turned the skewered meat to ensure even cooking. It wasn't an accusation, more an observation. In Ronas' experience, most mages, apprentices or otherwise, really did not care what the Wardens were up to as long as they kept the beasts of the the Testing Grounds under control. "To be honest, I have not been among their number long enough to know very much. Though I do know that they apparently have an appalling retention rate among Initiates." Ronas made no indication that he necessarily cared about the fate of the Initiates so much as what he saw as an inefficient system. "An inefficient system," was Ronas' flat opinion of it. "There is a significant difference between using lives and wasting them. A soldier should always be prepared to die for his cause; but ideally, it should be the enemy doing the dying." Ronas took the meat off the fire and peeled a tiny piece off and chewed it. Frowning slightly, he spat it out and resumed cooking. "As you may have noticed, the color of the soil has changed. We are now in the Blood Hills, the domain that I assist in overseeing." Ronas frowned as his gray eyes swept the crimson horizon. It was a force of habit, from weeks of being attacked at the oddest hours, by the strangest beasts, he'd learned that constant vigilance was necessary here in the most dangerous section of the Testing Grounds. The pleasant aroma of cooked meat assaulted Ronas' nostrils. Taking another small piece and chewing it, Ronas nodded once curtly, then handed the stick over to Annalissa. "The meat may not necessarily be overly scrumptious nor abundant, but the nutrition is there. We should not waste time eating." Ronas sliced another section of meat and skewered it upon another stick. Hovering it over the fire, he decided to take a crosslegged seat at the fire. Despite the apparently relaxed position he was taking, the tenseness in his muscles easily gave away his vigilance. Ronas was no fool; he was ready to spring up at a moment's notice, and Equalizer's hilt was never more than a few inches from his hand. Eating this close to the Blood Hills carried its own risks. Many creatures would love to take their meal from them. Or make a meal of them.

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna watched the man as he set about his tasked, allowing her position to become more leisurely and relaxed in appearance. It was, as with most things obvious about her, a façade as she was in fact quite alert and ready to discharge res at any moment. The Citadel was a place of masks and facades, double speak and bargaining. Indeed there were even tones of murder and betrayal, things she most certainly wanted to indulge in. If one was not subtly alert in the Citadel they were either oblivious fools, or were not important enough to have enemies of note. The apprentice was fond of believing that one was judged by the measure of their enemies, unfortunately for her said enemies were usually hypnotists.

In a way, Anna's primary magic reflected to her preferred way of dealing with situations. Reimancy was powerful, obvious, and destructive as such she herself enjoyed dispensing with targets via those means. It didn't work that way in the Citadel, she couldn't just fry her enemies because they often had backing or actual sway. She needed to carefully consider the politics of any action she took, making very certain not to anger those above her rank and at the same time ingratiate herself to such individuals. At the moment she had Amaryllis' backing, though until she became a full Wizard the Embalmer likely saw her as an easily expended piece. Such was the twisted way of Sahovan politics.

The apprentice noted Ronas storing away the spikes with a subtle grin, good, he had at least considered the idea worth testing. Anna made a note to inquire after their employment as weapons at a later date if they ever met again, never knew when a new market for poison could open. The apprentice was already working through scenarios regarding the introduction of such weapons, if this panned out it was possible she could get a few favors for this or line her pockets with a few Miza.

Ronas seemed to dislike the loss of his fellow initiates, deeming the system ineffectual. Being the ever mindful manipulator that she was, Anna was quick to jump on this opening.

"I see. How would you change the system for the better? I ask about your Warden's because I'm curious, The Testing Grounds are as much a part of Sahova as the Citadel after all. It pays to be aware of one's surroundings, both in battle and social situations." Anna asked after he had attempted a subject change, her grey eyes lazily flicking to his own.

It was true, though Anna found that it was unlikely battle would be her end with the path she had chosen. Rather she would most likely find herself in the Dungeons if she angered the wrong Master, or poisoned by an uppity apprentice looking to jump start his position. Dira's embrace came in many forms on Sahova, especially for the living and doubly so if they opted to get wrapped up in Citadel politics. In actuality, Ronas likely had a higher chance of survival than she did.

The apprentice took hold of the offered stick with an incline of her head, sniffing the meat first before biting in. Were she still sitting comfortably in Zeltiva the meat would have been judged as rather subpar at best, however given her situation on Sahova she regarded it as the best thing she'd eaten in days. She made a conscious effort to avoid tearing into the thing like an animal, biting in a collected sort of way and chewing thoughtfully. Anna was determined to not become a beast, a monster she may already be but at least she was a refined monster.

Between measured bites she regarded the Initiate again, her tone still warm and companionable.

"For what I have planned I'd prefer a place that has some open space, not an enormous amount but enough that I might comfortably arrange sigils across a reasonably wide space. If possible it should be somewhat secluded as well, though I'm not overly picky on that last bit." The apprentice said, nodding slightly as she took another bite of her meal.

It didn't take overly long for her to finish the meal, the last vestiges of the meat vanishing down her throat greedily. Her stomach was quite satisfied, especially after that rather disgusting snack beforehand. She patted it affectionately and took out her waterskin, taking off the cap and allowing the lukewarm liquid within to soothe her parched tongue. She didn't drink much, putting it away after a couple of long gulps, water was something to conserve.

"Ahhh... thank you for that Ronas. I feel fit enough to go another round against Master Maelstrom and win." She said, chuckling at the private joke.

[Ronas Dermir]

The scent of cooking meat filled the air as Ronas held the Thorn Hare's flesh over the small fire. Annalissa had asked him how he would change the system. Ronas' answer was immediate. "I would not," he replied smoothly and simply. "My orders did not dictate that I had the authority to upend the means by which Initiates are chosen, or inducted, or retained." There was a moment's silence. Then Ronas spoke again, in a lower tone. "However the system as it currently exists is not sustainable. I would... recommend a different approach. Instead of a single initiate, or set of Initiates, perhaps the most exemplary ones could form a unit. Pool their talents, and act as a rapid response squad for threats too large, too tough, or otherwise too difficult to handle individually." The soft drizzle of rain had already begun to fall, though Ronas did not flinch from the sudden wetness. It wasn't true rain, not yet, and the fire sputtered some but did not go out. Ronas kept his eyes on the sizzling meat as he continued to talk. "The image of a single soldier, holding off hordes of enemies, is a myth. Even mages have their limits. The way they are going now, the Wardens burn through Initiates like an overgiving wizard goes through Djed. In the meantime, the creatures of this place get stronger. I fail to see how that is a recipe for anything but inevitable disaster." There was a soft keening sound that echoed over the hills. It was still far off, and the sound wobbled and was almost indistinct against the occasional whisper of the wind, but Ronas heard it. His head snapped up immediately and he looked off to his left, eyes scanning the horizon and ears open for a repeat of the sound. If it returned and closer, then meal time was over. A chime passed. Two. Five. Nothing. Ronas did not relax, but he did return his primary attention to the meal again. That particular creature would have approached, and attacked, if it was headed in their direction. They could not let down their guard, but at least the creature had not sensed their presence. Yet. Annalissa had mentioned she wanted to have an open spot for her to experiment in. The Blood Hills, though, was not like the Prairie. It was not flat, open ground with lots of open space. It was, as its name suggested, quite hilly and occasionally even mountainous, filled with stony outcroppings and gravelly red rocks beneath their feet. There was, however, a fairly large depression near the southern end of the Hills. Ronas did not know nor care what had created this depression; possibly it was an experiment that had gone VERY wrong. Or perhaps it was simply a natural formation. Regardless, it should suit her purposes adequately. As to "secluded", if Annalissa meant a locale where they were not likely to be interrupted by the denizens of the Blood Hills, then she had obviously come to the wrong island. "There is a location that might suit your needs," Ronas replied as he tasted the meat. It was sufficiently cooked, so he took a larger bite of it, chewing carefully and making sure not to eat too quickly. Haste would not assist him in digesting the food any faster. "I must caution you, however," he added, between bites, "That there are no 'secluded' areas of the Blood Hills. The failed experiments that are dumped here come and go as they choose, and regardless of the testing ground we decide upon, their uninvited intrusion is an unfortunate reality we shall have to be ready to deal with." As Annalissa finished her meal, Ronas quickly consumed his as well. Quick and efficient, as was almost anything he did. She made a joke about being able to take on Master Maelstrom. Ronas did not snort or make any remark, merely nodded his acknowledgement of her state of readiness and rose smoothly to his feet. With a swift movement of his feet, he swept some of the blood-red dirt over the small fire, smothering it. Then he stomped upon it once or twice. The last thing they needed was the Forest of Thorns burning down; it was the only source of reliable game for the Pulsers on the island. After he was sufficiently satisfied the fire was well and truly put out, Ronas bent down and retrieved the remains of the hare, tossing it onto the corpse of their fire. He would use a Void portal to dispose of it, but he did not wish to consume Djed. Still he made sure to bury the remains as best he could. It was crucial they do their utmost to not attract unnecessary attention. Chances were high they'd attract attention anyway, but there was no reason to invite trouble when trouble was so willing to find them. "Follow." was the only command Ronas gave, and he turned and marched toward the depression in the southern end of the Blood Hills, eyes and ears still peeled for the slightest sign of trouble.