Seasons Change And So Do I (Ryallus)

[Liminal]

16 Fall, 509 AV, continued...

The Wright Memorial Library was an imposing building of the same granite that had been used in the construction of many of the nearby structures. It was not an old building, having been opened for use only twenty years before, as a replacement for the former Library, which now housed the fine arts department.

Inside, the ceilings arched several stories above Ryallus' head. Shelves lined the walls, filled with books and other documents. Cursory examination would show that these books were all fairly recent and in good condition; anyone wanting to examine damaged or pre-Valterrian materials would have to speak to a librarian. One such staff member, a red-haired woman in her twenties, sat quietly behind a desk.

In a plush chair, deep in thought, was an older man, his brow furrowed as he looked over a massive volume. He matched the description that Ryallus had been given, and presumably, was indeed Professor Jacob Stonemiller.

[Ryallus Torboron]

Looking into the cavern, for it was too large to be a room, Ryallus stood spellbound at the amount of knowledge that must be encased within this library. Everywhere he looked there were books and scrolls of varying sizes and ages, however most of them looked relatively new. Having grown up on a farming compound Ryallus had rarely seen more than a dozen books in his life, yet he was an avid reader and often reread the few books his family were privileged to own. Marching towards the nearest bookcase he quickly scanned over the titles, though there was nothing on Morphing here Ryallus was still amazed at the amount of knowledge encased within these dusty tomes and the mysteries they were reluctant to release.

Snapping out of his reverie, Ryallus looked around for Professer Stonemiller thinking about the amount of knowledge this one man could have to show him, if he wished to. Hoping feverishly that Stonemiller would accept him as a pupil or at least tell him some things about Morphing or where to find someone who could. Spotting the thin, elderly gentlemen Ryallus was struck at how ordinary he looked. I guess I was expecting some flamboyant mage rather than an elderly scholar Ryallus thought to himself though he realised that a lot of studying was required when it came to magic. Not wanting to interrupt, Ryallus slowly walked towards the man and sat down waiting for the man to finish what he was doing. While he was waiting he looked at the title of the book Stonemiller was reading. After reading the title, Ryallus cleared his throat and asked,
'Are you Professor Stonemiller? I was sent here by the secretary when I asked about Morphing. Before waiting for a reply Ryallus continued, 'My name's Ryallus Torboron and I've been studying Morphing for a year or two yet I've never been taught and there weren'y really any books for me to look at so I tried to learn by myself.'

[Liminal]

The man looked up, his eyes tired, as if he had been there for a long, long time. He listened as Ryallus rattled off his explanation -- and then didn't immediately say anything at all. The silence, made even more pronounced by the library's vast stillness, was awkward to say the least.

Finally, he opened his mouth. "Kenabelle Wright, this building's namesake, once said, Perhaps the only real difference between one place and another is the view from the eyes of the people who are standing there." He shifted uneasily in his seat, and tapped the arm of his chair with one finger. For perhaps ten seconds, again, he fell silent, enveloped by the pressing quiet of the room.

"To learn morphing from books is hard indeed." He placed a velvet bookmark in the volume he had been reading, and then closed it. "Why, Ryallus Torboron, would you attempt such a thing? Something, something powerful indeed must have pushed you in that direction. Do you yourself know what it is, Mr. Torboron?"

At this point, Professor Stonemiller -- for it must have been him, regardless of the fact that he had never confirmed it -- seemed to be waiting for a response, though he gave no hint as to what kind of response he was expecting.

[Ryallus Torboron]

While Ryallus was waiting for Professor Stonemiller to say something, his mind wandered. He thought of turning into a wolf and hunting in the forest, tracking the scent of his prey and soaring above the forest flitting and flying everywhere on the wings of a bird. However, this daydream was broken as soon as the Professor voiced his first word.

After listening with rapt attention, Ryallus pondered the meaning of Kenebelle Wright's quote and what it meant as well as why he decided to learn morphing at all. After all, it was no easy thing and was fraught with risks and dangers than say writing. But something drew Ryallus to it, he'd always loved animals and the environments ranging from forest to desert, mountains to the sky itself. He's love to be able to see all those places in the guise of different animals experiencing it as they experience it, free from pressure and able to go wherever you want. Being able to see what it's like to be an animal and see how they work. Just thinking about why he wanted to morph made him want to learn it even more.

After quite a while of thoughtful thinking Ryallus replied, 'I have always loved the forest near my house and all the animals within it. I lived most of my life within those wooden confines, meditating and relaxing and letting the smells and sounds of the forests and the animals within it rush my senses. It used to be my escape and I loved it. I've always looked after animals and wondered how they felt and acted and if they could speak just as humans could. All the subtle things about each individual animal were just mysteries waiting to be cracked open, and I realised that is what I wanted to do. So from then I tried to seperate my spirit from my body similar to how it felt when I meditate. Eventualyl, I cracked it and have been triyng to improve it ever since. But I really need a teacher to help focus my learning and to improve and that is why I have come to you.' After the lengthy speech Ryallus sat back and waited for a reply knowing that soon it would come, soon the few words that could change his life forever could come.

[Liminal]

The Professor listened, tapping one finger on the cover of his book. When Ryallus had finished, he stood, and motioned with his left hand. "Follow me."

Silently, he walked further into the building. There was a door in one wall; he pulled it open, revealing a staircase leading down. It was dimly lit by strange blue lights that didn't appear to be burning anything.

He walked down at least two floors before pulling another door open. This one revealed a long corridor, lit by the same blue globes. Into this hallway he went, going perhaps twenty feet before he reached a door on his left, which he also opened.

This one showed only a bare room, empty except for a single chair. The Professor sat down in it, then turned his head toward Ryallus. "All right then, Mr. Torboron. I want you to show me what you have learned thus far."

[Ryallus Torboron]

As soon as the words 'follow me' left the professor's mouth, Ryallus' heart soared for he was knew he would finally get training in morphing, yet he kept a cool, calm exterior so as to impress his would-be teacher. For once, Ryallus barely looked at the magical blue lights, partially because he'd seen them so often here and also because his mind was tightly focused on the thought of learning Morphing.

As soon as he saw the room it looked as if he'd have to do something, an interview perhaps though he'd thought that was what had just occured upstairs. Then he heard the progessor giving his instructions. Straight away he supressed his emotions and get ready to keep a detached emotion. Before he began Ryallus gaver a quick summary of his skills so far, 'I've only really practised on my hands and arms so far so I'm afraid I can't get past that anyway without further ado.'

Ryallus sat down, legs crossed and emptied his mind of everything apart from his dog from home. He remembered the sinewy muscles, the tough, black underside of his paws, the long, sharp claws of which one was white since birth. He remembered how he gracefully leapt and bounded through the forests, completely at ease with the world. He remembered its long, wavy, black hair that flew behind as his dog ran. After filling his minds with all thoughts and images about his dog, Ryallus started to morph.

He started with his hands pushing them inwards so they grew shorter and wider to represent the paw. It felt strange to morph one's body and Ryallus always got a tingling sensation in the place where he was morphing and that kicked in now. After that he squeezed his hands and they shrunk as he did so until they looked similar to a hairless dog's paw. After getting the rough details in place, Ryallus nails dissolved and reformed growing longer and sharper until he had a set of claws on each 'paw'. All black, except for a white one on the index finger of his right hand. Does a dog have fingers? Ryallus thought to himself watching as one of the claws sagged. Now is not the time to be thinking of trivial things like that Ryallus scolded himself as he reshaped the claw. With his full attention on the task at hand Ryallus then thinned his bones by mentally questing inside himself and pushing the bones. To really understand this you'd have to know exactly how Ryallus morphs. He detatches his mind and quests inward inside of himself and then manipulates the things inside of him with this. That is how he percieves it anyway. After thinning the bones he closed them in around the muscles. Then he left his leg and made some final adjustments on the paws by adding the dew claws and closing the gaps between each finger. After that came the hardest part, Ryallus willed his body to grow fur. Long, wavy, black fur started to weep out of his body gently oozing forth before assembling themselves to recreate fur. With that done he looked upon himself and was proud.

'This is about to the stage I've progressed to so far,' he said to the professor allowing his emotions to escape as a look of joy entered his features. He loved the exhilarating feel of morphing oneself of directly manipulating your body to represent something else or to craft something new altogether. Just thinking about it made him excited. 'So what do you think?' he asked hopefully, willing the professor to give him a chance and teach him what he knew.

[Liminal]

The professor looked at the dog for several seconds. "It's not bad, given that you've never had real instruction," he said at last. "It took a long time, and I'm not sure you've got the proportions exactly right, but it's a good start."

He sighed slightly. "All right. Morph back and let me see the process. Then, come back to the library tomorrow, and we'll begin your official lessons. But I need to see you come back to your original form first before I know where to begin."

The old man folded his hands in his lap and waited to witness Ryallus' transformation.