Graded [Lodeli Woods] A Saviour & Student

[SilverFeathers]

Vaguely follows on from the thread [Isekai Hell] A Headstrong Child.

Cast & Goals:

• Ninelle (#54d1b0)
  • Remember why she was here
• Fei Liu (#A38F84)
  • Seek out someone that can help him begin his magic journey
• Euthalia (#228B22)
  • Meet and get to know a Hero of the Fae See
  • Ask said hero to help her regain her magic

Location: The See, Lodeli Woods
Time: Early afternoon
Weather: No wind, chilly/cold, slightly humid

• Lodeli Woods
• Ninelle

• 
  
  
• 
  
  

Pet Panda​

Tall spindly trees, seemingly never-ending with their height, creaked uneasily in these otherwise silent woods. With no sunlight breaching the canopies, the forest floor was purely lit by colourful glowy mushrooms and luminous crystals embedded into bark, giving the whole area the air of a hidden wonderland.

Perhaps it would seem magical and awe-inspiring to be in such a place, but for the discerning, the lack of life would give birth to a most ominous atmosphere. No sounds of birds chirping, pixies giggling, or leaves rustling in the wind could be heard at all. For those that would notice, something was very clearly wrong with this place.

---

A long-haired fairy of white hanfu and green wings was drifting through these woods. One wing was mechanical, with gears and metal frames, made to resemble her natural left wing as much as possible. It whirred and fluttered with a gentle rhythm behind her back.

Ninelle, the fairy, was in a bit of a daze. Glittering pollen and colourful flora swirled and clouded her vision and thoughts, as she floated through the air aimlessly. Unbeknownst to her, an eerie blue glow had settled in the depths of her eyes.

…where am I? These trees... this must be the Lodeli Woods. But... why am I here? Wasn't there... a boy? Yeah... we talked about something... I have to save him. Or was it someone else I had to save? I can't remember...

Her cognition seemed muddled and fragmented, with each prior thought slipping out of reach as she came up with a new one. Still, she pressed on, because in the back of her mind, she knew there was something she must do.

Oh, the boy. There he is. She couldn't mistake that golden hair anywhere. Why was he running from her? Ninelle saw herself flying after him at full speed, but in reality, she was drifting forward at an almost zombie-like pace... towards the open jaws of a monstrous golden flower.

Its glittering petals were spread wide and welcoming, lined with hundreds of tiny translucent teeth as it awaited its unaware victim. Criss-crossing vines stemmed from behind the bud, curled around the trunk and low branches of an overhanging tree.

Every now and then, a bluish pulse would coarse through the plants vines, one that resonated with the blue glow in the fairy's eyes as it tightens its hold on her consciousness.

(Ninelle is under the control of [Mind Control] C)

 

[Pet Panda]

Mesmerized though he was by the plant life, Liu kept it moving. Despite his admiration of primeval forests, it was the damned fungus. Fungi loved to eat rotting and dead things, and he was at least halfway onto their menu, which was quite far enough. Moving silently through trees, their thin and straight forms whipping bye through this purple haze, Liu was determined to head northeast to cut around the continental lake stamped in the center of the continent to head back in the direction of the eastern empire from the lake. With his features obscured, he was able to move covertly through semi-civilized places, for the most part escaping attention. Of course, it goes a long way to carry inocuous intentions in the first place. Plucking information from the ort of conversations discarded in market squares and cast aside from the remainder of small talk outside of restaurants, no conversations regarding passing rumors were necessary, and he followed the thread of magical rumors eastward. He just had to traverse this fungus-infested forest to do it.

Effulgence and movement yanked his attention down and to the left. Below him several meters, a glowing creature hovered off of the ground splendedly, some kind of fairy with fluttering wings was moving in a straight line. Liu's glance nearly moved on but for a matching light glinting, half obscured by an interposing tree. He darted down a few stories and leaned around it to see the moiety of that encounter. It took him a moment to decipher what was going on. Creatures kept some bearing, it was a fundamental understanding of the brain when something lives and it takes a great deal of biological magic to trick the human eye, but this fairy's face seemed slack and listless. There was some colored haze over its front, around the eyes in particular. Liu surveyed the other creature in an instant. Like a venus fly trap lures flies with sugar, this toothy creature seemed to take the mind of its target -- he could deduce it from the matching glow the fairy's predatory cynosure.

The very same instincts that saw him promoted and respected in life animated his form. Accustomed now to this unnatural frame, he, a moment before clinging to the side of a trunk and using a stumpy twig of a branch to support his meager weight, dug his fingers into the smooth bark, holding himself there by the sheer force of his grip while he braced his feet against the magical tree. Kicking off of the trunk right toward the ground near the fairy, he employed the tremendous speed developed over some months of inhabiting this dangerous land. Like a spear lancing through the air, he hit the ground near the floating woman and sped toward her with his arms outstretched to first capture her so that she wouldn't move any closer to that thing.




Actions/Relevant Skills & Stats
1 - Move - Fast C - Moving up to 450ft
2 - Grapple - Strength D; Precision B
3 - Evade - Precision B; Speed A

 

[SilverFeathers]

Location: The See, Lodeli Woods
Time: Early afternoon
Weather: No wind, chilly/cold, slightly humid

• Ninelle
• Lodeli Woods

• 
  
  
• 
  
  

Cooldowns
Fei Liu's C: 0/3
Ninelle's D: 0/1 (Energized D)

Pet Panda​

Just as she stretched a hand out towards the golden-haired boy, the fae's vision suddenly blurred, and she was encased in darkness. "Eh?" Ninelle instinctively voiced her confusion amidst her daze. Alongside the change in scenery, the sudden return of her consciousness was disorientating, causing her to clutch her forehead as she tumbled around in her new cage due to outside movement.

Still, through the gaps of the white hands that had suddenly taken hold of her, her eyes suddenly locked on to the frightening creature that she was being hurriedly taken away from.

"A Chomagra..." Ninelle muttered in disbelief, pondering her luck to have met such a gruesome creature on her first visit to these woods. Holding onto a single bony finger to stabilize herself, she was internally extremely grateful to the stranger that had saved her life.

Wait... bone?

"Eek." After the realization that she had been captured by a pair of skeletal hands, Ninelle couldn't help but express her surprise and fear. But immediately after her audible reaction, a rapid onslaught of shame and guilt welled up within her. They were her saviour!

Before she could mentally beat herself up anymore, Ninelle suddenly noticed the monster's petals flatten and widen towards their direction. "Not good!" Was all she could yell, as hundreds of glass-like teeth were abruptly launched in their direction.

"You will not harm my saviour!" The mechanical fairy roared, still fueled by her prior feelings, as she channelled her mana into the faerie-trapped bracer on her wrist [Cage of Steeled Thorns].

• [Cage of Steeled Thorns] D
  • Barrier F, Nature/Metal Affinity F, Magic D, Magic AoE F, Magic Range E, Magic Targets F, Spell Duration F, Energized D
  • Craft a tightly wound cage of thorned vines or spiked metal walls, protecting those within. (up to 15ft area, 100ft away, 1 hour, 4 HP)

Immediately, dozens of thorny vines shot out of the earth, some with skin resembling patchworks of metal, as they wrapped around the pair in a protective barrier. Unexpectedly however, whilst Ninelle was preparing their defences, the fairy noticed the flowering beast did not linger to see the result of its attack. After expending its rain of thorns, the strange translucency of its teeth spread across its body, enveloping the entire flower before the creature abruptly vanished from sight.

Most of the discarded teeth hissed with a poisonous smoke and halted as they sunk into the cage of vines, but some pierced straight through, flying towards Fei Liu at a pace near unhindered. Fortunately, the skeleton's high agility was sufficient to avoid all that had slipped past the barrier.

Spoiler: Combat Breakdown

Chomagra stats hidden
Ninelle's Barrier vs Chomagra
Chomagra attack: 13
???
Ninelle's Barrier defence: 10
4 (Int C) + 3 (Faerie's Ire Bracer D) + 3 ([Cage of Steeled Thorns] D)
BARRIER BROKEN
---
Since Ninelle is being protected by Fei Liu, only Fei Liu needs to deal with the leftover damage.
Leftover attack to Fei Liu: 3
Fei Liu's defence: 6
6 (Speed A) + 0 (No item) + 0 (No defensive/evasion ability used)
All damage evaded.

 

[Pet Panda]

Liu made move to turn his head away from the creature's assault. He detected the petals flexing toward them out of the corner of his gaze, aided by the creature's salient coloration. In a moment, they were encased by vines, just as he dug his toes into the loam to launch into an even faster flight path away from the dangerous creature. Releasing her, he turned toward it and glimpsed the thorns tearing through the vines. Turning minutely, he listed to once side momentarily as the clear flechette tore through his cloak. For a tense moment there might be fear of poison emitted from his cloak, but each entry hole in his cloak had an exit hole. Somewhere off behind them the faint hissing could be heard. Gripping his hood and dragging it over the top of his head, though it now bore a few more holes, and covering his face, he attempted to retreat back into his partial cover. Not letting the moment of quiet go to waste, he offered one hand, turned with the palm up.

"We flee. Let me carry you, it will not catch me," he ordered abruptly, gesturing toward himself and reaching out his other arm. To some degree, his sense of self awareness melted away here. High drama has its place in the theaters and homes of civilians. She could hitch a ride or figure it out on her own. Meanwhile he strained his senses to detect the creature. Unfamiliar with this world's creatures and their capabilities, for the moment he made the deadly assumption that it has departed in some way. Whatever the case may be, he would go far enough away that it wouldn't matter where it was.

Actions
1. Attempt to perceive the creature Intelligence B
2. Ready Move [Fast B - 900ft per move halved if carrying a creature?]
3. Ready Move 2 [Fast D - 240ft per move halved if carrying a creature?]

Cooldowns (Fast C - 3 posts)

 

[SilverFeathers]

Location: The See, Lodeli Woods
Time: Early afternoon
Weather: No wind, chilly/cold, slightly humid

• Ninelle
• Lodeli Woods

• 
  
  
• 
  
  

Cooldowns
Fei Liu's D: 0/2
Fei Liu's C: 1/3
Fei Liu's B: 0/4
Ninelle's D: 1/1 (Energized D)

Pet Panda​

Fei Liu would not be able to perceive or sense the creature's presence at all, even with his high intelligence.
(Generally, sensory skills are more appropriate for this sort of perception check.)

---

Suddenly finding herself thrown back in the air, Ninelle sent her mismatched wings into overdrive to keep herself afloat. Her eyes widened as she watched a portion of those dreadful teeth cut through her defences, and pierce through her saviour's cloak, truly coming to understand how deadly a single Chomagra was. Barely acknowledging the fact that her companion was skeletal from head to toe, the fae nodded immediately at his offer of protected escape. After all, she had just witnessed his incredible agility first hand, and she needed time to piece her fragmented thoughts back together.

Tightly wrapping herself around his thumb bones, she held on for dear life as they darted through the woods like a blur. Agile was not enough to describe the skeleton's movements. It was as if he was stepping on the wind himself as he steered around roots and fungi, barely leaving a trace of his existence behind with his strange, skeletal feet. If not for the brutal wind whittling between his fingers because of his sheer speed, Ninelle almost wouldn't be able to believe what she was seeing.
(Due to Ninelle's negligible size and weight, move distance was not impacted by carrying her.)

Eventually however, his enhanced sprint came to an end, descending into a more manageable and ordinary pace. Able to catch her breath, Ninelle sighed as she tried to tidy the frazzled hair covering her face. "Thank you, stranger." She began quietly, knowing very well how much she owed him at this moment in time. Although she secretly held the confidence that she could've survived regardless, even if she had to use everything she had, she was ever grateful that she didn't end up with more scars and wounds on her body.

"It would be best if we stop here. A Chomagra is not one to give chase, and I fear we may encounter a village or its inhabitants if we travel any further." Ninelle advised lightly, having noticed the tell-tale sign of a growing lack of fungi as they neared the forest's edge. "The fae, or well, um, most people, do not take kindly to your kind." She smiled a little sadly at the circumstances, wanting to reward and share her saviour with the world, yet knowing that doing such a thing would drive the kind monster into a dead end. "Is there anything you would like as a reward? If I can, I will bring it to you here." She pondered before inquiring, not wanting to let things go just like this.

 

[Pet Panda]

"One moment," he requested timorously, head turning, shoulders craning back and forth. As soon as he released her he began stepping away and in a dance-like pattern, his left or right leg shooting out to pivot his body. Only short distances, turning rapidly in several directions; he wasn't trying to run but was seemingly caught up in a need to survey for further danger. A small pile of bushes, left to right, all still, consistent color, all consistent textures and shapes, no signs of body or predator. The purple-green landscape blurred when he whipped 180 degrees to the opposite direction. A thin stand of trees clustered, leaning a little bit away from each other as they soared into sky. Hanging from the side of the tree, a dewy leaf shuddered when an errant drop of water landed on it. His head snapped up and he found a large leaf from another plant growing from the tree cupped some water, its spout-like tip dripping gently down below. Left to right, no movement, consistent color, consistent textures and shapes, no signs of body or predator. He turned 90 degrees to his left and surveyed an oversized mushroom. Left to right -- he repeated this for just a little too long, high and low before he eventually stopped mid-stride and turned his head to address her, the tense fog lifting from his mind.

Sheepish silence rolled off of him before he put his hands together and kneaded them for a moment, "my apologies, it's an old habit," and then he released his hands and reached up to run his bony fingers over the surface of his cranium. After a moment he started and yanked his hood up over his head rapidly, mostly obscuring his visage. Turning toward her in a stilted manner, he inclined his head and shoulders slightly, displaying his hands out at his sides, "give me just a moment to orient myself, situations of that sort make my head... fuzzy," he explaind simply, fixing his hands to his hips and walking around, peering toward the ground and mumbling to himself. The sounds of breathing could be heard from his form, though he drew none.

It wasn't a lie but an excuse. Sure, sometimes he can be drawn back into the fog of war, old instincts well-honed by blood and fire and horror certianly superseded much of his personality at times but he has come down from the shock dozens of times, that is not difficult for him once he knows he is wrapped in its sanguine haze. Already back to his senses, he was faced with a much more perplexing challenge -- a positive and equitable social interaction. He was still working on his plan for approaching the wild mages or hedge witches far to the east but to be faced with an opportunity this early filled him with turmoil. He fought, but never for gain, it never occurred to him to ask for something in return before now. It felt like a form of manipulation to him. She now offered him a reward. She wanted to bring it to him. An item? He could think of a hundred things he would like to have. Is knowledge off limits. He stood still now, one hand still on his hip, the other itching the top of his head. Another old habit.

 

[SilverFeathers]

Location: The See, Lodeli Woods
Time: Early afternoon
Weather: No wind, chilly/cold, slightly humid

• Ninelle
• Lodeli Woods

• 
  
  
• 
  
  

Cooldowns
Fei Liu's D: 1/2
Fei Liu's C: 2/3
Fei Liu's B: 1/4

Pet Panda​

"No problem, take your time." The fae hovered, watching the skeleton's peculiar movements with a gentle gaze. She could understand his paranoia, after such an encounter anyone would feel unnerved, especially considering they had no idea where the Chomagra had vanished off to. She would ordinarily be more wary also, if not for her understanding of the enemy's nature.

"That flower we encountered is known as a Chomagra. They are otherwise known as the 'assassins of Lodeli'." Ninelle explained quietly, not wanting to disturb his surveying too much with her voice, but at the same time wanting to ease his worries. "Using their natural cloaking techniques, they make contact with unaware victims using their vines or otherwise, allowing them to take control of their minds and force them to saunter to their deaths." She shook her head, still unsure of the exact circumstances of how she herself came under the control of such a beast.

"On the bright side however, their powerful magic capabilities make them very fragile. Their petals and vines have a similar durability to ordinary plants. That is likely why the one after me simply disappeared after lashing out in surprise at your presence. They never attack those in groups." She comforted with a smile, although she herself wasn't completely sure if her theory about their encounter was correct. That Chomagra was far stronger than what she had heard from the fae that had warned her of these woods.

Watching the skeleton scratch his head, or, skull, Ninelle couldn't help but chuckle, marvelling at how human-like the monster was. Taking advantage of the silence as he thought to himself, Ninelle did some pondering of her own. Even after breaking free of the mind control, she still felt pieces of her mind missing. Why was she here? What did she come here for? When did she get here? It was as if a large block of memories had been erased, similar to how she felt after she became... half-mechanical. As she struggled to recover her memories, she sat herself on a nearby branch, subconsciously copying her new companion as she scratched her head.

 

[Pet Panda]

"... how devious. A plant which possesses a power dreamt of by rulers," he then turned around and found her above him on a branch. Now is about the time where he should stop overthinking things and just ask for what he would like. Without much further small-talk, he finally made his request. Hands now relaxed by his side, he walked over to another tree, opposite to the one holding her seat. Leaning against it, he slid his pack of supplies wrapped to his easel -- both of which now slightly ripped on the outside and cracked (respectively) by their prior encounter. He leaned down and began rummaging through his supplies to see which items, if any, were damaged. It was during his inventory that he made his petition.

"As you can see, I am not like others who look like me -- death was not very long ago in my memory. I was once an elf, though I can't remember quite where or who I was. I only remember that I was skilled at producing visual art: sculpture, painting, sketching, and other similar fields. I also remember that I was part of a war. I did not die during the war but a short while afterward. I'm glad to say my country was, though damaged and brought low, still victorious. That is behind me now. I am something different than I was and have no wish to return or attempt a contination of that time," he unrolled a canvas and held it up. Its blank rear was to her but she might have seen the vacuous hole of one of his eyes through a long thin rip in the canvas. He rolled it back up and put it away.

"I'm telling you this to demonstrate that though I might be a dead thing, still shambling around even though my time is up," he paused, "some have said against the natural order -- though that I find an arguable point. You see, I woke up like this. I neither did this to myself nor did someone else profanely raise me from the dead. So it must have been natural. Natural or outside of any creature's control; what is the difference?" He threw a hand up and shook his head, peering into the sack and moving some items around within.

"Pardon me, that is beside the point. The point is I mean no harm and -- though faintly -- can sense things in my limbs, and feel things in my mind. Things like fear," he gestured in the direction of their recent battle, "and empathy," he gestured toward her, "... and loneliness."

Allowing the melancholy to steep for a moment, he finally got to the point: "well, this world is filled with magic which does many things, like capture minds and produce fire, and trap souls in this realm. I would like to learn about magic; what it is, how it operates. Of course this is motivated by my mysterious persistence in this world," with a smooth motion he leaned off of the tree and closed his bag, pulling it back up onto his shoulder, "and if my previous assistance were not suitable payment, I would be willing to become your familiar in return."

 

[SilverFeathers]

Location: The See, Lodeli Woods
Time: Early afternoon
Weather: No wind, chilly/cold, slightly humid

• Ninelle
• Lodeli Woods

• 
  
  
• 
  
  

Cooldowns
Fei Liu's D: 2/2
Fei Liu's C: 3/3
Fei Liu's B: 2/4

Pet Panda​

It should have been unnerving, watching and listening to a flesh-less skull chattering his jaws. But Ninelle only felt at ease. His prior dialogues were too short to discern such details, but his manner of speaking was gentle and flowed smoothly, like a storyteller. The words he chose and the way he presented his tale, it was as if she could see the remnants of that artistic free-thinking elf from a time long past.

Her eyes momentarily saddened as he addressed his loneliness as a wandering monster. But before long, she drew back into her usual soft smile, her eyes twinkling as she chuckled at his harmless request. "There is no need for you to give your life to me in exchange for such a thing." The fairy shook her head and rejected his additional offer without a second thought. "But thank you, for sharing your story. It must not have been easy to reach this far." Ninelle commented quietly, full of more questions towards the skeleton, such as how he had lived till now or how he had even arrived here in the first place, but knew to restrain herself.

"Magic is a very broad term." She began carefully, pondering each word. "It has thousands of different definitions, concepts, techniques and practices, spread widely across the continent."

"I for one, am not an expert on the matter. I am only aware of what my humble village in the Eastern Empire has taught me. The rest, was gained through experience, as well as trial and error. If I could, I would prefer to put you under the immediate wing of a more learned and scholarly mage. But, the current circumstances make that difficult." She shook her head sadly, knowing how difficult it would be to discreetly recruit a magic tutor for a monster.

"I can however, try to teach you my personal form of magic to the best of my ability. Or more specifically, the magic used by the fairies from the fallen village of Ilhaya." Her smile turned faintly solemn, staring straight at her eye-less companion as she made her offer. "If anything, I would be grateful to have you learn from me. If only to ensure that my village's teachings will live on without me." Her eyes expressed her minute sheepishness towards the matter, bending into little crescents. "But it is your choice." The fae affirmed.

"If you desire to learn through more professional means, I completely understand. Though you may have to wait a while, as it won't be easy for me to find someone suitable for you, I will do my best to return quickly." She explained what she could offer with a vigorous and determined tone, expressing her sincerity.

 

[Elvario]

Euthalia Apricot

Spoiler: Full Image & Source

From:
Sylvari

Mentions: Ninelle SilverFeathers | Fei Liu Pet Panda

Her adventures in Faere Meadow in Ryke had come to an end. A surprisingly happy end. She'd never expected a [beast] could be so lovely and that she'd miss someone so much after having left them only days ago. However, that was in the past for now, until she could invite Calliope over into the See. Right now, she was on a mission. An important mission. On her way back into the See, to deliver the results of her potion-making with Calliope, she'd passed through a town near the Lodeli Woods, where she'd heard the Hero of Wisdom had been spotted there. The same person she'd written a letter too not too long ago. The one she wished to ask for advice.

That could only be destiny. She'd travelled into a country with lots of Humans and came out okay, even finding someone truly lovely there and being able to fulfil the request. That felt like a new part of her life had opened. Now, she was confronted with a chance to recover what she'd lost in her old life. It had to be fated. The Spirit King had granted her this chance. She was sure of it. It was a bit odd to learn that the Hero of Wisdom had been missing for so long, as destroying a plaguebearing heart and rescuing a lost heir sounded easy enough for a hero of their species, but she was sure there was good reason for it.

It's why she didn't hesitate. She told Keone and Iswlyn to go on alone and deliver the potion results ahead of her, as she herself travelled into the woods. She'd probably not survive any dangerous encounters there, but that didn't matter, as the Hero was there. If she'd find her first, she'd be safe. She was convinced of at least that much. Whether she'd help her would be another question, but she'd never learn the answer if she'd not even try to ask the question. As she travelled through the woods, she felt at ease. The tall spindly trees, the silence, the mushrooms and crystals. It was wonderful. It made her feel at ease. The only thing she worried about was food. Without sunlight, she'd go hungry here...

…

…

...

This was a mistake. She had no clue how long she'd been going through the woods by now. Days? Weeks? She felt like she was starving right now. She'd tried climbing a tree to get some sunlight, but to no avail. What could she use as substitute? She didn't know. How could she could get back out of here and into the sun? She didn't know. At this point only a druid could help her, with light magic, nature magic, or Druidic rituals, perhaps? Alas, such would be a hollow dream. She'd gotten a lot of time to blame herself for her foolishness. Wandering into these woods underprepared, like a childish dream. She'd been a fool, someone who'd just gained a lot only to gamble it all away and lose the bet. However, as her pace got slower, her heart grew heavier and her head hang lower, she suddenly spotted people. People. A sign of life! Perhaps they could tell her how to get sunlight to help digest everything she'd eaten through her rooting here!

She was too exhausted and hungry to really focus on who they were. “You two...” She'd speak, trying to get a clearer vision. One looked a bit ominous. The other a tiny... fairy? A FAIRY? THE HERO OF WISDOM?!? She rejoiced. She'd found her. Then she felt shock. She'd found her whilst looking like this. Weak. Frail. Tired. Starving. How in the world could she make any decent impression on her hero like this? She'd failed her attempts before she could even properly start them!

No... She couldn't give up just like that. Summoning the last of her strength, she fell to her knees and bowed down deeply before Ninelle. “I'm glad to have finally found you, Hero of Wisdom. I'm Euthalia Apricot, humble messenger of the See, I once wrote to you to ask you for your aid. I'm... not sure if you received my letter, but I'd still beg you for your aid... I... wish I could be more presentable, but I'm afraid I severely underestimated the amount of light that'd break through the canopy in these forests and find myself severely malnourished. It shames me to meet you in such a shameful state, but I hope you'll forgive me.” Even at her current (severely lacking) strength, she could must some level of authoritativeness and persuasion (To Lead and Inspire! E). That said, she clearly looked like she was in a terrible state right now.

She then turned towards Fei. “I'm glad to meet you as well. Any companion of our Hero must be a great person in their own right.” She uttered, as she tried (yet failed) to distinguish what type of Fae he was. Perhaps an Elf type? Either way, he'd probably be someone powerful and honourable, if he was with the Hero. She'd get back up from her kneeling position after that, but her knees didn't seem to have the strength for it right now.

E CD's (0/1)
To Lead and Inspire! – Connected E (The See), Insight F, Leadership F, Persuasion F – character uses the love for their nation and their connection to it to inspire those around them to aid their cause. - Grade E – 1 Post Cooldown

 

[Pet Panda]

"It would be entirely sufficient to learn the most basic skills of seeing or sen--" a figure broke the line of bushes. Liu was nothing short of sheepish while tracking her movement, his head locked on to her stumbling form that such a huge figure, far taller than him, escaped his vision entirely while looking for danger just moments before. Blaming it on being fresh out of battle, he rushed to throw a cloak over his head to hide his form. By luck, the new individual was ill. After a moment of inspection, he began to notice the telltale signs of starvation. Waving off the memory of hungry citizens peering up at him from a roadside on his way to the front lines he stepped forward, disconcerted at how tall she was even while kneeling. Gently placing a hand on her shoulder, he gestured toward her, indicating that she should stay seated by inclining his covered hand toward the ground and letting a little weight onto her form. Thick black cloth covered his gesturing hand and revealed little about his true nature. Looking toward Ninelle, he began speaking, addressing Apricot.

"Your kind words move me miss Apricot, I would love nothing more than to live up to your expectations. Please stay seated for me, and come off of your knees, it is not good to push your body in this state. Once all the food is gone, you begin to burn years off of your life," he admonished her gently, "I'm afraid I do not have any food with my belongings, but perhaps the Hero of Wisdom has something to keep you going," he stated speculatively, waiting for Ninelle to respond. This new figure, though well within the ambit of his generosity, began to make him a little nervous. He was so close -- a willing tutor right before him -- but could she be seen consorting with a monster? If she were indeed some hero, though he was familiar with the ramblings of the shellshocked and the famished, he would hate to jeapordize her standing; reputation is worth more than gold if one is competent.

 

[SilverFeathers]

Location: The See, Lodeli Woods
Time: Early afternoon
Weather: No wind, chilly/cold, slightly humid

• Ninelle
• Lodeli Woods

• 
  
  
• 
  
  

Cooldowns
Ninelle's E: 0/0 (Energized E)
Ninelle's D: 0/1 (Energized D)
Fei Liu's B: 3/4

Pet Panda Elvario​

Instinctively, the first thing Ninelle sought to do upon the sudden arrival of the stranger was to grab her bracer and channel a second barrier, purely in order to shield her skeletal saviour from view. However, upon noticing the skeleton's calmness, who even chose to amiably approach the new arrival, she eased her movements, letting her hands drop back to her side. On the other hand, realizing she herself was left unmasked before a fae, she quickly searched for her attire, finding it left on her waistband after the whole mind control ordeal. But upon realizing the horrid state the stranger was in, her movements stilled, and her signature mask merely faltered in her hand.

"I forgive you Miss Apricot, please, as..." Ninelle began hurriedly before suddenly pausing, realizing she did not know her saviour's name. "...my friend has said, rest yourself." She eased, quickly fluttering towards the malnourished fae with anxious eyes. Examining her skin, plant-like appearance and the words she had spoken, the fairy had quickly figured out that the woman before her was a Sylvari. Admonishment bubbled in her heart, but before she chose to say anything, the fairy determinedly charged face-first into a nearby tree branch.

Her face burned and swelled from the abrasion, but most importantly of all, glistening tears welled from her eyes.
(HP: 5 -> 4)

Surprised but ecstatic at how quickly she had begun crying, Ninelle restrained herself from wiping her face and flexed her bracer. A pale, green-ish force flowed from her wrist and whisked the minute tears from her face, sinking into Euthalia's skin, and the bone beneath Fei Liu's hood respectively.

• Fairy Tears E
  • Healing F (D -> See Limiters), Magic E, Magic Range F, Magic Targets F, Focus E, Energized E
  • Cry magic-infused tears to heal those she can within 100ft (4 -> 3 uses, 3 targets per rp (Euthalia+Fei Liu)).
    • The tears of a fairy have long been fabled to have strange and magical properties. Though this boon was only realized in Ninelle after her resurrection.

"That should be enough to prolong your life, but we must get you to sunlight quickly." Ninelle stated anxiously, racking her brain for a solution. She deeply desired to simply ask Fei Liu to carry Euthalia, especially considering they were near the edge of the forest, but she couldn't do that to him. That would forfeit his life, considering close contact with his body would surely give away his form.

As her eyes wandered towards the forest's outskirts, her gaze abruptly locked onto the golden glow covering some distant leaves. The forest's edge was far closer than she thought! Maybe, just maybe, she could do this, without anyone being harmed.

Waving her bracer once more, a majestic vine tore itself out of the earth, its thickness equivalent to a tree's trunk. Directed by Ninelle, it coiled around Euthalia carefully, picking her up before slithering towards the sunlight. Stretched taut, it deposited the sylvari as close to the sunlight as Ninelle's mana could bare, before rapidly retracting and disappearing down its point of origin.

• Vine Coil D
  • Tangle Affinity F, Nature/Metal Affinity F, Magic D, Magic Range E, Energized D
  • Sprouts a single large plant/metal vine from a surface(e.g. floor/wall) to coil around a target and move them up to 100ft.

 

[Elvario]

Euthalia Apricot

Spoiler: Full Image & Source

From:
Sylvari

Mentions: Ninelle SilverFeathers | Fei Liu Pet Panda

The meeting with her hero went a lot different than expected. First to reply was the other man. The oddly cloaked one, whom she still suspected to be an Elf of sorts. Perhaps a Lune Elf? Either way, she was surprised by his reply. Part of it was kindness, telling her it was okay to be seated. Another part was a clear lack of knowledge. She didn't need food stop starving, she needed sunlight to digest what she'd taken in through rooting. “Thank you, sir.” She decided to reply in the end, not having the strength to think about it more than that.

That's when the Hero took action. Truthfully, Euthalia thought she'd lost it. The hero telling her she was forgiven was great, as was her telling her she could rest. Yet... seeing the hero face-plant into a tree branch made her worry for her own sanity, as surely she was seeing things just then. Had she gone so terribly starved that she'd really lost it? Had she gone mad? It wouldn't surprise her. That's when a tear fell upon her skin, filling her with renewed energy. Well, some, at least. It staved off the worst of her condition, that much was sure, but she still felt rather weak and malnourished. “Thank you...” She stammered, trying to think on what to do next and how to survive.

That's when she got grabbed by vines. The experience reminded her a lot of her own magic, the one she'd lost upon... never mind. Now wasn't the time to start pondering about the past. It was time to survive the future! She felt it upon her skin. Ever so slightly. A ray of light, as she'd got put down by the vines. With the bits of renewed strength that [Fairy Tears] had brought her, she dragged herself further towards it as she felt her body finally properly digest minerals again. She breath in CO2 deeply, breathing out a fresh stream of O2 as the sunlight's energy got captured into her body. Slowly, yet steadily, she felt the life returning to her.

That's when she realised... had she been this close to the forest's edge? She'd had such an embarrassing first introduction with the hero and her companion despite being this close? She truly wished she could sink into the ground now, but she needed to stay in full view as she needed as much sunlight to fall upon her as she could. Roots slowly started to sprout from her feet, anchoring her to the ground and drawing in additional water and nutrients. She was glad she'd made it out okay, with a lot of aid, but her mind was in a full on panic. Would there be any way to recover from this shame? Or would the entire See soon speak of how she'd embarrassed herself before the Hero of Wisdom? Had she let her desire to get her magic back ruin everything she'd built up just like that? She'd gotten to keep her life, but she still worried, as she wasn't sure what else she might've lost after this horrible introduction...

She looked back, realising one thing. Would the Hero and her companion even bother to come meet her again? She wouldn't blame them if they didn't. They hadn't even owed it to her to save her, so after that embarrassing display, it'd likely be best if they were to just ignore her and move on, perhaps? That... perhaps that'd be the best outcome she could hope for? She wasn't sure. Her mind still not thinking straight due to the horrible state she'd been in mere moments ago.

 

[Pet Panda]

Liu stepped back as vines pushed from the soil and took hold of the person. It dawned on him a moment later, between her green hue and the statement that the sunlight was too weak, that she might have been a photosynthesizing creature. A vacant nod took his form and he clasped his hands behind his back. His form was somewhat still and he said nothing for an awkawrd moment before tossing his hand in the direction this new person was taken in, asking Ninelle, "shall we walk while we discuss this new development," he offered, beginning to step in that direction, "because, as I was saying, I'm really only interested in learning how to access magic. The rest I shall figure out on my own," he suggested. He had access to a rich culture of meditation. Magic, which he assumed could be done without excessive equipment or exaggerated dancing, is something he intended to access in an entirely psychological or intuitive capacity.

Prideful of his steel-girded mind, he was ready if not excited to get started. As for what this newcomer would bring to the equation, he could not even begin to guess. He was determined not to cross the bridge until they come to it. Reason is always the first line of defense.

 

[SilverFeathers]

Location: The See, Lodeli Woods
Time: Early afternoon
Weather: No wind, chilly/cold, slightly humid

• Ninelle
• Lodeli Woods

• 
  
  
• 
  
  

Cooldowns
Ninelle's D: 1/1 (Energized D)
Fei Liu's B: 4/4

Pet Panda Elvario​

Ninelle was anxious to check on the emaciated sylvari she had suddenly left on her lonesome, hence the skeleton's request came as a bit of a shock. "Walk? But-" His calm gait and tone stilled her thoughts, as she recalled they did have matters to discuss. His blatant disinterest in the magic of her village inevitably pricked her heart, but she could only berate herself for having been too hopeful. Sighing silently, she pondered for a moment before responding. "I see. I will try my best to open the mana channels within you after we address the sylvari." She spoke quietly, unable to hide the slight listlessness in her tone.

As they neared Euthalia, the fairy suddenly spoke up once more with a lowered tone. "Hide yourself carefully. I don't think I have it within me to silence someone in order to protect you." She warned, glancing at the monster, before dashing forward.

---

Quickly flying towards Euthalia without a care for anything else and a half-swollen and blood-stained face, Ninelle anxiously inquired. "How are you feeling?" She fluttered around, appraising the sylvari's state from different angles. Although she did look a little better than before, it was difficult to discern the specifics, especially with Ninelle's lack of experience with her kind.

Sitting herself on the grass beside Euthalia, she watched the sylvari sunbathe as she attempted to recall the sylvari's sudden entrance speech earlier, trying to figure out why she had been seeking her out, so much as to risk her life. Unable to figure it out, especially with the added stress of her memory loss, she simply saved herself the headache of thinking on it any more.

"I do not know why you seek to find me, but you should know better than to let a Sylvari such as yourself wander these woods. Surely you must've known, or figured out, how dangerous this place is for your kind." Ninelle suddenly admonished quietly, her tone more full of anxiety and worry rather than frustration.

"But... a letter? Hm, I think I recall I do recall the name Euthalia..." She pondered out loud as she recalled more of what the sylvari had said earlier, though even then her tone seemed rather unsure. "I'm sorry, I've received a lot of letters since I suddenly became a hero. I apologize for not remembering the specifics." She shook her head sheepishly, slowly realizing how arrogant and smug such a sentence might sound, although in her case she was completely genuine.

"What do you seek me for?" She inquired finally with a tilt of her head, silently observing the sylvari's complexion grow more vibrant with a relieved smile.

 

[Elvario]

Euthalia Apricot

Spoiler: Full Image & Source

From:
Sylvari

Mentions: Ninelle SilverFeathers | Fei Liu Pet Panda

Well, it wasn't for the best. The Hero came in quickly. That was... Good? Bad? She wasn't sure. She was mostly just confused. “Please, please. Don't worry about me, I'm able to take in sunlight again. I'll be alright. Yet... your own face. Are you alright?” She expressed some genuine concern seeing the state of her Hero, combined with a lot of confusion. Just what was going on here? Was this a test... or was the Hero genuinely this kind? Surely not. After such a shameful display..? “I'd once again wish to humbly apologise for that shameful display and to thank you for your aid. I would be in even dire conditions without it. Truly, if I hadn't already extended my services, please, allow me to do so again. As a humble messenger of the See and as someone personally looking up to you, let me know if there's anything I could do to repay you. Of course...” She paused a bit, realising she'd jumped the gun a lot. “... I'd understand completely if you'd no longer wish to have anything to do with me, after such an embarrassing first display of mine.”

The Hero's admonishment made her embarrassment grow only stronger. “Yes, I should have. My excitement overtook me when I heard of your presence and had me made an unforgivably foolish mistake, severely underestimating something that should've been obvious. It is exactly as you say and nothing I could say would alleviate that shame.” She admitted, painfully so. “I... I would remove myself from your sight, were I not in need of staying here... Once again... I... I apologise.” She spoke. It was clear the Hero had only come here to admonish her foolishness. That was how the world worked, after all. She felt deeply ashamed.

For a moment, she perked up again. Did the Hero remember her name? That was... no. It was only a polite thing to say, it seemed, as the Hero soon admitted to not knowing much more. Of course she didn't. Who'd remember one Sylvari of low standing? She'd be foolish to have ever thought otherwise. Besides, even if she did remember, it'd make sense for the Hero to deny it now. After that embarrassing display. When Ninelle asked her what Euthalia searched her for, she flinched. Euthalia knew she no longer had the right to make any requests of the hero. “I...” She tried speaking, but chocked on her own words. “Forgive me, I should no longer bother you with my concerns. I have already proven to be unworthy, please, forgive me.” That was the best thing she could come up with, afraid to cause even more lasting damage if she'd pursue her request the Hero even further. “Instead, if there is anything I can do to redeem myself, please, I beg of you, let me know.” That was all she had the courage to ask right now.

 

[Pet Panda]

Liu found they had rather little time to talk on account of the fairy's speed. Hovering over the air turned out to be convenient for traversing woods. He saved the difficult questions for later, opting only to advise her, "your willingness to interface with me is moving enough. I wouldn't expect you to defend me. If she sees fit to pound me to dust, I will simply run away and expect nothing further," he admitted without hesitation. Their misunderstanding escaped his attention easily. This new character occupied his attention almost entirely on account of its possible harm to his machinations. Under the impression that he and Ninelle would discuss it at length later, he arrived with her at the edge of the wood and regarded their conversation. He was the third wheel here, this tall woman's elation at meeting Ninelle proving a more pressing presence in the conversation.

Liu scratched his face at the exchange. It was somewhat heated, though not an argument. From an outside perspective, a covered hand disappeared into a shaded hood and then reappeared shortly thereafter. Mostly concerned with her health, his curiosity was satisfied. She seemed fine.

 

[SilverFeathers]

Location: The See, Lodeli Woods
Time: Early afternoon
Weather: No wind, chilly/cold, slightly humid

• Ninelle
• Lodeli Woods

• 
  
  
• 
  
  

Cooldowns
Ninelle's E: In Use (Energized E)
Pet Panda Elvario​

"My face...? Ah, my apologies." She quickly covered her face with her mask, forgetting to even wipe the splinters and blood stains on her skin. "I didn't mean to let you see that side of me. It's not a pleasant sight." She smiled sheepishly, having forgotten to cover her blatant prosthetics amidst all her fretting about.

At first, Ninelle merely thought Euthalia was a meek admirer that apologized and humbled herself too often, but as the speech of apology, shame and unworthiness continued, the fairy's expression morphed into one of deep concern. "...why are you apologizing so much? What do you have to redeem yourself for? You make it sound as if you are undeserving of respect merely because you are in my presence." Ninelle shook her head, before suddenly realizing that this was her fault, and that she had been too harsh with her words.

"I'm sorry Miss Apricot, I didn't mean to scold you, I'm sure you understand the consequences more than myself. I was only trying to express my worry. I would've much preferred to meet you healthy and green outside of these woods, rather than see yourself so weak and thin as now." She shook her head more forcefully with grave eyes. The fairy did not expect her words to harm the sylvari's self-esteem so greatly. She should have known of her fragility in such a state, she was inconsiderate.

"Do not humble yourself so much. That would be enough 'redemption' for me." She smiled gently and apologetically, before her thoughts began to wander.

The matter Euthalia came all this way to inquire for seemed as if it would be a big deal. Hence, this meeting with the sudden stranger looked like it would last a lot longer than she thought. But Ninelle also needed to find an opportunity to repay Fei Liu: he just saved her life, she couldn't just leave him out in the cold like this. She didn't have the heart to chase off Euthalia, her devout admirer, even if it was one purely out of patriotism, nor let her skeletal saviour stay awkwardly neglected. Ninelle had a headache.

As her thoughts wandered towards Fei Liu's magic training, the fairy suddenly recalled the methods of her magic teacher, and one particular trick she used on the naughtier students. As if a light bulb lit up in her mind, Ninelle quickly dashed back over to Fei Liu's side whilst excusing herself. "Sorry, give me a moment."

Beneath the darkness of his hood where Euthalia could not make out her form nor Fei Liu's skeletal features, Ninelle quickly pressed her little hands on Fei Liu's forehead. "Sorry, this might hurt a bit. But since this discussion seems it'll take a while, you can let your body adjust to it in the meanwhile." With those words, an abrupt jolt of magic, like a lightning bolt, flowed through her hands and into his body. Although he had no blood, the energy seemed to trickle into every inch of his bones, slowly but surely submerging it in a sea of some gentle, but whimsical, energy.

• Mana Circulation E
  • Magic E, Spell Duration F (1 hour), Focus E, Energized E

She departed his hood just as quickly as she entered, settling before Euthalia as if nothing was amiss. "Now, please share with me your concerns. Surely after all the effort you put in, its not something that can be brushed aside so easily, right?" Ninelle invited gently, whilst behind her mask, she continued to keep one eye on the monster's state of being.

 

[Elvario]

Euthalia Apricot

Spoiler: Full Image & Source

From:
Sylvari

Mentions: Ninelle SilverFeathers | Fei Liu Pet Panda
Languages: Commoon | {Sylvan}

Shock filled her. Had she insulted the Hero? She tensed up. “No, no, I do not mean it as such. I meant... your face was bleeding and swollen... you looked hurt. I mean, my apologies, that was not for me to point out.” She suddenly figured out what was going on. “Oh course, I understand. Sorry it took me so long. I... should've not looked at you directly. My apologies.” Yes, that was the more logical. She'd fallen so far into shame that she wasn't even worth looking the Hero in the eyes.

She was confused when the Hero of wisdom asked her why she kept apologising. Wasn't that much obvious, or was this some sort of test? “Of course I am undeserving, I made a fool out of myself just now, whilst you are {a protector of our entire nation, someone able to make a way to perfect endings impossible for anyone else, someone who's strength our welfare and well-being depends on.}” She recited the passages on heroes to from the Sylvan books to the best of her extend.

The next words confused Euthalia even more. Just... just what was up with the Hero? She no longer understood her. “It was all deserved.” She'd reply to the scolding part. “I'm honoured that you'd worry for me.” Perhaps that was in the nature of a Hero? Perhaps she'd been a bit too fearful? She still wasn't sure. Hero's, per chance, might be ever so slightly less overwhelming in nature than the Cardinals and the Pope would be? Or maybe this one was just like that?

When she was told not to humble herself so much, she figured she'd try so. “Thank you.” Her Hero quickly excused herself. “Of course.” She replied, not that she could move if she'd wanted. She was too deeply rooted by now.

That's when the moment of truth arrived. The Hero asked for her to share her concerns once more. This time, she had gathered enough courage to actually bring them forth. “Then, with your permission...” She started. “As you may know, there exists a ritual punishment among my species, where our Heart's Seed is removed. The organ that allows us to cast magic, the home of souls. After making some mistakes in my youth, I was punished in such a manner. I've somehow recovered and served my species to the best of my extend, but I fear I have not yet earned the right to have a new one grow in me. It's why I was hoping that, as the Hero, I could prove myself to you, so that you may vouch for me...” There she'd said it. However, she almost instantly regretted it. “Of course, I... I understand that it's a large request, but...” She was at a loss for words, too insecure of what the Hero would or wouldn't want to hear or see from her to consider giving her a chance.

 

[Pet Panda]

For sufficiently advanced creatures, a great deal of their body's natural processes end up automatic. The breath, heart-beat, the peristalsis that massages nutrients from beginning to end. More automatic still, the gradual pushing of nails and hair, the shedding of skin, and so on; when Ninelle pricked Liu with pure light his vision was filled with a blinding flash which disoriented him immediately. In the afterglow of that blinding light came an imagine that could hardly be associated with vision. Information which broke loose from his usual senses submerged him. A glittering sea, regularity and pattern, pumping and flowing, pulsing and carousing, shafts of light piercing in places, symmetry and intentional asymmetry, and then a symmetry of asymmetries. Like sparks flying off of a flint and steel struck within the world of a flat piece of paper drifted off and landed on a shape with volume, that pool of light which filled his vision drained, the sea of light grew into a vast landscape of darkness, and illuminated to him by little droplets of lingering light were features of an unlit and incomprehensible web of structure silhouetted for a moment, suspended in his unhinged imagination like insufficient pointallism, just enough detail to know it will never be fully known to him. Then, he breathed in. Difficult to do without lungs, so he thought, but a person being reminded that they're breathing, the faint backdrop which accompanied him, in time with which he mimicked breathing, from the feeling of which he unwittingly sighed and hummed and hawed despite being nothing but bones, it focused into sharp definition. There was some kind of respiration going on, he found, but not of lungs. Not of air or anything material. Knotted and wiry, threads and pools and smudges and smears, flowing and luminous, orbs and motes and emanations and reverberations and emanations, for a moment longer the world was deafening with invisible structure. Finally, as the power surge faded, he recalled he had eyes... so to speak. Trees and bushes and grass came back into view. His hands were on his face, fingers parted around his eyeless sockets. He didn't remember putting them there.


From an outer perspective, after Ninelle put her hands on Liu's face under the hood, a moment passed before he gasped raggedly. Then he threw his hands up to his face and began looking around in an absent, unhinged manner. Then, a quiet clattering began emanating from him. It sounded kind of like someone shaking a bag of legos. It became awkwardly present when Apricot trailed off. A butterfly ran into his cloak and landed there for a moment. His hands were still on his face and he froze. Then it flew away, realizing that it landed on a not-plant. Then he exhaled forcefully, taking his hands off of his face and looking around more coherently.

"Ah..." was all he could breathlessly manage, peering somewhat in the direction of Apricot and Ninelle.

 

[SilverFeathers]

Location: The See, Lodeli Woods
Time: Early afternoon
Weather: No wind, chilly/cold, slightly humid

• Ninelle
• Lodeli Woods

• 
• 

Cooldowns
Ninelle's E: 0/0 (Energized E)
Pet Panda Elvario​

Euthalia's sudden sylvan citation did not go unnoticed by the fairy, and lingered in her mind even after she went to address Fei Liu. 'The nation's protector, and paver of perfect endings...' Ninelle... was none of those things. She had no clue what the Spirit King was thinking when he granted her such a title. She wasn't even from the Fae See, but its enemy at war, the Eastern Empire... But, now wasn't the time to repeat that train of thought all over again, she had already adjusted to her new reality. Even if it was still hard to accept.

Clenching and unclenching her fist subconsciously, she moved her gaze back to Euthalia as she finally spoke of why she had come here.

Ninelle couldn't say she was the most knowledgeable on the sylvari as a whole; there were countless new races she had discovered since arriving here that she had to educate herself on after all. But even without the most in-depth knowledge on the Heart's Seed, the fairy could grasp the core aspect of Euthalia's request.

"Vouch for you...?" The fairy muttered to herself quietly, her mask coated in shadow as she lowered her head in thought. Instantly, Ninelle's very first thought was to reject. She did not even consider herself worthy of her title, to suddenly boastfully leverage it? She could never. Rather, as a hero, all Ninelle had done so far was the complete opposite, trying to remain low-key and polite considering her uselessness.

Her gaze slowly returned to the sylvari. But this woman risked her life to request this. It must mean a lot to her. Ninelle was conflicted. In the end... she decided to at least hear her out. "What was the crime that led to your punishment? And... how were you planning to prove your-oh no, are you alright?" The fae abruptly cut herself off, finally casting her wayward gaze back in the skeleton's direction.

Lost in her thoughts, the fairy was late to discovering the bone chattering noises emanating from her skeletal saviour, but immediately leapt from her seat to fly to him. "How are you feeling? I apologize, was that too much for you?" She fretted about in her concern, immediately pressing her hands back on his forehead to gently retract the residual magic she had left circulating within him.

 

[Elvario]

Euthalia Apricot

Spoiler: Full Image & Source

From:
Sylvari

Mentions: Ninelle SilverFeathers | Fei Liu Pet Panda
Languages: Commoon | {Sylvan}

Her eyes were still hopefully focussed on Ninelle, even though she estimated her chances to be extremely low. The silence that followed after her question wasn't encouraging. Then the obvious question arrived. Her crime. She breathed in deeply. She rarely talked about this topic, but if she'd want to have a shot at the Hero's aid, it'd be foolish to withhold information. She was about to spill the beans, when the Hero flew off. She couldn't exactly follow suit, her feet rooted into the soil, so she just remained silent. Gathering courage to eventually answer the Hero. She could only watch her doing something to her companion in the distance. “Is... everything alright?” She'd call out. It didn't seem like things were alright...As for her answer, she could only hope the Hero would eventually deem it worth listening. Until that moment, all she could do was to stand by and feel horrible about what she'd have to confess too. Jolly old times.

If Ninelle would eventually return to her for her answer, she'd have her words ready; “My mother is a Cardinal, so our family has always enjoyed a fair degree of esteem. I frequented a lot of social gatherings and tended to... well, to be rather frank, I fooled around with a lot of people. I enjoyed getting intimate with different types of Fae more than I should and I didn't think of it as much as I should, which is why I ended up getting charmed into a fling with the daughter of one of the other Cardinals. Her father didn't appreciate our act and wished for me to be executed, but my mother managed to plead for my life and the punishment was reduced to the removal of my Heart's Seed instead. My family had to cut ties with me afterwards, as I wasn't exactly able to recover from the procedure well... I haven't heard from them since. All I know is that I somehow managed to pull through thanks to Keone and Iswlyn and survived, to the degree that I wish to prove that I'm worthy of being restored again. As for how to prove such a thing... I'm afraid I would not know. It would be a matter of whatever you desire of me in order to be willing to speak on my behalf, should you even wish to consider doing so in the first place...” Her voice trailed off, weaker near the end, insecure and uncertain.

 

[Pet Panda]

"i... Am fiNE," he replied tremulously. Turned slightly away from them now, he was looking at his hands. Peering down at his palms, then periodically flipping it over the backs, and then flipping them back to the palms, and back again. Pulling his left sleeve back a little he peered at his forearm, hiding it from Apricot with his cloaked body. Unmistakably, there was something there, pulsing under the surface of something else that also wasn't there. Swooning at the center of a wealth of new sensations, Liu had to take some moments to stabilize himself and try to shut them out. Months had gone by in this stifled form; muted touch and almost no texture, temperature meant almost nothing, not to mention he had no sense of taste or smell. His sense memory was being discarded as they spoke, even. For that reason, he was almost immediately overwhelmed by moving from an almost complete numbness to a brand new take on the world around him. Feelings welled up, paced around his ribs, wavered in the movement of his cloak around his legs, and tickled around his neck where a light wind tousled the dark, newly swiss-cheesed garment.

Slowly moving his hands back to cover and making sure the hood was obscuring his head, he rotated back to pay attention to their conversation, entirely missing Apricot's explanation. No matter, it wasn't technically his business anyway. Being the third wheel that he was, he simply looked on to the conversation, but also cast his gaze around and behind them to try to make out any more danger coming their way... not that he could probably see it. Things kept twinkling in his vision, shapes he did not understand, and it distracted him greatly.

 

[SilverFeathers]

Location: The See, Lodeli Woods
Time: Early afternoon
Weather: No wind, chilly/cold, slightly humid

• Ninelle
• Lodeli Woods

• 
• 

Pet Panda Elvario​

With his trembling body and voice, the skeleton seemed anything but fine. Ninelle watched him repeatedly check on his bony hands, before erratically darting his gaze around the environment with the occasional twitch or flinch. She couldn't see what he could see, and though she dearly wanted to soothe his nerves, the fairy could tell that any more external stimuli would do more harm than good. Fei Liu seemed fine, health-wise at least, just in shock and unnerved. She had to give him time... he didn't need her coddling.

Calming herself down, Ninelle slowly drifted back to the sylvari, not wanting to make any movements too sudden or alarming. "He's fine, let's just give him some space." She smiled gently at Euthalia's show of concern, folding her hands atop her lap as she sat back down beside the rooted fae and listened to her speak.

To say that learning Euthalia was the daughter of a cardinal was a shock, was an understatement. Not to mention the news that she had a fling with another daughter of a cardinal as well. Euthalia wanted her to stand against a cardinal. "You- I- What-" Hit by blow after blow in Euthalia's speech, Ninelle felt her head reel, almost regretting asking for this information at all. The sylvari's meek trepidation and insecurity brought feelings of pity and sympathy to the fairy, especially since she was once so similar... but Ninelle was not the same as she once was. At least, she couldn't be. She was a hero now. She had to be able to make firm decisions... for there are people that rely on her.

"I cannot. I will not. I'm sorry, Miss Apricot." Ninelle stated with clenched fists, her voice filled with a rare firmness. "I refuse to interfere with the interpersonal conflict between two cardinal families. That neither seems like something I should do, nor something I want to do." Though faint, it was clear by the ends of her words that her voice was trembling. Still, she continued to give her reasoning, for the sylvari deserved to hear it. "My hero position is not as lofty and immovable as you think it to be. I fear I have yet to even prove myself and earn the right to call myself a 'hero', even though the Spirit King chose to grant me this title out of the blue. To suddenly interfere with the cardinals that have ruled their domains for centuries? For someone I just met? I do not dare." She explained more quietly, yet still as firmly as before, eventually leading to a sudden silence falling between them.

"I know I have shattered your dreams. But I will say, it's not as if there's no hope, if you are adamant on using me. Prove yourself. Give me a reason to stand by you. And perhaps, I will find the courage to help you negotiate with them." Her voice descended into almost a whisper. "I will not tell you how, this is your goal not mine." She concluded with a more gentle and amiable tone, before silently fidgeting with her hands. Ninelle could not understand why Euthalia wanted to go through her rather than her family, but she must have her reasons. Either way, this matter is not one to take lightly. If Euthalia thought she, the fae see's hero of wisdom, would leverage her position at the mere mention of it, she was wrong. She was not, and hoped she would never become, that type of flamboyant and arrogant hero.

 

[Pet Panda]

Liu was roused from his mystical experience by Ninelle's firmness. Locking back onto the situation at hand while the last bit of effulgence left his vision, he was even less inclined to add anything to the conversation. The stunning effect of having magic revealed to his sense-deprived form subsided rather quickly, and he recovered a little sooner than it stopped since he understood what was happening. All those lights and webs are magic. Maybe extant in the environment or maybe scattering around in his little sockets. No matter the case, the door was opened and the dazzling apocalypse quietened, retreating into exiguous twinkles on his own form and a dull ever-present wind caressing the corners of his body, and a slow rhythmic breathing that was once far less noticeable. It was now unmistakable, like when an infant finds its fingers, he tasted it, lapsing in and out of focus on the situation at hand. Unmistakably, "magic" or energy or the thing surrounding them all was being drawn in just a little and released just a little, kneaded gently through his body.

Distracted though he was, he recovered the gist of the conversation. Apricot wants to get their magic back but someone important was keeping it from her. Ninelle reckons she is not prepared to interface with this power to get it back and would like greater motivation. Liu found it fair enough to ask for something in return, especially if powerful sovereigns are involved. "Cardinal" is a term reserved for the four directions of the world and he did not hestiate to fantasize the extent of their power. Saying nothing, he returned to the present and stayed clear of the intercourse.