Fantasy Skyheart (1 slot open)

[kase9187]

Aldaf's smile dropped for a split second as Eli asked him why he sounded so happy.

"Because if we're constantly on guard and tense, we'll shatter like glass. It's important to find time to relax and unwind where we can. Sure, the Deathborn consistently find their way to us. Sure, they consistently attack anyone they see. But we're getting closer and closer to figuring out what's up with them. It's going to take time, and rushing head-first won't help."

He pulled out a rushed carving, from back during the Proving.

"Take this, for example. I would've reached completion either way, but I let panic handle my movements. I moved quicker, and therefore my work came out as less impressive than my other works."

He stood up, facing Eli. His smile was gone, his mouth a thin line of determination.

"But here, we don't have the luxury of sloppy work. It's either we're sloppy and get hurt or worse, or we work efficiently and survive. These Deathborn are demanding nothing but our best."

An arrow slid out of his quiver and floated beside him as the stone he had shifted into a bladed form. Both floated casually around him, a slight gust of air being heard from the wind keeping his arrow aloft.

"I will give them nothing but. But I can't give my best if I'm consistently preventing myself from relaxing."

The arrow slid back into it's quiver as the stone returned to a smooth, spherical shape. Aldaf's smile returned, all hint of grim determination vanishing from his face.

"And I'd expect nothing less from you guys! After all, half of us are kind of... dumbasses."
A quick glance to Caliban.
"And having more sensible and levelheaded teammates might help level out the chaotic energy."

Aldaf put out his hand for Eli to shake.
pinnasina AquaMarie AncientBird
Mention: Naberius

 

[AquaMarie]

Spoiler: Emmaline’s Westeros Outfit

Emmaline quietly watched Aldaf inspect her carving. She was nervous to see what he would say about her carving after all he was a woodcarver from Sudenta. "Unfinished….A bit rough…" she bit her lower lip at those words. Reaching out she collected back her half-finished carving, holding the tiny unfinished alicorn in her hands. "Overall, right now I'd say you have a good high 6 out if ten. At least for your actually carved parts. You have potential, and you'll pass me by if you keep practicing." Emma happily smiled holding the tiny carving up to her heart before gently placing it back in its rightful pouch. "Really? Thankyou...ill keep practicing" she replied to Aldaf truly happy with a 6/10 on her carving.

Another person from the came over to them, a boy not much taller than her with black hair. Emma smiled he was a fellow Estendor "hi Serik, I'm Emmaline, Emmaline Odeletta Wintergreen.." she introduced herself fully as he did. Her attention turning away from the two boys and back up towards Eli. The tall redhead just stood their quietly, a subtle furrow of the brow, as she seemed deep in thought. Emma looked at Eli with concern as she would always jump into the opportunity to talk to others, but right now she just stood there.

Emmaline's attention was pulled back towards Aldaf and Serik as Aldaf commented about not being the only woodcarver. She would not consider herself an actual woodcarver as she just really tinkered with it. Emma looked at Serik and nodded agreeing "good wood is hard to fine for carving larger pieces in the plains but they work great for tiny carvings and easier to carry then stone" Emmaline said with a giggle. The redhead leaned over to get a close look at the stone Serik had pulled out of the bag, curious to know why he pulled that stone out. But before she could ask, a tiny surprised yelp escaped her lips as Eli had easily pulled her up from sitting cross-legged on the floor.

Emma looks up at Eli as she just went off on both Aldaf and Serik. Emma bit her lower lip and looked down at the ground. Eli sounded annoyed and Emma felt guilty as she had joined into the happy small talk. "Let us go" The short girl just nodded as Eli quickly started to steer them both away from the group.

The redhead looked back towards Aldaf as he spoke back to Eli after her comments. He told her why he was being cheerful and why it was a good thing during a time like they were living at. Showing her as well a rushed carving of his.

Emmaline took a few steps back away from Eli and Aldaf who had gotten up to face her. His cheerful smile was gone replaced by grim determination. The short girl just kept her distance unsure if things were going to get worse or not. From past experience, it tended to get worse from here. However, her expression quickly changed from worried to confused when Aldaf's smiling face returned. Emma now just stood there confused, glad of course, but confused. Emma had really thought there would have been a fight but instead, Aldaf now stood there with a smile holding his hand out for Eli to shake.

Mention/Interaction: @kase9187 @AncientBird @pinnasina
Tags: SilverFlight Saturn_moon Lioness075 explosiveKitten YumenoTsukishiro kase9187 Elenion Aura Naberius AncientBird pinnasina

 

[AncientBird]

The shorter girl had introduced herself as Emmaline Odeletta Wintergreen or Emmaline, a fellow from Estendor, which Serik was rather happy to have another person from his homeland joining with the group. However, Just as the conversation with the new fellows was going smoothly, interruption came as the taller girl with red hair lashed out. Serik had noticed her to be more quiet and idle in her expression than her fellow Emmaline, but he didn't expect her to suddenly raised her voice at him and Aldaf.

Like every time conflict happened, Aldaf was quick to face it. Serik watched as his Sudentarian friend stood up against the girl and explained about why they do not let fear and worry trouble them. Serik agreed with Aldaf of what he said, but bringing up this topic had reminded him of the feeling that he had been trying to keep away, the thought of his family, home and friends back in Estendor... Their safety and well being. Serik wasn't afraid about his own skin as much as those he left behind. Here, he has his friends, who all excel in combat and magic. There are instructors that so far would help them from danger, with promise to make them stronger and more prepared... On the other hand, his family were left in the wilderness back in Estendor, not as well armed as him and probably wasn't prepared to face against something like deathborns either. What he learnt from Headmaster Candour about deathborn intrusion in Estendor and other continents also made this concern worsened.

Smile disappeared from his face and sadness slipped in as he looked at the two girls. "Trust me, we know well how you feel... It is frightening and confusing, more than anything we ever experienced in our life... To suddenly be far away from home, from the one we love... And that all we could do is wishing for everything to still be the same when we go back." Serik paused for a bit with his speech. "...The only solace we have is the companionship from each other, who have shared the same fate throughout this... Mess." Serik then took a quick glimpse at Aldaf and other of his friends. "For me, It's currently the closest thing I have as a family... And now and then, I just want to feel like I am at home, to be free from thought and not to worry about everything until the monsters return to haunt my mind again." Serik ended his speech as he looked up at Aldaf reaching out to the grumpy new comer, waiting to see her response.

Featuring: kase9187 pinnasina AquaMarie

 

[SilverFlight]

Spoiler: Kari's Westerosi outfit

Kari tilted her head, as if trying to understand something, but she smiled in the end, dismissing whatever thought it was.
"Okay."
When he asked about the new magic she shook her head with a resigned smile. "I don't think I'm cut our for any of them." She put her hands behind her head and stretched lazily until Serik came over.
"As long as someone on our team can use them we'll be okay." She told him happily.
Kari spared a glance for Keshka.

"I don't...want to know what sort of magic that was. There's got to be a reason they didn't talk about it."
Still, her curiosity was piqued, Kari didn't want to let this go just like that.
It wasn't long before Matthias appeared.
"Hey big guy," Kari greeted warmly. "You didn't find your new magic either huh? I wouldn't worry about it. We still have a lot of memory missing, it could show up when more of them come back."

Kari listened to Eli, she had a point, but Kai for one, felt safe in the academy.
"You've never seen Ord and the other teachers fight. I don't like any deathborn's chances against them." Kari grinned. "Besides, Aldaf is right, we can't be on guard all the time, that'll just lead to mistakes." She watched Eli steer Emma away from the group and over to the teachers, not sure what to make of the bigger girl.
"I wonder what she's been through?" Kari mused out loud.
AncientBird kase9187 Elenion Aura pinnasina AquaMarie YumenoTsukishiro

Ord's face lit up when the stones in Aldaf's hands began to obey his thoughts.
"Wonderful! That's wonderful! You are quite the natural!"
Leandra's voice turned his attention and he nodded. "You have not shown an affinity before? No matter, it's all about using your will. If you have an affinity for an element, you are already connected to it. You can feel it, almost like a sixth sense. Here. hold the stone in your hand." Ord watched as Matthias held out a stone for Leandra to practice on. he continued to explain:
"Using magic is not unlike using the bond between you and your skybeast. It is thought-driven, and natural."
Ord didn't stop Matthias from walking away, he only looked a bit sad, but understanding too.
Lioness075 kase9187 Elenion Aura

Targus had gone silent watching Caliban try. She watched intently, the most concentrated expression on her face. Her lips twitched as she muttered something in silence, leaning in close to the seed.
When suddenly it sprouted Targus Leapt up with a roar of joy.
"YEAH! I got one!" She threw a tree-trunk arm about Caliban's shoulders and pulled him into a hug.
"Oh we are gonna do so many awesome things!" It was clear that Targus really wanted to impart all she had learned of the new magic and was over the moon that Caliban had shown the affinity.
To Marylka she put a gentle hand on her shoulder, engulfing it almost entirely.
"Hey, don't worry, herbimancy is challenging, you're controlling a living thing. Even plants have a will, sometimes aligning with it is tricky. If you have the affinity, you'll get it. I promise."
Naberius Saturn_moon

Rhyne never lost his placid expression, though the look in his eyes shifted ever so slightly when Katja seemed to look a little crestfallen.
"It is your will. You already command the power, all you need to do is remind the flesh that this is true."
explosiveKitten

As the affinity tests continued Candour stepped to the side, watching the others with a calm patience, but there was something at the back of his mind.
Kari decided to follow the new girls and head over in his direction.
"You look like you've got something on your mind."
Candour looked down and nodded. "Deralis invited you to tonight's council meeting."
Kari was silent for a bit, and then nodded.
"That man always has two reasons for doing everything. I can't help think that he means to use you to gain something over me...promise me you will remain vigilant."

The tests lasted four half the day, with reassurances passed to those who had not yet shown one. Targus was cheerful and brutally supportive, Ord was kind and patient, Even Keshka managed a tiny crack of a smile as she watched the youths succeed, though she would deny it if asked.
"Your classes begin in earnest tomorrow." Candour announced. "Get some rest. I will come and collect you for the meeting tonight. Just keep in mind that these new magics...they must remain secret for now. Do not let Deralis or the council know what you possess, otherwise I fear your freedom in this city might be more than severely limited."

Before they left Kari had one more question.
"Sir, what can you tell us about Danube? The teacher that went missing not long ago."
There was something needling the back of her mind.
Candour considered the question, and spoke so all could hear. "He is the instructor for fire magic. An excellent warrior, clever, resourceful. He was looking for the source of the deathborn in Westeros."

The source of the deathborn...

The memory came back in a flash, flooding into all of their minds like a rip tide: Danube, they knew who he was, they knew his face: wild black hair, a thick beard and a defiant expression. "I'm close to something, I know it." He stood before them in Candour's office. They had all been there. "The deathborn aren't coming from the edge of the island like we originally thought. I chased on and it ran inland, not out to the edge. If we could figure out where it was going..." "Out of the question. Danube, we need you here, training the students. Their affinities are like nothing we have ever seen before." It was Candour, and he looked like he had had this conversation before...many times. "Your plan is to what? Strike out into the desert at random and hope you come across a clue that will lead you to the source? And then what?" Danube paused. "I...block it up! Or something. If we can stop them coming through, the city would not be attacked so often! It would give us time to think." "Time to think is exactly what you need, but you need it before you go off on a fool's errand. You are staying until their training is done. Is that clear?"

Kari gasped when the vision cleared. The spy deathborn.
"West." She muttered. "That weird deathborn with the orb for a face. It was running West. That's where they're coming from. Danube was right....I...I think that's where he went."

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[kase9187]

Aldaf smiled to Ord. He appreciated the praise.
"Thank you." His practice with Geomancy continued, but was second to his conversation with the newcomers.

Aldaf experienced the memory, same as Kari. He heard her speak about the Spy Deathborn, the one who got away. His smile dropped as he approached.

"It went West? That rabid little fucker went West?"

The stone he had sharpened to a point, like a small drill.

"It looks like West is where we need to go, then. Not only to find Danube, but to figure out more about these undead assholes."

His smile returned, but it was more beastly in nature.

"Besides... I think Spica wants revenge for last time."

His normal smile returned, but diminished. They had a goal besides learning at the academy, and even if Candour told him that they couldn't go gallivanting off towards the broad location of "West," they'd go anyways.

He looked to his fellow classmates and companions. After all... when it came down to it, everyone here was stubborn when push came to shove.

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[Naberius]

Caliban Lupei

"Are...are you sure I even did anything? It could have just had the small little bit of green poking out the whole time and I just didn't notice..."

The crushing embrace was a steel vice around his body. As toned and athletic as he was, her arm was nearly the size of his waist and he felt like he might break if she squeezed too hard. He grunted at the impact even a simple hug imparted and when released just stood there for a moment. Though in time that usual bright smile took over his face again, and he looked on to watch the others. Unbidden, his eyes went to Katja and stayed there a bit longer than he intended. Though the others seemed to be doing varying degrees of well, many of whom did better than he had. He was still not entirely convinced that he had been the one to cause anything to happen and that it had all been his imagination playing off his deep desire to do well.

He didn't have time to contemplate this much longer. That same feeling, as the other previous times, lanced through his mind. A sharp pain, a blazing hot knife of ice slammed into his mind from forces unknown at the mention of the missing teacher and where he had gone, towards the source of their enemies. The memory washed over everything, blocking out all thought and reason for the next few moments. He blinked and it was over, and he stood from where he had fallen to his knees clutching his head in his hands. Shaking himself free of the lingering feelings of dread and unease about the whole situation, he crossed his arms in thought. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't agree with the decision to leave.

"It's important to head out and see what might be there waiting for us, yes....And I know I'm the last person who should be saying something restrained and logical, considering recent events. But should we really be heading out right now? Should we not wait until we're actually ready?"

SilverFlight Elenion Aura explosiveKitten AncientBird Saturn_moon Lioness075 YumenoTsukishiro kase9187 pinnasina AquaMarie

 

[Saturn_moon]

The vision came like a shock of icy water, startling and uncomfortable. Marylka's mind focused in on the figures present, in particular the bearded figure with wild black hair. Despite not having met him, she immediately knew who he was. The air was thick with tension as she watched, seemingly through the eyes of her past self, Danube and Candour argue about the best course of action to take.

...it ran inland...to the source...a fool's errand...

The memory faded and the elemental training hall returned to view. Several people started to speak but Marylka didn't process who or what they said. All she could hear was the blood pumping in her ears. Just yesterday they barely succeeded in taking down the deathborns in the market square and there had only been five of them. Now it seemed like they were to head to the source where possibly hundreds could be waiting. There was no way they were ready. There was no way she was ready.

Marylka looked down at her hands and realised they were trembling, fear wrapped around her heart with a vise-like grip. Up to this point, the group had pretty much been thrown into every battle they've had to face. There had been no time to think, to rationalise. It was fight or be killed. However, within the walls of the academy where they had been offered a taste of security, the dangers they had to face suddenly seemed so much more intimidating.

"What's west of the city?" She interjected, her gaze fixed on Candour. "The deathborn we chased, it was far from rabid. It's actions were calculated and intentional. Even if we decide to follow it west, how can we be sure it wasn't planning to lead us on a wild goose chase around the continent or into a trap?"

AncientBird AquaMarie Elenion Aura explosiveKitten kase9187 Lioness075 Naberius pinnasina SilverFlight YumenoTsukishiro

 

[kase9187]

Aldaf nodded to both Cal and Marylka speaking up.

"To be fair, though... it's the only lead we've got at the moment for what's going on. I get that we should take some time to prepare, but we can't wait too long, otherwise the trail might run cold."

SilverFlight AquaMarie pinnasina YumenoTsukishiro AncientBird explosiveKitten Elenion Aura Naberius Lioness075 Saturn_moon

 

[YumenoTsukishiro]

Matthias was a hard man to miss. He sidled up to their little gathering like the frozen peaks on Estendor's far north. Gerel wasn't quick to assume that the large Northarian wasn't able to show affinity for any of the new magics, but he couldn't help but think that was the reason why someone who wasn't exactly known for being friendly was bothering to get close. Come to think of it... "Hey, Matthias," Gerel started, unsure of how to talk to someone he hadn't really connected with all this time. "Kari's right. There's plenty of time for us to figure out the extent of our abilities. Besides, I don't think you need a second magic. You're plenty powerful with your lightning already. And your muscles. Yep."

He was only tuning in on the tail end of Headmaster's explanation about the missing Professor Danube (in an effort to forget all the awkwardness with Matthias) when the memory washed over him like a violent gust of wind. All thoughts of keeping secrets and lying to friends was vanished into the moment of silence that fell across the training room. Then immediately, his friends started weighing in on the flashback they undoubtedly shared. Aldaf wanted to head out as soon as soon as possible, which was surprising given that Gerel managed to hear snippets of his discussion with one of the red-haired ladies. Caliban called for a more cautious approach, which was surprising given that he once flew into a giant skeletal wyvern's rib cage without warning.

"I'm with Caliban on this. We've only begun rediscovering what we're truly capable of, and going after Professor Danube at this point is ill-advised. Think about it. Without Deralis and the Guard to help us, our earlier encounter with the newer deathborn could've ended differently. Terribly," Gerel spared Kari a glance at that, before pressing on. "Besides, we're in unfamiliar lands. If we attempt to journey now beyond the walls of To'Bai we will find ourselves lost in the sands. One person who can lead us on our journey is... not here right now."

SilverFlight AquaMarie pinnasina kase9187 AncientBird explosiveKitten Elenion Aura Naberius Lioness075 Saturn_moon

 

[Elenion Aura]

Matthias​

"Hey big guy. You didn't find your new magic either huh? I wouldn't worry about it. We still have a lot of memory missing, it could show up when more of them come back."

Matthias shook his head, trying not to look dejected. Though his face hardly looked any different from normal. "It could..." He conceded. Thoughtfully, he included, "And if it doesn't, I am not worried." Saying it aloud, recognizing it as true, did wonders for his self esteem. He would be all right - they all would - new magic or otherwise. Not long ago he'd have had his doubts. But something subtle had changed, something he couldn't quite place.

"Kari's right. There's plenty of time for us to figure out the extent of our abilities. Besides, I don't think you need a second magic. You're plenty powerful with your lightning already. And your muscles. Yep."

Matthias laid eyes on Gerel. He advised patience, like Kari had, and also offered a compliment. Matthias did not know how to respond to this. His muscles? He looked away and mumbled a curt, ”Thank you...” Feeling remiss if he did not offer a compliment in return, he added gruffly, ”And you with your Wind. And your arrows.” He nodded to punctuate the statement, then trailed off, finding himself at a loss for words, and ran a self conscious gaze across his bare forearms.

From the corner of his eye Matthias watched Ord with Aldaf and Leandra, wondering if the girl would have any luck with the stone. In that same moment Matthias overheard the tense exchange between Aldaf, Serik, Eli, and Emma. For his part he could understand Eli's hesitancy, and her words rang true to him, or rather, to some past version of him. He almost felt obligated to say something. And yet, that'd just lead to more headaches. She'd come around on her own, as he had.

Before he could think, or say, anything to that effect, his mind was yet again waylaid by an influx of information...

The memories had come back again as they'd done several times before. Even so it still hadn't gotten easier. The wave of revelation set Matthias' jaw tight enough that he could feel his teeth grinding. They were his memories, Matthias knew. All the same they felt foreign to him. He wasn't sure he recognized himself in them, but perhaps recognition would come with time.

"I agree with Aldaf. We should leave immediately." He spoke to be heard, crossing his arms tightly across his chest. If there was a chance that Danube was still alive, they were obligated to try and rescue him.

Tags: Lioness075 AncientBird kase9187 SilverFlight pinnasina AquaMarie YumenoTsukishiro ​

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Leandra LaFrae	Nicknames: Lea, Firefly
Clan: Sudenta	Clan Job: Huntress
Equipment: Knapsack, Medicinal Pouch, Bow, Quiver (0/10), Twin Daggers

Spoiler: Momo's Appearance

Spoiler: Falarion's Appearance

Falarion actually has brightly colored wings that have a rainbow hue in bright lighting. In darker settings, they can seem muted into a dark grey or even black color. He also does not have the golden tattoos spanning his body or the necklace around his neck.

Spoiler: Leandra's Westeros Outfit

She's wearing the first, green one.

Ord's words of encouragement lifted Leandra up and she hesitantly smiled when he handed her a stone. She stared down at it, uncertain of exactly how she was supposed to feel a connection to the element. She closed her eyes, trying to focus on all the times she had been running in the jungles back home, nimbly leaping from rock to rock or running along the hard-packed dirt paths. Perhaps she had never realized it until now, but the connection she felt with the nature back home may have been more than just a comfort feeling.
Ord continued, explaining that the use of magic is thought-driven more than anything. Leandra kept her eyes closed, focusing on that natural connection she had always felt back home. She felt a tingling sensation in the back of her mind and she gasped. Her eyes shot open just as the stone in her palm began to wriggle back and forth.

Grinning at her small accomplishment, Leandra turned to try and show Caliban, who in turn had a small success with his seed. She felt her heart pounding with excitement for both of them.

As the day went on, Leandra stayed focused on her little stone, determined to make it do more than wriggle like some egg hatching. The best she seemed to be able to do was make it roll over once or twice in her palm.
She began trying to levitate it, as she had seen others do with their own magics before. Yet, this was far more challenging than she had anticipated and she muttered a curse when the stone flopped over in her palm again. She could not understand why these magics came so easily to some and were near impossible for others. Were they not supposed to be all-powerful?
Squinting down at her stone, Leandra tried to focus on the sensation she had always felt at the back of her mind back home and the stone suddenly levitated a few centimetres off her palm. Excited, Leandra punched the air beside the stone and exclaimed, "Heck yeah!"

Alas, her moment was cut short by another memory surfacing. Leandra collapsed to her hands and knees, her stone tumbling out of the air and into the waters below. She groaned, as the memory took hold of her mind and a headache began to throb.
They were back in Candour's office and Leandra was petting Momo's head while they listened in on the conversation before them. Danube was there, arguing to chase after the Deathborn and find their source.

With another gasp, Leandra returned to the present and felt sweat beading on her forehead. Her headache was throbbing with earnest and she stood with a hand on the side of her head.
Listening to the input of the others and equally surprised when Caliban voted for patience, Leandra blinked and then began rubbing the sides of her temples. Perhaps she was experiencing hallucinations now?
As everyone began to say what they thought the group should do, Leandra pitched in, "Ah, yes, because rushing headlong into battle has gone so well for us in the past." She pointedly looked at Caliban and then Aldalf in turn.
"Guys, we need to think this through and we still have that meeting to attend tonight in addition to our classes starting tomorrow. Can we at least wait a few days to consider our options before rushing into this? I mean, Danube has been missing for some time now." She paused, not wanting to continue her train of thought.

Staring down at the waters below, Leandra finally remembered her missing stone and sighed.

SilverFlight Naberius kase9187 Saturn_moon explosiveKitten pinnasina AquaMarie YumenoTsukishiro Elenion Aura AncientBird

 

[kase9187]

Aldaf saw Leandra drop her stone, his own splitting in half as he walked over. He handed her one half.

"I get that Danube has been missing for some time... but there is still a chance he's alive. The longer we wait, the worse that chance becomes."

He smiled to Leandra.

"But don't worry. I get where some of you are coming from. I'm just saying that if there is a chance to save Danube and to figure out what's going on before the trail goes cold, we need to act relatively quickly."

Aldaf pondered the point for a minute.

"If Danube is still alive after all this time... we might only have a week or so to prepare to just barely save him. I doubt a teacher at the Academy would go unprepared, but we need to assume he's stranded and without supplies."

Aldaf looked to his classmates and friends. His smile was beaming but his eyes held a deep worry for Danube.

"I say we make our efforts twofold. We take classes to improve, and take time off to prep for heading out after Danube and that Deathborn. We wont have too long, but I agree with Leandra. We can't just rush headfirst in without at least a plan. Gods know half of us are walking examples of why winging it is usually a bad idea."

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[AncientBird]

Just as the concern that brought up by the new comer clouded Serik's mind, suddenly something else shove it aside... Terrible head ache happened out of no where and Serik held his head in pain. In a split second, he was taken... To a vision... A lost memory. Once again, Serik saw himself, along with his friends, standing in a room. There was Headmaster Candour, and another man, with thick black beard... And suddenly Serik remembered. It's Danube, one of the instructor that was said to disappear. He heard their conversation, how tense the fire instructor was as he spoke of the trail where he believed would lead the hidden location of the deathborns... He felt the frustration, from both Danube and Candour.

And then it was over... Serik was pulled back to the present, all he saw had become clear that he and the others might just have known the clue where their enemy could reside. His team members started discussing of this new information and how they should do next, some suggesting a quest to follow what Danube had pointed out but some raised concern about their preparation and capability to do so.

"I am all for getting more clue about our enemy and rescue our lost instructor, but as many had pointed out... Are we really ready to make a travel into unknown land that might just hold an entire army of deathborns, waiting for us to step into their snare? What about our skybeasts... They had been resting for only just one day after their long, continuous travel. Not to mention, last night, many of them had to fend off deathborns in the street. Some got hurt..." Serik paused and thought about Valkyrie. Her wounds had mostly healed in the morning, however Serik could tell she was not in the condition to go out and take another harsh journey right now nor in a few days.

"Also, what would the opinions of the other instructors be? Could we even consider taking such trip without their agreement first?" Serik added.

Featuring: SilverFlight kase9187 Lioness075 Naberius pinnasina AquaMarie Elenion Aura Saturn_moon YumenoTsukishiro explosiveKitten

 

[SilverFlight]

Kari couldn't stifle a laugh at Gerel's awkwardness, but her look afterwards was one of endearment, but after the memory, their conversation turned serious. Kari listened for a moment, but it was clear what side she was on:
"I'm not in the habit of leaving someone who needs help, not even for a minute." But what help would they be unprepared?
Candour was silent as well.
"To the West," he began, "is a canyon, peppered with a labyrinth of caves and natural passages. It leads deep into the rock...if the deathborn really were coming from inland...it would be a very good place to hide a number of them undetected...at first I thought the deathborn were only beasts, a scourge seeping up through the clouds...but after what you have told me today...if they are being directed, our mission to rescue Danube will be much more dangerous."
"And there is that council meeting." Keshka brought up coolly. "If they don't appear Deralis will accuse you of controlling their actions. He'll use it as an excuse to get that council order he's been after for years: authority to use the teachers and students of the Academy to defend the city."
Ord clearly looked troubled by that fact, he looked at them imploringly: "We can't force you to go to the meeting," he began, "nor can we really prevent you from leaving, but we can stand by you. I recommend attending the meeting first, then taking two days to rest and train. If you learn as fast as I think you might, that should be enough. Then, Keshka, Targus and I will accompany you into the desert."
"That's right." Targus tapped her shoulder with a fist. "No rule that says you have to go alone, you're my students now! I gotta make sure you come back to finish your homework!"

Candour looked at his teachers with a careful expression. Ord's face was pleading, Targus, determined, Keshka looked like she would do what she pleased with or without Candour's blessing, even Rhyne had the ghost of a supportive smile.
At last he relented: "All right, if you agree with this plan, then continue your training for today, and get ready for the council meeting tonight. I will meet you at the front gates after supper, and take you to the council office in the center of the city."


~*~*~*

Training continued for most of the day, and though Kari didn't discover any new element, Candour had helped her master the basics of fire magic.
Once the session was over, and both students and teachers thoroughly exhausted, they opened the doors of the hall to let in the cooling evening air.
Targus laughed heartily. "You're all amazing! I can't wait to see what you remember about the other things we teach here, tomorrow I'll show you the alchemy room, and the workshop! The workshop is where I invent things."
"Usually things that blow up." Rhyne added.
"They blow up accidentally." Targus defended.
"That...is not better."
"Come on, we should get you ready for the council meeting," Ord announced to the youths, "go and eat, I'll give you a briefing on protocol before you leave."

YumenoTsukishiro Elenion Aura Lioness075 AncientBird kase9187 Naberius Elenion Aura Saturn_moon explosiveKitten AquaMarie pinnasina

 

[kase9187]

Aldaf continued training and making conversation with the newcomers until the lesson ended. Both the alchemy area and workshop were intriguing, to say the least.

"Alright, so we're going to the meeting? Any idea what we'll be grilled on?"

SilverFlight

 

[Elenion Aura]

Matthias​

Matthias nodded gruffly. The plan was agreeable to him, though he would have preferred immediate action. Two days was not a long time. But, paradoxically, Matthias did not doubt that it would feel like an eternity to him. Ord seemed sure of himself, however, and that in turn helped ease the tumult in Matthias’ heart.

”Very well.” Matthias nodded again, their course of action sealed. He approached Targus, summoning the lightning within him. He bowed his head solemnly. ”I failed to awaken a new element. Teach me to wield the one I have.” After a brief hesitation he added, ”... Please.”


Matthias crossed his arms. They felt like jelly to him, a sign that the day’s training had been fruitful, if physically exhausting. ”We should enlist the aid of the city guard in the search for Danube.”

Tags: Lioness075 AncientBird kase9187 SilverFlight pinnasina AquaMarie YumenoTsukishiro ​

 

[YumenoTsukishiro]

Kari, the heartwarming fire that she was, advocated for leaving as soon as possible to save a person in need. Gerel admired her for that, while hoping that she tempered it with cool logic. Still, he smiled at her words, then kept silent as Candour elaborated on what they would see west of the city, and the implications of attending the Council meeting with Deralis, or not. Personally, Gerel felt ill at ease with the Head of the Guard. His intentions were good, but his opinions and his methods were... questionable. If they truly had to attend the meeting, he would do it out of necessity, not because he liked it.

Knowing that the teachers had their back brought a measure of comfort. With four experienced practitioners of magic, their troubles seemed trivial. Then again, nothing had been trivial ever since the Proving Grounds. Foremost in Gerel's thoughts however was the time he could spend training with Keshka in their travels. He needed to master at least the very basics of wielding the deathborn's power against them. Speaking of which, Gerel trained with his companions in honing his magic further, counting on Ord's and Keshka's teachings, and what fragments of memories he had about wielding the wind.

And right before they went for supper, Gerel waited for the opportune moment to approach Keshka, counting on every ounce of his subtlety to sidle up to her. "I would very much like to ask for your help about... using my magic better," Gerel asked, waiting for an answer without realizing that he was holding his breath.

SilverFlight

 

[Saturn_moon]

Two days. That was all the time they would have to train before venturing into unknown depths in the middle of the desert which was likely to contain more dangers than the group had faced collectively in past two weeks. Marylka let out a long, exasperated sigh and pressed the heels of her palms to her eyes in an attempt to calm herself down. There was an extremely fine line between bravery and stupidity and this plan of their's sounded very much like it had one foot firmly planted on the side of stupidity. "For the record, I think this is an incredibly risky plan based mostly on assumptions." She said, her brows furrowed with disapproval. "But, if everyone agrees it's the best chance we have of saving Danube, then I'll do whatever I can to help... even if it won't be much." Their track record proved that this group somehow had a way of making stupid work and at the very least, Ord, Keshka, and Targus would be coming along, easing her worries slightly.

The rest of the afternoon was spent honing her water magic under Rhyne's supervision. The basics came easily to her as she recalled her training back home with her grandfather which, to her surprise, turned out to be far more advanced than she had expected. She always knew her grandfather was a strong water mage, but with no one else around to compare him to, she didn't know just how good he was. While Rhyne pushed her hard, Marylka pushed herself harder. Even when she was on the verge of collapsing onto her knees from exhaustion, she pushed herself back up. A looming death threat turned out to be an excellent motivator.

After class, she heard Matthias suggest enlisting the city guards' help. "That's actually not a bad idea. Even if we don't agree with Deralis's methods, at the end of the day, our goals are the same and we could really use all the help we can get."

While everyone made their way to supper, Marylka slipped away to the library and started to pull all the books she could find about Westeros in hopes of discovering some useful information about the canyon. To her dismay, the canyon seemed largely unexplored and besides the occasional passing mention of it in the odd geography book, there was little else that would serve helpful to their quest. She would need to return tomorrow to continue her research.

AncientBird AquaMarie Elenion Aura explosiveKitten kase9187 Lioness075 Naberius pinnasina SilverFlight YumenoTsukishiro

 

[explosiveKitten]

Katja was BEYOND TIRED.
This was a wild evening. Not the wildest event g she had ever experienced, granted. But she was still fatigued, tired, in pain, agony. Any numbers of words would describe how Katja’s muscles and brain were screaming.

Magic was a force her father had attempted to explain to her as a child- He was a rather gifted water mage, after all. But it didn’t make sense then and it certainly wasn’t making sense now. She had racked her brain, tried desperately to figure it out, only making a small amount of progress on learning the trade. Her brain was screaming from the strain.

The vision had been interesting. She wasn’t sure what to make of it, finding herself speechless following it, watching everyone argue over the next course of action, and frankly she wasn’t sure what to do in this situation, she didn’t feel as though she knew any better than anyone else, so why say anything?

She was exhausted. So was everyone, to be fair, but Katja was not used to this much extraneous effort. She was looking a little ragged by the time everyone was told to go get something to eat and relax. She stumbled along beside everyone and tried to find some words to say, but she brain was running at a snail’s pace.

“... I don’t really... I don’t know if we should really trust Deralis. My great grandma didn’t seem to like him much, and I’m inclined to trust her...” she mumbled, just to add something to the conversation.

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[kase9187]

Aldaf looked at Katja and nodded, noting how tired she was.

"I agree with both you and your great grandmother. Deralis is a bit of a character, and I'm not one to trust him so easily."

SilverFlight AquaMarie explosiveKitten YumenoTsukishiro pinnasina Naberius
Elenion Aura Saturn_moon AncientBird Lioness075

 

[AquaMarie]

Spoiler: Emmaline’s Westeros Outfit

Emmaline was standing to the side as the surprising turn of events happened when Aldaf stood up and faced Eli. She looked over towards Serik as he spoke to them after the little outburst. Turning to look at the others in the room before back towards Aldaf and Serik, they were right things are very different now. The changes along with the creatures chasing them is both frightening and confusing. She wants to go back home as she figures so did the others, but they all have to make the best of their situation. Having others around you for support, that are and have gone through the same thing was a welcome thing to Emma during these confusing and crazy times.

Emma crouched down, closing her eyes and holding her head as a memory came flooding into her. How she hated the way these memories made their way back to her. But like always the memory quickly passed through, leaving her there in deep thought about what she had just remembered. Her attention moved over towards the others as they began to discuss about heading West. She didn't say a word towards the discussion of going West or not, she wasn't sure about the whole situation or felt she was ready to just fly out directly towards danger.

As the training continued Emma worked up the courage to try out the different magics. More so due to curiosity to see if she could do any of them. But sadly as she had assumed nothing happened. Thus making her feel a tad embarrassed, but at least she quenched her curiosity and gave them all a chance.
~~~~~
With training over and the day coming to an end she was exhausted but quite excited for dinner. Staying close to Eli as she quietly followed the others.

Tags: SilverFlight Saturn_moon Lioness075 explosiveKitten YumenoTsukishiro kase9187 Elenion Aura Naberius AncientBird pinnasina

 

[AncientBird]

With support from Headmaster and the instructors and some brainstorming, Serik was more at ease with the plan so far. At least the team will get to train and improve themselves more with their power and confidence increased before they headed off into the unknown. Their skybeasts will also get some chance to rest and be prepared for the travel and possible fight as well. Still, Serik was still concern if the result will be worth the risk after all.

The training began and Serik found Keshka to be quite strict and relentless to push her student’s potential. It was quite tiring and stressful for Serik, but being obedient was always Serik’s thing, so he cooperated as best as he could. In the end of the day, Serik was capable of summoned and created light out of thin air and control small portion of them, added to his already managed illusion ability. Which, to Serik’s surprise, he learnt from Keshka that it was supposed to be performed much harder than basic light summoning and controlling skill. Perhaps, it was the feeling of fear and distress that pull the illusion out first when he had to fight for his life at Mt. Arebos during the attack of Stone wargs. This made Serik wondered how much power he had already perfected during the missing year of his lost memory.

Serik joined his band and headed for dinner before they prepared to leave for the council meeting which Captain Deralis was hoping for them to attend. Hearing his friends discussed about the man. Serik listened in silence. For him, Deralis seemed like a honorable man that wanted to make sure the city was safe. However, Headmaster Candour also got a good point on how his idea of making children into soldiers, some even younger than Serik himself was quite a desperate idea. Couldn’t there be any better way than this? However who was him to judge when he had only been involved in this matter for no more than a few days? Serik hoped that the council meeting would clear this up for him.

Featuring: SilverFlight kase9187 Lioness075 Naberius pinnasina AquaMarie Elenion Aura Saturn_moon YumenoTsukishiro explosiveKitten

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Leandra LaFrae	Nicknames: Lea, Firefly
Clan: Sudenta	Clan Job: Huntress
Equipment: Knapsack, Medicinal Pouch, Bow, Quiver (0/10), Twin Daggers

Spoiler: Momo's Appearance

Spoiler: Falarion's Appearance

Falarion actually has brightly colored wings that have a rainbow hue in bright lighting. In darker settings, they can seem muted into a dark grey or even black color. He also does not have the golden tattoos spanning his body or the necklace around his neck.

Spoiler: Leandra's Westeros Outfit

She's wearing the first, green one.

When Aldalf abruptly approached her, Leandra stepped back instinctively while narrowing her eyes at him. If there was one thing she had learned already, it was that he seemed to lack a sense of personal space for others.
As he offered part of his stone to her, Leandra hesitated a moment before taking it. She looked down at the stone with disdain, remembering how simple it was for Aldalf to simply pick up another magic without a struggle.
Sighing, Leandra looked back up in time to see he was smiling at her. Blinking, Leandra frowned when he went on to say how they should not give up on Danube. She had never suggested completely abandoning their past mentor to his fate, but that they should instead be cautious and come up with a better plan than charging headlong into danger once more.
Aldalf finally looked away as he continued speaking and Leandra heaved a sigh of relief at that. She felt uncomfortable enough being the center of attention for anything and she had not expected to become that when she spoke up. Rubbing the back of her neck, Leandra inched back from the group once more and then looked back down at her palm where Aldalf's stone was. Feeling her frustration welling up again at how simple he made magic look, Leandra muttered a curse under her breath and promptly dropped the stone into the waters below. She could find other stones to work with outside and she really did not want to use one given to her by Aldalf.

Leandra was very surprised when Aldalf turned around and agreed with her. She blinked a few times to process what he had just said, but he was done speaking by the time it clicked.
Furrowing her brows, Leandra remained quiet the rest of the time the group discussed their options. Leandra had said her piece and was content to wait until the teachers would speak up again.

Hearing the reminder of the council meeting they were to attend tonight, Leandra inwardly groaned. She wondered if she could get through that entire meeting without saying something in order to avoid being the center of attention again. Knowing Aldalf and Caliban though, Leandra had a feeling she may need to intervene at some point just to clear the air or try to better explain something one of them may be saying poorly. She could only hope Caliban would keep a clear head there. Leandra had a feeling emotions might run high at the meeting and that Deralis would likely try to trap them in some kind of conflict.

When the plan was finally presented to them, Leandra felt her heart skip a beat. Two days. That was all they were going to get? Others began chiming in their agreement to this plan and she rubbed the back of her neck again. Sure, they had been quick to pick up new tricks here and there, but two days was so little time.
Leandra was glad when she overheard Marylka sharing her concern. At least she was not the only one doubting this plan. Given that this opinion was not the majority opinion, Leandra hung back and held her tongue.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the day wore on, Leandra struggled immensely to manage anything beyond making her new stone from Ord rock around in her palm or levitate a few centimeters before falling back onto her palm. Her frustration welled up time and time again, resulting in her inability to do anything for nearly an hour at a time.

By the time supper rolled around, Leandra had not improved a whole lot and felt deflated. How was she going to be useful with this geomancy magic in just two more days of training?
At the mention of Targus' workshop, Leandra lit up a bit. She was completely out of arrows at this point and it could be tons of fun making more in the workshop. She kept getting this sense of belonging when she thought about the workshop and she had to wonder if she had used it before she lost her memory. A strong sense of calm and belonging came with thoughts of the workshop as well. She was getting increasingly anxious to go there, but it was a good kind of anxiety.

As they made their way to supper, Leandra listened in on the conversation. The mention of enlisting the aid of the city guard when Deralis was in charge of them made here wince. She doubted they would be much help and had a feeling that they would be endangering their lives more than anything. The Deathborn were no simple enemy.

Hearing that she was not alone in distrusting Deralis, Leandra finally spoke up again, "Not only do I distrust Deralis, but we would also be endangering the lives of any city guard we bring along with us. The Deathborn are no simple enemy to face and I doubt they're trained for that kind of combat scenario. A smaller team is easier to manage, especially if the team is full of specialized and trained individuals."

When they finally got to the meal, Leandra promptly sat down and began filling her plate with various delights. Her stomach was growling in protest at this point and she happily began eating the drumstick of some bird.

Naberius kase9187 SilverFlight Saturn_moon explosiveKitten Elenion Aura AncientBird pinnasina AquaMarie YumenoTsukishiro

 

[kase9187]

Aldaf had taken a bit of notice and sat down at the same table as Leandra, his own plate filled. He sat there, silently eating for a while before he decided to say something.

"Hey, Leandra... I want to apologize for what happened in the hall. I know that my rediscovery of Geomancy has had an effect on people, and I've been wanting to apologize to everyone in turn."

His cheery grin was replaced with a mask of apology as he talked. He pulled out his stone out of his pocket and laid it on the table before crushing his fist and the stone breaking into dust on the table.

"I mean what I say about us being a team, and I don't like to view anyone as being above anyone else. I don't want you to think I'm a show off or leagues above because of stuff I can do, because all you've seen is stuff I can do."

Aldaf sighed and rubbed his temple.

"Look, I don't even know if you want my help or if you're hating my guts with a passion, but I can try to show you about how I go about it. I can't say I'll be as good as Ord, but I can try."

The stone reformed into a cube, resting in between Aldaf and Leandra's spaces.

Lioness075

 

[pinnasina]

He's right. Wear always an armor of caution, her mentor would say, for it shall block all manner of obstacles for you. But only on this would she yield. The rest? Nothing more than feel-good sentiments to justify his blasé demeanor. That sort of surface cheer reminded her too much of things, people, that were best left forgotten. Still, this vague similarity sends a jolt of irritation, shifting her lips into a frown. There is no point in "relax" and "unwind" when we are hunted.

"Caution is good," she relented on this point, but continued, coarse in her criticism. "But I do not like the way you are treating this. Like this is, ehhh, test or vacation. Take it seriously."

His attempts to justify his stupid point were of little importance; she quickly brushed it off as the natterings of a sheltered child. "Not we. The weak will be the one who will 'shatter like glass'. Will panic." A bold declaration, but it was the truth.

When dark-hair, Serik, joined in, agreeing with the brown-hair's point, Eli completely turned away and headed off to the instructors for good. It's clear to her that they don't know any more than what she knew, anyways; talking with them was useless.

─────​

The rest of the class was a blur, like scenery that zipped on by while she was on her skybeast. Eli never did manage to ask any of the instructors about her queries, what with all of them being busy with guiding those with magic. She decided instead to wait until classes were over before asking anything, so, she settled into the sidelines, watching the others in their attempts.

Her focus, however, was broken by the unbidden assault of a headache, pounding at the locked box in her head. Through a chink, a memory comes free: a bearded man, Danube─where did that name come from?─arguing with a more familiar figure, that of the Candour.

The memory, like a wild mare, was difficult to subdue, and it wasn't long before it fled back into the infinite fields of her mind. This left her recollection spotty, leaving only a vague understanding of what exactly happened; thankfully, the others' testimonies affirmed what she knew and filled in the blanks for her.

Before she joined in on the group's debate, she first turned to Emmaline, who seemed to curl up in on herself. Concerned, she helped the girl up and kept an arm around her, just to keep her steady.

Returning back to the discussion, to go or not to go; that was now the question of the hour. Only a minority were for jumping into the action, though surprisingly, brown-hair himself was amongst those numbers. "Did you not say not to rush forward?" Eli commented.

In the end, however, the headmaster advised that the group take two days for themselves, to train and pack, a decision she agreed with. Just enough time to warm up and to check on the things that held her interest. Like the record she supposedly had at the academy.

However, for the time being, Eli spent her time at the hall mostly on her own, punching and kicking at the training dummies provided there. Nothing as exciting as what those with magic were doing.

Once classes were over, most headed for dinner, Eli included. Up ahead, the group talked of a council meeting that they were going to attend. Curious, she asked aloud. "Meeting, Dralis, meeting, Dralis, Dralis! What is that?"

elaiana

LOCATION:
Following behind the rest of the group.

OUTFIT:
Eli is currently wearing a light sleeveless dress, with a bright colorful fabric wrapped securely around her waist. A dark brown cowl sits on her shoulders, with the hood down. Bottom-wise, she has on a pair of tight brown trousers and surprisingly sturdy hemp sandals. (To be specific, she is wearing 1 from the reference, created by Mad Bee, though without the bejeweled collar.)

Aside from that, she has her nicked leather bracer on her left hand and her trusty satchel slung on her right shoulder.

INTERACTIONS:
Aldaf, Emmaline, Serik.

TAGS:
AncientBird
AquaMarie
Elenion Aura
explosiveKitten
kase9187
Lioness075
Naberius
Saturn_moon
SilverFlight
YumenoTsukishiro

PROOFREAD PROGRESS: Not Done.

code by fudgecakez

Spoiler: uncoded

He's right. Wear always an armor of caution, her mentor would say, for it shall block all manner of obstacles for you. But only on this would she yield. The rest? Nothing more than feel-good sentiments to justify his blasé demeanor. That sort of surface cheer reminded her too much of things, people, that were best left forgotten. Still, this vague similarity sends a jolt of irritation, shifting her lips into a frown. There is no point in "relax" and "unwind" when we are hunted.

"Caution is good," she relented on this point, but continued, coarse in her criticism. "But I do not like the way you are treating this. Like this is, ehhh, test or vacation. Take it seriously."

His attempts to justify his stupid point were of little importance; she quickly brushed it off as the natterings of a sheltered child. "Not we. The weak will be the one who will 'shatter like glass'. Will panic." A bold declaration, but it was the truth.

When dark-hair, Serik, joined in, agreeing with the brown-hair's point, Eli completely turned away and headed off to the instructors for good. It's clear to her that they don't know any more than what she knew, anyways; talking with them was useless.

─────​

The rest of the class was a blur, like scenery that zipped on by while she was on her skybeast. Eli never did manage to ask any of the instructors about her queries, what with all of them being busy with guiding those with magic. She decided instead to wait until classes were over before asking anything, so, she settled into the sidelines, watching the others in their attempts.

Her focus, however, was broken by the unbidden assault of a headache, pounding at the locked box in her head. Through a chink, a memory comes free: a bearded man, Danube─where did that name come from?─arguing with a more familiar figure, that of the Candour.

The memory, like a wild mare, was difficult to subdue, and it wasn't long before it fled back into the infinite fields of her mind. This left her recollection spotty, leaving only a vague understanding of what exactly happened; thankfully, the others' testimonies affirmed what she knew and filled in the blanks for her.

Before she joined in on the group's debate, she first turned to Emmaline, who seemed to curl up in on herself. Concerned, she helped the girl up and kept an arm around her, just to keep her steady.

Returning back to the discussion, to go or not to go; that was now the question of the hour. Only a minority were for jumping into the action, though surprisingly, brown-hair himself was amongst those numbers. "Did you not say not to rush forward?" Eli commented.

In the end, however, the headmaster advised that the group take two days for themselves, to train and pack, a decision she agreed with. Just enough time to warm up and to check on the things that held her interest. Like the record she supposedly had at the academy.

However, for the time being, Eli spent her time at the hall mostly on her own, punching and kicking at the training dummies provided there. Nothing as exciting as what those with magic were doing.

Once classes were over, most headed for dinner, Eli included. Up ahead, the group talked of a council meeting that they were going to attend. Curious, she asked aloud. "Meeting, Dralis, meeting, Dralis, Dralis! What is that?"



Location: Following behind the rest of the group.
Interaction: Aldaf, Emmaline, Serik.
Tags: AncientBird AquaMarie Elenion Aura explosiveKitten kase9187 Lioness075 Naberius Saturn_moon SilverFlight YumenoTsukishiro