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Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Dec 8, 2016 16:53:08 GMT -6
[Set in western Foxaoss Forest, after the events of Cimmerian Halls] Nayru eyed the tent suspiciously, half convinced that a monster worse than a dragon dwelt within its shadowy confines. She wasn't much of an indoor sleeper at the best of times, she liked the feel of fresh air on her skin and the scent of the world around her on her mind when she rested, but it was less of a matter of preference than practicality tonight. A good 70% of the tent had been consumed by the slavering maw of the world-devouring serpent Ouroboros himself, its mighty tail flopping about reflexively as it laid haphazardly jutting out of the tent. It was the snoring that had ensured she wasn't sleeping anywhere nearby tonight, loud and proud and remarkably akin to sawing logs in half. She wasn't actually certain that Lafiel WASN'T doing that right now, actually, but sometimes discretion was the better part of valor, and tonight, Nayru felt no shame in ceding the confines of the tomb of cloth to her arch-nemesis. She was going to have a long f**k**g discussion with the goddamn lamia about sleep courtesy tomorrow though. For now though, Nayru was more interested in some downtime. Not necessarily alone, but she needed time to collect and sort through her thoughts, memories, and impressions of the day. The secret of the Archives, the discoveries they had made, the... hanger-on they had somehow recruited to the party... maybe she could murder an innocent tree or something too. Little stress relief never hurt anyone. And it probably wouldn't hurt to check the fire. Turned out she wasn't the only one there though, a certain familiar mop of tousled azure hair attached to her... well honesty Nayru wasn't really sure exactly what to call him. Veigue was the designated murder buddy. Pet puppy maybe? Priest on a stick? Ahhh she was a terrible person for even joking about that. Not actually all that torn up by the thought, Nayru waved to Remus as she approached his seat at the campfire, greeting her friend with a breezy "yo" as she sat down. Not like she couldn't fake a little conversation for now to be polite, right?
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Post by Remus on Dec 10, 2016 21:48:54 GMT -6
The priests mind danced as he gazed at the flames. Just as they twisted and writhed with lashing tongues of orange and red, thoughts raced through his mind. The idea branded into his psyche when he first spoke to Nayru in greater detail as to her draconic heritage. Magic. Something he could replicate and and possibly utilize to further push his mastery over staves to new peaks. That said, he hadn't had any luck however in actually practicing or successfully replicating what his intended results were. He had to come to an admission that perhaps his goals had been too grand. That or his aptitude with staves was simply not up to par as what it might need to for him to succeed.
His gaze drifted upwards as Remus noted the female who came moving to his side. A friendly warm smile greeting his lips as the priest nodded towards her, returning her greeting while he looked back to the campfire. He kept just enough of his thoughts rooted in the real world to handle a conversation. The priests usual happy tone definitively present as he looked over the churning flames that let small waves of heat bathe along the priests figure.
"Hey Nayru. How're you doing thus far, since our exploration? Any sudden thoughts or epiphanies that might not have put things into adequate context earlier? "
The blue haired Etrurian boy mused quietly after a moment or two, simply chuckling inwardly with shoulders faintly shaking before he gazed more directly to Nayru. As usual, he was excited to see her.
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Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Dec 10, 2016 23:31:36 GMT -6
"Mostly wondering if you lecturing me would be worth throttling her with her own tail." Nayru's smile was wry and not entirely devoid of truth to say the least; Lafiel had more-or-less proven herself as not an actual enemy, but she had a wonderful talent for being annoying nonetheless. And snore. Mostly that last one tonight. Nayru wished her all the best in her future endeavors and all that poppycock - but would be quite glad to be rid of the she-devil forever at the earliest opportunity, and had no shame whatsoever in admitting it. Some relationships just weren't meant to be.
On a somewhat brighter note, the ongoing need to eventually respond to Remus's question helped pull her mind from darkness, into... greater... darkness. The dragoness wasn't really sure if that was an improvement. If she was to be perfectly honest with herself, two things in the temple had worried her that she hadn't told Remus. The first was the intensity of the magic in the great hallway. Nayru knew a little something about primal elemental magic, and even she had never felt anything like that before. Whether it be the sleeping father of all dragons, the mother of all leylines, an incredibly powerful enchantment deteriorating over time, or even a magical superweapon she had no idea, but Nayru didn't like not knowing things. And she definitely didn't like not knowing about things that were stronger than her.
But in all honesty, the hallway didn't worry her per se. It didn't particularly feel evil, anyways, though that didn't mean much. What was really bothering her was what she had learned about the Archives. The scent of the Nether was strong there, far too strong; a darkness that roiled out of sight and mind. If her conjecture was correct, it had driven the lamias from their temple, and going by what Lafiel had said, it must have taken a great deal indeed. Nayru didn't hate the Nether per se, didn't recoil from it like some dragons. But that was only because she knew it all too well from experience and vague memory, and what she knew was that it, ah, usually wasn't a good sign. To say the least.
"Nothing too interesting" she said instead, not a fantastic liar but definitely not eager to share any of that with Remus. The dragon wasn't entirely sure why. Maybe she was just trying to protect him. Maybe she was just so used to being a friendless loner that she still hadn't mastered the art of asking for help. Whatever the case, not even she was dumb enough to pop the lid off of Pandora's Box without knowing a little more about it beforehand. The thought that not asking the guy with HOLY magic for help with DARK magic crap was, all things considered, a bit silly? Not lost on her. But she wasn't that good at fixing herself. "Hey, that barrier trick you pulled back on the stairs was pretty cool. Let me go in first next time though, eh?" Not quite the most tactful thing to say but the sentiment was couched in genuine concern. She DID worry about him. Also a bit of a messiah complex... or masochistic tendencies... the difference was subtle sometimes.
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Post by Remus on Dec 12, 2016 11:05:25 GMT -6
It took a moment for Remus to catch on. He had partially forgotten Lafiel was the person with a tail Nayru was referencing, and that had left him at no small level of confused. However, with the slumbering lamia snoring away like the next great reckoning in the works, the priest could do nothing but attempt and fail to stifle his chuckle. He flashed a look of amusement towards the female dragon, grinning lightly while he nodded in agreement to the acknowledgement that he would in-fact lecture her.
"Heh, yes that would earn quite a finger waggling. I'd likely scold you while attempting, and during the act. Besides, if you think this is bad, try getting kicked by Amelia while she flails and turns about. Owain's a heavy sleeper, but Amelia tosses and turns like a child possessed with some fierce beast. Often, once they fall asleep I have to leave the room and chose a particularly comfortable patch of floor or a chair so as not to disturb them with yelps when ever a small hand or foot smacks me."
Not that the priest minded, or indeed was troubled by it. He practically lived on almost no sleep. For there was no larger a mother hen in the world, than Remus Wache. This made him wonder though, how Amelia and Owain would react to the beastial Lafiel. Being have snake and have woman as she was, and all. Thoughts that would no doubt some day be answered. The fire crackled and popped, and Remus turned to look at Nayru again as she mentioned his barrier stunt. To which he instantly thought back to the incident in the temple where he'd stumbled upon a trap and likely would've died if not for his protective magics.
She had a fair point though. He was the squishy human with a stick, and she was the super powered mega dragon. Though every ounce of the priests will power and natural instinct screamed to disagree with her and protest, he knew in his heart of hearts that Nayru was in the right. Chuckling, the priest interjected before his thoughts could persuade him to disagree.
"Ah. Your probably right, so yeah..I'll let you lead. Er, but I won't be more than a step or so behind you! Your stuck with me missy heh."
He laughed quietly, before his thoughts turned back to his staff magics. Imbuing with barriers was nice..but it was not the only thing staves could do. Perhaps, he'd been so fixated on the healing arts that he'd never given it adequate thought beyond that day. Now however, he was. Almost uncertain, the priest hesitantly spoke his thoughts aloud.
"Magic...gives people amazing abilities. It allows them to do things we should normally not be able to do...but I think I've been limiting myself so far. Focusing on barriers and healing, that is."
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Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Dec 12, 2016 17:01:59 GMT -6
Nayru laughed. It was just a single chortle at first, but somehow thinking about it again elicited a few more peals of giggling from her at Remus's story and wording alike. It was just so... him, and so Amelia to boot. Probably for the best she didn't sleep with people like that. Err... that sounded wrong. She didn't COMPLETELY PLATONICALLY sleep with... yeah this was a losing battle regardless of how she tried to word it, wasn't it? Nayru resigned herself to the fact that she couldn't really think of a way to word 'oh yeah I slept with a guy and some kids' that didn't make her sound like she needed to be sent to prison, or at least like a bit of a skank.
There wasn't really much she could say of course. Nayru knew Remus well enough to be thoroughly aware of his tendencies, and so she knew the futility of trying to convince him to do anything else. He couldn't just leave the kids behind, or enforce order, and while she could try to help a little, there wasn't really that much she could do overall aside from try to support him. It was a little frustrating sometimes. But it came out in ways like trying to convince him to let her help him more. Probably not... quite the least healthy expression...? The fact that she COULDN'T fix everything always grated at Nayru, but she had no answer for it. She never had, and apparently never would.
Thaaaaaat had gotten pretty depressing fast.
Shaking off that poisonous train of thought as best she could, Nayru plunged back into the conversation, as much to distract herself as for Remus's benefit. She didn't particularly want to be alone with her thoughts today. Beyond that place there be dragons, as the saying went. "Magic, huh?" The dragon smiled wryly. "It certainly is versatile." More so than anything a dragon could do. Sometimes she wished that she DID have half the abilities that dragons in legends had. Healing, mind-reading, endless intelligence, whatever it took to make them dangerous adversaries... and occasionally supporting characters for the real hero of the story.
In some ways though, even if it wasn't the exact same thing, dragons relied on the same concept. They usually had another word for it - essence, ki, whatever, and made the distinction that it was raw rather than forged magic, but in the end they still utilized magic to access their own abilities. Also unnatural by human standards. Kinda funny when you thought about it like that, honestly. "What do you mean by limiting yourself, though? I thought that was what staves did."
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Post by Remus on Dec 12, 2016 20:14:58 GMT -6
That, to a degree...was what Staves were all about. However, they could be more. He knew that much, but for some reason hadn't realized it until recently. So Remus figured maybe he could better explain? Nayru knew alot, but she seemed less familiar with the particulars of staves. For the first time in his life, Remus stood up with the intent to teach someone about staves. Something he wouldn't quite realize, and would've found even less likely an event to actually transpire. The priest rose up from his small spot near his close friend and lifted his staff. He flashed a smile to her brightly before tilting his head as he extended his hand while clasping the staff.
"Your sort of right. Up until recently I was entirely on track with your thoughts regarding it. However, look at it this way. When someone is injured, I mend their wounds with magic."
He lifted his staff slowly, as a faint blue pulsating light began to glow outwards around the duo. Warmth flooding every facet of the body while magic infused within, though no wounds were present to be tended. The priest ceased the enveloping heat a few seconds later before turning his gaze back to Nayru.
"I guide it, and sculpt it to mend bones and muscles and flesh. The magic itself interacts in the way my mind deems it. I must desire the wounds mended and will it, for it to happen."
He lifted his staff a moment later as a rush of magic began to flow from his body all over up to the staff's glistening blue gem. Light blossoming as he channeled this next spell for a further, and more amplified effect.
"Then we have barriers. I can reject the intent to harm. I can pour my will into a singular desire to shield my friends, and the magic does just this."
As he finished his words, the priest rose his staff on-high before a brilliant dome of unyielding magic formed a shining dome around them that seemed to isolate and shield them from the outside world. A few seconds passed before the light faded and the barrier faded into non-existence.
"Though I'm not proficient with it, I know of the ability to teleport others or one's self. Instantly whisking them from one spot to another. So..if I can use magic to effect the body, enhance the air around us and alter things to a state that I wish to see...why can't I do them all at once? Why can't I enhance the body with magic? That is what I've been trying..and I'd like to show you my results so far and see if they are real enough...or if I'm simply seeing what I wish to see transpire."
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Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Dec 12, 2016 21:20:25 GMT -6
Ha ha. Nayru sat and listened to Remus's explanation with a smile, secretly amused at the thought that she hadn't been lectured in a while. It reminded her of her school days back in Arcadia honestly. Surrounded by people who knew far more than her, who seemed to know everything about everything. It had been a humbling experience at the time, but her natural tendency to hate to be the dumbest person in the room had turned it into motivation to not have to be in that position more than necessary. Erim was the one who had really turned her on to history specifically, but in general Nayru had made it her goal to try to know everything about everything, and while it wasn't a perfect effort, she DID know far more about a vast field of common knowledge, tasks, jobs, etc. than nearly any human.
Not as much about staves though, or admittedly human magic in general. Combat related subjects hadn't really been of much interest to her until recently. So Remus's explanation was actually fairly informative. She had never really understood healing magic, at least the mechanics behind it - if it just accelerated natural healing magically or actively replaced it. What he said made sense enough though. Staves for Dummies. Hehe. The comments at the end though did get her attention very quickly. THAT much sounded familiar. "...That sounds a lot like how enhancement works."
Nayru had certainly wondered if it was possible for humans to emulate draconic enhancements in the past, but never very seriously in terms of implementation. You couldn't just... make fire make you stronger. An Anima mage couldn't do that. They could hardly even coat themselves in their element without severe, life-threatening injuries. She'd always thought of it as a dragon thing. But Lafiel's explanation of Taguel had shaken up that belief a bit, and so she took Remus's idea very seriously. It was an interesting thought, though the dragon wasn't sure what she actually thought about the implications. After all, if every human ended up with super strength... well, it'd just be that much easier to exterminate the remaining dragons.
"Well, let's see that demonstration, professor."
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Post by Remus on Dec 19, 2016 15:21:33 GMT -6
The blue haired priest slowly stood up. Hands brushing and dusting at his robes lower portions before he nodded brightly to Nayru, eager to test the results of his pondering and attempted efforts. Perhaps by trying before her, his confidence emboldened would be enough? Two shuffling steps backwards, and a brief moment to adjust himself transpired over the course of a few seconds. Leaves shifting beneath his step while he toted his staff, and began to gaze around. Fingers coiling tightly around the shaft while he began to slowly steady his breathing. One sharp inhale, and a slow exhale. His lungs filling, chest rising and falling, body slowly shifting. Every facet of his mind trying to fully conform to a single willed thought. Unyielding, his internal mantra focused in.
Enhance. Muscles. Speed. Strength. He knew enough about the human body and the physiology to comprehend what it meant. So the priest tapped into that internal reservoir. The magical energy dredged up slowly. Building with a faint rush as his robes began to rustle. Since this was his first attempt in new territory with his magic, the priest wanted to ensure it was performed safely. His magic began to rise like a growing wind. Robes audibly jostled, and moving as if swept within a steady gale before the palpable light surrounded and permeated around the priest.
Remus snapped his eyes open, with one of the most determined looks he'd ever had, before lifting his staff into the air as the energy around him rushed towards the gem imbued within. Like a wind whipping up wildly around him, his hair blew and rustled about as he directly focused on enhancing his body. The gem glowed with a brilliant orange glow, soft but akin to a tiny sun retreating into the afternoon sky. It radiated with magical intensity before the spell cast upon the blue haired Etrurian. A burning light imbued around his body briefly, as energy rushed within. The look of shock at such a strange feeling was plain, having been caught off guard by the new sensation and unable to adequately brace himself for it. It was as if he'd awoken after a life-time of physical training fueled by purest ardor.
The light faded after a moment, and the priest was left to gaze at himself in confusion. Shifting about while an undeniable restlessness stirred within, foreign to him in every way. The energy inside him was akin to a child wild with excitement, but so much more....intense. His bright gaze turned towards Nayru as he shrugged in confusion.
"I know I've done...SOMETHING..I can feel it. I feel so..energetic. So excited. So...alive...and yet..I look no different. I don't know if..hmm.."
The priest moved, spurned on by curiosity. Walking a few more steps away from the camp-fire and his draconic companion. Thoughts racing and pulse quickened. Unbeknownst to him these strides were quickened ones. As if he were power-walking or striding with urgent busyness about his pace. Instinct guided him in that moment. The priest turned about, and slowly began to slide his left leg backwards, crouching ever so slightly as he kept his staff gripped firmly within his right hand. Inhaling sharply..and...
He lunged forwards at a speed rightly beyond any average human. Rushing forwards to run past his origin point at such a speed that even he was visibly shocked before letting out a yelp as his third step caught a series of leaves and skidded to the side, sliding wildly before he came crashing down. A cascading ripple that'd begun from the sheer fact that he was unready for his own speed. He'd merely expected to make the small sprint without any trace of fatigue. His naturally poor athleticism always known to him. The speed of this motion though caught him off guard, and as he planted onto his back before sliding from continued momentum, just barely enough to look up and see his female companion, he felt a flush to his cheeks and shock take him simultaneously. No pain though. No ache from hitting the ground so suddenly. Just embarrassment that it happened.
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Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Dec 19, 2016 16:21:21 GMT -6
"...We're going to need to work on your landing game."
Nayru chuckled, one short peal of laughter then a few less restrained ones following in its wake as she stared at him between fingers, her palm applies directly to face in the wake of the scene she had just witnessed. Leave it to Remus to do something she didn't even know it was possible, but then find a way to utterly destroy the moment so thoroughly that it was like a second Scouring. Just for his moment this time instead of an entire race. Eh, honestly, it was a similar enough situation for the analogy to work. The brutality was similar. Just in one case it was an entire race of intelligent beings, and in the other it was the summation of Remus's self-respect crushed like an ant struck with the full force of every legendary weapon simultaneously. Honestly, she almost felt more sorry for him.
Leaving aside the blasphemous train of thought without much concern, Nayru stood up and began walking over to the fallen priest, with decidedly... less super speed than Remus but a more genuine grin on her face, even if there was a reasonable question as to where exactly that amusement was targeted - at him or the situation. The answer was both, of course. "First things first, all the power in the world isn't much good if you can't USE it. You gotta learn how to regulate smaller amounts of it before you try to go full power like that, you feel me?" Hey, at least she knew all about that subject! First time that experience had actually been useful for anyone else, at all, ever. Was kind of a nice feeling. Probably not something to get used to though.
Extending a hand to help her fallen comrade up, it was not yet his time to go into the great beyond, she offered somewhat of a more encouraging smile. A rarity for her admittedly, but all constructive criticism aside, what he had done was something else. It made sense that humans would attempt to break the limits of what was possible and become something more, even if only for a time, and it sure left her wondering just what the limits of that ability were. "But that was impressive. Didn't know that was a thing humans could do. How long have you been working on that?"
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Post by Remus on Dec 19, 2016 16:41:36 GMT -6
Right. So when trying out body enhancements, there were valid dangers in focusing too much on the intensity of the boost when not ready for it. Perhaps if he'd been more physically adept prior, or used to physical combat and labor it wouldn't had been as drastic. However, it also didn't mean that the priest couldn't learn. His hand gripped Nayru's, clapping palms lightly as he accepted her gesture up and taking warmth in both her tone and expression. At-least he'd done this around a close friend. He could live with the soul crushing embarrassment awkwardness this way. If only because Nayru wouldn't let him die even had he attempted.
Honestly. He now knew that he could throw himself off a cliff and not only would she catch him, but probably be perfectly able to re-mount the cliff and slide down. The perks of being an all powerful dragon, eh? The priest shakily stood up. That energy still rushed through him. Still seemed to pump through every section of his veins, and every heat-beat accelerated at a nearly overwhelming rate. That was something he'd have to stop. First, closing his eyes and commanding the flow of his magic that still imbued his body. The energy expunging with naught but a tiny gust. He had a feeling that if Nayru was going to teach him, he was going to have to lessen the severity of the augments his body was granted. If..he could figure that part out. Just managing to do this much was nothing short of a miracle in his own mind.
The priest tapped his hand to the side of his temple while standing. There was one very important question he had to address first, as he gazed at Nayru with genuine confusion.
"How do you handle it all? Just... Maybe it's because my body isn't used to it or meant for it naturally but it felt...beyond intense. As if my heart would burst from my chest! I felt my muscles and limbs buzzing with energy and nothing seemed to register as anything less than instinctive. No soreness. No..well..it just felt like so much...do you feel that way when you er..cut loose and go all out? How do you take it all in? How do your senses er..handle it all? I thought I was going to burst from the overwhelming feel of it all."
How long had he been working on it? He had to ponder that answer and explanation. Conceptually he'd wondered it almost as long as he could do magic. But in actuality...
"Since I first saw the moment you punched that man through the wall in the tavern in Ilia. I had imagined you used magic similar or some kind of power because the children told me what happened while I had been out of it and trying to struggle back to you all. That they saw you punch the wall open. I wouldn't have believed them were it not for well...the wall being gone. Ah..and don't worry..no one else knows of that. But honestly that was when I first began to ask the question. Once you told me the truth about you though I began to wonder in full. It made me realize there was magic unknown to us that still existed. If such mysteries could exist..why not this one? So I began to delve further into my thoughts on the matter. Honestly, I'm sure that if I researched or asked more skilled members of the faith they'd have told me such is possible or even knew it, but I suspect the practice is a well guarded skill to Etruria. It's seldom even implied that such is possible within the faith. Beyond the supposed myths of Elimine's feats. Then, I began to attempt it in full ever since we'd arrived on the island but seemed to be misstepping somewhere. The real answer and dawning of it came to me well..when I saw you open the door. It made me realize that it was going to take...more. More focus. More concentration. I was going to have to focus on pushing myself beyond my limits. if I tried magically, I might just be able to succeed physically. And well er...that's...what we just saw I suppose haha!"
At this point he was rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly and smiling with a mixed look of satisfaction at a marked improvement and increase in his prowess as a staff wielder, and embarrassment that he realized he felt such pride. Either way, it was a moment he happily shared with his friend.
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Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Dec 19, 2016 17:58:03 GMT -6
Nayru couldn't help but giggle again, this time at Remus's infectious enthusiasm as much as the giant wall of words he was cramming down her throat. It was like a puppy, or a little kid... which certainly brought into question EXACTLY how he managed the children so well. Like attracted like, she supposed... which in turn raised the question of why she got on so well with HIM. Hm. Maybe some questions were not meant to be answered, she decided sagely, the wisdom of ten thousand years telling her that she was not prepared for that answer. The fact that she wasn't anywhere near 10,000 years old was a minor, but ultimately irrelevant, point of data.
"Alright, alright, slow down." Smile smiling with unrestrained amusement, the dragon raised both hands before her placatingly to sate the savage beast. On the bright side, for once her... unique personal circumstances WERE useful to teach someone else, a truth which Nayru was privately very grateful for, but at the same time it made it all the more important to teach Remus accurately and well so he didn't struggle through any of the same... issues she did. "Trust me when I say that you don't want to rush this, alright? I've had my share of trouble with something similar in the past," she stated as neutrally as possible, leaving out all the minor issues with her turning into a giant monster and killing everyone in sight in a berserk rage.
That said, she'd never really had to... teach someone how2dragon. The mechanics were obviously not identical, but she believed similar enough to be worth the comparison. She glanced around the clearing, hoping for some kind of visual aid or implement to get her started, but nothing really jumped out, and evening wasn't really the best time to be traipsing around the forests of Vinland anyways. So... bah. She couldn't actually think of anything else besides a simple demonstration, but just describing what she was doing wouldn't really work.
"Right." Deciding on the matter quickly rather than dwelling on it too long, Nayru worked out a... very... very basic tentative lesson plan, making her way to a nearby log and sitting down with her right hand resting on her leg, flipped palm side up, the underside of her arm more vulnerable but also less calcified from endless reinforcement, and in theory easier to work with. "C'mere and put your hand on my arm," the dragon continued, patting her forearm suggestively.
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Post by Remus on Dec 20, 2016 9:57:30 GMT -6
There was a special eagerness within the priest. This entire field of magic was conceptually new to him. Sure, bodily augmentation was somewhat performed when healing, but it was returning the body to a prior state. When he healed someone he never improved upon their muscles or organs. He never altered them to such an extreme. So as the priest strode back, he couldn't help but feel the excitement in this new unknown territory for him. The priests staff lightly tapping the ground as he walked back to Nayru's side, almost shakily feeling out the ground while he adjusted to the vast contrast in bodily stability. Moments ago he'd felt unwavoring. Unflinching. The acclimation process would likely be short, but the sheer difference was easily noticeable.
Nayru's demeanor was also a boost of confidence, if not a very relaxing presence to help contribute towards a more calming ambiance. At-least in comparison to the chaotic moment seconds ago that had sent the priest for a loop. His mind rushed with thoughts still, abuzz like a bee hive that'd been disrupted. Trying to process and comprehend both the question, and the answer. Each one presented before him but both strangely disconnected. Perhaps he needed further practice indeed, because though he'd been able to make the leap, he was not quite ready for that which lie across the gap.
Enter Professor Nayru, right? The priest took a seat once more, next to her and quietly extended his hand to touch her forearm. His gaze taking note of how...human it looked. Not even just that, but fairly normal. She contained strength beyond likely anything any human could muster no matter the means, and yet she looked like an average woman. Beautiful, and elegant in a foreign exotic nature assuredly, but not the destroyer of walls and power house that she truly was. Fingers brushing along the area she'd gestured towards, he waited quietly while also again noting that it felt no major difference towards touching his own. Bar a bit more distinctive muscle tone and a more solid sensation. The priest nodded quietly before gazing to her with tilted head.
"Alright..now what?"
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Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Dec 20, 2016 16:20:44 GMT -6
"Now you close your eyes and focus your senses. Hear the sound of my voice, the beat of my heart, the essence coursing through me." Her voice was calm and enunciated, her usual slang and seeming carelessness melting away as Professor Nayru took over. There was always a flow of magic... these days, at least; she used to be able to turn it off, but no longer. Something in that battle with the chimera had broken the dam and made it difficult to completely turn off the magic anymore. But in losing that... gate, she had also learned how to dampen it herself. She had lost the training wheels, but in doing so learned more about herself; a trade-off of sorts.
Taking a deep breath to center herself, the dragon focused on stabilizing the flow of power through her body, particularly her right arm. It wasn't a display of power by any means, it was the lowest level of partial shift that she could say to have any benefits, but it didn't harden her skin like anything higher would. So minimal combat usage, but for teaching purposes... "For a long time, I couldn't control my power at all," she confided, slowly and a little hesitantly, but doing her best to pick up as she continued. It was surprisingly... not as hard as she had thought it would be. Whether because it was Remus, or because getting started was the hard part. "But I eventually learned that the trick is to control the flow - start off as slow as you can, get a feel for it, learn how your body works, where your magic circuits are, how it naturally flows..." As she spoke, the elemental essence continued to course through her arm, countless threads and rivers alike; hopefully strong enough for Remus to at least get a sense of it. How it suffused her muscles, flowing endlessly, but never clashing with itself or dead ends.
"Granted, the source is different... you have to cast it and maintain the enhancement, whereas for me it's gating the power from the stone... but the concept is the same." There was a quiet gentleness in Nayru's tone as she continued on, her voice almost soothing in somewhat of a departure from her normal self. A glimpse of what she might have become, perhaps. "Do you feel it?"
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Post by Remus on Dec 20, 2016 18:25:57 GMT -6
Remus let his lids slowly fall to envelop his world in darkness. So that he could no longer see. He instead focused on sound, and touch. Listening to Nayru's soft words, and feeling the slight shift within her. The alterations of her body as a faint...buzz...began to grow. The change in composition ever so faintly as magic began to increase. Noticeably. The soft differences.
Boy. It was a great thing they were unshakable platonic friends because if either had any sense of awkward moments between close friends this would've been terrible.
He didn't open his eyes, as the priest tried to continue to hone in on and focus on the sensation transpiring beneath her veins. It was similar, to a faint degree to what he'd experienced. Externally speaking, at-least. This sensation was vaguely familiar. So the priest listened once more. Listened to Nayru's voice while focusing on the faint feelings. Energy abuzz beneath the skin. Feeling the change. Her heart beat. The pulse of magic within. It was so strange yet now, so familiar feeling. As she opened up, he tilted his head though eyes remained closed.
The idea of Nayru without control of her power. What was that like? What did that Nayru look like? Act like?
She spoke of controlling the flow. A power that, until just now he'd never really been able to comprehend. His magic was always so..tightly bound to him. If he tried to do too much it overwhelmed him. So to have a source that was not bound to his stamina directly was beyond alien. It made him exceptionally glad that it was Nayru he'd tried this with. Though something she said piqued his curiosity. The priest tilting his head with an inquisitive look as he turned to "gaze" towards Nayru herself. Oddly, he was so fixated on examining that which he felt through her arm and magical veins of sorts, that he didn't think to open his eyes. In earnest though he could perfectly imagine her as well, even her expression, which subconsciously stood as the reason as to why his eyes never truly opened. He didn't need to be looking at her, to see her clearly.
"Stone? What stone?"
The priest nodded though after his idle question, tilting his head as he spoke softly. His thoguhtful tone indicating his interest to a vast extreme.
"I..do. It feels like a second heart-beat...and like a tiny flow of river. Like my hand is against a thin layer of well..anything, and I feel water running beneath."
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Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Dec 20, 2016 19:02:24 GMT -6
"Ah."
Yeah, she'd... never had to explain that before, and so that word had come out unintentionally as she flailed about for a valid description. The... mechanics of a dragon's nature were something Nayru had NEVER considered explaining to a human, it hadn't even come up with Veigue for that matter, for their strength was also a weakness. Humans believed it was truly innate to them, and it was, but the realities of modern Elibe had introduced a... vulnerability of sorts. And the LAST thing Nayru ever wanted to be responsible for was the forcible disarmament of dragons in Elibe... or even worse, a ban on jewelry. At that point death would be a merciful escape.
Still, pointedly ignoring the... questionable perspective that comment had revealed, Nayru found that the prospect didn't scare her quite as much as she'd always thought. Not the jewelry thing, THAT was f**k**g terrifying. But actually telling Remus. She trusted him, at least as much as she could trust anyone by this point. It wasn't as bad of an idea as some she'd had anyways, and she'd gone through with those too. What the hell. "...The air of post-Scouring Elibe naturally drains a dragon's magic... to the point of death. Dragonstones are the crystallization of our power, allowing us to limit the drain to short bursts when necessary, like combat."
She touched the stone hanging around her neck, the most constant aspect of her clothing, but also identity. For a long time she had hated it. What it represented. But it had saved her life countless times, and now... it was the reason she could fight for the people she believed in. Hard to hate that. "Well, I kind of fucked up the gate thing recently, but thaaaat's a story for another day, and it worked out fine anyways. Mostly." Goddamn chimera was just going to haunt her forever wasn't it? If it wasn't one thing it was another, that damn thing had caused her no end of trouble AND kickstarted a bunch of awkward fartsy 'feelings' crap that she didn't want to deal with.
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