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[GiglameshDespair]

"It was a... a blessed land."
"The climate is warm and dry, but there are plenty of rivers, and vegetation grows thick and lush along the riverbanks. The buildings are tall and elegant, made of gleaming white stone, and topped with domes. They nestle among the hills like jewels. The peasants were humble and content, as the floods were reliable and the rivers bountiful with fish. Trade came over the sea and across the land bridge, so the people were prosperous."
"Near the al-Ghul estates was a petrified forest. I know not how such a thing came to be, but nonetheless - a day out into the sands was a forest of great stone trees. Perhaps the rivers changed and left the area dry, and the desert wind turned them into stone, or perhaps some strange magic, of times past. It was a quiet, lonely place, but it had a bleak beauty for when you tired of civilisation. The wind sang a dirge through the trunks."
"Even the sky seemed bluer in Al-Cules. A deep, endless azure, to rival the ocean."

[Sutoratosu Akira]

"A small well of magic huh... and a spirit lives inside that?" Aaron crosses his arms. "Alright, seems simple enough. So what you're saying is that I have to call upon these spirits to control the magic? So how exactly would I go about calling them or how do you go about it? I assume it's not as easy as it looks."

"You'd be surprised...." Alain muttered "It's quite literally as straight forward as everything I just said. Of course, I suppose it would be far easier to see that for someone who'd already been reaching out from a young age. So... let's try this: Close your eyes, Archer. Clear your mind, empty it of any distracting thought you might have- it does not matter how, ignore them, purge them, I don't care. Once you've cleared it, we can begin."
     The rose in the Mage's hand began to shimmer as he willed it's shape to dissipate, forming back into a broiling, hellish sphere of fire hovering just an inch or two above his fingers. At his command, the spirits whose energy had coalesced to create the small construct began to yearn towards the other man, themselves reaching out, seeking some other mind and heart to give them shape and purpose, hot tongues of flame licking at the air like the hands of countless churning masses.

"Let's start small, you have to crawl before you can walk after all, and walk before you can run. What I want from you is simple- Sense this fire that I have kept going for all this. Not with your physical senses, mind you- any fool can detect a blaze by it's noise, it's heat, or the stench of it's smoke. No, I want you to sense more than just fire, look past what your physical senses immediately tell you, and look for the subtle sensations underneath, the very essence that these Flames hold within them. I'm going out of my way to make them flare their presences, so it should not be difficult. Simply shut out everything else, and whatever remains after you do that, I want you to focus on that sensation- reach out to it as you would a dying lover for one last embrace -and hold on to it. Will it to come to you, beckon it forth from it's former home, that it may lend it's power to you now..."

He held the fire steady all the while, still commanding the spirits to flare their presence outward through the physical world, that the archer might now them for who and what they are with little confusion. In truth though, what he was attempting to facilitate was a transfer of not just the flame in his hand, but of the very entities under his command, like a foster exchanging his charges to another warden. A normal individual would've sensed nothing beyond the obvious descriptors of the flame's nature, but he had hope yet for the sluggish archer. The fool had the potential, he simply needed the right push to begin consciously tapping into it... even if he could not manage to beckon the spirits to him, so long as he could at least sense them beneath the foreground nonsense of the physical world, that would be a good enough start in itself.

[Aurorix]

"You'd be surprised...." Alain muttered "It's quite literally as straight forward as everything I just said. Of course, I suppose it would be far easier to see that for someone who'd already been reaching out from a young age. So... let's try this: Close your eyes, Archer. Clear your mind, empty it of any distracting thought you might have- it does not matter how, ignore them, purge them, I don't care. Once you've cleared it, we can begin."


"Let's start small, you have to crawl before you can walk after all, and walk before you can run. What I want from you is simple- Sense this fire that I have kept going for all this. Not with your physical senses, mind you- any fool can detect a blaze by it's noise, it's heat, or the stench of it's smoke. No, I want you to sense more than just fire, look past what your physical senses immediately tell you, and look for the subtle sensations underneath, the very essence that these Flames hold within them. I'm going out of my way to make them flare their presences, so it should not be difficult. Simply shut out everything else, and whatever remains after you do that, I want you to focus on that sensation- reach out to it as you would a dying lover for one last embrace -and hold on to it. Will it to come to you, beckon it forth from it's former home, that it may lend it's power to you now..."

"So reach out for the sensation eh? Alright, I'll try..." Aaron spoke before holding his right palm up similar to how Alain was doing with his.


He closed his eyes, focusing on the fire itself. He could hear the flame burn in his palm, smell it in the air, the heat it was emanate, however he tried to look past it. What else could the fire be giving off besides that? He couldn't sense anything else. How could a flame give off anything else besides it's physical properties? But wait, what was that? Aaron could feel a new strange presence within the flames, he tried to focus on the presence and began drawing it out. He felt this strange sensation throughout his body, almost exactly what he felt on that night. It feels like it was beckoning him closer and closer. Maybe if he continued he could spout a flame in his palm just like the seasoned mage in front of him. He focused more, drawing closer and closer to whatever sensation he was feeling. Then he felt a sudden heat within the palm of his hand.


He opened his eyes and there was a flame faintly burning on the palms of his hand. Aaron seemed relieved he got it on his first try though he expected nothing less for himself. He had high expectations that he could not disappoint. Just the thought of missing a shot again disgusts him. But soon his vision began to blur. Everything around him slowly drifted away to where it was only his body and the flame hovering over his palm in a black void. Then even himself turned hazy, it was just the small flame in a black abyss. It's heat was so welcoming it kept drawing him towards it.


From what Alain could see, after the flame was produced Aaron was just starring off into it. A eerie smile inched it's way onto his face as his silent stare bordered on creepy. Then soon the fire start to grow from it's ember like state. Larger and larger it became before exceeding Alain's own flame but it didn't stop. It kept growing, exponentially getting larger and larger, just the same as Aaron's grin. If not stopped soon it may spread to more then just his palm.

[Sutoratosu Akira]

"Shit..." Alain scowled at the miniature inferno, the man's nigh maddening grin giving him no ease with the situation "Archer, Archer! Snap out of it man, you're going to burn the whole damn forest like this!"

Try as he might though, it seemed there was no getting through to the man, as the spell simply grew larger and larger still. Thus, with little Choice, Al dismissed his flame, eyes beginning to burn with a teal light as his concentrated his power, focusing his will to a razor edge. It was a tactic he'd used before, when a situation called for raw power more than it did accuracy or control- an overcharge of sorts, amplifying his call to the spirits beyond normal limitations just as he'd done to deal with that damn thunder mage, so long ago.

"I said stop, you fool!" he gave no other warning than that. Before Aaron could respond, Alain's own will crashed down upon the Archer's out of control spell, like a vast and ungodly tidal wave against the dabbler's apparent and growing mania. Within moments, he'd wrested the spirits away from the archer's grasp, his will acting as if law as the towering blaze the man had been making was snatched right out of his palms, coalescing into a tight sphere within Alain's own grip. It's raw power now contained, it began to quickly drop off as he gradually dissipated the frenzied Anima, wild and snapping dogs that they'd become under the Archer's grip. Before long, the fire was completely gone, smothered by the mage's own power, his eyes still burning with their teal light. Thankfully he'd acted quick enough to prevent anything actually catching ablaze from the spectacle...

"...this... may have been a mistake." He finally breathed, releasing the Gambit and letting his full might recede, "but... it demonstrates what I had been hoping to get across at least... and reinforces the fact that you truly do need to work on actively trying to control this, instead of just trying to forget about it. What the hell happened to you just now anyway? It was as if I was looking at a totally different man once you conjured that flame..."

[Aurorix]

The flames allure was strong. What was Aaron doing again? oh who cares, it doesn't seem to matter. So long as everything stays calm like this everything should be fine, right?

"Archer, Archer! Snap out of it man, you're going to burn the whole damn forest like this!"

Hmm? That voice it seems familiar. Has he heard it before? Wait... was that...? He left the flames and color started returning around him. But it seems they didn't quite enjoy that as it felt like he was almost being dragged back within them.

"I said stop, you fool!"

Yes, that was Alain. Whatever he was doing it seemed to be working as the fire hissed as he drew closer and closer before dissipating. Everything was went back to normal and his hand was outstretched still, albeit with a few minor singes here an there. Nothing major, and probably won't do anything to impede his aim. He was just glad he was out of where ever he was.

"...this... may have been a mistake." He finally breathed, releasing the Gambit and letting his full might recede, "but... it demonstrates what I had been hoping to get across at least... and reinforces the fact that you truly do need to work on actively trying to control this, instead of just trying to forget about it. What the hell happened to you just now anyway? It was as if I was looking at a totally different man once you conjured that flame..."

"I-I have no idea. At first everything seemed to be going well but once the flame started everything went black except for the flame. It was beckoning me closer and closer, but when I wanted to go back it dragged me back down. It was like they were the ones willing me and not the other way around. I think you hadn't stepped in when you did things would've gotten much worse."

[Sutoratosu Akira]

"...I...see..." The mage shakes his head, trying to process what the Archer claimed. Controlled by the Anima? Like some type of puppet? Didn't bode well, not one bit... damn, if only Zenobia were there instead of him, she'd probably have far more knowledge of such things. But Alain knew damn well why she was not nor could not be there...
    "That only further proves my point then. I don't know why your potential has stayed dormant until now, but whatever the reason, it's obvious you need to get a handle on this... otherwise, you may well be right that it'll only be a matter of time before it manifests on it's own accord again, and another disaster occurs. I... I've never heard of a person being manipulated by the spirits, at least not as... outright as you were just now. But I think it definitely has something to do with the existing anomalies in your case- perhaps... perhaps the fact that you haven't tried to exert any conscious control on this until now made you far more susceptible to their own Wills, due to a sheer lack of practice... but I suppose there's only one way to find out, now isn't there?"
      From his arm, he removes the copper circlet he'd once worn around his head, holding the accessory out towards the other man.

"Practice. Training. For the sake of both yourself and those who accompany you, you must Refine your willpower and your mind, so that you can no longer be dominated by the very forces you are trying to call to your aid. For now though, you should refrain from practicing on your own- else there may be another situation like this... except I might not be around to stop it. And hold onto this circlet, it served me well when I was still learning, you'll be needing it from now on though- it's a focus, you see. Much like a tome or an enchanted weapon can be considered, just... not quite on the same magnitude as either. Still, it should help you to develop a bit more control over time, if nothing else..."

[Chevaleresse]

"It certainly sounds blessed to me. I would say that I hoped to be able to visit some day, but quite frankly this visit may have soured me on venturing into foreign lands for good."

She takes a deep breath, and sighs. She sends a concerned look in the direction of the mage and the archer before continuing.

"I'll admit, I am homesick. The air down here is stale and thick. Oppressive. As if it's weighed down by the troubles of the land. I miss the view of snow-tipped peaks, of the farming village nestled down the slope from the keep, the smell of the air in the cliffs. . . I apologize, I am rambling."

[Aurorix]

"Thank you Alain, I'm sure with this an incident like that won't happen again. That's a weight off my chest I have to admit." He let out a short sigh of relief before sliding the circlet up his right up and bending it to the point where it comfortably rests. "However, as you say I still need to train in order to make sure I can control it the next time it starts to act up. Heh, maybe soon I'll be using tombs along side you while we're getting that mask." He looks back towards the group. "Though I think we should stop for today. I think we're both a bit tired after that. Besides the group might get suspicious about all this fire we're conjuring up over here."

[Sutoratosu Akira]

"Thank you Alain, I'm sure with this an incident like that won't happen again. That's a weight off my chest I have to admit." He let out a short sigh of relief before sliding the circlet up his right up and bending it to the point where it comfortably rests. "However, as you say I still need to train in order to make sure I can control it the next time it starts to act up. Heh, maybe soon I'll be using tombs along side you while we're getting that mask." He looks back towards the group. "Though I think we should stop for today. I think we're both a bit tired after that. Besides the group might get suspicious about all this fire we're conjuring up over here."

"Hmph, I suppose you have a point..." the mage scoffs a little at the idea of suspicion "Last thing I need nor want is Porkins all over my ass, asking questions. Bad enough that the bastard wanted to just flee from that village earlier. Yes, I think... that this is quite enough for one day. As I said, keep the circlet on your person and if the Anima tries to overtake you again, resist as hard as you can. We can discuss things in greater detail another time- if we all don't get killed chasing after this Artifact of hers..."
    and with that, the man trudged back towards the main party, intent on tending his horse. Best to make sure the thing was in top shape when they started moving again, and he honestly found the beast's company somewhat calming- therapeutic, almost -all things considered...

[GiglameshDespair]

"I doubt few would call it blessed now, after what it has suffered."
"Al-Cules had a great mang fortifications from the war against the Empire, and the rivers slow any army that invades. Most of the Wastelanders travelled through the Khanate elsewhere to the larger ports along the coast. We had time to rally and fight, and we paid for our resistance. The rivers became choked and putrid with bodies that would lunge to drown those who passed. The fertile fields were sown with salt, the buildings torn down. Even the sky was stained with the smoke of the pyres."
"Do not apologise, mountain princess. I agree. The air of this land is thick with misery, and I too wish for my homeland. Mine, however, is gone forever, in a sense."
The singer sighed and was silent for a moment before opening her eye again.
"Tell me more of yours, then. What is it like? The people, the culture?"

[Chevaleresse]

Gawen laughs a bit. Word for word, almost the exact same question the scholar had asked her. Though, she'd had a bit more time to think about it.
"Sorry. I recalled something humorous."

"Many foreigners believe the people of the mountains to be harsh and unfriendly. I suppose this is true at a glance; most don't have the time or patience for pleasantries, and there is always the chance that a stranger could be carrying a knife for you or your king. However, once you have proven yourself worthy of trust, you will not find a more steadfast ally, or a better friend to drink with." She grins a bit at this last. "We don't take many things lightly, including our festivals. If you attend one, you'd best come prepared for days of merriment at a time."

[GiglameshDespair]

"Clearly you have never been to an Al-Cules masquerade." She smiled. "They would put any party of your people to shame, I am sure. More scandals have come from such events than anything else combined. Always an... interesting affair. Often in more ways than one."
Her smile grew.
"When you have a large amount of very rich nobles, all trying to outdo each other to be the most impressive host that year... well. They could put on quite a show."

[Chevaleresse]

"It certainly sounds like a sight to see. The parties I've been to tended to produce fewer scandals and more drunken stupors - which occasionally led to the former, of course. I distinctly remember a certain baron's daughter dragging a man back to his room. I believe it was one of the stable grooms - how he'd gotten there, I don't recall, but we'd reached the stage where no one was particularly capable of caring. . ."

[GiglameshDespair]

"To fall into a stupor would be quite the faux pas. After all, if you are unconscious, how would you enjoy the rest of the entertainment?"
She leaned her head back against the tree.
"What kinds of music do your mountain people have? Something makes me guess percussion and horns."

[Chevaleresse]

"Actually, the most common musicians are singers and fiddlers. We have horns and drums, surely, but the former tends to be for more practical use and the latter is simply unnecessary to most of the music a bard plays." At this, Gawen winces.

"Damned Yerbians still have my war horn. I'd given it to my squire, and I know not what became of him. . ." She sighs.

"But that doesn't matter right now. You inquired about music. . . Heroic sagas are popular; I remember enough of a few to recite them, though I'd imagine any attempt of mine to sing them properly would be offensive to your ears. And no festival is complete without the fiddlers to accompany it."