Closed The Initiation [Leo]

[Eosi]

He watched her internal struggle in silence. Being caught up in the circle of her thoughts, there was no reading his expression. Silence enveloped them, as she weighed the aspects carefully. But at the question of Res they were speaking again, talk coming as easily as the lack thereof. "There's no relation between the form of Res before you transmute it into an element and what it gets turned into.” It simply emulated it, then? ”The best state of Res depends on what you wish to achieve with it. If you want to cover a surface, you will make it liquid. If you want to keep it in one place, you'll generally go for a solid. If you want it to float, a gas is often the best way to go.” Eosi labored with this. It had the properties of the substance, but it was still Res? Was it always Res, even when functioning as a ball of fire or liquid earth?

“I think it's easier done than explained. You will see. If things go smoothly you will be casting small fireballs on this very day." That was heartening. The warrior flashed Leo a sunny smile, that variety especially reserved for him. At her approach, his hand laid atop hers. There was desperation, urgency in his eyes. "And I will not fail you, love." He spoke gravely. With the passage of a few moments, steam curled from his mouth and nose, winding its way toward her. Eosi’s eyes watched its passage, dead of curiosity. He’d feel her silent terror as it drew near, yet with everything she had, she looked without feeling. The lionness was too proud to show fear, though it was folly to think she could hide it.

The dark red substance, Leo’s true essence, began to invade her. Every pore screamed and raged against this intrusion. Her whole body went rigid, feeling and tasting him absolutely everywhere. It was madness. He was racing through each capillary, the spidery network depositing steam into each fleshy organ, each vessel that gave her life. The Res traveled between parted lips and plummeted into her lungs, dancing amongst the tiny cilia. It traversed the length of her stomach. To interact with someone’s very essence was indescribable. The sensation of knowing someone wholly, from head to heel was incredible. She felt atop a mountain, seeing the whole beautiful horizon rather than being amidst it just moments before. It was nearly overwhelming, given their eye contact. Something told her he was enjoying this. Leo's eyes took on that same glaze she was now beginning to know.

But there was no coherent thought as it continued to utterly engulf her. It ran along each part of her body both internal and external, caressing her ivory flesh and running along the wall of her very womb. No aspect of her body went ignored in this endeavor. But with each point of contact Eosi began to feel strange. It was almost akin to Ivak’s gift, but physical. It felt like her entire being was under construction. At Leo’s touch, a potential was awakening and she felt it begin to run free.

Even Tanroa herself was relative to perception. How long it went on, she could not say. After a time there was a sense of withdrawal. Her eyes had gone red long before as it’d crept into her sight. All she saw was Leo. It was seeing him and tasting him and feeling him all at once. The experience had transcended their previous level of intimacy. He knew her and she knew him in the absolute. At the retreat, it nearly left her in tears. He would have learned that which she kept hidden still; there was fear, regret, and true innocence. Eosi was a prism, reflecting perhaps the many facets of the complete individual, amplified to an ultimate extreme. Leo was much the same, a lion for humanity and yet just a simple man. Honest, self-denying and ultimately pure for all his hate. There was still that, as much as he tried to deny it. The hate was so strong it was like cinders, simmering dormant. Waiting to burst into angry flame.

It was over. It was gone. She watched the last tendrils of Res depart, back to their original point of departure. She’d locked her knees and they went weak. She staggered forward, just barely catching herself. ”Oh,” she sighed. Her mind patiently began to re-acclimate her to reality. They were learning reimancy. They were in a room, hidden in the Sanctuary. Would this be a regular occurrence with the Champion? Time and again he literally overcame her. Her perception was warping, expanding forcibly. He was pushing her to grow and each new experience was highly disorienting.

”Leo,” she breathed. Yes, that was his name. Knowing a person so entirely, she had no use for such titles. There was nothing to say. How she wished he was still there, embedded in her heart. So they’d never need words again. Words were trash. Her stare, meeting his newly remade was beseeching.

[Leo Varniak]

This was satisfying on a deeply primal level. The male dream of invasion taken to its ultimate extreme, down to the tiniest strands of matter, down to particles, down to singularities. To be beating with her heart, flowing with her blood, breathing with her lungs, trembling with her muscles. The more he understood the warm, intoxicating doll that was his lover's body, the more he wanted to be a part of it. What a splendid discovery. The eyes could never see more than half of an object at any given time, but here was a shared existence, a being greater than the sum of its parts. The friction of his Res against her blood vessels felt like hot wind on the skin, except underneath the flesh. She was his completely and he was hers, and he saw facets of her he already knew and others that still waited for a patient explorer to plant quartered flags on.

He wanted. He hungered. Just like the first time, with the mark. These releases were a double-edged sword, pitting him against unearthly peaks of desire, even if only for a short time. He was sweating profusely now, his breath heavy and ragged. It took all of his self-control and mental discipline just to maintain concentration and keep the Res from wandering or, worse, igniting. Every interaction with Eosi always managed to push him against the edge of sanity. There would be something about their union that wasn't entirely healthy - they had reached such kinship of souls that it almost felt incestuous in some ways - but there was no questioning the supreme fulfillment it brought.

Chimes passed, and instinct told Leo the ritual's purpose had been met and it would not be wise to linger here. Res was only one step away from a true element, and an accidental release, no matter how minor, would kill Eosi where she stood. It certainly had been a test of faith for her, and one of responsibility for him. Slowly, ever so slowly, he began to withdraw. Had she been marked true, he might have done this inside her in a metaphorical parallel to the conclusion of the act of love, but this would be just as good. The dark red Res snaked out of Eosi's own form just as it had entered it. It gathered above their heads as an ominous sanguine cloud, promising indoor storms to come. Eosi was slowly coming back to her sense, far from unchanged and not only in her ability to channel the elements.

She rasped his name, needing no further words. The cloud flared above their heads, raining harmless fireworks all around them and casting bright light upon the walls. In an instant he was against her, bending slightly to lock his forehead against her, his lips mere inches from her. "Eosi," he whispered back, holding her tight. The carnal instinct had turned into something higher and more complete as he embraced her and did not let go of her for a long time. The rain of fire had long ended before they could disentangle. No words were spoken, and the sound of their labored breathing and their beating hearts were the only ones to reach the stony ears of the pantheon's statues. Those marble mouths would have plenty of stories to tell in time. The parting did not come easily, but it did come eventually.

Leo stepped back and smiled at his love with rare intensity. "You did very well," he complimented her from the heart. She had been truly brave, and his admiration only grew in leaps and bounds; truly a mate fit for a champion, probably more so than he was one at this time. He studied her for signs of exhaustion, but what he saw was a woman who had just undergone a revelation, not one in need of sleep. An idea struck him suddenly. Yes, let this be the perfect mirroring of his own first experience with Reimancy. "You will not have a lot of fine control over Res production at first. The easiest way is to just create some inside of you, here." He pointed at the pit of her stomach, near the gravity center of her body. It was only natural for things to start from the core, the kernel of everything.

His voice went down to a whisper. "Focus on what defines you. Focus on your feelings and peel them off of you. Let them deposit in your body as a thin gas such as the one you just saw. Keep your thoughts light and unfettered, don't make them thick and solid. This may take some time, so don't ever lose focus. You will feel the pressure building inside, the Res pushing against your walls. Make it rise, slowly, all the way out of your mouth, and I will taste of it." His meaning was clear. He had not been able to claim her as a maiden, but he would have her maiden fire and savor it heartily. And just as he had invaded her, she would in turn invade him with her essence. Leo never meant to overwhelm, merely to show a path on which they could walk side by side. Eosi had lived in a small world that could be small no longer. As the philosopher said, to be free is nothing; to become free is heavenly.

[Eosi]

With a burst of light, the cloud overhead ignited. Leo caught her body in his arms. Fireworks erupted and whirled above, yet she was oblivious. "Eosi," he breathed, within inches of her hungry mouth. In just how many ways could she taste him? His power, his flesh and his soul? The fire’s reflection danced in her eyes. Eosi felt suddenly equal, powerful in her own right. She could feel the press of his desire as their forms held flush. Her stare dropped to his mouth, recognizing the rhythm of his ragged breath. But not then. They’d savor this true bonding. Later, she’d make him feel a king.

Eventually he pulled away, adrenaline dying off. It was taxing for the both of them, but the lesson was nowhere near its conclusion. "You did very well," he said with feeling. Leo’s compliments were like satin or silver. They fed her indulgent soul. They drove her to become better, to devour more. It was strangely cyclical and very rewarding. His eyes were trailing her, as they liked to do. The Lion was processing, evaluating their next step. Already she felt she understood him better.

”You will not have a lot of fine control over Res production at first,” he began. Her eyebrows lifted in a show of good humor. ”The easiest way is to just create some inside of you, here." He gestured to her stomach, the core of basest need. In meditation, she learned the different spiritual centers of her body. The stomach was the person’s first impulse, the source of their emotional sensitivity. The lids of her eyes slid shut as she fell back into her own universe. "Focus on what defines you. Focus on your feelings and peel them off of you.” His whispering voice was a guide. Rejecting all else, she focused on the feeling. It was an abstract direction. Yet she got a grasp of it, like stumbling upon the latch of a secret door. She was already beginning to sweat.

”Let them deposit in your body as a thin gas such as the one you just saw.” His instructive tone was pleasant. ”Keep your thoughts light and unfettered, don't make them thick and solid,” he cautioned. Eosi thought of airy things, memories of her childhood. How the wheat crop was thick and gold, waving far about her head. Ephemeral as a wisp of smoke. The way the wind felt as her Father held her high, taller than the tallest tree. His little wind eagle, he said. Transient, a wash of fading memory. It was becoming too solid; she disengaged from the tangible things. The way an orange smells, yes that was better. Perspiration shone on her forehead.

“This may take some time, so don't ever lose focus.” No, that was not likely to happen. The scent of sea brine on the wind. The laughter of a child. Colors, music but nothing too solid. There was a build, one different from any she’d ever felt. “You will feel the pressure building inside, the Res pushing against your walls.” Comforted by the direction, she continued to float in her paradoxical state. Make it rise, slowly, all the way out of your mouth,” he said, “and I will taste of it." The last implication nearly knocked her out of focus, yet she held firm. Concentrating on moving it was far more difficult than producing it and sweat was forming on the palms of her hands. It was everywhere, in every crevice. Her breath was knotting up in her throat. Or was that Res?

She released the feeling and witnessed her very essence trailing out from parted lips. It was incredible to see, the triumph sending chills racing down her spine. It was red, but of a vastly different hue – crimson, orange and gold, like literal tongues of flame. It was the petals of a tiger lily or the shades of a venomous snake. Eosi looked with pride as she successfully produced her very essence, the vapor curling out toward Leo’s expectant form. She made it dance a bit, watching it furl and unfurl in the air. It was incredible. He’d given her a priceless gift.

Eosi stared at him with an adoring gaze. She would let him taste that, too. She would invade him as he invaded her. Was she producing too much? It was hard to be sure.

[Leo Varniak]

Leo regarded her the way one would a work of art. The details never really surfaced at a first glance; art was a more demanding mistress than that. You had to put effort into the viewing, or you might miss the true significance of the creator's intentions. Whoever had created Eosi had Leo Zaital's deepest gratitude. Fascinated with the beads of sweat on her forehead, Leo took the time to study every curve, every line, every depression while she focused on the task at hand. Lost in concentration, her softer side seemed to stand out with greater clarity. Ever the efficient type, she wasted no breath on words, of which they needed none after what had transpired between them. She was reaching within, roaming distant lands as of yet untouched by his mind's eye. He had felt, but not seen.

She looked so innocent right now. The different aspects of this gift from the gods were an endless source of wonder to him. One moment she could be on the verge of eating him alive, and the next she would be shy and innocent. There was nothing fake or construed to any of those sides; her soul simply refused to be contained. If you could describe something, then you could place a limit on it. If you could label something, then you could own it. Eosi refused such appellations. She would never be owned or forced into submission. She followed out of free will, having picked the path that led to Leo. As she sunk into her thoughts, he could see her true beauty, unimpeded by the lens of lust and desire; and he loved her quietly for it, wishing to stay on that path and see where it might lead them next.

Leo watched intently, studying her body for reactions. The duty of detecting any signs of trouble fell upon him, the mentor. Every little spasm looked absolutely lethal to a lover's eye. Every shifting of weight from one leg to the other seemed like the beginning of a collapse. He forced himself to look at the scene with an objective mind, but he strained to do so. His attachment was not of the kind that could be excluded on a whim, and it worried him very much. He just knew, in a real life-or-death situation, he wouldn't have it in him to stick to any rational plan if it came to Eosi's life. He'd face off against an army for her. As a planner, Leo recognized it as a weakness to live with. A limit to work around. A wild variable he could anticipate, but never remove.

With his mind occupied by such thoughts, he still took instant notice of unusual contractions near her sternum. Had she really been able to do this so soon after her initiation? It spoke of natural affinity to the art, but it didn't surprise him in the least. He had always theorized that large souls made for better wizards, and Eosi's dwarfed most he had ever known. Also, she had the inner discipline required to make things work. Leo swallowed, feeling tense himself as he followed the invisible path of the Res through her body. He realized he was actually salivating from the anticipation of it - this woman could certainly elicit strong reactions out of him. Finally, his eyes widened as he saw her inner essence take shape from her parted lips.

Just as he'd thought, it didn't come in a single color like his but rather a bouquet of interlocking fiery shades. Facets entwining and recombining in countless ways, shining with potential. How he wanted to taste of this. He let the coils of Eosi's newborn Res drift towards him, his mouth parting to ease her way in. The opening of the mouth ceremony - he'd read of it in his studies on Protohuman culture. He remembered how the future people of the desert would embalm their dead as mummies and then perform a symbolic opening of the mouth to breath new life into the vessels in case the souls wished to remain inside. Funny that he should be reminded of such a thing now. His tongue danced with the substance, the savor so sweet and strong and total. He was wide open to the balancing invasion, breathing it in, swallowing it in all of its glory.

He gave a deep sigh and continued Eosi's instruction, his voice nearly cracking from the experience. "Good, but don't overdo it. It's your first time and your ability to detach Djed from your soul is still limited." He blinked some of her Res into his eyes. "Now I want you to ignite this. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine if it's fire. Focus your entire being on the Res and imagine it blazing. Imagine all the fires you've ever experienced in your life. Visualize them and make your Res roar." He was looking forward to this. He wanted her fire to dance with his insides. All fire was not born equal. He knew very well. His mouth curled into a grin as he watched her expectantly. Let her set him ablaze in the only way that was still missing.

[Eosi]

Leo beheld her essence with pride. The haze twisted and danced across the threshold of his mouth and he tasted of it, his mouth wrapping around a piece of her very soul. The most remarkable thing was that she felt it; Eosi was present in the substance, feeling herself caress his inner skin. This is how he felt. It was maddening and furthermore, strangely masculine. It was some form of domination, that’d he swallow all she had to give. The implications were erotic. The dewing moisture the beaded her skin began to collect elsewhere, and Eosi struggled against overflow. Why was every experience so unintentionally sensual? Was that the ultimate end, the union of two flames?

It felt so strange to be both inside her body and yet outside of it. The feeling of the pit of his stomach was warm and sharp, the ridges of his lungs were smooth and inviting, each cell eager to be touched. His voice broke the whirl of sensuality. "Good, but don't overdo it. It's your first time and your ability to detach Djed from your soul is still limited," Leo cautioned, while the condensation settled atop his eyes. He blinked it in over the orbs’ glossy surface, and she dove headfirst into his bloodstream. This is all seemed incredibly dangerous, yet he was not afraid. Taking that cue, she attempted to limit her soul, the overturned bucket that now rapidly leaked out Res.

"Now I want you to ignite this. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine if it's fire. Focus your entire being on the Res and imagine it blazing. Imagine all the fires you've ever experienced in your life.” Ah, this was the idea. It seemed Leo was intent to play these games of trust. ”Visualize them and make your Res roar." The ultimate release. What a reversal, releasing inside of him. Eosi bared her teeth in a grin as her eyes snapped shut again, thinking of the dancing of an open hearth or the fire of a smoking forge. The still airborne tendrils gave a plaintive little hiccup and wobbled for a moment.

And then largely burst into flame. A rush of energy flowed from her as she felt each molecule release into element, primal and free. Her eyes opened in amazement as the djed that did not make it to his lungs floated in a fiery halo before her. Her heart was bursting with joy. The fire swelled and engulfed him. She marveled at how incredible he looked, a man on fire. His eye blistered with flame, even the ropy coils of his intestines blazed. She pushed further, the previously undevoured djed rushing toward him to join the fray. It felt so good, an unimaginable pleasure. She’d set his literal heart on fire and the poetry was too blatant to ignore.

The Inarta was frozen in awe and astonishment. That was, until her knees gave an unsteady little lurch. Due to her intense focus, she hadn’t even noticed the creeping clamminess of her forehead. She’d lost track of how much she was giving, because she was unaware she could give too much on the first try. Arrogance, always arrogance. Her head grew very light. She’d made a mistake somewhere. Spots grew into her sight and shakily, she lowered herself to the ground as everything went to black.

The floor was cool and stone. It was nice. That was her next thought. She felt so incredibly hot, that she suspected she might have a fever. When she was a girl, her Father would find her sprawled on the kitchen floor. That was how he knew she had fallen ill – at night she’d sneak out of her room to press her forehead against the smooth, cold surface. Eosi did just that, unaware of Leo or the fact she was a newly inducted reimancer. Just to quell the ache, the unimaginable burn.

”Mmm,” she moaned at its touch. It occurred to her that something was there, at her side… But she didn’t want to move. Leo, the name prompted. It’s Leo. Weakly, she forced herself to roll over. ”Hey…” she crooned, regaining some sense of identity at his dark expression. ”I did it.” Something informed her she was not about to like what he’d say next. She knew he would be mad in her final seconds of consciousness. It was a hazy memory, but safe to assume she’d passed out. ”I’m sorry…” she managed weakly, readying herself to be berated.

[Leo Varniak]

How magnificent to experience the ritual on both ends in quick succession. To be able to understand what she'd been through by her own hand, so inexperienced and yet so daring. Her Res was like skin and it was no skin, like blood and it was no blood, like flesh and it was no flesh. It was as if he'd placed his mouth at the spring of Eosi's soul and started drinking. The more he had, the more he wanted. It was unlike what he had thought it would be, and felt completely natural. Of course, he was an accomplished Reimancer, well used to handling the substance. His body accepted it with ease, even when it wasn't his own. It tickled his core, playing every string on its path as Leo waited eagerly for the ignition. This was entirely uncharted territory for him, and it truly excited him despite the lack of control it entailed. Later he would assert himself again. Now was her moment.

Yet a mistake he made. In his lust to receive more of Eosi, he let his attention slip. After the initial warning, he did not pay too much heed to just how much she was sacrificing. To simply contain her was intoxicating, and before long he lost any sense of measure. Her self-confidence didn't help, either; she looked safe and in control, so he assumed she must be. He would regret this in short order, though for now all worries were drowned in the expectation of the flame. The initial spark registered with his mind just before he was drowned in fire. The glorious blaze enveloped him fully, making his skin orange and translucent. Smoke rose from his mouth that he casually shaped into rings with his tongue. The heat was overwhelming. A little Res blazed outside the body, as well, eating voracious holes into his shirt, but he didn't even notice. This was a blessing only given to a precious few mortals.

The feeling of his organs being licked by the flame was akin to nourishment to Ivak's champion. It was also strangely exhilarating, as if injecting joy regardless of whether he wanted to feel it or not. He gave a secret, crystalline laugh that nobody but Eosi had never heard before. So this was release, the blessed enthusiasm he always preached about? He let it course through his veins for what felt like an aeon, mindless to anything else in the world. It only made the awakening from the dream that much more brusque. As Eosi quietly collapsed on the floor, Leo couldn't believe his eyes at first. The scene laid out in front of his eyes was far too dissonant with what raged inside, and he couldn't reconcile the two. But the flames petered out and died, and she wasn't moving at all, and his expression froze. Reason snapped back into him, hitting the Champion like an anvil as his clothes kept smoldering from the assault.

She wasn't moving.

The heat froze with a screeching sound across his temple. Kneeling down next to her, he checked her pulse and found it somewhat fainter than he'd have liked, but still regular enough to tell him she'd live through the initial shock. The later consequences could be just as terrifying, though. Once again, Ssena's despised but oh-so-helpful mark came to the rescue, channeling blind fear into useful concentration. She had a pulse and she was breathing. His fingers caressed her forehead and registered far too much warmth for an unmarked body. The fever made him frown. It'd be very bad if it was allowed to linger. Already the guilt had begun piling up on his shoulders. She was but a novice; a real teacher would have prevented this, but he'd let himself get carried away by the metaphorical lovemaking. He'd done the very thing he'd promised himself not to do.

She came to as he touched her, moaning. And still, the very first thing she did was state her success - in fact, there had been too much of it. His eyes blazed at that, but her subsequent apology softened his expression. "You are a fool," he murmured, but there was no sting to it. "We both are. A splendid pair of fools." He scooped her up gently in his arms, finding surprising strength for his wiry frame. He carried her out of the room, taking a few quick turns amidst the corridors and stepping into a far larger cavern where the Sanctuary drew its subterranean waters from. With a clear water source, the place could easily sustain even a long siege if it came to that.

Leo gently took his love to the edge of a small underground lake. The water was icy and clean. Wordlessly, he stripped her with quick, efficient motions, his heart aching at how flushed the skin looked. "You are not me. You are you. This fever could kill you if we don't do something about it." He lifted her once more and gently immersed her in the gelid water. "This will help your body fight the overgiving." It was what she'd done. He produced his handkerchief and dipped it in the source, pressing it against her forehead for relief. "Talk to me, love. Anything. Just talk to me." His hands were always there, reassuring. Worry painted all over his face. He needed to know if her mind had taken any damage. The mark of Ssena was something to be thankful for, and he cursed himself for it.

[Eosi]

His dark eyes glowered down at her, hard with poorly concealed fury. Eosi would’ve shrank under those eyes, had she no guilt. However, she already felt like curling up and dying. There a childish part of her already in lament, for now that she’d failed he wouldn’t teach her anything. But that was absurd. He’d already opened the floodgates – he couldn’t unmake the monster. All that beside, hers was a novice error. Leo’d forgive her with time. "You are a fool,” his voice held no malice. ”Yes,” she murmured shamefully. "We both are. A splendid pair of fools." She felt his arms snake around her and astoundingly enough, hoist her into the air. No man had ever carried Eosi, the heavy mass of pride and sinew that she was. No man except her Father.

He was taking her somewhere, but where was a mystery. The dark air rushed past her body, wintry against her still-boiling flesh. Leo seemed strangely tepid, which was obviously the fever’s doing. ”Hey,” she whispered. ”We’re the same temperature.” Eosi felt giddy from her lack of strength. More than anything she wanted to curl against him and sleep. Unfortunately, she didn’t foresee that as an option. After a few minutes, their walking came to a halt. The novice mage made no moves to roll away from his chest. Fatigue really began to hit her, draining everything but the very strength of her eyelids.

He laid her down gently against the rocky edge, her feet draped into the freezing cold. Shivers of delight quaked up her spine as his deft hands began to unlace her boots and remove her cloak. The Azenth was undressing her, but not for the purpose she might have hoped. That too, seemed a distant memory, the djed having stolen away her basest sensuality. "You are not me. You are you. This fever could kill you if we don't do something about it." That chastisement stung worse than his calling her a fool. As he slid her reddened body into the lake, she gathered the remaining vestiges of her willpower. ”That’s not what I meant,” she gasped. The sensation of the water sent her trembling. "This will help your body fight the overgiving." He crooned, pressing a handkerchief against her moist forehead. Leo was fussing over her like no one save her parents ever had. That made her happy to an extent, to think someone cared for her in that way.

"Talk to me, love. Anything. Just talk to me." That was a bit much. Eosi gathered her internal reserve of pure obstinacy. Her voice grew a tad stronger. ”I know who I am.” That was better, she thought. The water was helping to slowly lower her temperature, clearing the fog from her mind. ”I may be a fool, but I’m not you.” She even managed to sound suitably annoyed. This was going well. ”I’m sorry,” she apologized. Hesitating, she labored over what to say next. ”If you think I wanted this to happen, that’s foolish just as well. I’m no helpless maid. I wanted you totally. That was my folly.” Making them a pair of splendid morons. But it was okay. ”I will learn from this mistake.” Her speech was concluded, and she sank back toward the surface the water. The last bit of her irritation was spent and her whole demeanor changed with it.

For a few beats after, she sat there. Just liquefying, hoping that the overgiving was a small hurdle, easily overcome. Without meaning to, she began to hum a familiar tune. The notes came as a comfort, her audience forgotten. Her Father used to sing it, about the glory of women with red hair. Which was always funny, as her mother had hair the color of tree bark. But that song was for her. The most vulnerable part of her sighed, missing him with an unimaginable ferocity. Because she was not Layla, he wouldn’t stay. But she was part Layla, and furthermore part him. The logic made her insane. He must not have loved her, yet he did and always had. It was the insoluble puzzle and it wounded her to the core.

Eosi felt kittenish. Her eyes were brightest green contrasted with the red veins of her eyes. Tiny tears threatened to spill over. She wanted to apologize to him over and over again, suddenly. But that would mean nothing to Leo the Champion. Instead she moved closer, finding the strength to grasp his hand and pull it to her face. He seemed warmer, which was good. Nice even in lieu of the freezing water. She held it. Her heart ached to be held, to be made love to and tucked into bed. But that was not their destiny. Not that day and not ever. Leo and Eosi were not the kind of lovers that married and grew old. They were warriors working toward a purpose first, then lovers after. She’d forgotten that in her eagerness to know that sensation that she’d previously been denied.

”I’m feeling a little better.” Eosi looked up at him, the challenge returning to those muddy jade eyes. ”This won’t happen again.” There was a line that couldn’t be crossed. They couldn’t make love and war at the same time; it would undo them.

[Leo Varniak]

Yes, they were the same temperature and that was exactly the problem. The human body wasn't supposed to run a constant fever. Leo had always theorized it was Ivak's marks that allowed him to function normally, protecting him from the unwanted effects of the fire in his veins. Still, there was no telling what long-term consequences this would have on his health when he got older. As far as he knew, he may be burning faster than the average mortal - and there was no way he could let Eosi take the same risk. That certainly explained his grim determination in giving her this icy bath in the spring. He listened to her explanation in silence, rejoicing upon finding her mind still sharp as ever.

"Our folly then," he murmured, casting his eyes down and catching a glimpse of his wavy reflection in the water. As the initial wave of desperate worry faded into the realization she probably wouldn't carry any lasting consequences from this, he had to admit something to himself. "A part of me would do that again." Leo was many things, but not a hypocrite. He'd never be afraid of stating a hard truth or a weakness in front of those few he trusted. They became less of a weakness by that simple fact. He knew the danger Eosi had just run, but the experience had been nothing of this world. He'd carry it with him always, irrational as it had been.

He fell silent then, leaving her to the embrace of the cold waters as he thought about things suddenly gained and suddenly lost, fortunes of war, empires drowned in fire, and leaves in the wind, carried by whimsical fates. The notes woke him from his reverie, a melody out of nowhere. Her singing voice had him enthralled; he had expected no more music from her than perhaps the deep rumbling of war drums, but her humming was truly sweet and melodious even if laced with the sadness of nostalgia. Yet another crack in the reticence; how many more treasures lay in wait? Any hardness he might have had left on his face left him instantly, replaced by his usual curious gaze, drinking her in with affection. She approached him near the edge of the lake and guided his hand to her cheek. His fingers touched her as they would a delicate bird; those who knew devastating release were often familiar with its opposite, as well.

Her true desire was plain to see, and yet Leo knew he could not satisfy it at this time. It wouldn't be the right thing to do. She ached, but from growing pains. She had just been reminded of the road ahead, and how steep it was; it had made her flinch, but she would not have it any other way. He nodded deeply at her unclad form, his eyes unable to keep from wandering down, where the cold liquid had done such marvelous things to her nipples. "I take it you want to continue immediately. My first instinct would be to say no, given what you've just gone through." Leo gave a small sigh. "Still, in a real fight we wouldn't get that choice. It means I need to push you to the very limit. We'll both be careful. We'll do things right." His mind was screaming at the prospect. He didn't want to see her spend even a single ounce of her inner essence. It tore away at his heart; she shouldn't have to do this. No-one should.

"Eosi..." he whispered. "When Syna sets, I will make sure anything you've had to endure today is no more than a speck of dust in your memories. I promise." Regardless of her preferences, she would be getting rewarded. His hand spoke of tenderness, far removed from the raw aggressiveness of their first time. She wasn't the only one with multiple sides to her, after all. "Now," he grinned, "either you get dressed or I get undressed. This middle ground is an unstable place to be. In the event you pick the former, you might as well summon a small flame to get yourself warm and dry. A small one." He demonstrated the spell himself, creating a wisp of flame hovering over the palm of his hand. "The process is much like before, but with just a tiny portion of Res. Try focusing on the palm of your hand this time. Feel the Res leak out of your pores. Never turn it into fire while it's still touching you. Keep it locked in your mind so it will move with your hand." He showed her, guiding the floating flame with his hand while keeping it at a safe distance from the body.

They were crazy to be doing this. But then again, they were crazy to be doing any of this in the first place, and without this folly the world was simply doomed. They were in this together, like the fools they were.

[Eosi]

"Our folly then," he amended, unwilling to let her shoulder responsibility. Eosi was quickly coming to realize that Leo insisted on taking more upon his self than was really necessary. He could shoulder blame enough for a God. That spoke of a hidden, altruistic side. In touching his essence earlier, she’d felt the innate goodness there. He was the reluctant hero, but a hero nonetheless. It would take time to open his eyes to that particular noun. What surprised her however, is what passed his lips next. "A part of me would do that again." Eosi’s heart swelled a bit at that. They could try again sometime. Just not right now, not in the beginning.

From her peripheral vision she saw his eyes shift. The humming must’ve drawn his focus, yet she felt no shame. They’d just felt one another from the inside out. He would have spied innocence and freedom underneath those layers of anger and regret. Eosi hummed unabashedly, having no energy to do otherwise. The way he eyed her body under the quivering water. His gaze lingered on her breasts, thrilling her with lust. Even with both of them fully dressed, she would always want him. The expression he sometimes wore, the fold of his pants, even the way he spoke… At the most inappropriate moments, she’d find herself ready. If only he knew. She smiled a seductive little smile, enjoying the private thought.

"I take it you want to continue immediately. My first instinct would be to say no, given what you've just gone through." It seemed he was implying the lesson's continuation after all. "Still, in a real fight we wouldn't get that choice. It means I need to push you to the very limit.” Eosi looked up at him with gratitude, wearing a particularly feline smile. “We'll both be careful. We'll do things right." She nodded. They would and they’d both be better for it. Yet he seemed unsatisfied. After a lingering moment, he began to reassure her. "Eosi..." There was pain in the way he spoke. "When Syna sets, I will make sure anything you've had to endure today is no more than a speck of dust in your memories.”

His fingers curled delicately at the peak of her jaw. ”I promise." It seemed he was tempted. His hand explored the contours of her face before he broke that intent study, eyes moving back to the more local provinces of her form. "Now," he continued with a grin. His humor seemed to have returned. "Either you get dressed or I get undressed. This middle ground is an unstable place to be.” That was a very, very appealing thought. The ache of her need had returned. With a throaty purr, her teeth nipped at his searching fingers. “In the event you pick the former, you might as well summon a small flame to get yourself warm and dry.” He decided to qualify that. “A small one." She was tempted to roll her eyes.

"The process is much like before, but with just a tiny portion of Res,” he explained. “Try focusing on the palm of your hand this time. Feel the Res leak out of your pores. Never turn it into fire while it's still touching you. Keep it locked in your mind so it will move with your hand." With his opposite hand, he demonstrated how it should look. Still, she couldn’t pass up an opportunity to torture him. Revenge was as simple as slipping a finger between her lips, rolling the length of her tongue around in a tantalizing reminder. Her eyes held his, gleaming with wickedness. Her mouth released him all at once and stretching like a cat, she emerged from the water stark naked.

Eosi let him get an eye full before giggling and holding her palm out, focusing on the process he’d explained. It felt like a curious gathering of energy and the center of her hand began to itch, almost. A tiny cloud of Res ascended. She smiled at the little ball of her own essence and waited for it to rise. When a few inches from her exposed flesh she endeavored to ignite it. It sprang to life and she gave a tinkling little laugh. The feeling was child-like delight. It’d taken a bit out of her reserve but Eosi felt confident to continue.

After warming herself a bit (and putting on a little bit of a show) she pulled on her dry clothing. Piece by piece, sliding fabric over taut skin. It was unfair to put him through such a thing but Eosi wanted that punishment. He would be very angry about her behavior - in a good way. He’d want to do something about that smug expression and she wanted nothing but for him to try. When finally dressed, she turned to him with the little flame still fixed in her mind. She’d had to pull everything on one handed, but such was life.

”Mmm?” She asked, obviously amused.

[Leo Varniak]

She had this unique talent - he really had to give it to her - for making him regret his own decisions just as soon as he made them. Why offer a choice in the first place? He wanted her the way a pebble falling from a mountaintop wants the ground, and she was waiting for nothing but the impact. It would be as easy as a kiss; over the day, their level of self-control had degraded in such a way that any spark could trigger the conflagration. It was unfair how badly she could make him want her. Even the prospect that she would soon be his could do nothing to cool his spirit down, for there were but two times of operation to a man's mind: now and not-now. If there was anything good about the situation, it did a good job of simulating battlefield stress. The distraction was of a very welcome nature, but it affected Leo much in the same way.

He held his breath and basked in the attention Eosi lavished on his fingers, first seeking them with her teeth and then rolling her tongue around one in a motion he had come to know, albeit not as well or frequently as he would like. Yet, he knew that the more she teased, the less she was going to actually deliver in the short term. It told him that she'd picked the former option after all. He had phrased the choice as a joke of sorts, but if she'd showed any inclination towards it, he would have been unable and unwilling to stop. Neither of them seemed capable of putting up more than token resistance to the other, but these little games of resolve had somehow snaked their way into a probable routine. Defiance was met with pride and then the other would up the ante until they got past the point of no return. He couldn't think of a better routine, to be honest.

She rose from the water for him to worship with his gaze. The water on her body, dripping down whimsically along invisible riverbeds, was a truly torturous sight, but for all that he found magnetism in her every curve, he would always look for her eyes first. Only after paying homage to the windows to her soul would he allow himself to travel across her skin, unabashed and making no pretense to the contrary. His eye saw the present, and his mind imagined the future, inserting him in the scene. There was barely suppressed fury there, the frustration of the fox being denied the grapes, but the decision was final and neither one would back down from it. Leo and Eosi both were very sore losers, it seemed.

At least she got the spell down both quickly and efficiently. Not the type to make the same mistake twice, she poured just enough Res from her palm and made it into a small flame to warm herself with. Which was excellent news. What Leo wasn't expecting was her turning the application of magic into a little show of bending and twisting and bouncing and stretching in front of him. There was no way he would avert his gaze from any of that. He was being punished, it seemed, and being a brave man he would drink of it to the very last drop. Then, being a resolute man, he would start thinking of revenge. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she was dressed again. For the time being. Looking all smug and amused. For the time being.

"A remarkable display," he said, avoiding the subject as per usual, his voice half an octave lower than it had been. "We may want to practice it some more while we're at it." Suddenly, Leo extended his hand and gave a truly mischievous grin, the likes of which she'd never seen. His frustration needed release one way or another, and what better way than this? It would be educational on top of that. Yes. Very educational indeed. He quickly generated misty Res of his own, but the pattern with which he spread it around looked unfamiliar - more loosely scattered than when he'd demonstrated fire. Then he triggered it just like that. "Love is a wind sometimes."

He realized the Res as air as he pushed it outward in a single blast. He shaped the wave in a concave form so it wouldn't hurt Eosi as it embraced her and pushed her back... back into the water with a splash, fully dressed this time. If this wasn't upping the ante, he didn't know what was. For the first time ever since she'd met him, Leo was laughing from the heart, almost to the point of tears. "Sorry... you may have made it... just a little... too remarkable..." he managed, just barely. There was something long repressed, very childish about him right now. Eosi had brought it out in her own special way, and now she was dealing with the consequences.