Fire and Ice

[Vick]

Winter, 15, 513 Av

The air filled with djed as flames were sent into the air. The ground shifted and became alive forming a shield as the fire licked along the earth as the two mages fought it out. One was a fire user and the other earth element as they threw different amounts of res towards each other in hopes to beat the other.

Yet within the middle of the fighting, a young child kept skipping around the edge of the room. The child in question was Vick, a Malediction mage who was found within the room now and then to pick the best bodies of the ones who died. He took a large risk each time but he made sure to keep focus and not try anything stupid.

Another blast of fire came from one side yet not from the air but from above as spikes of earth flew in the air yet both hit both targets. The flames licked the person as he screamed in pain and fell to his death as the other got hit with the spikes into the chest falling to the ground losing blood yet no one did anything to save them for the rules of the room were real battle tactics. If one could not handle themselves here they were just food for the rest.

The young child just giggled as he skipped towards the dead bodies as he looked back and forth as if trying to pick the best one for his projects. Really he wanted to use both subjects and could if he got help to move the bodies as he looked around the room. He saw both plusers and nuits yet within this setting Vick was unsure what was what.

He was about to call for help until he saw one of the golems moving about the room. Without another thought he looked towards it and spoke loud and clear.

“Golem, Take both of the dead bodies not to the LLC but to the Legacy Imaginarium of Artifacts by orders of Vick. They will be used for Malediction research into Reimancy.”

His orders were clear and to the point as the young child stood in the room filled with magic users. His once dead eyes filled with passion as he spoke to the golem showing signs of being more than just a child or even a nuit using a childs body.

“Goodie now that is over, I can play a game later.” Vick said not to anyone but more to himself as he went back to skipping and singing as if the death was normal to him and the bodies were better off dead which in his case was more true than anything.

Vick giggled once more to himself as he skipped around the large room. Unsure if he done or not as he looked to see who was left. Just a few nuits, plusers and other faces he did not know. He was unsure what to really do as the golem moved the bodies away from the middle of the room.

So he just skipped around the room once more waiting for another fight to take place. Not a trace of fear show in his eyes as he hum a tune as he skipped around the room as if waiting for more death to take place. He was lost in thought as he bumped into a young male that sent Vick towards the ground with a thump.

Normally Vick would have been mad at the person who was in his way but he just got up and skipped around him since his childlike moods were swinging back and forth showing just how odd he was since a few nuits around the room that knew of him kept out of his way.

[Miro]

Miro was often enthralled with the idea of Reimancy against Reimancy fighting. It had been a common theme among the apprentices to be confident in their skills and want to assert dominance to prove themselves to Master Malestrom. Not that proving superiority often had much effect on the twisted master anyway. The most common way of doing this of course was magical combat. Though none would ever challenge Miro due to his skill and control over the elements. Even when he offered the option of facing him in numbers, none would dare to challenge.

The Reimancer watched the two cast single elements at each other in turn, neither doing a very effective job. If they were more talented, they could have a more offensive element, or even a defense against the opposing element. If they were smarter their mode of attack would involve attacking from multiple directions and in a more discrete form. The earth Reimancer's mistake was that he did not spring his spikes from the stone floor, while the fire's was that he did not use mobility to his advantage. Earth was hard to aim and direct, requiring accuracy. Fire however, well, it left some room for error. Watching them both fall to the floor caused the boy to heave a heavy sigh and turn away.

Sahova had little to teach Miro on Reimancy, but offered him a place in which he could test various theories and further his elemental knowledge. The main development of the discipline seemed to revolve around creating new custom elements. It was a noble pursuit, one that would surely push the Reimancer further in his skills. More elements meant the discipline could be applied to more scenarios. It was not often he spent his time actually developing the magic, but today he felt slightly inspired by the spirit of the room.

The theory was similar to the discovery of steam, but this time he hoped to create smoke. When things burned it was a common enough result, but he needed something that would burn well. Earth was tough, but the custom element of dust created seemed as if it would burn easier. The applications could vary from making a fog to hide him or to choking enemies. It was a leap to further its application, something rare these days.

Miro cupped his hands and laid them on top of one another, pulling Res out of his palms to fill the gap. From the back of his hands he emitted a coating that surrounded and contained the inner amount. He transmuted the mass inside his hands to dust, then immediately pulled the outer in to saturate and hold the dust. The Reimancer carefully separated his hands and willed the mass to gently hover a distance away from him. He centered his mind around the thin particles igniting, a transmutation of a transmutation to create a new transmutation, a transformation into smoke.

The wizard took a deep breath in through his nose, and on the exhale through his mouth he forced the transmutation of fire with an absolute will. Miro watched in bliss as his theory proved true and an amount of smoke rose to the air. With this knowledge of combination in mind, he was sure he could create it from Res without the extra step. More than that, he knew he could calm the smoke to be more suitable to him. The heat that the fire element brought was so uncomfortable at times. Minor alterations of temperature were not uncommon, when complimentary enough. He had never tried to make cold fire or hot ice, but to cool smoke, it was a middle ground he could work with.

Hands at his waist, palms upturned, Miro once again created Res to fill his hands. The amount grew into two orbs that rest calmy in his hands. He focused on the smell of smoke still hovering in the air, the sight of black streams that rose towards upwards, the sound of crackling, but the feel of a cool river in Taldera. He closed his eyes to focus on every aspect of the transmutation, then initiated the change in his left hand. He opened his eyes, once again satisfied, and watched the slow burning Res lift to the ceiling as smoke.

With a wide grin he turned the the ancient Reimancy master and displayed the aqua colored Res in his right hand and held his left over top to confirm the temperature was controlled. "Hey Malestrom, look at this!" The boy jeered as he willed the transmutation a second time. Again the smoke rose upwards, and as it passed his hand he was filled with calm relaxation that came from the embrace of cold. In a matter of moments it was gone, but the pride of his discovery still lingered. For a moment at least. A bit of laughter was heard from the other side of the room where Roknus stood. He gathered his cackling long enough to spout a stream of quickly chained words at the proud boy. "Oh, finally figured that one out, huh? You are about a few centuries late to impress me with that one, boy! I hope that you might prove yourself useful soon, for I am having doubts." The laughter continued even after the man went back to his work.

Before Miro could even scowl, somebody ran into him and knocked the wind from his chest. He staggered back in shock and worked to gather himself and regain the ability to breath. After a moment, he was fine, but still left confused by what hit him. The bracelet of ice containing his Familiar Ender had seen everything unfold quite clearly however. "You fool, are you blind? Or perhaps it is that you are deaf, for that creature has been singing and parading about in a most disturbing manner. So caught up in your own arrogant bliss that you fail to recognize even the most out of place things. Do not worry, for I make up for your feeble mind. Another dead child, like the despised one. This one however, it is different. Something is beyond off about the attitude and authority it presents. To act as so careless in this place, I fear such an attitude is not unfounded."

The boy leered around, hoping to place his eyes on the outlandish claim his partner presented him with. It was a bit embarrassing how long it took, but he eventually found his mark, circling the room still. Beyond the frustration of his discovery being belittled and bumped into, he was curious. The tone of Ender's voice was hard to understand, but the words clearly showed an amount of concern. Such a reaction drew the wizard towards the child-like creature, urging his curious nature to dig for more information. But first, he would consult his partner further. "Alright, so then, tell me, what did he say and do to startle you like this?"

Miro turned his face away from his Familiar to hide his smile, ever so eager to hear the answer. It was twisted and would upset his partner, but he could only resist the temptations so much. "It is not the first time I have caught a glimpse of it lurking about these halls. To simply walk into a room full of Reimancers with no hesitation, and would even be so crass as to bump into you. Any sign of emotion is stricken from its face, but it is not that bothering me. Actions and words, so cold, so careless, for all of it seems natural." The wizard's attention was drawn to the golems dragging the bodies from the room thinking little of it.

His Familiar continued on. He spoke faster now, showing his concern for his continued presence. "It spoke of taking the bodies by order of Vick, stating they would be used for Malediction research. Research into Reimancy, but I can not make sense of any of that. Do you know what it means? What I fear most of all is what this creature means by playing games afterwards." To Miro, the best perk of having a Familiar was that he did not have to pay the rest of the world attention. At all times he had an extra set of eyes around. Ender always observed everything, so anything that slips by and harms them is his fault, unless properly communicated. Through this system, it trains his partner to speak more and serve an actual purpose, so that he might actually feel useful.

This knowledge was indeed interesting however. Miro was quite drawn to this Vick. Finding out who he was, what he did, and how this child bodied servant fit into it all. It appeared that even his apprentices had little to fear, which hinted at his influence and skill in one of the darker magics known to the wizard. "Malediction allows you to make weapons out of bones. The circles, they uh, erm, it's something like, how does it go? You draw the circles and it brings out the bone's magic, then it makes a better weapon. So, those bodies will make Reimancy daggers, huh?"

When next the child came near, the Reimancer stepped in his path and held an outstretched hand. "Stop! he declared, "I have a few questions for you about Vick. The tone on his face was a scattered mixture between seriousness and inquisitiveness, his eyes a dark blue hue with specks of aqua strewn throughout. "What does Vick intend to do with the bodies of these men? If he seeks Reimancy research, then he may well require the assistance of a capable practitioner. The initial shock of his careless interrogation of the Nuit caused Ender to remain silent, but upon realizing what came next he snapped quickly back to his senses. "Miro, no, don't..." Miro's wide smile revealed the yellowing fangs of a Symenestra.

"I volunteer myself to assist him, if he will take me."

[Vick]

It was not often that Vick was spoken to by anyone. Less by a living being but Vick was in such a playful mood he just tilted his head at the young man who spoke towards him. His unblinking eyes looking at the young mans face and saw the small traces of mixed blood along the body but for once Vick just blinked at the man before speaking slowly. Really it was normal speech for a nuit but Vick paid that no mind as the young child stood still talking to the young man.

“Vick plans to cut them open. Save the blood of each subject, remove the organs and tissue and use each and every bit within Malediction research. Every bone, the organs, skin and blood in the name of research. They should be proud to be used as test subjects for they failed to kill the other. Normally they would be turned into hosts for other nuits but Vick has deemed them to be used for research and the office shall not disagree with that statement. I am sure Vick will enjoy your company and aide for so few people do grant him the aide he calls form. So do follow me if you will.”

Vick said this slowly but without a pause like all the nuits did with taking for they did not have to breath like the living. He knew this human did not know who he was for his questions were about another person almost and not himself but he would learn even if deep down Vick might learn something from the mixed blood.

Without saying anything else the young child turned away from the man and skipped away like normal. Humming once again as if he was skipping down a city road and not around death and danger. Yet this did not faze him at all for he had lived around it for so long. The sight of magic made him giggle and the fact of the matter people left him alone for better or worse.

He did not have any friends or people he could talk to anymore. He was alone with his thoughts and power over the dead. Even if that power was over bones and not able to control what other people did. Yet he made a name for himself, rose in the ranks and enjoyed what came with it or at least he told himself long ago when he was forced to be alone with his thoughts as a child and had to learn by himself and force his own will to move forward with each passing day.

Nuits had a curse. That was they could just die due to the fact they could live forever. Yet with that if they did not find something that pushed them they could go insane or die without much thought. Plus if you did not pull your own weight or showed the island what you could do it meant you were food for someone else in the chain of power. Yet Vick had to deal with that and he had to learn the rules of the game well and quickly and it would seem he did for he was still alive so many years later even if he looked like a child out of choice.

He did not pay Miro any mind or check to see if he was following him or not for Vick was done with that place for the time being one way or the other. He just kept skipping along the levels of the building and making twist and turns and at last stopping in front of a plain wooden door that held no markings or names upon it.

This room was called Legacy Imaginarium of Artifacts and one that did not know of it would just pass it as a normal door yet once the door was pushed open they would find themselves in almost another world. Sahova was known for its death and the dead bodies but this room was almost the definition of Sahova.


The floor was stone like the rest of the building however that did not stand out as much as the crudely made tan wood bookshelf in the left corner of the far room. Inside the small bookcase was a handful of different books ranging from thin to thick with thin books being the most common sight however even the books had seen better days from the look of the covers.

On the right far side of the room another wooden table could be seen. On this plain table one would see different tools from paint brushes to carving tools such as picks and hammers. The tools on the table were in neat order however the body parts, which were all bone, laid about the table as if no care was taken in the order or part from human skulls to bodies of snakes.

A fireplace was set inside the far wall between the bookshelf and the table which held the tools and bones. On a normal day one would see it slowly burn logs of different sizes however never really at the peak of what a fireplace could or would do. However the main light of the room was not given from the fireplace but by the D-wire along the edges of the ceiling which gave a soft blue light which was a normal sight on the island in any hallway or room.

Past the door frame a small desk stood in the somewhat middle position of the room. The desk was a simple crude desk that had seen better days. The wood was far from a shine and the cuts and dents along it told the story of how many people had used it before. Behind the desk was a simple arm chair that told the same story as the desk. In front of it also had two simple arm chairs that were made out of the same wood however unlike most of the arm chairs in the island theses had no padding along the bottom.

On the right side of the desk one would see a basic bronze basin and two open barrels of water that was more often then not filled more then half way. The barrel itself had no outstanding markings other then a simple barrel that could be found anywhere. Yet if one did look inside, the right one was filled with different bones while the other was empty besides the water.

Along the walls hanging were body parts, bones that held odd symbols that were just around as if they were normal sight to see. The room smelled of age and death as Vick pushed the door open as Vick skipped along the room not fearing what laid beyond for anyone with a hint of instincts knew this room was not a safe place to be.

It would have seem the golem had already came and left for the two bodies laid in the corner of the room facing upwards.

Vick just skipped inside the empty room and went behind the small desk and took a seat inside the chair before facing Miro with a giggle.

"So, welcome to Legacy Imaginarium of Artifacts. Vick's lab and office but I am sure you already know by now I am Vick or at least you know this now. So please take a seat and welcome to my lab. You said you can aide me?"

[Miro]

Miro was quite pleased to be received by this young corpse. He had no idea that Malediction would require so much dissection and dismantling of the bodies used. It appeared that every part of his body would be taken apart and categorized. Everything he said inspired more interest, everything checked out, except for one thing. "Technically they both managed to kill the other, so you know, they both win...and lose. If they were alive I think they would agree on a tie. Still, I am very proud for them."

The boy smiled and followed the corpse's lead o the door. When exiting, he began to skip along rather quickly. Well, it was faster than he had ever seen a Nuit move. Miro gladly skipped along too, it was a nice change of pace. After a while of follow the leader, they arrived at a door. The tiny Nuit reached up and twisted the nob and opened the way to the creepiest room that anyone would ever enter.

As the Reimancer walked inside, his skin began to crawl. He had to cross his arms to keep it from slipping away. He was sure at one time this was a simple lab with only the normal amount of creepy, but that time was obviously centuries ago. Now everything was coated in layer after layer of death and dark magic, which gave it a very distinct aura. Everything screamed out to him, as if jealous of the life he still held. Tools, bodies, anything one might need for a dissection and enchantment of organic material was present, opening the young mage's eyes further on the discipline.

Miro's favorite aspect of the room were the hanging bones and body parts. And while the young master was quite taken with the creepy atmosphere, though admittedly afraid to touch anything, his Familiar was more scared than ever. "Miro, this place is beyond twisted. It feels like every dead creature is watching me, and I don't like it. We should leave before something bad happens. Something bad will happen, I know it. Something bad always happens in these situations."

Vick introduced the lab and then himself, shocking the wizard receiving the information. For a moment his eyes flashed a dull orange, but returned to a gentle purple. He gave a subtle smirk and shook his head softly. "Of course I figured it out. Seeing you, seeing the lab, it suddenly clicked. The way you look so at home here, it could only belong to you." Lying was a bit of a rush, though calming at the same time. It got his heart pumping for what came next, his introduction.

"You my little friend can call me Master Miro, or Miro for short. I command the four elements of Reimancy, as well as several customized elements of my creation. I am the creator of many techniques and taker of countless lives. If there is anything one might need to know about the discipline, I would be able to teach. I am even capable of applying my knowledge to world magics such as Magecraft, so yeah, if that sounds useful, feel free to take advantage of me. Though I think I will stand, if you don't mind." Today was certainly going to be an interesting one.

[Vick]

Vick did not speak for a bit after Miro finished his speech. His mind was working into a meditative state as he cleared his thoughts and slowly made a list of groupings within his head that ranked from low to high priority with the new information Miro had given him as he focused upon his djed from the depths of his soul.

His mental image of his djed came to him as he saw a black image of himself with a white outline of his body and inside that acted as his djed pathways with a ball of white mass within the center. This is what he saw his djed as as he focused it and pulled it up along his spine, up his neck and into his eyes as his Auristics came to life as the world shifted from his normal sight into a world of colors of auras as he focused upon Miro.

Waves of power rolled off his body as he looked more at Miro with his unblinking dead eyes. The colors felt cold to him and focused as if he was holding back a storm however something stuck out as he saw the bracelet along his arm was giving off a powerful aura of its own which was a cool blue tone as he looked more at it and focused his mind. However he knew it was not a magecrafted item or a malediction product from the djed and he knew he would have to ask.

At last his undead dark purple lips moved as words left his black tongue, “What is the bracelet? Not magecraft or malediction. More alive.”

He kept looking over Miro, with each passing second he felt like he knew more and more about them yet his eyes or at least eyes within his soul felt upon a bracelet like shape near the blue bracelet. Yet this one he knew almost the second he laid eyes along it what it was. A Malediction item but without looking at it he could not tell more.

"Who made that malediction item for you. Without looking too much it I think a skilled person made it but I will need to look at it alone. What I can tell from now it helps you focus."

He let his Auristics fade away as he let go of the power as he felt and saw inside his own mind of the djed flowing back down to the pool of djed before going back along the normal pathways.

“What do you know of Malediction? What I need are bones. Stronger the life the better the bones. Does not matter the size in that but mages work the best compared to nonmages if they are human base however if one is skilled outside of magic they can be useful. I don’t know Reimancy however I plan to use the two subjects and use the bones to make items that can help grant some aspect or power to the user.This island is filled with test subjects outside of the walls that we are in. If you could find a monster and kill it I would be able to show you the power of what a true Malediction mage can do.”

Vick said as he turned away from the mage in front of him and jumped out of the chair. Vick was turned when he was eight so that made him want to always use a body of the same age so. This is the same body he had been using for many years with red hair, his once blue eyes were glazed over and now colorless almost with dark skin under them. His once red lips were now a deep dark purple with a black tongue and yellow teeth. His outfit was a simple patched simple tunic and pants with leather shoes however on the outside was a small child size black robe.

He slowly removed the robe and placed it upon his chair as his skinny arms became more clear however something was along both his arms. A bone was tied along his forearm with strange symbols of circles and drawings along them. The same drawings that were on so many other objects in the room.

“This is from a Jamoura. They knew flux so I used my craft and took that out of it. I cut the bone in half to make it fit my arms however that was a foolish mistake of my own doing as I was still learning my craft. With cutting the bone in half I also reduced the power. They are not meant for combat sadly as it takes to long to redirect djed but I use this to help me skip and move faster with my legs as it draws energy from my arms to enhance my speed. However this was one of my first mistakes over time and I failed to understand I could have done more with the bones. Yet it was not failed since it does grant me the power to move faster or if need be have more power in my hands but at the cost of my legs. This is not a true product of my standards now however I doubt you will find a user with flux that I could use.”

His words came slowly and at once without a pause for a breath since he did not need to breath like how most nuits talked. He just took his hand and grabbed the robe once more while putting it one clearly ending show and tell.

“So Master Miro, I can’t impart your reimancy to Malediction as it does not work like that with magecrafting however I can harness what something knew or a trait from them. Even while they are alive I can still use it and even could boost something if a person was skilled in something in theory. Yet no one wants to take that risk for the downsides of malediction that can take place but the same can be said with any magic for all mages world or not play with fire. Pity so many are little lambs fearful of getting burned.”

[Miro]

Miro was surprised by Vick asking him about his Maledicted item. By looking at his eyes, he could see him looking at his arm, towards Ender. But not only his Familiar rest on his arm, but his bracelet too. He had often felt a strange vibe from it, but he hadn’t considered it possible to be Maledicted. The Nuit furthered his questions by asking of the Reimancers knowledge, then rose from his chair, leaving the boy with a few things to think on. Well, what he did know was very little, not worth mentioning, but what he could do was apparent. ”I understand well what you mean. If we can find you powerful bones, you can create powerful magic. With me hunting for you, even the bones of the most dangerous creature can be yours, minus some damage of course.”

The child-like Nuit revealed a set of bones, explaining their history and effect, and even giving some hint of his progress. Just by crafting bones from a magic user, he was able to sample their effects. It was indeed a curious and powerful world magic he possessed. Playing with bones definitely was a game that interested Miro. He could say the same of this wizard too. Many were not ready to walk a path of greatness and face the blinding light that came with enlightenment and power, but it was obvious Vick was not one of them.

”There is a lot I could learn by assisting you, and that interests me. There is a lot that you could gain from my assistance, which should interest you just as much. I would not mind working along with you, pushing to find powerful bones, bringing out their potential and watching you work your magic. I think that there could be some sort of arrangement worked out between us. Malediction is indeed a curious and seemingly powerful magic. I myself am a master of Reimancy, and well versed in the ways of the Flux. My skills in personal magic make me unique in my power and skills, but sadly my bones are in use. I can however offer to teach you to harness these skills without need of my bones. I would even be so willing as to find you bones to use for teaching me.”

Miro walked forth to come close to Vick. He knelt before the small child and smiled kindly at the young lifeless face. He placed his hand on the small corpse and focused on the contact. ”I am a very confident that my knowledge can be of assistance.” The boy focused on the strong emotions of trust building within him and directing his Djed through his yellow eyed gaze. So easily attuned to the Nuit’s emotional frequency, he began flowed the warm emotion. ”I am very interested in becoming both a master and apprentice to you, if you would take me. I could not see a better deal, but only if one were interested in learning.” The wizard smirked, now focusing his Djed in his throat, putting an added magical inflection to the words. His mind centered around a suggestion. ”You are interested in learning. he cut the flow, ”Aren’t you?” The boy moved to stand, gesturing to Vick with his hand while still focusing to maintain eye contact to issue the emotional response. ”Two of the most powerful magics in exchange for allowing me to assist and learn from you. Seems more than fair to me.”

The Reimancer turned away as he broke the gaze, cutting the flow of Djed through his eyes. His eyes burned, and he could not see. It was as if he had stared at bright for an extended amount of time, and everything was hazy. Even with the connection, straining his eyes to flow Djed for such an extended amount of time caused minor trauma to his body. He wiped the water from his eyes, and began to blink repetitively, and slowly the effect cleared and his vision returned. It was easy enough to be locked into Hypnotism and the rush of manipulating, and the recoil could be harsh. That emotion of trust he preyed on for his casting, it felt stronger than ever. He could not realize just how much faith he had put in this small corpse, though it would appear in his mind. Instead he only felt the strong will to learn his skills, and to teach him. But not to further his student, for only a naive wizard would be so selfless. It was merely a tool to coax him into unveiling all of his secrets, no fondness about it.

[Vick]

Whatever it was from Vick’s own passion or from Miro’s magic Vick did indeed what to learn from Miro. Maybe it was the fact Vick already knew he was a Master of one form of magic or the fact Vick felt he could learn a lot from him.

“Yes Miro, I would like to learn. I would like to learn the depths of all magic within the world and I want to wield that power. I want to rule and for that one needs power. I want to learn Flux and overcome this lack of speed and power of being a nuit. I want to learn Reimancy so I can fight and defend myself. I want to be able to morph into something that will always aide me. I want the power of projection so I can slice and kill from a distance. I want to be able to charm and sway the minds of the world with a simple thought. I want power. Real power that few could even dare to dream for I am not a little lamb who is scared of the flames. I will embrace the flames and learn to wield them to burn my enemies.”

Vick said with passion as he looked at Miro. His undead glazed eyes filled with a fire as he told Miro what he really wanted. What he sought for and what he would do with it if he could grab onto this his goals. Vick was a mage, his dreams were not small and he was showing Miro that idea of what he wanted.

He did not just want to be good at Malediction but he wanted the world. If he was not careful the flames of passion would burn him alive yet could Miro save his soul and make it so he could do even better? Could Miro manage to share and learn new secrets within the lost world of magic?

“Can you teach me Master Miro? Or will you walk away and laugh like the rest of the old nuits within this prison of a lie? I have everything I could want on this island yet it’s not what I really want. Can you understand that feeling? To have things at your fingertips yet still unable to feed that craving within the back of your soul that wants more? To understand that the flames of the world are meant to be embraced and not feared? Tell me Master Miro do you see it?”

Vick asked him yet his voice did not hold a questioning tone but the same tone of confidence that he showed within the room filled with fire and death that the reimancers used. When he first came to Sahova he feared so many things yet the island did such a good job at killing the fear of the unknown.

Could Miro see that? Could Ender see the spark of fire and death within his soul? What would Ender say to his Master? What would Miro even think of this outburst of passion and will? Vick did not know but he no longer showed his passive fear even to someone that could kill him.

[Miro]

Finally, a breakthrough to cripple any and all reservations that Miro may have had. Vick was not a cold twisted wizard of world magic like Rayage, no, he was much more warped. This boy had the lively spirit, just what was needed to truly master Miro's magic. He saw so much of himself in this corpse, and yet so much more. Between them there was a great understanding, and though the wizard had not realized it until now, he did understand. "I know just what you mean Mr. Vick. So few people in this world have what it takes for a life of magic, and even fewer will come to understand the true essence of that power. Power begins as a craving, and becomes an understanding. I was once told, true power is the most subtle of things. Of course you can not be afraid of it, but you must also learn to make your power as calm as a frozen river."

The boy turned inward, writhing in the pain of his brother wizard, so many times denied. How many times Miro had been denied? How far he had to come on his own, denied by Lhex a true master, it pained him. For he had so far risen, he saw now, a kindred spirit, one he must work to lift as well. The corpse's words, they were beyond sincere. For a Nuit so long trapped here, so obviously without friend or ally to speak so frankly, it was just shy of a miracle. The feeling of being surrounded by every thing you could ever ask for, and to be able to claim none of it, truly heart breaking. Just as Miro had once walked into the Great Library with great hopes and excitement, only to find everything written in the Ancient Tongue. To be surrounded by what you seek, yet so helpless in obtaining it. He more than understood.

"Most Nuit have lost their ability for greatness in personal magic over their lifetimes. Overgiven from taking too many shortcuts, overdrawn and used up from fearing the flame too much. The key to personal magic is discipline, to make it a part of your life. Control and power, this relationship, the true key to mastery. I see in you the fire to will magic into existence, the mental fortitude to control it, and the wonder to see magic deeper than the rest of these fools. It is not a tool, it is your life. Why would you treat your soul as merely a tool when it is part of you? A sword in proper hands is wielded as an extension of you, and it is a mere hunk of steel."

Miro began to gently stroke the surface of his Icy bracelet, his Familiar. It reminded him that he had forgotten to ask about the charm around his wrist. "Ender, unseal yourself." He commanded the Irylid, but the creature would not budge. He was forced to tap his Ice Reaving Mark to melt the ice around his wrist, allowing the silver gem to fall in hand. He then tossed the creature upwards, resulting in his transformation and expansion into an orb. "This is Ender, my Familiar. He is an Irylid and my partner." But the Reimancer continued to raise his arm and signaled to the bracelet of white and red with his other hand. "You think this bracelet is Maledicted? And it, no, it couldn't help me focus. This is a reminder, one of a person. One I must kill."

The Mixed Blood began to pout slightly, feeling uneasy to think back. A sad, distant look spanned his face as he reflected, though it was quickly wiped away. He had moved on and grown stronger from the experience. It is what wearing the charm signified. His time in Alvadas taught him a lot, all of it applicable here. "Vick, I will not teach you. Or I should say, not just teach you. I will mold you into the finest personal wizard. The theme as I said earlier was balance. In Reimancy we will learn to balance need of power with need for control. The tasks elements can do, how to combine them, and then finally how to cast the discipline efficiently. It is a journey deep into the soul, to find how the elements are always around you, and within you. And of course, there is the Flux, which will only further this."

Miro reached a hand and grasped his Familiar, holding him gently in his hand and bringing him down before his face. He gazed gloomily at the shiny surface, peering into the orb of ice. "The Flux, I am afraid, may be tougher on you. The relationship is one of balance between the mind and body. As a Nuit, this may be of difficulty. It will involve hours and hours of training, learning to sense the flow of Djed through your body then influence it. It is simple in nature, but complicated in practice. I believe you already know the workings of it. A Flux wizard will flow Djed through the pathways in his body, displacing power from here to there. It is as simple as not using it too much as to overgive, and not using it too hard as to destroy your body, all while keeping an edge in the task it is applied to. This is where the true discipline emerges, and this is how you will master both magics. Together, they are a beyond powerful combination, but separate they are realizations that ascend one's soul."

The Reimancer began to apply pressure to Ender, causing him to contract once again to his sealed form. An amount of Res was produced from his wrist in a band. He allowed his Familiar to slide down from his palm into the blue fluid before it was transmuted to ice yet again. "But I have rules, and we must establish the guidelines to being marked as an apprentice under me. I will start with my conditions towards you, to clear things up and show you my conviction."

Miro knelt before the small body and bowed his head, holding his fist tightly to his chest. "By my honor, I will mold you into greatness. What makes me strong, it will make you strong. What makes you weak, I will dedicate myself to abolishing it from you. My knowledge, my skill, my power, I swear by Eyris, I shall impart them onto you. My own life, by Tyveth, I will give for a true disciple. Your goals, your dreams, they shall become my own. I swear this in the name of Wysar, our lord of integrity. I will create a focus in you, Vick, that will inspire the power to take all of the things you desire." The boy rose he head and lowered his arm, giving a slight smirk. "But..." he said, letting his voice trail into silence. "A true disciple must follow this creed."

Again, he stood straight, tall, proper. His time with Imass began to shine through when speaking deep and from the heart. "An apprentice will never use gifts given to him to work against his master." Suddenly done with the quickly said sentence he relaxed his posture, letting out a sigh. For a moment he was silent, but then raised his finger, adding a slight addition. "At risk of death." Just as quickly returning back to his former carefree posture. He even lowered himself to the dirty floor and sat. One last addition was tacked on, more or less mumbled, though Vick would still be able to hear. "As the master judges these actions." Again finishing with even more relaxation. His eyes shone purple and his mouth contorted into a large fang revealing smile.

Ender however had never seen Miro quite take on an apprentice. He had done it in the past, but before the time of their bonding. He had also taken time to explain magic, but never so far as to swear an oath on teaching. It all seemed so serious, so joining, so dangerous. This Vick, he was not trustworthy, and Miro, he wasn't any better. The difference was that Ender was stuck with the latter. The two of them together, another Miro, this one even more undisciplined, it was the makings of disaster. There was but one way to steer the naive boy away from this, and it was to present an alternative.

"Miro, I have thought this over for us, and I think I have the solution. We can't trust this Vick character, and you just want his power for your own. So, I was thinking, why don't use him for his skill and then take his possessions? Even if you have to keep up your facade of caring to hold your end, we just use him. He will give us what we want, then you simply kill him for betraying your will. I see plenty of strange objects around, and I am sure all of them are magical. We could end this now! Simply take all that he is good for and leave. Leave Sahova even. There are no witnesses here, and so much to gain."

The Familiar was both shocked and impressed by his answer. Thinking like a wizard was becoming natural, and though his morals were always slightly loose, it was only a means of defense. Even now he only acted so coldly to protect himself, and his burden of a master. But the difference in him now was how he enjoyed the twisted way of reasoning. Even the gain of these magical items caused a bit of excitement, despite the danger that would be involved. With every bit of power his master gained, he grew equally in security. Magic brought him to Mizahar, and it would keep him alive for an eternity if he could learn to control his master. He was in possession of the strongest weapon any had ever seen, if only now he could work to harness and direct that power.

But Ender's fantasy of control came crumbling down quickly, only taking a few stubborn words from his partner. "Oh, you are right, I am interested in his power. But I can't turn back now, Ender, I am sorry. I already swore an oath, by my honor no less. All of it before the gods. I can't take it back, so I guess we are stuck with him now." Nobody could say the Familiar didn't try to save their hides from this small creature. In the past they had been burned by his type, and it was not a mistake that would happen twice.

[Vick]

Words. That was all that he told him. He might have called it a oath but they could be broken with just a simple thought in his eyes. The young child just looked at the human still not sure to trust his word but that was just a small detail in a smaller plan.

“All right Miro but they are just words to me. For now that will work. The bodies, I will take to Master Rayage in which he will help me mold them so we use them all. We can start training whenever you are ready but for now I will make a few products.”

Vick just left it at that. No more words were given as he moved back into his mindset of work. Work that had to be done in his goals to become the master of the island.

He moved about his office looking in boxes until he found what he was looking for. He drew forth a single human eye, two crow bones from a wing and two human finger bones which still had skin on them.

He never worked with human body parts besides bones but he knew enough of the anatomy not to feel worry about the project at hand. Normally he would even had removed the skin from the fingers and clean them for the bones but this time he was not even going to do that. The crow wing bones still had slight muscle tissue on them but he was not going to worry about the small details.

He had grabbed blood red string with a sewing needle. His little fingers placing the thread inside the needle and tied it up. Before he did anything to the items he placed the needle along a finger, sewing the thread around it along the base where it was removed. Once the finger was hanging along the thread he placed the needle and thread between one of the crow wings which still was whole at the joints with muscle tissue. Afterwards he poked the needle inside the eyeball though it before lacing the needle with the other crow wing bone and along the second human finger forming a necklace that was hanging by a thread.

He had tied it at the end and placed the necklace on the table facing down. All the parts, fingers and eye were facing away but now where on his desk. He did not even know if Miro made any remarks on what he was doing for he was in his own world once again. This was his art, his gift to the world.

With a sharp quill and blood red ink he started working on the task at hand. He was not going to carve into the flesh but he was going to draw and imprint deeply into the tissue with his ink so it would act like a tattoo. At least that was the goal he had in mind as he started his work with a slight grace that was building up each time he drew.

The circles were made along the flesh between the joints on the phalanges. He was not going to cut them or remove them since the thread was at the end of the interphalangeal joints on each finger. The circles were made as he took great care in the shape and size of them. They were small but he did not need them to be large for the task at hand.
Within the first finger, within the three circles that were placed he wrote a simple set of words inside them. “Listen. Watch. Careful” Before he moved on to the crow wing bones. Whoever had removed it did a poor job cleaning them up as he could have broken the limbs with ease since the wings were still whole save for the bit of flesh and muscle along the bones.

Just one circle was placed on the bones for the crow wing. Within that circle was a simple word as well. “Sense” which was still open and vague like the other words but he did not pause and re do it as it was right to him.

The eyeball came next. A simple eyeball that he knew would not last long. A season at most but that was not the point as he drew the circle very carefully on the back of it as he held it done careful not to pop it. Within the circle was a smaller word which was “See” and he left it at that.

The next crow bones was in the same state as the first one. Odds are it was from the same bird but he did not care as he drew the simple circle with one simple word which read “Danger” before moving on to the last finger.

The three circles were placed just like the other one. Yet the words were different and just one one per circle in tiny print as his little fingers moved about carefully. “Handle. Djed. Ready.”

He was done. A quick work by anyones view but he did not have to do much to reach the product he wanted for he understood that he did not have to spend days working on a bone when he could make it the same way with quicker if he did not mind it not lasting as long.

In the end it read “Listen Watch Careful Sense Danger Handle Djed Ready.” which was what his goal was. For the wearer to listen, be watchful and careful while sensing the danger around them. Letting them handle djed easier and be ready for it. The necklace was long enough to fit on a human adult, the body parts were just an inch apart from each other handing in the middle and front of it.

A simple but powerful product that showed his skills since he was combing three different things together to form one artifact of worth. With a simple cut along his finger he placed his life along the circles and body parts as his inchor faded into nothing as he felt the life stir within the item. It was alive at last.

“Soon nothing can stop me...” He said softly to himself as he placed the item neatly in a box. Just the lone item stood in the small shoe size box that was lined with cloth and he would send it out to be tested. Depending on what it did he would keep it or sell it but he would ask for a good price to further his own goals.

[Mirage]

Miro

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Hypnotism	1
Familiary	3
Rhetoric	2

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Para-Element: Smoke
•	Vick: Master of Sahova
•	Swearing a Binding Oath

Vick

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Auristics	1
Malediction	5
Investigation	1
Storytelling	2
Rhetoric	2

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Miro: Master Reimancer
•	Malediction: Combining Bones for Increased Effects
•	Maledictoin: Bones in a set lose effect if one is missing

Items Acquired :

This particular malediction item is unique compared to many of Vick's other creations. Each "part" acts on its own, and has its own drawbacks. In theory they could all be used as individual items, but their greatest use comes about when they are used together.

1st Human Finger: Because the circles were drawn partly in the flesh, the effects will weaken as time eats away at the tissue. If it is carefully preserved, and remains attached to the bones, the effects can be kept indefinitely. When worn this finger makes the wearer more alert, more aware of his surroundings. His senses work in overdrive as he can, with focus and practice, hear even a pin drop in a crowded room. Over time though it makes the wearer fidgety, unable to sit still and rather jumpy due to his hyper aware state. This can grow taxing on the mind and body, leaving the person more fatigued than normal when the item is removed. It also causes strain on the senses, possibly causing eyesight to go bad due to straining, and loss of hearing after prolonged exposure over years of use.

1st Wing: Because the circles were drawn partly in the flesh, the effects will weaken as time eats away at the tissue. If it is carefully preserved, and remains attached to the bones, the effects can be kept indefinitely. When worn the person develops something like a 6th sense. They can sense when the wind around them is blowing, and from which direction it is coming from innately and without trouble. They can also sense subtle shifts in the wind, and with practice can detect signs of oncoming storms, though there is at best a 50% likelihood of being right on this account. In order for this effect to work the person has to stand completely still, any movement or distraction throws off this sensing ability. Even small tremors can skew the results. This item is best used in conjunction with meditation, to increase its effectiveness.

Eye: The eye, being flesh, only works as long as the eye is in one piece. If well preserved, and kept in embalming fluid whenever possible, the eye can last up to a year from the time of its creation. When worn the eye acts like an enhancer to a person's sight, adding more definition and details to what the person sees. A person who has bad eyesight can wear this item and suddenly have near perfect vision. Someone with good eye sight already can suddenly see greater details in everything, picking up on small things that would normally be missed. The item causes severe strain on the eyes, and over time it will cause the worsening of eyesight until the person eventually goes blind. This effect would take several years, but each time the person wears it the eyesight gets just a little worse.

2nd Wing: Because the circles were drawn partly in the flesh, the effects will weaken as time eats away at the tissue. If it is carefully preserved, and remains attached to the bones, the effects can be kept indefinitely. When worn a person gains a sudden "sense" of the dangers around him. He can sense when a person has ill intent for him, and he also has an increase to the "hair raising" effect that comes when something just isn't right with the situation. Sometimes it is just a small feeling, other times it comes as an overwhelming shout. The effects strength is at random depending on the situation. When worn the person becomes fidgety and flightily like a bird, jumpy to the point of being considered a bit odd. If the necklace is worn for more than a bell the person begins sensing dangers that are not wholly real, increasing with each passing bell until the wearer constantly feels as if they are in danger. Prolonged use of the item over the years will leave a person permanently paranoid of the world around him, sensing danger around each corner even when none exists.

2nd Finger: Because the circles were drawn partly in the flesh, the effects will weaken as time eats away at the tissue. If it is carefully preserved, and remains attached to the bones, the effects can be kept indefinitely. When worn the person gains a better feel for their djed and its use. They feel confident in its manipulation, and they have an increased accuracy in its direction. This enables a greater ease of casting in all forms of personal magic, allowing the person to sense when they are coming close to overgiving and allowing them to stop long before they reach that point. The item can help nonmages as well, giving them better control over their bodily energies during combat. When removed the person suddenly loses touch with their djed, unable to effectively control or manipulate it and become more likely to overgive and cause harm to themselves and others. These effects last for a bell after the first use, but every time the finger is used the time it takes to regain control after removing increases by one bell.

Combined Effect: Though each piece can be used individually, when worn together they help to strengthen and balance out the effects. If even one item goes missing from the set then this balancing effect is lost and the user will not be able to use the items all at once unless the lost item is replaced. When worn together a person gains a greater awareness of the world around them. They can feel the subtle shifts in the wind, sense possible dangers in the area that are within 30 feet, and their senses are heightened so that they can hear and see better than the average man. Because of the 2nd fingers effects they can manipulate their djed to effectively react to nearly any situation, and with this new level of control comes a sense of confidence that helps them keep a cool head when under pressure. When removed it is like a blanket is put over the person, dampening all of their senses and making the world seem dull and colorless. During the first 2 bells after removal a person will find they have difficulty controlling their djed, even for the simplest spells, and their sense of sight and hearing are diminished to below average. When worn for the first time these effects only last for 2 bells, but each time the item is used the recovery time increases by 2 more bells until the person is completely blind and deaf, and unable to manipulate djed at all. This can occur if a person uses the necklace every day for an entire year, but could take many years if only used sparingly. With the diminish in the senses, and djed control, also comes an increase in paranoia which can become permanent after years of use.

It's Not What You Think...

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