Completed [Execution Square] Fight... or Flight? (Kelski)

A chance meeting with a shocking twist

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[Execution Square] Fight... or Flight? (Kelski)

Postby Farris on July 14th, 2018, 6:20 pm

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Farris listened to the Kelvic's answer with a measure of resentment. It was clearly visible upon his expression. She'd taken his meaning to be far too literal and had perhaps made a judgement call in her statement that was unwarranted. Her words were biting in their direct nature, and it seemed quite obvious that neither deceit nor tact were in Kelski's nature. But, in truth, Farris found the fact of that rather refreshing. It warranted an extension of his own trust and the decision was made in his mind to provide her with the small measure of information she'd requested so politely. As the two began their journey to wherever Kelski was taking him, he parted his lips to provide that answer.

"Res," he said, the word hardly louder than a whisper. "Res is the corporeal manifestation of a Reimancer's djed. It follows our will and is the medium which we use to interact with the elements..."

His words were meant to be direct, though his usage of the extended vocabulary he possessed, at times, alienated him from others. It wasn't something he was ashamed of, for the wider range of vocabulary one had, the easier it was to maintain such knowledge for posterity in the most specific way possible. The wizard chuckled softly as she made her clarification, knowing the lure that was magic and the power that he could share with Kelski. Her curious nature and incessant questions reminded him of a younger self, pestering a father that was no longer there about answers that he now knew. He let an exasperated smile cast upon his features as he followed alongside Kelski. He believed that the Kelvic deserved to know more. She was, after all, being quite hospitable and protective of him. Even Farris, with his withdrawn nature prone to fits of vacancy in favor of thought, could see that her concerns were well-intended.

"I'll answer your questions in full, Kelski. You posed a tremendous offer in exchange for no promises of true initiation. Safety in this city full of hatred and greed is a hard thing to find, and friends to my kind are far more difficult. I've remained shut in my own home for longer than I care to admit, privately practicing while my late father's inheritance kept me in good health for the duration. With that inheritance gone and the need to branch into the world created, I find that my practice has outgrown my own home and my solitude has outgrown its welcome. Your questions are not difficult to answer and your presence is certainly a welcome one. I'd be glad for your hospitality," he told her. The admission of his life in Sunberth was a difficult one. Even now, Farris still found it difficult to admit that his father was truly dead and that his life had been uprooted as a result. It destroyed him to leave Ravok, but there was no home for him in that city without him.

Their pace was brisk and the Reimancer was grateful for it. Once they'd left Execution Square was at last when he believed their safety most compromised, the abundance of thieves and charlatans something he had desperately sought to avoid.

"If I'm in your home and using your facilities, it isn't a bother for you to watch and ask questions about what I am doing. In fact, perhaps the questions might better assist my own thought process. It can be beneficial to have you around, if it's seen that way rather than a nuisance," he added, completing his thought as his gray gaze cast forward. They were approaching Baroque Bay? Where did this Kelvic live?
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[Execution Square] Fight... or Flight? (Kelski)

Postby Kelski on July 15th, 2018, 2:48 pm

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“Res.” She repeated under her breath. Kelski wanted to ask him how it was made. Was it like spit that was snorted up or coughed up from the nose and throat? Was it like blood or urine or something else? Maybe it was like tears. The Kelvic Eagle occupied her brain for a bit wondering at this answer while at the same time listening to the mage speak. She noted his exasperated smile and chuckled…. ‘Okay, that’s enough of an answer for now. I’m sorry… its just we have so little time growing up to learn things. Important things.’ The Sea Eagle added, almost as an explanation. “I’m only six…”

“Thank you. I only want information. I am not seeking power. There is a way to gain power in this city, a whole host of them for sure, but I am not sure I want the burden mages have. I have … friends… who are mages. At least one good one. And I worry for him and his exposure though he is careful. I would not bring you back to the place I told you save that I know you will not reveal it least you yourself be revealed.” She said thoughtfully. Then she lightly jumped a big mud puddle, cut across the half worn cobbles of a remnant section of an ancient street, and slipped between two buildings to come out on a bigger street. She was roughly heading towards the river and towards the coast both.

“I worry for my friend. He spends a great deal of time alone, but like you has a sharp mind and a keen whit. It is so very hard to find people in the city that are like-minded unless that mine roams towards the liquor or drugs or even burying ones body in that of a woman. This city is rough and those with learning have a hard time here.” She added, taking a breath and skirting what looked like a huge pile of human feces in the middle of the path. Kelski wrinkled her nose in distaste and set her form in his path in a way he would have to zig zag left and thus had no possible way to trod across it.

The Kelvic was subtly herding him, pressing him to the best footpath, and away from the dangers laying and loitering on the street.

“My hope is that you two might meet. I think he is younger than you are, but I have a hard time judging human age. Your hair….” She mimicked the beard but then touched around her eyes as if indicating his skin there. “… makes you seem like an old man who has not gone to gray yet, but the flesh around your eyes is not wrinkled so you might be a lot younger than the hair lets me think.” The Kelvic explained, then cut down another street and finally out onto a bigger road that cut through Baroque Bay. She seemed to relax on this road. It was obvious in a moment why. The place was full of sailors and merchants, and seemed a bit more upscale than the poorer section of Sunset Quarter where they’d been. “I think you would like him and he would like you. And you could talk over things for he makes Res like you can, but other things too… coatings that make his wounds waterproof so he can play in the water with me, and his eyes become luminous when he looks at something with his magic instead of just his orbs.” The Kelvic added, not knowing the names for Kynier’s disciplines.

“I ask myself a lot of questions over my work. Sometimes I speak when no one seemingly is there. But there is always someone there. Sometimes they answer. Though usually not what I speak too. Stones are quiet creatures. They speak with other languages besides verbal ones. Their gleam or shine or even tint gives clues to their words… and what they can be if properly treated.” Kelski said, finally turning down one last road that lead to a large building that was all by itself out on the point where the Mudvein River opened into the Eastern Sea. It was a beautiful place, freshly painted in dark paint that hinted at black or purple or blue but not all three. A swinging sign hung over the door, though there was a ‘Opening Soon’ sign hanging in the window. It held the words “The Midnight Gem” with a large faceted piece of wood painted black as if to resemble a gemstone. Big pots of flowers freshly planted flanked either side of the door as the kelvic walked up unlocked it carefully. She stepped aside, letting the mage pass first, into what for all intent and purposes was a posh upscale jewelry shop.

It was elaborately decorated with gleaming wooden floors, glass counters, and shining clever lighting which was mostly turned off. Some of the display cases were full, while others had notes tucked in them with lists of ‘todo’ written as if the owner was going inch by inch filling the cases from scratch. There was a lovely sitting area with a tea service and a large sprawling counter which had more items. In fact, the store was full of a variety of things, some labeled for sale at a very modest cost that even an urchin could afford and some things extremely high end. There were unusual things too, outside the norm for a jewelry store. Pet tags, bridle ornaments for horses, and other things that looked like they were for decoration – like small frogs incrusted with gems and enameled.

“Its here. Well, not here… but here.” She said gesturing. Kelski lead him into a hall that lead to a workshop that looked like someone was often busy in it. Controlled chaos met his gaze, with workbenches lined with projects in various states of completion. They passed a vault that looked like it could hold under all but the most concentrated attack. A deck spilled out off the workshop with an incredible view of the sea and river drainage. It had a firepit, a scattering of chairs, and overlooked a fenced acre of yard. And finally, a staircase lead up. The staircase lead to what looked like living quarters above. It wasn’t to the staircase she moved though. It was to another small discrete door.

Kelski opened it and revealed a staircase down. She took it after lighting a lantern and turning it up high with a candle held in her other hand. She walked down without fail, bouncing down the steps in a strange ‘my ribs ache’ gait. At the bottom of the stairs, she paused before moving around and revealing the place. The entire basement of the Midnight Gem was open, with a tall ceiling and thick beam and brick walls. Someone had partially converted it into a training room as there were training dummies, a punching bag, and several easel-like targets that were actually the diameters of logs sectioned into thick rounds and hung on the easels and walls for people to throw knives and axes or even crossbow bolts at.

A rack of weapons – just a small amount – hung on one side of the room. Then there was a ton of clear floorspace that was perfect for a lot of different types of magic and fighting. Kelski turned to look at Farris, watching his reaction. She had no idea if he would consider this appropriate space or not, but she felt it might work for his needs as long as he didn’t any lightening through the roof and into her shop. “It’s a big space, even for a jeweler. I had to do something with it. This was what I thought was best.” She added, slowly unbuttoning the shirt and sliding it off. Kelski handed it back to him with no sense of modesty whatsoever. “I’ll be right back. I need to get something of mine from upstairs to wear. There’s no clothing down here.” She added and vanished for a few moments, letting him look around and look things over.

When she returned, she had on a light tunic and leggings, comfortable but well worn and definitely not her size. It almost appeared like the woman wore borrowed clothing often and paid it absolutely no mind.
Last edited by Kelski on July 16th, 2018, 8:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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[Execution Square] Fight... or Flight? (Kelski)

Postby Farris on July 15th, 2018, 5:05 pm

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It was odd to be in this Kelvic's presence for a long period of time. She quite obviously had the qualities of a leader, blocking Farris' path and leading him through the one she thought best suited to their travel. She helped him avoid a pile of excrement, a feeling of bile rising up his throat suppressed as they continued along their path. Kelski's response caught him off guard. She sought knowledge of magic without a path to power to accompany it? That in it of itself struck him as odd, but he attributed her endless curiosity to the animal nature within her.

Once it was explained that the woman was only six years old, he was far less surprised at the fact. He could see why she enjoyed his method of speaking, for it was rife with longer words and greater attention to specific detail than that of most individuals. He could see why, perhaps, he struck her as a curiosity. And lastly, he understood now why she wanted him to practice under her roof. If she had another mage ally, it was perhaps best for the pair of them to meet at some point. Knowledge best accompanied knowledge, with secrecy being far easier to keep when multiple individuals were all set on keeping that secret in existence.

When he entered the Midnight Gem, the Reimancer felt as if he'd been struck by lightning. Never would he have expected that Kelski ran a jewelry shop and yet once the realization was there, it seemed a perfect fit for her. It would logically take a great deal of patience to work with jewels as she had, and if she was like most Kelvics and previously a slave, then it gave cause for her to be owned and sought after like a prize. Farris himself didn't seek after wealth or shining prizes, preferring to keep himself unadorned and plain.

After all, such adornments often attracted more attention than it was worth, and especially in this city it seemed dangerous to have signs of wealth hanging about on one's person. Kelski's analysis of Sunberth and the like-minded interest of shallow souls was a sentiment that Farris shared, in full belief that there was little for him to learn from the majority of Sunberth and its people. Though, perhaps, in the interest of the Kelvic and the people she seemed to gather about her that opinion could be revised. She spoke of another mage, one capable of producing Res and what sounded like a strange description for Auristics. The other discipline noted was one he wouldn't know by name, his review of the expansive collection of magics collecting dust in his mind. It'd been years since he'd been in practice with another mage and quite honestly was eager for that sort of experience. However, like all things, it could wait.

"It seems to be the fate of mages, to spend time alone. Don't be concerned about it. If he's studious about it like I am, that solitude is merely a product of necessity. Thoughts are often clouded with the presence of multiple people and it's far simpler to seek out solitude so that practice can remain unimpeded. Though, I've been of the conclusion recently that talking out loud about my findings has been of great benefit and it's why I don't feel too concerned about your inclusion in my practice sessions. Your 'good friend' sounds like he shares a number of disciplines with me and another that I've yet to encounter. Perhaps, in time you'll also see the secrets I keep," he'd add with a chuckle before allowing her to continue her thoughts and their expression uninterrupted. In truth, once she'd expressed that she knew another mage, he too hoped to meet the man. Farris found his study would benefit from another who could be of assistance. Perhaps, if the Reimancer was lucky, it'd be someone at around the level of understanding that he possessed and the both of them could have reasonable discussions and an exchange of thoughts in regard how best to approach the practice of the arcane. But really, Farris craved a friend that could understand him. It'd been far too long.

"It's hard to judge, isn't it? I try to keep my beard in a decent condition but I've found that my hair grows unkempt by default. I'm only 25, you know. There's still decades before I reach old age and perhaps, become more suited to the style I've taken on," he remarked with light laughter. Farris was becoming more comfortable with Kelski and it showed with the smile that was evident upon his expression. As much as Farris continued to reply to Kelski's statements, he found himself more and more caught up in the space she was offering him. Yes, it would do quite nicely, the rooms of the Midnight Gem expansive so long as he didn't fling lightning within its confines. However, it also looked like there was a space outside that he could use to greater effect, as well. In essence, the Gem could be like a refuge, or a sanctum that the mage came to and left as he pleased. And for that, he was grateful.

When Kelski handed him back his shirt with no sign of decency or shame, he took it without complaint. He'd already seen her naked body and while there was certainly some kind of appeal to it, she was battered and bruised and therefore did not merit so many additional stares or observations. Rather, he kept his eyes on the space and as she made her way upstairs he'd call back to her, "Take your time," before he let his rucksack fall to the floor. He'd quickly join it, fully intent on letting her walk in on an act of meditation. She said she wished to study him in practice and he had no desire to let her down in that regard. His shirt was hastily thrown over his shoulders before he took his seat. Hands were placed on each knee with the palm facing up into the sky as he began to keep careful considerations of his breathing. The pace of such breathing began at a normal rate but slowed significantly, his eyes closed as he sought to clear his thoughts of foreign ideas. He felt the djed within him and first sought to manipulate it without calling a specific discipline to mind. Djed moved through his body peacefully before he raised his hands to chest level. Palms faced one another, with one hand hovering an inch above the second. Then, he adopted a slow, steady movement, his hands in orbit of one another as he sought to add a purpose to his djed.

Djed coalesced at his fingertips as the steadying motions called to the mindset of emptiness. The light did not reach him, the black visible behind his eyelids making it far easier to focus upon the task. Small rips began to form in the very air itself before they combined into one another. A linear rift into the Void was formed, and as he fueled the portal with more djed, it began to expand until taking a circular shape, approximately three inches in diameter. The shape took approximately thirty-five ticks to come to fruition, with his movements kept even and slow as the portal stabilized. He didn't bother adding a pull just yet, but instead, his eyes opened and he let his observations of the portal and formation begin to come to mind.

"It's always soothing, to look at these portals..." he said to no one in particular.
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[Execution Square] Fight... or Flight? (Kelski)

Postby Kelski on July 17th, 2018, 2:09 am

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She listened carefully to the sound of his voice and his explanation of mages needing time alone. Farris’ words made sense. Company was bad for mages. They needed alone time and that was the best for them to think within their studies. Kelski thought this through and nodded. “I’ll introduce you if you don’t meet soon.” The Sea Eagle assured him. Farris was giving her a lot to think on. But she had more questions. She’d ask them when they were settled, withholding her comments until later

Kelski nodded at the revelation that he was twenty-five. It seemed so old. How old did humans live anyhow? The Sea Eagle hadn’t ever given it a thought. Most of them lived too long for their own good. The Kelvic sat quietly, just as meditative as Farris was though she kept out of his way and simply cleared her mind as she watched him. The Kelvic wondered if this was how mages did magic, by being so quiet and thinking so much? No wonder they needed time alone. It still made her wonder why people hated them. Hate wasn’t even a strong enough word for what Sunberth felt in regards to magic users.

Then he worked magic and the Kelvic watched carefully. It was something she’d seen before when Kynier had disposed of bloody cloth. So it was a portal…. Farris gave away knowledge so casually while her friend horded it. “I didn’t know what they were called.” Kelski said simply, rising from where she’d been sitting away from him and moving over to sit cross-legged by the portal so she could watch it as he did. “Where does it lead?” She wondered, resisting the urge to spit into it to see if her phlegm would sizzle, spark, or simply disappear.

Kelski reached up and stroked a length of her ombre hair, her brow furrowing with the weight of her thoughts. “You said I could ask you some question. Thank you for that if I haven’t thanked you already. But I don’t want to ask you too many, Farris. I just have a couple… “ The Kelvic said quietly. She wasn’t sure how to form her questions, but she thought this was a unique and very special opportunity to finally get some answers to things she’d been too shy to ask other mages… even other people.

“Why are you a mage? Why magic? I’ve been told over and over again that it is dangerous, deadly, and yet I know several of you that have this look in your eyes when you speak of magic. It’s like… the whole of your life or one of your great passions… perhaps even like gems are mine. It’s a look you cannot fake or duplicate. So… can you explain how… such a dangerous thing has such a … a pull for you?” Her voice was husky, hesitant, as if it were hard for her to form her idea. She was hopeful that he understood what she was doing such a poor job of asking.

“My second question isn’t exactly related, though it could be.” Kelski took a deep breath and blew it out carefully. She shifted, her posture almost perfect even though the kelvic was sitting on the floor with her legs folded under her. “If Magic is so important to mages, can other things be important? Like people? My people always feel so alone, so empty unless we bond. Are mages poor choices for such things because they will always put magic first? I mean… would a mage like you, for example, have any use for a companion such as myself? I’m not … “ She stopped, took a breath, and pulled at her hair again, making a odd chopping motion with her fingers as the strands pulled through her hand. If Farris had a keen eye he’d realize was a lot akin to a bird preening a feather nervously. She was unhappy or worried about something.

The distress was almost tangible.

“I’ve worked very hard to try to … be something other than a burden to someone. To be appealing… to have something of value to offer. This place is part of that work. I want to be someone’s bondmate. But I see things like this… this portal to wherever it goes… and I see the power at your hands… with you lightening even… and I think there is no way a mage would ever truly value a Kelvic… or even want one as a bondmate. Do you know the truth of this?” She asked carefully, glancing up from the portal finally to meet his gaze. Kelski really wanted to know the answers to both questions. If she had to change her wants for the future, it was better to do so now than to continue on the useless path she was on if indeed it was useless.
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[Execution Square] Fight... or Flight? (Kelski)

Postby Farris on July 17th, 2018, 3:16 am

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Farris listened intently before he answered anything. Kelski already struck him as strange for her propensity to ask so many in such a quick interval. Rather than fall into a trap and become consumed by many different questions each in need of an answer he kept silent instead. As she spoke, the portal that Farris created seemed to pulse with life. A slight pull began to come from the portal but he let his focus upon it dwindle away. The tiny rift shrunk with each question asked until matter was injected back into the space. Djed dispersed and Farris let his hands fall to his knees as he stared at Kelski. She wore her emotions on her sleeve. That much he could tell immediately, the last question she posed followed by a telling he'd never expected. She seemed to spill her heart forth for him to listen to, clear unease and doubt set upon her visage as she asked if the Voider could value someone like her as a bondmate. Farris felt his pulse rise when her gaze met with his own, his gray gaze caught in hers as he mused carefully upon her words.

"Your questions aren't very off from one another. You ask why the study of magic is so important to us, then you follow it with an analysis that such importance would cast you away. I don't know who your friend is but I'll speak of my own experience. Magic is everything to me. It was a product of the greatest bond I could ever know. My father taught me many things, but nothing was so precious as the teaching of magic. The practice is one's very soul poured out and used as a brush with which the world can be painted. I couldn't imagine anything or anyone getting in the way of that, regardless of how I felt about them. The pursuit of magic is measured with caution and perhaps rightfully so. I can see that this practice has changed me. It festers as an obsession. It causes caution to be thrown to the wind. It raises the heart to the throat in exhilaration in its practice. But, at the same time you speak of a bond. If your bond is one that is meant to complement one's nature, then I see no reason that it wouldn't be desired."

The mage took a breath, raising his hands to brush his fingertips across his face. He wasn't used to speaking so freely or answering so much. A second breath and his lips parted again before he reached forward. A hand slipped beneath the Kelvic's jawline, the touch so similar to the one he'd posed before. However, rather than reciprocating what she had done, this was an offer made. Reaching out to the Kelvic, Farris sought to complete his answer.

"It strikes me as odd, to hear your tale because you strike me as someone who wasn't so vulnerable. Earlier, you were strong and yet gentle enough to back off when you were mistaken. You apologized and then subsequently showed no such remorse when it came to getting your questions answered. I might not know you, but you strike me as a very capable, intelligent being despite what you are. Before today, I couldn't imagine that a Kelvic could cause me to look twice at it. To consider it a person. Call me what you want for that opinion, but it is what I knew about your kind."


The mage didn't know if his response was satisfactory for her. He wasn't sure what she wanted to hear. Farris wasn't going to tell her what he believed she might want to know. Reassurances weren't in his nature, but he also wasn't going to lie to the Kelvic.

"You see yourself as a burden and yet to me you might yet be salvation. Your arrival was timely, I've been taking risks... Wanting to push myself. The study of magic here is even more dangerous than anywhere else. You saved me from the threat of exposure and then eradicated that threat entirely. Don't thank me for my answers. They aren't certain in the slightest but I hope they are sufficient."

The mage furrowed his brow in frustration. He had such a distaste for not having the answers to his own questions. Clearly the sentiment was shared for any question at all. The Reimancer was by nature studious, keeping secrets from all except for this one, it seemed.

"Personal magic, especially, has the habit to overwhelm the heart and soul. But, it exposes us for who we truly are. I think, if you're unsure, Kelski, then you need find your answer soon," he cautioned her. Farris knew that the study of magic was highly transformative. It brought to light the deepest parts of a person's soul.
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[Execution Square] Fight... or Flight? (Kelski)

Postby Kelski on July 21st, 2018, 4:12 am

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Kelski settled into a seat close to him, yet not violating private space. She folded her legs under her and carefully watched the way he spoke and more importantly the way he thought of her two questions. The Kelvic Eagle thought she knew what the answer to her first question was going to be and wasn’t surprised when he spoke of the magic and how it was the single most important thing in his life. It had formed a bond…

She hated that he said it that way, but Kelski felt it was something she desperately needed to hear from someone who didn’t know her or the one she pursued. He spoke of caution and festering obsessions and a recklessness that grew within a mage’s heart. The Kelvic didn’t see how something like that could compare to something like her. Her eyes grew distant as her thinking switched inward, responding to the mental picture Farris was painting of magic within her mind. To her it was like that burning effigy in Sunberth, towering and hovering over the city. It wasn’t much to look at during the day, but at night when it was fully engulphed, it was something epic and awe inspiring. She remembered herself, that first day of The Valterrian…. it had been her birthday… and she was standing before the burning figure such a small cold thing so underwhelmed and swallowed in shadows compared to its might. What Farris said wasn’t easy to hear, but Kelski told herself that maybe she understood a little better now.

His touch beneath her jawline brought her back to him, and she blinked, half expecting the towering burning man to be a reality. But they were only in her basement, and the mage was only cupping her jawline. Normally she would have tensed under the touch, but he wasn’t aggressive and didn’t force her head one direction or another, so she stayed relaxed.

He said more and she nodded to his words. “I’ve had none in this world to protect me save myself and Akajia.” Kelski admitted. “It causes you to become those things, though it is harder to remain gentle. I want to nurture, but the truth is the one that needs nurturing is closest to me.” She added, knowing suddenly then the truth of her words. A bondmate would be a bright and beautiful thing, a dream fulfilled – one every Kelvic shared. But anyone she pursued was not as deserving of her love and care as she herself was. And none of them so far, no single human or otherwise had wanted to do for her what she wanted to do for them. Other Kelvics had warned her. But Kelski had been stubborn and optimistic. But she held that image close in her mind…. the towering mage built as a wooden effigy burning so brightly and commanding so much attention… and herself in comparison.

Mages. It was a wonder anyone tolerated them.

She basked a moment in his thanks, having rarely received any, then shook her head and offered him a smile. “Your answers very much helped me. I very much appreciate them and your honesty. I had no idea what magic was like for your kind having none of my own. It explains so much as well. When I go about my day to day business, I feel so alive from my head to my toes. I am conscious of all of me, the space around me, even the air I breath or the blood in my veins flowing because it is forced to do so by my heart. Your kind… and I mean no offense by this…. seem to live more drawn within. Your gazes seem inward, as if there is some secret land you roam away from the world I live in and the world your body is present in. Your mind flees elsewhere and it is simply a place I cannot see or know. You answered my questions nicely. I can see now that there is perhaps no way someone like me can bridge such a distance. I can’t walk someone else’s internal landscape and it is such a thing, I think, where they would not easily be parted from it.” She mused, almost thinking aloud as she watched Farris’ face look calmly upon her.

“You helped me find the answer. I think I actually have one now. It may not be the one I wanted, but it still feels good not to be stumbling around in the dark.” She said wistfully. Kelski rose then, pulling her jaw from his hand and began to roam the space around him, orbiting as she walked light-footed. “I wasn’t expecting magic to be what you say it is. I thought it was something less, something like an artform or something that brings forth a talent you already have like how someone trained to sing well just augments their natural voice.” She said thoughtfully. “As a jeweler, I know my end game is to be able to produce the most beautiful technically accurate artistic desirable pieces of art that people can adorn themselves with. But this last question I don’t rightly understand…. I cant make the connection. What is the end game for a mage? When is enough enough? What is your own end game?” She asked, not sure if he was waiting for another question, but it was something that suited the conversation perfectly.
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I laugh at them because they are all the same.


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Kelski
Freedom is earned. Fight for it.
 
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Location: The Wildlands of Sylira & The Empyreal Demesne
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[Execution Square] Fight... or Flight? (Kelski)

Postby Farris on July 21st, 2018, 11:35 pm

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As Farris listened to the Kelvic's parallel, he was astonished. She found fulfillment in mundane, everyday things that the average mortal took for granted. Daily tasks that might strike some as dull and ordinary were clearly new and vivid to Kelski, with the Reimancer almost envious of her outlook and disposition. It was a wonder with all of the things that went through her mind that she didn't grow bored with it all, but to each their own, he supposed. He continued to listen, his arms drawn back once she pulled away from his touch. Farris sat upright, his own hunched posture abandoned as he took note of Kelski's own and attempted to mimic it. Surely it was better for the spine, but it drew to his attention a confidence in being that the wizard strove for. A smile cast upon his features as he listened to Kelski's intended 'end game'. Hopes and aspirations for the future weren't often on Farris' mind, his mundane life spent in-the-moment. Trepidation was the common philosophy when the Reimancer thought on the future. Always in need of secrecy, never able to trust, but more importantly, solitude was the defining characteristic of such thoughts. Farris lacked for many of the luxuries he had in Ravok. Allies and friends were lost in the hatred for his home that stemmed from his father's disappearance.

But, could he help it? His gaze was hard, his gray orbs set squarely on Kelski as he thought on her question. What was the end game for a mage? Often enough it was death, desolation, or insanity. The study of magic did little to preserve a mage's lifespan, but it was the possibility of survival and the tremendous power that waited for a mage at the end of their path that spurred them forward. If anything, Farris could never be described as a coward. Nor could he be assumed as one who feared death. The mage pondered her question for several moments longer before his lips parted. His gaze was no longer set upon Kelski, but rather turned downward. He pulled at the depths of djed that welled within the soul. That pull directed it towards his hands. It coalesced upon his fingertips as Res and rose into the air in a dense fog. The Res then expanded. A soft sound poured from the movement of the air as Farris willed the Res to attract oxygen to its point. The Res then formed into a dense, solid ball, air gathering about the confines before the entirety of it ignited. The flames did not scatter or fly across the room. The ball of Res attracted the elements towards it, turning the magic inward.

Little by little the ball of Res dwindled. Once it reached half of its original size, it fell into his hands. Heat permeated at the surface of his palms. The flame flickered anew as Farris widened the distance between his hands. Before him and across from Kelski the ball of flame waxed and waned, orange and yellows flickering to life and dying again in turn. After a full two chimes of silence, he let the wisps of Res that remained begin its path towards decay, the Reimancer's lips pursed as he considered his answer one final time.

"This display of power is nothing to what can stem from this practice. I've heard tales of Reimancers calling flurries of lightning from the sky, or tales of Voiders attempting to swallow entire buildings in their efforts. I've heard of Aurists who dared look upon the aura of Gods themselves. This life is not meant for someone with an 'end game'. It's possible that I'll never reach that point. But, power does not require purpose in order to be sought. The pursuit of power is its own reward and its study is worthy simply because it exists. You ask what my final destination is and yet... how can I know until I've already reached to the heights I aspire for? There are four elements that I could feasibly draw from and yet I only know two. The largest rift I've created is no larger than my hand... I've learned to analyze an aura and yet I've heard of others who can keep track of a multitude. I have dreams, Kelski. I have vendettas that need reach satisfaction, a father lost to a city that I hope to see only when I can strike down whoever was responsible. But... my 'end game'? I can't pretend to know where I'll be a year from now, let alone ten or twenty. I intend to live with this magic for as long as I can and reap the benefits of my practice until whatever thirsts and hungers I have and grow to have are satisfied."

The Reimancer's eyes shone with the glint of ambition that was present within him. The path Farris set forth upon was not one he could express so easily or readily, but it was apparent in his eyes that he lusted for power and prestige.
Farris
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[Execution Square] Fight... or Flight? (Kelski)

Postby Kelski on July 22nd, 2018, 2:07 pm

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She wondered if the question had been to bold. The mage had a hard look to his gaze and he studied her without seeing her. That look meant he was deep inside, walking that mageworld others could not follow too. She’d seen the same expression on Kynier’s gaze numerous times and now thanks to Farris’ information, the sight held no mystery for her now. He was thinking and thinking deeply. He formed Res up and studied it, still not speaking, then ignited it. It was as if the gesture were some sort of reaffirming ritual for the mage. What he said next chilled her…. chilled her straight to her core.

She recognized so many things once he said that. Greed and hunger for power. The need to push oneself further, longer, harder, bigger… the more words he shoved at her the more she understood the scope and scale of what mages were chasing. Ice formed in her heart and she thought back to their earlier conversation about Kelvics and bondmates and the purpose and usefulness of people.

Kelski reached up and dragged a hand through her hair, not disturbed by Farris’ admissions. He was like a walking textbook of information and she truly delighted in the fact that he told her these things. He was expanding her awareness and understanding in leaps and bounds. Her gratitude knew no ending because she thought perhaps he was saving her from herself and her true nature with all the intelligence he offered.

There was some deep raw honesty in Farris’ words. He knew…. she could see it in his eyes…. that what he did would likely kill him someday or worse. But he acknowledged his search for more knowledge and bigger magic as a thirst and hunger, all but an addiction, and that clarified so much with Kelski. It also made sense to her why Sunberth abhorred mages. She could tell that Farris wasn’t a bad person. He was the type of person she’d love to call a friend. But if you took his desires and his drives and put them into someone’s heart…. someone like Darvin…. there’d be a monster lurking within, one far more capable of ruining lives than they would be just as mere mortals.

When he was done speaking, Kelski stood there staring at him a long long time. She swallowed once and dug deeply into her pocket. She pulled forth a key and strode to him. She lifted her palm, a black skeleton key on it.

“I would like to give this to you, Farris. It is a key to the shop and my home. There are many valuable things in here, but I would ask that you would take none of them either for yourself or another. I would ask that you use this place whenever you need too in order to advance your studies, keeping in mind the safety of those that live here. I would ask also that you feel free to come here when you need companionship or healing or just plain help. We gather here often to ease loneliness and hurts large and small both of the body and heart. You’d be welcome for meals and even just for times sitting on the deck watching the waves. I would like to call you my friend. I find your mind fascinating, your words refreshing, and your honesty very comforting. Will you guard this key carefully and use it in the way I intend it to be used?” She asked almost an oath of him, certain that his word was good enough.

If he agreed, she’d give him the key and a very sincere hug, then leave him to his practice and study because she had so very much work to do upstairs and so very little time to get it all done.
Image
They laugh at me because I am different.
I laugh at them because they are all the same.


Painted Sky Jewelry (The Wildlands) | Crossroads Jewelry (The Outpost)
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Kelski
Freedom is earned. Fight for it.
 
Posts: 1598
Words: 2015452
Joined roleplay: July 3rd, 2014, 11:08 pm
Location: The Wildlands of Sylira & The Empyreal Demesne
Race: Kelvic
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[Execution Square] Fight... or Flight? (Kelski)

Postby Farris on July 22nd, 2018, 8:54 pm

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Farris admitted a side to himself to Kelski that others might never see. His breath was heavier when he finished speaking, and he looked at the Kelvic with a measure of caution as he let his hands move to rest on his legs. The seated position was comforting to the Reimancer, who found a need to calm himself. His breath slowed over time and at last, he realized what he'd admitted to Kelski. In the past, magic was a bond shared with a father, a mutual search for knowledge that brought blood even closer than it could be otherwise. With that connection severed permanently, the young mage found himself lost in translation, his journey taking him from Ravok as he realized that the place was no longer home to him. When he'd arrived within Sunberth he hardly had the time to think on his dreams and aspirations. Goals were set aside and it was an attempt to recoup what was lost that had him continuing his pursuit of the arcane. It wasn't until Kelski posed such deep, personal questions that he truly thought of them at all. In part, it was the reason why it took so long to answer each question.

As the Kelvic stared at him he wondered what she might be thinking. There was a sort of fear in her eyes that caught him off guard, though it vanished quickly enough that the wizard didn't bother thinking on it for long. When at last she spoke Farris expected her to rescind her offer, to cast him out of her home. But, she didn't. Instead, she reaffirmed her offer and extended hospitality that was often offered to friends. She extended her hand and offered him a key to her home, with the condition that he take nothing from it and not jeopardize the safety of its inhabitants. Farris was truly only a danger to himself. The mage didn't have a tendency towards violence and his pursuits were, for now, in the lane of personal interest. Power for power's sake was a ruse, that much he knew. Farris had every intention of employing the power he sought. However, it was as he said. He knew not what he wanted to use that power for.

At her words, Farris nodded in understanding. He took the key in his hand, closing his fist around it. Then Kelski did something he didn't expect. She hugged him. Farris was rather astonished by the gesture, but his arms went around her in turn. The contact was brief and after it, Kelski was quick to rise and start to leave. Farris did not stand, but his words followed after her.

"You have my word, Kelski," he'd say as she left him to his own devices. In isolation, the Reimancer pondered hard about the words that spilled from his own lips. There a was side to him that he never knew existed that presented itself that day. Perhaps his father's preachings about the puppeteer God Sagallius drove home into the depths of his soul. Like the transcended god, Farris craved power. He lusted for it, dreamt about what he could do with it. Musing upon the potential outcomes of his practice, Farris resolved at that moment that he'd never let anything get in the way of his pursuit. Hatred festered within the depths of his soul as he thought on the bond he'd lost. Tears stung at the edges of his vision as he pulled at the depths of his soul. Djed poured into the palms of his hands once again. He mused on his words and analyzed them. As the djed in his palms tasked into the creation of a portal, the tears dried. Left in their wake was a resolve he'd never known himself capable of. Often, when the Voider opened up portals he found himself plagued by the past. As the rift opened in a horizontal slit, he found no such thoughts invading his mind. Djed cast out the matter in the air, pushing it into the nothingness as the portal grew wider. The magic stretched until it was the length of his hand, pulsing with life as air flowed in with a pull that he created. A breath taken strengthened him as he sought to widen the rift further still. He struggled and fought against his weakness, but was, at the end unable to maintain a larger portal. Letting matter flow back into the rift to the Other Side, he let the flow of djed halt as well.

Fatigue set upon his senses, the use of his magicks draining him. He put his palm on the floor and pushed up, intent on standing. When he managed, albeit with some difficulty, his breath was heavy and his muscles sore. He sought to rise but only fell back. Farris found his back to the wall as bitter laughter escaped his lips. Someday, he thought to himself, his gray eyes filled with life that they hadn't possessed before. I will be great. Power is the only thing that can truly impact the world around me. And in this world, there are people who need to pay for what they've taken from me.
Farris
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[Execution Square] Fight... or Flight? (Kelski)

Postby Kelski on September 7th, 2018, 4:54 am

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Grading



Farris- if you unretire I’ll gladly grade this for you.

Kelski
Scouting +1, Acrobatics +2, Interrogation +5, Rhetoric +5, Persuasion +5, Teaching +4, Negotiation +4, Logic +2

Baroque Bay: Nightly Patrols, Execution Square: Location, Appearance, Common Appearance From Sky, Farris: Mage That Throws Lightening, Acrobatics: Falling From The Sky Gracefully, Acrobatics: Transforming Mid Fall To Catch Oneself As A Human, Reimancy: Fire/Lightening, Reimancy: A type of Magic, Persuasion: Talking A Man Out Of His Clothes, Handicap: Definition & Meaning, Negotiation: Trading Knowledge For Training Space, Negotiation: Trading Answers for Locations, Negotiation: Terms Of A Trade, Logic: Determining Weak People, Magic: What Res Is, Logic: Determining Human Age From Physical Features, Magic: Voiding, Magic: Reimancy,
Image
They laugh at me because I am different.
I laugh at them because they are all the same.


Painted Sky Jewelry (The Wildlands) | Crossroads Jewelry (The Outpost)
User avatar
Kelski
Freedom is earned. Fight for it.
 
Posts: 1598
Words: 2015452
Joined roleplay: July 3rd, 2014, 11:08 pm
Location: The Wildlands of Sylira & The Empyreal Demesne
Race: Kelvic
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Plotnotes
Medals: 11
Featured Character (1) Featured Thread (2)
Mizahar Grader (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) Donor (1)
One Thousand Posts! (1) One Million Words! (1)
Sunberth Seasonal Challenge (1) Power Fork (1)

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