[Flashback] Baptism by Fire [Elisse]

[Tabarnac]

28th Winter, 507 A.V. The bolder, more audacious students called Professor Jarick "the Firelord" behind his back with some degree of humor and some degree of respect. Certainly the man cut an interesting figure, blue eyes too bright, white hair a little wild, and skin too young to match up with that hair. Some said he had burned away the color of it, and some scoffed at such. Others quietly noted that the use of magic could have any number of unpredictable side-effects, even on those who survived to be however old he was. There was even speculation as to whether he was an Azenth, but nobody could say for certain whether he was one of Ivak's favorites or just a talented reimancer. His office was rather spartan. There was little in the way of paper (or, rather, tinder?) and his one bookcase was carved with glyphs, most likely to call up shields should there ever be a conflagration, even if the second door led to a more heavily warded private work room. "Safety first," he often said to his students. He waited for a particular student, arms clasped behind his back, eyes peering out the window to look down on a courtyard.

[Elisse]

Elisse stepped out of her room and shut the door with a quiet click. She paused for a moment and leaned against it. She was nervous, but excited all the same. Today would be the day that she got her element. A small smile worked its way over her mouth. Finally she would be able to practice reimancy with the other initiated students in the class. She pushed off from the door and began her walk down the University corridors, her steps echoing round the walls. As she went, she wondered which element would come to her. Her Professor was a fire user himself, she’d often heard other students refer to him as ‘The Firelord’ when he wasn’t around. Elisse figured that she might find water, one of the more delicate elements, being the quieter, more scholarly type. When she reached his office door, she stopped and rocked back on her heels. She took a couple of deep breaths and then knocked.

[Tabarnac]

"Enter," he called immediately, and quickly turned around upon her entrance. They were not strangers to each other, but he was clearly assessing her with those eyes of his, not insane, but certainly other. Given the chance to see him more up close and personal, he gave the impression of someone 'spare', as if all that was unnecessary in him had been burned away to feed his magical fires. "Young Mistress Elisse," he said by way of greeting. His manner was surprisingly genteel for one with such a strange appearance, and perhaps that was where the -lord came into his nickname. "Welcome. Have a seat, please, and tell me why you want to become a reimancer."

[Elisse]

”Enter” Her stomach immediately tied itself into a knot. She took a breath and opened the door, then closed it quietly behind her. He turned as she walked in, and she paused. His gaze was…odd. She couldn’t quite find a word for it but all the same, her own gaze slid away to the single bookcase along the wall. ”Young Mistress Elisse,” She returned her attention to the Professor before moving into the seat he had indicated. Why did she want to become a reimancer? She wasn’t entirely sure she would be able to put her answer into words that formed coherent sentences. “Well…the Arcane…it fascinates me.” She gave a tiny smile. “The idea of having something under your control that you can’t necessarily see…” She trailed off for a moment. “I’ve studied reimancy a lot, and I think that to know more, to know what it’s truly like, you need to try it yourself…” She frowned in thought. “I think that whatever element you have, that there is more to it that just being used for defence or something.” Elisse shrugged and looked at the Professor. “I think that there will always be something new to discover about your element even when you think you know it all.” Elisse loved learning, she loved knowledge. She hoped that her words made sense to the Professor, and she curled her hands in her lap, fearing that she had just babbled nonsense to him.

[Tabarnac]

The so-called firelord listened to her with all due respect, considering her haltingly articulated reasoning and nodding as if he had not heard this many, many times before. He would have preferred to stand, but didn't want to tower over her and intimidate her as he had been warned he often did to poor students. There was a part of him that felt they should be made of sterner stuff if they wished to control the elements, but even his hands were bound by red tape as an academician. Sitting, he nodded. "Certainly, all magic is fascinating, but in the end, all magic is but a tool. So I pose the question again -- not, I hope, unkindly: why do you wish to become an elementalist? For purposes of combat?" He laid no negative connotation upon the word; certainly, Mizahar was more dangerous than it had ever been. "For some undoubtedly noble quest? Pure academic interest?"

[Elisse]

Elisse was quiet for a moment. She had a feeling that she had just talked a load of rubbish that had been said a million times before. Though most, if not all of it had been true. She probably hadn't said it in the right way though, but she couldn't tell, as he had been nodding and appearing interested throughout her stammered speech. Her eyes flicked up too meet his own when he began to speak to her. After his words, she paused, and then nodded. "I suppose...a mixture." Another little smile graced her mouth. "Though I have yet to attain my noble quest." Another pause. "I think that being able to use reimancy in combat will be one reason, yes. I mean, I'm not exactly the strongest person. And of course there's interest, although more personal than academic." She frowned for a moment. "I was always told what to study, what to do, what career I may pursue, but reimancy...it's something that I want for my own." She glanced at the Professor again. "It's not selfish to want that, is it?" She didn't know why she asked him that question. Either way, she wasn't really expecting an answer.

[Tabarnac]

"Selfish? I don't know. One requires a certain amount of self-interest in order to survive in the world. Civilization only extends so far, and civilization is in many ways a veneer to hide our more primal natures." His posture was strong, even sitting, though he seemed so confident in his own abilities that he could have been sprawled on the floor in his knickers without being embarrassed. Still, he considered her rather as if he wanted to burn away what was unnecessary in her to see if there was anything worthwhile to her essence. "You should be aware that there is pain in the initiation, pain in the recovery, and likely pain in the process of learning reimancy. Fire burns, earth breaks, and all that. You may not be the strongest person, but you must be strong to bear this magic. I do not speak of your gender, for some of the greatest reimancers I have known are or were women. But an invalid body will not survive the initiation, nor a weak mind."

[Elisse]

Elisse nodded slowly at the Professor's words. She had never really ventured outside the civilized world. Syliras City was the only place she had ever known aside from Zeltiva. Thinking about it now, the prospect of being outside a city with no way that she could defend herself was rather daunting. When he spoke of pain, she nodded again. She had read about it, and had heard talk of it from another student she had briefly spoken to. Though she figured that anything she felt would be far worse than what she could imagine. But she was certain that she could take it. She understood that there would always be some pain in learning - she had read of overgiving. "I understand that, yes." She looked directly at the Professor. "But I believe I can handle it."

[Tabarnac]

A short exhalation of breath accompanied a tight smile at her response. They were all the same, these fresh-faced children with stars in their eyes and adventure tales in their ears, and some of them even survived long enough to cultivate a seed of wisdom in the earth of their experience. A little amused, a little long-suffering, he steepled his fingers and tapped his paired thumbs against his lips a few times. "No doubt, no doubt. And I suppose you don't wish to waste any time, but are ready to get it all underway as soon as I agree to your request, am I correct?" He gave no real indication that he would not oblige her, but one had to make an effort to hammer caution into those of an age to imagine themselves invincible. Few were the students who really understood what danger meant, the frailty of the human body, and all that. But there were only a few ways to learn, and so most of them dove into the deep end.

[Elisse]

Elisse noticed how the Professor's smile did not reach his eyes. He had probably had numerous students saying the same things before. She paused a moment at his reply, before nodding slowly. "Yes, yes that would be correct." There was another pause, where she simply looked at the Professor before speaking again. Even though he had no denied her request, he hadn't said he would help her either. Plus, she just felt the need to let him know. "Professor, I honestly do understand what the initiation can be like. Not from experience obviously but I know that I can...die." She didn't let her gaze fall. She had to let herself believe that she would get through the initiation if it went ahead. If she believed she was weak then it could make all the difference. At least, that's what she thought.