[Flashback, Rhyshaltze] A Heart so Violent and Wild

[Panna Cotta]

47th day of the Winter Season, 490 AV

Rhyshaltze found himself riding a horseless wagon that moved on its own, no doubt an item created with magic. The landscape rolled about, everything was quiet and still, as if the place was devoid of fauna. Within a good hour, he was inside the vast citadel. There seemed to be only one way in, and only one way out.

"Welcome back to Sahova, Francheska Lee Tieh." A welcoming female voice chirped.

Rhyshaltze would then notice that another wagon was behind him, on it was a pretty human with black square glasses framing her light brown eyes. The fringes of her golden brown hair was bunched up and gathered by a clip, and the rest of her shiny locks fell in waves over her bare honey-brown shoulder. She was carrying a tower of books with her. "Help me unload, will ya?" She looked at Rhyshaltze with persuasive eyes. And then to Drainira, "Come on, D. How many times will I have to request to stop calling me like that. I like Frankie Lee better." She looked odd, talking out loud to no one in particular. She was dressed in cheap silk, and she looked very scholarly.

Tieh appeared by Rhyshaltze's side, "Those books please." She pointed to a higher tower of books. "You'll save me a trip back and forth, thanks!"

"If you really needed assistance Tieh I could've just called on a golem to give you help." The ethereal female voice sounded hurt.

"Aww... D. You know I love company."

A teasing voice retorted. "I can understand.You've got quite the unique visitor there Francheska."

As they went into the Citadel's first cavern-corridor lit by blue lights, Tieh started acquainting herself with the Ethaefal. "Well, you know my name, so what's yours?" She had a happy spring in her step, her hair bounced happily. "What're you here for anyway?" She turned a few corridors and halls. "This way please. Follow me. Don't worry, I'll owe you after this."

The Ethaefal was escorted into the same looking corridors, turning here and there, climbing a few short steps or two. They came across other wizards (of the undead kind)who kept to themselves. Golems of various sizes wheeling here and there.

"Here's my lab, not yet... it will be soon, anyway." The door opened without anybody pushing it. Rhyshaltze was welcomed into a quaint room with a high ceiling, towering shelves and a few desks. Everything was in order, books and other binded material in a stack. A few candles were lit, some hanging from chandeliers in the ceiling. "Please put those books over there." Tieh pointed to a desk over the left side of the room with her lips.

"Thanks much," she held out a hand to shake the Ethaefal's. "I really appreciate that. So... about your reasons for visiting, how were you planning to go about it really? I mean, do you want a Master?" She was probably referring to one of the Nuits who held a higher position.

"Don't really have anything to do yet." She flipped her hair backwards. "I can help you, just tell me what you need."

[Ryshaltze]

Ryshaltze was pretty much still in a mild state of disorientation. The efficient mode of transport of which he found himself was a minor factor, but the appearance of a scholarly and pretty human woman even more so. It was a strange combination, at least to the Ethaefal, for despite living so long and being free of most of prejudices and stereotypes other lesser minded beings shared, he still could not tie the adjectives 'attractive' and 'academic' together. The fact that all the professors that mentored him before were all wrinkly and eccentric did not help in his mental image of 'Professor'. Her bubbly and seemingly un-deflatable personality looked out of place in this chillingly mysterious island that bespoke of magic long lost and ancient secrets best left undiscovered. However, he welcomed it for it represented a touch of humanity in a sea of cold, walking corpses.

"I'm not sure really, maybe go and ask someone?" He had read up on what he could regarding Sahovian society, but as far as he knew calling a group of undead wizards loosely living together a 'society' would be stretching the word. Though he was a minor mage, he knew that even living wizards would find social interactions meaningless and suspicious. Put a group of powerful undead wizards together, and the results would probably be even worse. Ryshaltze sincerely respected the head's leadership and management skills - whoever it is - for being able to control this insanity.

"Honestly speaking, I am attempting to learn the art of Reimancy. It is unfortunately still a mystery to me and it is my hope that someone would enlighten me in that regard. I also know a tiny bit about Flux and Spiritism, and would be most joyous if my knowledge in those areas could be expanded as well."

"I have also heard of many other wondrous fields of study, like Magecrafting, Voiding, and that one that involves drawing runic symbols on pieces of parchment. There are also so many others out there that I have probably never heard before."

He studied Francheska Lee Tieh - or Frankie Lee as she preferred to be addressed - and wondered just how much she knew.

"This is the land of magic, after all. I'm more than happy to be a sponge for anything magical." He coughed. The islands' notoriety for weird experiments came to mind and he did not want to accidentally invite trouble.

"Metaphorically speaking of course."

[Panna Cotta]

"Reimancy!" Tieh lighted up, fists closed in triumph. "That's my forte! Wow. I mean, do you have any element in mind? I know Water, Air and Earth." She looked thoughtful and kept saying "I know that, too!" or "I wish I knew that!" to each discipline Rhyshaltze mentioned. She didn't struck him off as arrogant, just as an over enthusiastic mage, too intelligent for her own good. No wonder she was in Sahova.

"Magecrafting, Glyphing and Voiding." Tieh's smile slowly dawned on your face. "Wow, do you want to stay here forever? Learning those things take time, I mean, no offense though, is this your first time researching magic?"

She led him outside her laboratory and talked to him as she locked the door, "I'd bring you to the masters, but the light eat me I'm really scared of Aelobius the Voider. And Lector Qiao, best Glypher around if you ask me, creeps me out. I think I creep him out too, since I'm human and I'm staying around. Nuits don't really practice a lot of Magecraft here, at least, none that I know of, and for that, I'm your best bet. I work for a Nuit who refuses to identify himself, and he's supplying me with everything I need for Malediction."

She then waved a hand to motion the Ethaefal to follow her and they made their way back through the same passages, until they took a few different pathways and ended up in front of a wide columned hall.

"So, d'you want me, instead, to assist you? Or should I transfer you to the care of one of the undead wizards?" Tieh asked Rhyshaltze.

[Ryshaltze]

Ryshaltze looked at the mage forlornly, realizing that there was really so much about magic that he did not know. The fact that Reimancy was seperated into different elements, for one. Tieh also raised an unfamiliar word 'Malediction' that he had not heard of as well, though the sound of the word seemed pretty sinister to the novice Ethaefal.

"This isn't my first time researching magic, Professor Tieh, at least regarding the practical aspects of Flux and Spiritism as well as the Lore of several other magical disciplines. This Malediction that you mentioned, however, I have no idea what that is."

The Ethaefal was fine spending years on Sahova. The notion that it possessed a treasure trove of magical knowledge was enough to make anyone want to stay just to learn that little bit more despite the creepy atmosphere brought on by the severe lack of living beings on the island. He perked up when she mentioned the masters, though, and he was slightly apprehensive about meeting one. Maybe he should be a little more competent before asking them to teach him? He knew that old wizards tended to be eccentric and sometimes impatient with fools, and he assumed undead wizards would probably have the same eccentricities. He did not relish spending the rest of his immortal life as a sheep.

"You seem pretty knowledgeable, Professor. In both aspects of the words." He wondered if she got his thinly veiled attempt at a compliment. "I'll be more than happy to settle for you."

His initial goal was to learn Reimancy, on top of all the other magical disciplines. Since the mage considered it her forte, and the Ethaefal was beginning to like the human both for her friendly, bubbly personality and her visually appealing form, it was a no-brainer to stick with her at least a little longer and maybe learn to find his way around this alien land.

[Panna Cotta]

"Wow, that's really great." Tieh was bubbly as she suggested, "Would you like to have a chat somewhere more private, so we could get better acquainted with each other? I mean, it's up to you. What would you like to do first?"

"How is it so far? Sahova, do you, well, like the place?"

[Ryshaltze]

The Ethaefal nodded enthusiastically. "Reimancy of course. Definitely." He nodded again, as if to himself for confirmation, and looked around, realizing that he had no idea where exactly in the island he was at.

"You lead the way boss. I'm pretty much fine with wherever you'd suggest." Since he did not know his way around, he added silently more for his internal consciousness than for her. "I can't say much about Sahova yet, Professor, since I've barely been here long. I'll give you a more informed opinion somewhere in the future when I've stayed here long enough, though."

"As for first impressions it'd be the same as everyone else. The whole secret-island, magical trove, ancient secrets, creepy undead thing. The whole spooky air thing did not help. Definitely not. Especially at the harbor."