Closed Testing Trust (Celeste)

[Annalisa Marin]

2nd of Winter, 513 AV

Anna felt sore as she sat up on her mat, a bit groggy and her mind not fully adjusted to the world of the waking just yet. It certainly didn't help the bruises she'd earned the previous day from her tests on a new Glyphing construction, sleeping on the rather harsh mat as she did. The first thing she wanted in her lab, when she finally earned it, was a bed. A real bed, even if the mattress was straw she wouldn't care as long as it provided some comfort. Living on Sahova, even for her short time here, had a way of putting things into perspective. A bed being considered a luxury was certainly making her long for the small home she'd once owned in Zeltiva.

Still, it was only eighteen more days before her presentation was due to the Council of Five. Eighteen more days until she became more than another apprentice, eighteen more days to prepare and plan. Rhysol's influence possessed sway over her still, even more so after she had washed her mind in the chaotic intensity of his blessing. She... couldn't quite remember why she had done it though. It was as though she had forgotten something important, an event that was life changing or chilling.

As she stretched Anna figured it was not important, still, staring out at her bare toes as she flexed them in the cool air the thought kept nagging at her. The sorceress also suddenly had an urge to check the wall behind her, a certain section to be precise. Idly she thought of Daren, a fleeting bit of affection crossing her mind. Such a charming man really, friendly and not bad to look at compared to a number of the sad fools here.

Finally the nagging urge to check the wall became a bit too much so with a sigh the tall woman stood, rolling her shoulders and brushing some of her loose hair from her eyes. She gazed upon the wall, seeing nothing really remarkable. The chaotic sea of her mind was calm for the moment, the dark madness lying dormant for now. The urge was still there so Anna idly willed Djed to gather under the palm of her right hand, flicking it out to signal it to push up and res to form.

Translucent purple liquid welled up, sheathing her hand relatively quickly. Waves of mad bliss washed over her, images of destruction and power filling her mind as the violent madness came to the forefront. It felt good, liberating even. The liquid found the segment and seeped into the stone easily as she curled her fingers.

A clenched fist signaled the transmutation of the earth of the wall to air, a rush of it blowing past her face. Transmuting existing elements was rather simple since there was already an existing substance to manipulate. It wasn't exactly less costly than normal transmutation but it was simpler, in her mind anyway.

From the square hole leaflets of parchment flew, crumpled some of them. The Sorceress picked them up and got ready to read, setting cross-legged on her mat as one of her two meals for the day was delivered. Some form of fish as far as she could notice, it appeared to be a staple around here. Considering her upbringing seafood was regarded rather well, honestly this particular fish they served was rather good all things considered. A small cup of clean water sat next to it.

Anna slid the plate closer, picking up the meat with her fingers and simply shoving it in her mouth. She barely chewed the substance before swallowing, deciding to put off the reading until her plate was cleaned. Being an apprentice had its perks, being Amaryllis' apprentice even more so. Though, the sorceress idly considered between chews whether she'd be able to eat a little more as a Wizard. Perhaps, though the bed would certainly be enough.

The tall woman idly licked her fingers clean, sighing slightly as she reached for the cup of water. This was far better than being a visitor, then she had often needed to carefully ration her food and indeed had gone hungry for a couple of days and without water for one. Sure, her manners had been the first thing to go, but it was hardly like anyone could rightly judge her considering the conditions the living dealt with.

Anna down the cup and simply left both it and the plate out, they'd be gone by the time she returned and replaced by the other meal. The sorceress decided to start looking at the curious papers that had been located in her wall. Her fingers whitened progressively and her grey eyes narrowed dangerously as she read over the documents.

By the end of her readings the Sorceress was ready to throttle Daren in his sleep, or at the very least fill his lungs with res and set it aflame. That hypnotist snake would pay, oh yes, he was going to pay dearly. Besides that they provided some insight into the reason for some of her current mindset, apparently something to do with Voices.

Anna paused, listening for a moment before shrugging. She didn't hear any Voices, though subconsciously she did watch any flickers of shadow in her room. It hardly seemed relevant, but the written words seemed quite grave and serious. Being that they were penned in her own hand she was inclined to believe them.

Her mind flittered to this Celeste, the meeting and the Dungeons flittering back to the surface of her mind. Her first thought was whether or not she could trust her, though her past self seemed to have stressed that the girl was worthy of giving a chance. The doubts were not gone and some degree of paranoia filled her mind, however she decided that perhaps there was something to her past self's line of thinking. She had apparently wiped most recollection of the child from her memory, so clearly the girl was important enough that she didn't want to risk Daren getting his claws on her.

The sorceress sighed as she gathered up the parchments and placed them back in their little cubby. From there Anna generated more purple res and willed it to fill the hole, clenching her fist to signal a transmutation to stone. The wall looked as if it had never been tampered with, hopefully that would keep the notes safe. Anna decided that it might do to dress a little better today so she decided that perhaps her nicer clothes were in order, after all couldn't make a poor impression on this Celeste.

The woman quickly slipped out of her worn and tattered clothes and into a nicer tunic, trousers and slipped the leather sandals on her feet. She fastened the stapped quickly and stared at her weapons when she was done, wondering if it would do to bring them along. Paranoia fought courtesy and courtesy managed to win out. It wasn't as though this girl was going to try to kill her after all.

This all accomplished the woman stepped out of her room and started down the hall, deciding it would be best to try and wait by the main entrance of the Quarters to catch her one her way out. Best not to intrude on her privacy, as arrogant as Anna was she realized common courtesy often was best observed in social situations. If this girl had indeed done so much for her then she was worth the inconvenience of a slightly longer walk.

Anna descended a flight of stairs and leaned against a wall near the exit to the Courtyard. She'd wait here until the girl decided to appear, the tall woman had a tendency to awaken earlier than most anyway. Best to get an early start to a new day was her mindset. The sorceress crossed her arms, settling into the leaning position as comfortably as possible.

[Celeste Arumen]

Celeste peered blearily around the room, unfurling her aching muscles. With the passing of the seasons, she’d been shivering so terribly in her sleep that she’d often wake to find herself in the fetal position. Illia sat in her sealed form near the door, eyes bright. "Good morning," she sang, striding over to her Wizard companion. Idly, the young girl reached out to scratch the familiar behind the ears. Something nagged at the back of her consciousness, but for the life of her she couldn’t quite fathom what.

The first meal of the day arrived and she promptly inhaled it. She barely took the time to even notice what it was. Conditions were steadily growing harder as game was became scarcer in the Testing Grounds and she was a growing, thirteen year old girl. Most of the time, she was ravenous. Worse still, she was still plagued by all the moodiness and irritability that came with growing up.

Finally, she had to ask, pushing the ceramic bowl aside. ”Illia,” she frowned. ”I can’t figure out why, but I keep thinking about Annalisa Marin. You know – the one I told you about, remember?” The familiar stood in silence for a moment before it replied. ”Yes, I think I do. She was the evil one, right?” Celeste got a flash of the woman in her mind. She nodded. ”Yes, that one. But she isn’t evil so you’ve got to stop saying that.”

”Okay!” The being replied brightly, before puzzling it over. ”So – oh, so, maybe you had a dream about her? The little girl blinked, puzzling this over. Yes, it would make sense that she wouldn’t remember exactly what happened. But what did that even mean? There was a nagging something or other, picking at her. The urge to shatter the bowl in front of her suddenly welled up in her chest.

Illia sensed her frustration. ”I’m sorry,” the being said, seeming even smaller than usual. Celeste sighed. It was unfair to let her emotions bleed over to her familiar like that. And further, she had to get a grip on herself. After the ordeal with Amaryllis last season, she had to work to keep a hold on her demeanor at all times. She had to be in control, lest she make another mistake.

Take a few calming breaths, she rose and redressed, slipping off her plain outfit in favor of her arcane robe. Perhaps a walk to the Testing Grounds would help distract her. Perhaps she’d practice her tiger model, too, and use it to go hunting. Cats were very good ambush predators, after all. It was a shame that Illia wasn’t a real cat.

The familiar trotted along at her heel, having forgiven her almost immediately. It looked innocently off into the distance as they went. As annoying at the Avavali could sometimes be, she loved her just the same. Celeste shot the being a wan smile as they continued down the hallway, until she reached the exit to the Courtyard.

Startlingly enough, it seemed as if Annalisa had been waiting for her. Celeste frowned. Was she being toyed with? It all seemed just a little bit too convenient. Yet fragments of her dream started coming back. A conversation over wine, that was it. But exactly was said?

”Hello there,” she called softly, uncertain of what else to say. "Have any strange dreams, as of late?"

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna hadn't needed to wait long for Celeste to appear, chimes rather than the bells she had first expected. Her grey eyes fell upon the child, garbed in robes that screamed of the owner being a wizard. Perhaps the cold bothered her, though for Anna it wasn't terrible as Zeltivan winter tended to be bitterly cold even without snowfalls. Her tattered cloak was all she needed for comfort in the Sahovan winter. Of course it was also possible that her attire was simply meant to display some kind of rank, the sorceress had never taken issue with the wearing of robes but she just had never bothered to wear them.

She regarded the girl with a nearly imperceptible smile, considering her question closely. Odd dreams? Actually, now that she did mention it there were a few vague details from the realm of slumber that had bothered her. A discussion over wine, an inverted purple triangle possessing some significance. Not much else, other than feeling as though she had seen Celeste recently.

"Indeed. I vaguely recall something about you actually. Something about wine and inverted triangles. Usually those only happen in dreams that are best not repeated in good company. Just so you know, while you are pretty you are a little below my normal age group so I doubt anything overly, ah, passionate followed." Anna said, her small smile becoming a grin.

Clearly there was indeed something about Celeste, something that did make her feel a bit good. More willing to bring her guard down, which was normally something she never considered doing. A Chaon that trusted too much in others was a poor Chaon, though the girl made her want to at least try to put herself out there. Not that she was abandoning Rhysol entirely, no, he was still the one who placed his mark upon her. Despite what he might have done she still owed him a great deal. Just because of her religious alignment didn't mean she could have attachments... right?

She regarded Celeste, and then looked around as the near irrational paranoia returned. Someone could be listening, waiting for her to slip up and let slip a weakness or some secret. The walls themselves could have ears for all she knew, Amaryllis' warning about watching what was said and where it was said coming to mind. The Nuit was right of course, spilling her guts in the Dungeons, while liberating, had also been very dangerous.

"Ah, but my dear, perhaps this is not the best place to talk. One never knows who might have ears near and where they might be. Where were you headed to? I'd be pleased to walk with you. I have been hoping to speak with you again anyway." Anna offered, just then noticing the cat following at Celeste's heels.

An eyebrow was raised at the sight, pets didn't seem like they were a normality in the Citadel unless they were in cages. Celeste had neglected to mention anything about this creatures existence. Then again the only conversation she could recall was the one where they had exchanged veiled meanings and words, and where she herself had broken down. Not exactly her proudest moment, nor were the blasphemous thoughts afterwards. Fortunately, she had come to her senses somewhat after filling her mind with madness. Well, Maelstrom had called it that, Anna liked to think that she was thinking more clearly than ever.

It also occurred to the sorceress that she really knew nothing about Celeste, nor did she know much about Anna. Weren't friends supposed to learn things about each other? That sounded right, people had to build off from something. This was somewhat difficult as the woman was comfortable acting amiable, it allowed her to gain the trust of others and the stab them in the back. Actually being herself was... a tad more complex.

"I wasn't aware you owned a cat, how delightful!" Anna said, moving off from the wall and stooping to attempt to pet the creature.

Idly, in the madder parts of her mind, she wondered if it was possible to form her res like Maelstrom had. Part of her was darkly amused with the idea of cute cats made of fire burning an enemy alive. How wonderfully ironic. It brought a smile to her lips that didn't quite reach her eyes.

[Celeste Arumen]

Celeste gave an exaggerated eye roll. ”I’m wounded.” But she grinned, unable to resist playing along. It was easy to banter with Annalisa, in spite of her irritation. The young girl visibly relaxed, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. Something about inverted triangles, eh? She resisted the urge to tuck a strand of hair behind her left ear. The thought of her mark made her itch to touch it, for some strange reason.

She nodded at her offer to walk and talk. It was very true that the walls had ears wherever they went. They were safest in the Testing Grounds and the irony of that statement was not lost on her. The word “safe” was clearly relative. They were safe to talk, sure. But certainly not so safe that they couldn’t get eaten by something. Her stomach twisted at the thought of food. She placed a hand against her hollow belly.

”Hi!” The “cat” said. As Annalisa touched her, Illia dissolved into her natural form, clouding in purple tendrils around her hand. ”She said I was delightful!” Celeste merely grinned and shook her head. ”Illia, she meant it was delightful for me to have a cat.” It would take a long time to teach her not to just go around revealing herself. If it weren’t for the fact that they were in a Citadel full of undead Wizards, she could potentially have gotten in a lot of trouble.

The cloud gathered back into the sealed form of a cat, a few inches from where she first stood. ”C’mon Illia,” the initiate said, gesturing for Annalisa to lead the way. She began walking and the cat followed close behind. ”That’s my familiar,” she offered, hands in the pockets of her robes. ”She is a bit of a handful at times, but she means well.” She smiled over her shoulder.

”I do mean well!” It said. Eavesdropping, now there was a bad habit. ”Yes, yes you do,” she said, somewhat exasperatedly. ”So where are we headed? The best place to talk would be the Testing Grounds. Unless you had another place in mind.”

As they went, she wondered in silence just how much she could’ve revealed about herself in the dream. Amaryllis had told her to never reveal herself in such a way again. Celeste worried at her bottom lip. Annalisa was the woman’s apprentice. This all might be just a test, to see how much she would give away,

Warily, she eyed the woman, trying to wax nonchalance.

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna had not immediately processed that the cat had spoken to her and was naturally taken completely off her guard when instead of the soft fur of a cat, her hand met air. The animal had dissolved into a purple cloud of gas that circled her hand. The tall woman flinched back on reflex, certainly not having expected such a thing to occur and her mind went immediately into self defensive thought. However upon closer examination the thing appeared to be rather bright and cheerful, the gas itself not having harmed her hand.

The tall woman raised an eyebrow at Celeste, indicating she would like an explanation as to just what the petch the creature was, this so called 'Illia'. The Chaon started walking as indicated, her steps taking them to the Courtyard. The sorceress allowed herself a slight smile, how very reminiscent of their first meeting this was only a less confrontational. It had been fun to sharpen her wits with the girl, though this was certainly much nicer.

A familiar, now that was interesting. At the University, especially working as a professor of Glyphing, one tended to hear rumors of this or that magic. Familiary was not a field she was terribly familiar with, all she knew was apparently a wizard entered a 'pact' of sorts with an otherworldly being. Actually, Anna possessed access to the coordinates to the supposed home world of the creatures due to her research in the Grand Library. Fyrden was the name she believed.

Anna regarded the creature over her shoulder with some amusement, and no small amount of fascination. Perhaps it might be worth seeking more knowledge of this bonding, Rhysol knew every edge counted. Though... if they were all so bubbly as Celeste's friend that might very well cause her to swallow her own res and transmute it to lightning. It wasn't as bad as that laughing voice though, oh how she wanted to kill it so badly.

"A familiar? Fascinating! They hail from Fyrden correct?" She inquired as they crossed through the Courtyard and towards the Vestibule.

"Yes, the Testing Grounds sound like a lovely place. Unless you'd like to count corpses with me in the Palsa Hydrasa, which can be rather dull. Not enough explosions for my tastes." Anna said, a slight chuckle coming from her lips.

Her mind wandered slightly to her project, she needed to refine the Trigger before trying it again otherwise she'd end up with worse than a few bruises. That was really the only hold up, the rest of the Sigil was nearly perfect but the specifics of the petching Trigger were defeating her. It was more than a little annoying really, perhaps Celeste knew something of Glyphing? Couldn't hurt to check. Well, at least when they were out of earshot of any that might steal her work. Petching thieves.

As they crossed into the Vestibule the woman decided to keep to herself, a silent indication to her companion that until they were outside the Citadel itself it would be unwise to say anything. They were always listening, though granted Anna had no idea who 'they' were but they were listening. They thought she didn't know, but oh she knew quite well, and she had a curse ready for them that would steal their eyes and mouth. Teach them to eavesdrop on a servant of Rhysol.

As they finally reached the stairs leading out of the Citadel Anna finally decided that now would be the time to speak, though still of nothing overly important until they reached the Testing Grounds. Those rocks on the path were watching, definitely plants by them. Her irrational paranoia was not visible, nor did she intend to repeat it aloud. Best to let them think she was ignorant for now...

"In any event, how fare your efforts to reach Wizard rank? Do you have a presentation for the Council ready, or some idea of what you intend to specialize in?" The woman asked, casting a friendly smile to the girl.

The question was both out of curiosity and practicality. Celeste had mentioned being a Morpher, a field of magic Anna had no knowledge in. She didn't know what her fellow apprentice could specialize in though it would certainly be something interesting, no doubt about it. The practicality came into play as she definitely wanted to know how close Celeste was to increasing her own rank, as it would grant both of them a bit more autonomy.

"I myself am planning on conducting research into the various methods to weaponize Reimancy via means of Glyphing. Scroll creation is, of course, a given but less conventional methods are something I'm exploring before my own presentation on the 20th." She would offer.

It was hardly vital intelligence that could be used against her, even if they were listening in on her they wouldn't get her secrets. Less conventional could mean anything after all. Best to keep the information basic until they were at the Prairie.

[Celeste Arumen]

It was hard to contain her amusement. Annalisa had clearly been expecting a cat and not a cloud of purple smoke. As they walked, she expressed her interest. ”They do. I had a particularly colorful experience with the Summoner from 9-A and ended up with Illia here.” She was intentionally vague, at least for the time being. The last thing she wanted was to make another mistake. All it took was one misstep to bring the Citadel down upon her, so to speak.

So it was decided then. They’d head toward the Prairie. It was the best bet, after all, though being seen with Amaryllis’ apprentice would all but confirm Riyanna’s worst fears. Still, reality would remain as such, no matter how she liked to pretend otherwise. Both her and her Master held their own agendas. It was her most desperate wish that they would never, ever collide.

Their feet carried them onward in silence. It was actually rather pleasant. Illia was a constant hum in the background, but at least she had the decency to sing telepathically. Celeste smiled as she wove tales of the sky, of fulfillment and the joy of the sun. She sometimes would sing about her, though she knew it didn’t make her Master smile. Still, the being wanted to show how much she cared, how grateful she was that they were friends.

Annalisa’s inquiry was significant, for a number of reasons. Celeste had never voiced her plans aloud. She listened quietly, trying to comprehend what she meant by glyphing. While the apprentice had heard of the artform, she knew almost nothing about it. Perhaps she’d inquire further when they were safely away from prying ears.

”I plan to design models for the purposes of stealth and infiltration, models that will be used for operations outside the Citadel. Supplemented by the power of illusion, it is my hope that I’ll be neigh unstoppable.” She smiled. ”It’s simply a matter of coordinating several elements at once.” And of course, learning her Master’s secret. Riyanna could literally alter several parts of her body in opposing ways, all at once, a talent that could be used to devastating effect.

She would take that gift and make it her own. Celeste would become as mutable and unpredictable as the wind. Which was amusing, considering the fact that she was an aeromancer. ”As for the status of my advancement, the best I can say is that I’ve made myself known.” She smiled, thinking of all her antics in the season passed.

”And how do you fare?” They passed through the Vestibule without incident. It wouldn’t be long before they were free of the fortress’ stifling walls.

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna listened with interest as Celeste spoke of her plan, especially at the word illusion. Was that what the double image of her had been in the Dungeons? An illusion? A potent gift if that were the case, she'd need to inquire more into the subject once they were outside of the Citadel. The child's morphing abilities were also naturally of interest to her, changing one's form seemed a very useful boon to possess.

The sorceress smirked at Celeste's comment, that was indeed the best most could say especially when counted among the living. Then again Celeste's master wasn't Amaryllis, perhaps that was a mercy though in and of itself. Anna's path was paved relatively speaking, the Embalmer had made certain all the cards leading to advancement lay within her grasp and it fell to Anna to order the correctly. Nothing was really set in stone of course, though her likelihood of passing was high indeed. That carried a price though, and that was her favor to the Nuit. Anything she wanted and it could be hers, a promise made because there was no other choice.

The woman considered Celeste's question about her own progress, shrugging as they exited the Vestibule. The cold air blew over her, prompting her to pull up her tattered cloak around her. It was only going to get colder as winter settled in, though it would eventually pass and the warm of spring would arrive. Idly Anna realized that her birthday was this season, it wouldn't be long before she marked yet another year to her life. Also this season was the first anniversary of Rhysol's mark being placed upon her flesh. Naturally it would need to be a day of prayer and contemplation, reflection and understanding. She already intended to deny herself all meals that day, at least if she managed to live that long.

It was only after they were actually out of the Citadel and on their way towards the Testing Grounds that Anna responded. One never knew when they were listening, just waiting to catch her saying something she'd regret. Oh, she knew, she knew.

"I'd say I've earned a suitable reputation through both Amaryllis' influence and my little... duel with Roknus Maelstrom. I've met a few individuals of various placements in the Citadel, useful contacts to have when one wishes to keep an ear here or there. I'm of course indebted to the Nuit now of course, firmly on her side of the board though you know how it is these games that are played." She responded, near the small forested terrain that would eventually lead them to the Prairie.

"I've also been informed of a... possible method to gain the favor of a Council member, so that is a side project at the moment. Hopefully something for after the assessment." Anna continued, not exactly sure how much of her little future trip to the Heartlands she should reveal.

Celeste was the closest thing she had to a possible friend, however even some things needed to be kept to one's self. Besides the only people she wanted following her there were expendable asset, people like Pandaemus. Celeste could very well die if she went there, though being an initiate also meant that perhaps Kierra would kill her on the spot. Too many variables, best to watch and observe at the point. No use obsessing over that as well.

The woman opted to hang back a little bit, indicating for Celeste to take the lead. The girl likely knew they way better than she, being that she did work there after all.

"That thing you did when we first met, creating a double of me, how did you do that?" Anna asked, curious despite herself.

"Also, I believe you indicated to being a reimancer during our walk correct? Would you mind me asking what elements you command? Mine are fire, earth, and air." She inquired further, deciding to leave out her para-elements. If Celeste was a skill reimancer likely she'd be able to infer for herself what para-elements were born from those elements, if not then mentioning them would only serve to confuse her as para-elements were an advanced concept.

[Celeste Arumen]

Biting her lip, she realized she let that little detail slide. Hadn’t Amaryllis told her not to reveal too much? Suddenly, the woman’s words rang out through her mind: ’You will never find happiness, and you will be unable to trust anyone, not even those that you call friend.’ She fought the creeping sense of unease. It was a ploy, to take away her freedom. There was wisdom in what she said, sure, but Celeste had to learn not to take it too far. She’d already decided to give this woman a chance.

It seemed Anna chose to be vague as well, but whether or not it was for the same reason, she couldn’t really tell. It was possible the woman was intentionally withholding information. After all, Amaryllis said to never know less than your opponent. It was possible that through no fault of their own, that one day they’d be pitted against one another. Celeste hoped it wouldn’t come to that. Sadly enough, there were just too many people she counted as friends, too many that could get hurt and each and every one could be used as leverage against her.

Best not to dwell on it.

They kept walking, drawing ever closer to her domain. There was a giddy feeling welling up in her. When they were in the Prairie, she could really let loose. She could possibly show Anna some of the things she’d been working on. ”All an illusion,” she said, knowing that by then, she could likely infer as much. ”I am more than what I seem.” She smiled mysteriously. With a wave of her hand, she turned a jagged, leafless patch of foliage into a rock and back again. Her mark complied eagerly. Sometimes she wondered if it were a literal piece of Ionu upon her, having taken a life of its own.

”As for the reimancy, I will confess to be hopelessly incompetent in comparison to you. Trust me on that. But, I’m an aeromancer, if you’re interested. I can blow a bit of straw around.” She laughed. ”At my best.” She vaguely recalled the first time she’d tried to make a tiny tornado and overgave so badly, that she was puking for two days straight. Then again, she had also learned auristics, that very same day. Celeste had clearly overextended herself, all in the hopes of impressing a new friend.

Good thing she wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice. Not to say that she wasn’t planning on impressing her. As they walked, they drew closer to the Prairie, passing by the first Mudpool – Gresshal’s domain.

At long last, they arrived, and not a moment too soon. With absolutely no hesitation, the moment they got there, the little girl threw her cloak to the ground. ”Ah,” she sighed, feeling liberated despite the bitter cold. Here she could be as she was, with no remorse or hesitation.

”This is a good example of what we can do,” she said, shooting her friend a fey smile before turning away. Closing her eyes, she looked within to her djed, to the awe-inspiring filigree of energy that defined every aspect of who she was. Carefully, with practiced hands, she sifted one strand from the next, neatly categorizing who she was into the usual two categories, turning her focus exclusively to that of the physical. Detail by detail, she began to rearrange herself. First, she started with the skeleton, again forcing herself down to four legs, lengthening her spine, thickening and reinforcing the bone. She rounded the djed, shaped it outward, forming her tail. Celeste took special care to press down upon the base, fanning it out ever so slightly, as was the nature of the beast.

The girl pulled the delicate structure of her skull outward, again thickening, growing larger until she sported winged jaws and a broad, triangular nose. The djed of cartilage, she found, was always more mutable than that of bone. Carefully, she used one phantom hand to press a ridge into her skull, pushing the djed in on itself, forming an overlap. She pushed each toe flat, rounding the ends, taking the fibers of energy and curling them into spheres, each housing a fearsome, retracted claw.

Satisfied with her new skeletal structure, she reordered the tapestry of her hair, making it uniform, as opposed than the fine versus the thin hairs of a human being. Fur sprouted upward, sweeping through the top layer of skin in an agonizing fashion. She shuddered. It was always an unpleasant experience. With precision, she altered the auburn shade she normally bore to russet, shot through with stripes of black. The energy bent easily to her whim. Color alteration, was a beginner’s task.

At long last, she turned back to the details. Celeste made sure to include her long, whippet-like whiskers and her glowing, feline eyes. After close inspection, it was obvious she wasn’t as big as she would’ve liked to be, but it still stood to reason that she was imposing nonetheless. Before Annalisa now stood a massive tiger. The beast, nearly as tall as she was and about twice as long, sat back to daintily lick at a paw.

”So,” she said at long last, looking back at her with a piercing, predatory gaze. ”What do you think?”

Whoopsie.I am so sorry. Long post is looooooooong.

[Annalisa Marin]

Anna understood that there was much about the world she didn't know, arcane secrets out of her reach and knowledge she had yet to obtain. However she still managed to blink in surprise at Celeste's little illusionary trick, as there was no magic she had ever heard of that did such a thing. Then again, supposedly there was also no way that she could simply touch someone and have them go blind yet that was true by the grace of Rhysol. The urge to curse something rose in her mind, though she beat it down for the moment. There would be plenty of opportunity for that later, preferably used on Daren.

Her interest was piqued at Celeste's admitted ineptitude for reimancy, well that could always be changed with the right guidance. Aeromancy... she had once though it relatively defensive, but then she'd witnessed Maelstrom blasting a man with it so hard that he's shattered his spine against a wall. She herself still felt a bit sore from the bruises she'd gained from her botched test yesterday. Not to mention its Para-Elements were quite potent as well.

"If you'd like I could provide a lesson or two on the subject. Aeromancy can be quite potent when properly utilized." The sorceress offered.

After a good while they came to the Prairie, were Anna immediately noticed the girl completely disrobe. A flush fell over the woman's face as she stared at a rather naked Celeste. Now normally, if the subject of this were a more... mature woman Anna might have had a charming word or two to say but a thirteen year old girl was different. Anna was many things, corrupt, traitorous, evil even but even she had some standards. They weren't very high but they existed.

She quickly found herself transfixed by the grotesque display the girl began, obviously she was witnessing Morphing and it did not look pleasant. Flesh shifted and bones moved visibly underneath them, her very form twisting itself into something different. It looked unnatural really, but she found that she just couldn't look away as the change occurred. It was fascinating, being that she was a magic user herself the manifold ways to manipulate Djed were endless.

In response to her inquiry Anna wasn't able to help herself, she walked closer and examined the large cat like creature much more closely. It certainly did not look like something she'd want to engage up close and personal, from a distance was different but up close Anna was rather weak and vulnerable. If not for the voice Anna wouldn't have suspected Celeste was the creature, no doubt a mark of pride for morphers in the same way creating an explosion of lava was for a reimancer.

"I'm impressed, you look quite the ferocious kitty. That is a trick I'll need to pick up, no mistake about it." Anna commented, still a bit dazed by the change.

Already though her mindset as a Glypher kicked in and she wondered whether Celeste's shifting could be sped up through use of Glyphs. It seemed possible, in theory all magic obeyed the same principles of Djed expenditure so all could benefit from Glyphs. Maybe strategic placement of Focus Glyphs followed up by a sequence of Paths running a webwork across her body. She'd need to know the exact mechanics of course before saying anything for sure.

"I wonder... Celeste, how familiar are you with the art of Glyphing?" Anna inquired.

It stood to reason the child would likely understand at least the basics, most wizards understood the basics. Much like Voiding it was a common support magic, though unlike Voiding it was much easier to learn. Perhaps Celeste already guessed her theory, possibly having attempted it herself. Most beginner uses did start off as mere personal augments after all, that was how Anna had started.

For her part Anna knelt and gingerly poked at the girl, almost needing to assure herself that she was indeed still here and that this wasn't another illusion.

OOCNot to worry, I like long posts! More to respond to!

[Celeste Arumen]

The offer of a lesson was appealing, but Celeste was quickly learning the ways of the Citadel. Her suspicions were all but confirmed at Annalisa’s innocuous little joke. Sure, it would potentially be a trade, but Anna was not Kit and she was not a little girl anymore. Not in the way she’d been at the time, anyway. Still, it warranted consideration. So instead of addressing the matter, she chose to answer the question about glyphing.

”I don’t really know anything about it,” she replied modestly, tail weaving through the air. ”I mean, I know the simple definition. It’s a supplementary discipline, overlapping many different fields. But I never learned how to use it or what it requires.” The tiger sniffed at Annalisa’s encroaching finger, resisting the urge to squirm as she poked her.

Feeling somewhat mischievous, she licked the unsuspecting woman from chin to hairline with her broad, sandpaper tongue. And whether or not she recoiled, whether she got angry or laughed, Celeste began giggling uncontrollably. Illia seemed delighted too, her tiny voice chorusing alongside, though her laughter was silent, heard only in the confines of the little girl’s mind.

When all was said and done, she began assessing what they should do next. What of the dream she’d had? Anna had struck upon truth with the mention of an inverted triangle and it was no accident - that much was certain. The rest however, was not. Was it in fact, a dream? Had it been orchestrated or incidental? How much did she reveal and how much could she remember?

She strained. After a while, there seemed to be a name floating around her periphery, though she couldn’t quite understand why. Still, it was better to give it a shot than to say nothing. If she were off the mark, at the worst she’d get away with looking silly. Which, considering she just licked the poor woman, was the least of her worries.

”So, I also seem to remember something. Something about a Daren?” It was a shot in the dark, but the little girl had nothing else to work with. There was a certain stress associated with the name. She could feel it in every syllable.

There were so many unanswered questions. She sighed.