Closed Rough Love (Aren)

[Sayana]

Spring 23, 515 AV Sayana slowly awoke and for a moment or two she simply enjoyed the touch of Aren’s body against her own. At last she opened her eyes and peered through the darkness. The soft red coals in the hearth were nearly out but she knew her apartment well enough to find her way around, even in the pitch black. As she slowly sat up, the Eypharian felt an uncomfortable sensation in her stomach. With a sigh she was about to ready her chamber pot so she might empty her stomach with the expected morning sickness, but then she remembered the tea of midwife miracle she had prepared the previous night. Sayana reached for the long cooled off cup of tea and sipped it tentatively. It was more bitter than she expected, but it was oddly refreshing. The luke-warm liquid didn’t rid her of her nausea right away, but neither had she retched. The previous day Sayana had gone to the Stormhold Salves looking for a remedy for the awful morning sickness. Sahfri had suggested the midwife miracle herb and explained it could be taken as a tea. She also added that a ginger tea could stave off the effects of morning sickness to ensure a calm stomach. Sayana had thanked the Eypharian and had returned home gladly with that new piece of information. “Good morning Aren,” Sayana spoke softly and placed a hand lightly upon his shoulder. It took a few more chimes for the nausea to slowly diminish. It could have been the midwife miracle tea or just that the morning sickness wasn’t as strong anymore, but Sayana liked to think the former. In those few chimes it was by no means gone, but simply settled enough that she didn’t think she’d need the chamber pot. The Eypharian bent over to give Aren a light kiss on his kiss, not quite confident to kiss him on the lips due to her present condition, and then slowly rose to her feet. First things first, a light and a fire. She made her way to the door and retrieved one of the torches from the hallway and brought it inside the apartment to shed light upon her surroundings. She then proceeded to arrange wood and kindling to build a fire, while holding the torch in one of her high hands to see. It didn’t take long to get it going and she fondly glanced at the Akalak several times. “What do you think of some eggs for breakfast?” She asked and then began preparing both a kettle and a pot of water. She was starting to feel a little better just moving around but she figured she’d try the ginger tea too. There were still some eggs left from the previous day and she put several into the pot. With a contented sigh she turned away from the hearth knowing that the water would take a while to boil and the eggs would also take some time to cook. She hadn’t really done up boiled eggs before, but Remi had suggested it as one of the simpler meals. And one that wouldn’t burn. Sayana moved to join Aren and ran a hand over his chest. “So how are you this morning?” Of course, even though she was anxious to get the morning started with some breakfast, she wasn’t about to deny him any affections. Her morning routine was purposeful but not without room for a kiss here and there. Note to Grader : Both the ginger and eggs are considered to be part of her common expenses. Neither is particularly expensive. And she has the Midwife Miracle herb in her inventory.

[Aren]

Aren did not wish to stir from his pleasant slumber, but Sayana's movement bid him return from the land of dreams. She felt so soft against him, her lover idly mused, for a moment, before he felt her sit up. From her motions, it seemed today was another typical morning for the mother of his child. The life she carried inside her would not be born without a fight, it seemed. How like one of his kind, Aren thought, beaming with just a hint of pride. Although he expected that most women went through something similar, there was no doubt in his mind that the morning sickness an Akalak baby would cause was greater than any other, just as they made bellies swell bigger than any other. His baby... his son. The notion gave him pause for a second. It had not truly struck him until just this moment that he was going to be responsible for bringing new life into this world. Tiny, Fragile, defenseless life. Life that was going to need his help to survive and grow. Their help. Aren's eyes flickered over to Sayana, making out the heat of her from with perfect clarity, even in the darkened room. "...Morning," The Akalak replied to her greeting, although his voice seemed to shrink and nearly fade in his throat, even as her lips touched his cheeks. Extending a hand out towards the lingering embers of the hearth as the dancer headed for a torch, the practiced Reimancer returned to his senses just in time to catch himself before he did something that he wasn't entirely certain the Eypharian would approve of. It was a habit of his to set the remnants of the previous night's kindling ablaze while still in his own bed, but this wasn't his own bed; often sleeping here and waking to Sayana's predicatively nauseous stomach was starting to get familiar, though, and for an instant the mage forgot that there were still things she didn't know about him. He wouldn't make the mistake of doubting her a second time, but magic was a bit of a sensitive topic, the Akalak knew. It was one that had to be broached with caution and delicacy, not simply revealed with a casual wave of the hand. At least, not if it could be helped. Sayana's offer of breakfast soon focused all of Aren's attention on the woman, however. He didn't have the heart to tell her that everything she "cooked" was really kind of an insult to the word, but neither could he really stomach food she had prepared with her own two hands. She had been practicing, though, hadn't she? Maybe there was some small semblance of hope he could cling to. "I'd rather eat the soles of our own shoes," Seros volunteered, knowing, from experience, that false hope did you no favors, "At least they'd taste like something..." Aren's face unwillingly scrunched up into a grimace that he swiftly tried to pass off as a yawn, raising his hands through the motions and everything. "Sure," His voice came out with a strange, sickly sounding rasp, which he would blame on any number of things if questioned. "Unless you're trying to train your stomach to survive toxic plants or something, why in Wysar's name would you say yes?" The darker Other couldn't comprehend what could possibly be going on in his brother's head, though he was entirely aware of its contents. "Maybe you'll understand, the day you don't mind eating someone's horrible cooking." The Akalak's mental smile actually managed to cross over to his physical appearance, such was the nature of the feeling which overtook him. "That'll be a day of days, to be sure." He whispered, still smiling, unconsciously voicing the statement. Aren could feel his brother frowning in confusion, before Sayana's query drew him out of his own mind. The Akalak's golden eyes hovered over her supple lips, "I don't mind your stinky breath, you know," He said in earnest, as he leaned over to fish for a kiss.

[Sayana]

Sayana noticed a little hesitation from Aren at her offer of breakfast but she was glad he thought the eggs would be fine. The least she could do was feed him if he was spending time at her place. She chopped up some more ginger, quite finely, and put it into the bottom of her cup. Once the water was boiling then all that would be ready. “That'll be a day of days, to be sure.” “What will…?” Sayana began in a curious voice and then realization hit her and she smiled. “Oh right, you’re just talking to yourself again.” She gave a soft chuckle and moved towards him. Even though Sayana couldn’t be sure that Aren was talking to Seros, she figured it was the case due to the lack of context in his words. The Eypharian wrapped an arm about her lover and glanced up into his golden eyes. He had such soft features and the way he looked at her… “I don't mind your stinky breath, you know.” Her loving expression sharply turned to one of outrage. “I do not have stinky breath!” Her playful slap at his cheek indicated both her dislike of the comment but also that she wasn’t truly offended at it… well, not quite. “I have half a mind to suggest that Seros has better manners than you.” She turned away in mock disdain and took several steps away from him. The Akalak was standing close enough to the bed so she might… The Eypharian turned around sharply and sprinted forwards to leap into his arms and crash against him. Even though she was short, she still had a surprisingly large amount of upper body mass and it was unlikely that the Akalak would stop the two from tumbling onto the bed. As she rolled a bit awkwardly, she planted kisses all over his chest and then pulled him close to a deep kiss on his lips. Her exuberance had clearly returned as she grinned and panted against him. That’s when she noticed, or more accurately remembered the healing wound on his arm. “Oh. I forgot. Should I get some ointment for that?” She took a quick glance back at the hearth guessing that the water was nearly ready, even though she knew it would be hard to tear herself away from Aren.

[Aren]

"A poorly chosen word, I now clearly realize..." Aren smiled in response to Sayana's reaction: one of her hands lightly coming across his cheek. "Though apt, you must admit," Seros volunteered, remembering that first morning when the Eypharian had kissed them not too long after having lost a bout with nausea. Aren did not disagree with his brother on this particular occasion; the word was appropriate, despite Sayana's protestation, yet his statement was true in its entirety. He did not mind it, or more accurately, he did not mind it enough to deny himself her affection. His lover seemed to take insult, but the Akalak knew better. At this point, he felt like he knew her well enough to understand she wasn't some fickle garden flower that would wilt at the first touch. If she was truly angry, she'd certainly let him know. The thought that he "knew" her kind of stuck in his mind for a moment, however. How much did he really know about Sayana? Aren was aware of some of the tragic parts of her past, and what she did for a living. He knew how she felt about marriage with someone who wasn't an Eypharian. Yet, how much he didn't know about the woman who going to be the mother of his child surprised him quite a bit. Furthermore, the fact that there remained things about him, as well, that she was not aware of gnawed at the back of his mind. When the six armed woman rushed him, however, Aren's reverie suddenly broke as he raised his hands up with a start, "No, wait don-" The Akalak reflexively tried to shout in protest, but the sentence ended up transforming into a playful laugh as the entangled pair rolled across Sayana's bed. Her lips on his skin and lips simply felt right, and Aren couldn't help but feel that whatever the two might or might not know about each other couldn't possibly ever change how the moments they spent together felt. "This?" The warrior shifted his forearm to bring the bite that Orin had caused a few days earlier to the fore. "A glassbeak almost took my arm clean off once," He said, gesturing towards the traumatized skin on his bicep, both pride and hardly-concealed rage trailing at the edge of his voice, "This wound is just a love bite in comparison," The Akalak smiled, trying to look fierce and undaunted by the trials of his youth, but it would be obvious to anyone who had spent some time with him that something was off. He was not currently possessed of that same indomitable swagger that he felt so comfortable with, and instead there were clear signs that the remark stirred up memories best left forgotten. "We were just children..." Aren's jaw clenched in anger, while his eyes betrayed a profound sense of loss. The recollection was old and worn, but it felt like a comfortable pair of boots. Even after all this time, that moment still had a hold on him. He could still remember the screams of fear and agony, the smell of his own blood rushing up to his nostrils, the pain of an arrow through his thigh and a powerful beak clamping down on his arm like a rabid dog who refused to let go. The Akalak's gaze was suddenly far away, in another time and another place, the events of a lifetime ago unwillingly prying him away from Sayana. It was a century ago, so why couldn't he let it go? All the anger in the world wasn't going to bring them back, he knew. It wasn't going to make amends for what that day would mean for his brother's future. It felt like nothing more than a poison sometimes, but one the Akalak simply couldn't purge.

[Sayana]

“This? A glassbeak almost took my arm clean off once.” Sayana followed his gaze to the scar on his upper arm. She began to trace it delicately with a finger but stopped as she heard the stiff emotion in his voice. Right, the glassbeak… that released his brother into the world. Or at least she thought it was the same one. “This wound is just a love bite in comparison.” She couldn’t help but glance at the scar upon his cheek and wondered what that was from. Usually she didn’t feel the need to ask such questions. People were who they were, and learning a long detailed history about their past wouldn’t change how they were now. “We were just children...” He was clearly lost in thought but his pained voice saddened her. In attempt to brighten the mood she took a meaningful look at his much fresher wound and whispered in an animated voice, “If you’re not careful Aren, you might just get another love bite.” She playfully moved to attempt a quick nip at his shoulder. However, the next moment she could hear the pot bubbling and the lid rattling due to the escaping steam. With a quick sigh she started to get up from the bed. “I should probably get that,” she said as she strode over to the hearth. She started to lift the lid with her hand but the sudden hot steam caused her to quickly put it down and pull her hand away. With a frown she grabbed one of her fireplace tools to hook onto the lid and lift it carefully away. Peering into the pot she was pleased to see it boiling and the eggs floating about in it. She gave it a quick stir with a spoon and was glad that the eggs didn’t seem to stick. The Eypharian then realized that the water in the kettle must be done and lifted it carefully out of the hearth using the fire hook. She tentatively touched the handle and quickly found it was far too hot to grasp. Glancing around she grabbed her apron and used it as a make-shift oven mitt to pour the boiling water into her cup to make the ginger tea. Her attention went back to the Akalak and she felt a little unsure of his sombre mood. Thinking of him and all the secrets he probably still held made her suddenly rather anxious to ask about reimancy. But what if he also had a dark past regarding that? She fidgeted a little in her seat at the table and then finally gave into temptation. In a tone attempting to be both casual and curious at the same time she spoke, “So Aren, you know that first night when we met, and you did that amazing performance? Are you ever going to tell me how you managed to light up your blade like that? It was almost like--” She was about to say ‘magic’ but that would have been too obvious, even though it had been exactly like that but in a figurative sense. “Like you were blessed by the gods…” Not sure if she’d manage to keep a straight face if he began questioning her questions, she got up to putter around the kitchen. She fetched some bread, cheese, a couple of plates, some cutlery and also the remaining bit of Krolar paste should he allow her to help him with his ‘love bite’. When she returned to the table she cut up two slices of bread and a bunch of pieces of cheese for them to split. “You sure you don’t want a bit of love and care?” The Eypharian offered as she held up the jar of paste.

[Aren]

Aren hated those moments when he was lost inside in own head, agonizing over things there was nothing he could do about, but sometimes he just couldn't help but be pulled there. At another stage in their relationship, his brother enjoyed trying to bring those memories which tended to have this effect to the surface of their minds, in an attempt to torment his captor and thus exact some small measure of revenge upon him. This, in turn, was one of the reasons that made Aren believe that his imprisonment was entirely justified. "The past is past," Seros offered, a sour note in his voice suggesting that if forgiveness was not a possibility, then perhaps forgetting might be a good alternative. "Yet it makes us who we are." Aren had never been one to shy away from responsibility, however. He couldn't help but remember, and sometimes, the Akalak knew, specters now long dead threatened to swallow him whole. Maybe one day he would simply give up on trying to fight them and recede into his own mind, allowing his brother free reign. Now, at least, that wasn't as horrible a prospect as it once had been. Perhaps in this particular instance, though, that wasn't necessarily a good thing. Luckily, however, Sayana seemed to have a knack for waking him from his reveries. Usually it involved a kiss, or a question... or a saucy suggestion, but the end result was usually the same. He would come back to the world, drawn to her like a beacon, and be himself once again. Smiling at Sayana's response to his reply on the wound that Orin had caused, Aren's neck craned forward to try to intercept her lips as they moved towards his shoulders. Unfortunately, her "cooking" interrupted the moment, and the Eypharian rose to go check on her endeavor, much to her paramour's dismay. Eventually, her attention turned back to him, but the question she posed provoked a raised eyebrow from the Akalak. His eyes narrowing, Aren gazed at Sayana with some measure of suspicion at what seemed like a rather carefully worded query. He almost felt like the word magic was the logical conclusion to the way she had phrased her sentence, which would have been perfectly understandable, but the fact that it looked like she consciously altered it put him on edge. Why was she curious now, all of a sudden? It had been over half a season since the day they met, and she had never seemed to demonstrate even the slightest bit of interest in how he had done that performance. Did she already know he was a mage, or was she merely suspicious, Aren wondered. Either way, how had this happened? The number of people in Syliras who knew he was capable of wielding magic could be counted on one hand. Of those, the number of people that the Reimancer was aware of knowing both him and her was even less. Was the question perfectly innocent, and he was just over thinking this out of a sense of paranoia? Or... "Blessed by the gods...?" Aren smiled, trying to shake off the notion that perhaps somehow she knew something he hadn't quite been ready to tell her yet. If she did know, however, and he lied to her about it, then the trust they had built might be broken, and the Akalak refused to risk such a thing. "I suppose that's one way of putting it, though anyone could do it, with sufficient practice," He said, being purposely vague about answering the question directly. Perhaps she would be satisfied with his reply, which was technically true, or maybe she would reveal something in an attempt to pry more information from him. "If she does know... can we think of anyone she's familiar with whom we might have shown?" Seros wondered, his mind immediately going to Sayana's New Year's celebration. Of all the people that were there, who could have seen his brief display, and then had the opportunity and motive to turn around and tell her about it? The Zith certainly saw everything he would need to make the conclusion that Aren was a mage, but he couldn't see the creature having the prerequisite conversation with her needed to reveal this fact. A few others might have gotten a glance or two, maybe that guy who threatened to throw them in the tank, but he didn't seem like he knew Sayana very well at all. Maybe it didn't matter, even if she did know. After all, she was still here, with him, and whilst she seemed curious, the Akalak did not detect the tinge of fear in her voice. "I trust you, if you think it's a good idea," Aren replied to her offer of medicine, exposing the torn flesh on his forearm, and trying to convince himself that there was no cause for concern. If she knew, it was just one less secret between them. If she didn't, he'd tell her when the time was right.

[Sayana]

“Wait, anyone could do that?” Sayana asked, this time with genuine surprise and curiosity rather than careful prying. “I thought magic was for other people, special people.” Oops. She’d let it slip. Might as well continue now. “You know, people like powerful priestesses, or Benshira elders, or highly trained jackal guards, or even age old Dhani mixing magic into poisons.” It was clear that her ideas regarding magic were misconstrued. She had only seen the effects of magic here and there and each time with a certain amount of awe as well as caution. The few who wielded magic in Ahnatep rose quickly in the ranks and they were certainly not people you wanted to mess with. “But if anyone can use magic, then why isn’t everyone using magic? I thought it was rather secretive… Or at least not for the common folk.” At last she shut her mouth, although with difficulty. She looked cautiously into Aren’s face, hoping she wouldn’t see signs of disapproval or annoyance. She doubted he’d be angry, but she wasn’t entirely sure how he regarded magic. Could he in fact be one of those high ranking people even though he didn’t show it? She felt a stab at her pride at the thought that he might utterly overshadow her and she cast her eyes down to his wounded arm. The Eypharian attentively listened to what he had to say and purposefully tried to keep quiet so he might further elaborate under the silence. Though a nod here and a glance there conveyed that she was still listening. At the same time, she unscrewed the jar of Krolar paste and lifted up his arm just the slightest so she could hold his wrist. The wound looked like it was already healing well, but she was sure that giving it a little boost wouldn’t hurt. Carefully she put a dab of the paste on her finger and slowly spread it upon the torn skin. How did he manage this one? More animals in the woods? But then she remembered that Orin had also been bruised up and the cook had said he’d been training with Aren. She gave a frown at the thought. She didn’t particularly like Aren coming home with gashes on him, but it was not like it was a rare occurrence. And it looked as though Orin had learned something from the session. After a couple of chimes there was a thin layer of paste over the injury and the skin around it. Hopefully it might keep it moist too. “Excuse me, let me just get the…” Sayana gestured to the hearth trying not to interrupt him too much. The eggs were probably ready and she used a spoon to scoop them out into two bowls. Three eggs each. She hadn’t considered cooling them off, so they’d be very warm to the touch but regardless she brought them to the table along with a small bag of salt. She then started on the quickly prepared meal. She was about to start with an egg, but couldn’t hold it for that long till it felt really hot. Instead she had a couple of bites of bread and cheese before returning to the eggs. It was definitely cooked, but the eggshell didn’t peel off very well, and often took parts of the egg with it. She shrugged, not caring all that much and sprinkled salt on it in between bites. Overall, not too bad. But it was definitely the salt that made it work. OOCExcuse me for awkwardly trying to fill the scene. I’m not sure exactly what he’s going to say but I still want to progress with Sayana preparing the breakfast.

[Aren]

The Akalak's eyes opened wide in surprise to hear Sayana actually use the word magic. He had told himself that it didn't matter, but that was when the possibility that she didn't know was acting as a sort of cushion for his own fears. The certainty of her knowledge having taken him by surprise, Aren wasn't entirely sure how to respond to her questions. Fortunately, the Eypharian's curiosity induced rambling gave him enough time to collect himself, and when she had finished speaking, he had an idea of what to say. Taking in a deep breath, Aren steeled himself for the task ahead. This wasn't how he had planned on telling Sayana this, but since he hadn't actually made any plans, perhaps this was as good an opportunity as any. "Most magic is a skill, like any other," He finally said, exhaling. "It can be taught and practiced, like cooking or dancing..." The Akalak explained, although he had to admit that his knowledge in this area was painfully limited. "Yet, in most places, a mage isn't exactly welcomed by the common folk, who fear what they don't understand. Sometimes that fear can spill over into something more," The Reimancer stated, having seen first hand the frightened change that often came over a person's face when they realized what he was. People who had been perfectly friendly a moment before might suddenly treat you like a disease to be avoided, or worse. "Which is probably why most don't generally advertise the fact that they can wield magic." Extending his index finger upwards, Aren placed it directly between his face and Sayana. After a few moments, a tiny amount of what looked like some kind of translucent goo was seemingly exuded from the tip of his finger and coalesced into a floating ball several inches above the digit. "People understand swords and knives and bows and arrows..." In an instant, the ball lit up like a tiny sun, and it began to make slight circular movements that looked to be in rhythm with the motions of Aren's finger. "...but even if they know nothing about magic, they become afraid that those things can't really protect them from it. The Reimancer's eyes narrowed slightly, obviously having dealt with the issue before, "Especially if they know nothing about it." Ignorance so often led to irrational fear that generally mages kept their abilities secret out of nothing more than simple caution. You never knew who was going to react with curiosity, as Sayana had, or instead with terror, or anger, or even violence. "I..." Aren's eyes kissed the floor. He knew she wasn't that type of person; he had known for awhile now and so felt somewhat ashamed of finding himself forced to reveal a secret he should have already volunteered. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before," He said, regret and contrition obvious in his voice and his gaze. Still, at least now it was done, the Akalak thought to himself. Maybe he'd thank whoever had informed her, if he ever found out who it was... or maybe he'd let Seros break every bone in their bodies.

[Sayana]

As Aren began explaining the magic, or at least the conceptions behind it, Sayana focused all her attention on him. Apparently it was much like a skill, like cooking or dancing. It was strange to think of it like that. She had always imagined that people either had it, or didn’t and that while one could perfect their skill in using magic, if you didn’t have it to begin with you probably couldn’t learn it. Perhaps it was simply the fact that she had never seen someone learning magic or at least someone using it with such a poor level of skill that it was clear they were merely a student. The Eypharian watched his face darken as he mentioned that often common folk would fear what they didn’t understand. Had he had some bad experience? But they were right to be cautious about something like that. She remembered once seeing a Jackal Guard kick someone with such force that they flew backwards through the air. He might have just been well trained but the way people had reacted and the sheer strength of the blow suggested there had been something more. That’s one guard you don’t want to mess with. The Akalak then held up a deep blue finger and Sayana watched with fascination as well as some nervousness as a milky and somewhat transparent substance came out from it. Slowly the gooey substance formed into a ball hovering above his finger. She tentatively reached a hand towards it, but then quickly snatched her hand back thinking better of it. Her face was mix of curiosity, caution, and uncertainty even though she was generally approaching the topic of magic in a positive manner. She was then very glad she had kept her hands to herself when the next instant the ball of milky goo had turned to a ball of flame. Sayana quickly sat back in her chair, having not realized earlier how much she had been leaning forwards into the table. It was a bright yellowy orange flame and as she looked back to Aren’s face she couldn’t help but notice how well it matched his brilliant eyes. She still wasn’t entirely sure what to make of it all. To be quite honest she was rather overwhelmed. Even though Orin had told her of Aren’s abilities, it was quite different to see the magic right before her eyes. With difficulty she tore her gaze away from the flaming ball, so much like Syna herself, and went to attend to the cooking. When she came back, the breakfast was ready and her thoughts were at least a little more organized. “So umm, is it just fire that you can do that thing with?” Sayana asked tentatively and gestured to his finger in attempt to explain her meaning. “And does this have a name or is it just called magic?” She roughly knew the answers to both but wanted to hear it from him for a more detailed answer and also so she wouldn’t slip up later with appearing to know more information than she should. Her mood had gone rather pensive as she sought to understand it all. She quietly nibbled away at a piece of bread and took a bite of a boiled egg she had shelled.

[Aren]

The Akalak shook his head in response to Sayana's question, "The purview of this particular form of magic is the command of the elements: Wind, fire, earth and water." Aren's golden eyes focused intently on the small light source hovering in front of him and his mind reached back to his mother's lessons, a century ago, "A blast of wind, a ball of flame, a shield of stone, a torrent of rain..." His voice echoed in sync with a rhyme spoken decades long since past. "Dominion over nature itself. That is the power of Reimancy." Aren's ability to quote words a hundred years after they were said stemmed from the absolute terror he had always felt around magic. It was not fear born of ignorance, as was so often the case, but rather because the person instructing him on the subject displayed an object lesson as to its dangers on their very flesh. His mother's scars, some of which he knew had been sustained as a result of overgiving, were a constant reminder of the perils of magic. This had blunted his keenness for learning to wield it, and well into adulthood Aren had still borne a distrust of his own abilities bordering on paranoia. He had eventually overcome this inclination, but he still understood the fear others felt when confronted with the revelation that they were in the presence of a mage. Even so, it was hard for him to accept it when people linked the danger magic could pose to the man wielding it, as if the two were wholly and completely indistinguishable. "Which makes me a Reimancer," The Akalak said, his voice a surprisingly even tone, considering the topic he was discussing. He supposed this was an indication of how far he had come when it came to what he thought of the arcane arts. "I'm not particularly adept at all the elements, though..." Aren confessed, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, knowing just what his mother would think if she heard him make such a statement. "So, now I need a cup of water if I'm going to put this thing out," He grinned slightly, seemingly embarrassed that the display had to end so anticlimactically. "Once the Res is transmuted, you see, it becomes no different than the element it is meant to be," The Reimancer said offhand, absentmindedly forgetting the fact that Sayana likely had no idea what some of the key words in that particular sentence meant. Coming to his feet, Aren stood with an eye to finding water with which to extinguish the spark which hovered above his finger, and something with which to fill his belly. As for the latter, it was starting to look like the Eypharian's boiled eggs was the only option that presented itself, and he was probably going to have to make do with that. Gods, where was Orin when you needed him? "Orin..." Seros' thoughts suddenly turned to the cook, a piercing notion sticking in his mind like a jagged protrusion in an otherwise smooth surface. "How, if I may ask, did you come by the knowledge that Aren was a mage?" The darker Other's question was spoken with as much nonchalance as the Akalak could manage, but something in his voice betrayed a harshness at the edge of his words.