Timestamp: Summer 46, 515 AV
The days were longer here, and this one, more than most. The sun hung high, tilting from its zenith into the western sky. Dipping toward the edge of the horizon, where Talya knew the bay rested. Its waves mostly tranquil, now that the moon was beginning to wane in its cycle, although she was convinced, if only you strained to listen, that you could still hear it crashing against the shore, as much as you could hear the water lap angrily against the side of the docks. The sky was a clear blue; no more than a cloud in sight, here or there, their long, wispy bodies slowly sailing across the endless expanse; while gulls circling angrily served as the only cover. Their orange beaks parting as they uttered raucous calls over and over again, making it far more difficult for anyone to concentrate then need be. The sun's rays at least, were warm, and not uncomfortably so, and a soft breeze rolled in from the bay. The grass too was cool, if not a little prickly, and a vibrant green. She supposed there was a groundskeeper for the University to tend to that. Perhaps two or even three to ensure as much, and keep the lawns clean. For it was there that Talya found herself. She liked being there- it was a good enough place to practice, and it was always busy, so she never had to feel alone. There were people coming to and back from their classes- student and professor alike, students congregating to talk about their courses, or practice, if not to gossip. She could hear giggling, and whispers. Shouting, and what sounded like a slap or two on the back, and this, she found, was strangely comforting, although she held herself alone.
Talya was seated after all, at the edge of the large field, closest to the right side of the University's steps. She had set herself in a half lotus position, and had begun by clearing her head. Knowing that it would necessary if she wanted to practice her magic, (as she intended to do), for if she wasn't grounded, she wasn't herself. She wasn't as strong, and could more easily lose control. Such could pose huge problems, so the Ethaefal wasn't about to let something like that happen if she could so much as avoid it, so she closed her eyes and began to meditate. She breathed in through the nose, and out through the mouth. Counting the breath in her head. She breathed again; paying attention to how her chest rose and fell. As she breathed in and out a third time, she set her hands comfortably on her knees, with the palms facing up. Then on the fourth, she simply counted the breath, as she did with the fifth. On the sixth breath in through her nose and out through her mouth, she ignored a bee buzzing annoyingly by her ear, and moved into another breath. Then another and another and another, until she reached ten. Then she sighed, and started all over again. Completing another rep until the number ten. At which point, the fog of her mind was beginning to clear; the racing thoughts she had to slow. She proceeded to do another few repetitions of the same exercise- counting her breath from one to ten before starting again. Or starting again until she lost count. After about a half hour, she had cleared her mind and opened her eyes, as she now felt safe to begin her reimancy training.
Talya concentrated on her djed. She could feel it coursing within her- running through her veins as much as her organs. It had a warm feeling. But also a cool feeling, while also a hot one in other areas. For it was everything, and it was also nothing. It made her body tingle, and this was exciting, but it also made her feel anxious and fearful, and she had to fight off the urge to tremble as she awakened it. Pure magical potential, she supposed, for lack of better phraseology; something molded as easily as one might mold clay, or kneed bread. It made her smile. Then it made her frown. It made her brow wrinkle as sweat appeared upon it, in part from what she was doing, or rather, preparing to do, and in part from the sun beating down upon her; the summer heat. She felt the djed rise. Moving up from her toes, her legs, her chest, into her neck. Before it poured into her arms. She wondered if the heat had something to do with how it pulsed, and how it moved through her as a gas as she envisioned it slipping into her hands, and then the tip of her fingers. Slowly, she opened her pores, and let her djed slip out from her appendages; seep out from behind her nails, so that they pooled above each of her outstretched palms: an invisible, gaseous substance known as res.
The res reflected the light, as much as it allowed it to pass through it with ease. Golden beams lining the grass beside the seated Ethaefal, who peered through it; as it appeared to magnified the blades. She breathed deeply, taking air in through her mouth, before passing it out through her flaring nostrils. Her pupils dilating; stinging as light entered. Her fingers radiating a cool heat as she sent more of her res into the atmosphere, until a thin cloud circled each of her palms. Silently, she filled these with the only element she was able- air, and freed what she had created into what already was. She wished she could color what she had made, taint it, so that she could see it go. She sighed. Why did air, much like everything else in the world, have to be so darned fleeting?
The days were longer here, and this one, more than most. The sun hung high, tilting from its zenith into the western sky. Dipping toward the edge of the horizon, where Talya knew the bay rested. Its waves mostly tranquil, now that the moon was beginning to wane in its cycle, although she was convinced, if only you strained to listen, that you could still hear it crashing against the shore, as much as you could hear the water lap angrily against the side of the docks. The sky was a clear blue; no more than a cloud in sight, here or there, their long, wispy bodies slowly sailing across the endless expanse; while gulls circling angrily served as the only cover. Their orange beaks parting as they uttered raucous calls over and over again, making it far more difficult for anyone to concentrate then need be. The sun's rays at least, were warm, and not uncomfortably so, and a soft breeze rolled in from the bay. The grass too was cool, if not a little prickly, and a vibrant green. She supposed there was a groundskeeper for the University to tend to that. Perhaps two or even three to ensure as much, and keep the lawns clean. For it was there that Talya found herself. She liked being there- it was a good enough place to practice, and it was always busy, so she never had to feel alone. There were people coming to and back from their classes- student and professor alike, students congregating to talk about their courses, or practice, if not to gossip. She could hear giggling, and whispers. Shouting, and what sounded like a slap or two on the back, and this, she found, was strangely comforting, although she held herself alone.
Talya was seated after all, at the edge of the large field, closest to the right side of the University's steps. She had set herself in a half lotus position, and had begun by clearing her head. Knowing that it would necessary if she wanted to practice her magic, (as she intended to do), for if she wasn't grounded, she wasn't herself. She wasn't as strong, and could more easily lose control. Such could pose huge problems, so the Ethaefal wasn't about to let something like that happen if she could so much as avoid it, so she closed her eyes and began to meditate. She breathed in through the nose, and out through the mouth. Counting the breath in her head. She breathed again; paying attention to how her chest rose and fell. As she breathed in and out a third time, she set her hands comfortably on her knees, with the palms facing up. Then on the fourth, she simply counted the breath, as she did with the fifth. On the sixth breath in through her nose and out through her mouth, she ignored a bee buzzing annoyingly by her ear, and moved into another breath. Then another and another and another, until she reached ten. Then she sighed, and started all over again. Completing another rep until the number ten. At which point, the fog of her mind was beginning to clear; the racing thoughts she had to slow. She proceeded to do another few repetitions of the same exercise- counting her breath from one to ten before starting again. Or starting again until she lost count. After about a half hour, she had cleared her mind and opened her eyes, as she now felt safe to begin her reimancy training.
Talya concentrated on her djed. She could feel it coursing within her- running through her veins as much as her organs. It had a warm feeling. But also a cool feeling, while also a hot one in other areas. For it was everything, and it was also nothing. It made her body tingle, and this was exciting, but it also made her feel anxious and fearful, and she had to fight off the urge to tremble as she awakened it. Pure magical potential, she supposed, for lack of better phraseology; something molded as easily as one might mold clay, or kneed bread. It made her smile. Then it made her frown. It made her brow wrinkle as sweat appeared upon it, in part from what she was doing, or rather, preparing to do, and in part from the sun beating down upon her; the summer heat. She felt the djed rise. Moving up from her toes, her legs, her chest, into her neck. Before it poured into her arms. She wondered if the heat had something to do with how it pulsed, and how it moved through her as a gas as she envisioned it slipping into her hands, and then the tip of her fingers. Slowly, she opened her pores, and let her djed slip out from her appendages; seep out from behind her nails, so that they pooled above each of her outstretched palms: an invisible, gaseous substance known as res.
The res reflected the light, as much as it allowed it to pass through it with ease. Golden beams lining the grass beside the seated Ethaefal, who peered through it; as it appeared to magnified the blades. She breathed deeply, taking air in through her mouth, before passing it out through her flaring nostrils. Her pupils dilating; stinging as light entered. Her fingers radiating a cool heat as she sent more of her res into the atmosphere, until a thin cloud circled each of her palms. Silently, she filled these with the only element she was able- air, and freed what she had created into what already was. She wished she could color what she had made, taint it, so that she could see it go. She sighed. Why did air, much like everything else in the world, have to be so darned fleeting?
