[Flashback] Scarred For Life [Eshara]

[Ophelia]

Flashback 480AV, Midsummer's Day The sounds of Lhavit in full swing made it back to the ears of Shiri Dusk, younger brother of Kiera Dusk, in the Dusk Tower. A faint hum could be heard from the neighbouring Zintia Peak, a throb of voices pulsing and cheering at the antics of the Taiyang. Today was their one day of true joy, the one day they left the Sacred Fire to careen about doing acrobatic displays and dancing around. Pretty, though frivolous. Shiri chose to stay in the tower, alone. Shiri was sitting in his room, on the hard bed, cross legged. He lifted his scarred hands, raising them to chest height and holding them palm up in the room. The midday sun, streaming in through the window, hit his hands dousing them in light, emphasising the many scars that littered his hands. One would think he had gotten them through many years of combat, but no. Shiri had gotten them seventeen years ago, at the age of fifteen, in one of the most traumatising and rewarding days of his life - his own reimancy initiation. Focusing carefully on his inner djed, Shiri formed a a small translucent ball of res floating inches above his palms. With careful manipulation of thought and will, he steadily increased the size of it, adding more and more res to the ball. Suddenly, with a flicker of concentration crossing Shiri's prematurely wrinkled face, he set the outer layers of the res on fire, leaving a small ball in the core in pure res form, for control purposes. The flames licked, dancing in the same way the Taiyang were outside at the festivities, warming his hands and pleasing to his eyes. Reimancy was a beautiful thing.

[Eshara Aravell]

The sounds of merriment and joy as the Taiyang rejoiced in the midst of midsummers day was partially lost on a solitary figure winding her way towards the Dusk Tower. Eshara Aravell made her way through the busy streets of cheering people, clad in a yellow robe streaked with white and red to celebrate the heat and light from the Sun and her goddess, Syna. Children not much younger than her chased each other throughout the Surya square, laughing and shrieking, necklaces and pendants dangling from their necks, made from herbs and stones. She smiled vaguely as some of her friends called out to her and waved back in a distracted manner as she strode along towards her final destination - the Dusk Tower. It reared up above her as she neared it, an imposing figure and structure of grey, with orange and yellow, towering, frightening. But she did not have time to gawp at it. She had an appointement in the Tower itself. Hurrying along as best she could in full length robes, Eshara made it to the door and asked the doorman to directions to the rooms of Shiri Dusk. As she was escorted to Master Shiri's quarters, apprehension started to fill her as she started to near the moment she knew would change her life. Her Reimancy initiation. She had heard stories about the initiation. They said that it was traumatising, that if inaccurately performed, could cripple someone. They said that even if it was accurately performed, the initiated was experience trauma like never before. Eshara hoped that it wasn't true. But even if it was, Eshara squared her shoulders before knocking on the door. There was a brisk "Enter!" and Eshara opened the door and went in. A ball of fire was hovering around Shiri's head. Eshara blinked a moment, transfixed, then remembering her members, she bowed. "Good afternoon Master Shiri. I hope I find you well on this Midsummer's Day?"

[Ophelia]

A knock at the door caused Shiri to bark out permission to enter, never once taking his eyes from the dancing ball of flame in his hands. He could sense the woman as he guessed she was, as she entered the room delicately. The young, dainty voice that chimed out only served to confirm his opinions. He ignored her questions. "The fire is beautiful, is it not?" He extinguished the ball of flames hovering above his palms, and stood up, still not looking at the girl. He brushed down his robes, simple, though dark blue for the night sky. His fingers twitched, as if missing the warmth of the flames and the rush of power that came from manipulating the elements. Finally, he looked up at the girl. Girl she was, for she could not have been more than fifteen or so years. He raised an eyebrow at her young, innocent expression - wide eyes, dark framing hair. He knew what was coming next. Most likely she would express some deep desire that she had always had to learn magic and be powerful, so she could save her dying father. Or something. Which was absolute fluff, no one ever wanted to be a magician for others. They wanted it for themselves. The test of her worth began now. "I am Shiri Dusk. I do not care about your name, not yet. Why are you here?"

[Eshara Aravell]

Eshara stood there uncertainly as Shiri Dusk spoke, not even bothering to look at her or answer her questions. Annoyance flashed through her and was gone, as she calmed herself down, in order to answer Shiri's first question diplomatically. "If you say the fire is beautiful, then I am sure that it is, Master Shiri." She stood there for a while, taking in the surroundings, observing Shiri even as he sat there looking at her, sizing her up. Shiri Dusk seemed to be one who preferred to be plain and direct, and his lifestyle certainly was plain and direct. His room contained little, a hard bed, a table and a few chairs. Although the room was clean, it was simple, and if Eshara had not known who the room belonged to, she would have guessed that an Aisha lived here, and one who was not very well known as well. It certainly matched what she knew about Shiri Dusk. Rumour had it that the younger brother of Kiera Dusk was abrupt, even rude at times, and that he tolerated little foolishness or simplemindeness. Eshara would need to tread carefully here. "I am Shiri Dusk. I do not care about your name, not yet. Why are you here?" Eshara's temper flashed again, but she suppressed it almost at once. This was no time and place to lose her tongue. Especially not with someone who had as short a temper as Shiri Dusk was rumoured to have. "I am here in the hope that I can be taught Reimancy." Eshara replied, her voice still even. "I have always been interested in magic, especially Reimancy. I wish to learn about it Reimancy, and I can't do it very well from books." There. It was out. No fancy words or phrases. She meant what she said, and it was time for those words to be judged.

[Ophelia]

Ah. A diplomatic student. Shiri hated those. People needed to speak their mind, debate their own opinions, not cater to the flimsy feelings of others. It was this stupid diplomacy, this need to make everyone feel good about themselves all the time that led to pointless miscommunications and the wasting of time. Eshara needed to learn that. Her feelings would be prodded and poked by Shiri, it was how he taught and she needed to deal with that. "One thing you will learn from me, girl, is that I do not like diplomacy. You are to have your own opinions. My advice is you get some." So, she wanted to learn reimancy because she was interested in it. She wanted to learn it from a teacher rather than from books. Well, she was right in one aspect - he certainly could teach her better than some moldy old books. Though, if Shiri were to teach every single student who was 'interested' in magic, he would be teaching the entirety of Lhavit. She had to have a better reason. "Why, girl? Why are you interested? No heart wrenching story about how you would save a dying relative, no lie about how you would use it for the betterment of humanity? I need a reason, girl. I don't care if you're interested or not."