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 Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2024 5:13 pm
 Salem Everett
Status: Master.
Location: The Guest Wing.
____________________________________________________
It was once again early morning when Salem would awaken the children, and they were simply to meet him in the mansion's lobby. He didn't say anything about what they were doing, simply that they once again have five minutes and departed.
When they all arrived, he would organize them to stand at attention and in a line. Then he stepped in front of them as if a drill sergeant, inspecting each and every one of them. "Yesterday, I gave you a taste of being powerless. But it was only a trick. Our power is never gone, you only fail to perceive it. Today's lesson is perseverance, to be caught, trapped, and to fight on beyond all odds. Or simply put, never give up, never surrender."
One by one he stepped up to each of them, placing a single bangle in their hands. First Etamara, then Remington, and then Nyale, before Salem then stood in line with them. "I want you all to know, I will never put you through something I have not, or would not put myself through. I will be joining you in training today, and for other lessons." Salem put the bangle on, and his face twitched just slightly in discomfort. This was no longer a unfamiliar sensation.
It was like being entombed in ice. His nerves burned in discomfort and he felt less whole as he could feel his ability to manipulate magic diminish. It wouldn't be long before a cold sweat would break, but he would deal with it. Enduring this was a key, as this was most of the world's immediate response, and it was their job to be prepared for it.
The Everett Patriach put his arm forwards, and the actual temperature in the room dropped as a blizzaga burst from the floor. Not actually damaging it, showing that Salem could manage if he focused, both power and precision. He let out as gasp as his focus faltered, the magic spell quickly melting away before he turned his snow-haired head towards the girl. "Draw your strength from yourself, and your friends, and withstand. If you can, overcome."
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Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2024 10:16 am
 Remington Estellise La Faustina Nipal
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Stock: Cure (x3), Esuna (x3)
Status: Unbroken
Rem stood straight. She stood lined up with Nyale and Etamara, dressed sharp in a button-down shirt and her Unita jacket which covered most of the bruises. Scratches and scrapes still marred one side of her face. But she stood straight. Walking down the line, Salem found her with her chin up and her eyes forward, standing at parade rest.
Training will not break me.
The Everetts will not break me.
Sorcery will not break me.
She looked him in the eye.
I know you think little of me. But I am not what you think.
She accepted the armlet, and Salem saw the recognition flash in her eyes: an Odine bangle. The girl took a deep breath, holding the thing like a biohazard. The surprise was in Salem joining them. She watched with intent, and her eyes widened as she felt and then saw the icy crystals emerging from the manor floor. The cold left swirls of frost on every surface.
It can be done, she told herself, looking down at the silver-grey thing in her hands. It had the same curved, technical design most everything from Esthar did. She’d studied everything she could about magical theory, including what information could be eeked out of Esthar. The country did not like sharing. Rem braced herself, shut her eyes, and slipped the armlet onto her wrist.
The river froze.
”Guhhh!” the girl gasped as she dropped to her knees. Like plunging into one of those mad Trabian ice baths! She couldn’t breathe! The muscles in her chest wouldn’t move! A hand scrabbled at the armlet to tear it off…but only for a moment. She dragged her hand away from the bangle and instead grasped at her chest. The other arm supported her from the floor while she forced herself to breathe. The cold only sank deeper the longer it was on, sapping the strength from her.
It’s just your magic! It’s not actually cold! she yelled at herself in her skull. Knowing it was true didn’t make it less horrid. But after five or six repetitions, she managed to suck in a gasp of air. Once she’d started, it was easier to continue. She expected her breath to fog. She stared at the armlet, wanting nothing more than to tear the thing off and hurl it out a window!
You’re only making it worse! Focus! Rem clamped her eyes shut. Tried to listen. To feel! Salem said that their power was never gone. But the deeper she reached, the less sure she was that she could feel anything at all. She dragged herself back to sit on her knees, raising her gaze. She needed something- there: the central table in the lobby had a vase of flowers resting on it. Rem picked one out, a fresh chrysanthemum, and gripped at her skirt.
Feel.
She reached for it. Tried to stir the waters. Draw the flower toward herself.
Nothing.
Rem tried for a while longer before she had to clamp her eyes shut. She had to grip her skirt to keep her own hand from tearing the armlet off. She refocused on her breathing, like she were meditating beneath a frigid waterfall. Her body screamed at her that she would freeze to death. It lied. She needed…she needed calm. Strength.
She opened her eyes again, focusing on the flower. No, it didn't work this time, either. It didn't stop her.
This. Will. Not. Break. Me.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Princess
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Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2024 3:25 pm
 Lost in skies of powdered gold
xxxxxxxCaught in clouds of silver ropes
xxxxxxxxxxxxShowered by the empty hopes
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAs I tumble down, falling fast to the ground
I know I'll wither, so peel away the bark
xxxxxxxxx'cause nothing grows when it is dark
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxIn spite of all my fears, I can see it all so clear
xxxxN y a l exxxxL a y t o s▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Another early start at the mansion.
Nyale stood in the line with Eta and Rem, dutifully listening and observing as her uncle began to explain the next task. She was particularly quiet and subdued this morning, with deep shadows under her eyes pointing to a night of bad sleep. Nightmares had plagued her, making her toss and turn all night long, waking her in a cold sweat. Visions of Adel standing over the bodies of her family, of Winhill turned into a smoking ruin, and of being imprisoned in cold, dark place far away in the sky, powerless and alone...
She tried to shake it off and put it out of her mind for today.
Need to focus...
It wasn't made easier when Salem handed her the bangle. She wrinkled her nose at it upon realising what it was, that fear of being powerless resurfacing. What he expected them to do seemed obvious, but also impossible. Until Ny saw him slide one of the bangles on his own wrist and cast the blizzaga, the room becoming engulfed in ice. She stared in awe, and noted the strain it seemed to have on the man.
Then Rem followed suit, and Ny could see the extreme effect it also had on the young Sorceress as she fell to her knees, struggling. If it was difficult even for Salem how could they manage such a feat, she wondered, feeling a little hopeless.
Ny took a shaky breath, casting a doubtful look at her uncle for a moment before hesitantly slipping the bangle over her wrist.
Immediately an icey cold sensation seized her whole body. It dampened her inner fire and forced all her limbs to tense up. She felt as if all the warmth and life in her had been snuffed out in a heartbeat and the girl pressed her hands against her chest as her breath caught, gasping. Every instinct in her body told her to rip off the bangle and throw it across the room, yet she fought desperately against the the urge. After a few moments she realised that by some miracle she had managed to stay standing, and now Ny staggered over to a stone pillar in the lobby. She braced herself against it in order to remain upright as the bangle gradually diminished her strength. It felt like being slowly dragged beneath a freezing ocean. "Ah..." She took deep, slow breaths, closing her eyes.
Do something. Anything... She ordered herself.
Ny opened her eyes again and held out a trembling hand, her palm facing up. Breathless, she tried to focus herself and reach inside, seeking out any little ember of power she could grasp and draw it forth. Conjure some sparks of light. Only to find...nothing.
A cold, aching black chasm of emptiness inside her where her magic used to be.
Pathetic
Her hand dropped, but Ny kept searching, kept trying. She wasn't new to Sorcery, like Rem, or a young student like Eta. It should be easier for her, surely. Shivers wracked her body.
Adel's going to kill your whole family and you can't even summon some measly sparks
Ny dug deeper, and at last found a thread of magic to pull on. A tiny flickering light nestling in the dark.
With a gasp the girl fell to her knees, throwing her hands out, and a shockwave of light erupted from her. It spread through the lobby in a rapid and dramatic flash, lighting up the whole room.
Ny sat back, panting slightly.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬T h exxL i g h t w e a v e r Let your colours bleed and blend with mine...xxxxxxxxxx
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Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 3:59 pm
 Etamara Vilisantra Status: SUFFERING!
Song of the moment: God Complex┏━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━═✥═━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┓ Arriving bright and early once again in the morning, Etamara was eager to see what it was her master had in store for her this time. The trials of yesterday not diswaying her in anyways despite the failings she was forced to admit to herself. Today, however, she was not expecting the training regiment they were about to receive from Salem. Holding the bangle in hand, she watched as her master performed his sorcery even with the magic being inhibited. While that was impressive, Etamara stared hard at the bangle. She could feel nothing from it in the most literal sense, actually quite the opposite, it was like a vacuum sucking in all of the mana. It was haunting.
As someone who lived and breathed with her magic, her musical notes always ever present around her playing subtle hymns and notes for all to hear. It was pleasant to hear a majority of the time, however, as she watched the girls put theirs on and attempt to perform with it, she could see their faces and the struggle they were going through, and that worried her confidence for once. And for good reason.
Hesitantly she put it on, and instantly the sound of piano keys banging loudly could be heard as Etamara dropped to her hands and knees immediately. If it was the equivalent of feeling like a rushing current coming full stop, for Eta it was like being violently suffocated. Her stomach felt like it was turning inward, and thank god she didn't eat anything early in the morning or she would have vomited right there. All of her magical notes and music were gone, unable even to even lift herself up like she used too. Unlike the two who were fighting with all their mights, Etamara was the first to truly stagger and collapse. She could barely even lift herself up or muster the willpower to do so. She glared and gritted her teeth, her hands pressing firmly into the floor beneath her as she struggled to stay up on her hands and knees. "EVERYTHING IS HURTING!!!" She mentally screamed to herself.
The icy burning sensation she felt across her body was akin to being ignited by an inferno. As someone who lived and breathed magic, used it at every given moment, losing all access to it at once was like a freight train smashing into her, forcing every ounce of her mental willpower to go into just staying conscious. She couldn't even think straight, let alone attempt to use magic like the other two were trying, and that frustrated her! They were not better than her! She would not let this stupid piece of jewelry defeat her so easily! "If they can, so can I!!" She gritted her teeth tightly, growling with rage in her eyes, sweat profusely dripping down her face as she stood back up to her feet. That alone took all she had, and she hadn't even casted anything yet! "Come on! Move you stupid limbs!" She yelled internally at herself. She would not be defeated!
It was cold, so cold. She could not find the rhythm of the world around her immediately. This freezing feeling, it felt like she had been trapped beneath a glacial ocean, just beneath the surface of the iceblock, able to just sense the rhythm out of her reach. She closed her eyes, sucking in air sharply through her teeth, the veins in her muscles tensing up as she did everything she could to keep herself up. The flow was just out of reach of her fingertips, she could taste it! Fighting a frozen current was easier said than done though, and no matter how much she tried in vain to use her gifts, she couldn't! She was trying to force it, trying to desperately reach the metaphorical ceiling and burst through it, but her hand felt that wall, and it burned her! It felt like she was being torn asunder every attempt she made to use it.
A distorted aura surrounded Etamara, her body trying to pull the mana into her, but unable to completely do so. Salem could see that she was getting there, that she was able to at least attempt to draw magic in, but that was as good as it was going to get, because even that was too much, and soon after she dropped back down, actually vomitting, though it was more water and bile than anything else.
"" ┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━═✥═━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛
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Ellise Belmont Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2024 2:27 pm
Salem Everett
Status: Sensei.
Location: Lobby.
____________________________________________________
Salem had watched Raeka and Marianna suffer through elements of this training before. But he did not know, they seemed more prepared for this than two of his pupils. As the master watched his apprentices, he could not help but feel for the children as they suffered in their training. He knew it would not leave a lasting physical effect, and in the future if they were tagged by some sort of dampening effect their ability to perform and not panic was likely to be increased ten fold.
But he was not Aelianna. He could not watch his pupils collapse in agony and be unable to even stand, much less hold their breakfast back. Salem stooped next to Etamara first, pulling her hair back before unclipping the bangle and taking it off of her. Perhaps the shock is too much. He thought, not speaking aloud as to not offend the pride of his pupils any more than he had too.
Next he glided over to Remington with the practiced grace of a Everett. Once again he removed the bangle upon his pupil, his focus only being broken when light flooded the room. Salem could not help but beam with pride as Nyale had met success with the very basics. Focusing on one's own magic was the easiest way to break the basic barriers the bangles set up. "I'm sorry Rem, this is the most unfair on you."
The man stepped away from them, pulling out a planter with a bo-staff lodged well into the foil. The girls would likely recognize it as one of the weapons the SeeD had used against them the day before. "You have experienced the shock of anti-magic, wholly. A sour experience as you can tell, but nothing less would let you understand the effect. Nyale, Etamara, Remington. This bo-staff is another anti-magic tool, although the effects are more gradual unless you are struck directly with it. Let Ny be a example, focusing on your innate sorcerous talent will be easier on overcoming the ground levels of prevention."
Now, Salem had not taken the bangles from them. It was a implied gesture they may train in however way they wished, but beating the bangle was the hardest method he had shown them.
____________________________________________________
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Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2024 9:11 pm
Remington Estellise La Faustina Nipal
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stock: Cure (x3), Esuna (x3)
Status: She smiles, but her eyes are sad.
Nyale shone! Rem gaped up at the girl’s display, sending the room rattling with her shockwave!
Etamara…struggled, as Rem did. And…perhaps a mite more…
She had to shut her eyes. Blot it out. Less distraction made it easier. If she could get used to it, get past the shock-
It vanished.
Rem started, jolting back to awareness! The cold was gone, nothing but the memory fading from her skin like mist! Salem was beside her, setting the horrid device aside. Had she…failed? But, he apologized to her!
They were left to consider the staff, but Rem waited for more about the armband. No more came. When Rem realized that, she bobbed a bow.
”Is…Is Etamara well?” she asked, worry in her voice. But Salem seemed to dismiss the matter with no more than a command for the staff to clean up. Rem stepped out of her place and bent to rub Etamara’s back, still, ‘til Salem offered his alternative.
”Thank you, Master Everett, but I think you are right,” Rem offered, leaning forward to gingerly pick up the bangle once more. She found nothing particular about the thing but the chill of steel on her fingertips. ”I must be prepared for the worst.” She sucked in a deep breath, let it out, and slid the bangle back on.
Back into the deep! It was like winter inside her skin!
No stranger to feeling uncomfortable in my skin.
The thought…helped. And it led to more. Thinking of that time of fear had slowly become thinking of the warmth she received afterward. Kalen had been on her side in an instant. He gave her the courage to talk to her father. And, at last, her mother. That day, she was broken down and remade. All of it was warm. Warm against the chill cutting inside! And though she shivered, and hugged herself, she did not take the armband off. Gradually, she managed to pull herself from the shivering position and place her hands on her thighs. She steadied. Stayed kneeling. Shook only occasionally. She focused on the flower once more…
…
Nothing.
She stayed put. Her breathing trembled, and she clenched her eyes shut, but she stayed. Soon, she was steady again.
”Nyale…May I ask any advice?” Rem turned her gaze up to her friend, working to keep a straight face against the bitter, smothering feeling inside.
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Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2024 11:21 am
Lost in skies of powdered gold
xxxxxxxCaught in clouds of silver ropes
xxxxxxxxxxxxShowered by the empty hopes
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAs I tumble down, falling fast to the ground
I know I'll wither, so peel away the bark
xxxxxxxxx'cause nothing grows when it is dark
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxIn spite of all my fears, I can see it all so clear
xxxxN y a l exxxxL a y t o s▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Ny worked on slowing her breathing, taking long, deep breaths to calm her racing heart. Though her body still shivered she was both pleased and relieved that she had surpassed the bangle's nullifying effect. And now that she had broken the seal, the feeling of powerlessness was diminished. The physical effects of it still caused her intense discomfort, making her grimace, but mentally she knew that she could still access her magic, so the fear was simply gone. And now that she thought about it, that was really the worst part for her.
Noticing Salem going around and removing the bangles from her teammates the girl got unsteadily to her feet, concerned to see that Rem seemed to be struggling and poor Eta was physically sick. She watched Salem take out the alternative bow staff, eyeing it cautiously. And when Rem placed her bangle back on, it earned an approving smile from Nyale.
"Advice? Oh. Hm"
The girl considered, looking down at her own. "Like my uncle said, using your particular affinity will be the easiest way to breakthrough, I think, so maybe try tapping into your temporal abilities?" She paused, thinking. It was hard to get her thoughts straight when all her nerves were being consumed with this icey burning sensation. She forced herself to push past it, a hard edge in her amber eyes. "And maybe don't focus on the flowers or anything external yet. You can't direct your magic if you can't feel it in the first place. So look inward..."
Ny pressed a hand on her chest for emphasis.
"...seek it out. It's there somewhere. You know how your magic feels for you, let yourself be drawn to that. I mean...that's how I did it. It just takes some..." She cast a quick, pained glance at Salem. "...perseverance"
Then Ny looked back at Rem. "When you've found it, unleash it any way you can. Fine-tuning the outcome is for later, I guess" The main thing, she thought, was for Rem and Eta to overcome the initial limiting sensation of the bangle. "No need to put the cart before the chocobo, right?"
Her expression turned anxious after a moment.
"Sorry, that's not helpful is it?" It was difficult to tell someone how to use their magic. Normally it was such a natural, instinctive thing that she barely had to think about it. She tentatively ran a finger along the metal bangle. Like Rem she chose to keep it on, even though every second it touched her skin felt deeply wrong. The point of this task is to endure...so that's what I need to do... She thought, with shaky, stubborn breaths. Becoming familiar with its devastating effects would certainly help her to be prepared for this eventuality in the future. But I need to do more than just endure it, I need to be able to function despite this kind of thing...
She had overcome the initial barrier, now Ny knew she had to practice doing that until she could use her magic effectively, as Salem had done with his blizzaga. He had used ice magic despite the suppressing power of the bangle, and he had controlled it enough to cause zero damage to the room, or them. She pondered this.
Allowing herself a deep, steadying breath, Ny closed her eyes and raised a hand, seeking out that familiar tiny ember of magic inside, reaching for it despite the suffocating coldness of the ring on her wrist. A tiny scrap of warmth and light in a dark, freezing ocean. She drew on it again, coaxing it out, and this time she tried to focus on forming the spell like Salem had done, rather than letting it burst out uncontrolled as she had before.
Ny opened her eyes and twirled her hand in a circle and...
Nothing happened.
You can do this. Get it together, girl
She huffed in frustration.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬T h exxL i g h t w e a v e r Let your colours bleed and blend with mine...xxxxxxxxxx
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Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2024 12:33 pm
Etamara Vilisantra Status: I will not let my pride be tarnished!
Song of the moment: God Complex ┏━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━═✥═━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┓ To be coddled by her master and Rem at the same time brought a low blow to her ego while Nyale seemed perfectly fine and able to at least stand on her own. Out of the three, it was she who was the weakest one struggling here! She couldn't accept that at all! No sir! A low growl escaped her lips as Salem took away her bangle, forcing her to stop before she fought through the sensation; but whether or not she wanted to admit it to him, she needed it. She didn't look in either his direction or Rem's, instead glaring towards the ground with her teeth gritting, wiping her lips of the remaining bile that remained on it.
"I won't be outdone!" She thought internally to herself as she slowly rose back up to her feet, taking in a deep breath and pushing away from everyone after a point, needing space for herself. "This won't finish me! I just need to warm up! Don't worry about me!" She made excuses, but it was somewhat true. She could not immediately jump into the connection of the flow around her, and with the bangle it was impossible to feel that pull, but here now without it? She could get into the rhythm she needed to start.
Stepping away further from the girls, and her master, she took her bangle, setting it aside first before daring to put it back on as she took in a deep breath.
Musical note bubbles formed around her, sending out drum beats for her, allowing Etamara to get into the flow, swaying herself to the beat as she focused and concentrated. She was taking advice from Nyale and Salem, losing herself into her musical rhythm until she began to sing to herself.
"Three years gone. Two different stories in the life you led." As the music began to play, her virtuoso began to hover and float alongside her, beginning to play the bow across it while singing. "One by one, there's pieces falling into place in my head; Oh! All the games you used to play! Using my heart like it's yours for entertainment. You weren't the one! So now we're done! Baby you showed me what I'm really made of!" Mana began to flow rapidly into Etamara, her muscles in her body beginning to bolster and strengthen herself, but more importantly, she was able to keep that flow going.
Taking in a deep breath, she unleashed her chorus and the music around her began to burst around her, making a scene of things. "Now baby I'm alright without your love! I'm more than satisfied without your touch You thought my love would die after what you've done! But I will survive! I will survive!" As the chorus came crashing in, the mana around her exploded, surging around her and visibly showing in a blue aura around her. Taking advantage of this, Etamara quickly moved to the bangle, quickly smacking that thing on her wrist as she was singing. With the flow already in her, it was much easier to keep a hold onto it, but once the bangle came onto her, she had to pause on her singing to concentrate and keep the rhythm of the drums going. Her virtuoso dropped to the ground, but that was perfectly fine. She just needed to hold onto the rhythm! Reaching down herself to her Virtuoso, she took in a deep breath and readied herself to pick up again into the song!
"" ┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━═✥═━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛
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Ellise Belmont Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 12:44 am
Salem Everett
Status: Master.
Location: In The Cold Icy Hell That Is Magic Dampening House
____________________________________________________
Salem could not deny the respect he had for his pupils who had decided to plunge themselves back into the damning cold of the bangles instead of working into it. He had to work himself into it before he could dare face the bangles, but his first experience with anti-magic was when he was struck in combat. Honestly the Sorcerer didn't even know such things existed back then, and now they had expanded into their own sort of gear. He hated it. For a moment he considered killing everyone who could create it, but pulled his mind back before he got lost in that thought.
Focus. He attuned back to the present, watching Etamara pool her magic before plunging back into the waters. On one hand, he did not like the approach, she was setting herself up in a method he doubted she would have properly prepared in the field. On the other hand, if it gave her the grounds to find her magic while dampened, he could prevent her from developing a bad habit in trying to deal with the mana reduction.
Salem himself then turned to the side. They could see his face scrunch as he concentrated and began to work magic. Fire, this time, keeping it simple and low level, he played with how it formed and the shapes it took. Every now and again the form slipped, and the fire would snuff out or momentarily out of hand. Even with a sigh of frustration, he silently kept at it. He would return his attention to his pupils now and again, ready to answer any questions or any guidance as he saw fit.
____________________________________________________
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Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2025 12:03 pm
Remington Estellise La Faustina Nipal
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stock: Cure (x3), Esuna (x3), Scan (x3)
Status: She smiles, but her eyes are sad.
Inward.
She tried. She tried, while Nyale faltered and Etamara triumphed. The musician had found her own strategy for success. Master Everett kept his own bangle on for more than the demonstration.
Rem shut it all out. Nyale said to look inward, so she shut her eyes and tried to seek through feeling.
That’s how she stayed. Five minutes. Ten. Thirty.
She shifted position. Paced around. Held herself to keep the cold back. She reached inward, reached outward, reached anywhere she could fathom. While the other Sorceresses practiced, Rem foundered. She had to take the bangle off at times. First, it was like catching her breath. But after the first hour, Rem tore the thing off when the horrid cold wormed its way into her brain so deep she couldn’t think.
She tried asking questions. However, no metaphor Nyale or Eta or Salem could provide got through to her. She tried casting a spell on herself- a simple Haste. She’d done that before. Even Slow, trying to use the anti-magic’s smothering cold as a parallel to grasp her power. Nothing.
By lunch time, Rem was entirely focused on the exercise. She refused to take off the bangle by now. In the afternoon, she was pale and stuck with a cold sweat. She seated herself by a large window to let the sun warm her skin. It didn’t help. The day wore on into afternoon, and Remington struggled.
By dinner time, she asked for nothing. She ate cold rice and paced the front lobby where they had begun their training, using the motion to warm her muscles. She was still there when the others went to bed.
—
Where is your magic?
Remington could see her own reflection in the glass. Outside, the moon watched, a great half-closed eye. Strange something beautiful could be so cruel. Sometimes, she wondered, if she squinted hard enough, if she could see the monsters teeming across its surface.
I know it’s there. It’s numb, not gone. Like muscles. She’d tried picture it that way. Hadn’t helped. Frozen. How do I step into a frozen river? She’d tried to convince herself she was already in it, to remember the feeling of magic flowing around her. Hadn’t helped. She’d tried coats, blankets, even starting up a hearth fire in the dead of summer! Hadn’t helped.
She’d stopped shivering by now. Almost used to it. But sleep…No. She wouldn’t be able to sleep. For the thousandth time since the others had gone to bed, she pulled out her phone. Past midnight. Kal would be asleep. Mom would answer, no matter the time. ”Put it down and pick up your violin,” she’d say. When Rem was stuck, her mother would request a song. The music carved out its own little place in her mind, forcing the worries and the urgencies to stay back. When she made herself move at the music’s pace…
…
Rem rose from the window’s sill.
—
The entirety of Winhill Manor awoke to the squeal of Remington’s violin! The girl played like the Devil herself were after her. She sawed her bow across the strings in with a wild passion, swaying through the manor conservatory. On top of a table, a metronome swung back and forth, giving structure to her feverish song.
Tick, tock, tick, tock~
The metronome gave her rhythm. The music gave her feeling. She sawed like she were trying to light her strings on fire via friction, as if that could warm her!
Perhaps it could~
Her song was the race of her heart as she and Kalen crossed swords! Standing over her when she fell, bokuto on his shoulder, grin as wide as the horizon, sun at his back. The warmth was in his grin and in every tingling bruise.
Her warmth was in the laugh of her father as he scooped her up in a hug like she was still a little girl.
Her warmth was in every bite of Mae’s baking, every one of Jae’s stupid jokes, every last fiery argument with Sou-hi, every smile and greeting on the streets of Eden City.
Her warmth was the voice of her mother.
”You’re you, Remington.”
The bangle could only chill her. An inner chill needed inner warmth! The warmth let her think clearer. Let her feel. Let her understand.
Her magic was not in equipment, or a Guardian Force, or even a gift from a predecessor.
It’s me.
Light rose in luminous wisps from the bangle. Its dull silver face shimmered and flickered with colors it should not possess. Rem played, and the more she played, the brighter the temperamental sparks grew! Cold sweat beaded on her brow, and she clamped her eyes shut so hard it hurt…but she refused to stop.
Behind Rem, the old grandfather clock which marked time in the conservatory began to tick faster. The air grew thicker, pressing in on any visitors’ eardrums. On the music stands arranged against the wall, folders of sheet music rippled and flew open! Pages blew by in an unfelt wind! Dust shimmered in the air, knocked from its peaceful places by the current rumbling through the chamber! The windows rippled and groaned, threatening to buckle! All of it building, rising toward a crescendo until-!
BWONG
She stopped.
The grandfather clock bellowed 1:00 AM. Even though every other clock in the manor declared the time to be 12:19.
The pressure released. All of it, at an end. Pages fluttered to a stop. The air calmed. Nothing was broken. Nothing except…
crk, thmp
The bangle fell off Rem’s wrist to the floor. It smoked like dry ice. A cursory inspection of the device showed it to be rusted through- the para-arcane circuitry within was ruined, all frayed and coated with red-brown grime which had not been there this morning.
Rem stood with her bow and violin at her sides, head tilted back, her eyes closed…and she smiled.
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The Princess
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2025 12:21 pm
Lost in skies of powdered gold
xxxxxxxCaught in clouds of silver ropes
xxxxxxxxxxxxShowered by the empty hopes
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAs I tumble down, falling fast to the ground
I know I'll wither, so peel away the bark
xxxxxxxxx'cause nothing grows when it is dark
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxIn spite of all my fears, I can see it all so clear
xxxxN y a l exxxxL a y t o s▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Seeing Eta rally herself out of sheer pride brought a quick smile to Ny's face. She took a moment to observe the younger girl, watching inquisitively at her unique method of beating the bangle. She does have a good voice.... Nyale mused, enjoying hearing Eta sing, and more than a little impressed by her fortitude given that only moments before she had been throwing up. Seeing Rem and Salem also keep trying gave Ny the final little internal push she needed to persist with the training herself.
Tuning the rest of the group out she planted her feet, took a slow, steadying breath, and tried once more to manifest a spell in a more controlled form, like her uncle was doing. Focus...you can do this... Ny closed her eyes and visualised it carefully in her mind. The form it would take. How she would create it and hold it. After a moment she pulled the magic from deep within, just as she had before. The exertion of fighting against the bracelet made her grit her teeth, cold sweat sliding down her cheek, yet somehow she was able to draw from that little flicker inside again. She raised a shaky hand, channeling the reluctant magic out with pure will.
Light bloomed in her palm.
Her eyebrows creased into a fierce frown as the Sorceress concentrated hard, forcing it to ripple and mould until it formed a glittering white sphere. It hovered benignly over her palm for several seconds before dissipating into nothing and Ny blinked in surprise. Then a slow and satisfied grin spread across her face. I can do it... She thought, tired but immensely pleased. That such a low level bit of magic took so much effort was something she didn't want to think too hard about right now.
The rest of the morning passed gradually for Ny with the girl in her own stubborn little world, slowly forming her light magic into simple yet different shapes as best she could, with mixed success. It was slow progress, but she was determined and singularly focused to the point of utterly ignoring everyone else in the room. Frequently her attempts failed, which would result in an annoyed huff from the snowy haired young lady. So when the group finally broke for lunch it was welcome, and she gladly took the opportunity to re-energise herself with food and drink and a few minutes of rest before getting back to the business of practising for the rest of the afternoon.
Let's try something harder... She decided eventually, sensing that she was nearing the end of her stamina as the day wore on. The physical and mental toll of the bracelet left her skin pale and clammy, and the shadows under her eyes even darker. Each effort took more and more energy out of her, each breath out of her body becoming more ragged. Being able to use magic when limited like this can surely only be useful if I can actually cause damage...? I need to push past my limits or I'll never get as strong as I need to be... She bit her lip, deep in thought.
Nyale's gaze wandered around the mansion lobby before landing on a small decorative stone bust that rested on a wooden side table. "Okay, okay, last attempt..." She muttered to herself, letting herself settle into her focused state, eyebrows furrowed. The anti-magic properties of the metal band felt harsher than ever, making her chest constrict.
Easy...slow breaths...
This time she visualised not only the form of the spell, but also throwing all her power behind it. As much as she could muster against the bangle. If someone ever put one of these things on her, she was damned if she was going to be helpless against it.
Drawing the last of her mana with a desperate, determined gasp, Ny threw out both her hands to expel a small, sharp beam of light hurtling towards the bust.
It collided with a loud crack, and a bright flash that left singe marks in the table. The bust rocked wildly and toppled sideways onto the floor. A large fracture ran through the white stone, and Ny felt a rush of triumph that quickly overshadowed any perceived guilt at damaging her uncle's property.
But the final exertion was too much.
The freezing dark ocean pulled her under, and her smile faded as her amber eyes glazed over. All her remaining strength evaporated from her limbs and she crumpled to the floor in a faint. The bangle slipped from her wrist, clattering to the ground.
She would not be attending dinner...
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬T h exxL i g h t w e a v e r Let your colours bleed and blend with mine...xxxxxxxxxx
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