Fantasy Skyheart - Little Feathers

[AncientBird]

Location: To’bai academy
Time: Sometimes after Danube’s recue mission (subject to change)
Interaction (Skybeasts): Open

Steady wing beat, Valkyrie flew through the sky along with her companion. No more frustration, no more disdain coming out from the stork drake toward the quilled wyvern. Valkyrie was silent as they tracked their way back... Valkyrie seemed to be in her thought again. Something had changed inside her head and she didn't seem to try to hide it at all.

"Wyvern..." Valkyrie called, this time starting conversation by herself. "Why?... Why wyvern help?..."

"I... Dislike wyvern... I... Don't trust wyvern... Still... Why help? Could... let me... die"

Featuring: kase9187
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[kase9187]

Location: To’bai academy
Time: Sometimes after Danube’s recue mission (subject to change)
Interaction (Skybeasts): Open

Spica heard Valkyrie speak since they'd gotten in the air. It had been a while, and it piqued Spica's interest.

"Why?... Why wyvern help?... I... Dislike wyvern... I... Don't trust wyvern... Still... Why help? Could... let me... die."

Spica thought on it for a moment, then spoke to her companion.

"Because I couldn't let you die in there. Whether you trusted me or not, we're part of a team. And I would rather my scales be plucked than let you be hurt."

Valkyrie's question did raise up one in return.

"So why did you save me? You could've easily ran while they were fighting me."

AncientBird
EB6B56

 

[AncientBird]

Location: To’bai academy
Time: Sometimes after Danube’s recue mission (subject to change)
Interaction (Skybeasts): Open

Getting the question back, Valkyrie paused for a bit. "I... No know... I... Feel like to..." She replied.

"I... Feel... Serik might want... Might want wyvern live... Serik would want it..."

She then looked back at Spica with her golden eyes.

"So much believe... So much trust... I... Not wyvern's kind... How? Why so trusting?"

Featuring: kase9187
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[kase9187]

Location: To’bai academy
Time: Sometimes after Danube’s recue mission (subject to change)
Interaction (Skybeasts): Open

"It seems like your rider is rubbing off on you a bit." Spica smiled as she responded. She heard Valkyrie's question about trust, and thought back to when she first felt a pure feeling of trust.

"Because of my rider. He trusts me to be able to catch him when he falls. Trust doesn't care about what species you are, it cares about who you are. You aren't just a Storm Drake, you're Valkyrie."

AncientBird
EB6B56

 

[AncientBird]

Location: To’bai academy
Time: Sometimes after Danube’s recue mission (subject to change)
Interaction (Skybeasts): Open

Valkyrie paused at Spica's word again. She then spoke up.

"Serik... wants make friend... Serik want no... trouble..."

"Friend..." She repeated.

"Is this... Friend?"

Featuring: kase9187
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[kase9187]

Location: To’bai academy
Time: Sometimes after Danube’s rescue mission (subject to change)
Interaction (Skybeasts): Open

Spica nodded. She offered a smile, the simian blood all but washed away.

"Yes, Valkyrie. I'm your friend. And I'm glad to be."

AncientBird
EB6B56

 

[AncientBird]

Location: To’bai academy
Time: Sometimes after Danube’s recue mission (subject to change)
Interaction (Skybeasts): Open

At the academy stable, Serik could be seen pacing back and forth at the entrance. His face showed nothing but anxiety and fear. The stablehand leader Shivali was leaning on the wall. Her eyes caught on the anxious Estendorian, feeling sorry for him.

Suddenly, wing beat could be heard and a dragon descended from the sky. It had black body, with 2 heads, one blue and another red in color. The 2 headed dragon shrieked to announce its arrival as it landed. On its back, a small bodied man with big glasses sat firmly on his saddle.

“Kassadin!” Serik called at rushed forward. “Did you find any clue?” Asked the young man.

The chief librarian looked back with sad eyes and slowly spoke. “I went to the pasture and heard from the herders that their skybeasts just chased away two raiding winged creatures this morning. One looked like a large stork creature and another was a seregios wyvern... They said the two beasts flew out to the east, heading to the wilderness... If those were Valkyrie and Spica, they might have strayed further away than we thought.”

Serik stepped back his face became pale of fear and worry. “I am sorry, Serik... I hate to be the bringer of bad news.” Added Kassadin.

“It’s alright, little bean... You, Malestorm and Volcan did what you could.” Shivali said as she joined the two, patting on the 2 headed dragon, making both heads cooed lowly. She then turned to Serik. “You can still feel her, right? Then it’s likely that she is safe... Probably on her way back now.” Said the stablemaid trying to make her trainee feel better.

“I felt her pain and fear, Shivali... That’s why I am worried, don’t know what were happening to both of them, and and... It’s getting close to dusk too.” Serik said. “I hope Aldaf would take this better than I do.” Added the young man.

Featuring: kase9187
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[kase9187]

Location: To’bai academy
Time: Sometimes after Danube’s recue mission (subject to change)
Interaction (Skybeasts): Open

Aldaf had first realized Spica was gone when he felt her worry and dread. He felt her pain and fear.

He was sitting in the stable, slowly carving a figurine of Spica as he waited. Kassadin and his skybeast had gone out to find his lost Seregios, but to no avail. He could hear them from outside.

"I am sorry..." Aldaf heard them say. He pressed a bit too hard and his knife bounced off the carving, cutting his thumb. It was just... Why did she leave? And where had she gone?

He waited in her stall, shavings around him. He knew what she was doing was important, as she hadn't come when he called to her. But he wasn't happy about her leaving either.

AncientBird
EB6B56

 

[AncientBird]

Location: To’bai academy
Time: Sometimes after Danube’s recue mission (subject to change)
Interaction (Skybeasts): Open

Suddenly, Malestorm, the blue head of Kassadin’s dragon made a loud screech and looked tonthe sky, inviting all the humans to turned too.

“Two figures in the sky!” Shivali shouted

Valkyrie had arrived after a long flight. She headed down toward the stable and soon landed on the dusty ground. As usual, She seemed unfazed by what happened to her, still the bloody mess all over her body showed otherwise.

“Valkyrie!!!” Serik exclaimed as he ran toward his skybeast. “Where have you been all day?!!! I was worried sick!!!... And, oh my gods and goddesses! Are you injured?!!” Valkyrie was abit startled by Serik’s barrage of question and shouting but she still kept calm.

“Let me see...” Shivali came up to look at Valkyrie’s wound and the to Spica’s who had just arrived as well. “They got a lot of small bite marks, not serious though.. And if they could magically heal up those from the skeleton monsters days ago, these will be a piece of cake.” Said the stablemaid.

Serik took some breath and calmed himself down a bit. “I’m glad you two weren’t seriously harmed, but going out on your own that far... Why?” Serik spoke.

Valkyrie answered by tilting her head like a large chicken.

“Well, at least you are here...” Serik sighed. He couldn’t get mad at them no matter how much he wanted to... They were still animal and there must be a reason for them to do so.

Featuring: kase9187
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[kase9187]

Location: To’bai academy
Time: Sometimes after Danube’s recue mission (subject to change)
Interaction (Skybeasts): Open

Spica landed in the yard, slinking past everyone back into the stable. She tread up the staircase quietly, hoping to avoid a confrontation with...

He was sitting in the middle of her spot. Great. Spica walked into the stall, her head hung in shame. She walked forward a bit and the knife Aldaf was using thunked into the stable floor.

...

Aldaf heard the two missing skybeasts land outside, his mind already made up. He had finished the carving as Spica walked in. He stood up and threw the knife into the floor, staying stuck.

"You've been gone for well over a day! Left in the early morning, gone all day!" He shouted, audible to the people outside. "You didn't come when I called you, you've got blood on you, and I heard them ask if Valkyrie was injured out there!"

...

Spica listened to Aldaf go off at her, ashamed in the fact she'd run off and left him to worry. She prepared for Aldaf to hit her in retaliation, his voice and anger were tangible from where she was standing.

He raised his hands up as she closed her eyes...

He pat the side of her face. She opened her eyes to see a pained smile on his face.

...

Aldaf couldn't stay angry at his equally brazen Skybeast. He would've done the same had someone like Zeke or Gerel run off. He pat the side of her face, her eyes opening with shock.

"I'm sure whatever it was you were doing, you did it for a good reason." Aldaf spoke softly, hugging his large, living laceration hazard. "Just, please let us know before shit like that happens, okay?"

AncientBird
EB6B56

 

[AncientBird]

Location: To’bai academy
Time: Sometimes after Danube’s recue mission (subject to change)
Interaction (Skybeasts): Open

"So, what do you think caused this?" Serik asked. The group had already moved inside the stable and were at Valkyrie's stall. The stork drake was lying down with her wounds being tended by the stablehands, while Serik spoke with Shivali. "From what Kassadin said, she was found attempted an attack on the sheep at the pasture... And when that failed, she headed off to the wilderness and came back full of blood... I'd say she was just trying to hunt." Shivali said. "But why though? She was well fed here and Valkyrie was never picky about what to eat." Serik said.

"Yes, but sometimes, hunting isn't always equal filling hunger... Many predators hunt to keep their brain stimulate and relieve of stress too. Has your beast ever got a chance to go out and hunt since you arrived?"

Serik recalled of what he and Valkyrie had done so far since their arrival and shook his head. "No... I don't think so... Aside of fighting off the monsters a few times."

"Then I think we found the problem here... You can't just keep this predator coop up inside all the time. I let Geb and Mesa hunt everyday because it keep them satisfied and easier to focus on task at hand. Try taking her to the river frequently, there are many small creatures living around there for her to hunt and it's much safer than going off to the wilderness... Well, ever since we have successfully kept the hippos of this part of the river that's it."

Serik took a look at his skybeast companion again, he seemed a bit guilty for not taking care of his skybeast good enough. "Well, I've never known about that... I thought she would be find after being tamed."

Shivali put her hand on one of Serik's shoulder. "Skybeast is not a pet, Serik... They are not domesticated and still pretty much a wild animal. It's a privilege that we can connect with them through bond, still we can't change their nature... A wild beast is still going to do what it has to do."

"Thank you so much for your advise, I will not fail my beast again..." Serik said and smiled at his trainer. "Anyway, you sure do know a lot about skybeast even though you didn't take the proving." Serik said.

"Of course! I am the lead stablehand for nothing!... Also the fact that my boyfriend is an absolute nerd and a bookworm..." Replied the large woman.

"Hey! I can hear that!" Yelled Kassadin who was also tending his own skybeast in another stall.

"Heh heh, I like you two's dynamic." Serik said. "Thanks! You know what... I find bookworm kind of charming and irresistible..." Shivali said and turned to wink at Kassadin whose face turned tomato red and tried to act like he didn't pay attention. "...Don't you think the same heh, Serik?" Shivali grinned widely and elbowed Serik, who face also started turning red.

"I don't know what you are talking about!" Serik replied and turned away only to see the other stablehands giggling at him.

"Oh don't act like you are innocent, Mr. Obvious! I know how you feel about a certain 'friend' of yours... I just saw you two together only once and I knew it... But don't you worry, your secret is safe with us!" Shivali grinned even wider.

"You don't know me!" Serik denied, but his face had already reddened so much. "I'm getting out of here, see you later Val! Get well soon!" Serik spoke to his skybeast and stormed out of there.

"See you later! Don't forget our training tomorrow noon!... Heh heh, I like that guy..." Shivali laughed, amused by his trainee's reaction. "You are one cruel woman, you know that?" Kassadin nagged as he stepped right next to his girlfriend.

Valkyrie watched the whole situation going on in confusion. She could sense something tingling in Serik's emotion but she just couldn't grasp its meaning...

Featuring: kase9187
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[kase9187]

Location: To’bai academy
Time: Sometimes after Danube’s recue mission (subject to change)
Interaction (Skybeasts): Open

Aldaf scrubbed off the blood Spica had on her, making sure he didnt cut himself. His thumb bled a little bit, but he assured her it was already there.

...

Aldaf left the stall, laughing a bit at Serik's teasing. Spica watched him leave, stepping out a bit to stretch. She wondered if they realized she and Valkyrie were gone, or if they were too absorbed in their own day.

Interaction:
AncientBird
EB6B56

 

[AncientBird]

Location: To’bai academy
Time: Sometimes after Danube’s recue mission (subject to change)
Interaction (Skybeasts): Open

Night finally came almost everyone was gone saving for a few stablehands that were working their night shift. Valkyrie was laying down in her stall. It's still too exhausted for her to resume the standing sleep position. However, it's still too early to sleep and there was also something in the skybeast's mind... Suddenly, she stood up and slowly made her way out of the stall again.

Valkyrie walked toward the the stair leading to the second floor. She had never been up there before, not that she had any reason too... But tonight, the stork drake decided to give it a try...

Carefully step by step, eventually the long necked beast poke her head up to the second floor. She looked around until she located Spica's stall, seeing the quilled wyvern in her space.

"Wyvern..." She called out for Spica's attention.

"...Thank you... Everything..." Said Valkyrie and then she lowered her head down, leaving just as sudden as her arrival...

Featuring: kase9187
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[kase9187]

Location: To’bai academy
Time: Sometimes after Danube’s recue mission (subject to change)
Interaction (Skybeasts): Open

Spica was just resting in the stall when Valkyrie poked her head in.

"...Thank you... Everything..." She said. Spica nodded towards her and smiled, her scales completely clean of blood.

"No worries, Valkyrie. Go ahead and get some sleep." Spica said quietly.

AncientBird
EB6b56

 

[Saturn_moon]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: After the night flight
Interaction: Leandra, Marylka

Marylka was seated cross-legged on the fountain's edge with her eyes squeezed shut, attempting to meditate. It was one of the few things she was never able to succeed at during her trainings with her grandfather despite his constant mentorship and insistence that it was a crucial part of mastering one's magic. As much as she tried, she could never get her mind to focus on nothing. It just made no sense to her. After several long minutes, she conceded with a loud groan that it was obviously not working for her.

When a voice suddenly spoke to her, Marylka startled, stumbling off her perch. "Oh, Lea! It's just you. Weren't you playing tag with the rest? I didn't expect you guys back so soon." To Lea's question, Marylka instinctively replied "I'm fine.", but hearing those words come out of her mouth for what felt like the millionth time this past week she grimaced. With her, it was always "fine" or "okay" or "all right". Maybe it was the exhaustion speaking or frustration at her failure to achieve a meditative state or maybe her earlier outburst had given her a taste of what it was like to say what she truly felt. Whatever the reason was, it was getting harder and harder to maintain the façade she normally kept up.

"Actually, who am I kidding? I'm not fine. I'm stressed out of my mind and I don't know what I'm supposed to do!" She exclaimed, pacing the ground in front of Lea, her hands gesturing wildly in the air. "I want to be brave like you guys and just agree on a whim to stroll into some monster's den in the middle of the desert to save a man we barely remember meeting just because it's "the right thing to do" but I can't! Why? Because this is something only heroes do and I am no hero nor do I want to be one. I grew up raising sheep and weaving textiles for gods sake! I have no business fighting deathborns. I have no business putting all your lives at risk..."

Lioness075

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[Lioness075]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: After the night flight
Interaction: Leandra, Marylka

Leandra instinctively lurched forward, as if she was going to help Marylka, but then stopped herself seeing as Marylka could clearly handle herself. She felt uncertain about how to handle herself around the group these days.
So much had changed and even more so now, she felt increasingly lonely with how little time Caliban had been spending around her. She worried he was maybe avoiding her for some reason she had overlooked, but they had not had any moments to catch up with everything happening so quickly.

At the mention of the game of tag, Leandra rubbed the back of her neck and looked sheepishly at the ground.
"Oh yeah, tag. Uh, I suggested it earlier, but then wasn't really in the mood for it by the time Kari suddenly decided to do it. I think the rejection earlier kind of ruined it for me."

Quiet began to fill the air and Leandra worriedly looked up at Marylka to see if she had made things awkward. She had not spoken to the northern girl since they all came together as a group and she knew so little about her. Yet, she had interacted with most everyone else already and she felt like she was still floating around the group without any real connections. There was Caliban, of course, but she still was unsure where they stood now.

Hearing Marylka's exclamation, Leandra flinched and then relaxed, pleasantly surprised at the truth coming from Marylka. In fact, hearing someone finally admit that this was all really messed up and terrifying had her hesitantly smiling.
"Oh thank the gods, I'm not the only one who thinks that."

Moving away from where she had been awkwardly standing, Leandra sat down on the edge of the fountain and brought her legs up so she was sitting cross-legged.
Mindful that Marylka probably needed to move in this moment, Leandra watched her pace about and rant.
When Marylka mentioned them being heroes and brave, Leandra burst out laughing.
"Me? A hero? I'm as scared as you are!"

Shaking her head, Leandra continued, "I can't speak for everyone else, but I only volunteered because we had little choice in the situation. I absolutely don't want to go near that hellhole that the Deathborns are hiding at. But if one of us is going, then I'm going to go and help keep the others safe. Plus, I know Caliban can't resist going on some reckless endeavor like this and he wasn't exactly too bright about his attack methods during our last big fight."
Sighing, Leandra put her hands in her lap and looked down as she added, "I'm just taking care of him as per usual."
She could not bring herself to add that this meant she was not looking after herself in kind.

Not wanting to linger on the topic, Leandra glanced up and said, "Most of us don't exactly come from combative backgrounds. Caliban and I grew up hunting animals. I've fought some menstruous animals before, but these Deathborn are something else. When it comes down to it, fighting as a team means it's safer for all of us. If even one of us stays behind, that's one less person to ensure we all come back. And you're a phenomenal mage, we absolutely could use your help."

Saturn_moon

 

[Saturn_moon]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: After the night flight
Interaction: Leandra, Marylka

Marylka was actually relieved to hear someone else admit their doubts and fears about the mission. For a while, she was starting to feel extremely isolated in her opinions. "My grandfather once told me that bravery is not the absence of fear but action in the face of it. Only fools are fearless so be glad you are not a fool." She said with a hint of a smile. However, when Lea explained her reasons for going her shoulder slumped once more.

"That's exactly what I'm worried about. You might not have any combative background but I've seen you with a bow and arrow, Caliban with his spear, Kari with her whip and bolas, even Katja has her healing abilities which have saved us countless times. Me? I'm just a nobody from the middle of nowhere posing as a second rate magician. Even then, I'm not doing a very good job. I mean, I couldn't even manifest a secondary magic."

Walking back to the fountain, Marylka sat down tiredly next to Lea. "Everyone's going because they think that by doing so they'd be able to protect each other, but the truth of the matter is, there will always be someone who needs protecting more than others... Every fight I've been in so far I've had to be saved by someone. If I go on this mission, there is a very high probability that someone is going to get seriously injured or even dies because of me."

Lioness075

#7FB3D5

 

[Lioness075]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: After the night flight
Interaction: Leandra, Marylka

Hearing the quote from Marylka, Leandra smiled faintly and tilted her head to the side. It was a very wise thing to say and she respected Marylka's grandfather for sharing it with Marylka and now Leandra in turn.
It was very true that she had never really been fearless. Even flying into the chest cavity of that gigantic Deathborn before had only happened because she saw Caliban go there first and she instinctively followed to protect him. The entire time, she had been terrified, though, and even more so when she was free-falling.

Leandra felt an urge to brush off the implied compliment that she was really good with her bow and arrows, but held her tongue. She could tell this was very distressing for Marylka and she understood that someone with her kind of background could feel as if they were out of their depths here.
But when Marylka tried to talk herself down, Leandra straightened and stared right at her. She wanted to say something right then and there, but Marylka walked over and sat down before speaking more and so Leandra held her tongue.

With a determined expression, Leandra spoke up once Marylka finished, "Hey, you are a phenomenal magician. Seriously. And you are far from useless in a fight. Come on, just about all of us have required someone's assistance these past few days. Nobody could handle this kind of situation perfectly."

Wanting to prove Marylka right, Leandra fished out the stone she had kept from the earlier magic training. Staring down at it now, Leandra grimaced and remembered how frustrated she had been previously.
Sighing, Leandra looked up from the stone and at Marylka.
"I truly suck at magic. Up until today, I had no affinity for any magic and had accepted that I would never get to use it. But you, you're amazing at it. It's like an extension of your body when you manipulate water."

Tossing the stone a few times and catching it with her other hand, Leandra grinned at Marylka and said, "While we don't have an affinity for the same magic, I'll bet you could still teach me a thing or two. Maybe in turn, I can teach you some fighting tricks of my own."

Saturn_moon
#7FB3D5

 

[Saturn_moon]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: After the night flight
Interaction: Leandra, Marylka

Marylka looked sadly at Lea. While she was touched by the girl's confidence in her, Marylka's own confidence in herself was still balancing on the precipice. "I'm not trying to undervalue my own abilities here. I've been practicing magic since I was six, I'm very aware of what I can and can't do as a magician. But being a good magician doesn't necessarily equate to being good in battle. Isn't that what we've been trying to prove to Deralis?" She said matter-of-factly.

"I will also admit that my intentions are not entirely selfless. Personally, I wouldn't be able to live with the guilt of knowing I cost someone their life. Knowing I cost a parent their child... or maybe a sister her brother?" It was unscrupulous of her to throw in that last example but Marylka hoped Lea might finally understand where she was coming from. Having siblings herself, she knew she would have a hard time forgiving anyone who brought harm to any of them, whether it was intentional or not.

Lioness075

#7FB3D5

 

[Lioness075]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: After the night flight
Interaction: Leandra, Marylka

Seeing Marylka's saddened expression, Leandra instinctively mirrored it and felt her shoulders slump a bit. Listening to what she said, Leandra could not argue that she was wrong. She had a point.

Trying in vain to keep the conversation positive, Leandra said, "But hey, like I said earlier, you can teach me how to better control my newfound magic and then I can teach you some fighting stuff to help you take care of yourself and help others!" She smiled after saying this, sitting up straight again and looking expectantly at Marylka.

It was always like this for Leandra. Lifting others up, helping them, looking out for everyone around her. It was instinct nowadays and she wanted nothing more than to cheer up Marylka in this moment.

Marylka's final point about costing anyone someone they love definitely struck a cord with Leandra. She remembered her vague and confusing memories about her blood brother, Manjano. She still had no idea if she had messed up their hunt together.
Shaking her head as if to clear the muddle memories, Leandra smiled again and said, "Look, the only way to rid yourself of that kind of fear is by bettering yourself to lessen the chances of it occurring. Trust me, I spent plenty of my life preparing as best as I could for the same reason. After all, I've got two brothers who often needed rescuing, not just the one."

Saturn_moon

#7FB3D5

 

[Saturn_moon]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: After the night flight
Interaction: Leandra, Marylka

Despite the weight of their conversation, Leandra still managed to shine a positive light on everything which was admirable. Marylka's first instinct was always to consider the worse case scenario so it was somewhat refreshing to see the other side's perspective. "Alright, you have a deal." She said sticking a hand out between them. "You should also know that there is no benefit in rushing your magic, doing so will only put yourself and others at risk. The greatest magicians often spend decades mastering their basics before doing anything else, so don't get frustrated just because you can't turn stone into sand on your first try. Most people don't."

Looking at Leandra, Marylka noticed the distant look in her eyes and recognised it instantly as it was the same one she often saw on her mother's face when she thought no one was looking. It was a look that spoke of poignant thoughts and bittersweet memories. Marylka remained quiet, giving the girl a moment to herself. When she finally snapped out of it, Leandra's smile returned naturally.

"You don't have to tell me how much of a handful siblings can be. I have three younger siblings myself." Marylka replied with a genuine smile this time. "But despite all the trouble they get up to, I would give anything to keep them safe."

Anything to keep them safe. She ran these words through her mind over and over again. Did that also include her own life? Would she be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice just to give her siblings a mere chance to live carefree, without the threat of the deathborn looming over them? As much as logic denied this reasoning, her heart ached to say yes, that it would always be worth it for them.

Lioness075

#7FB3D5

 

[AncientBird]

Location: Academy stable
Time: The next day after night flight
Interaction: Serik, Emmaline

It was another tiring day just as Serik was expecting it to be. Nothing new or exciting about his magic happened and it kind of frustrated the young man that he may not regain his power in time before the inevitable mission of searching for Danube arrive. Having to clear his mind of all the frustration, Serik visited the stable after the class was over. Shrill the Westerosian buzzard tagged along on his shoulder. The bird of prey didn't seem to notice any frustration of his trainer and perched idly while looking around. Still, full from his latest meal, however it would be only a matter of time before the bird started begging to be fed again...

Serik arrived at Valkyrie stall, in which the stork drake who resided in was feeding on the scrap of meat left in the feeding trough. Valkyrie looked up at Serik walking toward her. Her golden eyes shone curiously, looking if Serik brought something for her.

"Hey there, Valkyrie... How are you today, huh?" Serik greeted his skybeast and patted her on the shoulder. He then leaned on the tall beast who just silently stood there and continue looking at him. "Not very good for me... I thought I was going to pull something new off today... But nope, still just plain, old illusion." Serik said and made a long sigh.

Valkyrie could feel Serik's frustration, but she could only just stare at him... Comforting was not something she's used to...

"Well, at least I have another thing today to accomplish..." Serik said and pulled out a sack from his bag. Both Shrill and Valkyrie suddenly got excited both tried to poke their head in to investigate the sack. "Whoa! Whoa! Both of you, cut it out! This is not meat." Serik pulled the sack away from the curious beasts. "This is for someone else." Serik said and looked over across the room, looking around as if he was expecting someone. "Now I just have to hope that Emmaline will come visiting her alicorn soon. This is essential if we are going to work with her." Serik said, directing his word to Valkyrie, who seemed to feel a bit upset that the sack was not for her.

Featuring: AquaMarie
#9365B8

 

[Lioness075]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: After the night flight
Interaction: Leandra, Marylka

Leandra brightened when Marylka agreed to her deal and she shook her hand to seal the deal.

Hearing Marylka's advice about the magic, Leandra's smile wavered, as she responded with, "If only we had that kind of time to do it properly. I'm afraid I only have these two days to try and see if my magic will be remotely useful when we next fight."

Her grin was quick to return at the talk of siblings, though. Leandra laughed and said, "Oh yes, no matter how much trouble they are, I will always love my siblings as well."

Sighing, Leandra stood up from the fountain with the stone still in her palm. She faced Marylka and then tilted her head to the side as she asked, "So, what would you suggest I do first in learning how to properly wield my magic? You're the teacher for magic here."

Saturn_moon
#7FB3D5

 

[Saturn_moon]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: After the night flight
Interaction: Leandra, Marylka

Marylka cocked her head slightly to a side as she tried to recall the early teachings of her grandfather. "I'm no teacher, but I guess I could give you some tips on how to get started." Waving a hand over the fountain, she gently pulled and formed a small orb of water in the palm of her hands. "You mentioned that I used water magic like it is an extension of me and that's because it is. Magic is innate, an intrinsic part of all users. To think of it simply as a tool would be foolish. You could have two people with the same magic, taught by the same teacher, and still, it would materialize differently because no two people are alike."

She got up and started to move her arms in smooth circular motions, as she did, the little orb of water moved with her, passing from hand to hand at first before gradually stretching out until it looked like ribbons twirling in the air. "It's not wrong to say that magic is willpower, but it is also trust. Trust in yourself and your abilities. You can't just picture what you want to do in your head, you need to believe from your heart as well." Marylka came to a sudden stop and the ribbons of water fell in a soft splash on to the ground around her. "You try." She nodded toward the hand that Leandra held her stone in. "Channel the magic through you and out to the stone. It doesn't have to be anything big."

Lioness075

#7FB3D5

 

[AquaMarie]

Location: Council room
Time: During the council meeting
Interaction: Emmaline and Elaiana

Emmaline was surprised and taken back, she never thought it would have bothered Eli so much. After all they were friends and she trusted her. Emma truly wanted to know what was Eli's opinion on this was. They were new to this group and although all the others looked friendly to her, she just couldn't go along with their ideas without consulting Eli.

Emma gently frowned as she looked down at her hands. Her hands nervously fidgeting with her shirt. She felt the annoyance in Eli's voice, from her asking for her opinion. But Eli had a point, she needed to decide soon and just couldn't avoid it forever, time was running out. She fidgeted with her shirt as she let out a little sigh. "I do want to help them, we just can't leave and go home….the danger will just end up catching up to us if we just run away….but I'm scared" she softly whispered the last part, just barely auditable to the tall girl. Emma was afraid of looking for the danger that they were barely able to escape during their proving.

Featuring: pinnasina #00A885