Vanarya 2

After getting a letter, the Sarradian had to take a bit of time to figure out how to read it -- like people had with spelling his name, the storm elementalist was extremely troubled in the literature department-- and eventually, perhaps with help from Layne, or Rosalie-- he'd deciphered it!

Come to the Shaky Bridge in 3 days. Was this time for him to get some training from the Queen? Was it for something else? The beginnings of her message were a bit harsh, after all...

Regardless, he sits at the end of one of the first few bridges between Alteros and the sunken city of Tilandre-- waiting for the Queen!

... Was she too busy, now? Or had he messed up the days? Maybe it was actually two days. Great!
(Zephyr)
Perhaps the child was distracted, or not really paying a great deal of attention, for there Queen Vanarya Kyros was, standing straight, hands clasped together behind her back as she faced away from him. At the sound of footfalls, she begins counting. Two minutes pass, and then she turns, eyes meeting Zephyr's, something behind them hard but not dangerous. She was relatively relaxed, to be honest.

She'd considered the child's request a while, not truly sure whether she felt up to teaching to someone not of her family.  But Tiberius she already knew would never learn this skill, so why not pass on what she knew?  So she'd sent the letter, more bemused than frustrated that she'd been unable to figure out the spelling of his name.  It had been...refreshing, not that she'd ever admit it.


But that was irrelevant.  "You want to become the storm." she said, tone calm.  It was not a question.
(Vanarya Kyros)

It seemed that he hadn't noticed the Queen's own presence-- or rather, she'd shown up when he wasn't paying attention... Either way, once she does, the Sarradian once more turns towards her -- standing tall before briefly giving her a bow. He respected her for her storm magic -- her land, and other, royal, queen things or something like that.

It even seemed like she was up for teaching a student-- something that he was trying to do! He'd tried very long to get this audience, and his requests had finally be answered when she demanded he be there.

When she says the words, the Sarradain nods-- he knew that it would've been smart to bring Caerus, who also wanted to learn storm magic... But you snooze, you lose...

"Yes, am wanting to be the storm." He says.

"... Are going to teach..? Or, is going to help?" He questions.
(Zephyr)
Whilst the Oscuri's expression remains blank, there is something resembling approval in her eyes when the child straightens from his bow. Respect was always good. In any case, when he asks his question she responds promptly. "Both. I will help you with what you know, and teach you what you do not. You will remain my student until such time as you become capable of producing Storm magic, like so." She released a deep breath, and then, in a far slower and more controlled manner than usual, uncorked her waterskins and directed the water out with fluid movements.

The water rose into the air and then vapourised, filling the area with a light mist that the Queen directed higher.  Then, with the clenching of a fist a dark cloud bloomed into existence as the vapour joined together.  A sharp motion with an arm and lightning was fired into the cloud, charging it with electricity.  The result was simple; a small thundercloud crackling with electrokinetic energy.  Far from the displays she was capable of now, but she was unsure exactly how much he knew, so demonstrating her technique in its simplest form was the best way to go in her opinion.


Still, she couldn't leave it at that.  "This is what you're aiming for to start.  And this is what you could one day create." The Queen moved both hands up and pulling as if she was seeking to tear the cloud asunder.  It expanded quickly, reached twice, then thrice the size it was originally.  She kept it growing as wind whipped around them, thunder crashing as the Queen properly demonstrated the chaos that came from relatively unrestrained Storm Magic.  And then, just as quickly as it came, the Queen exhaled calmly, and the clouds dissipated, leaving the sky once again calm and blue.  "Any questions before we begin?"
(Vanarya Kyros)

The boy watches in awe, briefly, as the Kyros creates a mighty storm with her magic -- the dark clouds, something he was capable of creating... Though, there was always an issue with it-- the storm's magic overloaded his circuits! While it was certainly a walk in the park in comparison to the first times he'd tried to do it... It still left his circuits in pain-- overused, drained, one could describe it as.

Either way, he watches closely. Perhaps it was his technique.

Then he speaks!

"... Can do storm magic, but is maybe doing wrong." He ponders. He stares fowards as lightning magic courses along his body, energetic -- shocking, in-awe...

"... Should show what knows first, yes?" He questions!
(Zephyr)
The Queen inclined her head in a nod. "By all means. It will be easier if I know what it is I need to focus on teaching you." It was at that point that something which had slipped her mind returned to her thoughts. "Oh, I forgot to mention the subject of payment. In return for my tutelage, when you reach fifteen years of age you will join either the Bulwark or the Bastion, depending on which I feel you are more suited for. If you do not find that agreeable, you are free to leave."

She could hardly be blamed for such an expectation.  After all, she was a rather busy woman going out of her way to share knowledge, and she'd prefer not to arm a potential enemy with magic she herself practiced with some skill.
(Vanarya Kyros)

The Sarradian now had intentions to try and display what he knew about storm magic. In truth... His circuits still weren't particularly ready for such a thing, since he wasn't 180 rpl yet :p lmaoo, but, the Sarradian was going to keep trying until he could perfect it. His hands come to his side-- and his leylines begin to glow beneath the skin. It was him channeling the power of his lifeblood!

"... Is Sarradian power, lifeblood. Not Oscuri like you.. For record!" He points out, awkwardly.

With the powers of the lifewell channeled-- he could pray that it hurt a lot less when he'd channel the storm!

"... So, what is 'Bastion' ? Does not know what is..." He asks, before eventually getting down to it!

A hand begins to arc--tracing through the air, as it's trailed with the likes of water vapor similar to hers, though it certainly darkens faster. He had the cloud part down -- barely, and if she could sense magic as he begins to form a simple, black cloud with the storm magic -- one that would shock the living hell out of his circuits...

Lightning was binding it all together-- as if it was sewing it. With that, the lightning was extremely unrestrained! It almost seemed to turn on him. There was something missing within the brewing clouds that he forms around his body.

Of course, that's the lack of the clouds moving-- the lack of movement. The clouds were still, and dangerous to himself more than anyone. Was it possible that a Sarradian of all elementalists was failing in the wind department?

Yes. Yes it was. Oh dear.
(Zephyr)
The Queen nodded. "I am aware. And the Bastion is more of a specialist corps. Stronger magi who've shown themselves trustworthy or particularly skilled. If you learn Storm Magic, you will qualify." Then the Sarradian demonstrated, and whilst she noted his cloud formation was satisfactory, she frowned at his binding technique. That was...what? She could tell it hurt him to keep it going, and no wonder with what he was doing.

She reached out with her own magic with some degree of haste, dispersing whatever remained of the child's cloud to stop it from continuing to shock him, letting out a startled laugh at the situation before she shook her head.  "You're missing the whole point of a storm.  Your lightning is not the binding agent, its the catalyst.  The way you're trying to hold the magic together is flawed." She paused for a moment, trying to figure out a way to phrase her explanation.  This teaching thing was a little more difficult than she'd expected.


"Lightning is wild, yes, but a storm is chaos, elemental entropy with a light aspect of order binding it together.  It is changeable, unpredictable, like the wind.  Aerokinetic energy is what binds it, not electrokinetic.  A storm doesn't always have lightning, but wind is always a factor.  All trying to bind it with lightning is going to do is shock you and drain your reika- er, lifeblood."
(Vanarya Kyros)

He'd been doing it wrong -- or rather, upkeeping it wrong this entire time..! Perhaps it shouldn't have been draining -- or rather, burning up his mana circuits like they'd been doing for the past bit -- if they were to felt taxed, it probably should've hurt a lot less than it did. He stares at her briefly before he hits his head -- durr!!

"... Oh, did not know.." He murmurs. He looks at the wooden bridge they stand on, briefly.

With that, he stares at her for a few more seconds as she gives an explanation on what he should've been doing -- what he should've been trying, as he thinks it over!

Ah. That made more sense. Zephyr then stares at the Queen-- there was, in fact, something that Caerus never taught him, something so very basic.

"... So, like water -- is not kind of like lightning? Wind is, um..." He pauses.

"How should feel with wind? Lightning is like.. Control, be careful-- but wind is not like, yes? Wind should not be held so tightly. How should feel.." He pauses.

It seemed that he'd been unsure of his wind magic, but unfortunately, Caerus was the worst wind mage he could ask. So much for their 'wind guy' in the garden...
(Zephyr)
The Queen frowned again when Zephyr spoke again. This kid did things a lot differently to her. She would need to correct that in order to teach him better. "Every element is different, and thus so is the way its magic should be handled. Water is fluid, and so using it should be done in fluid movements. Lightning is entropic and full of potential. One should never attempt to control or hold lightning. Generate it and then release it, as soon as possible and as quickly as possible. Not doing so risks damage to your circuits. Its a little different once you've been using it for years, and you can afford to hold it for a time and strengthen it, but Lightning is best when untamed."



"Wind is...well, different. If water is fluidity and lightning entropy, wind is freedom. Do not grab tightly to it, allow it to do as it wills, and push it in the right direction when necessary, but not a moment longer than you need to." She was quite sure her explaining was bad, but the way she'd been taught meant she only really had these explanations to give. "All three can be simplified with experience." To prove her point, the Queen made several quick and sharp, jerky movements, water flowing to follow her shifting arms as they did the opposite of what she'd instructed Zephyr to do.



That done, she returned the water to the skins at her sides. "Practice as I have instructed. Once you have a feel for your magic and how it forms and flows, you'll find this much easier. But for now, I must depart. Matters of state call for my attention. I will contact you when our next lesson is imminent." With that final word, the Queen promptly departed. It seemed Zephyr would be left by himself to learn the next part.




(Vanarya Kyros)
With the words of the Queen, the Sarradian listens closely as he's practically re-taught everything but water magic by word... It seemed that the ligtning he possessed was being done wrong-- even if it didn't damage him.

Perhaps he'd just had a good hold over it-- it wasn't controlled, but, it operated as he wanted it to. The lightning was something he felt fine with... Hopefully, it would stay that way. So long as he didn't try to bind his storm clouds together with it, he'd be good.

Wind, however-- it was clearly something that required further work.

Something he'd have to set out to do-- to discover the freedom of wind!

... Or he could just beat up Caerus, maybe even Layne to test. Either way, with the Queen promising to contact him when he was ready for their next lesson, he nods at her-- bowing as she makes her leave.
(Zephyr)