Cosmic Dev 5 -Another Lesson-

[21:19] He'd found a reasonably private abode, though it'd been clear that the man was irritated. No doubt due to a number of things. How was it easy to tell?

Well, the swirling red steaming from his body cast a gentle glow of emotional resonance upon the area around him.

His scarlet hues settled upon Kirsi. Squinting at them as he shifted slightly to look upon the third eye that hinted at their star.

(Syracuse Fengari)
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[21:24] They didn't seem entirely comfortable, though they had followed without much question. Where they stood, now, they shifted their weight, hazel eyes scanning the interior of the home. They turned again on him, after several moments.

And from that point their gaze wandered no longer.

Crimson glimmered in that single eye. A faint glow already showing in reaction to his presence. They had taken to commonly wearing that hairband, of course.. The eye was in clear view. Still- They were nervous. Obviously.

"Ahm.. Erh.."
(Kirsi ﾓ Cn疂mh匤)
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[21:33] He wasn't sure exactly how it all worked. How the corruption could be channeled, could be controlled. He'd never needed to try to control it. It was him and he was it.

Yet, his gift was intentional. A blessing by Belial to empower him. He could sense more than consciously tell, as the eye reacted to his over-flowing mana.

Yet, he was still apart. With two strides he'd crossed the entirety of the house standing over the Kirsi. His scarlet hues focused upon the eye. It'd opened a bit more since the last they'd talked.

He didn't really have words to say. At-least not at this moment. Slowly, as if he wasn't exactly sure if anything would happen. The man raised his hand, he placed that hand a few feet from their mutation.

He'd reach out with his own mana, probing, seeking. Utilizing a more direct method than the postulations he'd been using.

Here his mastery over his own mana and the mana of others could be put on full display. Blackened tendrils, Smokey. Invisible to all but the most sharp eyed of magi.

Coiled about Kirsi, ethereal tendrils lapped and tasted the mana emanating off of them. Even as Syracuse's corrupted cosmic energies reached out to connect with the star.

He'd have his answers, though whether the ministrations would be enjoyable or not was hard to tell. Certainly Syracuse would attempt to siphon what backlash his efforts might have from Kirsi just as he attempted to exude the positive more euphoric aspects of his aura unto them.
(Syracuse Fengari)
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[22:00] As he came to stand towering over them, they withdrew a slight bit. One foot shifted backward beneath them, their weight moving with such an action. Yet for the moment they remained otherwise where they'd stood. Hazel eyes wide. Fixed upon his own gaze.

Perhaps it was intentional, or perhaps not. They didn't know that much. But they could certainly feel, once more, the pressure of their star's presence upon the base of their skull. A presence which drew closer as the silence lingered, anxiety the byproduct of a lack of speech.

Usually he was ever so quick with that silver tongue.

It became far more evident when he started to use his other gift. Hazel eyes flashed blue for a split second, before fading to amber. Ether leaked forth from their trio of eyes, in two different colors. Like that of dying flames. From the eye upon their forehead, their circuits started to burn visibly blood-red.

The way their gaze lingered on what would've been thin air to most might point to the cause of such. They'd always been a tad more sensitive to the ethereal, visually. Since they were a child they could see the spirits which wandered the land. Left behind.

Seeing spectral tendrils of mana did not put them at ease.

Searing heat picked up as he reached toward them with such. Their own emotion was broadcast, quite evident. Fear of the unknown. Uncertainty as to just what was about to happen. They could only back away so far.

Their back pressed against the wall. Despite the aura coming from him they were evidently more concerned with the other portion of his abilities. This other blessing of his, which coiled around their form.

Where they did crimson burst forth. Motes of energy sought to burn away the tendrils which reached out for them- Yet that energy was simply drained away. They couldn't even manifest an aura about themself.

Whatever he was searching for, he could at least tell that their star certainly was corrupt, after a fashion. Souls could not move on from within, as there was something blocking such. Though precisely what, that wasn't immediately evident.
(Kirsi ﾓ Cn疂mh匤)
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[22:16] Silence, stress, anxiety, he could taste it upon the air. Literally, the outbursts of mana which was easily consumed left him with a sense of their emotions.

He'd smile, it'd led to a small discovery. Namely that their star would come to the aid their aid even when they weren't directly powered by anger. Was it the anxiety that drew it's focus? Was it his presence? Was it perhaps the tendrils?

Well, as all things in science the first step was to simply start going down the line. Starting with the one most easily remedied.

They could easily see as the tendrils of ethereal might slowly coiled away from them. Sliding back into the aether as they returned to the Neries.

He'd wait for a few minutes. the silence lingering as he continued to wash them in his corrupted presence. His gaze ever focused upon that crimson eye.

The various colors that leaked from their sight led him to believe that where a visual caster. It made sense, given the mutations and their ability to see the dead.

After those minutes past he'd move onto the next bit that could be causing the stars reaction. Namely, the anxiety. The stress. The fear of his presence.

In order to alleviate at that, he'd easily shift to a knee. Giving them the advantage of height. As well as no longer towering over them as they backed into a wall.

He'd not give them space, however, it they would have to decide in their own mind whether they feared him or trusted him to do what he could.

He expected nothing. As the shift in height had taken place. He'd shifted his scarlet hues from the third eye to their own amber hues.

A smile touched his face as he easily offered them a hand. It was a simply thing, the extremity was offered. Their hand was a calloused thing, though if one knew it'd be clear that they weren't the callouses of a warrior alone.

No, they'd built up where a farmer's might. As if at one time Syracuse had tended the fields. Coaxing groth and renewal from the land.

Though, whatever that might say about them the golden rings and blackened nails curved into claws would hint to another.

A voice as smooth as honey rolled from his tongue as he offered his hand. Words reassuring and calm.

"Cast away your fear Kevin, I am here to help you. Do not be afraid of what I am, as I do not fear what you are. Do you not trust me?"

There was a tilt to his head as he spoke, gazing upwards at them with those infernally blazing scarlet hues. A devilish smile touching his lips as he spoke.
(Syracuse Fengari)
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[23:36] It had been mentioned, perhaps in passing. Maybe he'd missed it, when they'd said their star answered to two things, typically. That it only paid attention before battles, due to two emotions. Anger, or anxiety. But then, if he'd missed it, that wasn't really too big a deal.

Still the source of that anxiety wasn't entirely clear. One couldn't exactly tell the source of an emotion simply by knowing the emotion had been caused. And even through tasting the bursts of mana which flared up around their form the answer was uncertain.

Perhaps there was more to be taken from the way they acted. Where they looked, what they did. Even pressed against the wall as they were they appeared mostly steady. Despite the emotions he could most obviously taste they tried to appear collected. The shaking of their hands was still obvious, however. Even as they clenched them into fists to lessen that.

Hazel had shifted to amber- and now Amber glowed dimly. Staring into his gaze, and past him too. Toward those ethereal tendrils which protruded from him. Toward those which coiled up and over their form, drawing their mana away. Making it nigh impossible for them to manifest their aura.

Yet when those tendrils retracted, the anxiety didn't go away.

If anything, it became far more palpable as the temperature rose with it. As around them, the air was suddenly filled with the super-heated dim ether of their star. It shifted color, like dull embers, amber to orange to crimson and back. Erratic, far too quick to be flame though it licked against their form as such. Too fire-like to be electricity despite the way it arced to things nearby.

They pressed themself a tad harder against the wall. Their eyes shut tight, as another emotion filtered through beneath the rest. Concern, worry, not quite fear as was most evident still. They tried to push back against the presence of their star, for his sake. In hopes they wouldn't harm him by accident.

Whatever had initially spooked them, this became far more primary as the blaze continued. Their other concern was forgotten as they tried to reign in the emotions flooding through them. The urge to flee, or fight what seemed to be the initial problem, was strong within them.

All the while the eye upon their forehead remained shining crimson, staring accusingly toward the Neries even as he knelt. Half-open. It could almost be assumed to be squinting if there were wrinkles upon their forehead.

When, after so much silence, he finally spoke in reassurance, one eye peeked open. Amber spilled, near liquid for its density, disappearing into stardust after a moment. He showed no fear. So steady- Smiling, even, in the face of what might have very well burned him if they hadn't been pouring all their effort into reigning it in.

Or, at least, they thought that was what might occur.

Whether their struggle was truly effective or not was a mystery.

As it was just then, his tone had wrought a certain degree of confidence. The fact he knelt, and reached toward them despite what to them seemed an obvious danger- It instilled faith that he knew just what he was doing. That he did not fear some sort of injury.

And though their skin was hot enough to burn on contact, they reached forth. Hesitant, still, before trembling fingers finally rested against his hand. Even with gloves, he could feel the sweltering heat.

Their voice trembled as they tried to speak.

"I just- it- th- this-

I.. I am.. so.."

Their voice trailed off, but the answer was obvious.

Afraid.
(Kirsi ﾓ Cn疂mh匤)
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[23:55] Syracuse was aware of their emotions, what brought the star. Yet, he knew that because they thought so did not mean it was true.

Was he wrong to test it so roughly, to push against that which left them comfortable? Who could say. He'd only ever achieved anything of note through suffering. So, surely another must as well?

The sweltering heat was upon him soon enough, as the tendrils departed. There was little between him and that fiery inferno-like connection.

Sweat had already touched his brow before the heat was fully upon him. Now it remained so, steadily coating his frame. As his body sought to right that imbalance of temperature.

Yet, he didn not hesitate. Did not pull away, he'd no fears. At-least, none when it came to Kirsi.

As their hand was taken they'd glasp it, a certain firmness. Reassuring that he was there, it was a simple thing.

Fear often left someone wanting the presence and contact of others. At-least that was the basis he was working with.

The burns upon his hands? Irrelevant, the heat from their body? Likewise. Sensations he'd felt before and was uninterested in.

"There's nothing to fear here. Only you, only me. Our stars guide us, protect us, even when they are corrupt."

It was simple, he'd decided that the star was protecting Kirsi. Even if she was afraid of that attention, even if the star asked for something in return. It still acted as a guardian.

His features softened as he shifted his gaze towards the maddened eye. It wasn't evil, nothing truly was in this world. He'd realized that long ago.

"Breath, relax, don't force your star away. Let it protect you as it was made to."

The Neries shifted ever so slightly his free hand going a bit wide. It was simple, they'd offered a hug. Support, to show that they weren't something to be feared. It didn't matter in the end what they did. He was simply there to show that they didn't have to fear their star's blessing pushing people away.

Didn't have to fear being alone, didn't have to fear hurting him.
(Syracuse Fengari)
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[00:32] The trembling of their hand did not cease immediately. They felt the urge, still, to pull away even as he held on tight. Fight or flight- The instinct begged them to choose, and they still leant toward the latter in the face of such. The redhead itched to escape.

Yet they remained in place. Their gaze remained, though squinting now, entirely focused upon the neries before them. Searching. Uncertain. Still pushing back against the presence that could like as not burn him, if they weren't careful.

Perhaps it was a good thing they didn't notice his burns immediately. That would've certainly set quite a bit of doubt in them. But just then? Still.. He was still.. Kneeling. Holding on. Smiling, even. reassuring, despite the heat. Despite what must've been imminent danger.

Unless.. it wasn't. Surely if he could be so calm in the face of a storm such as this, he knew something more than they did. They were so fearful of the emotions, though they'd tried to let them flow before..

Had it turned out poorly then? Not..quite?

But then, they'd had supreme confidence in the one they'd faced then. He could take it, if things did get out of control. With others, they worried still- Yet in the face of this calm, it tugged at the knot of worry within their core. Were they overthinking it?

Probably.. Right?

Even if the emotions were intense, even if the power felt overwhelming to them, it wasn't even enough to get him worried. The tension across their shoulders relaxed, to some degree. Their eyes opened just a bit further.

Their head tilted to one side, as he made that offer. And their eyes fell shut again as they took it, finding a steady rock to grasp onto in the otherwise vast flood of emotions. A storm they weathered, not by fighting this time. They took his advice..

And they breathed. Crimson drifted on their breath as they did so. Their eyes fell shut, as they simply let their star's power flood through them as he said. Anxiety still crept up, but they tried to ignore that.

As they did, the wildly shifting color consolidated. Darker, from the dim amber. Darker still beyond a dull orange, then lighter red. To the color of blood. The heat, very slowly, died down to be replaced solely by emotion, during this process.. Though still they were burning up.

Still they felt the shift.

And realization struck, thanks to what he had told them..

Surely, it wasn't their star's fault it was corrupt.

And it wasn't as though they couldn't try to help it, too, right?

.. That's what they'd wanted since it spoke to them last, after all.
(Kirsi ﾓ Cn疂mh匤)