[22:28] Malentine watched half of the scene in mild amusement. He was quiet, save for the few times he actually had something to say. The child-like creature witnessed the death of his third thrall in a row, though the previous two were, of course, his own doing. And as he looked down at Donovan in her gluttonous feasting, he couldn't help but smile and feel a tinge of pride. In a simple action, he brought his hands together in a single clap, and then another, until a slow applause echoed out from the cliff he stood upon down into the snowfields coated in blood.

Even if the conflict wasn't all completed, the eyes of Envy only saw its Gluttonous Friend.

"Well done, Lady Donovan. Very... well done."

His wide smile reflected some of the lamplight and Malentine put his arms behind his back. He looked from his left to his right and then said, "I'll be... explaining some concepts of Riftmancy, as well as a few other philosophical aspects of things within the tower. Second Floor.

Anyone can feel free to join me but it'll be starting... soon."
(Malentine Invidia)
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[22:28] Un-wol Baiyan whispers something.
[22:29] Priscilla Invidia whispers something.
[22:29] Maina Invidia says, "Mm..."
[22:29] Maina she's been here long enough. To the tower!!
(Maina Invidia)
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[22:30] Vel heads to the tower.
(Vel Invidia)
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[22:30] Priscilla Invidia whispers something.
[22:30] Leana whispers something.
[22:30] Vel Invidia whispers something.
[22:30] Leana whispers something.
[22:32] Un-wol looks southward, ascending into the air, eyes on the commotion to the southwest.
(Un-wol Baiyan)
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[22:32] Priscilla Invidia asks, "Bored. You?"
[22:32] Malentine Invidia says, "9gonna wait for torham's post"
[22:32] Maina Invidia exclaims, "I could be doing better!!"
[22:32] Priscilla Invidia asks, "Could be?"
[22:32] Priscilla Invidia asks, "And is the bird dead?"
[22:32] Un-wol Baiyan asks, "Did she die yet, Maina?"
[22:32] Un-wol Baiyan asks, "Or are they toying with her?"
[22:32] Maina Invidia says, "Mhm. She's dead."
[22:32] Maina Invidia says, "Donovon is still enjoying the meal."
[22:32] Un-wol stares at Priscilla for a second... they said the same thing.
(Un-wol Baiyan)
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[22:33] Priscilla Invidia asks, "..Did she have anything worth taking a look on her?"
[22:34] Maina Invidia says, "I didn't look. I could only really see Donovon eating her. I wouldn't suggest getting to close to check."
[22:35] Un-wol Baiyan says, "It's okay."
[22:35] Maina Invidia exclaims, "I'm not really bothered!!"
[22:36] Priscilla Invidia says, "If something's left by the time everyone goes, maybe I'll check."
[22:38] Un-wol Baiyan says, "Peculiar tastes."
[22:38] Their defeat had been... Less humiliating than the previous one. Less - but not entirely secure. They hadn't been fighting strictly to win - but to stop the dog from interfering with Donovan's meal. To keep her from interrupting and bothering the vampire. There was no one and no thing to blame for their defeat but their own ineptitude. Another failure to add onto the pile as the ookami got the better of them - a blade, or perhaps claws? They weren't paying attention, held to their throat.

They didn't care if they died, in truth. Their gaze watching Donovan. Their mistress, their love; as she feasted they realized they had, at least, accomplished their goal for once. Even the threat of their own demise hadn't interrupted the vampire's meal. Donovan had surely killed, and consumed, that bird - the one who had spied on them - without hesitation. They had been expecting death, in truth. But - Torham, of all people, intervened.

They kept silent. There was nothing to say. Struggling would only make their situation worse. No excuses, a mere acceptance of whatever happened. So - when they were shoved forward into the snow it was with great surprise. Had the mere presence of Torham mattered that much? Was the dog not willing to risk her own life for her principals? Whatever the case - they rose. Dusting themselves off. "Thank you." A pause - grimacing at the fact that they still had to admit not only had they lost the fight - but been outclassed. "You fight well."

Their attention drifted from the dog - to the vampire. To Torham. Half expecting another savage punishment for another failure.
(Remy Diamante)
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[22:38] Priscilla Invidia says, "What makes you say that? Could be something worth the time. Never know."
[22:40] The Elder Vampire licks his lips, pulling back his blade at last.

There's the sickening sound of metal sliding against leather as Torham slams the Inquisitor's Claw back into its sheathe. His Shadow slinks further closer, enveloping slowly around Galal like a cloak, clinging as tightly as a second skin. The crimson light in his eyes burns bright.

He drifts forwards, slowly turning and pushing her to look at Asiri's slowly devoured flesh below. He slings an arm across her shoulders, pointing downwards. "Tell me, my little thrall, does the bird on the ground there look like one of our people?" The jovial light slowly returns to his eyes, but the tension in the air doesn't ease at all.

"It was a desperately devote and empty husk. That was no person. It was just the shell of one. It was mindless devotion for power, endless work in hope of eternal reward, all labor but no soul."

His gaze flicks up to Malentine, a sickly sweet smile crossing the tender surface of his visage. "Tell me Malentine, am I not right about that thrall of yours?" Torham calls out. He doesn't wait for a response, instead directing his gaze downwards once again. The Elder Vampire doesn't need a response. After all, Malentine's thralls often ended up even more broken than he was.

"The sting of loss is what you feel, yes, but this is a gain regardless. That young woman was wasting away. A mindless drone. What little of her that there was left when Donovan decided to claim her as her meal will live on in our blood. Here now she will be worth more to both you, to I, to Donovan, to Apropriya- more than she would ever be worth otherwise."

He licks his lips once again. Even the sight of gore below is enough to make him hunger, but he does not indulge. "Consider this scene a blessing and a gift." His Shadow slowly melts away into the ground, dissolving to rest behind him in the snow. "If anything, allow the sight of blood to wash away your misconceptions about this Asiri. Let them free you from those tired shackles."

"If it were truly one of our own people, you and I, I would have prevented this." The Elder Vampire adds on. "Regardless, that brings me to you. Consider me generous. You will not be punished for your infraction here, you are after all the property of my household. You also were misled and the harm you caused here will be fleeting at worst."

The Elder Vampire pats her shoulder, slowly floating away. "Also. You did well beating down Remy. You are a valuable servant, and a true citizen of Apropriya. Take pride in that."

His gaze briefly falls upon the Drakanite.

He had warned him not to fail him again. There he went, too, failing him again in combat against Galal. Failing to protect his daughter. Getting captured and shamed once again. Torham had prevented Galal from taking Remy's life because it was not hers to take.

That did not mean however that Torham could not take it.

It was his place to, after all, as the head of the Draskovic household. If a pair of scissors were broken and bent so that they cut the hand of the person who used them, then was that tool better not disposed of? For a moment that nagging hunger that radiated from Donovan almost drives him to skewer and consume Remy here and there, helpless and pinned as he was. His better nature held him back, stopping him from ending that travesty here and there.

One simple thing stops him.

In spite of every mistake Remy was his property. He was not going to easily give up another possession to the savagery and death that roamed Apropriya. He would not let this land steal from him. All of his mistakes here were still fixable. Still correctable. He was not a tool beyond repair.

"Remy. Your punishment will come later, and in private."

With that Torham Draskovic drifts away, rejoining the crowd.
(Torham Draskovic)
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[22:41] Malentine Invidia exclaims, "Donovan! Feel free to join the class!"
[22:41] Malentine Invidia says, "Find seats."
[22:42] Dalia Karadin says, "Hey."
[22:42] Dalia Karadin says, "Move."
[22:42] Alastor G. Vishkar says, "Yeah."
[22:42] Alastor G. Vishkar says, "Move."
[22:42] Dalia Karadin says, "That's Alastor's seat."
[22:42] Alastor G. Vishkar says, "Hell yeah."
[22:43] Carp sighs....
(Carp Olathe)
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[22:43] Priscilla throws a paper plane to the opposite side of the room.
(Priscilla Invidia)
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[22:44] The plane ends up stuck to the baby bean's face. She looks directly at Pricilla with her normal, wide-eyed look as the paper projectile... Dissolves.
(Leana)
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[22:44] Maina passes priscilla a crystal brick.
(Maina Invidia)
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[22:44] Dalia Karadin says, "Ew."
[22:44] Priscilla blinks twice.
(Priscilla Invidia)
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[22:45] Alastor G. Vishkar whispers something.
[22:45] Priscilla takes the drug brick.
(Priscilla Invidia)
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[22:45] Dalia Karadin whispers something.
[22:45] Leana wipes the remaining paper mush off her face with her cloak. Then her attention goes over to Malentine.
(Leana)
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[22:47] Malentine took his place in the center of the meeting room. The place had not been prepared to be a classroom in anyway and seemed much more like some place where the organized forces of a once great kingdom would meet and discuss political plans. But here before some dingy throne where there were plenty of seats about the eldest Invidia thought he'd do something productive and pass some of his knowledge, or at least his opinionated philosophies, down to those who desired to listen.

"I'm happy to see so many people here..." he began. The Black Curtain, his nightmarish weapon, was slung across his back, and if anyone had any doubts what this sort of lecture would be about, the gem that was screaming out to be saved washed them away.

"I said I would begin with the basics of riftmancy, an art only I have perfected here in Baukdengrad. And while it will be the basis for what I teach you all today, it is only the beginning to a wider... perspective.

You are here because, I hope, something has drawn you to listen to wha to say. Something that goes beyond simply being curious. So."

Red eyes flicked to each face in the room. "Why don't each of you tell us all why you have come."
(Malentine Invidia)
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[22:48] Malentine sits back onto the throne once he was done speaking.
(Malentine Invidia)
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[22:48] Malentine Invidia asks, "Oh?"
[22:48] A blind man wanders in quietly, taking a seat behind Carp. He smiles, apparently not wishing to be a disruption.
(Epsilon)
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[22:49] Epsilon whispers something.
[22:49] A tiny bean raises her hand eagerly.
(Leana)
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[22:49] Dalia Karadin whispers something.
[22:49] Malentine Invidia says, "Feel free to just talk.."
[22:49] Malentine Invidia says, "We're all listening."
[22:49] Alastor G. Vishkar whispers something.
[22:49] Alastor G. Vishkar whispers something.
[22:49] Malentine Invidia says, "And you, newcomer. You're stating why you've come."
[22:49] Malentine stares at Epsilon curiously.
(Malentine Invidia)
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[22:49] Alastor G. Vishkar whispers something.
[22:49] Carp Olathe whispers something.
[22:49] Casimir Coza whispers something.
[22:49] Casimir Coza whispers something.
[22:49] Epsilon says, "Oh? Idle curiosity. I heard there were lessons on deep and unknowable arts taking place here."
[22:50] Carp , who is a normal sized adult, would raise his hand too.
(Carp Olathe)
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[22:50] Epsilon smiles pleasantly. "And I am ever so interested in the deep and unknowable."
(Epsilon)
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[22:50] Malentine Invidia says, "Just. Speak. Don't raise your hands."
[22:50] Carp lowers his hand.
(Carp Olathe)
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[22:52] The bean lowers her hand and hides it back under her cloak. "Oh, I'm here because I'm interesting in learning Rift magic, Mister Lord Malentine. "
(Leana)
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[22:52] Vel knew exactly what this was about as he has been preparing himself for it for a while now. Carefully listening Malentine out, the Invidia allowed a few seconds of silence before ultimately answering.

"I've came here to gain knowledge.

Knowledge and Strength.. In hopes of pursuing the capability of furthering the expansion and domination of Baukdengrad. "

A shrug was given.

"Also.. The moment I first heard about 'Rift' magic.. And even the moment I witnessed its powers myself.

It was quite amazing. Something I definitely wish to be capable of utilizing in the future. "

The Invidia felt that it was enough to get the point across. For now, he simply sat his arms across his chest and listened out for the others opinions or goals and whatever.
(Vel Invidia)
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[22:53] Malentine didn't have the... entirety of Maina's attention. She seemed to be playing some with her magic all while keeping an ear out. While some seemed to be raising their hands, she simply spoke out. "I'm sorry if my answer is a bit dull... But I'm here simply out of curiosity... Ahaha!!"

She did seem a bit curious of some answers to be side. One side of the classroom seemed to be a bit quiet. Glancing over to the blue carpet side. Oh well...

Back to playing to crystals. "Mm..."
(Maina Invidia)
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[22:54] Priscilla had waited a decent bit for this lesson. Executions were so troubling these days. All it takes is one bird to delay everything. The bird seemed to be gone now. Being devoured by a voracity never before seen. To Priscilla, it seemed that each of the Vampires had exhibited ruthlessness and a vicious nature. She only hoped that there was that possibility for her. To just do and not have a care in the world.

"Riftmancy is a wonderful art, I have to say. It's very enticing to look at from all of the different perspectives. A power like that- It would be extraordinary to be able to have. It would be useful. It might even assist in multiple tasks if used with thought."

She nodded along to her words.

"I want this."
(Priscilla Invidia)
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[22:56] A certain capture cube is placed on the desk before Casimir, both of his obsidian-black hands working around the object as the lecture begins. Icy blue eyes glance around as the others give their reasoning, and he waits for an opening to give his own.

"Curiosity, mostly. I was told to never turn down knowledge when it is offered to you." A casual shrug comes behind his claim and he sits back in his chair, waiting.
(Casimir Coza)
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[22:56] Carp Olathe whispers something.
[22:56] Malentine Invidia asks, "And the three of you?"
[22:57] Priscilla Invidia whispers something.
[22:58] Priscilla squints at Vel.
(Priscilla Invidia)
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[22:58] Vel glares back at her.
(Vel Invidia)
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[22:58] The young Karadin simply shrugs, then leans back in her chair. She was tempted to prop her feet on the table, but she wasn't bold enough.

Or maybe crazy enough.

"I dunno what the hell Riftmancy is, so yeah, curiousity, plus you're a pretty interesting person, Malentine."
(Dalia Karadin)
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[22:58] Carp's just floating there. Not sitting, floating. It's wild.

"Don't think the magic is for me, but interesting in learning all the same."

He'd give a simple shrug!
(Carp Olathe)
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[22:59] Alastor seems remarkably laid back in this point. He doesn't speak up or anything-- He simply remains there, purple irises locked on Malentine, before a glance is shot around the room.

Briefly examining every single person that was there, to say the least. He could say something, but in the end, the smirk appeared across his face yet again. Legs crossed, still hidden behind the table, as both hands were taken to his neck.

"Destroying Kraus's foundations is always a good thing." Are the only words that leave his mouth, still infected with that same acidic sensation that they always had.
(Alastor G. Vishkar)
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[23:00] Un-wol crouches and stealthily scoots over to the table of the Invidia girls, reaching up to place a parcel of bundled goods on the table, attached with a note. "A gift," is written on it.

He quickly tries to return to his seat beside Vel, hoping to not be noticed--or at least ignored, knowing a vampire's senses.
(Un-wol Baiyan)
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[23:01] Maina glances over to the boosters, than to her sister. She didn't need 'em...
(Maina Invidia)
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[23:01] Priscilla glances at the boosters... Tempting.
(Priscilla Invidia)
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[23:03] Priscilla glances at everyone else in the room and begins to chug the liquid.
(Priscilla Invidia)
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[23:03] Un-wol makes himself as inconspicuous as possible, looking away at the sidewall.
(Un-wol Baiyan)
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[23:04] Leana makes grabby hands for the blue bean.
(Leana)
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[23:13] Malentine moved back to the center of the room, a lot of the answers finding no sense of satisfaction on his face. It wasn't that he seemed entirely angry, but that whatever answer he wanted to hear wasn't said. If there even was a right answer to begin with, that is.

"Curiosity." he said as he put his hands back behind his back. "Is not. Enough. Riftmancy is an art that requires focus. Drive. Purposeful intention to do what you must."

A hand is waved in Alastor's general direction. "It is the art of attacking the foundations of Kraus' world, if that's your sort of thing. Some will claim it is convenient. A branch of magic used for travel. These are the ignorant and the weak minded..."

From within the confines of his jacket the vampire pulled an old and battered tome. In the hands of such a child-like creature, it seemed odd, especially when he held the great and hefty thing in one hand. The pages flipped on their own as he waved his other again, and the air near them distorted and shifted in a way that was harsh to look at. The air inside the tower grew colder for a moment and a splash of corruption webbed through the space.

"I learned riftmancy from this tome. I gained the power from the gem I stole, the one I now carry upon my sword. I learned riftmancy because I wanted to fight and hunt an enemy greater than any mortal will ever be.

My desire to very purposefully hurt the Lifestream itself is where I found the drive to perform this art. And through runic focus and tests... I honed it."

Malentine brought a hand to his chest softly. "Even as terrible as we Cainanites are, even we are children of creation. Evenwe are touched by the Lifestream, just as each of you are as well. Just as the trees... the grass... the water and wind. It's this part of you that you use to tear into reality. There is no weapon you can create that will grant you this power alone. The blade designed to sever and tear the fabric of space is something you must sharpen with your internal soul.

So... a new question is.

How can you harness this yourself? What do you hate most? How can you sharpen your knife?"
(Malentine Invidia)
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[23:18] Leana thinks for a second. She looks down at the table, and thinks hard. She hasn't truly held ire towards anyone except...

Her body thrums just a bit louder with the hum of electrical energy. It seems like she's found something. Something to hate, and hate it she does.
(Leana)
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[23:18] Leana also waves to Donovan.
(Leana)
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[23:18] The blindfolded man smiles. A contest of philosophy? A chance to ramble idly about the driving forces of mortals and immortals alike?

His favorite.

He holds up a finger, apparently still hung on the one point. "Aha- curiosity is not enough alone, but it is not all I bring. Nor should it be discredited, hm?

After all- curiosity is the essence of what drives us forwards. It was a curious individual, I would wager, that first delved into the power you speak of, or any powers.

Why do we climb mountains?" He answers his own question with a grin. "Because they are there. Curiosity does not climb the mountain, you are right. But you would never get to it without."

(Epsilon)
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[23:19] What did he hate? There was many things he hated but naturally, there was one thing that topped it all.

"I hate them damn monsters in Huangzhou."

An obvious scowl grew on his face as he continued to rant about the kind he so demised.

"They are a bane to these lands- No- To this world.. They WILL be destroyed, along with the city they reside in.

From what I've learned.. They are filled with Order Mages and they borrow power from the Lifestream or something like that. If this 'lifestream' dares to assist them with not only hurting our people but furthering their drive with.. false righteousness.

Then I'll hurt the lifestream myself.. I'll destroy it if needs be. "

Vel REALLY hated the Jianghnese.. This was obvious from his words and the several pouts that were let out after his words.
(Vel Invidia)
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[23:23] The wave that struck reality and spread out from Malentine made Un-wol turn his head. He couldn't prevent the onset of a wide-eyed look. The tome in Malentine's hand to his elegant motions. They could only be described as inhuman.

He had been listening attentively.

"...I don't know what I hate. Perhaps..." his eyes flit across the room, stopping short of revealing something he would rather avoid for the moment. "I would suppose harm coming upon my close ones."

He doesn't speak loudly, rather wishing to keep his statement out of reach for others.
(Un-wol Baiyan)
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[23:26] The girl quietly considered. What did she hate the most? Anyone who knew her well enough, usually saw her as someone Vibrant. So what did the happy go lucky girl despise the most in this world.

"Hating people is..." She thought in the middle of her sentence. As if stopping to be considerate of someone. "It's below me. Anyone that I should hate is below me. Mm..." But she had to answer the question didn't she.

"Of everything, I hate people who are against my family."

"--Ahem... Our family." Grinning over to Malentine and letting her face look between every Invidia present. And Un-Wol too. "Those people don't deserve the air they breath. Our air. And as such, they should gone since they've chosen other than Invidia."

As everyone whose been in earshot of her once... There were two choices in this world! Invidia or Death!!
(Maina Invidia)
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[23:26] Maina Invidia says, "Un Wol why are you still breathing my air"
[23:27] Always the type to sit back and listen before formulating a response, Casimir does just that: He listens and aims to digest the information being given to him. There were a lot of things he simply did not know about- the lifestream and their relation to it, the apparent fact that it was possible to harm it, the truth behind why people did it in the first place.

As a result, he sits in silence for a good while, even staring at Malentine's form for short durations of time in an attempt to chop these larger items down into smaller pieces.

Curiosity wasn't enough.

At the mention of what he hated, the Neries draws his lips to one side of his mouth and glances around, as if unsure on whether or not he wanted to actually give an answer in a classroom of complete strangers. Sooner or later, he shrugs that care for public image off and speaks up.

"Waste. I hate seeing something like potential or promise be wasted." It looks like he has more to add on, but he bites his tongue.
(Casimir Coza)
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[23:27] Priscilla wasn't curious or felt as if this would be an interesting thing to just visit and observe, no. Her purpose was to study the rending magics that tore the lifestream apart. Her purpose was to gain ability. This was a tool and it would rightfully be used as such, on a whim, without care for anything other than its intended use.

If it created such disruptions in the world, it was only a small sacrifice that Priscilla was willing to take just to master the ability of riftmancy. It might have not even been a sacrifice; she didn't see it as a sacrifice. Priscilla didn't care about the world's state or nature. She was in this class, at this desk, in this tower to throw herself in the direction of selfish gains!

Abyss peered at the tome that Malentine had revealed, an interest finding its way across her lips in the form of a smirk.

He wanted to strike back at Kraus' own creation. Who was Priscilla to say that that was a wrong usage? They worshipped Cain, not Kraus. Harming his creation was only a setback to others.

The ones that preached Order. The ones of Huangzhou. The ones who took her eye.

"Sharpen my knife?"

The smirk grew larger at just thinking about it. Throwing the people that had wronged her to the ground! Ripping up their precious land! Taking something near and dear to their hearts. Priscilla would take her hand and reach out to consume something that they held most precious;

Their life.

Invidias had a reputation to not be very merciful it seemed.

Was this a power fueled by hatred? Priscilla had plenty of that. Maybe even more than Valentine who always sought to throw chaos in his way. His form blew pandemonium across non-magi. The murder of non-magi wasn't anything special. They died as easily as they came into the world. They weren't gifted or anything of that sort.

Non-magi were the pawns in a game of chess. Everyone around Baukdengrad knew this well.

"It doesn't matter what the effects of such an ability are. Abilities are meant to be squeezed and exploited until their use burns out. Right, Uncle?"

A soft glow of pink light grazed the outside of the cover around her right eye. Priscilla threw both arms onto the desks and tightened her fist, the light only seeming to radiate through.

Remy was quite skilled in their art.
(Priscilla Invidia)
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[23:32] "Well." This was a complicated question, one that he could not bear to give a half-assed response to, at least. One that he knew was going to be just needed to be enough like that. Of course...

Well, it was time that he heard every single words. Pitiful, all of these. Their motives were nothing more than frail, often foolish or relating to things that he just deemed as... Unworthy. Of course, these thoughts were spared to him and himself alone.

Stupid. All of them.

But still, he decided to speak his own will as to why learn this.

"What else but hating it by itself?" He spoke, slowly leaning back on the chair, both arms still resting behind his neck, holding his head upright as purple irises continued to face the teaching vampire.

"Hating anything else won't give me the power to cut it. Just like hating a person doesn't give you the same rage against someone else." He spoke, filled with his own self-certainty that he was right and no one could ever argue against that. Of course, it was something that came from deep within his soul.

He truly believed that hating anything else but the thing that kept them to this, that tied them to this cycle, was simply... Foolish. Endless hatred that was not moving humanity forward. Something that didn't service the perfect world that Azrael would unveil.
(Alastor G. Vishkar)
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[23:33] Malentine stares at Dalia and Carp.
(Malentine Invidia)
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[23:33] Malentine Invidia says, "Welcome Donovan. You may sit if you'd like."
[23:36] Donovan Draskovic says, "Mmn.."
[23:49] Malentine listened to every answer, even if Carp apparently passed out while everyone else spoke. Again the answers don't seem to really satisfy the vampire but he let them all speak all the same. Somewhere amid Alastor's final answer there's a loud crack that some of them had heard that shattered the air before Malentine. With a swipe of his sword something opened up, a tear in the middle of the space that made the air seem as if it was a curtain or a piece of cloth meant to be pulled away.

Through the rift a flurry of snow funneled through from somewhere else atop the mountains. Snow settled onto the carpet and the already cold tower grew colder. Frothing matter spilled and bled out from the edges of the rift and the gem upon the hilt of Malentine's sword glowed and screeched in pain as its power was pulled from it. The vampire stared ahead at the piece of reality he had rent open and nodded. He spoke, not in a loud voice but in one commanding enough to be heard above the shuddering wind of the outside world.

"Curiosity is important." He said, perhaps to Epsilon. "And hating the Lifestream itself is perfectly acceptable. It is where I find my own motivation... The reason I wished for you all to name what you hate most stems from the Azraelites philosophy on this." Again a lazy wave is given toward Alastor. "Their Fallen Lord wishes to see the world built as something new, and paint a better work, the first one must be stripped away.

Thus making riftmancy an art of destruction, so that others can then become envoys of creation." Malentine put his sword back on his back and closed his fist. The tear before him sealed as well and he looked around once more. "I have no interest in creation. My desire is to destroy. To tear and rend the reality that has rejected me..."

Perhaps now he was getting philosophical, but it was blending into the lesson he was presenting almost entirely as facts. "We live in a world where things despise us. And a world where we despise... well... other things. Other people. An Undesirable environment, that would be the world Kraus followers of the spirits would wish for you to be content with. They would want us to accept this world as it is Fated to be, even if we are handed the misfortune and pain that they are not.

They would want us to accept our kin dying. They would want us to accept things not going our way. They would want us to accept that there is no justice in this world and that we should just... lie down.

Riftmancy is a deliberate rejection of this notion. It is the art of attacking and fighting back. Riftmancy means you are not meant to flow down the current of time, tossed about its waves like loose debris. Tearing into the Lifestream means you are devoted enough in your rage against it that you want to remove that which holds you back, that which distracts.

Do you all understand?"
(Malentine Invidia)
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[23:53] Leana nods. She really can't hate much, so the art of riftomancy might not be for her. She listens anyway, though.
(Leana)
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[23:53] The blindfolded man smiles.

He understands. Everything seems clearer now, clearer today than it did yesterday. He nods, not offering unwarranted philosophical rambling this time. He sits back in his chair, facing the wall ahead of him, now.

Dreaming of the world to come.
(Epsilon)
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[23:59] As Malentine spoke, Vel nodded.

Instead of Rift being seen as just an ability to 'travel', it should instead be viewed as capability. A way to retaliate against those such as the people who follow Kraus.

A strength, a proper way of displaying the rage being built within an individual.

"I understand.."

Through Vel's eyes, he seen those who followed the lifestream as those who followed a fixed fate, a destiny that was already placed down for them.. But those who are Chaos, as briefly instructed by Torham.. Discover ways to break limits, to reach strength that is unimaginable.

To do what you wish.

The Kitsune can only assume that Rift basically falls in the same line.. With the same guidelines and such but different possibilities.

"I have a question though.. Uncle Malentine..

We can fight against the Lifestream.. But- I've only just learned about it.. I didn't even know it existed at first.. How do I know I am actually efficiently attacking the Lifestream..? How do I know if progress is being made or not? "
(Vel Invidia)
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[00:01] Casimir sits back and folds his arms over his chest, watching as snow fills the room through Malentine's magic.

While he could understand the points being made and the perspective of those gathered, but hatred was not his key motivator, and it likely never would be. He seems ready to hang up his coat, but once Kraus and his followers are mentioned, a certain gleam is caught in his eye.

A flashback to when the Shengese told him that they would kill him if they ever saw him again. How they preached and shoved their self-righteous religious beliefs down his throat, despite him not actually worshipping The Dreamer.

Hate might have been a strong word, but he disliked them immensely. If hurting the lifestream was hurting them..?

"I get it, yeah. But surely rage isn't the only motivator to pick the lifestream apart, right? Other things can work as fuel too."
(Casimir Coza)
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[00:05] Un-wol's fingers touched down on the surface of the desk before sliding in to form a fist, on both hands. The tear in reality seemed the same no matter the angle he looked at it- like an indentation in the dimensional axis itself, pulling the fabric of space into a distant part of the same mountain they were located in. The cold sought to rob him of heat, but he hugged his cloak closer, igniting his circuits with holy energy to retain body temperature.

This, he could manage. However, the lesson was a harsh meal to consume whole. He had to take the prong of his mind and pull of morsels before he could catch up, piece by piece. Several moments would go by—even if Malentine resumes his lecture.

"I can somewhat see a clearer picture according to the things you said, but I wouldn't dare claim I understand." He would have stated this if it weren't a crowded classrom, so he whispered it.

His eyes were tell enough; they were glued to Malentine with intense focus, and their occasional drifting signified a turn in his train of thoughts. Yet, for some reason, he found himself at odds with the idea of harming the lifestream for his selfishness. Was the Life Stream not the reason their reality was held in place? If you shattered it, would matter also lose its bond and separate, thus destroying all life? Un-wol would rather know true chaos than know a facet of it. The end goal to both states, whether Chaos or Order.

"I dislike Huangzhou, but...what happens if you destroy the Life Stream?" he muttered under his breath, hesitant to reveal his true thoughts. His eyes swerved from what was hitherto their greatest focus, the vampire Malentine, into a scattered line across the room before finally ending downcast at the table in front of him. He goes silent.
(Un-wol Baiyan)
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[00:09] His sword was a strange thing. It held the capability of doing this art, or at least assisted somewhat in the formation of these rifts through land. Priscilla eyes the sword, a thought coming forth. Was the gem the source of its sharpness? Or was such a thing only amplifying what was already there? She wouldn't mind having a closer look at it, studying it, writing down every last detail. That wasn't the point of the lesson however. It was a demonstration.

Azraelite philosophy? That was supposedly connected to all of this? Because of their naturally frowned-upon abilities, their hatred is something that could stem into this? While Azrael sought to rebuild a different world under his rule, Malentine had no care about such creation. He aimed to use it for destruction. He fought back because it was something he wanted to do.

Fighting back was something Priscilla wished to do. Her motivation was funneled into getting revenge for the most part against the things Huangzhou had done. Priscilla didn't mind causing some trouble along the way as long as it was all in good fun! For her.

"I understand."

With riftmancy in her arsenal, it would be an act of defiance.

She'd have to learn this now. The possibilities proved endless and the Invidia's desire only manifested tenfold each time another detail was revealed.

"I won't allow my kin and family to die. I won't want to accept defeat, sir. I will not accept it. I'm sure anyone that had half a brain would know that rejecting this was asinine."

Priscilla cared deeply about her family, no matter how much negativity she showed towards them. In the end, it always came back to being family. No matter how much her brothers annoyed her, Priscilla was their sister. No matter if Neo wanted to protect her from getting hurt, she was his daughter. Family was practically everything.

Even family could make mistakes. Family could improve. Family could decline. In the end, family was and always is just that.

"If I have to learn to destroy in order to protect Baukdengrad, I will do so."
(Priscilla Invidia)
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[00:13] * You have been awarded 1 Roleplay Points! *
[00:15] Malentine snapped his finger and another, small tear tore open behind him. This time there is nothing through it. No snow, no billowing win. There is only a vast and unending Void of darkness. The rift caused the room to lurch and quake as it opened, and more bleeding, bubbling matter fell to the floor behind Malentine. The gem on his blade was shining out in fear and the vampire blankly stared at his thrall.

"You will know you are doing sufficient damage the same way you see it upon any prey, Vel.

When it bleeds." With another snap the rift closed again, but the strange mass that had fallen to the ground continued to steam and froth at Malentine's heels.

The vampire turned next to Casimir. "Rage... is perhaps not the only emotion that would fuel such a power, no. But you will need something strong enough that your desire to fight against Fate means something more than simply melancholy or regret. You must want to be your own master more than you are content to let Fate take you where it wants. You are gutting a living thing, perhaps the greatest of all living things... it takes conviction to do that."

Though Un-wol spoke in a muttered voice, Malentine answered him as well. "If you destroy the Lifestream, you set the terms for the End. And, under some ideologies... the new Beginning. But I have no interest in teaching anything about what that entails. I seek the End. And that is all."

The eldest Invidia turned to his niece and his smile returned finally. He nodded toward her and something of a prideful light flickered in his eyes. "Priscilla understands.

They will tell you that you owe something to the Lifestream. That youowe something to the world and Kraus and the creation of things. You don't owe anyone a thing.

Riftmancy, and chaos itself, begins with a drive and a fire that only you can find. A fire meant to burn through anything that stands in your way. I have my aims and my goals, and I will find my enemies' End or my own. There will be no compromise."

The vampire brought his hands together in front of him this time and then looked around the room once more. The book that had been floating beside him through telekinetic means slowly floated back into his coat. "That concludes this lesson. If there are anymore questions I will be happy to answer them... perhaps I will give another lecture in the future if some of you so desire."
(Malentine Invidia)
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