Spirit Dev

[19:09] The biting winds of the north weren't something that Ascalon was used to. In fact he avoided the area when he could. It was just to cold for his tastes, to frozen. Yet, he needed someplace isolated from the rest of the world. Some place close to the primordial.

Emerald hues settled upon his partner in this endeavor. Arlei Therus, a woman who'd pledge to serve his house several years back. Both inexperienced when it came to the arts of meditation. Both constantly struggling to maintain their angers.

"I think, all we have to do is attune ourselves to the area?"

He didn't wait for an answer, sitting down within the snow. The soft pulse of his ley-lines betraying some excitement. He wanted to connect tot hat realm where his ancestors resided. The realm where spirits resided, forever in stillness. As they where when they died.

Something about that, was terrifying. It was as if one would be caught in a painting or perhaps there was more to it? Perhaps they could continue to change and grow. If that was the case could their be more ways of achieving the eternal dream of Azrael?

Introspection, it was what happened first. Whenever he stopped, whenever he slowed. He'd feel the pulse of his divine father in his blood. Urging him to resume the work he'd started in the distant past. To end the great cruelty of Kraus.

A small smile touched his lips. The great cruelty, yet he was attempting to tap into the realm of the dead. It wasn't Kraus' domain anymore. It was Azreal's he was sure of it. All it took was reaching into it and tapping into it's power.

Ascalon felt the heat of the fire in front, the biting winds in back. His eyes but slits as he gazed into the eternal flame. Blazing bright, the darkness without encroaching inwards. Wind swirling around him, feeling kinship in the wind-kissed. Thestars above staring down like judging eyes. Critical and wrathful in their glory.

A breath, fresh air. Tasting of pine and cinder. It was glorious, the feeling of being alive. It pulsed through his veins, sweet catharsis to his struggles. A reminder of what he wished to keep. A remind of Azrael's great Dream.

The wind howled and the fire growled, yet his mind drifted away. Deeper into relaxation. Deeper into itself, he could feel it the thrum of the life-stream. That thing which was in such need of perfection.

With a curling of fingers he felt the pulse of his circuitry, the thrum of it, his reika hurtling through the ki-ways like a raging beast. Never calmed even when still, yet, there was something more. His soul reached out trying to feel what was there.

He'd felt the rejuvenation of the Midnight Heart. It always pulsed in tune to him now. Ever since the great ritual with it in tow. The feeling of his Chroma's mana stored within brought a calmness to his mind. Perhaps, this was what his meditation should focus upon.

His minds eye focused upon the mana of his father, of Dawn's Super Magi. Of the man who'd founded the House of Zanders. It was a steady feeling calming, enlightened. He knew his father had achieved the highest states a Human could achieve.

If only he could reach out to them. Connect in some way to tap into their strength from beyond this realm. His brow furrowed as he sought them, swimming through he currents of lifestream. Every time he felt closer, it started to slip away. As if the currents of the lifestream where to strong to be swam through.

Ascalon's expression shifted upon his face, growing more and more frustrated He'd connect to them. If he had to beat down the lifestream itself. Struggling in a rush of anger. Their soul like a beacon reaching beyond themselves. A raging inferno of mana. Brought force would surely achieve what he couldn't achieve through finesse?

It would be like a beacon to his ancestors, a place within the next realm for them to gather. Around the soul that he possessed, the mana in his veins. Though it felt hard, oh so hard. He could feel them in their glory. Briefly, distantly, the touch of the realm beyond.

Yet, he'd just blink as he came back to the present. His body ached, as the rush of reika stretched his mana-synapses to the extreme. The flood stretching them and his very form. A pulse going through his body, the normalcy of his form wavering for a moment. Tearing them almost with his exertion. He'd grit his teeth forcing them to calm. To constrict back and control the roaring reika. It was hard to not just let it keep going. Perhaps, he would in time?

Sweat poured down the young man's forehead as he looked across towards Arlei, curious how their own mediations were going. Perhaps, they hadn't needed to brute force it as he did?
(Ascalon Zanders)
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[19:11] The ever-confused drakanite wasn't here to meditate on her life this time, but upon her magic. Upon her very nature. She followed her Lord up to the top of the mountain, next to where Ser Shinysides rested. It was a quiet place. A peaceful place, with naught but the winds, slight snow and a roaring campfire to keep them warm and comfortable.

Arlei lowered herself to the ground and let out a loud sigh, then a deep inhale. Over time, her breathing slowed, tuning to her heartbeat. With every exhale, a beat. With every inhale, a beat. Both of these things were in perfect harmony; it was relatively easy for her to achieve these days.

However, her mana was different. Her circuits had a beat, just like her heart. It pulsed with Ryujin's gift to her. Fiery hot mana with a temper to match. She was naturally attuned to flame magicks, and, as she had been theorising, spiritual magicks. Her aggressive energy was difficult to tame. Very difficult to tame.

It had taken her many months of practice to learn to manipulate her powers in the way she could. It originally came naturally to her, and she'd lived with that, but after Freya's teachings, the hot-headed woman had found that she had so, so much more to learn.

The way she'd controlled mana throughout her life was raw. It was untamed, instinctual. It was how new Magi first used their magic, and she'd lived with it. Arlei had been entirely ignorant on the true depth of mana and magic itself for most of her life, until Freya had opened her mind with that fateful training session in the snow.

Her mind, body and soul looked upwards towards the skies, attempting to connect with her deity for the first time. The twenty six year old drakanite had been completely ignorant of her God for the majority of her life; it was only a few years ago that she'd even heard of Ryujin before, and an even shorter time since Lady Ohtli had begun teaching her of whatshe had been missing.

The day of the ritual Lady Ohtli had invited her to, was a major milestone in her life. She'd seen one of the Divine Five, Quetzalcoatl herself, manifest in the form of an ethereal avatar in front of Lady Ohtli's tower. She had breathed Her breath upon the group, including Arlei. That moment, right then, was when she'd decided that her patron God, Ryujin, was truly a being worthy of praise. Lady Ohtli had opened her eyes, and Quetzalcoatl's majesty had stunned her with Her beauty.

Slowly, as she thought about these past experiences, her mana began to fire up even harder, pulsing like a rapid drum-beat. The complete opposite of what she was trying to achieve, but it felt so. . natural. It felt right. It burned her inside with its consecrating embers, but it wasn't painful to her. No, to her, this was both retribution and acceptance.

Her role in Arthur Rowan's ritual had disgusted her so thoroughly that she had refused to stay in her half-shifted form unless absolutely necessary. She didn't view herself as worthy of His gift anymore. Not after participating in something so depraved. So unholy. So. . wrong.

But the burn inside of her as she stared upwards, to the stars in the sky, each a spirit in its own right, felt like acceptance. She had not participated in that ritual for fear of her own safety, but for those she cared for. For Inari, her brother. For Ascalon, her Lord. Selfless reasons, but participation nonetheless. She had felt unworthy and rejected for what she had done.

So much lost life. Over four hundred souls, snuffed out. Four hundred and thirty seven by her count; over the months, she'd learnt to separate the screams from the wild mess she'd heard for those moments. Each voice haunted her dreams, every single night. Each drop of blood she had helped guide wafted at her nose when she was alone. Each face burnt into her mind for eternity. Ithad crushed her, spiritually, mentally and even physically. She had refused to eat for days, and only eaten minimally for the weeks after.

Now, at Ascalon's urging, she was recovering. Slowly but surely. Her mind had not healed, but her conviction to protect her family had returned. Her body was almost back at peak performance. And now, perhaps, after feeling this spiritual burn inside of her, her spirit could begin its healing process.

As she thought upon the positives, her mana burned brighter, almost visible to the naked eye. Flickering from her, guided by Ryujin. Burning away her sins, guiding her towards the path of healing. The positive thoughts, the drive towards recovery and acceptance. It felt to her like her patron spirit was pushing her towards them. Telling her not to dwell on what happened in the past, but work towards fixing the flaws that caused it to happen in the first place. Work upon building herself back up, to be the best she could be.

Soft tears leaked from Arlei's face, burning up and evaporating against her skin. This push. This was what she needed. He wasn't telling her 'it'll be okay in time' or 'it wasn't your fault.' He was telling her 'Press on and grow from the experience.' 'It happened. Deal with it.' 'Fight on and atone.'

Her eyes flickered open, her mind finally clear once more. It was up to Arlei to repair the damage now. Her glowing mana faded out, her heartbeat and breathing returning to their normal states. She had to pull up her pants and stop wallowing in sadness. She couldn't just let the misery overtake her anymore. It wasn't her. It wasn't Ryujin's will.

She had to grow strong to protect. Not just her loved ones now, but the Spirit Realm in the future. She had to make it so that the deaths of those prisoners wasn't in vain. Ryujin wanted her to be the best she could be, and that was what she was going to do.

Slowly, Arlei rose to her feet, her eyes glowing with renewed vigour. Her scales shone brightly once more. Her spirits were lifted, and her goal was set. The drakanite let out a heavy breath and walked towards her Lord, offering a clawed hand.

Arlei was going to be just fine. It wouldn't be long now until she left her sins in the past and walked into the future with pride and determination, leaving her old, crippled self behind.
(Arlei Therus)
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[19:22] Ascalon glanced up at Arlei, he felt terrible. The pulse of reika had died down. Yet, his body still felt worn down, stretched. As if he'd suddenly grown and shrunk again. Which was crazy, yet the burn in his limbs, in his circuits gave him a sense of ease.

Reaching up he'd take the Drakanite's hand. Hefting himself up. "Thanks, I feel. . . Terrible, but great?"
(Ascalon Zanders)
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[19:31] Arlei pulled the man close to her and wrapped him in a tight hug, stronger and warmer than she'd been since the ritual. Her warmth encompassed them both, her feelings of conviction and strength passing through the atmosphere around them both, infecting those around with the same energy.

"I know what I need to do now." she stated, her voice firm. She was definitely stronger than she'd been in months, that much was for sure.
(Arlei Therus)