phyria
Dozing
Leo Stillman - The Elemental
Posts: 63
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Post by phyria on Oct 20, 2011 23:41:04 GMT
Leo had the odd feeling that something else was going on in the room but he tried to push the feeling aside in order to concentrate on the conversation. He watched the twisting flames from the lighter for a moment, wondering if Dante would teach him that trick if he asked him although he didn’t actually own a lighter himself, then thought about the question.
“Well you have probably seen me if you attended any of the games around here. I tend to be in most of them, especially rugby and football,” he paused. He had the oddest feeling that he was being talked about behind his back. He shook off the feeling and continued “I’m also pretty interested in history, hence taking the lessons. I wouldn’t mind working on digs if possible when I graduate. Perhaps not the fiddly bits though. Not much use with anything smaller than a baseball” he joked.
True enough. He could bat a ball out of the field and could give as good as he got against most on a rugby field but hand him anything intricate or fragile and he wouldn’t move for fear of clumsily breaking it.
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Post by angeloftheodd on Nov 8, 2011 23:50:54 GMT
Right. I see. That was... downright unpleasant
"Ah rugby, the thugs game played by gentleman. I haven't been to a game in a while."
He had tracked Leo's eyes as they followed the lighter flames. He had caught his attention at least, but the small flame hadn't sparked anything. It was always a long shot, it never had been that easy before.
Waking’s my thing. Give me a moment
Pacing the room, he smiled to Leo.
"I have been on a few digs before, there is always room for some enthusiastic muscle. You should come along sometime."
It was true, he had been on digs. He had also personally buried everything he dug up centuries prior. Dante always felt a twinge of guilt for the genuinely passionate and hard working archaeologists, but it was quickly soothed by the knowledge it had allowed him to dodge gainful employment for quite some time.
Waking’s indeed my thing. Give me a moment
He continued to circle the outskirts of the room.
“So… sporting, outgoing, studious. Good on you.”
Feigning looking out of each window in turn, he slipped the hipflask from his jacket pocket and poured from the hip, soaking the curtain behind the tie at each point he stopped.
“Anything else… Diaspora? Strange Dreams? Disturbing memories?”
Done, he stood in front of the mantle where Mallory rested, he tipped her a nod as he walked past.
I really, really hope you are right Mallory.
“Let me show you another trick”
He sucked air between his teeth in a long pained hiss as his grabbed two of the logs, still glowing hot from the fire. The skin on his hands sizzled, trying to set and repair itself as fast as it burned away. Forcing a smile, he juggled the two logs in as fanciful and dexterous manner as he could, air passing open palms over and under the logs as they fell.
Otherwise Siofra will be almighty pissed off with me.
Stifling a whimper, he made his across the room in this manner, stopping at the door. Finally with a sweep of his arms, he let the smouldering wood fly, landing it amongst the flammable fabric piles.
“Ta-Da.”
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Post by Minxie on Nov 10, 2011 0:30:44 GMT
You never change, Prophet. The voice was, for a moment, not Mallory's. Rasui's voice echoed from the confines of the teenager's mind.
Mallory shook her head, centering herself, then looked at what Dante had done, really looked. She gulped, eyes going wide.
"Dante..." She breathed, slowly getting to her feet.
Oh gods if this doesn't work we're going to burn! She thought, panicking. Or I'll have to do something only I don't think I remember how to do anything and- She forced the panic down, clenching her hands into fists by her sides, staring at the growing flames.
I really hope this works too. She sent to Dante.
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phyria
Dozing
Leo Stillman - The Elemental
Posts: 63
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Post by phyria on Nov 11, 2011 0:53:38 GMT
Leo leaned back in his chair, faking a relaxed attitude when Dante continued to speak. Something felt very wrong about the feeling in the room and it was starting to make him nervous but the other two didn’t seem to feel anything and appeared to be relaxed or so it seemed to Leo. He wouldn’t say anything until they did and until that point he would pretend nothing was wrong.
He tried not to betray what he felt in his face as he smiled at Dante’s encouragement of his ambitions. He would like going to a dig but he was beginning to wonder whether he would like going with Dante. The feeling in the room wasn’t going away as he paced around the edges of it. In fact Leo was beginning to feel very apprehensive. He wanted to escape from the room right now before whatever was going to happen happened.
“Anything else… Diaspora? Strange Dreams? Disturbing memories?” Leo frowned. Why was he talking about that? Before he could come up with a reasonable answer Dante spoke again. He wanted to show him a trick. Leo nodded slowly and watched with growing alarm as he grabbed two logs from the fire and began to juggle them.
He was about to stand up and tell him to stop when Dante stopped by the door and threw the logs at the curtains and they caught fire as if soaked in petrol. He jumped to his feet and yelled in surprise, staring at the flames.
“What the hell are you doing?” Leo shouted, looking around at Dante. They had to get out of the room. He turned away from him, scowling. He would confront Dante about this later when they were all safe.
“Mallory, come on. We should go and warn others. There’s no way we’ll put that out ourselves” he spoke quickly.
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Post by Minxie on Nov 16, 2011 0:08:37 GMT
The burning curtains smelled unpleasant, and Mallory wrinkled her nose in distaste, hoping that she and Leo wouldn't die of smoke inhalation before Leo Woke to his memories. She set her lips, trying to stop herself from shaking, though it wasn't working. Once more she wished that she was anyone but who she was.
"The way out is past Dante, Leo." She spoke quietly, only just loud enough to be heard over the sound of crackling flames. "He won't let us pass." She took a deep breath; she didn't want to do what she was about to. She wished most desperately that she didn't have to. "You can stop the flames, Leo. You're able to. You just have to remember how to do it. You have to remember how to control them."
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Post by angeloftheodd on Nov 22, 2011 21:00:54 GMT
Dante smiled a crooked, dark and gallow-humored smile.
Don't worry, I'll be fine
He held out his hands, resisting the urge to scratch at his palms as the skin on them bubbled, his burns swelling, blistering and healing in fast motion.
"True that Mallory."
He squared his shoulders and leaned back against the door.
"I've gone to a lot of trouble now. That fire will spread, it will get pretty dangerous if you leave it much longer."
He gestured around the room with a sigh.
"Listen to Mallory. You can control this, you can stop the fire. We will help you. Concentrate on it, feel it's heat, watch the way it moves"
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phyria
Dozing
Leo Stillman - The Elemental
Posts: 63
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Post by phyria on Nov 26, 2011 19:23:04 GMT
Leo glared at Dante and the turned to stare at Mallory. Neither of them were moving and both of them seemed to think that he alone could put out the fire. Were they mad? He didn’t know the first thing about fire-fighting and even if he did he had nothing to do it with.
He mentally debated on whether to attempt to push past Dante but the man was leaning against the door and it would take a lot of time to shift him if he was intent on blocking the way out. The curtains were where the fire was so he couldn’t get out through the windows either. He looked back at the flames.
Feel the heat? Watch the way it moves? He gave them a look anyway although he wasn’t entirely sure why he was doing so. The way they moved was kind of fascinating but what was this going to accomplish?
He felt himself panicking and he tried to control himself.
Breathe deeply and slowly...
He breathed in deeply, coughing slightly when he did so because of the smoke but he certainly felt better for it.
Allow your eyes to move with the flames...
He watched the flames more closely, following the half forgotten instructions. If he let go his eyes almost flickered with the flames. He saw patterns, the way the flames would move with the flow of the air. He took another deep breath.
The flames move with the air. Picture the air you breathe out controlling the flames, focus your mind...
He closed his eyes, relying on the heat to feel where the fire was, and breathed out. He imagined his breath as a blue cloud that encircled the flames and consumed them, dampening the fire. He didn't open his eyes, continuing to breathe until he could no longer feel the heat.
Well done Veritas. You have come far in a short period of time.
Veritas? He opened his eyes. In front of him were the blackened remains of the curtains and no sign of the fire save for the smoke rising from the ashes. But no sign of water? What had put it...he had put it out. His old master had been proud of him the first time he had done that although it was just a simple campfire.
Hang on a second... He turned to face Dante.
“What just happened?”
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Post by Minxie on Nov 26, 2011 23:27:20 GMT
"Oh heavens I was right." Mallory sat down heavily where she stood, looking much like a puppet whose strings had been cut. "Elemental..." She whispered. The teenager was torn between elation at finding one of the other members of their 'group', and between being horrified that she would have to be part of what would likely happen next.
The Prophet technically didn't need her, and part of Mallory wanted to retreat and hide in her room until it was all over. However, she knew from her deep-buried memories that it was always so much easier with the Psychic around to delve around reborn minds until their own buried memories would surface.
This sucks. She sulkily thought to herself.
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Post by angeloftheodd on Dec 6, 2011 23:24:07 GMT
Dante let slip a slight sigh of relief.
What was yet to come was a far cry from easier than what had just occurred, but for a brief moment he had succumbed to doubt about his course of action. Nestled within that doubt was the prospect of explaining away arson and the attempted incineration of two students, which he had at least avoided.
Small victories
Dante nodded.
"Elemental indeed"
He moved to beside Leo, slowly, so as not to alarm him.
"What just happened is just a sign that something has stirred inside you. Something very old and powerful, something that is at the same time utterly alien, yet as much a part of you as your own flesh and blood.”
He gestured to the charred curtains:
“Quite simply, fire went out because you willed it. You took command of the flames, manipulated them and quashed them. This and control of the other elements is your gift and yours alone.”
He sighed. “This may sound hard to believe, but for you to have done what you just did, some part of you must feel it.”
Dante extended an open hand.
“You are an- The Elementalist. Or at least you will be. You’ve not quite yet truly embraced what you are and I’m afraid to do so, you’ll have to trust me. So… what says you? ”
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phyria
Dozing
Leo Stillman - The Elemental
Posts: 63
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Post by phyria on Dec 14, 2011 23:00:58 GMT
Elemental? Something old and powerful? And his name…he was Veritas. He was Leo Stillman but he was also Veritas. He knew it, it was almost memory but not quite. ‘Memories’ of being called Veritas, of being taught as Veritas.
He shook his head slowly and sat down, unconsciously keeping away from the charred remains of the curtains as he did so. He didn’t really want to be reminded of what he supposedly did right now although he knew that he would have to confront this at some point.
He looked up at the hand offered to him. They weren’t burnt despite the man handling burning wood not ten minutes ago. It was pretty much a normal hand like any other but he hesitated to take it. What would happen when he did so? Did he really trust Dante? He had just set the curtains on fire, blocked him from escaping and now was telling him that he was some sort of…what was it he said he was? An elementalist…no, THE elementalist.
Would anyone else trust a man who had put them through that all in the space of ten minutes? Then again the fire had gone out…and Leo was not usually the type to balk at something new. He took the offered hand. Whatever would happen next it was going to at least be interesting…and despite everything Dante hadn’t actually ever lied to him.
“I trust you.” He said simply.
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Post by angeloftheodd on Dec 23, 2011 23:54:02 GMT
Dante smiled, stepping in closer
"Thanks. I've really given you no reason to. Just a little longer and this will all make a modicum more sense."
Mallory, you're up. I can perform the awakening, Can you guide Veritas back to us?
Turning Leo's hand over in his, he touched a finger to Leo's palm. He expected to have to delve deep into his myriad memories the find the words and motions he sought, like a man desperately sifting for traces gold within a river of dirt. All of that passed as their skin touched, passing a spark of something unspeakable yet familiar between them.
The river swelled, breaching its banks and the rites came tumbling forth.
“Veritas - shaper of the elements which dwell with all things, of which all is enslaved, but he is master:”
He traced the first sigil upon Leo's palm, a drop of rain upon water, complete with ripples that spread up to the base of his fingers.
The sign glowed with ethereal azure light.
“Water. The gift of life upon all things. Ever moving, ever flowing, holding true its course and its aim. Of Stream. Of Sea. Of Tsunami.”
Up Leo’s arm and chest, Dante painted further runes of language beyond pronunciation. They spanned from shoulder to shoulder and down Leo’s other arm and to his second palm, upon which he drew an intricate ball of flame.
“Fire. The spark that ignites that fires of innovation, the ember that warms the hearth of man and the inferno that burns away the unclean. Of Candle. Of Campfire. Of Cataclysm.”
Sinking to one knee, he continued the luminous writing down Leo’s thigh, past his ankle, to place the symbol of a sprawling tree upon his left foot-:
“Earth. From which all comes and to which all returns, bearing the burden of all that rises above and that shall all with time reside below. Of Stone. Of Steel. Of Sapphire. “
- and finally an artistic swirl of gust upon his right
“Air. Ever-present yet invisible, carrying the winged among its clouds, sails before its mighty currents and whispers upon its gentlest breeze. Of Trade wind. Of Tempest. Of Typhoon.”
Dante rose to his feet, standing straight before Leo. “Awaken Elementalist”
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Post by Minxie on Dec 24, 2011 2:53:01 GMT
Mallory struggled with the urge to tell Dante where he could stick his orders, but she held her tongue - both physical and mental. She had no choice but to do as she was told; he was the Prophet, after all. He lead the Seven, and they obeyed.
However much we sometimes don't want to...
The teen shivered as she felt the touch of another's mind upon hers. Rasui, her Original, the psychic chosen to be continuously reborn to help the others protect the world of Lorekind and humankind alike. She always manifested again, no matter whom she had been reborn as. Mallory had Rasui's memories, as well as her own, and she knew that some of the Psychics had just accepted their fate, allowed Rasui to drown them out. Mallory didn't want to. She wanted to stay who she was, and to do that she knew she had to use as little of her power as possible.
But if she was Woken, and Dante was actively seeking out the others, she knew it was important she used her powers. Something - though she had no idea what - was happening, or about to happen. She just had to roll with the punches.
And I won't go down without a fight! She promised the silken whisper in her mind, as she shut her eyes. Mallory took a breath to centre herself, then let her mind fly free of its usual confines, linking loosely with Dante as he began to Wake the Elemental. The memories he touched upon, she brought to life, lighting up the raw emotion that accompanied each image.
She had memories of most previous incarnations of the Elemental, which in turn gave greater strength to his own memories. Mallory did not question why her memories of his most recent incarnation were so hazy; her memories of that time were so hazy she was surprised she remembered anything at all.
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phyria
Dozing
Leo Stillman - The Elemental
Posts: 63
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Post by phyria on Jan 5, 2012 22:38:23 GMT
Leo stiffened a little when Dante began tracing along his palm with the tip of his finger. He didn’t know quite what was happening but the air in the room seemed charged as if something amazing was about to happen but at the same time something dangerous. When the symbol on his palm began to glow he found he couldn’t draw his eyes away from it. Something about that symbol was incredibly familiar like he had seen it many times before.
He could remember an old man telling him about water: The two sided gift, bringer of both life and destruction. Don’t trust the water to remain calm but control it yourself or you will be swept along with the tide.
He remembered. The old man had always told him that – never trust the water to remain as it always had been. It could be calm one moment then dangerous the next.
As Dante continued to fire he delved deeper into the memory. Fire – destroyer but not exclusively so. What came after fire was not necessarily always ruin. If the trees blocked out the sun to the ground below there was no way for any other plants to survive.
He remembered coming to this memory before…as somebody else. No. There were more times than that. He felt others at the edges of the memory, looking in as he was. The minds were familiar and yet he didn’t know who they were.
Earth was next. Strong but immovable. Resistant to change but dangerous when it did so. Strength was not necessarily the best way although it might look so to the weak. Don’t rely on it, instead view it as just one of the tools available to you.
He tried to reach out, the touch the minds around him. He brushed against one and memories flitted through his mind, only allowing him a glimpse as long as he was in contact. This mind had found all this very amusing, Lovan found all this very amusing. He had been a businessman, a man of logic and numbers. Now he was in a world of fantasy. Funny how the world works like that.
Air. The final element. Removed from and yet a part of the rest. On it’s own deceptively weak, with others terribly destructive. Dust storms with earth, hotter and brighter flames with fire, storms and ice with water. Can anyone say these aren’t destructive?
Those weren’t his thoughts. Leo Stillman didn’t think like that. Who was doing the thinking? The other minds seemed closer and he reached out for help, not really understanding that this was only going to make this worse. He was Veritas, he was Lovan, he…she was Else. Matthew…Joshua.
What was his name? Who was he? What was he?
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