#⌛ troupe 1: welcome to our queendom

[aegeanxcalla]

where?: tower of olympia library when?: sometime between the iskaran arrival and neptunalia who?: open to all

Calla may not have been an instructor at the Tower, but when her senior Scholars call on her mind to help guide the next generation of witches, she always answers the call. Teaching or holding demonstrations for the Novices was always fulfilling, and even though Calla's ability to cast was far beyond anything they could hope to achieve, their applause after seeing her weave a mini cloudburst before their very eyes was enough to make her bashful. "Please, that was hardly anything to write home about. Honestly, on my own, I'm nothing special..." But saying so out loud sparked a new idea for her. The girl with mist swirling at her feet hurried to the library's threshold, sensing the perfect addition to her small seminar. "I knew it, you're the perfect one to help," she says wistfully, her eyes visibly lighting up as her fingers interlock. "Would you be willing to help with this demonstration? I know the Novices would appreciate the knowledge we can provide them together."

[fharzai]

who?: @prcspero where?: in his dreams uwu, wonder if we'll catch a whiff of some giant berserker taint when?: before neptunalia

Unable to hold back the tears welling in his eyes, Fharzai stood at the precipice of a dark world where only nightmares resided. As soon as he slipped into his dreams for the night a path opened up before him, he just didn't know it would lead him here, a storm of abyssal malcontent. Fharzai had never met a druid of his circle himself so he had to wonder when this fellow protector of the Veil had either. When was the last time he had a peaceful night's sleep? Speculating was almost too much to bear, so Fharzai placed his hand against the nightmarescape and forced his way in. Warmth, light, blissful nothingness was about all he could sustain. He could feel the nightmare actively trying to squeeze him out so it could resume bombarding the other druid with dark visions. A space for them to float in the absence of the nightmares that would do him harm. "Hello, traveler," he begins, his gray eyes looking undoubtedly sad when he sees Prospero. "Forgive me if I'm unwelcome here. I promise I'm not here to pry. But I couldn't live with myself if I turned my eyes away from your nightmare. Even if it's just one night, you of all people deserve a peaceful sleep."

[fharzai]

Alrik woke something up inside of Fharzai. He wasn't the type to inflict damage or lose control. He was different from mankind because of his ability to resist his impulses. When he was younger then sure he valued the occasional physical connection but he was a fully realized druid now. Fharzai belonged to the realm of dreams more than the realm of the wake meaning he couldn't belong to anyone that existed here either. Alrik represented rebellion, risk, adventure, and desire so lustful it bordered on sin. On the surface at least. Reaching deeper than even his heavy loads could he also managed to claim a portion of Fharzai's soul to himself. No one else could touch it and it wrapped these skin-deep feelings in an impulse that had been locked inside of the druid's detached heart for some time. The hasty affection that had been stoked within Fharzai made every lewd act that much sweeter to him.

Alrik liked it. He liked when Fharzai gave himself over to his feelings and let his body take control. He liked when Fharzai didn't think too hard, simply chased his own pleasure until his cum was injected into the Iskaran too. That was delightful to hear, because even after emptying his balls Fharzai's cock remained firm and throbbing, pulsing harder when Alrik began to fold their bodies together. Every word made him shiver, every touch made him groan. His arms wrapped around the wtich's neck as his fingers threaded themselves into his dark hair, keeping close through the torturously slow kissing. Fharzai didn't press to increase the pace, letting their tongues roll against one another while gentle noise slipped from his lips, however his yearning had yet to subside even a little.

"I taste really good," he observed between kisses, drinking in his flavor from Alrik's mouth. Fharzai's body writhed and arched naturally in Alrik's grasp, his thighs spread wide because he wasn't done either. The Queen herself could barge in demanding Fharzai's presence and he very well may have ignored her to remain here with Alrik. "My appetite has grown since our last dream," he teases as he pulls his lips from Alrik's, this time craning his head down so he could languish the nape of his lover's neck with his own kisses. "I want more too. More than I think you have the stamina to give me. Your touch is so much better than I could've imagined and I demand to keep recieing it. You're mine, Alrik."

Fharzai obliterated his mouth, rampant thrusts, and a relentless grip pounded at the back of Alrik's throat as Fharzai held him down. Reflexively, his stomach lurched as he coughed around his lover's shaft, Fharzai's orgasm blanketing the back of his throat as some of his seed spilled from the corners of Alrik's mouth. He couldn't stifle his moan, nor could he deny the way his hips bucked forward at the sensation. His lover's body spasmed shaking the table, his whole body shaking before Alrik pulled off and coughed. Suddenly able to breathe he looked up Fharzai's body with a sloppy grin. He pressed his lips to the soft skin at Fharzai's thighs, blanketing the quivering limbs with affection while the other recovered. Alrik caught some of it within his mouth, suckling on it until he left a bruise where his lips had been - claiming the space between Fharzai's thighs.

Alrik's hefty wrist was drawn across his mouth as he wiped at the copious amount of spit that had spilled from the corners of his lips. He hadn't expected that, but now Alrik was hard enough to beat iron into steel.

Fharzai's gentle touches were a far cry from the raw, bestial dominance that the dreamer had just exuded but Alrik liked the juxtaposition. His jaw ached and it would likely be days before his throat recovered again. That dull ache at the back of his throat wasn't so bothersome when he thought about where it had come from. "I liked it," Alrik admitted, as his hand moved to cup the nape of Fharzai's neck - his lips were swollen and red, his mouth a complete ruin, but he still met Fharzai's gray eyes with a sheepish grin.

He leaned forward, his stubbled cheek brushed against Fharzai's smoother one so he could whisper against the shell of the druid's ear. Alrik's strong, calloused hands moved down Fharzai's back to cup the other's ass. His palms kneaded the full, soft mounds as Alrik arched the other's body for a better purpose. Cock aching, mouth still wanting. Alrik's battered mouth slipped into Fharzai's as his seed-coated tongue slid along the other's. Languid and slow, the sloppy motion was deliberate as he blanketed himself against the other. "I want more."

[aegeanxcalla]

where?: tiber bay when?: stretch of time between the iskaran's arrival and neptunalia who?: open to all

Amidst the hustle and bustle of Tiber Bay was an elderly woman shaking a cup to any passerby. The few coins held within jangled as her decrepit hand shook it desperately. "Spare some coin? Anything please, I haven't eaten in days..." She coughs, obviously ill, but even though flecks of mucus are visibly flying out her mouth, the entire display is a farce. One meant to be discovered too. Aegean's weave was intentionally weak, detectable, and far below his capabilities. Any guild member or thread weaver worth their salt would be able to see through the deception since this mask was meant to fail. The old lady grins before the illusory mask begins to unravel around the thief, revealing his true visage. "Wow, there was no chance of me fooling you, huh?" he lies, scooping the coins out of the cup with a grin. "And here I thought I'd be able to get enough for a new pair of shoes before high noon."

[fharzai]

who?: @alessiathepath where?: dream realm, uh oh alessia is having some weird dreams too now when?: before neptunalia

He'd delivered to Alessia the same dream for nights now: a large oak tree growing from the ground with a split in its trunk halfway up, but the two portions continued to spiral and reach for the sky even after being made to grow on their own. The trunk may have split, but the roots and branches still reached out to one another, the tree tops bending to form a circle around the perch where Fharzai's visage in the scape resided. Two ravens, each posing the same question to the young witch. "What do you see?" Each night the dream unravels before he can hear her answer, yet he returns again and again, hoping she's ready to confront the message hidden within the dream he weaved. Tonight he decides to alter the scape, taking flight as a pair of ravens after asking the same question. They fly overhead, dance around each other, and soar to the sky beyond the sun before swooping back down to roost on her shoulders. Wood creaks as the mighty split oak stretches even further into the sky than the ravens did. "What do you see?" they ask in tandem, pointing their beaks up toward the high-reaching tree.

[steadythora]

How exactly was she supposed to feel at this moment? A lot was finally said, and yet it felt like there was more to be spoken. So then why did Thora have this pit in her stomach? She's faced down frenzied ogres and vicious drakes without a hint of fear and there she was, waiting for some man to respond to her pathetic ramblings, as if whatever could possibly fall from his lips held true gravity. That's right, Eldar was just a guy. Just some guy, that's all. That's all...

More things she physically couldn't say out loud. Thora was honestly surprised by how deep her denial had run. Leave it to Eldar to respond to her demands with something outrageous. Leave it to her to actually smile at his promise (though she did roll her eyes, they were both broke and could barely afford dinner in Lysara let alone the world). Leave it to Kari to turn her head to growl at Eldar to remind him to keep his lips to himself since he was on thin fucking ice already.

Instead of answering him, Thora pulls her legs up and turns in Kari's saddle until she's seated facing him. She reaches behind her to pat the dire wolf's neck while finally looking into Eldar's eyes. Ugh, he looked so satisfied with himself. Thora tried to scowl, she could've sworn she meant to scowl, but the corners of her lips were too upturned to have any intimidating quality. "I declare nothing except that I've cut down stronger men for far less than disappointing me. Keep that in mind," she says, feeling a bit awkward. Things had shifted between them after all these years, and there was no point pretending otherwise. "Sorry, that was harsh. But I meant it. So yeah, don't go around breaking promises to me. As for myself..."

A few moments of hesitation and anxious looking around later, Thora swallowed and pushed her dark hair behind her ears, another gesture of revealing herself to Eldar. "...I'm not adjusting well to this place at all. Most days, I wake up finding every aspect of this country to be unbearable. So ... I mean, if you feel similarly then I don't know. We could talk about that too. Or whatever." Thora felt so awkward that she could feel herself start to blush. She frowned when she realized and immediately started spinning her braid blade around, finding the gumption to scowl at Eldar now. "Well? You did say you wanted me to think of you, right?"

Words for people like them were hard to speak when one did not want to say them aloud. Eldar had never really hid from anything he felt towards her, but it felt like Thora always had. Well, it wasn't that it felt like she did. Deep down, he knew she did or else she would have never gotten so upset with him for disappearing. She could say she killed him off in her head as many times as she would have liked to. However, at the end of the day, the fact of the matter was that she still wanted him around. Right now was just the first time she had ever said it directly to him. Growing up, he felt like he didn't have anybody other than people he had basically been thrust towards in the crib before he could even comprehend anything. When he'd met Thora, he wasn't sure what it was, but it had felt like there was some sort of attachment there. Maybe it was because they had that one glaring similarity that was forbidden within Iskaldrik. He'd found himself desperately wanting to impress her though. With every achievement she made, he only wanted to...be there. Easier for him to think of doing than actually doing such a thing. He couldn't let go of the fact that, every time she may have wanted him to be there, he hadn't been able to be there.

Saying sorry was pointless for both of them. The words had left his mouth, but they were just words. They wouldn't take back the many times that Eldar had been forced to watch through a mirror as Afshin lived his life and he could not live his own. Being jealous of it didn't suit him though so he had always chosen to be at the prince's side. Or wherever his position was. Either way, none of that had truly bothered him until Thora wanted, or needed, him around. That was what she had just said. She had wanted nothing more than to just talk to him. She had just wanted him to be there and he wasn't there. Making an excuse for it? Well, that wasn't going to fly here.

Be a man, not a shadow.

Wasn't that what he was though? It was hard to move away from what one was used to. Eldar was used to being in the background. What did he have to feel sorry for himself for though? He'd made do with what he had. His life was not a bad one where he had to want for anything. For fuck's sake, he'd grown up in a castle. What else could he possibly want or need? Well, one of those things was right in front of him right now. With a sigh, he lifted his head from where it had been rested between her shoulder blades. His hand was still holding onto hers as if she would run off into the distance if he let go, never to be seen again. He had to try to be better for her. If not for anyone else, just her.

"I promise you the fucking world, Thora."

A kiss placed itself upon her shoulder before he pulled his head away again. It was true that he could not lie so this was a promise he would keep.

"You will not want for me again because I will be here." A corner of his mouth lifted as he continued. "You did say you wanted me just now, right? It almost sounded like a declaration, but that may just be my dreams making their way to reality," he somewhat joked as if he didn't have dreams of her in the slightest.

[aegeanxcalla]

Calla understood as well as anyone the need for simple joys. Her life didn't start out pleasant either, but coming to the Tower was when things started to turn around for her. She often expressed how meccas of knowledge like the Tower of Olympia could bring joy to people from all walks of life, not just the witches. "A Legionnaire? The library has many texts on the history of the Legion, though I can't imagine there'd be more here than in the archives of Lysara's outpost. Caer Glas Keep, isn't it?" she asks, ushering Luna over to the older history section. Calla brushes her fingers along the shelf, remembering the books she read on those specific topics. As she does, the large books slip off the shelf and float into her arms, though they're thick and she's not very strong. "The Dark Age, the blight, the origin of the Legion ... here! I think if you start with these you'll be well on your way to learn all you want," she says, her arms trembling beneath the weight of the books she telekinetically pulled from the shelves. Calla was always wanting more books than she could carry.

The bubbles pop and color explodes, Luna wishes she was capable of freezing time as she couldn't recall the last time that she had experienced such child-like wonder. Her hand lifted and with her index finger, she popped the bubble to be hit with a rainbow prism. "It's good, in times of war and darkness to remember that childlike wonder can still exist out there. It's beautiful what you can do." In her homeland, having such abilities could land one with silver chains bound around their wrists and a life of servitude and for what? an magical act of whimsy? "I'm a new Legionnaire, I want to know all I can about what being a legionnaire of the dead means. Especially the effects that the blight has on the natural world and the chances we have of restoration."

[aegeanxcalla]

More special than she thought? No, Calla couldn't believe that for a second. Flattered, all she could do was nervously chuckle and stroke her hair. She too saw what Froy was capable of, so his opinion of her talents meant a lot.

"I still have a lot to learn," she concedes, never one for boastfulness despite all that she's accomplished. "I have spent years in this library, and the Scholars have access to even more books not available to the public. Not even I have read every book here. Oh, you'd love the upper levels of the Tower!"

Calla's excitement was palpable because the prospect of someone like Froy being welcome here and stopping by frequently was a true delight. "I study, history, astronomy, law and philosophy. But ... since I became an Olympian most of my research has involved vampires. Specifically one of Lysara's greatest villains: Valerius Noctis."

Froy smiled warmly at Calla as he motioned to the retreating Novices. “Did you see the look on their faces? You’re definitely more special than you give yourself credit for.”

He glanced around at the towering shelves of books that seemed to stretch endlessly within the Tower of Olympia, still in awe of the place. "This is my first time in the Tower, actually. I’ve never seen anything like it. The library alone is… well, it’s incredible." He chuckled softly, shaking his head in disbelief. "I could probably spend years in here and still not even scratch the surface of all the knowledge stored in these walls."

His attention returned to her, genuinely interested in hearing more. "So what are you researching?"

[aegeanxcalla]

Sometimes when walking the path to magic the first step was the hardest to take. Calla was pushed into hers, so certain that her lack of control would make it impossible to ever reach the rank of Olympian. "When? So you haven't come here on an idle whim," she observes. Because of the tutelage of the Sitters, she reached the summit of magic in record time, not that she'd ever brag. To Calla, the takeaway from the attention she constantly receives is that she should do her part to push her fellow witches toward self-actualization through magic as well. "This ring is a reminder of the countless hours I spent studying and training here. I had no control over my magic, and it grows with me every day making control something I still have to practice. When you become a Novice, it'd be my joy to teach you as I do them. And once you've earned your ring it'll mean something unique to you," she says, showing the gold band with Juno's mark set in its stone. However, her other hand folds over it once she brings her arms down, constantly worried about coming across as hubristic. "Unfortunately, no such tool has been successful with curbing my psychic mind. They've tried, but not even the capable Apprentices managed."

Whatever was shared between them now resonated and cut through his mind as jagged memories of her life flashed before him. Each dramatization of his own apprehension took away from what another witch, one like her, aspired and suffered for; fear may have taken away his chances for more power and momentum, but his silence and deception allowed him to live amongst Iskaran's as though he hadn't been everything they hated and strove to vanquish. "And when I become a Novice?" There was no if, it was truly the Tower or nothing for Adrian, but he proposed to question in a way where even he, this meticulous recluse, was trying to see if this witch was friend coded. Adrian nodded at the ring, following, "That keeps you from... projecting?" Hopefully that was the right word for it.

[aegeanxcalla]

"Are you ... trying to start a zoo?" Aegean couldn't blame the elvhen. After all, his illusions were infallible. The animals would feel real down to their weight and newborn cutie scent, so it'd be easy to get caught up in the visions he showed. For everyone except him that is. Aegean couldn't help but laugh out loud as he held nothing in his arms, letting the other stack the animals as he pleased. "I've never had that exact comparison, but I'm not surprised. I do live on the streets begging for gold, remember?" Though Aegean assumed the other had already forgotten this "truth" of his life. He seemed to only consider what interested him and nothing else. "People don't care about me like you care about these babies, and cuteness would never get them to. That's just how people think. Sucks, doesn't it?"

The eyes of all the animals sparkled, and so did Abelas's. This had to be a trick... Unless... Maybe this guy was an actual magician instead of one of the boring ones that the Tower had. Abelas scooped up a kitten, a turtledog, a fire ferret, a llamapaca, an owl wolf, a rabaroo, a skunk bear cub, a- there was a sudden panic as Abelas realized his arms weren't big enough to hold all of them. "Oh no, um-" he looked at Aegean and then deposited everything he'd just picked up in the stranger's arms. "Here, hold them." Was this guy- handsome? If you covered him in enough adorable, fresh baby animals you couldn't smell the human stink anymore. "has anyone ever told you that your hair is messy like an ottercat?" The struggle of an animal that both lived in and hated water.

[aegeanxcalla]

Her eyes shimmered the same as his. The results were magnificent and Calla's mind raced with more ideas beyond what would be useful to the small group of Novices.

"I was practically raised here in the Tower, and I still have a lot to learn. That's the true joy of being a Scholar of Juno. Even after earning our rings, we recognize ourselves as eternal students, which also makes us excellent teachers."

Her demonstration was meant to be brief so Calla thought it best to dismiss the Novices so they could step with the wonderment of the display for the rest of their studying time. "But I'm not a teacher in any official capacity, this was simply a favor for a Sitter. Most of my work is research-related and has no real bearing on anyone. Like I said, I'm nothing special. In fact, the most special thing about me is these sorts of chance encounters. I meet so many interesting people in the library."

Froy watched with admiration as Calla’s illusionary threads added a brilliant spectrum of colors to their creation. The cloud, now a mesmerizing blend of light and mist, seemed to take on a life of its own, floating gracefully in the air between them. Her words resonated with him, and he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride at being part of something so beautiful.

“Your control is incredible,” Froy replied, his tone sincere. “It’s like watching a painter bring a canvas to life, only with magic instead of a brush.”

He hesitated for a moment before asking, “How long have you been teaching? You make it look so effortless.” He's had a couple of teachers in his life but they were a bit more traditional, much to his dismay.

[aegeanxcalla]

"Well, I have to start somewhere. Witches to begin with, then work my way up to fooling other creatures with stronger minds. Like yours." That's how normal people thought, wasn't it? Aegean was, after all, a simple street witch with no formal training. He had to slowly work towards his goals because his power was limited. He was only one witch. "I'm not sure what you mean. Have I lied?" he says, his pointed gaze betraying his dumbfounded look. "Not everyone is born as talented as you. Besides, undead minds are super tricky to toy with and I don't have much experience with that." When would a humble street thief ever have access to a powerful mind to practice psionics on?

"I'd rather you not relate me to the likes of a witch," through rigorous studies he tapped into his own pool of magic, casting through objects and manifesting elixirs; but he was no mere witch, even if they were pandering enough to call him skilled. "Also, lie better," Casimir was amused though not fooled; he can appreciate another thief's intention even if it was misguided against him, "Your fake shame is endearing."

[aegeanxcalla]

A little honesty went a long way to sell a lie. Words were his primary weapon of choice for a reason. Did Aegean live on the streets currently? Hell no, he liked the nice things his thieving lifestyle awarded far too much for that. But he does have every inch of Eterna memorized plus can never forget the desert slum he hailed from no matter what mask he slipped on. So he's the picture of happiness, showing her around the twisting alleys of Tiber Bay, where the lowest wrung of Lysaran society got by. "I just realized I never caught your name. You can call me Aegean," he said as they stopped at another corner that received good foot traffic if she ever wanted to try being a beggar like he was. "Did you have to scrounge like this in Iskaldrik to get by? I imagine it's all the same no matter where you go. But I was raised in the slums, I couldn't imagine having to learn how to survive the streets after losing everything.

She had coin but had yet to have dire need of it, she had lent her axe towards fights that had needed manpower although lately she had been staying close to Caer Glas Keep and fighting the Darkspawn that awaited just beyond Lysara's boundaries. Forever wasn't promised for her and she doubted she would have another generation after her, the Darkwood name with it's woodcutter secrets for how to burn Ironwood blue would die with her. "I'm happy to help." It was his to do with, he was a stranger and could have pulling a con and yet if he was asking, there must have been some need present. Luna wasn't ready to accept a fate on the streets and yet she knew that even the most unexpected mission could be found and knowing the streets would prove useful. "Show away, I would love to see what you can offer."

[aegeanxcalla]

Excluding others from places of higher knowledge was not in Calla's nature. She dreamed of a utopia where the most brilliant minds came together to exchange ideas in a public manner, one where all people from various walks of life could observe and absorb. The first-floor library was the closest she could get to that for the time being, because the Tower's views on knowledge were more in line with Zuleima's than Calla's.

The simple joy that spread across her features as the unique tool opened up was genuine. Calla viewed it as a small but true display of the woman's ingenuity. The knowledge contained in her mind must've been extensive indeed. She cradles it from Zuleima's hand into hers before resting it on the table. "When I first arrived here, still battered from the Inquisitors who would see me burned for being a witch, I was too afraid to speak to anyone. Their wards were like paper to my uninhibited power, forcing the thoughts of others to flood my mind. I needed knowledge but lacked the voice to reach out for it. I had no courage, and yet despite that a Sitter was kind and generous. As a result..." Calla weaves a cloud over the automaton, the raindrops falling in a very exact pattern. Droplets splashed against the tool and the table, causing it to rise and dance in the space above the table. What looked like a random array of rain was actually a calculation of force and momentum, giving it the appearance of hovering without the use of psionics. "...I was taught this trick. You see? With a generous push, even the most unassuming can learn to dance."

“I greatly disagree,” she tells the witch bluntly, lips pursing in clear distaste of the opinion. Hunger for knowledge was needed to survive in turbulent times, and the signs were clear: they were reaching such times. “The more in-depth the knowledge, the more necessary it is for one to hunger for it. Half-assing your efforts or your discipline does nothing to favor you, and some crucial bits of information are dangerous. Thus the need for courage and temperance to wield them.” 

The vague studies of the Students of Proserpina came to mind. Little it’s known about that Olympian Path, despite the vast knowledge of the other paths. Clearly that was designed for a reason. Still, once they approach the group, she stops criticizing the younger woman’s viewpoint to focus a critical eye over the recruits. “Very well,” she sighs out, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a heavy sphere, pressing a hidden button within the engrave decorations and watching calmly as legs spread from the sphere until a heavy spider-like creature the size of a grapefruit sits on her hand. “This automaton is designed to take measurements of old buildings and ensure they are up to code,” she tells the crowd of students before turning to face the witch. “It should be waterproof, so feel free to do your demonstration as you would like. If it breaks, then I didn’t do my job well enough.”

[aegeanxcalla]

As was the intention, the Novices seemed to delight in the showing. However, her assistant seemed to recoil from the magic. As someone who relished the beauty magic brought into the world, it was disheartening to see him pull away.

"Remember these lessons as you continue your studies. You'll all reach the summit of knowledge one day, now if you'll excuse us..." Calla remarks hurriedly to the class as she steps away from the library study corner with her new companion.

After a moment of hesitation, she speaks. "I was practically raised here, in the Tower. Being a Scholar, and one the Sitters have so much faith in, it's common for them to request I showcase for more inexperienced witches." There's a nervousness to the way she strokes her hair, as if uncomfortable singing her own praises despite their truth. "I'm sorry if I pushed you into something unpleasant. I can be a bit zealous about magic. It was a bit ignorant of me to assume you'd share my love of spellcasting based on a gut feeling. Sorry again."

Across his mind's eye, the clouds that produced the rain from the witch's intention drew Alucard's focus back to the distant past. When he'd marched against this very Tower the witches within had conjured more than illusions, lightning split undead in two, radiant light had burned goblins alive, and for their assault, he'd torn their throats out and all but sucked the marrow from their bones.

For a moment, he tried to listen to anything but the sound of the witch's beating heart.

Alucard cleared his throat to speak.

"I have seen enough." Was all the dhampir said as he drifted an additional foot back, fortunate to be relieved of his charge so he could move without ridicule. "You're young for a mentor." Alucard observed, or was this, too, an illusion?"

[aegeanxcalla]

With the recent influx of Iskaran's into Lysara's borders, her heart felt heavy with compassion and concern. She ensures that when the bubbles pop they explode into a spectrum of color, warranting applause from the group of Novice witches watching. "Whimsy, I like that. That's one of the best things that magic can do, offer a little joy and lightheartedness to people, especially the young." To her small lecture group, she waves them off following the demonstration, finding it curious whenever a nonwitch visits the library. "But magic has a myriad of uses too. Did you visit today to find something specific? No one knows these books better than I, so now that I'm done teaching for the day I can put my efforts into helping you."

She feels the nudge inside her head, an asking to be let in and the only thing that remained inside her mind were horrors from the Darkspawn and when the Ironwood forest burned, if it was up to her, she would have kept her secrets for longer but there was a blighted Dragon and if she was bound to die anyways unless she fought back with claw and fang, then what a secret about the magic in her veins against the face of greater evil? She's in a tower of witches so she imagines there are some form of sanctuary here, her claws englongated where once there were human nails and she slashes the bubble, blowing the water away as if she was a badass. "It's okay, I've had worse inside my head. Cool bubbles, could provide a child with a lot of whimsy with that power."