Training Something old, something new
for Rexanna
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 22 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 25 - Luck: 20 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
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Posts: 3,025 | Total: 5,767
MP: 1897
#1
Maea
I'm reaching out wide
trying to catch myself before I fall
Seeing the demon brought down had done several things to Maea. It made her elated, becuse history was changing all around her and she had whitnessed a part of it be brought down by human hands. It made her feel guilty for being what she was; born with magic, weak of body and soul, ignorant and naive, a natural who had grown complacent in the face of slow but certain death. It made her angry that she had been standing helpless on the sidelines while others fought and died while she spent her life doing nothing... and most of all it made her feel weak.

Maea did not appreciate either of these things.

Ludo had promised her better eyes, but it became increasingly clear to her that it was not just for reading books she wanted to see. Maea was growing restless on her farm, and the futile exercise in wrestling a farm into fertility on her own caused a mounting frustration to build within her. One morning, as rain dripped morosely from an overcast sky, she set aside all the chores and obligations and ran. Not to the woodlands, as she had done in her childhood, but rather towards the ruins of once grand buildings, where the rain sounded less melancholy and more like a riddle to be solved.

Rexanna
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Rexanna De Rosieres
the Penumbra
Queen of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 34 | Height: 5'4" | Race: Ascended x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 4 Abandoned (Level 3 Ascended) - Strg: 19 - Dext: 14 - Endr: 20 - Luck: 9 - Int:
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#2
REXANNA
i am your friend, a soul for your soul.
home. sun or water, here or away —
The Ruins were a place she had only been to once, in an effort to help Bastien retrieve something for Safrin once upon a time. And it had been so long, so much had happened, since her last time here that she felt nostalgic upon entering it. The rain hadn’t bothered her on her way, something about the other magic she had been blessed with by Frey keeping her hair intact and mostly dry – no mud could be found on any part of her skin either. And despite the gloomy surroundings, she appeared somewhat radiant as she made her way into the Ruins to hide away from the rain and everyone else.

To look at the statues and wonder what they had been. To reminisce and wonder if the statues and buildings of her own home were deteriorating and broken much like these were.

But as she entered and wandered, she spotted a vaguely familiar pale figure. The Natural from the watch gathering – the only one that had made sense to her, had defended her even. At first she wanted to leave, to not bother any other Naturals with her presence. But this woman had been kind, had carried Ludo on her shoulders the entire gathering, and Rexanna felt compelled to say something. She approached slowly, making sure her boots scuffed against the stone so the woman would hear her approach.

Awkwardly, she offered the other woman a small smile as her hand rested on the back of her neck. “Hey… I never got to thank you for the things you said at the gathering… So thank you, for making the most sense.” She managed to say, cringing a bit inwardly at herself and the words she used. “I appreciate it.
—we are a lighthouse,
we leave and we stay.
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 22 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 25 - Luck: 20 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,025 | Total: 5,767
MP: 1897
#3
Maea
I'm reaching out wide
trying to catch myself before I fall
Maea looked up at the sound of footsteps, her own stride faltering to a stop as she recognized the woman from the crowd that had gathered to whitness the battle against the demon. She hesitated, not sure if she really wanted to talk to anyone just now, but found that the other made the decision for her. An expression of gratitude, of thank you... It had the slender young woman grimace a bit, because she felt wholly undeserving of it.

"No need to thank me" she mumbled, and inched a bit closer, just enough that the rain would catch on the ruin above and not her. The white hair was already wet and dripping, the hem of her skirt soggy and stained with mud; compared to the radiant, spotless beauty next to her, Maea felt as plain and bedraggled as she looked.

"Rory was in the wrong, is all. There was no need to snap at anyone...." He had been right about other things though. The battle had been a mistake, and someone had died because of it.

"What are you doing out here?"
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Rexanna De Rosieres
the Penumbra
Queen of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 34 | Height: 5'4" | Race: Ascended x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 4 Abandoned (Level 3 Ascended) - Strg: 19 - Dext: 14 - Endr: 20 - Luck: 9 - Int:
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Posts: 1,453 | Total: 13,495
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#4
REXANNA
i am your friend, a soul for your soul.
home. sun or water, here or away —
She noticed that the other woman stepped closer to avoid the rain, and inwardly Rexanna let out a sigh of relief that she wasn’t just about to make some snarky remark and either leave or have Rexanna leave. For a moment, she wished she had an umbrella of sorts, something to keep the rain from soaking the other woman. Yet Rexanna only had herself, and the glamour from Frey that prevented such things from sticking to her. But Maea didn’t need to know that.

She nodded as Maea said there was no need to thank her, even though Rexanna truly believed there was. But the pale woman began to continue speaking, of how Rory was in the wrong. And she was about to say something in response before her pale counterpart shifted the conversation, to ask her what she was doing out here. And for a moment, Rexanna was nervous of whether to tell her the true reason or if she should try to skate around it – to not impede on more Natural’s places, to bother them with her Outlander presence.

But Maea had been kind to her, had spoken up when Rory had targeted her, and she sucked in a breath briefly before sighing and offering her a small smile. “The statues and general disarray here remind me much of home. I thought maybe to come here and clear my head a bit.” She finally said after a moment, her sapphire eyes shifting from the pale woman to the ruins around them. “I can leave, though, if you prefer to be alone.” She added, perhaps a bit quickly, not wanting to run off the only Natural ally she might have.
—we are a lighthouse,
we leave and we stay.
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 22 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 25 - Luck: 20 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,025 | Total: 5,767
MP: 1897
#5
Maea
I'm reaching out wide
trying to catch myself before I fall
The pale woman looked at the rubble and ruined buildings, the broken status and nodded thoughtfully. This was a good place for being alone, and for thinking difficult thoughts. But she had to admit, calm contemplation was not quite the reason why Maea had chosen this place today.

"No, stay. Actually... could you maybe help me with something?" Inching closer, she adjusted a dark shawl that hung over the shoulders; thin and flimsy looking, like shadows or rags and quite incapable of keeping out the damp. "I've been restless ever since the battle, and... well, I wanted to train."

She admitted it with a hint of a smile, a somewhat sheepish look about the face. It was silly, but the way the fighters had moved out there, how easily they had weilded their tools and abilities... Maea envied it, and even though Ludo's caution to use her gifts with modesty was fresh in her mind, she wanted to become better. At using them, moving with them, doing something worthwhile...

She looked at the woman with some trepidation however, because she did not strike Maea  as the kind who would enjoy getting her hands dirty. Too... well, too pretty.
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Rexanna De Rosieres
the Penumbra
Queen of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 34 | Height: 5'4" | Race: Ascended x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 4 Abandoned (Level 3 Ascended) - Strg: 19 - Dext: 14 - Endr: 20 - Luck: 9 - Int:
Played by: Skylark Offline
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Posts: 1,453 | Total: 13,495
MP: 0
#6
REXANNA
i am your friend, a soul for your soul.
home. sun or water, here or away —
A hint of surprise crossed her face when the pale woman had asked her to stay – watched as Maea shuffled a bit closer and adjusted the dark rags that she wore like a shawl. She spoke of being restless, a feat that Rexanna could understand. But as she mentioned training, Rexanna’s own head tilted ever so slightly – her dark curtain of hair sweeping over her shoulder with the movement. But the woman had smiled at her, and Rexanna felt compelled to help her in any way she could. To help her, to add to her findings that the Outlanders weren’t all bad.

After all, she had let Rory and Jigano in on Longnight. She had helped Nathaniel clean his home and the surrounding area after. And now, now with all of that she had this woman wishing to train. “Oh! Sure, I can help with that.” She said, offering a smile in return. “How do you want to train?” She questioned, tilting her head yet again. Was she hoping for a combat style training? If so, Rexanna wasn’t particularly good with that. But she was fast, agile, and able to outrun those in her previous world.

But here, she also had magic, but looking at Maea she wasn’t certain if the other woman held it too. It seemed only a few far and between held the possibilities at their fingertips. She waited for the woman for a moment to tell her how they were to train, when Rexanna realized she hadn’t even learned Maea’s name or given her own in return. “Oh, I’m Rexanna by the way.” She said with a small smile, dipping her head in a more formal kind of greeting – a small blush rising to her cheeks at having forgotten such a simple thing.
—we are a lighthouse,
we leave and we stay.
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 22 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 25 - Luck: 20 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,025 | Total: 5,767
MP: 1897
#7
Maea
I'm reaching out wide
trying to catch myself before I fall
The smile widened, and Maea relaxed as the woman accepted her request and introduced herself. It was becoming easier to talk to people the more she did it, but that initial wariness was a habit she couldn't seem to shake. So far no one had taken her hed off however, and if that kept happening she might even grow out of her shyness yet.

"Nice to meet you Rexanna. I'm Maea."

As for the training... how to go about it was a good question. She had asked in the spur of the moment and been surprised by the acquisanse, but now...

"Well... I have magic" she said, admitting it only reluctantly as she raised a piece of rubble with her mind, letting it hover in the air between them to demonstrate. "Maybe... If you threw something at me, I could try to catch, dodge and block them... Unless you have have a better suggestion? I didn't really expect to have company."

Keen eyes gazed at Rex with genuine interest, willing to listen to any alterations the woman might have. The part about her being an Outlander was already gone from Maea's mind, discarded as uninteresting and unimportant in the face of more immediate matters. Like how they would go about this, if Rexanna had magic too or whether there would be a rock hurtling towards her soon...

A situation rife with possibilities.
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Rexanna De Rosieres
the Penumbra
Queen of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 34 | Height: 5'4" | Race: Ascended x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 4 Abandoned (Level 3 Ascended) - Strg: 19 - Dext: 14 - Endr: 20 - Luck: 9 - Int:
Played by: Skylark Offline
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Posts: 1,453 | Total: 13,495
MP: 0
#8
REXANNA
i am your friend, a soul for your soul.
home. sun or water, here or away —
Rexanna noticed Maea relax a bit at her acceptance, and a small smile grew on her own face at the relief that poured through her too. “Maea. A pleasure.” She said, speaking the word on her tongue to commit it better to memory. Though she was uncertain how she could forget someone so pale under rags of darkness so soon. But nearly as soon as the words left Maea’s lips, her smile faded slightly as she contemplated. Maea had magic, and Rexanna had magic. Perhaps that could work?

As she looked to Maea, she noticed a bit of rubble moving and hovering in the air between them. Rexanna’s eyes lit up and a grin formed across her face. “Oh that’s a wonderful magic!” She acknowledged, immediately thinking of every use it could have. But as she mentioned to throw something to them, her head tilted slightly with the thought. When Maea opened it up to suggestions, Rexanna smiled to her in an easy way – imagining them becoming fast friends.

I have magic too, actually.” She said after a moment, holding a hand out in front of her and summoning a tiny sparkler, the lights flickering off the stone around them as it burned. But Rexanna knew it wouldn’t really hurt if it were too close to the skin – she was holding it after all. “Perhaps you can try to catch this?” She asked with a tilted head.

If Maea accepted, Rexanna would toss the sparkler into the air between them – watching as it cascaded and left tiny sparks in its wake as it moved into the space between them.
—we are a lighthouse,
we leave and we stay.
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 22 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 25 - Luck: 20 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,025 | Total: 5,767
MP: 1897
#9
Maea
I'm reaching out wide
trying to catch myself before I fall
It was a pleasure, and a genuine one at that. It was a rare thing to come across someone who didn't look away uncomfortably at the mention of magic, and who even seemed delighted at the sight of it. Rexanna's praise made Maea blush, unaccustomed to anything positive in regard to her ability. But it was the woman's revelation of her own power that really made Maea truly brighten, her eyes dancing with delight at the tiny spark.

"That's beautiful!" she gasped, having never seen anything like it before.

Nodding eagerly for Rex to throw it, the pale haired girl followed the ascent of the spark with bated breath, and reached for it with her will as it reached its apex. But it was like trying to pick up light, or scoop water with only her hands. She could feel the sparkler, like a small tingle of sudden heat against her mind, but there was nothing for her to grasp. It slipped through her proverbial fingers, and all too soon the little light fell to the ground, went out, and left them in a drizzly morning that seemed much saker than before.

"Please, do it again? I think I almost got it!"

Maybe, if she couldn't catch it like a stray butterfly, maybe holding it like a kitten or a handful of seeds might work better?

And Maea really wanted to see the light again.
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Rexanna De Rosieres
the Penumbra
Queen of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 34 | Height: 5'4" | Race: Ascended x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 4 Abandoned (Level 3 Ascended) - Strg: 19 - Dext: 14 - Endr: 20 - Luck: 9 - Int:
Played by: Skylark Offline
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Posts: 1,453 | Total: 13,495
MP: 0
#10
REXANNA
i am your friend, a soul for your soul.
home. sun or water, here or away —
Rexanna had never been shy about magic, never tried to hide anything about it. But the topic of it bewildered her. How each person had it, how they varied so much from person to person yet seemed to fit together nicely. A wide smile grew on her face as she noticed the sparkler’s light reflecting in Maea’s eyes. Suddenly, she felt something akin to pride blooming in her chest. Jigano had praised her once before for the very same magic, and yet it hadn’t hit her pride as much as this had.

She was proud of having a magic that could be beautiful and destructive.

But she also supposed it was a lot like her too.

Maea’s eagerness was answered with the tiny throw of the magic, watching the sparkler tumble over and over again as Maea tried to catch it with invisible hands. She could see it bounce around briefly, as though it could sense something, but ultimately it fell and died slowly upon its descent. It was quite a wonderful try, and Rexanna was just as eager as Maea to see what it might look like, encapsulated in invisible hands.

Of course!” She said before summoning another tiny sparkler. This time, as soon as she had summoned it, she tossed it like she did before. And watched, waiting with baited breath in the hopes the pale woman might somehow catch the light.
—we are a lighthouse,
we leave and we stay.
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 22 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 25 - Luck: 20 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,025 | Total: 5,767
MP: 1897
#11
Maea
I'm reaching out wide
trying to catch myself before I fall
Grinning in anticipation for the second spark, Maea followed its path up into the air. This time she was ready, and instead of grasping for the spark she tried to bolster its ascent. By mentally cupping a 'hand' beneath the magic light she hoisted it even higher up, and found to her delight that it worked. Holding on was not possible as light and heat could not be grasped, but by 'tapping' at the manifested energy of it with her own, she could control it's path somewhat. One, two, three times Maea managed to hit the sparkler before it fizzled out, and she turned back to Rexanna with a bright smile.

"I had no idea that was even possible" she said, almost giddy from the experience. "It feels strange, not at all like touching solid objects... I wonder what magic is, really? No one ever explained it to me properly."

Maybe the Atheneum held some texts about it. Asking Jigano was... impossible right now, and Sam was busy with the chronicles and her lessons. But maybe she could find something on her own, once her eyes had been fixed and the tension between people had calmed down.

"Hey, was there magic in your old world too?" Maea asked it as she readied herself for another go, leaving it to Rex to decide what would thrown this time. Another sparkler, a rock, something else entirely?
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Rexanna De Rosieres
the Penumbra
Queen of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 34 | Height: 5'4" | Race: Ascended x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 4 Abandoned (Level 3 Ascended) - Strg: 19 - Dext: 14 - Endr: 20 - Luck: 9 - Int:
Played by: Skylark Offline
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Posts: 1,453 | Total: 13,495
MP: 0
#12
REXANNA
i am your friend, a soul for your soul.
home. sun or water, here or away —
There was pride that blossomed in her chest as she watched the firework bounce and bounce until it eventually fizzled out. The smile on Maea’s face was easily reflected on Rexanna’s own at the success her new pale friend had when it came to trying to catch the sparkler. As Maea turned to her and began to speak of the feeling, Rexanna’s head tilted – both curious and amused at the question. “I’m not sure! I never had it until I arrived here.” She offered thoughtfully, wondering what it was about the world around her that had given her such a gift. And quite the gift it was!

As she asked if the world Rex had come from had magic, she nodded for a moment. “My people didn’t. But my husbands people did, all kinds. They also had wings.” She smiled to Maea. “It was an interesting world there, somewhat backward ideas and very protective of all of their people.” She added as she bent down to grab onto a piece of the rubble. A small rock that she added a bit of the spark of magic to and tossed it up in the air, giving it a bit of a more tangible item.

Have you always had magic?” She asked in response, watching the rock and firework connected to it dance through the air.
—we are a lighthouse,
we leave and we stay.
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 22 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 25 - Luck: 20 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,025 | Total: 5,767
MP: 1897
#13
Maea
I'm reaching out wide
trying to catch myself before I fall
Wings!? The idea was so strange, Maea just gaped and completely missed the sparkling rock until it nearly fell on her. A quick swat with her thoughts sent the pebble rattling off into the shadows of the ruin, sizzling merrily as it went  until the spark faded out.

"Your husband isn't human!? Was... is he a God then, or Attuned?" But even that seemed preposterous to her. Sure, the Attuned could turn into animals but you rarely saw anyone halfway through such a transformation. And though the gods were strange they still were human in shape. Well... Ludo might be the exception... though who knew what they looked like beneath the mask?

But regardless of the race, there had been magic. Maea considered that, how some things apparently were common across worlds.  She had a feeling it was an important realization, but didn't know how or why... so for now she set the matter aside, to answer the question.

"Me? It came to me quite early. I was... five, I think, when father woke me from a nightmare. I'd made the whole room shake as I dreamed. But it's... I don't know, it's unpredictable. You can't really train to get better. Control, yes, but you're only as strong as you are and only know the things you know, until something suddenly changes. Or not. In fifteen years I've not awakened to any other abilities, or grown stronger at all. All I've achieved is being able to use the magic for longer times without growing tired."

Absently she picked up a pebble of her own and threw it towards Rex, loosely so that the could catch it or avoid it, or maybe sparkle it up again.

"Your magic is really pretty" she smiled. "Like none I've seen before!"
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Rexanna De Rosieres
the Penumbra
Queen of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 34 | Height: 5'4" | Race: Ascended x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 4 Abandoned (Level 3 Ascended) - Strg: 19 - Dext: 14 - Endr: 20 - Luck: 9 - Int:
Played by: Skylark Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,453 | Total: 13,495
MP: 0
#14
REXANNA
i am your friend, a soul for your soul.
home. sun or water, here or away —
Maea gaped at Rexanna’s mention of her husband bearing wings, and she nodded in agreement. The first time she had seen them in person was outstanding, intriguing, lovely. Her own husband had a pair of beautiful eagle-like wings. But he was a monster, nowhere near a god but as close to human as could be. And yet when Maea mentioned “Attuned” Rexanna didn’t know what that meant either. Hadn’t learned the terms just yet aside from Ascended, she had thought that was all there was. “He was human enough, a terrible person though.” She offered a bit kindly, giving Maea a small smile. It didn’t bother her, the only thing that did was her being here, with the possibility he might find his way to her still.

I don’t know what Attuned means, is it a race here? I’ve only heard of the Ascended.” She said after a moment, eyes training on Maea as the pale woman began to answer Rexanna’s question of magic. How she had come about it at a young age — within her Rexanna felt a hint of jealousy. If she had been gifted magic, would things have happened the same? Or did she wish to live through the experiences she had because it made her who she was today? She watched as Maea tossed the rock to her, but she had no magic to catch it. The most she could do was attempt to add a sparkler to it. So she thought hard at the object as it dances through the air, only to notice that her firework missed and sizzled briefly by the rock before plummeting and Rexanna laughed quietly at the result. “That is harder than it looks.” She acknowledged briefly, looking back to Maea as she picked up the rock and tossed it back to her new found friend, having added nothing to it.

Thank you.” She said quietly. “I first found out I had it when the vampire gourds started attacking everyone a couple of seasons ago.” She said with another quiet laugh. “Caido is strange, but it has been good to me. Anything beats my last world.” She nodded as if to reinforce the point.
—we are a lighthouse,
we leave and we stay.


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