[Training] Don't try it until you nock it

If one's soul reflects the moon

After spending a brief time in King's End, Zen finally reached the Greatwood. Skyships had cut his travel time immensely, but it was still an exhausting trek. After getting settled in the village, the Demi-god had begun to explore. He eventually found himself wandering into the Wildwood. Between the afternoon sun and the quiet hum of nature, it was proving to be a nice change of pace.

Crossing over a dirt path, Zen stumbled upon a small clearing.  It was relatively isolated and was lined with trees on all sides. After a moment of contemplation, the Demi-god placed his bag down against the trunk of a tree. This looked like the perfect spot to practice with his new magic. Apart from its initial appearance, Zen had yet to fully test out his arrows.

Drawing his hand back as if using an invisible bow, he eyed the gravitational arrow that was summoned. It was dark, nearly black, with magic blurring its edges. Eyes narrowing as he locked onto a tree opposite of him, Zen released his magic. The arrow flew straight, but instead of hitting the center of his target, it scraped the side of the tree and vanished into the forest. Grimacing, Zen dropped his arms. It seemed that this ability would require quite a bit of practice to master.

Zenith

Half will always be dark

Melita

Eating fire is your ambition
to swallow the flame down

Due to the Ark’s current status as docked in the Greatwood and Melita left to her own devices, she’s opted to use the area as her residential haunt. It helped that flowers were conveniently found in the twisting and turning of the lanes, as well as her favored heralds’ groves – so naturally, she took to it with all the ease of someone wholly unbothered by chaos and will-o-wisps and labyrinthine pursuits.

Which, on this turn, landed her near a stranger practicing archery. One of her preferred sources of damage – so she beelined over, granting a loud and raucous greeting. “Hello! I’m Melita. Nice magic you got there.” She could summon her own bow – but certainly not the quiver itself in mid-air. Neat. “Mind if I practice too?”

Not with her own elements strung to her back though – she had her own manifestations within her own ichor and pulse. Figuring the stranger would either say no, tell her to fuck off, or accept, she didn’t give a single shit on either option, and did it anyway.

To which she extended her fingers towards the tree, as if summoning something, and then promptly fell asleep.

to be lit up from within, vein by vein
to be the sun

If one's soul reflects the moon

Zen's head snapped up at the sudden voice, mildly irritated by the volume but he kept his expression neutral. Her name was familiar and if he wasn't mistaken, this was Ludo's Demi-god. Slightly more wary he still allowed blue stars to form in the air beside him. (Hi. Thank you.) After considering her for a moment longer he nodded, (You may.)  Zen kept one eye on her as she seemed to start casting something.

That wariness went out the door as she suddenly dropped to the ground. Eyes going wide, Zen scrambled to try and catch her. He only just barely managed to do so and prevented her head from hitting the ground. Incredibly confused, he laid her fully down on the grass. Either she had a medical condition, or it was some kind of backlash from whatever ability she was attempting to use.

Glancing between the apparently unconscious woman and the tree, Zen elected to continue his practice and watch over the woman until she hopefully woke up.  Drawing his arm back again, he summoned another arrow. Perhaps from the clear distraction, the arrow went wide and entirely missed the tree.

Zenith

Half will always be dark

Melita

Eating fire is your ambition
to swallow the flame down

Melita might have commented on the star writing (what the fuck?), or asked his name, had she not immediately been rendered asunder by a nap. Luckily for her, the stranger had clearly taken pity on her predicament, as she found herself on the cozy earthen floor, rather than her head striking a rock or something. “Shit. Sorry. I don’t think I have a full grasp on it yet,” or ever would, if we were being serious.

Rising and stretching from the sudden rest, she yawned and watched as his arrow went wide. “Well, we’re both doing fantastic.” Rolling her shoulders, she tried again – only this time, instead of anything going remotely near the tree, the unfamiliar lad would find himself quite rejuvenated, healed, and mended from any aches or pains.

to be lit up from within, vein by vein
to be the sun

If one's soul reflects the moon

Zen blinked at Melita incredulously as she woke up and simply apologized. How often did this happen? All he could do was nod, having a feeling that pressing the issue or questioning her on it would only confuse him more.

He stepped back as she tried again, side-eying her just as before, only this time in case she passed out again. Instead, the Safrin Demi-god felt magic weave around him, and he tensed, unsure what to expect. Perhaps, for him to fall asleep. Instead, however, he was surprised to find that the minor bruises and scraped he'd gained from traversing the forest, vanished.

Baffled, Zen tilted his head, (Thanks.) If he were speaking verbally, it surely would have come out a question. Attempting to shake off what was shaping up to be the oddest encounter he'd had in Caido so far, the younger Demi-god summoned another arrow. As it flew from his hand, it almost looked like it was going to hit his chosen tree. But just as it had the first time, the arrow simply scraped it before vanishing into the foliage. Zen's jaw ticked, unsure just what he was doing wrong.

Zenith

Half will always be dark

Melita

Eating fire is your ambition
to swallow the flame down

Unbothered by her chaotic semblances, because, after all, this had occurred so often that she honestly just figured she was bound to have a good rest – though her eyes flickered to the writing appearing again. “So do you just uh…write in the air instead of talking?” Maybe it was a coping mechanism? She’d heard of others who couldn’t talk before; but simply hadn’t experienced it for herself. Some of her family members might’ve preferred her to not speak so readily.

Nonetheless, this perplexed her for another second, while his arrow veered off course and she pretended not to see it. “What happens if someone can’t read?” Would there be no way of communicating for him then?

Which was all well and good, because the next moment she started off again, the magic dissipated into nothing like bolts of lightning or blends of water blasts; but turned her directly into a frog, complete with an exasperated ribbit.

to be lit up from within, vein by vein
to be the sun

If one's soul reflects the moon

Other people had commented on or inquired about Zen's use of stars for communication. Some did so mockingly, others curiously. Melita's inquiry fell towards the latter, and the younger Demi-god couldn't find any trace of disdain on her face. Letting the stars morph in the air, he decided to answer her honestly. (Yes. Attuned bond. Interpreter.) Zen paused, shrugging, (Charades?) He'd encountered one person so far who had difficulty with his stars, but he'd been able to adjust their appearance and complexity to meet Zavien's needs to the best of his ability. It wasn't perfect, though. The Demi-god had yet to try and communicate with someone who couldn't read.

When Melita moved to cast her magic again, Zen took a few steps back. Just to be safe. No amount of guesswork, however, could have prepared him for the reality of her turning into a frog. There was only one conclusion that Zen could make. Ludo's Demi-god was as chaotic as the herald was rumored to be.

Glancing between the Frog Melita and the tree, the younger Demi-god figured she'd be fine. Just as she had when she'd randomly passed out. Moving his arms into position, Zen summoned another arrow. Before he let go, he glanced to ensure that Frog Melita was still in the same spot and not at any risk of a stray arrow. When he was certain of her safety, he focused on his tree and released the arrow. This time, he hit the tree. Not in the center, as he'd aimed for. But only slightly above his mark.

Zenith

Half will always be dark

Melita

Eating fire is your ambition
to swallow the flame down

In frog form, she couldn’t arch her brow or say much else other than ribbit, but the answers were bizarre just the same. Charades? Was there a reason he couldn’t just…talk? Maybe he should see a god about that.

But then he hit the try and she huffed something else that sounded like a much louder croak. Eager to actually do something, the magic eventually unwound from her features, and she was once again human, casually brushing dust and dirt off of herself as if she hadn’t already taken a nap, healed, and then been an amphibian for several minutes.

“This one’s going to be it!” She offered – in the brief hope and chance that would actually hold true – and actually held in the belief.

Because no sooner had she presented the motion (again), did a huge force of water blast at a nearby tree, spraying limbs and branches away with ease and damage.

to be lit up from within, vein by vein
to be the sun

If one's soul reflects the moon

Just as Zen had suspected, there was nothing to worry about. Melita returned to what he now wasn't certain, was her true form. From this brief encounter, he wouldn't put it past her to be some kind of denizen of chaos with an abstract form. He didn't comment on Melita's hopeful exclamation, simply watching as she focused on the tree.

It seemed that whatever mechanism controlled her abilities, finally moved in her favor. The younger Demi-god hadn't been expecting water. Much less the force behind the blast. The tree had been practically decimated. Side-eying Melita, Zen reevaluated her. She was more powerful than she looked. Calling on his stars, they swirled in the air once more. (Congratulations.) He wasn't certain if that was the appropriate response but simply starring seemed even less so.

Zenith

Half will always be dark

Melita

Eating fire is your ambition
to swallow the flame down

“Thanks,” she offered thereafter the congratulations, hands on her hips and surveying her work. Sure, it had taken a deranged amount of time to finally do so damage, but hadn’t they had some fun along the way?

Shrugging her shoulders, content with the arrangements of broken limbs and decimated forest matter, she brushed her hands together. “Well, my work here is done.” Granting him a wave and a salute, and then realizing he’d never given her his name, she didn’t let it bother her – someone writing cosmos around would eventually come to fruition again – at least on hear say. “Catch ya around, star boy.”

Before she and her companions breezed back into the distance, gone with the wind and leaving chaos behind.

[FIN]

to be lit up from within, vein by vein
to be the sun