From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
02-09-2023, 08:10 PM (This post was last modified: 02-27-2023, 07:58 PM by Hotaru.)
HOTARU
I know when you were little girls You dreamt of being in my world
Today is the day. The first official training day for the Arcane Academy, revitalized and restructured. No longer does the giant building loom empty and frozen against the skyline. Now, warmth glows through the windows, fire restored and life breathed back in. Their numbers are few. Hotaru does not mind that. It ensures she can have a more detailed hand in the training of her new pupils, the ones that will come before her for the first time today.
Even with their magical resistance to cold, Ru chooses to host their training in the training room at the heart of the Academy instead of on the roof. The elemental barrels and structures Sah had helped create stand ready for her students to utilize as needed - but the true curiosity is the veritable mob of dummies clustered in groups or strewn about in isolated stances around the room. At the head of them stands the Valkyrie, arms crossed and patiently waiting for her students to arrive.
This is an Arcane Academy Magical Training thread! This training is for turning Basic magic to Upgraded only. Please remember:
Only members of the Arcane Academy may participate in these threads.
Members must fully complete 1 Magical Training thread in order to upgrade a magic.
Members can only claim a spot with a post. Spots in Magical Training threads cannot be reserved.
Members must participate in the thread to completion for the thread to count.
Members may only upgrade a basic magic once a season
In 48 hours, this thread will move on, regardless of if the spots are filled.
Don't forget it, don't forget it respect that and bow down bitches
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
Noah was a timely man. He had anticipated this training since he spoke with Hotaru about joining the academy.
When it was originally built it had no use to him, and he wasn’t a welcome member within its halls. Not until Vi blessed him with magic that, as far as he could tell, was very different than that of the abandoned that mostly took advantage of this academy. Now, though, it has been made clear to him that he could learn and practice with the best and most powerful of them, and even give a hand in teaching those even less versed in their magic than he was.
He strode towards the Valkyrie with a neutral, though amiable, expression on his face before he broke a smile in greeting, ”Good morning.”
{Intending to upgrade Spirit Stag.}
noah olson
the emptiness of broken flesh, at the mercy of the thorns
Any opportunity to train his magic was always welcome. But Sah had been waiting for this session in particular. The first session of the Academy that he had poured heart and soul into helping Hotaru rebuild. It made today all the more meaningful.
With his eagerness to both participate and back up Hotaru, the Abandoned had arrived right on time. Entering the training room, he grinned at the Sententiel and the Valkyrie. "I've been looking forward to this." Playfully knocking Noah's shoulder with his own, as had become customary, he then sent Hotaru a warm smile. "You look ready." Today would certainly be memorable, one way or another.
~
Sah arrives! Intending to upgrade his water magic!
I know when you were little girls You dreamt of being in my world
“Good morning,” she greets them both, though it’s in direct response to Noah. Her expression melts only a fraction to allow a tiny smile. She is their teacher today, not their friend. “I am ready. I hope you both are as well.” By that she means her basic expectations she has made quite clear in her Academy; fed, hydrated, and stretched in preparation for training.
But there is no time to waste. “If the war taught us anything, it’s that we do not have the luxury of choosing our battlefield. Today, these are your fellows; Halo civilians.” Her hands gesture elegantly to the staggered dummies throughout the room. “Your goal is to neutralize me without hitting these dummies, and utilizing the magic you wanted to focus on today.” All things they’d covered in previous classroom sessions, but this was their chance to put it to the test in the metaphorical field. “Work together or don’t. Each downed dummy will be counted against you. A successful magical hit against me will earn back those points. Neutralizing me entirely regardless of how is an additional bonus. These are arbitrary to your training but will be reviewed at the end for further education.” It’s a large influx of information, but Hotaru has a student on the sidelines to keep track of the points so none of them have to worry about it in the moment.
Grinning, the Valkyrie steps backwards into the thick of a crowd of dummies, and raises her arm. “You may begin.” And her arm cuts down - the game is on.
Round One begins! There is no post order.
Remember that if you don’t have the stamina for full or repeat attacks, you can exercise some creativity with elemental reactions and half-powered attacks.
Around you are water and soil barrels and torches on the walls.
Training ends with Hotaru being neutralized.
Don't forget it, don't forget it respect that and bow down bitches
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
Noah’s focus was split on Hotaru’s words and instruction and looking around the field she had set up. He took in every detail, his hunter’s eyes and his intuition taking all information whether it would prove relevant or not as his grip tightened on the bow he was rarely seen without. Glacier eyes moved back to the Valkyrie as she lifted her arms and moved back. Her invitation was clear. Noah’s jaw feathered and set, his eyes narrowing some to focus on what was to come.
”Together, as always.” Noah’s tone did not leave much room for negotiation as he offered his hand to Sah, palm up. The quiver on his back full of arrows shifted as he did so. With the Thunder’s agreement, they would start. Hotaru was ready for them, and the cunning in her eyes and the ice in her voice would not be mistaken for an indication of her mercy on them.
Knowing the magic that he came here today to practice was still weak, Noah wanted to save it. He had other means to add to this combat training situation, and he would not hold back. Magically, between the three of them involved, he might be the lowest on the totem pole, but it wouldn’t stop him from leaning in to all of what Vi had given him.
Noah sucked in a silent breath and blinked out of existence. With every intention of appearing behind the Valkyrie, Noah struck out to smack against the woman with his bow.
Providing for and protecting Halovians was what Noah had spent his life doing, and he would prove once again today that he was never going to change that.
noah olson
the emptiness of broken flesh, at the mercy of the thorns
"Together", Sah echoes, without hesitation. The Wild Thunder gives Noah's offered hand a low-five. Then it's time to move. Noah vanishes and the younger Abandoned reacts, guessing the Sentinel's plan. They'd worked with each other enough times for him to have a rough idea of Noah's fighting style and strategies.
Calling upon his magic, Sah focuses on the water curled deep within him. The mageglass on his neck warms as calls to it. Once he thinks he has it, he reaches outwards, trying to grasp the water vapor in the air and transform it into rain. any environmental detriment has its consequences on the user, but the Wild Thunder thinks he can use this to his advantage.
~
Sah uses his water magic and mageglass to try and pull water vapor in the air down as rain.
I know when you were little girls You dreamt of being in my world
They both move as the well-trained, experienced fighters she knows them to be. Noah's teleportation had been an anticipated move, but given this was a magical fight, his strike with the bow is unexpected. Just unexpected enough to catch Hotaru's shoulder, leaving what will be a deep bruise as she moves with the blow in a forward roll away from him - and then blasts her air magic out around her in a dome, buffeting away Sah's rain and a few dummies alike - and hopefully blinding Noah in the meantime.
"Do you have the control necessary for that widespread of an attack?" she shouts to Sah, tone still measured and fully in control. The rain itself is successful, but the dummies nearest to Hotaru are caught in its spread as well.
And the best part of this is not only do they have to neutralize her, but Hotaru gets to play the villain.
Fire rises from the torches on the walls, called by their mistress in the epicenter of the crowd and swiftly threatening the outer dummies. Would they split their focus, one on rescuing and the other on attacking? Or would they sacrifice a few to take her down faster?
Noah's attack on Hotaru is successful.
Sah's rain strikes a few dummies, and is buffeted away by Hotaru's magic.
Fire is encroaching on the outer dummies nearest to the torches. How will you proceed?
Don't forget it, don't forget it respect that and bow down bitches
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
"Nope! But that's the purpose of this training, right?" Sah calls back with a grin, thoroughly enjoying himself despite his focus on the task at hand. It's a pleasant surprise that he's even able to pull of the rain maneuver, but the lack of precision shows just how much room he still has to grow.
His eyes narrow as the fire surges towards the dummies. Instead of spreading his control over pulling water from the sky and directing it, Sah focuses on the water that's spread throughout the training grounds. With the stone warming and a jerk of his hand, he tries to lure it out from the barrels and towards the fire in a wave, hoping to put out the fire while minimizing the damage to the dummies. As he works, he keeps an eye on Hotaru and Noah.
~
Sah uses the water offered around the training grounds and tries to send it in a wave towards the dummies to put out the fire but not damage the dummies themselves. Mageglass pendant is active.
Noah's attack was as true as it was tried, and he couldn't stop the flicker of a smirk breaking the ice of his glacial features. The vibration of his bow rung up his arms as he prepared to attack again, but Hotaru rolled away from him. Noah normally would have growled slightly, but instead he only wished he had the ability to flick in and out of time again to follow Hotaru and keep her from assaulting the "citizens".
He lifted his arm to shield his face in the crook of his elbow as Sah's rain pelted against him, propelled with ferocity by Hotaru's wind incantation. Noah's glacier eyes bounced to Sah for only a millisecond as he yelled back at the Valkyrie, and noticed his intentions focused on rescuing the dummies from the onslaught.
This time Noah did let himself growl, and took off at a run towards his once partner. From his chest burst the mighty stag, and lowering its head it ran with its sights set on Hotaru.
noah olson
the emptiness of broken flesh, at the mercy of the thorns
I know when you were little girls You dreamt of being in my world
She snorts at Sah’s cheerful response as she stands from her roll. It’s a good point, if ill-timed; he’ll lose minimal points for hitting the mannequins, but it’s an undeniably solid attack strategy, if one to keep in his pocket for the future.
Sah’s water extinguishes the flames - but only on one side of the arena, spread too thinly to manage both. The flames lick at the mannequins on the right, catching on the material and beginning to catch and spread. Hotaru turns her hand to that side and bids it to catch faster, to consume the ‘civilians’, and then turns her attention fully to Noah.
Just in time, it seems. The stag is strong and well-formed, but unwieldy; it knocks aside a few mannequins in its path to Hotaru, who had intentionally enclosed herself with them. An almost unstoppable force - if Hotaru wasn’t equipped with Frey’s blessed bracers, which rise and deflect the magic imbued in the stag, scattering its starry form into glittering stardust. With the motion, Hotaru flings her hands out in a sharp gesture that streaks lightning towards Noah’s feet to try and force him backward. “Again! Can you half-form it? Size it down?” she challenges. Though she is the ‘villain’ for them to defeat, it doesn’t mean she won’t help them where they need it as their teacher.
Sah’s attack is successful on the left side of the room, but the right side was not put out and is beginning to consume the farthest mannequins.
Noah’s attack knocked a few mannequins aside and was rebuffed.
For the purpose of this training, remember your attacks can be creatively minimized and altered.
Don't forget it, don't forget it respect that and bow down bitches
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
Sah grits his teeth as his plan only half works. He wants to go back and help Noah, but he can't let half the dummies go down. If he can get the dummies stabilized, maybe he and Noah can force Hotaru to distance herself from them. Then the duo might be able to focus on taking Ru down.
Calling his magic forward once more, his pendant active, Sah reaches for the water around him. Once more, he tries to create a wave that will douse out the fire that's attacking the dummies without significantly damaging them. The younger Abandoned pours his focus into the action, determined to see his plan work.
~
Sah repeats his prior actions and tries to put out the fire on the rest of the dummies with his water magic. (Mageglass pendant is active).
Noah wasn't used to finesse. Inside of him there was only a bear, ready to charge and burst forth and destroy. The stag, though a reflection of his former shift, was propelled through the mirror of his bear-filled soul. Frustration rang through him as his attack did not fulfill his intentions. He couldn't hide the fact that he was feeling what he was when his eyes and body began to glow and glimmer with bright, powerful celestial energy.
Despite being their adversary in this moment, Hotaru kept true to the purpose of her academy. Lightning flicked and shot and Noah's feet and he dodged to the side. His hands balled into fists, his right hand coiling tight around the curve of his bow. He wasn't sure if he had the ability to send any other form -- he had never tried. It had always been a full and unbridled assault.
Despite the lightning coming his way, Noah kept running towards Hotaru. His muscles tensed and he tried. He pulled all of his strength from the depths of his soul and -- a filtered, flickering light burst from him in a sunbeam-like stream, rather than the stag that had galloped after Hotaru before.
noah olson
the emptiness of broken flesh, at the mercy of the thorns
I know when you were little girls You dreamt of being in my world
This time, Sah excels with flying colors. The water douses the flames within moments, especially with Hotaru not actively managing the flames as she faces off with Noah. He even manages not to knock over a single mannequin in the meantime; a clear sign of growth and control. What will he do now, however? Join Noah? Preemptively douse all the torches so Hotaru cannot use them again?
Meanwhile, Hotaru has most of her focus on Noah. Her former partner is too well-trained not to grant him her full attention, though she notes Sah’s success in her periphery. The stream of starlight makes her grin, something savage and approving in the midst of her adrenaline. She dodged sideways, sending a dummy to the floor, but the attack sears across the top of her left shoulder regardless. The power is more concentrated now that it doesn’t need to occupy the size and shape of a stag, and despite the pain, Hotaru’s expression is almost wild with glee and pride.
“Yes! Perfect, both of you!” her voice cracks like a whip, inherently demanding attention, but the pride is clear in her tone.
Not missing out on her own training, Hotaru uses her healing magic a second time to focus on the wound on her shoulder and braces as Noah barrels towards her, through her lightning. She had intentionally left herself with no offensive weapons, giving them their melee advantage given her petite figure compared to them. So she thrusts her hands sideways at the doused mannequins from Sah’s first attack, directing her lightning towards the fake civilians. Noah can hit her or attempt to stop her magic - or both, depending on his physical approach.
Sah was immensely successful, and doused the flames and on fire dummies without harming them.
Noah succeeds in hitting Hotaru and avoiding her lightning (though not without injury).
The fire is out, but Hotaru must still be neutralized - and she has changed tactics to direct her lightning at the dummies. What will you do?
Don't forget it, don't forget it respect that and bow down bitches
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
Sah grins as the dummies are temporarily saved. But there's little time to celebrate. Lightning comes at the dummies, as familiar as his own. What the Abandoned wants to do is parry it with his own burst of energy. Two lightning bolts meeting in the center would likely stop each other's progress.
But that's not the point of this training. The point is to practice with his water. So, Sah does something else. He works to pull the water forward, into a shielded dome, and tries to freeze it solid just as the mageglass warms. A wall of ice to block Hotaru's attack and keep the dummies safe. Hopefully with Hotaru focusing on the dummies, Noah can get another strike in.
~
Sah pulls the water forward in front of the dummies and to freeze it into a wall/shield. (Mageglass active)
