[Of course he knows it. He's well aware of the underlying principles of their society, and that working together is in itself perhaps the most good that can be done, and yet... So too does he have his reasons for preferring to study and discover alone, but that is another story for another time.]
[Even still, as Hythlodaeus prattles on, so does Hades straighten into stunned silence, his mouth gaping open just enough to show the whites of his teeth.]
["Nothing"? An "extensive list"?]
[Oh, he can feel his temper flaring! Hades' fists clench at his sides, his brow creasing in irritation, not yet aware that he is being played. Well, of course he is nowhere near the level of an esteemed member of the Convocation! Yet that does not under any circumstances mean he's willing to accept failure and disgrace for something he has not even lifted a finger towards pursuing. And further, if it seems he rejected this request altogether, suppose he is never called upon again! Before Hythlodaeus can take another step away, Hades lurches forward, hoping to cut him off before the elders catch wind of their conversation.]
Now, hold on! I never said that I couldn't teach you.
[He nods his head at the woefully ill-suited wand, hardly sufficient to channel even the most basic of spells.]
Besides, the Words of Lahabrea are in no position to be troubled with such a request. You and I both know this. If our betters think me the one who ought to teach you, then far be it for me to refuse them.
[But that doesn't mean he has to like it.]
Furthermore, if you can at least promise to take this seriously, I have no doubt that you'd all see marked progress even before nightfall. It may be nothing to you, but I do not fail.
[Hook, line and sinker. The smile plays on his lips as he hears Hades close the space between them with a great deal of haste, but his expression turns neutral as he fully regards him.]
Mm, yes. I have no doubt someone like you could teach most people quite a great deal... were you so inclined. I would imagine there would be little that's beyond you, in all truth.
[His soul says so, most certainly. Abd that's far more of a reliable guide than mere words or even actions. And as he turns this little wand over in his hands a few times...]
Perhaps we've miscommunicated. I can assure you in all solemnity, I do not intend to waste either your time or mine. The issue with me is hardly commitment. So. Now we know a little more of each other's motivations...
[At this, Hades sighs, his shoulders slumping dramatically. This is hardly about "like to"! Now it's as if he is left with no choice at all but to accept. How did things ever turn out this way? His frown hasn't budged, but he shifts his weight where he stands, as if preparing to be here awhile yet.]
Are you so convinced that you're unlike most people, that you're "beyond help", as you claim? Or are you merely seeking to annoy me?
[He honestly cannot tell in this moment, but it does seem as if the other youth is trying to reach an agreement with him at the very least. He doesn't answer, but he exhales finally, and he continues:]
Be that as it may, the most obvious answer would be to figure out why it is that you're having so much difficulty with magicks in the first place. Why don't you put that useless wand down and begin by explaining your past experiences?
Oh, I'm quite convinced. And I hardly know you well enough to get anything out of merely annoying you!
[Really, he wants to laugh at that. Was this boy normally so suspicious? Did he truly believe that all of this was a ruse? That even the elders were in on it? He doesn't know. And really. He says he would get nothing out of irritating him, but if he were to be completely honest, he would admit it was somewhat (strangely) entertaining to see such baseless dramatics, as they're so very different from every other person that he'd met.
And at his request, the wand, and his shoulder bag, goes away and on the ground.]
...Of course. Though I'm quite sorry to say it is a rather short story. You are aware, I presume, of most needing little instruction to begin manifesting their capacity with regard to aether manipulation. Some rare few need none, and begin the manipulation of basic elements before they can even speak. ...In my case, It is quite the opposite.
I have no issue with creation magick, I'll have you know! Yet other forms of aether manipulation, such as elemental magicks, healing magicks, not to mention illusion, transformation, and bizarrely enough the creation of familiars are all things most find simple enough to begin, yet their affinity with such comes from practice and learning to build upon their initial foundation.
[A rueful smile comes, and his hand makes its way to rest on his own opposite shoulder.]
... Yet they are quite lost to me. I have not the foundation to begin benefitting from either practice nor learning. I've established, through both means, the how. but it is the doing that comes up painfully short.
[So says Hades, but it's at this point that a few interesting occurrences begin to happen. For one, Hades comes to a realization: this boy is a chatterbox, yes, but he's far from dim and does indeed have a solid understanding of magical theory. Therefore, this cause is not as lost as he has been led to believe.]
[Secondly: he thinks that, perhaps, aware of his own limitations, this Hythlodaeus truly does want to succeed, even despite all of his preemptive apologies.]
[Thirdly: and this last is how Hades outwardly reacts. For the first time in the last five minutes, Hades appears to be truly listening to what Hythlodaeus has to say, and not seeming as if he'd rather be somewhere else altogether. He raises a finger to his chin in honest consideration.]
...all of which suggests that the issue lies in your atunement, or rather, your lack thereof. No amount of study will aid you if you lack the context of knowing exactly how doing these things correctly is supposed to feel.
[And thus does he make a decision.]
Come on, then. Let us leave this place. You can show me outside how you work your creation magicks, and then you'll try a simple fire spell. It will be a small matter to determine where you're going wrong if I see it for myself.
Precisely! ...Or at least, possibly. That is my view on the matter, anyway.
[Who knows? He might be wrong. He'll admit though, it is a relief to have his suspicion verified by someone that is said, at least, to have more than a fair idea of what they're doing. Should this other boy, this Hades, be right- then it leads to the question of what could be possibly done to raise this attunement. And with that, he honestly has no idea of what is either practical or possible.
But. He moves, again, to pick up his things. And with a faint smile:]
Yes, let's.
[Upon arrival at their destination, some (mercifully) deserted little square of outdoor land within the complex's boundaries, he sets himself to work. ...Or rather, he glances around considering what to make his work.
Creation magick, of course, isn't something to be freely undertaken when it came to new things. So. Replication should suffice. If he were to recreate a small facet of something already created, there should be little problem. So. He spies an overhanging wysteria, crowned with verdant green leaves, fading downward to purple blossoms, fading further, and further, to white.
That should do.
He closes his eyes. He extends a single hand.
Aether moves about him, around him, and he concentrates. It flows around him freely- settling into the palm of his hand and settling into form. ...Some adjustments follow. It appears to reform, and reform a few times, and finally...
A purple blossom rests in his hand. And it is given to Hades, whether he accepts it or not.]
[Hades has seen more than enough by watching alone, but he grudgingly accepts the wisteria flower. His hold on it is careful and light as he begins turning it over in his hand to confirm that it is indeed whole and solid and also not leaking aether everywhere. It would seem that the magick was all tied together neatly enough in the end, even if the shaping process was drawn out a little long. That, he suspects, will improve with practice.]
[He sees nothing wrong here, and so he folds his arms, careful not to crush the flower in the process.]
Fine. Cast Fire on me.
[And before Hythlodaeus can protest too much, he adds:]
It will be far easier to tell what you're doing wrong if you direct your aether towards me, that's all. Don't look so stunned - you will do me no harm, so cast it as you always have.
since his eyebrows are protected by that mask, Fine!
[Perhaps the reforming being overlong was due to inexperience. Or perhaps it's simply because he sees more of that little strand of blooms than others do. Where most see an object and the aether belonging to it, he sees something else quite different indeed. Perhaps the reforming and reforming before deciding was him exploring potential- of different things affecting the different possibilities of what such a thing could become- be it a storm some weeks ago, a lack of rain, too much rain, or anything inbetween before he settles, simply, on what is.
Either way, he's saying nothing on it. Instead, he's looking dumbfounded.]
Y-you are quite certain?!
[Fire?! Were he to score some fluke and do it right, then- Ah, but the other boy has already refuted anything he would have said. So, with a small exhale, and a few steps away...]
...As you say. And... Should this cause you discomfort, I can only apologize.
[This is markedly different from creation magick. Instead, this time, his aether seems to not become so apparent. It does not flow, and it does not settle. Instead, it seems agitated- spluttering along and barely changing.
...He cannot believe he is to do this. Silently, he raises his hand, some fire-aspected (for his method is correct) aether forming at the center of his palm. He exhales, flicking his wrist to disperse it and-
-and.
-and?
Hades might feel something akin to teleporting into an (admittedly, hot!) climate. There's a rush of warm air that hits him. Perhaps he may feel the fabric of his cowl, his hood, curling a little at the sudden rush of heat.
Yet that is all. He does not burn. There's scarcely an ember in the folds of his robe.
Hythlodaeus, expression (and screwed shut eyes) concealed by his mask, takes a few immediate steps forward.]
Thank goodness-
[It didn't work. He's grateful! But he's also somewhat ashamed. Mostly grateful.]
[Hades doesn't seem the least bit uncertain about it. Of course, the more complex and much truer reason behind Hythlodaeus' unhurried process has yet to cross his mind. He has no awareness about this youth's impeccable sight, and with the way he continues to drive home the idea that he is really, quite lacking in many respects, well... Who can blame him, honestly, for overlooking the truth?]
[So, yes. Hades stands there as unflappably as one might imagine while the aether is channeled (poorly) and redirected (also poorly). Never has he seen aether react in such an agitated manner whilst manipulating it into such a basic spell. Oh, he can tell even from here that Hythlodaeus has the general idea of it, but it's wrong. Completely wrong. It's as if something's blocking the fire-aspected aether from truly reacting to the boy's summons, like a blocked passageway, or a tunnel that's been cut off. And hardly does he lift a finger to counteract said aether as it rushes over him in a blast of (mostly harmless) heat and steam, enough to wrinkle the fabric of his robes ever slightly, but little more than that. A few strands of snowy white hair are caught in the disaster, and those do drift down to the ground as overheated and mildly melted fibers.]
"Thank goodness", he says! And what in the name of the star was that supposed to be?
[He shakes his head as if to clear it of what he just witnessed and points a finger at him.]
If you're going to apologize, do so to the aether you just wasted, not to me.
[How was bringing pain to you a better use? He wants to respond, and oh, it almost leaves his lips. It's very close- but he bites his tongue. His gaze does not drop though. If not outwardly angered, most would show shame. Yet he does not show anything of the sort. His gaze moves away, briefly, and returns.
...And.]
I must confess, it went far better than I had thought it would. In truth, I had half-expected you to suffer the same fate as my last target, of being soaked in water.
[Thank goodness for that one, at the very least. There's little less pleasant to Hades than getting caught in a downpour or being forced to swim and then having to drag himself along in heavy, cold, utterly soggy robes all the way back to his living quarters.]
[That being said, the next words that reach his ears leave him looking entirely baffled.]
Do tell me you're not being serious. How could you possibly manage such a thing when the aether you're gathering is fire-aspected?
[A part of him does want to help, actually. As a mage, he would see that anyone else wanting to pursue the art further has access to the resources and answers they require for learning and improvement. On the other hand, however... Oh, he can see a headache coming from a malm away.]
today hyth found his favourite thing in the world.
...Might he? Really? His face betrays him as he answers, by such a terrible little smile appearing at the very corners of his mouth.]
Well. It was warm water, at the very least! ...Nothing short of scalding, in fact. Why- the entire ordeal made me quite glad the dummies of which we usually practice upon do not have skin! For it would have been-
[Yeah, he can't. His smile has spread and spread, and honestly, he knows not what causes it. Is it the look of sheer astonishment on the other boy's face, the way his voice tilts upward as if he truly cannot believe that anything could twist and break the laws of magic to such an extent...
It's too much. It's far, far, far too much. And he laughs!
He laughs, and he laughs, into a hand. And with his eyes practically shining-]
[And that, that right there, is what finally does it. Hades snaps. And if his eyes were visible through the white of his mask, they'd be positively withering - though with the way his teeth grind together beneath it, they should more than get across the level of his outrage and outright irritation at being laughed at so openly.]
Enough! I will suffer this no longer. Trouble another, if you must, but I haven't the time nor the patience for this... this nonsense!
[He did not come here to be made a joke of, for now he is all but certain that he is being toyed with. Rigidly, Hades straightens and turns on his heel, and with a single wave of his free hand does he quiet and disperse the few stray threads of aether which had wanted to (and yet somehow could not) form themselves properly into a ball of flame. In his fury, he has all but forgotten he yet clutches the little wisteria stem - tightly, oh so tightly, as he marches away.]
[Cooperation can never end well, of this he is all too sure. It still burns fresh: the humiliation of his latest spell. Oh, it was and is such a magnificent thing! But in the hands of a less adept classmate with whom it was freely shared, it had proven utterly disastrous, leaving Hades to watch in guilt and utter shame as three of his fellows were ushered away for treatment. And that, only one such tale; he has an entire bookshelf filled with them.]
[Indeed, he was foolish to ever answer the summons.]
[Oh, dear. His laughter- regrettably- is cut short in but an instant. He straightens himself as the other boy appears to turn on his heels and storm off- his expression underneath his mask certainly turning from one of mirth to faint horror.
He extends an arm, hoping to catch his sleeve, his elbow- anything really- but it falls woefully short.]
Oh, don't be like that! I only intended to-
[Hythlodaeus was many things, already. He was an impish sort, yes. One that was whimsical, even prone to find unbidden humour in situations most would not- but he was not insensitive. ...Or at least, he had hoped he was not. In a situation like this- where someone else would only see vehement, unchecked anger, his gift allows him to spy no small amount of hurt.
And... He would hope he was not to be a person who caused hurt.
So it is for that reason he starts to pursue the other at a brisk pace- no, practically running- to keep up with such a determined march. And-]
Please, wait!
[What he sees in the distance, just beyond Hades, causes him to stop. Is that two elders? And are they running toward them?]
['Intended to!' comes the silent scoff. But neither does Hades turn back nor wait, nor also does he see any reason to be anything other than the way he is. Indeed, Hythlodaeus' sight serves him well, for there's no small amount of anger, and as well, no small amount of hurt. Distrust. Aversion. And beneath it all, something akin to disappointment.]
[Hades' march never once slows. Not, at least, until he becomes aware of two elders hurrying swiftly towards them. It's at this point that he lifts his head, his determined frown momentarily subsiding as he takes a few hurried steps in their direction.]
Forgive me, but is something amiss?
[Perfectly respectful, then. And to his inquiry do the elders explain in haste that something is indeed very wrong. That they would do well to leave the area. A group of creatures have escaped, they say, quite dangerous ones formed before a proper review. Those creations are now wreaking no small amount of havoc, and have yet to be contained. In fact, the Convocation itself has been notified, and even now authorities have been sent for to help bring the situation under control.]
...Creatures, you say? Here?
[Hades' attention shifts beyond them to where he can hear distant shouts and the boom of magicks colliding with the physical. He squints, trying to see further, and only barely manages it before the elders advise them again, firmly, to leave this place and hurry along their way.]
[Well, then. The sensible side of Hades would follow their counsel, but. Rather than retreading his course, Hades makes a choice and hastens onwards towards the source of the chaos.]
[As Hades slows and eventually stops, only to speak to the elders and to completely ignore his plea, Hythlodaeus is reduced to lingering alongside in silence. His expression underneath his mask is suitably troubled. Yet, it should be.
To think that something, let alone a group of things, even could get out of their containment units within Akademia Anyder... The thought alone is harrowing. And as the elders repeat their warning before hurrying along on their way, the fact Hades appears to be near bolting toward the source of such danger is galling.]
Wait!
[By the time he's caught up, it is when Hades is busying himself with undoing the magick the elders from earlier had placed upon the entrance in order to deal it proper. And oh- he's well and truly out of breath, doubled- his palms pressing into his knees, arms straightened, to try and force air into his lungs.
And-]
You cannot be serious. You heard them, did you not? The matter is in hand, and we are not allowed entry even when all is well!
[He straightens up, having caught his breath, but alas. There's a distinctive click- and the magickal sigil shimmers once, then fades.]
[Hades does not wait. The sigil is a simple thing, requiring only the appropriate alignment of elements channeled into the patterns that appear to render it inactive. Easy. And the moment he hears the click that deactivates it, Hades summons a rod into his hand.]
[Oh, except it would seem he still has company - although he isn't entirely sure why. Hades does feel a slight pang of guilt that the other boy is winded from following him, but then, that was entirely his own decision, now, wasn't it? Only his eyes turn to regard him, and then he's placing a hand upon the door. He doesn't seem the least bit afraid, even though he certainly understands the gravity of the situation.]
Exactly as you suspect. I'm going to subdue the creatures until more help can arrive.
[Yet, before he goes any further, he adds:]
You should leave. Make sure the door shuts behind me completely, and then get as far away as you can. This is no place for someone who can't even defend himself, and I am through with being your nursemaid. Have the elders assign someone else to teach you.
[It won't even matter if he cannot manage it, not when he can prove himself in another, far more meaningful, way.]
[He can't. He truly can't! even if he were to make it past the threshold, who knew what would even be in there? They had not been informed of the nature of the escaped creatures, nor the affinities, the flaws... Nor even denomination. How many of them there truly were remained to be seen! Going in, even for a talented (if blockheaded) mage, was tantamount to suicide.
He stands, rigid after he straightens, his gaze turning to the tiled floor they stand upon. ...There was no way this Hades would permit him entry alongside him. But he simply couldn't go alone. So...]
...As you say.
[No, he's not just going to leave him. That, while not apparent, is something decided then and there. He moves to the door, reaching out unto it to hold it open. And perhaps some aether from him (quietly, and without any signal) flows unto it. What element his contribution was... really, he hardly knew.
It hardly mattered.
If Hades undid the ward the elders had placed to seal it by simply doing the opposite of the elemental patterns holding it closed... then his own little contribution would ensure that when Hades undoes his spell and the door should lock again, it would not. For the balance, with his input, had been well and truly upset.
...Hopefully.
He stands by the door as if to hold it open, and when Hades passes through, his voice is low.]
Have care.
[Should he pass through and go on his way, Hades would hear the door close. Hythlodaeus remains on the other side, even when he sees the other's magick fade from the thing... and he counts.
One minute, two...
Silently, he opens the door. And he slips inside.]
[Well, now, finally the other boy is being sensible and obedient! Hades can only hope he understands the seriousness of the situation, and that it is what is prompting him to cooperate.]
[And indeed, he wastes no time passing through the door which is held open for him, casting one last glance over his shoulder.]
...Right. And the same to you.
[No condescension hides within those words. In fact, they hold the same level of respectability with which Hades addressed the elders. But he can't afford to drag his heels, and so he hurries along down the wide, dim corridor.]
[After a moment of thought he focuses, and he imagines. The aether gathers around him slow but sure, curling into the form of a winged shade, solid enough but generally nondescript. He hasn't the time nor the experience yet to conjure up anything overly complex, but even this should serve him well in an effort to scout ahead and gain more information about the creatures he must face. And so he beckons it go as he follows behind, scanning his surroundings for anything amiss. The air itself seems troubled, tense with vibrations. There's something distinctly wrong about it, yet he cannot pinpoint the exact source of it all.]
Strange...
[His voice is no louder than a whisper, but his steps slow and he looks a bit deeper, reaching out to the very edges of his perception where something, something flickers at the outermost edge.]
[Wait. Behind...?]
[He whirls then, taking on a defensive stance as he raises his weapon aloft, already summoning forth the aether he requires for his spell. Only then does he hear a monstrous rumble from an entirely different direction.]
[The lighting of the first area of Akedemia Anyder- a large lecture hall- is cut. Therefore it is silent and it is dark with naught but the dim lighting of varying (undisturbed) aquatic environments to guide him.
Most would be ill at ease in such an environment. Most would be startled by the tendency of varying implements from a hastily abandoned lecture- tools, instruments of measurement, models, and everything in between- to cast shadow against the light of the aquariums- to give an indication of danger where there is not- but not him.
He has his eyes, yes. But he uses them differently to most. his sight rarely focused on the material or the tangible, so the shadows, the flickering light is simply not perceived, and thus his imagination does not play tricks on him.
He keeps moving- down unto the area where Mitron themselves would deliver their lecture unto their Words, to the side and down a narrow corridor, to a small area where Mitron would likely call a small office. Ah, another small corridor and-]
--Uwah!
[Oh, that was an unseemly sound. But he's collided with Hades. The aether of him, and the spell he is so close to completing (and unleashing on him!) is all but blinding, making said collision a foregone conclusion, really. But then it fades, it vanishes, the other boy's aether distinctly darkens and-
That rumbling.
Immediately, he turns around- to see a new passageway, beyond a platform surrounded with water, open.]
...Yes, I know. You're furious. But I could not let you go alone.
[An unseemly sound, perhaps, but not nearly as much as the choked off gasp that gets sucked back up into Hades' lungs. He jerks his arm upwards to narrowly avoid blasting him with the uncast spell, willing it quite painfully to quiet, quiet and vanish before any damage can be done.]
[He doesn't want to believe what he's seeing, but here it is standing before him in all its insufferable glory. Hythlodaeus. And already he can feel his temper curling. Why in the name of all that is good on Etheirys has he followed him here??]
I am furious! [He hisses at him in a rush.] I told you to stay behind for a reason. If I'd recognized your color even a second later, you would have eaten my spell!
[But now is hardly the time for a lecture. Hades turns back around to see a new passageway yawning open before them and the shade he'd sent earlier zipping back as if its very existence depends on it.]
...whatever the cause, there's little question that it yet lies ahead. A fair number of them, from the feel of it.
[He casts Hythlodaeus a scathing look, utterly lost behind his mask, and resumes walking. He doubts the boy will turn back at this point, but neither does he wish to encourage him. Surely he has enough sense to keep himself from harm's way...although considering he just crashed into him, that too elicits doubt.]
[Eaten it, yes. Been utterly obliterated by it? Most certainly. Just how close his physical form came to being a charred stain on the floor of these halls is not lost on him, no indeed. But Hades is right. This is hardly the time for lecture, nor the time to display relief.
It is the time for something else though. And as he hurries after him, past this passage and unto something entirely different- an area filled to the brim with varying samples of flora- he speaks.]
A fair number, yes. But there is something strange about them. They all have the same-
[Colour. Even with multiple examples of the same species, there was variance. They might be the same colour, yes. But there are lightenings, darkenings, and everything, normally, is unique in a number of tiny aspects to reflect things such as experience, inherited traits, even. In some, little variances indicate personality.
Which makes these identical creatures odd. Clones? And there's something just beyond his vision that-
He's moving again?!]
Oh, won't you please wait-
[Hissed quietly, as he hurries on after the other.]
[And it is within this area that Hades' unease continues to needle at him. Here, with all of the varied plantlife in every manner of size, shape and hue, with the gentle trembling of foliage as reflective trails of moisture slide down leaves and stems - here is it difficult to separate what he sees from what he sees. The expanse of the collection is enough to dazzle the eyes, and worse still, there are far too many gardens and shelves and nooks and crevices in which a creature could reasonably hide.]
[Slowing, however, feels tantamount to affixing a target to his back, and so Hades keeps to the pathways, his steps not slowing even as he watches as carefully as he can.]
Oh, yes, because I'm certain they will be most happy to gather together in a clearing somewhere whilst we have a chat.
[No, he won't wait. Hythlodaeus will have to learn to talk and walk at the same time.]
[Another rumble. And here's where he notices the air feels thick, nigh on suffocating. They must be close.]
[What would have been said about it hardly being prudent to storm in is better used in retaining the air in his lungs. So it is bit back, as he makes another attempt at matching the other's brisk pace.
What they stumble upon next however, makes him stop dead in his tracks.
It's... terrible. Truly terrible. It's terrible enough to make him reach for the other boy's arm and jerk him back to behold it. It would be easy to not see it. But in a corner, in the darkness, there is an elder. He, or she, is propped upright in a sitting position, but they are not resting. Nor reclining. Nor relaxing. They are dead. Very much so- a large slash is visible in their cowl, and it is wet with blood.
Assorted pots, planters, samples of earth and seedlings lie in heaps around the elder- as well as a longbow. The plant samples are no doubt fallen from the shelving of which the elder was thrown into. The bow lies, with a quiver, some distance away, the patterns in the blood on the floor suggesting that their last moments were spent scrabbling for it.]
...
[He has to cover his nose, and his mouth- for the choked sound that escapes him... He could not be blamed for it. He had never seen a body without a soul until now, and his grip is tight upon the other boy's wrist.]
[And as Hades is jerked back he doesn't even have a chance to marvel at the force behind it, because his vision is filled with a terribly gruesome sight that he (somehow!) completely passed over in his haste. Even from this distance, it's clear that the scene is entirely wrong. It almost appears unreal.]
[Hades takes it all in, brow furrowing further. The blood is still wet and glistening, the air thick with the coppery stench of it. This would not be the first time he laid eyes upon a body which no longer harbored a soul, yet here, clearly, is the site of an attack. His chest squeezes, teeth grit as the gravity of the loss falls upon him. Whatever happened, happened but recently. And yet...]
[A glance one way, and then the next. The aether here is settled; there's not even the faintest trail of where or whence the soul might have escaped to. Nor of the creature responsible - large, possibly. Horned? (Or was that wound inflicted by claws or teeth?) It all strikes him as strange. He should have caught sight of both, unless it occurred whilst he was fussing with this tagalong. This tagalong who is now...]
[A sigh, as he tries to pull at his wrist enough to wrest the boy's eyes away for a moment so he might regain his awareness.]
Hythlodaeus.
We need to keep moving. There's nothing more that can be done for the elder; not in this place. They are already gone.
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[Even still, as Hythlodaeus prattles on, so does Hades straighten into stunned silence, his mouth gaping open just enough to show the whites of his teeth.]
["Nothing"? An "extensive list"?]
[Oh, he can feel his temper flaring! Hades' fists clench at his sides, his brow creasing in irritation, not yet aware that he is being played. Well, of course he is nowhere near the level of an esteemed member of the Convocation! Yet that does not under any circumstances mean he's willing to accept failure and disgrace for something he has not even lifted a finger towards pursuing. And further, if it seems he rejected this request altogether, suppose he is never called upon again! Before Hythlodaeus can take another step away, Hades lurches forward, hoping to cut him off before the elders catch wind of their conversation.]
Now, hold on! I never said that I couldn't teach you.
[He nods his head at the woefully ill-suited wand, hardly sufficient to channel even the most basic of spells.]
Besides, the Words of Lahabrea are in no position to be troubled with such a request. You and I both know this. If our betters think me the one who ought to teach you, then far be it for me to refuse them.
[But that doesn't mean he has to like it.]
Furthermore, if you can at least promise to take this seriously, I have no doubt that you'd all see marked progress even before nightfall. It may be nothing to you, but I do not fail.
no subject
Mm, yes. I have no doubt someone like you could teach most people quite a great deal... were you so inclined. I would imagine there would be little that's beyond you, in all truth.
[His soul says so, most certainly. Abd that's far more of a reliable guide than mere words or even actions. And as he turns this little wand over in his hands a few times...]
Perhaps we've miscommunicated. I can assure you in all solemnity, I do not intend to waste either your time or mine. The issue with me is hardly commitment. So. Now we know a little more of each other's motivations...
[A little half-turn of that wand again.]
Would you like to try?
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Are you so convinced that you're unlike most people, that you're "beyond help", as you claim? Or are you merely seeking to annoy me?
[He honestly cannot tell in this moment, but it does seem as if the other youth is trying to reach an agreement with him at the very least. He doesn't answer, but he exhales finally, and he continues:]
Be that as it may, the most obvious answer would be to figure out why it is that you're having so much difficulty with magicks in the first place. Why don't you put that useless wand down and begin by explaining your past experiences?
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[Really, he wants to laugh at that. Was this boy normally so suspicious? Did he truly believe that all of this was a ruse? That even the elders were in on it? He doesn't know. And really. He says he would get nothing out of irritating him, but if he were to be completely honest, he would admit it was somewhat (strangely) entertaining to see such baseless dramatics, as they're so very different from every other person that he'd met.
And at his request, the wand, and his shoulder bag, goes away and on the ground.]
...Of course. Though I'm quite sorry to say it is a rather short story. You are aware, I presume, of most needing little instruction to begin manifesting their capacity with regard to aether manipulation. Some rare few need none, and begin the manipulation of basic elements before they can even speak. ...In my case, It is quite the opposite.
I have no issue with creation magick, I'll have you know! Yet other forms of aether manipulation, such as elemental magicks, healing magicks, not to mention illusion, transformation, and bizarrely enough the creation of familiars are all things most find simple enough to begin, yet their affinity with such comes from practice and learning to build upon their initial foundation.
[A rueful smile comes, and his hand makes its way to rest on his own opposite shoulder.]
... Yet they are quite lost to me. I have not the foundation to begin benefitting from either practice nor learning. I've established, through both means, the how. but it is the doing that comes up painfully short.
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[So says Hades, but it's at this point that a few interesting occurrences begin to happen. For one, Hades comes to a realization: this boy is a chatterbox, yes, but he's far from dim and does indeed have a solid understanding of magical theory. Therefore, this cause is not as lost as he has been led to believe.]
[Secondly: he thinks that, perhaps, aware of his own limitations, this Hythlodaeus truly does want to succeed, even despite all of his preemptive apologies.]
[Thirdly: and this last is how Hades outwardly reacts. For the first time in the last five minutes, Hades appears to be truly listening to what Hythlodaeus has to say, and not seeming as if he'd rather be somewhere else altogether. He raises a finger to his chin in honest consideration.]
...all of which suggests that the issue lies in your atunement, or rather, your lack thereof. No amount of study will aid you if you lack the context of knowing exactly how doing these things correctly is supposed to feel.
[And thus does he make a decision.]
Come on, then. Let us leave this place. You can show me outside how you work your creation magicks, and then you'll try a simple fire spell. It will be a small matter to determine where you're going wrong if I see it for myself.
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[Who knows? He might be wrong.
He'll admit though, it is a relief to have his suspicion verified by someone that is said, at least, to have more than a fair idea of what they're doing. Should this other boy, this Hades, be right- then it leads to the question of what could be possibly done to raise this attunement. And with that, he honestly has no idea of what is either practical or possible.
But. He moves, again, to pick up his things. And with a faint smile:]
Yes, let's.
[Upon arrival at their destination, some (mercifully) deserted little square of outdoor land within the complex's boundaries, he sets himself to work. ...Or rather, he glances around considering what to make his work.
Creation magick, of course, isn't something to be freely undertaken when it came to new things. So. Replication should suffice. If he were to recreate a small facet of something already created, there should be little problem. So. He spies an overhanging wysteria, crowned with verdant green leaves, fading downward to purple blossoms, fading further, and further, to white.
That should do.
He closes his eyes.
He extends a single hand.
Aether moves about him, around him, and he concentrates. It flows around him freely- settling into the palm of his hand and settling into form. ...Some adjustments follow. It appears to reform, and reform a few times, and finally...
A purple blossom rests in his hand. And it is given to Hades, whether he accepts it or not.]
There. Now shall I disappoint you?
I will raise you one.
[He sees nothing wrong here, and so he folds his arms, careful not to crush the flower in the process.]
Fine. Cast Fire on me.
[And before Hythlodaeus can protest too much, he adds:]
It will be far easier to tell what you're doing wrong if you direct your aether towards me, that's all. Don't look so stunned - you will do me no harm, so cast it as you always have.
since his eyebrows are protected by that mask, Fine!
Either way, he's saying nothing on it. Instead, he's looking dumbfounded.]
Y-you are quite certain?!
[Fire?! Were he to score some fluke and do it right, then-
Ah, but the other boy has already refuted anything he would have said. So, with a small exhale, and a few steps away...]
...As you say.
And... Should this cause you discomfort, I can only apologize.
[This is markedly different from creation magick. Instead, this time, his aether seems to not become so apparent. It does not flow, and it does not settle. Instead, it seems agitated- spluttering along and barely changing.
...He cannot believe he is to do this.
Silently, he raises his hand, some fire-aspected (for his method is correct) aether forming at the center of his palm. He exhales, flicking his wrist to disperse it and-
-and.
-and?
Hades might feel something akin to teleporting into an (admittedly, hot!) climate. There's a rush of warm air that hits him. Perhaps he may feel the fabric of his cowl, his hood, curling a little at the sudden rush of heat.
Yet that is all. He does not burn. There's scarcely an ember in the folds of his robe.
Hythlodaeus, expression (and screwed shut eyes) concealed by his mask, takes a few immediate steps forward.]
Thank goodness-
[It didn't work. He's grateful! But he's also somewhat ashamed. Mostly grateful.]
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[So, yes. Hades stands there as unflappably as one might imagine while the aether is channeled (poorly) and redirected (also poorly). Never has he seen aether react in such an agitated manner whilst manipulating it into such a basic spell. Oh, he can tell even from here that Hythlodaeus has the general idea of it, but it's wrong. Completely wrong. It's as if something's blocking the fire-aspected aether from truly reacting to the boy's summons, like a blocked passageway, or a tunnel that's been cut off. And hardly does he lift a finger to counteract said aether as it rushes over him in a blast of (mostly harmless) heat and steam, enough to wrinkle the fabric of his robes ever slightly, but little more than that. A few strands of snowy white hair are caught in the disaster, and those do drift down to the ground as overheated and mildly melted fibers.]
"Thank goodness", he says! And what in the name of the star was that supposed to be?
[He shakes his head as if to clear it of what he just witnessed and points a finger at him.]
If you're going to apologize, do so to the aether you just wasted, not to me.
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...And.]
I must confess, it went far better than I had thought it would. In truth, I had half-expected you to suffer the same fate as my last target, of being soaked in water.
[Is he being serious?!]
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[That being said, the next words that reach his ears leave him looking entirely baffled.]
Do tell me you're not being serious. How could you possibly manage such a thing when the aether you're gathering is fire-aspected?
[A part of him does want to help, actually. As a mage, he would see that anyone else wanting to pursue the art further has access to the resources and answers they require for learning and improvement. On the other hand, however... Oh, he can see a headache coming from a malm away.]
today hyth found his favourite thing in the world.
...Might he? Really?
His face betrays him as he answers, by such a terrible little smile appearing at the very corners of his mouth.]
Well. It was warm water, at the very least! ...Nothing short of scalding, in fact. Why- the entire ordeal made me quite glad the dummies of which we usually practice upon do not have skin! For it would have been-
[Yeah, he can't. His smile has spread and spread, and honestly, he knows not what causes it. Is it the look of sheer astonishment on the other boy's face, the way his voice tilts upward as if he truly cannot believe that anything could twist and break the laws of magic to such an extent...
It's too much. It's far, far, far too much. And he laughs!
He laughs, and he laughs, into a hand. And with his eyes practically shining-]
Surely you would not believe-
[Oh, he's off again.]
now he really is playing with fire.
Enough! I will suffer this no longer. Trouble another, if you must, but I haven't the time nor the patience for this... this nonsense!
[He did not come here to be made a joke of, for now he is all but certain that he is being toyed with. Rigidly, Hades straightens and turns on his heel, and with a single wave of his free hand does he quiet and disperse the few stray threads of aether which had wanted to (and yet somehow could not) form themselves properly into a ball of flame. In his fury, he has all but forgotten he yet clutches the little wisteria stem - tightly, oh so tightly, as he marches away.]
[Cooperation can never end well, of this he is all too sure. It still burns fresh: the humiliation of his latest spell. Oh, it was and is such a magnificent thing! But in the hands of a less adept classmate with whom it was freely shared, it had proven utterly disastrous, leaving Hades to watch in guilt and utter shame as three of his fellows were ushered away for treatment. And that, only one such tale; he has an entire bookshelf filled with them.]
[Indeed, he was foolish to ever answer the summons.]
burn baby, burn
He extends an arm, hoping to catch his sleeve, his elbow- anything really- but it falls woefully short.]
Oh, don't be like that! I only intended to-
[Hythlodaeus was many things, already. He was an impish sort, yes. One that was whimsical, even prone to find unbidden humour in situations most would not- but he was not insensitive. ...Or at least, he had hoped he was not. In a situation like this- where someone else would only see vehement, unchecked anger, his gift allows him to spy no small amount of hurt.
And...
He would hope he was not to be a person who caused hurt.
So it is for that reason he starts to pursue the other at a brisk pace- no, practically running- to keep up with such a determined march. And-]
Please, wait!
[What he sees in the distance, just beyond Hades, causes him to stop. Is that two elders? And are they running toward them?]
Hades...?
[What is even going on?]
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[Hades' march never once slows. Not, at least, until he becomes aware of two elders hurrying swiftly towards them. It's at this point that he lifts his head, his determined frown momentarily subsiding as he takes a few hurried steps in their direction.]
Forgive me, but is something amiss?
[Perfectly respectful, then. And to his inquiry do the elders explain in haste that something is indeed very wrong. That they would do well to leave the area. A group of creatures have escaped, they say, quite dangerous ones formed before a proper review. Those creations are now wreaking no small amount of havoc, and have yet to be contained. In fact, the Convocation itself has been notified, and even now authorities have been sent for to help bring the situation under control.]
...Creatures, you say? Here?
[Hades' attention shifts beyond them to where he can hear distant shouts and the boom of magicks colliding with the physical. He squints, trying to see further, and only barely manages it before the elders advise them again, firmly, to leave this place and hurry along their way.]
[Well, then. The sensible side of Hades would follow their counsel, but. Rather than retreading his course, Hades makes a choice and hastens onwards towards the source of the chaos.]
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To think that something, let alone a group of things, even could get out of their containment units within Akademia Anyder... The thought alone is harrowing. And as the elders repeat their warning before hurrying along on their way, the fact Hades appears to be near bolting toward the source of such danger is galling.]
Wait!
[By the time he's caught up, it is when Hades is busying himself with undoing the magick the elders from earlier had placed upon the entrance in order to deal it proper. And oh- he's well and truly out of breath, doubled- his palms pressing into his knees, arms straightened, to try and force air into his lungs.
And-]
You cannot be serious. You heard them, did you not? The matter is in hand, and we are not allowed entry even when all is well!
[He straightens up, having caught his breath, but alas. There's a distinctive click- and the magickal sigil shimmers once, then fades.]
What exactly do you intend to do in there?!
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[Oh, except it would seem he still has company - although he isn't entirely sure why. Hades does feel a slight pang of guilt that the other boy is winded from following him, but then, that was entirely his own decision, now, wasn't it? Only his eyes turn to regard him, and then he's placing a hand upon the door. He doesn't seem the least bit afraid, even though he certainly understands the gravity of the situation.]
Exactly as you suspect. I'm going to subdue the creatures until more help can arrive.
[Yet, before he goes any further, he adds:]
You should leave. Make sure the door shuts behind me completely, and then get as far away as you can. This is no place for someone who can't even defend himself, and I am through with being your nursemaid. Have the elders assign someone else to teach you.
[It won't even matter if he cannot manage it, not when he can prove himself in another, far more meaningful, way.]
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He stands, rigid after he straightens, his gaze turning to the tiled floor they stand upon. ...There was no way this Hades would permit him entry alongside him. But he simply couldn't go alone. So...]
...As you say.
[No, he's not just going to leave him. That, while not apparent, is something decided then and there. He moves to the door, reaching out unto it to hold it open. And perhaps some aether from him (quietly, and without any signal) flows unto it. What element his contribution was... really, he hardly knew.
It hardly mattered.
If Hades undid the ward the elders had placed to seal it by simply doing the opposite of the elemental patterns holding it closed... then his own little contribution would ensure that when Hades undoes his spell and the door should lock again, it would not. For the balance, with his input, had been well and truly upset.
...Hopefully.
He stands by the door as if to hold it open, and when Hades passes through, his voice is low.]
Have care.
[Should he pass through and go on his way, Hades would hear the door close. Hythlodaeus remains on the other side, even when he sees the other's magick fade from the thing... and he counts.
One minute, two...
Silently, he opens the door.
And he slips inside.]
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[And indeed, he wastes no time passing through the door which is held open for him, casting one last glance over his shoulder.]
...Right. And the same to you.
[No condescension hides within those words. In fact, they hold the same level of respectability with which Hades addressed the elders. But he can't afford to drag his heels, and so he hurries along down the wide, dim corridor.]
[After a moment of thought he focuses, and he imagines. The aether gathers around him slow but sure, curling into the form of a winged shade, solid enough but generally nondescript. He hasn't the time nor the experience yet to conjure up anything overly complex, but even this should serve him well in an effort to scout ahead and gain more information about the creatures he must face. And so he beckons it go as he follows behind, scanning his surroundings for anything amiss. The air itself seems troubled, tense with vibrations. There's something distinctly wrong about it, yet he cannot pinpoint the exact source of it all.]
Strange...
[His voice is no louder than a whisper, but his steps slow and he looks a bit deeper, reaching out to the very edges of his perception where something, something flickers at the outermost edge.]
[Wait. Behind...?]
[He whirls then, taking on a defensive stance as he raises his weapon aloft, already summoning forth the aether he requires for his spell. Only then does he hear a monstrous rumble from an entirely different direction.]
--What?!
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Most would be ill at ease in such an environment. Most would be startled by the tendency of varying implements from a hastily abandoned lecture- tools, instruments of measurement, models, and everything in between- to cast shadow against the light of the aquariums- to give an indication of danger where there is not- but not him.
He has his eyes, yes. But he uses them differently to most. his sight rarely focused on the material or the tangible, so the shadows, the flickering light is simply not perceived, and thus his imagination does not play tricks on him.
He keeps moving- down unto the area where Mitron themselves would deliver their lecture unto their Words, to the side and down a narrow corridor, to a small area where Mitron would likely call a small office. Ah, another small corridor and-]
--Uwah!
[Oh, that was an unseemly sound. But he's collided with Hades. The aether of him, and the spell he is so close to completing (and unleashing on him!) is all but blinding, making said collision a foregone conclusion, really. But then it fades, it vanishes, the other boy's aether distinctly darkens and-
That rumbling.
Immediately, he turns around- to see a new passageway, beyond a platform surrounded with water, open.]
...Yes, I know. You're furious. But I could not let you go alone.
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[He doesn't want to believe what he's seeing, but here it is standing before him in all its insufferable glory. Hythlodaeus. And already he can feel his temper curling. Why in the name of all that is good on Etheirys has he followed him here??]
I am furious! [He hisses at him in a rush.] I told you to stay behind for a reason. If I'd recognized your color even a second later, you would have eaten my spell!
[But now is hardly the time for a lecture. Hades turns back around to see a new passageway yawning open before them and the shade he'd sent earlier zipping back as if its very existence depends on it.]
...whatever the cause, there's little question that it yet lies ahead. A fair number of them, from the feel of it.
[He casts Hythlodaeus a scathing look, utterly lost behind his mask, and resumes walking. He doubts the boy will turn back at this point, but neither does he wish to encourage him. Surely he has enough sense to keep himself from harm's way...although considering he just crashed into him, that too elicits doubt.]
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It is the time for something else though. And as he hurries after him, past this passage and unto something entirely different- an area filled to the brim with varying samples of flora- he speaks.]
A fair number, yes. But there is something strange about them. They all have the same-
[Colour. Even with multiple examples of the same species, there was variance. They might be the same colour, yes. But there are lightenings, darkenings, and everything, normally, is unique in a number of tiny aspects to reflect things such as experience, inherited traits, even. In some, little variances indicate personality.
Which makes these identical creatures odd. Clones? And there's something just beyond his vision that-
He's moving again?!]
Oh, won't you please wait-
[Hissed quietly, as he hurries on after the other.]
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[Slowing, however, feels tantamount to affixing a target to his back, and so Hades keeps to the pathways, his steps not slowing even as he watches as carefully as he can.]
Oh, yes, because I'm certain they will be most happy to gather together in a clearing somewhere whilst we have a chat.
[No, he won't wait. Hythlodaeus will have to learn to talk and walk at the same time.]
[Another rumble. And here's where he notices the air feels thick, nigh on suffocating. They must be close.]
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[What would have been said about it hardly being prudent to storm in is better used in retaining the air in his lungs. So it is bit back, as he makes another attempt at matching the other's brisk pace.
What they stumble upon next however, makes him stop dead in his tracks.
It's... terrible. Truly terrible. It's terrible enough to make him reach for the other boy's arm and jerk him back to behold it. It would be easy to not see it. But in a corner, in the darkness, there is an elder. He, or she, is propped upright in a sitting position, but they are not resting. Nor reclining. Nor relaxing. They are dead. Very much so- a large slash is visible in their cowl, and it is wet with blood.
Assorted pots, planters, samples of earth and seedlings lie in heaps around the elder- as well as a longbow. The plant samples are no doubt fallen from the shelving of which the elder was thrown into. The bow lies, with a quiver, some distance away, the patterns in the blood on the floor suggesting that their last moments were spent scrabbling for it.]
...
[He has to cover his nose, and his mouth- for the choked sound that escapes him...
He could not be blamed for it. He had never seen a body without a soul until now, and his grip is tight upon the other boy's wrist.]
...
[There are no words. He is horrified.]
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[And as Hades is jerked back he doesn't even have a chance to marvel at the force behind it, because his vision is filled with a terribly gruesome sight that he (somehow!) completely passed over in his haste. Even from this distance, it's clear that the scene is entirely wrong. It almost appears unreal.]
[Hades takes it all in, brow furrowing further. The blood is still wet and glistening, the air thick with the coppery stench of it. This would not be the first time he laid eyes upon a body which no longer harbored a soul, yet here, clearly, is the site of an attack. His chest squeezes, teeth grit as the gravity of the loss falls upon him. Whatever happened, happened but recently. And yet...]
[A glance one way, and then the next. The aether here is settled; there's not even the faintest trail of where or whence the soul might have escaped to. Nor of the creature responsible - large, possibly. Horned? (Or was that wound inflicted by claws or teeth?) It all strikes him as strange. He should have caught sight of both, unless it occurred whilst he was fussing with this tagalong. This tagalong who is now...]
[A sigh, as he tries to pull at his wrist enough to wrest the boy's eyes away for a moment so he might regain his awareness.]
Hythlodaeus.
We need to keep moving. There's nothing more that can be done for the elder; not in this place. They are already gone.
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And so it begins.
so it does!
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He's going to recite this back to him when they elope for real I hope you realize.
eloping yes yes yes
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