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Of Elves and Fae; For Shirine. <3
Topic Started: Tue Jul 21, 2015 11:34 pm (897 Views)
Volare
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It was but a day that had passed since she had come here. Yet in that time, Volare felt better than she had since coming to Imythess. She had spoken briefly with some of the Elves, finding them far more pleasant in manner and speech than the other races - especially the humans that she had come to loathe completely, of course. Yet only Shirine and Carol had been with her extensively, and she had shared more with Shirine than a bit of training in swordplay…a lot more. The Elves herein had kept her in bed, sadly, and they were just as stubborn (yet gentle about it) as Shirine had been. It was, for lack of a better term, “pleasantly irritating”.

Volare pulled her arms back as far as they would go, squeezing her shoulder blades together and very much resembling a living crossbow. Then she rolled her shoulders, slowly easing the tension in them as she had been shown to do. She stretched every muscle in her body, and felt both temporarily exhausted and semi-permanently refreshed thereafter. She popped her neck and her toes, flexed her muscles just a bit more, and then started moving around her room to work out the kinks. Her attendant had finally left, as the woman - whose name she had unfortunately not learned - had others to which she must attend. While Volare was grateful for the healing, she was glad to be alone once more.

Alone with her thoughts…

She took several deep breaths as she stretched and moved around. She was surprised to find that there was no stiffness, no ache, and no physical sense of loss as there had been previously. She had become so accustomed to such things that she had ceased to think of them at all. But now, with proper Elven care, she realized just how sore she had been and just how much damage had been done to her body. Thankfully, there would be no last damage beyond what was done to her back…and that, according to the Elves, was irreparable.

She stood before the mirrored screen and looked at her back now. The scabs had returned but they looked far healthier, and she could already see the stitches that the Elf maid had used dissolving. It would take a week, she had been told, for the scabs to become scar tissue. But already, the wounds had sealed enough that she could fight if she had to. A greater feeling of stamina and strength had returned to her now than she had felt since…

Her features darkened and she shook such thoughts away. This was a time for healing, not mourning. She had mourned enough already. Yet the dark look remained, for she felt anger once more. She had endured her time of mourning; now she was healing. Soon, she would be building herself up. Eventually…eventually, she hoped to be as fierce a warrior as Shirine. She dared not think that she would ever been the nature-bound sorceress that she once had been but if nothing else, she could become dangerous enough to survive Imythess.

She stepped out from behind the screen and picked up her attire. It shifted like water in her hands, taking on the luster of Elven garb and a light shade of green that reminded her of some of the lighter-hued ever-green trees she had seen in Imythess. The Elves had called it a sea-green colour; she wouldn’t know about that, as she had always seen a blue ocean, even in Taras.

She turned when she heard the door open, quickly covering herself. She blushed slightly but that quickly faded. She stepped behind the screen. She liked being in naught but her skin, for it felt natural and comfortable. But she needed clothing to be around others. She let her wardrobe outfit shift around her, enveloping her swiftly and silently in its folds. The garment became a long-sleeved shirt and breeches that were snug but comfortably so; they would conform to her as needed, loosening and tightening as she desired. Also formed were a pair of gray Elven boots that blended nicely with the outfit.

Volare followed Elven custom by inclining her head and shoulders slightly. She didn’t even feel any tightness in her movements. Elven medicine was truly incredible. She never would have believed anything like this could have come from something other than magic, although she wouldn’t have been at all surprised if magic had been mingled with mundane practices. Shirine had wrapped her wounds, after all, and that was certainly not magical in any way. She wondered what Shirine thought about those wounds but she wasn’t going to bring it up if the woman before her didn’t. It wasn’t something she liked to talk about.

Unsure what to say, she waited in awkward silence that would hopefully be brief.
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Shirine
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Shirine awoke after sleeping for over twenty four hours. She was a little surprised to find she had shifted back into eleven form and found a simple grey elven dress near her. She rarely wore dresses, but did not mind and she slipped it on. She noted she smelled terrible. Someone had cleaned the worst off, but she still needed a bath. The dress fit well enough if a bit right around the chest. It seemed to make her red hair stand out a lot.

She foind an elf outside the room she was in and after askint a few questions she walked down a couple doors to were she was told Colare was staying. She went in to see how she was doing. "Hi Volare... I hope you are doing better? I ummm just wanted to check on you before going to take a bath."

She found her self blushing and looking nervous. She had just done something that was highly embaressing to Volare and she hopped it had not given a bad impression. Shirine had few friends and worried about such thints at times. Especiallu when she did not have a job or task to focus on. There was other reasons for her embaressed look too as part of her was remebering how Volare felt on her arms. It was not an intentional thought, but certainly an embaressing one.
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Volare
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Volare nodded slowly.

”I seem to have mended somewhat,” she said after a moment.

She had been given two baths thus far, one upon her arrival after her make-shift bandages had been removed; her wounds had been cleaned, she had been cleaned, and then her wounds had been redressed before she was put to bed to heal and rest. The second bath had been just an hour before, and her skin was finally starting to dry. Her hair was still wet, yet it had been braided in Elven fashion; a peony had been used for a “nice touch”, as the unnamed Elven mad had called it, giving her an extra splash of colour just where her braid met the back of her skull. She thought it was unnecessary, yet she couldn’t deny the small thrill she felt at having the flower in her hair.

”They don’t want me to leave right away,” she continued, ”although I can train. ‘If I must’, the woman told me…I don’t know her name.”

She shook her head, her braid bouncing a bit.

”But I don’t need to leave. I can train here.”

Volare lowered her eyes a bit, and her voice was a little lower when she spoke as well. It was almost somber, her tone…humbled, perhaps, by the events to which she had thus far been subjected and the courtesy of the Elves.

”I…” she began.

She cleared her throat before raising her eyes to those of Shirine once more.

”Thank you.”

It was all she could say. She had no other words.
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Shirine
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Shirine was surprised at the words and still blushing simply nodded and responded briefly, "Ah your welcome it was just what I had to do. Also try to relax a little. A wise instructor once told me that people should not train too hard or they end up undoing their own training. Just make sure to focus on getting well okay...."

She wanted to say how pretty she found Volare with the slightly damp braid and the flower.... and oh dear her eyes were wandering did Volare see?.... think of something to say.... Her gaze had been becoming quite obvious without her realizing. She had relaxedoto much from relief of their ordeal being over. She thus blurted out a question in a pointless atempt to cover up her actions, "Umm thoz e wounds looked older than the fight, but still pretry fresh....Who did that to you? If they are alive I need to help with fixing that...

Shoot she was doing really badly now. Why ask about that of all things stupid stupid stupid. I should just run towards the nath now..... she did not run to the bath though her pride not letting her do something so unditnified. She would wait and listen to the response and hopefully Volare was not roo offended by her actions... please let it work out she thought to herself.
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Volare
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Volare averted her eyes momentarily. She had no intention of relaxing. She didn’t want to improve her skills with a blade; she needed to. If the quest she’d just undertaken was any indication, she was still far too inexperienced. Perhaps taking a job once she got back to the guild hall would help. She could certainly use the gold, although she wasn’t certain just yet for what…which reminded her, in fact, that they needed to contact the person responsible for this job to let them know that it was done. It hadn’t been flawless - anything but, in fact - but it was done. Perhaps they’d be sent on another job later to finish off the other lich - or perhaps the lich would come after them. In either instance, improving her skill with a blade was not optional.

When she looked at Shirine again, she saw the Elf maid’s eyes wandering. It tempted her own eyes to do the same. The dress fit her well, hugging her curves in just the right places and leaving just enough to the imagination to…ahem. She held back a smile, her lips barely twitching as she did so. It would have only been a small smile but…well…point being, it felt good to be admired - but respectfully so, as opposed to…

…as opposed to what those filthy humans were doing.

Once more, she pushed such thoughts back. Then came the blurted question that made her blink rapidly. Now that the question had been openly put before her, she could not stop her eyes from taking on an entirely different tone. Such thing as what had been done to her - repeatedly, no less - could never be forgotten or forgiven. She had not managed to kill a single human that had taken her or tortured her; she had been passed around like a party favor and that was the least of what had been done to her. But she had escaped, and that was all that mattered. She had probably been forgotten already. But if she ever saw those humans again, they would never forget her when she was through with them.

”That is something I must deal with alone,” she said at last. ”For now, at least.”

She did not say it unkindly but it needed to be said. Some demons could not be faced by others.

She simply wasn’t ready.
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Shirine
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Shirine felt a little surprised as she felt like she had seen a similar gaze to her own one from Volare... could she .... maybe....

Still she almost felt disappointed when Volare rejected her help, but then realized she would feel the same about Wethrin. Only she or her sister could kill that things and Volare obviously felt the same about her tormentors. It even let her know what to say next.

"I think I understand, but if you ever need anyone to help clear the path to your targets then just ask....

She paused for an awkward second, but spoke again before Volare could respond. "Umm... right I still have to go take a bath so excuse me...I will be back in a hour.....also before I go I must say you look really... really beautiful!"

Having said it she left quickly. Clearly embarrassed and not used to saying anything like how beautiful someone was. If it hadn't been clear that one comment had made clear that she was attracted to Volare.

As soon as she was out of sight she almost ran her heart beating. Wondering how she had said that. Soon she had found the baths and soaked her self in it trying to cool her head. She spent a good amount of time in the bath and even longer drying her long hair. She spent time brushing it out until she had all the snarls out of it. She even spent a little time styling it a little. She even adjusted her form a bit. Being with the elves made her relax and while full tiger was too much she didn't feel like hiding it was really her either. She ended up focusing a bit and having her ears come out and her tail as well. The tail snaked out just a bit from under her borrowed dress. Her eyes also looked feline though that part was unintentional.

It felt nice to be clean, but the closer she got to Volare's room the more she worried. She had jut run off after that. She had stayed because of that awkward question, but then run when she just gave Volare a complement.... Shirine just couldn't make sense of her own actions anymore when it came to these things.

She knocked on the door before entering and once she entered she looked a bit shy simply saying, "Hi again." Her tail twitched slightly nervously back and forth causing her dress to swish back and forth a bit.

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Volare
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Volare nodded curtly, though disrespect wasn’t her intention. It was just an awkward situation all around. But when Shirine complimented her suddenly and then left the room, there was but a single word that could be used to describe Volare’s features: shocked. She knew Shirine had been looking at her; she had been giving Shirine the same looks. Even though she had smelled, Shirine was a lovely Elf. But to actually hear the compliment aloud…well, she didn’t know what to say about that. She heard the faint footsteps beyond the door moving quickly away, as though Shirine wished to flee from the embarrassment of the situation.

Only after Shirine had left did Volare find warmth in her cheeks. She cleared her throat and turned toward the window. Walking toward it slowly, she leaned upon the sill. Her room looked out over a community garden for this neighborhood, one in which many things grew; there were several different fruits and vegetables, a large variety of flowers, and some plants that she didn’t recognize. Resting on the sill for a few moments, she found herself internally debating her opinion of the various flowers that she saw. She knew all about lilies but had never seen hydrangeas or peonies before. The peonies were all right, she supposed, but she really liked the hydrangeas.

She had spoken briefly about the garden beyond her window with the unnamed elf, who had identified a few of the things in the garden. She had learned about potatoes, which were apparently a staple in Imythess; she had learned about carrots and corn, although she was told that the tiny cobs grown in this particular garden were used as garnishments for feasts; and she had learned about hydrangeas, peonies, tulips, roses, rhododendrons, and cattails. The cattails she thought were rather funny but they, along with onions, grew wild in many different places throughout Gwyllion. She was finding that she really liked the hydrangeas, the rhododendrons, and the tulips; she liked the peonies well enough but not as much as the others. The roses she could leave or take as she pleased.

She had been told that there would be freshly spiced baked potatoes with butter as part of the evening meal. She would have to taste them then to see if she liked them. She’d been told that there would also be corn cobs, roast boar, freshly baked rolls, cranberry sauce - a household favorite that she’d also have to taste - and stewed carrots. This was apparently a usual meal for the household into which she’d been brought. She had told the unnamed Elf maid that she’d have to skip the roast boar, however. She had never partaken of the meat that had been hunted by the humans and she refused to partake of it now.

Finally, though, her thoughts turned to her homeland and what she must begin to do. She needed to build herself up once more. If she could not unleash the full fury of nature upon those who had wronged her and so many others in Gwyllion, then she would have to see what she could learn in this place instead. She could produce only small magical affects now, and the two spells she had learned came to her only with difficulty. If she could figure out a way to increase her mana or discover a source of mana that would allow her to cast more easily, it would certainly be helpful. There was a small library in the household and shelves full of books in every room, including this one.

She looked around at the simple furnishings now: a well-wrought oaken bed with a soft mattress and pillows topped by silken sheets; a mirrored screen and a simple yet sturdy oaken stool supported by three strong legs; a chest of drawers and a wardrobe; and a small book-case in the corner with a small desk and chair beside it. A single candle, not currently lit, sat in its silver holder upon one corner of the desk and a quill and ink well rested upon the other. There were rolls of parchment in the drawers, she’d been told, as well as small supplies for various purposes.

She approached the book-case now and perused its shelves. All of the books were labeled in Elvish, of course, but most of them were theoretical or philosophical in nature. One of them in particular caught her eye: Guiding Principles for Neophytic Practices. Pulling it from the shelf, she paged through it briefly. She saw a lot about the basic principles of Imythessian magic and sat down in the chair to read more. When she came to a table of contents for a list of elemental spells, which were apparently in common use by many Elves of the woodland realms, she noted in particular the mention of both the Create Water and Gust spells. She knew both of these but wondered if there was anything new about them. She soon found that there was.

She was doing it all wrong, apparently. Magic in Imythess was more than simply an invocation. It wasn’t just feeling the magic, either, but focusing upon every aspect of it. Whereas druids and Fae could wield powerful magic by instinct alone, others apparently could not. So to cast more easily, she would have to meditate in order to improve her concentration. She followed the techniques in the book to the letter but it wasn’t long before Shirine had returned.

When her Elven friend knocked, she didn’t answer at first. Bare-footed again and sitting cross-legged upon the bed with her hands upon her knees, she had closed her eyes and attempted to focus on a single point - an eagle’s eyrie, in this case. She had cast the Gust spell several times, and each time, she’d had to flip back to the page about meditation for the purpose of focusing on one’s objective. Yet each time, the spell came to her only slowly. It was like trying to draw water from a muddy well. In short, it was frustrating. But when she realized that Shirine had knocked, she gave up.

”Enter,” she said.

And enter she did. She greeted Shirine as pleasantly as Shirine had first greeted her. Then she looked at the book lying open before her upon the bed, partly in irritation and partly with longing.

”Your magic is strange,” she said. ”Difficult…even simple techniques for concentration.”

She shook her head.

”I’ve never felt out of my element before. I’ve always had such a command of nature…I used to be so in sync with it."

There was a small bit of sadness in her eyes as she spoke.

"I would commune with the trees as often as I breathed; listen to the whispering of the grasses; heed the laughter and howling of the wind."

Finally, her eyes returned to those of her Elven friend once more. She noticed that they looked feline, possibly to match Shirine's ears and the tail that was currently swishing from side to side. She said nothing about this, however. By now, it seemed completely normal.

"But now…”

She shrugged.
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Shirine
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Apparently Shirine had over thought the entire thing as she had not expected those comments. Still it seemed like something Volare was concerned with. Shirine tried her best to respond. Perhaps it was just an off hand comment, but well she would try.

"Well I can't say much about magic. I never had any talent for magic really. Most of my powers are just physical skill and instinctual abilities. Any magic I have is pretty much from what my ancestors left in my blood and sort of natural powers like my transformation abilities.

I wish I could help more, but as said not really my thing."


She wasn't quite sure what else to say, but wanted to cheer Volare up some how and then thought of one of the questions she asked of the elf when she first woke up.

"Oh yeah I may not be able to help with magic, but I can help get some new powers. I know we sort of talked about it at a bad time, but if you want to try and become a were like me the next full moon is in about five days. That would be the ideal time to do it."

Her tail continued to twitch a little nervously, but her ears had perked up a bit at mentioning the full moon. It was sort of an interesting time for her as she always felt powerful and full of energy at that time.
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Volare
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Volare nodded. No, magic did not seem to be her “thing”. She was used to utilizing the raw power and speed of her animal form, unleashing the fury and ferocity of an angry tigress upon whomever - or whatever - got in her way. She was powerful, it was true. She recalled the conversation they’d had before, how she’d found the amount of power contained in Shirine’s body impressive. Her healing abilities and stamina were remarkable on their own. The bite would almost certainly be painful but she had been through much, much worse than a simple bite. She sighed, pondering the situation.

”Well,” she said at last, ”what is the transformation itself like?”

She couldn’t help but want to know every aspect of what was to come. Perhaps Shirine could not help her with magic but if she could greatly increase her power, giving her a severe advantage over her enemies, she would be grateful for such a gift. A little pain was not out of the question, she supposed, as far as a price for power was concerned. She had never thought of herself as an ambitious woman - what need had she for ambition? Or avarice, for that matter? Or jealousy or spite, or envy, or anger…and yet, with her now-violent recent past…

”Is it painful? Is it quick?”

She also wondered how long it took for the transformation to take effect. She wasn’t worried about increased difficulty in controlling it; Shirine would help her with that, she was certain. But pain and difficulty aside, she would take any advantage she could at this point. Shirine had already mentioned the risks of losing control but with her help, Volare doubted she would have too much trouble with it. Besides, the whole affair would strengthen her bond with the natural world once more and take her mind off of things - for a while, at least.

She desperately needed to take her mind off of things.
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Shirine considered this first question a bit and sadly she wasn't sure. She had gaps in her memory and so she did not remember her first transformation, but she had heard third party descriptions. She decided to be honest for now.

"I don't know my self being a natural I probably never had pain, but I can't actually remember that stage of my life.....

The good news is after the first time it is pretty fast and painless. The bad news is the first time is anything but. SI have heard others describe it and well one used the term it was like being on fire from the inside out. Another said it was like being stabbed by millions of needles... anyways you get the idea. Though I have heard the first transformation takes different amounts of time for everyone. It sometimes is fast and sometimes slow taking up to fifteen minutes to finish.

I do know that a strong understanding of your own body helps. Monks are supposed to do pretty well since they focus on body and mind in their monasteries. Perhaps we can look into some training here to help you get some focus on yourself. I have been wanting to improve my martial arts too, but never had time. Many elves practice as a way to improve concentration too, so we can probably find a mentor.

I am sure I can convince the doctors to allow it as long as promise to go slow. No fast movements, just practice things slowly. Actually slow is a better work out believe it or not."



While talking Shirine moved over next to Volare on the bed, assuming Volare didn't object. As she moved over she was getting sort of excited about the entire idea and her tail was going up and even lifting her dress a bit. It clearly wasn't intentional and it lowered a bit curling to the side as she sat down.

Not sure if it was alright she admired Volare a bit before settling down and looking her in the eye again. It was sort of a nervous glance as if checking if such actions were occasionally alright. She had so little experience in this area that she just didn't know. Volare was really pretty she thought...
Edited by Shirine, Wed Jul 22, 2015 4:54 am.
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Volare
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Volare pondered the words carefully, turning them over in her mind. So there would be pain, and it most likely would not be over quickly. In a way, it made sense. Her body would be, in a sense, both reverting to a more primal form and undergoing a transformation into an entirely new one. The change, if it was anywhere near as complete as Shirine’s own, was as profound as it was unique; if one’s own body and mind were key to it, and she did not see how they could not be, then what she had been doing for the last forty-five minutes or so was imperative for more than just Imythessian magic. Greater focus and concentration might improve her ability to draw mana or even allow her to enhance the power and range of her spells; but it might also allow her to more easily make the transition from a pure-blood Fae into a weretigress fae - assuming, of course, that the end result was at least similar (if not the same).

Volare moved over a little to allow for more room on the bed and shifted her book without closing it.

”So…would the form be the same, then? The animal? Or is that different as well?”

For all Volare knew, the transformation might have brought out almost any animal form. It was likely that the animal form was the same but if Shirine could control her forms, then perhaps she could control how they appeared as well - not just which parts but also the patterns upon her fur, the length of her tail, and so forth. If she could learn to do such a thing, perhaps Volare could as well. If that was the case, her forms truly would become a fluid part of her - not just something she became when the moon was full.
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Shirine got another tough question, but she somehow knew the answer to this one. A piece of memory she didn't quite know she had. It made her wonder briefly on her lost memories, but she had long gotten used to the blank spots in her past.

"Well most of the time a person is the same creature as the one biting them. However, there are a few cases of them turning out differently. They are never outside of the animal's family though. Thus no matter what my bite would make you a were-feline of some sort.

I have gotten better at controlling myself with time, but to do things like I am with just the ears and tail took a lot of work and practice, but I have never been anything, but a tiger.... though actually now that I think about it haven't really experimented much with that aspect of my abilities much, so I guess I don't know the full limits. Hmm..."


Her ears twitched a bit betraying a slight curiosity at the thought as she really hadn't tried out transforming besides as a tiger.
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It seemed that a bond with nature was becoming inevitable, especially since it seemed as instinctive as the magic that Volare had once held. To her, she had never been anything but a creature of the sky who sometimes lit upon the ground simply to rest her tired wings. An unbreakable connection with nature that gave her both command over it and a deep, communal respect for it had been something unspoken yet very real nonetheless. It had simply been what she was. But now, she was as weak and powerless as she was mortal. Her mortality had been proven to her in the most brutal and terrible of ways.

There was clearly quite a lot that Shirine didn’t know. Yet what she did seem to know was as natural to her as Volare’s wings had been to Volare. It was an interesting comparison, a cat and a bird. Indeed, the Fae - the true Fae, from which all others had presumably descended - were more bird-like than anything else. Bats had been considered birds once, and at some point, their species had interbred. Feathers had been used for dazzling displays, either to lure those of the opposite sex or to distract or frighten predators, and the complete control that Volare had once held over her own body had allowed her to change the colour of her feathers at will; yet the undersides and structure of those wings had been more bat-like than anything, giving her powerful and graceful flight that was as silent as the moon. Volare had always been something of a creature of the night anyway. And in the same sense, Shirine had apparently always been a tigress; the changing of her form was completely natural to her.

While the prospect of shifting in and of itself was as fascinating to Volare as the night sky, however, she couldn’t deny that she was mostly interested in the power such a form would give her. If she could harness that power - if she could, with Shirine’s training, overcome her bestial instincts long enough for them to merge with her intelligent and clever Fae mind - she could truly become a force to be reckoned with. Even without magic, she would become a lethal opponent indeed. And if that were possible, then she would only grow more powerful as she spent more time in Imythess.

She nodded finally, withdrawing gradually from her thoughts.

”Five days,” she said, almost to herself. ”Then it is decided.”

She nodded again and turned to Shirine once more.

”If you are willing,” she told her, ”then so am I.”

Volare looked back at the book she had been reading. She wondered whether the Elf maid would let her keep it; such a thing might be useful and it would give her more of an opportunity to study its contents.

"In the meantime, who would we speak with regarding training my concentration?"

She gestured toward the page she had been reading.

"This book details not only the basic principles of Imythessian magic but methods of drawing mana as well. Concentration is considered of paramount importance, and meditation is said to be the best way to do this. It details one technique but I wonder if the Elves can teach me more than what this book holds. If concentration can be applied to magic, perhaps it can be applied to the change as well."
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Shirine shrugged her shoulders a bit. "I don't know really haven't asked about that yet. We can probably ask someone here, but after sleeping I sort of want to move and I bet you do even more. Lets go for a walk and find someone who does. I am sure a small walk around the village won't do any harm. It isn't too big as far as villages go. I am betting even the doctor can complain as long as you take it easy and I am with you. So shall we go figure these thing out."

Assuming Volare had no objects to the idea. She got up and then offered her arm to Volare like a gentleman might to a lady. It wasn't just to help her up either as she left it bent a little so she could hold on if she wanted. Shirine didn't know where this action came from, but it felt like an old habit, but she never remembered doing it before. It felt right to her some how even though it wasn't what women did. Still she went with it.

Regardless of how Volare reacted to Shirine's offered arm they probably wouldn't make it far until they ran into the elven lass who had been helping take care of them. Of course the first question from her was, "Well now where are you two going? "Not sure yet just wanted to take a short walk and my friend Volare had a question I think. I would also like to know if there are any martial arts instructors around here?" "Oh yes there is one about six houses to the west. He does some excellent physical therapy for us at times. Though the head healer wouldn't approve of any strenous exercise for either of you.

And you had some questions miss Volare?"

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Volare cocked an eyebrow and nodded. Indeed, though she didn’t feel as stiff and sore as she had been, she certainly didn’t want to stick around here all day. As interesting as the things she was learning were, she was more apt to learn by doing. It would be wonderful to experience this village first-hand as opposed to merely seeing it through a window. Beside that, though she knew that patience was key in growing, she didn’t like sitting around doing (essentially) nothing. So she eyed the tiny number in the upper left and right corners of the pages, closed the book, and rose with it in her hand. She thought Shirine’s actions were a bit odd but she place her hand in the crook of Shirine’s arm. They had soon emerged into the well-lit yet very shady path just outside.

Whatever beauty had been seen by Volare through her window, not ten but a hundred times that awaited her beyond the front door. The myriad leaves above them shone in so many shades of the same, small palette of colours that it almost seemed as though a rainbow had been created by nature’s canopy. The light from the sun filtered in through many distant holes, creating an odd sort of pin-point effect that dotted the landscape, which was taken up with numerous roots and branches forming into paths; those paths were thick and heavy, sturdy as could be, and merged in such a manner as to create the illusion of the forest floor. She knew that they were much higher than that, of course, but the illusion was there nonetheless. Yet the brilliance of the place gave it the quality of an impressionist painting without losing any of its finer details. Water pooled in various places where the trees had grown into actual platforms, and what seemed almost to be the bark-less trunks of horizontal trees formed paths so broad that it was only the tinier branches growing as bushes might that gave the impression of any sort of direction at all; they lined the various roads and walkways so perfectly that it seemed as though it had been completely coordinated, and yet it was a feat impossible for any but the hand of nature itself.

It was but one of many villages throughout the Norwood Forest, she had been told. Supposedly, they all formed one great city that was collectively known simply as the Norwood Village. But the villages were spread out among the woods, making the dwelling place of the woodland Elves as broad and varied as the woods themselves. As she stepped outside, Volare didn’t even bother to reform her boots. She reveled in the natural feeling of having her bare toes and feet against the trees once more, and yet it was a completely new experience for her, given the manner in which this “village” had been formed.

In short, she was absolutely thrilled with it. One might even say it was love at first sight.

Volare and Shirine found the Elf maid rather quickly after departing, the book still in Volare’s hand. When she was addressed, she held up the book and inquired as to whether she might keep it - for a little while, at least. She told the Elf maid that she wished to study it further. The woman nodded and smiled, glad that Volare had taken an interest in the subject. She also said that she could offer some advice if she was headed toward the more medical side of magic in her interests but Volare shook her head slightly.

”I’m more interested in mastering the basics at this point,” she told the Elf maid. ”I know a little but not enough, and it’s difficult. I’m particularly interested in the use of concentration to improve one’s drawing of mana.”

The woman nodded and said that patience was key; so, too, was relaxation. In order to fully master one’s own mind, one must first master one’s emotions. Volare accepted this with a nod. Then she inquired as to the woman’s name. She was told that it was Illiriel with a smile. It was a beautiful name. Finally, she asked a more important question.

”If meditation is the best method of improving one’s concentration, can it be applied to one’s focus in martial arts as well?” she asked. ”Shirine mentioned both in the same vein, and I’m curious as to whether there are different methods between the two.”

”Ah,”
Illiriel said. ”Now, that is an interesting thing. Yes, the methods are similar. There are many martial arts practiced throughout Imythess, and not all of them are focused on war. The major difference is that concentration for the purpose of drawing mana is focused mainly on an outside influence, something that comes from beyond you; to draw Chi or Ki - different names for the same thing, you understand - is to draw power from within yourself. Chi is energy that your own body produces and distributes. In either instance, your focus determines your reality. If your attention is entirely upon your objective, your body and mind will both travel in that direction; but if you lack focus, your body will not be doing what your mind tells it to. The mind controls the body, and the body affects the mind. It is a cycle, just like anything else.”

Volare listened carefully to what the woman was saying. Illiriel seemed to have a sort of sage wisdom about her, a sense that she not only knew but also understood what she was talking about - and probably not just on a basic level. She was an older Elf whose hair had begun to lighten a little. Perhaps she had lived for a very long time; if that was true, then it made sense that she would know and understand far more than what those around her might. Volare wasn’t foolish enough to ignore the clues. This woman - this Illiriel - was clearly an elder among her people, even if she was only just beginning to be one.

”Some martial arts are purely martial, such as the Istani martial arts; they are designed almost entirely for war, allowing soldiers to quickly and brutally destroy their opponents on the battlefield. A well-trained platoon can easily wipe out a larger, better-armed force simply by utilizing superior tactics and techniques. On the other hand, Táijíquán is a martial art that focuses on balance and internal harmony; it’s used for focus, for relaxation, and for the building of strength and technique. It’s often used in conjunction with Nánquán, another martial art whose long-time practitioners can often achieve incredible feats of strength and agility - things that many would not believe are possible. While both can be utilized for warfare, they are not primarily war-focused arts. But they both require many years of practice to master and, more importantly, a strong mental focus. Perhaps the most difficult and important part of developing one’s concentration is to first develop one’s emotional focus. Controlling your heart will help you to control your mind, and that in turn will allow you to do things that - as I said - many would claim are impossible.

“Have I answered your questions?”
Illiriel asked with a smile.

It sounded as though this would take a long time to do. But perhaps not…if all she needed was to get the boulder rolling, so to speak, then perhaps it would be enough to simply learn how to focus her mind. She only had five days, though, before the next full moon. She doubted she could become a master of her own mind and heart in that time. But perhaps she could at least learn some of the finer points. Anyway, she hated to do nothing in her time here. She nodded.

”I think so…for now, at least. Thank you.”

She bowed slightly to Illiriel, who bowed in turn before walking away. If nothing else, she had been given much to think about. If this martial artist that Shirine wanted to see could help them both learn more about focusing their minds, even a little, it might help. If nothing else, perhaps she could turn her anger into a weapon rather than something to be avoided or buried. That in itself would be a huge boon to her. It might even be the key to getting through her initial transformation relatively unscathed.
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