Unearthed Legacy

[Nayt]

I . . . can? Oh! That is right-- thou hast many a power at thine disposal.

Now that her confusion had been cured, Xibtrae could finally lose her focus a little and speak to Garv a bit more naturally. She likely wouldn't have to blank out again (as far as Garv and others were concerned) until it was time to try and turn the blanket a different color.

"I believe something can be arranged, then," Xibtrae replied with a nod once more, speaking with much confidence. "Please allow this of me, Garv Phibrizzo."

She also had a habit of doing that: asking for permissions and the like. She did that whenever the subject matter was not her own. If it were, say, Garv's blanket she was dealing with, she felt the express need to ask Garv permission to make use of it. It was politeness and respect, as far as she were concerned. Fortunately, military training had washed out of her mind enough to keep her from asking to do the simplest tasks, like go to the bathroom or anything like that. Then, Garv might have gone crazy.

[Zach Kaiser]

"Please, just call me Garv," he replied with a little exasperation. He didn't mind being called by his full name once in awhile, but being consistently called by it was a little annoying.

Before she had time to argue, he actually answered her question, though. "Sure, but...eh...I'm going to get this one back, right?" She may not have done it on purpose, but Xibtrae was still responsible for the destruction of one of his blankets--he really didn't want to lose another one if he could avoid it.

He walked back to his pack and pulled out another blanket, this one actually a bit smaller but significantly thicker, meant not for hiding from shades (which really just required a purple, normal bed sheet) but for keeping warm.

As he handed it to her, he watched her curiously. He hadn't actually witnessed what she'd done the other night, but somehow she'd driven off the shade which meant she was more than just a (very) pretty face.

[Nayt]

Xibtrae didn't say anything to Garv's request. It was kind of weird for her to imagine what it was like to call someone by just one name. If she could remember her last name, she would have told it to Garv, and expected him to use her full name-- but it had been so long since anyone had ever used her full name, long enough that she couldn't recall it that well. It was unorthodox, even by the standards of her own culture, and started with a K. That's all she could remember at the moment. Perhaps in time it would come back to her.

She accepted the blanket, nonetheless, but before she did anything, she had to stop and think about what it was she was doing, exactly. Somehow turning the blanket purple, that was for sure-- but how? It was a wonder she was even able to summon a fireball earlier, with Val's help.

What is it I do now?

She knew she had to release one of the seals on Val, but after that, she did not know-- and she couldn't just release a seal and leave it like that. Val didn't have the stamina to withstand that sort of pressure for any length of time. The last time, she was worn out after just ten seconds.

[Zach Kaiser]

U-Umm, w-well... Even though she couldn't be seen, she was fidgeting so much it was actually audible. This was the difficult part. See...casting spells is kind of different for everyone. Two people casting the same spell will usually chant differently. And...w-well, this spell's pretty basic, so I don't even chant for it, usually...

There were a few moments of doubt as Val worried that perhaps this idea wouldn't work after all. Sure, she was a mage, but using magic and teaching it were two entirely different things. Not to mention one of the things she learned early on was that different people have different ways of casting; students were encouraged to find out what worked best for them.

A-Ah, but! she suddenly interjected. You cast Fireball last night without me telling you anything, so...I think if you focus real hard, you should be able to cast anything I can, even without training! At least, that was how these things seemed to work, the way they'd been explained to her.

[Nayt]

I must only . . . focus? Xibtrae thought.

This really seemed like something that was easier said than done. Xibtrae had cast the fireball last night in a manner of desperation. She really had no idea how she managed to do it. It was hard to recollect, and even harder to try and duplicate, not that she was going to actively try whilst Garv-- and now Ryuku --were able to watch.

For a moment, Xibtrae was completely silent. She took in deep breaths as she tried to think. First, she was going to need to release Val, but in a subtle way. Was it always going to be a spectacle when she did? Xibtrae couldn't be sure, but she had to try-- otherwise, this wasn't going to work. Then, she had a couple other ideas come to mind-- but from where? That was odd. Xibtrae didn't know any spells, really. Val was probably right, then. Xibtrae might well know all the spells that Val knew. Or, at the very least, most of them.

Perchance . . . this shall work?

She took a deep breath and held onto the blanket with her right hand. She whispered something, something Garv would not hear-- and in an instant, the rings around her right wrist glowed faintly. She wasn't using some high level spell or anything-- they weren't going to be vibrant, she hoped. And again, Xibtrae whispered something, making it a point to keep it under her breath and inaudible.

She could only hope it was going to work . . .

[Zach Kaiser]

In the dim light, the small gems on the bracelets were not terribly noticeable. Most people who looked at them would probably pass the effect off as a trick of the light. But a treasure hunter's trained eyes were not so easily fooled. Garv's gaze sharpened somewhat--but he said or did nothing else to let on that he'd seen anything.

The effect was not an immediate, full change like one might expect of magic. Instead, it changed slowly and in a wave, starting from where Xibtrae touched the blanket and spreading out from there. The brown wool changed gradually from a rusty color first, getting deep into the reds before some blue began to tint it, finally ending in a dark purple.

It was...actually kind of mesmerizing, seeing the waves of color. "Well...now that's interesting," Garv mused, stroking his goatee. "Guess we won't be having any casualties tonight." And no jewels, either. Ah well. "May I?" he asked, before taking the blanket and standing up to address Ryuku. "Oi, looks like your in luck, Ryu."

As he did so, Val felt the need to tell Xibtrae something. Umm...the spell only lasts for twenty-four hours, so you're going to have cast it every night.

[Shin]

While it wasn't a long time he was left alone Ryuku managed to let his thoughts drift, his mind wandered back in time, far back. Before his time with they fey, to a boy working in the fields. The memory was an old one, hardly one that ever surfaced and as such it was fresh and vibrant.

Why is this coming up?

Perhaps a reminder?

Of what?

The voice responded with an eerie chuckle.

Though the thought was a brief one Ryuku tried to hold onto it as long as possible. He finally lost all grip on it when he heard Garv's voice. It wasn't until that point that he felt the tell tale signs of Arcane energy filling his sense. It was a tangible feeling to him it has a sense of smell and taste and even a look all it's own.

As he turned to face Garv his eyes briefly flashed over Xibtrae and the bracers she wore. Odd He focused then on Garv and the blanket he was holding, it also tingled with magic. A puzzled look crossed his face, what was a blanket going to do?

"An Illusion?" He asked in reference to the magic that the blanket was radiating, albeit it seemed to be fading quickly. He forgot for the moment that everyone couldn't sense or see the same things he could, instead he merely stared at it, hoping Garv or Xibtrae would explain what he was obviously oblivious to.

[Nayt]

All right. Tis a simple task. Because, truth be told, it had been really easy to turn the color of the blanket. Xibtrae whispered something else under her breath, and the faint glow about her bracelets cease.

Truth be told Xibtrae's bracelets were less like bracers and more like jewelry. They weren't armor in any sort, really. They were fashionable, too-- two reddish, somewhat jeweled bracelets around her right wrist. Normally, a woman would put one on each wrist, for symmetry's sake, but Xibtrae kept them both on one wrist-- which had been a little odd to Val, at first, for reasons Xibtrae did not yet understand. More than likely, it was a fashion thing, and Val had been surprised by Xibtrae making such a bold fashion choice-- which would be fine by her, really, because no one here seemed to wear her particular choice of clothes. It was a wonder they were even able to find this blouse.

But no matter . . .

As Xibtrae handed it off to Garv, she switched her attention around a bit. Ryuku was coming back, and was visibly surprised about the blanket-- the now purple blanket. Honestly, she didn't really know if it was an illusion or not. She just kind of figured that the color had changed, and that was all. Maybe it was an illusion, maybe not.

So, she said the first thing that came to mind:

"Perhaps," she replied to Ryuku with a pleasant smile.

Leave some mystery about it-- that would work. Then, she wouldn't have to know for absolutely sure exactly what had happened. She'd just have to reply with something like that-- something like a maybe, perhaps, or a possibly.

[Zach Kaiser]

It's not really an illusion, Val commented with a pout. There was a bit of disdain in her voice, as though she held illusory magic in low regard.

"Doesn't matter," Garv said aloud, and though she didn't say anything Xibtrae would get the distinct impression this irked her. "If your mind thinks it's real, it might as well be real, right?" The offhand way he spoke made him sound like he was oversimplifying it a bit, but whether or not he realized it that idea was more or less the basis for illusion magic.

"In any case, shades don't attack anything covered in purple; keep that over yourself all night and you won't have any problems."

[Shin]

"Purple?" He looked from the blanket to Garv before reaching out and excepting from the man. "Thank you?"

He wasn't exactly sure if the man was being serious or not, but judging by the situation he had to be. Ryuku didn't question it, if it would keep him safe without him having to reveal any of his abilities then he was even more grateful. "Thats rather odd. That they do not attack anything purple I mean. Although, I suppose it must be similar on how they certain colors are soothing to the human mind, or how bulls attack the color red." He said with a smile before looking Xibtrae.

"This is your magic, so I suppose I should be thanking you. Domo arigato Xibtrae-san." He said with a deep bow, Ryuku was obviously Cizokian in his heritage, although only half, so his choice in thanking Xibtrae would probably not come as a surprise to Garv.

Ryuku folded the blanket up and draped it over his arm, smiling all the while, luck was certainly with him this day! "When do we sleep?"

[Nayt]

My apologies, Xibtrae spoke in her mind, for Val to hear, I am versed naught in what thou calleth magic. Mine people used a much different method of such powers. Twas not unnatural, and all could learn it.

Although one whom felt zealous about his or her ideals of magic may have taken offense to such a declaration, Xibtrae meant absolutely no offense. As far as she had observed, magic was something one was either born with or born with the potential to learn. If a person was not born with either the ability nor the capacity, the person simply could not learn magic. Because of this, magic was, ideally, an unnatural thing. Magic, which differed so greatly from the techniques she knew from her world, was lost upon her. Perhaps if she were educated by a master mage, she would attain a level of understanding about it, but as is, when Xibtrae used magic, it explicitly came from the rings around her wrist. Xibtrae herself did not use it, nor did she have the capacity to use it on her own.

Nonetheless, that explained her lack of knowledge about the differences between illusory magic and what happened here. It wasn't too big of a deal to her, she just didn't want Val to think she was being intentionally rude or anything like that.

Ryuku's thanks brought her out of such thoughts. She bowed her head to him, not like his bow, but more of a lady-like bow of the head that befit a noble or upper class woman. She smiled, whispering, "Tis my pleasure."

When they were going to sleep, she didn't know. Soon, probably. It was already dark, and they were going to need to get under the blankets before anything happened out here. She looked to Garv expectantly, figuring he was going to say about the same thing.

[Zach Kaiser]

While not offended, Val couldn't help but correct Xibtrae on a point she seemed mistaken about. In theory, anyone can use arcane magic--it takes a lot studying and work, but a person can learn it. But...people do have different aptitudes with it, and some people just can't get it right no much they try. I'm really good at fire magic, for example, but...I'm...uh...next to useless with anything else. She was clearly embarrassed by this; small "cantrips" were the best she could do with anything but fire magic, which was useful for combat, but didn't have very many practical applications.

"Right, right, let's hurry and tuck in--the shades'll start coming out any minute now, and I don't feel like testing if going under purple after they've already spotted you still works."

Part of him was annoyed that Ryuku thanked Xibtrae and ignored him, even if it was really all her doing. He'd just as soon turn in for the night, forget he the guy who claimed to be from Xexoria and looked and spoke Cizokian ever existed, and snuggle up next to Xibtrae.

As much as he lamented any loss of money or material, he had to admit at least this time there was an upside.

[Shin]

"Right, shades." Ryuku offered a smile and looked for a suitable spot for him to sleep. The blanket wasn't going to be long enough to cover him fully stretched out, and curling into a ball would only cause him to wake up sore. Though, at least he would wake up which was more then he could be certain of if he didn't have the blanket.

Eventually he found a suitable spot, a little ways off from Garv and Xibtrae. It was situated in between a couple bushes and would provide excellent cover, Ryuku wasn't going to take any chances and the cover would conceal him from other prying eyes. It took a minute but he squeezed himself into the small space, taking care to not cause a lot of noise, and drape the blanket over him.

All in all, it was pretty uncomfortable for the six foot two man. He wouldn't complain of course, Garv and Xibtrae were already doing so much for him. Concealed within the purple confines of the blanket Ryuku got as comfortable as he could, tucking his knees into his chest and tucking his arms in front of him, similar to an infant in the womb. One situated he would attempt to fall asleep.

[Nayt]

I see . . . Maybe Val was right, maybe not. Xibtrae had a theory she wasn't. There was already a hole in her argument, that people had different aptitudes. People that could use it might use certain things better than others, but what of the people that had no aptitudes in any of it? They simply wouldn't be able to use arcane magics . . .

It wasn't something Xibtrae was going to wrack her brain about. If she wanted to create a phenomenon (without Val's help) badly enough, she'd simply have to try and remember some of the symbols used in her world. All of her people could use them. Whether it was based upon the planet or not, she didn't know; she hadn't tested the theory out. They weren't generally that useful in battle anyways, unless there was one person to hold off an attack while another drew out the symbols upon the ground. They took too long to draw sometimes. In a one on one battle, it was almost impossible to pull a stronger symbol-based technique off in time. But they were, more than likely, decidedly stronger than the arcane magics of this world.

In any case . . .

"Shall we?" Xibtrae asked Garv, tilting her head a little.

She was just waiting on Garv. It wasn't a problem, but if they wasted too much time out here, there might be a problem! Once he was ready, though, she'd simply climb under the cover and try to get some sleep, just like every night they'd done this before. Hopefully, though, they weren't going to run into any trouble this night.

[Zach Kaiser]

"Yeah." The last thing Garv wanted was to be busy yapping and become shade-food, so he quickly got to work, bringing out the blanket, securing it with a few knives, and climbing inside with Xibtrae.

Fortunately, everyone would manage to make it through the night unmolested, both literally and figuratively.

Xibtrae and Ryuku would both likely awaken before Garv, who seemed to be sleeping in a bit more than usual, perhaps due to his head wound and possible concussion.