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Post by Wysteria Edwin on Jul 5, 2009 15:53:46 GMT -5
"I really ought to tell D'rorah I hate synthetic O neg..." she said to herself, scrunching her face as she whiffed her dinner of a large goblet of magically reproduced blood. This substitute for real blood was less nutritious and not as appetizing, but it necessitated her need to keep a low profile. D'rorah was correct in assuming that one could not keep buying blood from various intermediaries before questions were raised, so Wyst limited herself to three meals of real blood per week. She often kept spare bags of the "fake stuff" in case she wanted to simulate a hunt...sometimes that made the blood more palatable.
She downed the large glass in a few gulps and set it aside on her desk, wiping a small drop of blood at the corner of her mouth. That blood type always made her feel uncomfortably full, akin to human indigestion. Wyst's belly, as if on cue, grumbled in protest at her meal. While she had no stomach to speak of, the blood pooled at the center of her abdomen before being distributed throughout her body. Therefore any poison or ill effects were felt in that area after drinking.
"Oh be quiet," she said, getting out of her chair to take a look in her bathroom for a soothing potion. She had managed to acquire an elixir made mostly of rattlesnake venom called Snake Root, which calmed most discomfort caused by drinking tainted or old blood. Wyst kept it along with a few other potions on a shelf next to her bath. She uncorked the tiny green bottle and took a small sip and felt the calming effects by the time she returned to her desk.
Her current research concentrated on learning more about vampire magic in the impossible hope that she could use her wand once more. Whether Wyst knew the idea was foolhardy or she just did not care was not clear even to herself. Regardless of the reason she still managed to absorb a copious amount of information on wand lore and the history of her species. This was not always a good thing, since even she was disturbed on occasion by the details of torture in the clan and empire wars. Wyst did not find many things truly revolting anymore, so for a book to actually disgust her, to material would have to be inordinately indecent. In the back of her mind she considered not returning the book to the library since there would be little reason for any student with good intentions to read the text.
At this thought her looking glass began to fog and made the small, pleasant chime to indicate that the room of requirement had a visitor. She raised an eyebrow, not in the mood for socializing and hoping no one needed company. As the fog cleared, she saw Alessandro stepping into the room, his steps a bit faster than normal. Wyst cracked a small smile, wondering why he came to visit her when he should probably be in bed. Usually his visits were early in the morning, before dawn. She considered he might have remembered more from what he did inside the orb, but she did not want to get her hopes up. Alessandro and Wyst knew the event must have been significant for their journey and the war, but Wyst did not try to press him for details, knowing the time would come when he could recall his adventure.
Stepping over to her door, she opened it slowly and tried to make as little noise as possible so her ears could pick up any sound that could indicate distress. His heart rate was...elevated. His facial expressions looked almost stoic, perhaps determined?
"Hi...um...are you alright? You normally don't come here late at night," she said, giving him a smile and crossing the distance to where he stood. She moved slightly slower than a normal walking pace which would still look quite fast to humans. "Could you not sleep?"
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Jul 12, 2009 14:28:02 GMT -5
Coming from Sixth Defense Lesson: Protection 1(ooc: I don't remember which we chose, if this thread was before or after, but I am going to go with after.) It was either very late into the night, or early on in the morning, depending on how you looked at it. Alessandro sat straight up in bed, his mind still humming from the days events, and the excitement of having interacted with his friends again. He turned his head toward Dylan's bed and smiled as the two of them finally got to interact earlier that day in Defense class. He felt bad about not really talking to Cait much, but he figured that the note he wrote her would satisfy her until the two of them could actually get a chance to talk. Now he found himself thinking of D'rorah, and how odd it was to see her sitting alone without Dylan. He shook his head slightly, his gaze still on Dylan as he pondered what possibly could have happened while he was gone. The team used to be so unified, so together. When one made a move, they all did. When one ran out of the castle in the dead of night, they all were found on the lawn, casting Patronuses and fighting off shadow creatures. Times were different now. He swung his legs to the side, stepping his bare feet onto the cold stone floor as he got out of bed, straining to see his bed table where he left his wand. Picking it up, he summoned his slippers, and robe, then set out for the Room of Requirement. He tried his hand in a quick invisibility charm he was reading up on earlier in the day, but only successfully turning himself 75% transparent. He was vaguely there, but vaguely not, and it would certainly be acceptable for his quick travel through the corridors for it would be dark anyway. Approaching the tapestry after nearly tripping over a disheveled rug, he made the three requisite passes, although slightly miffed, he was glad the room had revealed its door for him and he entered. He stepped over the threshold just in time to see Wysteria poking her head out of her quarters that now resided inside the ROR. He entered into the main room and pulled out a chair, not bothering to look at the elemental symbol on the back and sat down. The room, being as magically inclined and perhaps intelligent? as it was, morphed the chair from the marking of Wind to Fire before he planted himself in it. "Oh...I'm alright...I just tripped over a ruffle in one of the carpets out in the corridor. I see the caretaker is slipping these days. Tea? Why yes, thank you..." Alessandro said. The last part was to nobody in particular as tea cups and a pot of hot tea materialized out of nowhere. He brushed a strand of hair back behind his ear and added some sugar (which also appeared out of nowhere) to his tea and picked up the cup to sip on it while he talked with his longtime friend. "No.." He said after an indulgent sip. "No I couldn't...My mind is refusing to shut down properly...I guess it's from all the excitement of the day...You know I went back to classes today? Couldn't stand being cooped up in the dorms or library any longer." He said taking another sip. He eyed her for a moment, looking at her pale skin contrasting with her very dark hair. Her lips looked a bit flushed with color, or was that...was that remnants of blood? The fact that Wysteria was now a FULL-blooded vampire bothered Alessandro a little bit. As flickers of her memory that she had shared with him flashbulbed in his head, he swallowed hard. How was she to continue on like this? He wondered exactly how she was dealing with it all, and wondered if she could still cast wand magic, or even meld to shadow form and successfully utilize the chants. "Wyst...how are you doing?" He asked softly.
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Post by Wysteria Edwin on Jul 13, 2009 0:48:10 GMT -5
Wysteria took note of how the chair changed symbols right as Alessandro sat down. She would remember that fact and not bother dragging her own chair from across the room when she had a visitor. The tea materializing did not surprise her too much, knowing the room provided her with much more elaborate comfort and recreation. Wyst was glad to hear he was attending classes, knowing isolation was not good for humans, she cracked a small smile and sat down near him. Wysteria wondered if classes were difficult for him after being gone. Surely the other students wanted to know why he was absent for so long.
His face changed ever so slightly when his eyes lingered on her face...did she look odd? Wyst took notice of Alessandro's demeanor: there again was the body tension and change in breathing which signified discomfort. A part of Wysteria's insides twisted, unsure whether to harden to a cold indifference or be disappointed. He was one person she truly needed to accept her. Not only for her own sake, but for their partnership to work they could not be frightened of one another. Her gaze turned downward, unsure whether she should let him know she was reading all the signs of his unease.
"Wyst...how are you doing?"
Raising her head to him, Wyst drew a blank on how to answer the question. At any given time she was confused, angry, sad, vicious, a predator, and yet all those parts of her condensed and formed a whole being with little invested in the world around her: the mortal ties and memories slipped away every second.
"I...I don't know," she said, her brow crinkling slightly. "It's hard for me to remember much about what happened before I was turned. But the one thing which stands out is I know I never wanted to be what I've been transformed into. Vampires are rarely kind and cruelty comes easily to them. Newborns are a strange mix of human and predator, and it's difficult for me, or anyone, to find the balance." Wyst ran a finger over the top of the teapot slowly, trying to gather her thoughts so Alessandro could understand.
"My instincts tell me that I do not belong here, that I must find my own kind, and that you are food," she said, "not that I would ever kill you or anyone...vampires don't always kill their prey since if someone tastes good they want to keep them around." Wysteria should have realized that statement would sound obscene to most humans, but her mind was focused on her own thoughts. "It's hard when every cell in your body craves something, and your head screams out how wrong you are...it's quite exhausting.
"The part of me which wants to remain and fight this war is...to be honest...more of an idea. I know somewhere I made a choice to do this and that I must continue. I am consciously invested and want to know what's happening, but the interest takes a back seat to my other instincts if they chose to emerge. But, if it's worth anything, my connection to you hasn't changed too much, as far as I can tell," she said, placing her elbows on the table.
"When I see you and talk to you, it's the closest to being mortal I feel the entire night. I think that's because of our bond. The only person who gives me something close to that feeling is D'rorah, and Zane used to be...but that's gone now," she said, her eyebrows rising for a moment. "While it's nice to be around you, the sensation is rather odd, like seeing an old friend you can't quite remember the name of...I dunno that's the best analogy I have.
"Not to mention, fighting to maintain your moral compass is really hard and unfortunately there's no how-to guide on preventing corruption." Wyst paused, considering that perhaps opening their mental connection might help him realize she posed no thread. The last time she attempted to clear something up for him using this method he had gotten angry, but Wyst decided it was worth a shot.
"I'm going to open our connection again," she said, hoping the warning would suffice. This time she pushed open his mind slowly, giving him time to become accustomed to the sensation.
I can sense you're a bit uncomfortable, and while I know it's a normal reaction I was hoping you'd get a bit accustomed to me. Please realize that whatever me you knew back then is still here. The predator inside is a disease, not a path I chose to take. I fight it because I still have my memories, but eventually I won't even have them to keep me grounded. I need to find a way to keep my humanity, so you can imagine I'm a little stressed.
Wyst said, chuckling darkly at her own humor.
"And that's probably the longest answer to a five word question you've ever gotten," she said, raising an eyebrow at him playfully and her green eyes returning to meet his gaze. "Are you doing alright then? Classes go ok?"
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Jul 17, 2009 2:49:16 GMT -5
Looking at his old friend, he felt sorrow deep in his heart. She was different now, and he was sure that she possibly felt the same way about him, for he didn’t feel the same as he did before his “rebirth”. The two of them have undergone great transformations. Wysteria seemed to emulate the same characteristics that he did; someone who has gone through severe trauma, only to come out on the other side somewhat affected by that which ailed them. Alessandro had been granted a new life again, the same body, the same mind, however he felt like something was different about him. His appearance looked foreign to him, as if he was staring at a stranger in the mirror, and his skin felt odd, and that he was harboring some strange, alien entity. Wysteria on the other hand, had been completely reborn into a different species. True, she was half-vampire to begin with, from birth, but now she was full-blooded vamp. It was a fact that made him uneasy. How was she to properly defend him from the darkness that ebbed and flowed within the very walls of their school? He felt his doubts flowing through his mind, but at the same time, he had hope. The two of them practically were made for this job. The element of fire represented rebirth. That which was not working before was simply burned away and in the aftermath of the fire, a new life sprouted into existence. A burden that he likened to a double-edged sword.
He had asked her how she was doing. A sincere question for someone he held dear in his heart of hearts. Not a day went by that he didn’t reminisce on their happenstance meeting in the fifth floor corridor when that pesky Peeves was tormenting her. They were destined to meet, they were destined to befall the fates that had already claimed them, and now they were here. He did his best to push the fact aside that she was now a potential enemy if she ever lost control, but a dangerous feeling inside of him flirted with the fact that she was now a blood-sucker. She now possessed great strength on various principles, and was probably more immune to the dark side’s attacks. Something about the fact that she could incapacitate him at any moment if she gave in gave him thrills and chills, and he even pondered on what it felt like to be bitten as she mentioned keeping someone around if they “tasted good”.
It gave him a personal satisfaction to hear that he gave her something that Zane Lucifer Bishop could not. Or did, but failed to continue. Unfortunately for the two, Zane and Alessandro never got off on the right footing. Always competing in some form or other, and losing his potential relationship to him topped the cake. He, since, had harbored a well-known grudge against the older Slytherin boy, as he was more successful in procuring Keaira’s emotions and keeping them locked away in a heart-shaped box that Alessandro would never discover the key to. Swallowing hard, he eyed the stoney floor for a moment before looking up at Wysteria, the girl that was once amongst the living, and wore the most beautiful enchanted flowers in her hair.
I can sense you're a bit uncomfortable, and while I know it's a normal reaction I was hoping you'd get a bit accustomed to me. Please realize that whatever me you knew back then is still here. The predator inside is a disease, not a path I chose to take. I fight it because I still have my memories, but eventually I won't even have them to keep me grounded. I need to find a way to keep my humanity, so you can imagine I'm a little stressed.
He gripped the arms of his chair as her voice echoed through his mind. He would probably never get used to telepathic speech, especially when he was not accustomed to it in the first place. His own thoughts were quieter, while everyone elses seemed to have a louder dynamic. D’rorah had spoken in his mind before, and Wyst, but that’s it. He swallowed again as he made eye contact with his Shadow Warrior.
Wyst… He began. Please don’t read too far into the way I’m feeling…as I’m quite sure in your most recent form, you’re able to detect quite clearly. Whatever you need, I’ll be there for you. I know you, and I trust you. I may have my reservations, but those are just my own. I’ve gone through a lot…and I don’t really expect anyone to understand…as I’m sure none of you have died before… At that notion, he realized that technically, Wysteria had died and been reborn, but in a different fashion than he. I mean…You know what I mean…My body was destroyed…and I think my consciousness, or spirit, or soul, or whatever went somewhere that it wasn’t supposed to go. He gulped as he had begun to remember his time spent in the Realm of Eternal Fire. He didn’t know why he now existed in the land of the living, and the memories of him jumping off the balcony after Keaira came flooding back. Something was terribly wrong that night, and he wasn’t sure why she was more or less “luring” him up to his doom, but he was certain that it wasn’t the real Keaira. Why would she come to rescue him? She was still alive, and if he remembered correctly, she had jumped off the tower in his sights. If he didn’t know any better, he would have suspected that someone had cast a strong illusion charm on him to influence his demise, though, it didn’t quite pan out according to plan.
He chuckled at her verbal response before his own voice ricocheted off the walls. ”I guess I’m OK…and yeah, Classes are ok too. I just resumed today. I started with Defense. Though, we didn’t cover any material that I wasn’t versed in already. The Finite, and Finite Incantatem charms were for the Fifth years…and I had already read up on those last year.” He laughed as he realized his over-zealous ambition to know every spell he could find. ”You know me, eh? There’s no spell that I don’t aim to perfect.” He added, a mirthful tone dancing with his words.
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Post by Wysteria Edwin on Jul 19, 2009 2:12:36 GMT -5
Although she could see the slight discomfort the mental connection caused, Wysteria was comforted by Alessandro's assertion that his own misgivings were not overwhelming and that he would work them out on his own. She trusted this and knew he always stayed true to his word with important matters. But the phrase which stood out to her was the description of his soul traveling "somewhere that it wasn’t supposed to go". She wondered if he was referring to an actual place, and suspected he might remember more from his time "away".
As Alessandro laughed, Wyst cocked her head to the side and curiously examined the expressions his face made, and returned a smile herself. The Elemental Master did not laugh or smile much after his rebirth and Wyst's exposure to jovial humans was minimal. She wanted to know and be able to recognize the happy expressions in others. A few of the Lightfighters chuckled and smiled in her presence, but their faces confused her at first before she remembered the sound of laughter. Now she firmly committed to her mind the subtle changes around the eyes and relaxed breathing associated with amusement. While she knew the more subtle changes indicating droll or sarcastic humor were more difficult to detect, she decided that dissection of more positive emotions had to start with a firm grasp of the easily recognizable feelings. She hoped this method of mimicking and memorizing for the purpose of retrieving her humanity, and not for fooling humans into a false sense of security, would push out her vampire instincts...as least, as far as they could leave her psyche.
"I know you were...resourceful," Wyst said, her mind drifting to the small corners where her mortal memories resided. "Your seer abilities always made you very intuitive and analytical, as I recall." She smiled, realizing their stories involved similar themes: death and rebirth, memory loss, time away from Hogwarts.
And of course the mutual dislike of Zane Lucifer Bishop, she thought to herself. She did not know why but the thought made her smile.
"I hope the students aren't being too intrusive. I'm sure you don't feel like sharing your story with the whole school," she said, placing the back of her hand near the bottom of the teapot, which was still quite warm. Her detection of temperature did not change after her turning, merely her own comfort level since heat or cold caused little damage to her. The warmth of the china teapot felt nice though, comforting, almost like having a warm hand again. As the pleasant heat pooled around her skin, another sensation bubbled at the pit of her stomach. A hot mass stirred violently within her, like angry spikes climbing up the walls of her abdomen. Wyst's eyes widened in shock, her free hand grabbing her belly in a wild effort to suppress the odd rumbling.
Then it stopped.
Her brow furrowed, looking down at her stomach and half-expecting the bubbling to begin again. Was the synthetic blood truly that bad? Either she just had the worst case of vampire indigestion...or this was another problem entirely. She had no clue what the problem could be, though, and quickly realized Alessandro might need an explanation for her behavior.
"Blood didn't sit well with me, I suppose," she said, adjusting her seated position to bend over slightly since the stinging sensation still echoed small drifts of pain. Wyst removed her hand from the teapot and placed both her hands in her lap, slouching slightly. "Vampires actually can get some form of indigestion, believe it or not," she said, raising an eyebrow. Refocusing, she tried to recall what she meant to ask Alessandro before the pain began.
"You know that you can talk to me about you experiences," she said, not wanting to interrogate him but hoping to appear concerned. "It would not be good to bottle it all up so...I hope you'll confide in someone eventually, even if it's not me," Wyst said.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Jul 19, 2009 20:22:03 GMT -5
As she mentioned his seer ability, it didn't really hit him until just then that he really hadn't had any sort of premonition as of late, even though he had only been back for a short time, he felt like something was missing. Like his foresight wasn't as acute as it used to be. Furrowing his brow as she spoke, his eyes drifted to the table and he set his tea cup down, tracing the grains in the wood with his finger. He thought he detected a flicker of happiness through their connection for a split second, but then it was gone and she had begun speaking again. "Naturally..." he said softly under her words as she mentioned that he probably didn't want to discuss with the whole school the details of his disappearance/return. He was getting really tired of the portkey lie, and every time he told it, he felt like someone was getting one step closer to disproving it as a fallacy. "Only a fair few have asked about it...and I hate lying to people...but you never know who you can trust these days." He said shrugging, when all of a sudden he heard a peculiar noise that seemed to have come from Wysteria's stomach. He cocked his head in confusion, looking at her as if he were to say "but you don't really digest things, do you?" but he held that back, instead, allowing her time to explain what was happening.
Nodding his head as if he understood all along, he merely said "Oh." and let her continue. The fact that all his shadow warrior would be consuming from here on out was blood didn't really unhinge him, but creeped him out a little. He did his best not to convey those emotions through their connection, but he was sure if Wyst encountered them that she would understand that at least SOME time would need to pass before he was one hundred percent at ease with her new, unfortunate lifestyle.
Hearing her inquire about his "experiences while he was away" sounded funny to him. It was almost as if she half-expected him to build a wall and shut her out, denying her the privilege of knowing what happened to him when he went to the Realm of Fire. His mouth worked its way into an amused, small smile before he began.
"Come now, Wystie," He said playfully, knowing that she hated to be called that and wondering whether or not it would get a rise out of her this time. "You know all you have to do is ask." He finished, arching his brow to accompany his smile. He cleared his face back to his neutral countenance and looked at the floor for a moment.
With his head down and his hands now in his lap, thumb-fighting himself, he spoke slowly. "It was horrible." he said initially with a pause. "I didn't know what happened...I thought...well, I thought I was having a nightmare...but it never ended. The place where I 'woke up' was completely made of fire. Everything was fire, even I was made up of fire, but I retained a human-ish form...I think..." He took another pause, trying to recollect clearly on something that was literally ages ago for him. "It wasn't long before I encountered a presence there that called itself 'The Divine Flame', which, I think was the fragment of light that became elemental fire. What I don't understand is...I thought that the fragment was inside of me? So I'm not entirely sure where I went...I don't think it was hell. But...anyway, from time to time, I was able to catch glimpses of the real world as if I was viewing it through fire. Things were burning but...they weren't. I dunno if it was all a dream, or nightmare, hallucination...whatever. Oh...that flame thing...the Divine Flame...it spoke to me on several occasions...but I'm having trouble remembering what it was that it was trying to get me to understand...everything's all foggy."
He finished his half-explanation leaning back in his chair, running a hand through his hair as he regarded Wysteria's expression. Just then, the Room of Requirement chimed, alerting the two of an incoming presence. Alessandro straightened up with a furrowed brow, craning his neck around to look at the entrance to see who would happen upon the two of them in the middle of the night.
(ooc: I PM'd D'rorah, I feel like this would be a good time for her char. to come in.)
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Jul 20, 2009 3:02:37 GMT -5
D'rorah had attempted to sleep. She had promised to be more diligent about concerns such as sleeping and eating... and for the most part, she had fulfilled the promise fairly well. Tonight, however, the nightmares started early and were especially persistent. Realizing she wasn't going to be sleeping well any time soon, she made her way up to the sixth floor, intending to get in some training time and some time for meditation. Perhaps her Elemental room would soothe some of her mental irritation away. She decided it was worth a try, at least. And then, there was always the possibility of visiting Wysteria. She could only imagine that being in the Room of Requirement day after day would become boring beyond belief.
She traveled up the staircases silently, being careful to step lightly lest someone hear her out and about and think to question it. As a prefect, she had a bit more leniency in being out after curfew, but it would be much easier not to have to think of an excuse.
Her vigilance was rewarded with an uneventful trip up the stairs and into the Room of Requirement. She closed the door behind herself carefully and was just about to proceed to the door bearing the symbol for Wind when she realized that she was not the only one in the room this evening. She smiled slightly, changing direction to approach the Elemental Master and Shadow Warrior of Fire.
[blue]"Miss Edwin, Mister Darko,"[/blue] she greeted, nodding to each in turn. [blue]"Good evening to you both. I must say, I was not expecting anyone would be about at so late an hour. Please pardon my intrusion."[/blue] She paused, considering the two before her for a moment. [blue]"I was relieved to hear that you had retured, Mister Darko. And from the very grips of death itself, it would seem. I had hoped to bring all of us together sometime soon... so many changes have taken place recently that I thought it would be wise to catch everyone up once again."[/blue] She took a deep breath. [blue]"I would be interested to hear what happened while you were away, whenever you are ready to share, that is."[/blue] She thought for a moment. [blue]"I suppose the most noticeable change here, of late, is the discovery of our new Elemental Master of Water... Mister Samuel Kelley. The younger brother of my own Elemental Master. And then, there is the departure of Miss Matthews for a combination of family and medical reasons."[/blue] She took a deep breath and shook her head, thinking of all that had happened with her and Dylan, and momentarily pondering the strange triangle she was in with Kerridon. [blue]"So very many changes,"[/blue] she remarked absently.
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Post by Wysteria Edwin on Jul 21, 2009 20:49:13 GMT -5
Wysteria listened carefully to every word, intonation and expression during Alessandro's description of his adventure. A few parts resonated in Wyst's mind...the fact that he felt part of the flame, that it engulfed him without burning, reminded her of what Cait had described that one afternoon, seeing Alessandro within fire. The Divine Flame reference...Wyst did not understand what that could be...perhaps the embodiment of Elemental light? She was unsure. But his memory was still shady and although their mental connection was strong, Wyst did not posses the telepathic or magical abilities to retrieve repressed or forgotten memories. Even if the full experience was recovered, however, there was no guarantee the information would be useful or illuminating. Perhaps Alessandro was only meant to know unconsciously?
As the door chimed, Wyst quickly ran into her room, checked the looking glass, and returned to her seat within one second. She had to remain alert to anyone coming into the room, since this needed to stay a safe stronghold for her and the group. "It's Dee," she said to Alessandro, small smile accompany it. "Maybe she can help us sort this all out." Her observation of Alessandro made her very aware of his unease when talking about the Divine Flame and the other, foggier memories. The journey should have helped Darko understand his element....so why did it appear to make him more confused?
As D'rorah entered, Wyst's expression changed briefly as she learned that Sam Kelley was discovered as the Elemental Master of Water. She had seen something odd during the last few moments of their conversation the other day...a kind of blue aura flashed briefly over his body while he became breathless with laughter. Wyst wondered about the phenomenon, having seen something similar around Alessandro just after his return. The vampire was more adept to observe physical changes than energy manifestations, so she suspected the blue flare might have been a trick of the light within the room. Now she knew that her new friend was Cait's Elemental Master, and Wyst was glad her fellow shadow warrior had an anchor now. The news of Susan leaving was less pleasant news, however, and Wyst wondered when they might discover another shadow warrior of earth.
"True, there are many changes...on our side. The Mage has been quiet lately, though, which worries me," Wyst said, looking back at Alessandro. "I've met Sam, and he appears capable, although I think you've spent more time with him." Her eyes went back to indicate D'rorah. "Susan leaving...is unfortunate. But so far our group is more complete than it's ever been. I think there might be some hot tea still, if you want to sit down and have some." She indicated the china tea pot and the second cup which had appeared just as Wyst spoke. Would you be comfortable telling D'rorah what you told me? She might be able to help. Wyst maintained her gaze in D'rorah's direction, sending a mental message to her EM. She did not know how much Alessandro wanted to tell the others and Wyst did not want to enter into a conversation he was uncomfortable with.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Jul 22, 2009 0:45:54 GMT -5
"Bryan Kelley is your anchor??" Alessandro asked in bewilderment. True, it was not anything she had been referencing save the fact that she mentioned Bryan's younger brother Sam as the new Master of Water, but she had mentioned it so casually that it was unclear to Alessandro whether or not D'rorah knew that Alessandro knew the nature of Bryan Kelley's allegiance. With a bewildered expression on his face, he sat back in his chair with a deep breath.
Indeed. Many changes have occurred since his departure, his return from the grips of death, as D'rorah had put it. Now his mind was wrapping around the fact that his fellow Fifth year, but Gryffindor, was the new Master of Water; Caitlin Collins' anchor.
He merely sat there as D'rorah mentioned she would want to hear of his experience in the netherworld, and Wysteria's voice now penetrated his mind softer than it had before, delicately asking him if he would be willing to talk to D'rorah about his time spent in the Eternal Realm of Fire.
Of course I'd be comfortable. D'rorah and yourself are the only two that I may be able to divulge this information to first hand, before I really sort it out and all that...But...I know I'm supposed to tell you guys something...I feel it within me, but I can't quite get to that yet... He thought at her as quietly as she had entered his mind.
"Yes, please," He said, indicating the teapot as Wysteria had offered some to D'rorah. He, himself, filled his cup with some hot tea and added the honey that he so desired, stirring it swiftly and taking a hearty sip. He set down his teacup once more as he looked between D'rorah and Wysteria, feeling a sort of somber feeling wash over him. The emotions inside of him were intense, and it felt like something he had never experienced before, but he only attributed that to the fact that it had been so long out of his human form which made him so "new".
"Sorry to hear about Susan...that is a shame..." He said, looking at the floor. "I hope everything turns out for the best." He said.
"Well, I guess I should tell you what happened...eh? I had just told Wyst before you walked in..." He proceeded to tell her of the night he fell off the tower, why he was up there in the first place following "Keaira" off of the tower. He told her how he remembered as he was falling feeling a sort of empty peace that swarmed over him as the flames erupted. He told her about waking up in a land comprised solely of fire, and being around for ages as it seemed to him, and then to encounter the Divine Flame. He spoke of his images of Hogwarts and how Caitlin seemed to be the primary contact and how his conversations with the Divine Flame seemed to spark some sort of meaning within him, how he was supposed to learn from it and convey whatever knowledge he had gained to his group.
"I feel like it had told me something that I should tell you all...but its very hazy and hard to remember...and the night that I came back...it all felt like waking up from a long nightmare...It all feels so surreal...and like a dream..." He said, taking the finishing sip from his tea. As he set his tea cup down he gave the both of them a serious look. "But I'm stronger now...I've practiced my Mastery skills in private, and its easier to conjure and handle the fire." He said softly. "But other times it feels like its bursting inside of me. I guess it's because we have the orb now...Do any of the others have theirs?" Darko inquired.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Jul 22, 2009 11:06:40 GMT -5
D'rorah smirked slightly at Alessandro's bewildered outburst. [blue]"You have been absent even longer than I recalled, Mister Darko,"[/blue] she remarked with slight arch of her eyebrow. [blue]"I have been doing my utmost to keep his association with me secret... for the sake of his safety."[/blue] She nodded slightly in affirmation of Wysteria's statement. [blue]"I have spent a good deal of time with the younger Mister Kelley. He does seem quite capable... that is, whenever he manages to keep his mouth shut for more than a few moments,"[/blue] she confirmed.
[blue]"I was saddened to see Miss Matthews depart. Though, as she has managed to escape unscathed so far, I will hope that that trend continues for her. It was Miss Collins, in fact, who led me to the information that allowed the transfer to take place. Now I simply need find the one to whom her abilities have transferred."[/blue] She took the offered seat and accepted the tea offered with a nod. [blue]"Thank you."[/blue] Rather than drink the tea, however, she cupped her hands around the teacup for the warmth. Warmth was something she constantly sought out these days to stave off the chill that had steadily grown over the past months, a lingering vestige of near corruption that she suspected would never actually go away.
She watched as Alessandro took a sip of his own tea and looked between herself and Wysteria. Her lips remained closed as she listened to Alessandro recount what had happened after he had fallen from the Astronomy tower. It was a remarkable tale, certainly... quite fantastic. However, she had no reason to doubt Alessandro and thus never questioned the truthfulness of his story for a moment. When he had finished speaking, she thought for a moment.
[blue]"I have the orb of Wind, hidden away safely. Mordred had already sought it out before we ever met, and he entrusted it to my care before his death. I have not yet given it to Mister Kelley. Given the strength of his power, I believe Mister Bishop may have his as well... perhaps Professor Serlean entrusted it to Miss O'Connell before his... death? As far as I am aware, I do not believe any of the others have successfully gathered their own orbs."[/blue] She paused thoughtfully, cupping her hands more closely about her teacup. [blue]"Your story reminds me of an account I encountered in my research some time ago. It sounds like you may have encountered your Elemental Spark itself. That would be quite remarkable, given that no other Lightfighter has encountered an Elemental Spark in nearly three thousand years."[/blue] She paused for a moment. [blue]"But then, Fire always was the most... flamboyant of the Elements. It seems fitting that your Spark would be the first to reappear. Did it happen to tell you anything regarding teamwork? Or trying to bind together a group composed of individuals who seem determined to eternally stand in opposition to one another?"[/blue] Her voice was dry as she made the last two statements, a slight scoff being forced from her lungs in a puff of air.
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Post by Wysteria Edwin on Jul 24, 2009 19:58:48 GMT -5
Wysteria listened carefully to the conversation between Alessandro and D'rorah. She was glad her mental communication with Darko was more fluent. He was not comfortable with the mind intrusion, so she tried to approach each thought message more delicately than the last. This was very difficult for Wyst, who had lost a great deal of any gentle nature she possessed. Her attempt was drawn from comparisons to D'rorah's approach to most people. While cool and collected, she always embraced propriety and rarely offended without meaning to...although Wyst could name a few exceptions.
It was odd that while she felt most human around D'rorah and especially Alessandro, her Elemental Master did not always understand the intentions in her speech. This created a few odd, disconnected moments when she realized her internal change to did always reflect outwardly. But even with the disassociation, being in Alessandro's company was familiar in a way she could not fully express, and comforting.
Wysteria remained silent as the other two discussed the orbs and the Divine Flame's message. Her mind searched through all the research and the mortal memories she could recall to try and find some connection, but for now she was clueless. Would Alessandro ever remember the message? Was he supposed to?
Did it happen to tell you anything regarding teamwork? Or trying to bind together a group composed of individuals who seem determined to eternally stand in opposition to one another?
"Would the Divine Flame know about our group's specific struggles?" Wyst broke her silence as she raised an eyebrow to Dee. "Or would the Elemental Spark be delivering a general message given to all the fire masters at this time of the journey? What was the purpose of the messages who discovered in your research?" She gave a sideways glance to Alessandro, wanting him to know his input as well.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Aug 3, 2009 19:36:59 GMT -5
"It's all very hazy," He said, bringing his cup up to his lips, remembering the bizarre flash he had in D.A.D.A earlier that day. It was as if something had purposely blocked his memories, or twisted them, to say the least. Alessandro Darko had come a long way until this very moment where he sat seated with D'rorah and Wysteria. The three of them in general had been in this war together for quite some time, as Wyst, D'rorah, and himself had remained the three original owners of their respective titles. Dylan as well, as he thought more on it, as he couldn't recall knowing another master of Earth. The other elements seemed a little persnickety. There was no doubt in his mind that he had the recollection somewhere within him, but he felt that now perhaps was not the time, as they did not flow freely from him. The little bit in class made him sure of that, almost like there needed to be a "trigger" of sorts. He knew the message from the Divine Flame was important, and something inside of him was telling him to agree with what D'rorah and Wysteria had suggested, but he felt more overwhelmed to shrug it all off and just carry on conversation with his friends now.
"Yes...It's all very hazy....perhaps this isn't the best time to discuss it all. It was a horrible time for me to be locked away in some realm that was not this one..completely made of flames and burning..and..-- And believe me, it was ages ago when I had spoken with the divine flame-thing. Ages... So you can imagine, I'm quite happy to be back." At that notion he had let a small, brisk laugh burst forth from his abdomen. He had set his teacup down again and had been tracing the rim with his finger as he spoke, but now allowed his hand to rest freely on the table they all sat at. "It would make sense that what you are suggesting is what the Elemental Spark, as you called it, had told me. We are a motley crew indeed. But on that subject...is everything progressing with everyone? Has any plan been put into action? We should probably get on with it, I mean, this has to end...I have had this...horrible feeling ever since I got back...and I just know if we don't act soon....something very bad is going to happen..." He said in a very lengthy, and verbose fashion that would be characterized from his growing anxiety.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Aug 4, 2009 20:13:07 GMT -5
D'rorah listend as Wysteria and Alessandro spoke, her lips pursing slightly. She could imagine being in the realm Alessandro described would be awful, especially for someone who had had a fear of fire forced upon him from an early age. It had taken quite a bit to work through that when he had first been discovered as an Elemental Master. At the moment, she felt slightly jealous of the heat before waving away the foolish thought.
Her jaw tensed as Alessandro said that felt something very bad was going to happen. [blue]"Get on with it?"[/blue] she questioned, a slight note of irritation creeping into her voice before she calmed herself and moved forward. [blue]"I am training anyone who bothers to show up in the Room of Requirement every morning... so far that is only the younger Mister Kelley. The older Mister Kelley and Mister Cooper have been trained some and are continuing to practice on their own, but few of the others have had any real training. I believe we would be best put to avoid instigating any action against the Mage until we are better prepared as a whole. I have no intentions of marching boldly into the Forest under poor leadership again and being carted off to the Shadow Realm for further torture. Another escapade like that, and I predict you will all be searching for a way to kill my corrupted shell so you can find a new Shadow Warrior of Wind."[/blue]
She took a deep breath before continuing. [blue]"I am trying to gather everyone together for training at the Monastery this summer. I believe that the experience will pull all of us together. In the meantime, I believe it would be most beneficial to focus on training and to hope that our luck holds regarding the relative lack of the Mage's activity here at Hogwarts. We have more and more attention from the Ministry, so drawing attention to ourselves unnecessarily at this point could very well result in everyone being forced from the relative protection of Hogwarts, inadequate though it may seem."[/blue]
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Post by Wysteria Edwin on Aug 5, 2009 1:22:59 GMT -5
Alessandro's description of the fire realm made Wysteria uncomfortable, unsure what to say, knowing little would ease his mind.
"I'm so sorry you experienced that. It could not have been easy." It was all she could think to say.
But Wysteria wanted Alessandro's memory to be clearer, she wanted to know what the Divine Flame told him and why. The information looked just out of reach of his own mind, covered or misplaced. Whatever knowledge gained from his experience made him uneasy, though, and certain the group headed toward disaster. Was this comforting? Wysteria didn't know if she should be glad of the warning or angry that the warning was so nebulous. They all knew their futures contained danger and uncertainty, so how surprising was the Divine Flame's message really? Seers intrigued Wysteria, but she remained skeptical of Alessandro's prediction...if one could even call it that. The idea that "something bad may happen at some point in the future" gave them no information and only fear of the unknown. Was that a good thing? Or even useful?
D'rorah's retort to Alessandro's need to fight, to do something left Wysteria disheartened. Action could mean that they were working toward a goal, not sitting around and discussing the intricacies of Light and Dark, and what the Mage was planning. But her more logical side knew D'rorah was right, and that her desire to fight had more to do with her quarantine than a sensible solution. They could not wander in the forest looking for a fight and hope to win, or survive.
"I agree...with D'rorah." Wysteria said, running a hand through her hair to comb away the strands near her face. "I want to fight as well, Alessandro, but she's right, and we can't possibly hope to win when we're so disconnected. Perhaps going to the monastery will help to bond the group. That's what we need right? To be a more cohesive unit?"
Wyst could use more training, she always liked to spar and goodness knows she possessed a great deal of energy. The idea of shadow vampires kept her active and motivated to practice, but she knew she could not be the only one with the knowledge of how to hunt and kill them, even if they weren't as numerous as she feared. After all, a few of the attempted joinings with shadows she witnessed failed because the soul collapsed under so much corruption. But regular vampires who sympathized with the Mage existed by the hundreds.
"I could help, I think." Wyst looked down at her right hand, resting on the table. She hadn't quite adjusted to seeing her skin so white, although her naturally tan skin prevented a powder-like complexion after being turned, the color was noticeably paler than before. She turned her head back to D'rorah. "Vampires are almost more dangerous as shadow soldiers, and much harder to kill. Shadow vampires are an even for frightening prospect. I could teach us, and the others, how to kill them in case we encounter them in battle. We should be prepared."
She did not know how D'rorah or Alessandro would take the idea, but it needed to be said.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Aug 16, 2009 11:59:48 GMT -5
He clutched his teacup to his chest as he leaned back in his chair listening to D'rorah speak. Perhaps he hadn't been around long enough yet to suggest that they start to "get on with it" for her tone of voice sounded exasperated as she spoke, and a bit like he had suggested that nobody was doing anything proactive. He was pleased to hear that training was still going on, but not at the fact that only few have taken the opportunity to learn from D'rorah. He felt guilty in that aspect for he had trained with her only a fair few times, but never with weapons and self defense to his recollection.
The very little steam that the teacup was giving off now was wafting right under his nose and it was stimulating his senses for another sip. The warm liquid tasted like...English Breakfast? or was it Earl Grey? He had trouble distinguishing between the two teas, but he found that he liked English Breakfast much more than Earl Grey (it left a funny taste in his mouth afterward). For a moment, for a sip, he let the warm liquid flavored with a bit of honey dazzle his taste buds and warm his core on the way down. He could have sworn when he opened his eyes he was back at home, his cozy home, in the den enjoying this cup of tea, but he shook his head and the images of Wysteria and D'rorah popped back into focus.
"Yes...right, well I didn't mean to say that nothing was happening of course....I just have been out of commission and I guess I'm ready to jump back into the game-- so to speak." He said, setting his teacup down on the table, giving D'rorah a serious look as he did not mean to suggest people were being lazy. Wysteria's voice then perked up Alessandro's ears as she agreed with Dee on the subject of a mass training session...in China. Of course that would be the best thing for them, but it seemed far-fetched that a group of students would be traveling across the Atlantic far across into another country without raising some eyebrows. And, there would be the fact that their presences would be notably absent from their homes in England, and no doubt, some, or most of them were being watched.
"While I agree with both of you," He said looking at both Wysteria and D'rorah. "I think it would be a bit difficult to coordinate that trip. Unless...it was like...perhaps an extra-credit school field trip type event? Well, perhaps it would work..." He said, more to himself than anyone as he seemed to be pondering out loud. "But yes, bonding. It's been a great deal of time that we have spent apart, we are all scattered and fragmented. I don't even know who is a lightfighter these days, you're a vampire, and you're....well, you're suffering with all this business..." He said gesturing to a lock of Dee's hair which was not the blonde hue it usually was. "Which, I do need to ask because I don't quite remember...but...is this what happens to the person when they vanquish the shadows?" he questioned with a frustrated look on his face. "Because if it is...then when Keaira, and the other shadow warriors start taking down shadows, it's going to be quite noticeable that there is a trend here...and Wyst? What's to become of you after this starts happening to you as well?" He said shaking his head as he realized that their safety net had bigger holes in it than he thought.
Wyst had said something about vampires that confused him. "Wysteria...are you telling us that there are vampires around here?" He asked sounding more and more exasperated as time went on. He had not ever met, nor seen a vampire until Wysteria, and he doubted that they would be as amicable as she, for she held on to her ties to the mortal realm, as he was sure others did not.
It was all looking very dismal to him, he began to get lost in those feelings of futility and almost pledged himself to darkness right then before the Room of Requirement acted on his behalf, illuminating the room a bit more to a cheerful tone, and displaying a platter of chocolates in front of him, suggesting that he ought to eat one to cheer himself up. It seemed that the negative energies that swarmed the castle from the Dementors in the forest were still capable of penetrating the Room of Requirement, albeit marginally.
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