☠ 4th of Frost, Year 120, Final Solstice ☠
Company: My Auntie| Theme: | Thoughts: A new magic| Mood: Intrigued/Attentive
Company: My Auntie| Theme: | Thoughts: A new magic| Mood: Intrigued/Attentive
☠ The Frost air nipped at my face as I waited for Cereza, her note seeming to be very urgent. I was rather curious as to why she wanted to meet in the wild of all places. I was unsure about how to handle this task that she had written about in her letter.
As if signaling her arrival, a gust of wind blew through my hair and forced my head in her direction. Her stride into view was nothing short of regal, she looked like a queen entering her court, carrying herself with irreproachable dignity and grace. The snow blown from the trees glittered around her as she approached and I was truly breathless at the site.
"I hope I didn't keep you waiting long." she called to me, waving with a polite smile on her face. Her attendant was trailing behind her at a respectable distance, his head on a swivel for danger. "No need to apologize, I haven't been waiting too long, though I am curious as to why we had to meet here of all places." I inquired, pulling the collar of my jacket closer to my self as the wind blew by.
She smiled as she came to sit on a tree stump. "Today I come bearing a gift, one that I believe will prove useful to you and allow us to bond over you learning how to use it." she said, gesturing for me to come and sit next to her.
I was even more curious now as a list of things ran through my mind of what she could be wishing to teach me. "Oh, and just what might that be?" I inquired, a look of curiosity on my face, one she kindly nudged as the birds chirped in the snow-covered canopy of the forest.
For a brief moment, Cereza didn't say a word, more so she simply closed her eyes and hummed a bit, a melody she put together alongside the chirping of birds. "Do you know what Animus is Haldir?" she questioned, never opening her eyes yet I could feel that she was peering into me with her words.
"I can not say I've intimate knowledge of it, though I have heard of stories of those who practice it. Turning into beasts, taking on the aspects of animals and other creatures." I answered, watching as her lips curled into a smile, a laugh escaping them.
"In a way yes, you could say that, but it's so much more." she mused, a small bird coming to perch on her hand. "Animus is freeing oneself from the mortal shackles of life. To shift between forms, granted they are animals for most practitioners, but still a liberating experience at that. I wish to share this experience with you."
Her explanation caused my eyes to widened as I never expected her to be a mage, let alone wanting to share her magic with me. Then it started to make sense, she brought me here in a secluded space so that we wouldn't be disturbed. "I have brought you here as the process of the initiation and what comes after requires that you have space."
She explained, moving to stand behind me. "Once initiated you will undergo a trance of sorts, sending you into a primal and feral experience. You will try to attune yourself to everything around you. It's a vulnerable time for you, and rather you did not die from the process. It's why my attendant and myself are here to watch over the process."
She added into her explanation, a bowl of blood in her hands. "If you trust me and accept the risk of the initiation, tell me where you wish for me to inscribe the rune." she inquired, giving me a moment to contemplate. With a nod I undid my jacket, removed my shirt, and turned my back to her, pointing to the center of my back.
"I pray for your successful initiation my sweet nephew." with these words she began to inscribe the Rune of Animus on me. As she drew lines and patterns on my back, she continued to explain important bits as well. "My experience was somewhat horrifying, I remember seeing myself toward the tail end of my initiation process and saw the monstrous beast I had become. You may experience something of that nature as well, but know I will be here with you the entire way."
She explained watching as the patterns morphed and shifted on my skin, a fluttering of feathers and coiling serpents with a curious raise of her brow. She was intrigued by what type of animist I would become. "And worry not my attendant and I will be with you the whole way, watching and ensuring that you don't do anything too reckless while under the trance of your initiation." she added, padding me on my shoulders.
"You make it sound as if I'll rampage and slaughter a small village or caravan while under." I jested, turning my head back a bit to catch her gaze. A part of me was a little worried about what exactly would occur that I wouldn't be able to remember. "You would be surprised at what one could do while going through this initiation. Take me for example, my initiation led to the death of a mother and her young son. I'm not proud of this, but it's something that has stuck with me ever since." she noted, a hint of sadness in her words as they were spoken.
As it settled, I could feel a strange sensation wash over me, then I was out like a light. I don't remember most of what happened next, but I remember bits and pieces. Running, my heart racing, my senses trying to grasp at and understand everything around me. It was like being thrusted out into a whole new world with no inkling as to who or what you are or your surroundings. My heart felt like it would burst from my chest at any moment.
I felt primal, relying solely on instinct. At one point I remember killing something, being covered in blood, but I was oddly ok with it, it was in my nature to kill after all. I remember watching, stalking animals in the forest, a cunning predator waiting for my chance to kill. It was quite the experience.
Within this trance, I let my mind fill with thoughts of primal nature, allowing my inner animal to come forth and take control. I felt myself flying with wings, seeing things through the eyes of the birds, hearing how animals around me perceived the world around them. I was soaring in an ocean of thoughts and feelings, melding with the rune to become truly one, and then everything went blank for me and I don't remember much.
"By the time you read this note, the day has come and gone, and you will have successfully survived your initiation into Animus, my dear. This is good, and the next step will come the next time we meet and you have all healed from the injuries you gained nephew. I, unfortunately, had to go and could not be there to see you wake up myself, so as compensation, I plan to make you a lovely dish, one that your mother loved as a little girl growing up. - With love, Cereza."
Looking to the window the note was right, the day had come and gone, and the new one was just beginning for me, though it was merely the same time as he started the day before. Standing to my feet I placed my hand on the nape of my neck as it was sore much like the rest of my body was feeling at the time. "Well, that was absolutely mindboggling."
My words hung in the air as I went and flopped back into the bed, my eyes falling on the window and a smile perched on my face. A new magic and a promise to learn something new about my mother in one visit? I was starting to think my dear aunt was spoiling me like I was her own child, but I didnt mind it, she was the closes connection to my birth mother I have after all. ☠
"Common Tongue"
"Silvain Tongue"
"Cereza Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"
As if signaling her arrival, a gust of wind blew through my hair and forced my head in her direction. Her stride into view was nothing short of regal, she looked like a queen entering her court, carrying herself with irreproachable dignity and grace. The snow blown from the trees glittered around her as she approached and I was truly breathless at the site.
"I hope I didn't keep you waiting long." she called to me, waving with a polite smile on her face. Her attendant was trailing behind her at a respectable distance, his head on a swivel for danger. "No need to apologize, I haven't been waiting too long, though I am curious as to why we had to meet here of all places." I inquired, pulling the collar of my jacket closer to my self as the wind blew by.
She smiled as she came to sit on a tree stump. "Today I come bearing a gift, one that I believe will prove useful to you and allow us to bond over you learning how to use it." she said, gesturing for me to come and sit next to her.
I was even more curious now as a list of things ran through my mind of what she could be wishing to teach me. "Oh, and just what might that be?" I inquired, a look of curiosity on my face, one she kindly nudged as the birds chirped in the snow-covered canopy of the forest.
For a brief moment, Cereza didn't say a word, more so she simply closed her eyes and hummed a bit, a melody she put together alongside the chirping of birds. "Do you know what Animus is Haldir?" she questioned, never opening her eyes yet I could feel that she was peering into me with her words.
"I can not say I've intimate knowledge of it, though I have heard of stories of those who practice it. Turning into beasts, taking on the aspects of animals and other creatures." I answered, watching as her lips curled into a smile, a laugh escaping them.
"In a way yes, you could say that, but it's so much more." she mused, a small bird coming to perch on her hand. "Animus is freeing oneself from the mortal shackles of life. To shift between forms, granted they are animals for most practitioners, but still a liberating experience at that. I wish to share this experience with you."
Her explanation caused my eyes to widened as I never expected her to be a mage, let alone wanting to share her magic with me. Then it started to make sense, she brought me here in a secluded space so that we wouldn't be disturbed. "I have brought you here as the process of the initiation and what comes after requires that you have space."
She explained, moving to stand behind me. "Once initiated you will undergo a trance of sorts, sending you into a primal and feral experience. You will try to attune yourself to everything around you. It's a vulnerable time for you, and rather you did not die from the process. It's why my attendant and myself are here to watch over the process."
She added into her explanation, a bowl of blood in her hands. "If you trust me and accept the risk of the initiation, tell me where you wish for me to inscribe the rune." she inquired, giving me a moment to contemplate. With a nod I undid my jacket, removed my shirt, and turned my back to her, pointing to the center of my back.
"I pray for your successful initiation my sweet nephew." with these words she began to inscribe the Rune of Animus on me. As she drew lines and patterns on my back, she continued to explain important bits as well. "My experience was somewhat horrifying, I remember seeing myself toward the tail end of my initiation process and saw the monstrous beast I had become. You may experience something of that nature as well, but know I will be here with you the entire way."
She explained watching as the patterns morphed and shifted on my skin, a fluttering of feathers and coiling serpents with a curious raise of her brow. She was intrigued by what type of animist I would become. "And worry not my attendant and I will be with you the whole way, watching and ensuring that you don't do anything too reckless while under the trance of your initiation." she added, padding me on my shoulders.
"You make it sound as if I'll rampage and slaughter a small village or caravan while under." I jested, turning my head back a bit to catch her gaze. A part of me was a little worried about what exactly would occur that I wouldn't be able to remember. "You would be surprised at what one could do while going through this initiation. Take me for example, my initiation led to the death of a mother and her young son. I'm not proud of this, but it's something that has stuck with me ever since." she noted, a hint of sadness in her words as they were spoken.
As it settled, I could feel a strange sensation wash over me, then I was out like a light. I don't remember most of what happened next, but I remember bits and pieces. Running, my heart racing, my senses trying to grasp at and understand everything around me. It was like being thrusted out into a whole new world with no inkling as to who or what you are or your surroundings. My heart felt like it would burst from my chest at any moment.
I felt primal, relying solely on instinct. At one point I remember killing something, being covered in blood, but I was oddly ok with it, it was in my nature to kill after all. I remember watching, stalking animals in the forest, a cunning predator waiting for my chance to kill. It was quite the experience.
Within this trance, I let my mind fill with thoughts of primal nature, allowing my inner animal to come forth and take control. I felt myself flying with wings, seeing things through the eyes of the birds, hearing how animals around me perceived the world around them. I was soaring in an ocean of thoughts and feelings, melding with the rune to become truly one, and then everything went blank for me and I don't remember much.
☠ 5th of Frost, Year 120, Final Solstice ☠
As the next morning came through the windows of the room I had found myself in, my eyes shot open and pants for air filled the space around me as I looked to the ceiling, then around the room. Cereza was gone, and I was now in one of the hospital beds at Ravencrest and all I could find of her was a note she left on the table beside me."By the time you read this note, the day has come and gone, and you will have successfully survived your initiation into Animus, my dear. This is good, and the next step will come the next time we meet and you have all healed from the injuries you gained nephew. I, unfortunately, had to go and could not be there to see you wake up myself, so as compensation, I plan to make you a lovely dish, one that your mother loved as a little girl growing up. - With love, Cereza."
Looking to the window the note was right, the day had come and gone, and the new one was just beginning for me, though it was merely the same time as he started the day before. Standing to my feet I placed my hand on the nape of my neck as it was sore much like the rest of my body was feeling at the time. "Well, that was absolutely mindboggling."
My words hung in the air as I went and flopped back into the bed, my eyes falling on the window and a smile perched on my face. A new magic and a promise to learn something new about my mother in one visit? I was starting to think my dear aunt was spoiling me like I was her own child, but I didnt mind it, she was the closes connection to my birth mother I have after all. ☠
"Common Tongue"
"Silvain Tongue"
"Cereza Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"
