A New Mage?

[Sola]

Frost 80 4622

Luna was having a difficult experience on the ship traveling to Daravin. The voyage had been plagued by several murders, and her own actions were not helping her build a positive reputation among her fellow passengers. To escape the stress and negativity, she sought refuge on the deck of the ship, seeking solace in the warmth of the winter sun. She chose to sit apart from others, hoping to have a moment of peace and solitude. Here she’d thought that her trip would be nice and easygoing. She supposed that life couldn’t be perfect.

Luna had limited options for entertainment as she had left her necromancy kit in her room. To pass the time, she held her longbow close, caressing it affectionately. She felt safer with her weapon at hand and was not going to leave it for a moment. The longbow was a constant companion and source of security for her, even on the ship. One could never know when the next attack could happen, or if there would be pirates. Luna had never seen a pirate before, but that was her main fear when travelling by boat.

The ship was rocked by an unexpected movement, causing Luna to briefly lose her balance. She was momentarily suspended in mid-air before she landed back on her feet. Frustrated by the rough conditions, she muttered a curse under her breath, blaming the waves for the disruption. She heard a child crying in the distance. Surely the wave had knocked them off their feet.

[Ivar]

Ivar searched for Luna for a lengthy period of time. Initially, he assumed she was inside her cabin, purposely ignoring him. This assumption was based on a belief that women often teased people they were interested in by keeping them waiting.

“Open up Luna it’s me.”

To get her attention, he pounded on her door for thirty minutes, hoping she would open it and resolve the situation. Despite the likelihood that his persistent knocking was causing annoyance, he felt he had no other options and believed the problem could be solved quickly with just the opening of her door.

“Fine. Have it your way. I’ll be on the deck if you want to talk.”

Ivar felt like an idiot when he saw Luna on the deck keeping to herself. He knew about the murder but he had not thought much of it. People died all the time. That’s why he did not make enemies if he could help it.

“Luna we have to talk”

Ivar had wanted to have this conversation ever since he had gotten a taste for what her powers were capable of.

“I want you to initiate me. I don’t want to be just anybody. I want power. You can give it to me can’t you? Mages make mages.”

He did not care if she thought he was being obtuse. She had not treated him that well since they got on the boat. He felt like she owed him this at least for staying by her side when she needed him.

[Sola]

Luna was taken aback when Ivar informed her that they needed to have a serious conversation. She was familiar with that statement and it typically preceded a breakup, so it was unusual to hear it from Ivar. Despite the fact that they were not in a romantic relationship, Ivar seemed to be unaware of that. To her surprise, Ivar informed her of his desire to undergo initiation to become a mage.

Luna was shocked and visibly reacted, her jaw dropping open and her arms crossing defensively over her chest. She expressed her concerns about the risks involved, and she felt the need to warn him. So, she said, “you know that’s risky right? You might be throwing your life away.” Despite the dangers, Luna understood Ivar's reasoning for wanting to become a mage. Life as a non-mage in Daravin was not easy and the desire to improve one's station in life was understandable.

At the same time, Luna didn’t know if she was exactly qualified to be initiating someone. She remembered how it’d been done to her but there was much about initiation that had never been taught to her. She didn’t see the harm in trying though. The only thing she stood to lose was a friend since she didn’t think initiation was going to be risky to herself.

She gave Ivar some time to think and then said, “if it’s what you really want, I will initiate you. You were there for me when I needed you and you were willing to come all this way to be by my side. Being a mage will no doubt help you in Daravin and I could train you to make sure you don’t make the same mistakes I made.”

[Ivar]

Ivar felt content. They were on the same page and that was wonderful. He had prepared to argue his point but to have her accept him so quickly was good. He had even thought that he could threaten her by telling people she was a magician. That would have probably made her life worse for now.

"Good. How do we begin? When can we begin?"

Ivar eagerly responded to Luna's warning, showing his determination to start the initiation process.

“And what do we need to do? Can we do it on the boat?”

He was eager to utilize the time on the boat to start the journey towards becoming a mage. He acknowledged the fear of death that came with the initiation, but he feared the alternative of being a common man even more. Ivar was fully committed to taking this step despite the dangers that lay ahead.

“I’m nervous. But I can handle it. If I die just send my things to my family. Tell them I was killed by that killer. If the captain asks questions I’ll sign a paper so you can show it to him. I don’t want you to get in trouble for doing something I asked you to.”

He did not know if Luna would charge him. He did not have much money to give. He did not take her for someone who thought about money when it came to magic. Or else she would have seduced someone rich already. Those were just his opinions though.

[Sola]

Luna agreed with Ivar's enthusiasm and nodded in response, "we can do it here, but it'd be best to do it in one of our rooms. How about you write that note you mentioned and meet me in my room in an hour or so? I'm going to go mentally prepare."

Luna went to the ship's kitchen to grab some food before heading to her room to meditate and prepare for the initiation process. She needed to recall her memories and refresh her knowledge of how to initiate someone into the art of mentalism. This process was crucial for the success of the initiation and for Ivar's safety. Luna was determined to ensure that she did everything correctly and in a safe manner. She took her time, focusing on calming her mind and recalling the necessary information to make the initiation process as smooth and effective as possible.

As the minutes ticked by, Luna yawned and laid down on her bed. She thought about what would happen if Ivar did die. Would the people consider her a criminal too? This was a daravin ship and crew so she doubted he would object to her using magic. Hell, she just expected the captain to have some magical ability because mages typically held positions of power. However many of the passengers were from Radenor and they would probably think ill of her if she accidentally killed someone. She didn’t need to be associated with multiple dead bodies on this trip. Luna groaned as thoughts clouded her mind.

[Ivar]

Ivar smiled happily and even showed a toothy grin. Finally he was getting what he wanted for a change.

“I will get right on it.”

He ran downstairs and got to work on his letter. He wrote a note saying that he was going to try becoming a mage and that he was giving his full consent. He also wrote that if he died his things should go to his parents and he noted the address. He added a few letters he’d want sent to his few friends in case he passed. He did not think of anything else he would have wanted to put in the letter.

Ivar put on his most comfortable clothes which were also his most worn ones. He did not know what would happen but he wanted to at least be in comfort. He expected pain and possibly death. When he finally was ready he went to Luna’s room and knocked on her door.

“It’s me, Ivar. I’m ready. I have the note here.”

If he was let in he would hand her the note and try to give her a hug.

“What do we need to do?”

He felt his anxiety kick up to the extreme. His heart pounded. This was the riskiest thing he’d ever done. But he did not feel like he was making a bad choice. If he became a mage then his future had no limit. He would not live a boring life like he had so far. He would actually be able to make a difference.

[Sola]

Once Luna heard the knocking on her door, she let Ivar in and accepted the note he had written for her. Although she was curious about its contents, she chose not to read it as she assumed it was personal and placed it in her pocket for safekeeping. She hugged Ivar back in a friendly manner, to show her support and encouragement. After the hug ended, she said, "get comfortable. Sit down over there and tell me where you'd like the mark to be placed. I recommend someplace inconspicuous since this is a feared magic. It's not one you ought to go advertising."

She wanted to make sure he was safe and protected from any potential harm or negative consequences that may arise from openly practicing this type of magic. Luna would shiver and throw on another layer of clothing to keep warm. She’d then say, “so after I apply the mark, you will have an emotional battle. It’s… it’s going to tempt you. I don’t remember the exact feelings but there will be emotions, like anger that will tempt you to giving in. However you mustn’t give in. Only if you can show control over your emotions will you survive.”

It sounded simple enough, but Luna knew first had how easy it was for people to give into an emotion they liked. Someone who wanted to be happy would obviously welcome happiness. She hoped that Ivar would be able to handle the burden. When Ivar was ready and indicated where he wanted the mark, she’d draw the mark onto him using her ether.

[Ivar]

Ivar wanted the mark on his elbow so he inticated as much with a point of his finger. He thought he could pass it off as a tattoo and he’d always wanted one on his elbow.

“put it here.”

He sat down and waited for her to do it. He hoped it would not be painful but he expected it to be. He was aware that people died doing this so pain was a given. He did not know what to think of the warning he was given. An emotional battle sounded tough. He did not know how to describe how well he was at dealing with emotions. He did not know if it even mattered.

“I’m ready”

He did not feel ready. He did not think it was possible to feel ready. He was going to do this though. He winced instinctively when Luna drew the mark onto his elbow. It did not hurt though. It was a strange sensation. He could not see exactly what she was marking him with. It was on his elbow so the angle meant whatever shape she drew would be a surprise.

Then the emotional battle started. He started feeling angry at Luna for no reason. No it wasn’t at Luna it was at everything. He was mad at himself for leaving his home. He was mad at the boat for taking so damned long on this journey. He started to shake and raised a fist to strike Luna but he resisted. This was tough.

[Sola]

Luna waited patiently as Ivar winced instinctively at the sensation of the mark being drawn on his elbow. She could see the surprise on his face as he tried to catch a glimpse of the shape, but the angle made it difficult. She knew that the mark represented much more than just a symbol. It was a mark of commitment to the mentalist path, and Ivar had taken the first step towards his goal. As the emotional battle started, Luna's mind raced with memories of her own initiation. She remembered how difficult it was to control her emotions and how she had almost given up on the path. She knew that Ivar was in for a rough ride, but she had faith in his abilities.

Luna watched as Ivar struggled with his emotions, feeling anger and frustration for no apparent reason. She knew that this was a normal part of the initiation process, but it still pained her to see Ivar suffer. She resisted the urge to step in and help, knowing that he had to fight his own battle. As the emotional turmoil subsided, Luna could see the relief on Ivar's face. She smiled warmly at him and said, "Well done, Ivar. You've passed the first test."

It made her heart swell with joy but she knew that he had a long way to go. She hoped he would succeed. Luna decided to give Ivar some space to process his emotions. She said, "There won’t be much time to rest. I know you need time to recover from the emotional onslaught but it is unyielding. Hang in there.”

[Ivar]

As Ivar went through the emotions, he felt as though he was being put through the wringer. Each feeling that the magic induced felt like a wave crashing down on him, threatening to consume him whole. He had always prided himself on his ability to remain composed in the face of adversity, but this was a different kind of challenge altogether.

As he resisted the urge to smile, he couldn't help but wonder if this was all worth it. What was the point of this initiation? Was it just some elaborate test of his willpower? He pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand.

When the feeling of desire washed over him, he was reminded of his feelings for Luna. He knew that he could never act on those feelings, not when he had so much at stake. But the temptation was always there, lurking in the back of his mind. He forced himself to think of something else, anything else, to distract himself from the feeling.

But it was the sadness that really got to him. As he felt the weight of that emotion settle over him like a heavy blanket, he wanted nothing more than to give in to it. He wanted to cry, to scream, to let it all out. But he knew that he couldn't. Not here, not now. He had to be strong, for himself and for the people who were counting on him.

As the emotional onslaught finally came to an end, Ivar breathed a sigh of relief.

"I think it's done."