Summoning 2011
Jul. 21st, 2011 12:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
janestarzRandom scenes I remember well.
"Do you remember which spells you are learning?" Ekitch asked. He ducked his chin and looked at her in that way he did when he was testing her.
"Yes!" Frankie said enthusiastically. "There's Dispel Enchantment, Bonds of the Earth, and Case of course. Case was there too*."
Ekitch blinked, clearly trying to overlook Frankie's sloppy pronounciation of High-Vortexian. "Encase. Correct. Do you remember what the spells do?"
Frankie looked over her shoulder. The tent opening was behind her, but she forced herself to focus on her lesson. She repeated the spell effects for Ekitch, who nodded at her progress. "And the incantations?"
Frankie looked at the tent roof. "Well, they all start the same by calling upon the element. And then for the Bonds of the Earth it goes 'we shall be as one'."
Ekitch nodded. "Encase?"
Frankie tucked a stray strand of hair behind one ear. The rain made her hair curl and hang in her eyes. "May the Earth envelop you?"
Ekitch shook his head. "Not quite. You use te same word as in the name of the spell. 'May the Earth encase you.' And the last one?"
She thought for a moment, plucking at her sleeve. "I dispel this enchantment."
Ekitch sat back. He was obviously pleased. "Very good. Tomorrow, we will see if you can cast one of these spells."
"Can we start with Bonds of the Earth?" Frankie asked, smiling broadly.
***
When she walked into the camp, most of the faction members were centered around a group of the leaders. Logan was even waving a branch around.
When they were finished, they dispersed quickly. People ran to get other supplies and Prajiol raised his voice. "Five minutes and we go, people."
"Are you coming too, Frankie?" someone asked.
"Can't." she replied. She should have said "Shan't." or maybe even "Won't."
Everyone gathered, even Choris and Danara. "I'll start on dinner." Frankie said.
As the group marched towards the ritual circle, in unison, Maywhyn pressed her hand in Frankie's hand. "My sister in Earth."
***
After Faisco and Arturo, Frankie finally found Ekitch and Armandis. The latter had expressed his interest in coming along again to stop Orpheus. After some pressure, both mages joined Frankie.
"I'm very worried." Frankie said, as they hurried towards Faction Gargoyle. "Mort and Bart have hardly shown their faces with us today, and they're talking about how and if, should we stand on opposite sides in battle, we would attack them."
"What are you worried about, exactly?" Armandis asked.
"I'm worried Bart is walking Orpheus' path. That he will take the souls that should go to Luna and keep them for himself. I think maybe he's trying to force our hand. Or going the same way as Orpheus."
They arrived in the faction, and everyone was ready. Frankie quickly threw on her armour and belted her sword on her back. "Ready." she said as she stepped out of the tent. Bart, Mort, Choris, Danara, Logan, Jos, Ekitch and Armandis were ready too and they walked to the edge of the camp. A portal to a gloomy world opened, the world of the dead. Through this world, they exited to the world where they would find Orpheus.
He was waiting for them beneath a chestnut tree. Again, the megalomania was thick in his voice and he was raving about his powers and how Luna had abandoned him.
But Bart was no longer completely opposing Orpheus; instead, he was closer to confronting the other Pathfinders than he seemed to be to confront Orpheus.
Jos leaned against the chestnut tree as the discussion wore on, the rain falling heavily.
"What it boils down to is this!" Bart said strongly, conviction in his voice. "Before nightfall, we must convert 15 followers to Luna."
"Being a follower of a god does not mean to blindly do as She commands;" Armandis pleaded; "Instead, it means that you do what is right for Her. Whether She agrees or not."
"I think that by converting people this way, you will only anger other Gods. And I think they will unite against Luna." Frankie piped up.
Ekitch was quiet, but he seemed ready to act should the need arrive. Logan focused on his thoughts, and Jos was quiet. Danara and Choris disagreed with Bart, and Mort merely stood, weighing their reactions. Suddenly, Bart disappeared, and Orpheus started discussing his points again. How sad it was that Luna had abandoned him, how he was only trying to serve Her. It took long enough, but then Bart returned, and spoke; "We can give Orpheus the choice, to let the souls he keeps with him go by his own free will. Or we can take them by force. It is up to you to choose."
"Let him be free to choose." Choris said. "We can always take them, if he does not comply to the will of his Goddess."
"Choose." Danara said.
"Choose." Frankie said.
All said choose, and Orpheus reappeared. Bart spoke to him, gave him the choice. "Would you volunteer those souls you have kept from Luna to Her, of your own free wil, so that you will be re-united with Her and be Hers again?"
Orpheus thought for a moment. "If that is Her will, so I shall be. I will give them up."
All the priests, Choris, Danara, Logan, Bart and Mort, put their hands on Orpheus, one hand pointing to the rain pouring from above. They started to chant their prayers to Luna, and slowly, the flesh of Orpheus was torn into shadows, and he disappeared into the night until nothing remained.
Mort led the way back, to the portal of the world of the dead, and we filed through. Frankie spoke to Armandis. "I think I understand. We, the followers of Luna, had to choose, so that She may change according to our beliefs."
"Yes, I think so, Frankie. I think that I was right after all."
***
The next day at the Pentagon, Frankie stepped up to Ekitch again. They'd been prepared for a big battle, but it turned out to be a disappointment. Ekitch smiled and said it was time for her next lesson. "Why don't you try an Encase." he said.
"I wanted to start with Bonds of the Earth." Frankie replied. "I think it could really help us in battle."
Ekitch nodded. "Alright. Do you remember the incantation?"
Frankie nodded. Ekitch opened his arms in an inviting gesture. "Try casting the spell on me."
"Well, I don't know if that's such a good idea." Frankie said. "You're, well, you know, important to the faction. And if I make a mistake I wouldn't want to hurt you."
"Nothing will go wrong." Ekitch said.
"But what about, um, if I get in your head. Or you get in mine? I don't it would be such a good idea."
Kalor sauntered over casually. Ekitch folded his arms and extended one hand towards the battlemage. "Then do it on Kalor."
Arthur also stood next to them. Frankie looked around nervously. Kalor looked like he was ready enough, but she still had her doubts. She tried standing behind Kalor, but he turned around so she would have to look right at him.
Ekitch sighed. "Alright, let's go to the mage's guild and see what we can do there."
Kalor did not join them, but Frankie practiced on someone else. She forgot something the first time she cast the spell.
"Well, it worked." Ekitch said. "But remember: you will have to concentrate and repeat the second part of the spell to maintain it. Otherwise the bond is broken. Here, let's stand next to the prism. We can try with mana from the prism, so you don't exhaust yourself.
Frankie raised an eyebrow, but didn't question Ekitch's words further. She put her hands on Arturo's shoulders and Ekitch put his hands on her shoulder, channeling the earth magic from the prism into her, so she could use it.
She cast her spell, letting the mana flow freely, and she focused on Arturo, repeating the words under her breath. As if through a fog she heard the voices of the other mages.
"It seems to be working." Arturo said.
"Let's see how long she can keep her focus." Ekitch replied.
Silence.
"I'm going to stand up." Arturo said. "See how that goes."
Vaguely, Frankie felt the body under her hands, that was connected to her through the flows of magic, shift and move. As Arturo took a step, she followed instinctively, trying not to break the flow.
At the tent entrance, one of her feet hooked behind a part of the tent, and she lost the connection with Arturo. The magic stopped abruptly, and Frankie gasped. "I ... tripped."
"Well, that went well." Ekitch smiled.
***
Okay, that's as far as I get today. Don't feel up to writing more. Enjoy!
-----
*) Not too shabby translation of "en Kees, Kees was er ook." Encase sounds just the same as "en Kees".
"Do you remember which spells you are learning?" Ekitch asked. He ducked his chin and looked at her in that way he did when he was testing her.
"Yes!" Frankie said enthusiastically. "There's Dispel Enchantment, Bonds of the Earth, and Case of course. Case was there too*."
Ekitch blinked, clearly trying to overlook Frankie's sloppy pronounciation of High-Vortexian. "Encase. Correct. Do you remember what the spells do?"
Frankie looked over her shoulder. The tent opening was behind her, but she forced herself to focus on her lesson. She repeated the spell effects for Ekitch, who nodded at her progress. "And the incantations?"
Frankie looked at the tent roof. "Well, they all start the same by calling upon the element. And then for the Bonds of the Earth it goes 'we shall be as one'."
Ekitch nodded. "Encase?"
Frankie tucked a stray strand of hair behind one ear. The rain made her hair curl and hang in her eyes. "May the Earth envelop you?"
Ekitch shook his head. "Not quite. You use te same word as in the name of the spell. 'May the Earth encase you.' And the last one?"
She thought for a moment, plucking at her sleeve. "I dispel this enchantment."
Ekitch sat back. He was obviously pleased. "Very good. Tomorrow, we will see if you can cast one of these spells."
"Can we start with Bonds of the Earth?" Frankie asked, smiling broadly.
When she walked into the camp, most of the faction members were centered around a group of the leaders. Logan was even waving a branch around.
When they were finished, they dispersed quickly. People ran to get other supplies and Prajiol raised his voice. "Five minutes and we go, people."
"Are you coming too, Frankie?" someone asked.
"Can't." she replied. She should have said "Shan't." or maybe even "Won't."
Everyone gathered, even Choris and Danara. "I'll start on dinner." Frankie said.
As the group marched towards the ritual circle, in unison, Maywhyn pressed her hand in Frankie's hand. "My sister in Earth."
After Faisco and Arturo, Frankie finally found Ekitch and Armandis. The latter had expressed his interest in coming along again to stop Orpheus. After some pressure, both mages joined Frankie.
"I'm very worried." Frankie said, as they hurried towards Faction Gargoyle. "Mort and Bart have hardly shown their faces with us today, and they're talking about how and if, should we stand on opposite sides in battle, we would attack them."
"What are you worried about, exactly?" Armandis asked.
"I'm worried Bart is walking Orpheus' path. That he will take the souls that should go to Luna and keep them for himself. I think maybe he's trying to force our hand. Or going the same way as Orpheus."
They arrived in the faction, and everyone was ready. Frankie quickly threw on her armour and belted her sword on her back. "Ready." she said as she stepped out of the tent. Bart, Mort, Choris, Danara, Logan, Jos, Ekitch and Armandis were ready too and they walked to the edge of the camp. A portal to a gloomy world opened, the world of the dead. Through this world, they exited to the world where they would find Orpheus.
He was waiting for them beneath a chestnut tree. Again, the megalomania was thick in his voice and he was raving about his powers and how Luna had abandoned him.
But Bart was no longer completely opposing Orpheus; instead, he was closer to confronting the other Pathfinders than he seemed to be to confront Orpheus.
Jos leaned against the chestnut tree as the discussion wore on, the rain falling heavily.
"What it boils down to is this!" Bart said strongly, conviction in his voice. "Before nightfall, we must convert 15 followers to Luna."
"Being a follower of a god does not mean to blindly do as She commands;" Armandis pleaded; "Instead, it means that you do what is right for Her. Whether She agrees or not."
"I think that by converting people this way, you will only anger other Gods. And I think they will unite against Luna." Frankie piped up.
Ekitch was quiet, but he seemed ready to act should the need arrive. Logan focused on his thoughts, and Jos was quiet. Danara and Choris disagreed with Bart, and Mort merely stood, weighing their reactions. Suddenly, Bart disappeared, and Orpheus started discussing his points again. How sad it was that Luna had abandoned him, how he was only trying to serve Her. It took long enough, but then Bart returned, and spoke; "We can give Orpheus the choice, to let the souls he keeps with him go by his own free will. Or we can take them by force. It is up to you to choose."
"Let him be free to choose." Choris said. "We can always take them, if he does not comply to the will of his Goddess."
"Choose." Danara said.
"Choose." Frankie said.
All said choose, and Orpheus reappeared. Bart spoke to him, gave him the choice. "Would you volunteer those souls you have kept from Luna to Her, of your own free wil, so that you will be re-united with Her and be Hers again?"
Orpheus thought for a moment. "If that is Her will, so I shall be. I will give them up."
All the priests, Choris, Danara, Logan, Bart and Mort, put their hands on Orpheus, one hand pointing to the rain pouring from above. They started to chant their prayers to Luna, and slowly, the flesh of Orpheus was torn into shadows, and he disappeared into the night until nothing remained.
Mort led the way back, to the portal of the world of the dead, and we filed through. Frankie spoke to Armandis. "I think I understand. We, the followers of Luna, had to choose, so that She may change according to our beliefs."
"Yes, I think so, Frankie. I think that I was right after all."
The next day at the Pentagon, Frankie stepped up to Ekitch again. They'd been prepared for a big battle, but it turned out to be a disappointment. Ekitch smiled and said it was time for her next lesson. "Why don't you try an Encase." he said.
"I wanted to start with Bonds of the Earth." Frankie replied. "I think it could really help us in battle."
Ekitch nodded. "Alright. Do you remember the incantation?"
Frankie nodded. Ekitch opened his arms in an inviting gesture. "Try casting the spell on me."
"Well, I don't know if that's such a good idea." Frankie said. "You're, well, you know, important to the faction. And if I make a mistake I wouldn't want to hurt you."
"Nothing will go wrong." Ekitch said.
"But what about, um, if I get in your head. Or you get in mine? I don't it would be such a good idea."
Kalor sauntered over casually. Ekitch folded his arms and extended one hand towards the battlemage. "Then do it on Kalor."
Arthur also stood next to them. Frankie looked around nervously. Kalor looked like he was ready enough, but she still had her doubts. She tried standing behind Kalor, but he turned around so she would have to look right at him.
Ekitch sighed. "Alright, let's go to the mage's guild and see what we can do there."
Kalor did not join them, but Frankie practiced on someone else. She forgot something the first time she cast the spell.
"Well, it worked." Ekitch said. "But remember: you will have to concentrate and repeat the second part of the spell to maintain it. Otherwise the bond is broken. Here, let's stand next to the prism. We can try with mana from the prism, so you don't exhaust yourself.
Frankie raised an eyebrow, but didn't question Ekitch's words further. She put her hands on Arturo's shoulders and Ekitch put his hands on her shoulder, channeling the earth magic from the prism into her, so she could use it.
She cast her spell, letting the mana flow freely, and she focused on Arturo, repeating the words under her breath. As if through a fog she heard the voices of the other mages.
"It seems to be working." Arturo said.
"Let's see how long she can keep her focus." Ekitch replied.
Silence.
"I'm going to stand up." Arturo said. "See how that goes."
Vaguely, Frankie felt the body under her hands, that was connected to her through the flows of magic, shift and move. As Arturo took a step, she followed instinctively, trying not to break the flow.
At the tent entrance, one of her feet hooked behind a part of the tent, and she lost the connection with Arturo. The magic stopped abruptly, and Frankie gasped. "I ... tripped."
"Well, that went well." Ekitch smiled.
Okay, that's as far as I get today. Don't feel up to writing more. Enjoy!
-----
*) Not too shabby translation of "en Kees, Kees was er ook." Encase sounds just the same as "en Kees".
