[Open] Gray November Days

[teratias]

Who: Waver and whoever wishes to join him
Where: In and about the Temple of Beginnings and Lakeside
When: Early November
Rating G
What: Mucking about, practicing some magic



Fighting Ring
[Autumn seemed to have settled over the Temple in the way that it always did after any version of the Halloween holiday. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Waver suspected that Bonfire Night was either on the horizon or recently passed by.

That holiday wasn't why he had a little fire going beside him within the fighting ring. There was a far more practical reason, and with no one else around, he felt confident practicing. His magic was strange and particular, requiring an on-going flame and the destruction of paper to make it all work.

But it let him do things he'd never be able to accomplish otherwise. He puts a single piece of paper to the fire beside him (it's small, of course, nothing that can get out of control.) As the stuff turns to ash, iron spikes rise from the ground, impaling the dummy that has been his enemy. It's a nasty sight, stuffing going everywhere, and it ends with a genuinely shocked Waver staring at the scene.]

...Woah. That...that worked a little too well.

[The surprise means that anyone watching can get the better of him, but...well no one's that rude. Hopefully.]

Forest of the Fey
There's still something unnerving about the forest, but Waver has tried to walk it several times recently. Today's adventure is no different. He trudges out into the dense greenery (now autumnal, perhaps soon wintery), eyes everywhere and ears strained to see if there are more secrets this place is willing to give up.

In doing so, he is not paranoid, just keenly aware. It is for that reason he tenses when he hears something. There have been big animals before and...perhaps this is one of them?

There's no noise from him. Waver is still, waiting for the noise source to reveal itself.

Shores of Lake Dona
[Waver can't say what it is that draws him back to this place. Exploring the caverns alone is a poor idea, and getting too closer to the water invites mermaids to be well...dicks. But there's something about this place that needs to be explained. It's arrival saw the intermitten return of powers, and that still says something.

He sits quietly on the shore (far back, of course), his hands resting on the ground to support his weight, a discarded notebook to one side.]

If I was a source of some kind of overriding power, where would I be....


Wildcard
You know what to do

Comments

[teratias]

...Oh! Uh.

[Waver turns around, seeing Merlin and becoming several fascinating colors of red.]

Yeah I....didn't think it would be this effective. I don't think this is a use again spell.

[courtmagic]

[you know that's only going to make Merlin want to pry more, right.]

Never hurts to have something on hand for last resorts. But that said, I've got to ask how you did that in the first place.

[teratias]

I...ugh, just walk over here I'm not gonna yell across the ring!

[Waver's red face at least begins to fade, and he proceeds to burn something else over the fight. The spikes in the impaled dummy disappear, and soon it's just Waver and another handful of ash.]

[courtmagic]

[amused, he complies, striding over in no particular rush. it would have been funny to make Waver keep yelling though.]

There are more comfortable places to make a campfire.

[teratias]

Good thing I'm not camping.

[Waver doesn't bother to explain. He instead reaches into his pants pocket, and pulls out another little piece of paper, neatly folded. Into the flame it goes, and within moments, there is a rainstorm over the dummy. The downpour is fast, furious, and soon enough a great puddle begins to form, reaching out and out until it reaches Waver's feet.]

It's a required part of my magic.

[courtmagic]

So, magecraft triggered by incineration? How complex do your commands have to be in order to be effective?

[or how simple can they be dumbed down to? Merlin's mind is working fast.]

[teratias]

What I've worked out is that the more specific, the better, as it lets me direct things with greater accuracy.

[He hands Merlin a slip of paper, one that just says rain.]

This'll make it go everywhere in a whatever foot radius. The thing I just did specified it on "my enemy."

[courtmagic]

So you could simply impale someone with one spike instead of five.

[he promises he'll stop after this.]

[teratias]

If I really wanted to. Not that I'm gonna because uh. [Waver just gestures behind him.]

The problem is I can't really write in the middle of a huge disaster.

[courtmagic]

So the problem lies in being able to prep your arsenal ahead of time.

Or is the fire more of an issue?

[teratias]

To be honest? Both.

[Waver takes a few more pieces of paper out and offers the to Merlin for closer inspection. There are shields, there's offensive fire (quite literally, it may or may not turn into the wanker sign), there's a tidal wave from nothing.]

If I can't get a light, it's a problem, and if I run out of spells, it's just as bad.

[courtmagic]

[his eyes move over the paper, back and forth, and then he looks up at Waver.]

You created the spikes. Why not use the magic to try to create another solid object? A lighter, perhaps - it might not be everlasting, but you could create one and carry it on you to have a few charges to start a fire somewhere else. That'd solve one of your problems. And as for the others...I wonder, you might be onto something with these shields.

[teratias]

....

[Waver smacks his forehead. He had never tried to make objects with this, just temporary spells! He has the grace to moan and mutter why didn't I think of that? before going over to actually grab his writing supplies.

Scribble scribble, crackle, fwoosh and....there's a little lighter in Waver's hand. He looks over at Merlin, unsure why that went so fast or...why there's a single flower on it? The hell?]

That's....weird

[courtmagic]

[hey Waver, did you want personal space and not Merlin coming around to peer at it over your shoulder? not happening.]

Likely influenced by your state of mind. Good job!

[that took care of part of the problem at least.]

[teratias]

[Merlin. No. Stop that. Stop!]

You're sure?

[He doesn't suspect it. But he can manifest items. That was something Waver never tried out before. It begs another question though...]

What ability did you get anyway?

[courtmagic]

Something that's a little less easy to explain than yours. More abstract. I think I've figured it out, though.

[and through a few attempts trying it on himself.]

[teratias]

....Try me. It isn't like I'm going to be the only one to ever ask this question.

[courtmagic]

[a thoughtful sigh from him, and he pulls back a little.]

That which burns brightly in someone - their strengths, what they rely on - I can empower under my influence. To one, that may be the ability to follow through on orders. To another, their command of magic. It's not one consistent thing.

[teratias]

So it's providing strength to...ability to be determined?

[Waver looks down at the lighter again, and holds it up to examine it better. Out of curiosity, he flicks it open, clicks for the flame and

FWOOSH.

Well, not really, but it's far more powerful than a typical lighter ought to be. He then looks over at Merlin, laughing a little shakily from the fire.]

Like that, then?

[courtmagic]

Do you want to experience it for yourself?

[he smiles, but his eyes hold a hint of seriousness. he'll do it for Waver, if only so he grasps it better, and for himself, that he might understand this power better.]

[teratias]

Should I let you pick the spell? That way the reaction is something we can both embrace for, and you know how it'll impact the words I burn?

[courtmagic]

Are you so certain that my power will affect your magic? That might not even be the trait it latches onto.

[it was a toss up, really. he would have to know someone very well to know exactly what it would generate, or they had to be really obvious, or truly believe in that moment.]

[teratias]

It's not like I have any other traits.

[For something that's borderline self loathing, Waver says it a little too matter-of-factly for his own good. Merlin, you should not have to deal with this terrible boy, I'm sorry.]

[courtmagic]

[an eyebrow raises and descends, and Merlin extends his free hand. a glow begins to build there, a gentle light, and the magic moves forward to Waver. it's warm, refreshing where it meets - raising him up, steadying him, a belief in him that he is encouraged to feel as well. letting him become brighter, stronger, because he can, he is capable. where he shines, he shall shine even more.

the glow comes to rest on Waver, leaving him slightly luminous, and Merlin drops his hand, interest in his eyes.]

[teratias]

[It's...there's a warmth that Waver feels that is so alien to him that he thinks that he's come down with something. That warmth moves inwards, seeps past his magic circuits, goes right into his bones. There's so much more carried in that too, the same kind of feelings that Rider let him experience for the first time and now feel so far away and so far removed.

Looking at Merlin, Waver doesn't hide the confusion in his face. He has no idea what the hell happened, but...he's sure it did something. What it is is impossible to articulate.]

That's...

[Different? Weird?

No.

He lets out a soft laugh, almost to himself.]

I guess I really am not meant to be a skilled spellcaster.