Lanassa hesistated for a second. What did she mean with coming to terms? Hadn't she? She guessed the only way to find out was to touch it and see for herself. Even though something inside of her seemed to want to refuse the approach, ultimately she softly put her hand against the collumn. A weird, woozy feeling came over her as she suddenly found herself elsewhere. Everything she saw and felt around her was like water, and the nymph that had just been contained was now freely in front of her. 

Shui looked at the female nymph before him, a slight frown on his face as he openly studied the child. [i]"Why are you here?"[/i] he asked, his voice gentler than one would expect from a male.

[color=00aeef][b]"Because, apparently, the world needs a water sage."[/b][/color] Lanassa scratches her head [color=00aeef][b]"The more I think about it, the worse it sounds actually." She sighed "Why did I think fighting the dark lord would be a good idea?"[/b][/color]

The male nymphs frown seemed to deepen at her answer, not pleased with what she had said. [i]"Doubt will leave room for the Dark Lord to enter your mind and poison your thoughts child. Do not doubt what you are capable of just because you have yet to see your abilities. Now, what do you hope to accomplish?"[/i]

Lanassa could notice his displeasure, but it was true. She still wasn't certain why she thought fighting the dark lord was the best way to achieve her goal. Seriously, how was this supposed to be the road of least resistance? [b][color=00aeef]"I... well... I want to get back at my mother, the queen."[/color][/b] Lanassa sighed [color=00aeef][b]"She abandoned me at birth because she couldn't face up to her own mistakes. She deserves the slander."[/b][/color]

Shui simply crossed his arms over his chest, his wings fluttering in an almost aggitated manner. Yet again, he found himself displeased with this female's response, vengence of any kind left an even larger opening then he had mentioned with her doubt. [i]"What do you hold closest to your heart?"[/i]

His continued displeased expressions troubled her. What would happen if she gave him the wrong answers?[color=00aeef][b] "Uhm... well..."[/b][/color] She murmured, largely unsure.[color=00aeef][b]"My friends I guess? The people at home? I have a good home, a good life with them. I cherish that."[/b][/color]

[i]"That answer is far better than any of the others I have heard yet,"[/i] he murmured before staring Lanassa right in the eyes, "What are you willing to sacrifice to meet the end goal?

[color=00aeef][b]"I do not believe my goal is worth sacrifice. I am simply a selfish girl with a selfish wish."[/b][/color] She said somewhat saddened [color=00aeef][b]"What happens to her, though, my mother... that is the only thing I don't give much about."[/b][/color]

[i]"Saying such a thing indicates more darkness in you than I am pleased with. I can only hope that your views change as you continue your training. Clearly she left you with a good life, you were taken care of and loved by those who looked after you. While your mother may have been the one to leave you, she left you in the hands of good people to serve a higher purpose. You resent her when you have led a far better life with the temple than you would have had with her."[/i] Shui turned his head for a moment and frowned, [i]"I have no other questions for you, you are dismissed."[/i]

[color=00aeef][b]"Yes."[/b][/color] Lanassa hissed [color=00aeef][b]"Maybe I should be happy that she didn't outright kill me. That does not change she was willing to abandon her daughter simply to cover up her own errors. Yes, she isn't inhuman. I don't wish to kill her, I simply want her to atone. I may like my life, but that doesn't mean it was always easy! How could anyone believe that growing up without your parents could be? How often do you think I wondered about the woman that had to leave me behind? I always thought I had a mother that was unable to take care of me. Someone poor, someone troubled beyond rational belief. I took comfort in my beliefs that my abandonment must've been heartbreaking. Instead, I see the queen happily on her throne without any shame. It hurts. The robed one said you were like me... do you understand that pain?"[/b][/color]

[i]"You don't know hurt until you feel and see your mother sink a blade into your skin and leave you to die,"[/i] was all Shui said before the illusion fell, leaving Lanassa back in the courtyard after being forcefully ejected from her own dream like state.

Tears were burning in Lanassa's eyes as she found herself back in the normal world. It took her a minute to notice the circlet that had somehow appeared on her person. The circlet was made of yellow gold and rose gold bands that spiraled and intertwined to make a tiara-like shape. It dipped down along the hairline, almost touching the forehead region with an intricate swirly flourish. The circlet itself was scattered with small, golden leaves and flowers that resemble the florae native to her homeland; There were five flowers on each side with each holding a small jewel representative of the elements that her people pay respect to: Ruby, Emerald, Blue Topaz, Black Diamond and Diamond. In the center of the circlet, above the swirly flourish, was a much larger Aquamarine stone that was also decorated with swirls of rose gold. Attached to the large Aquamarine at the bottom sat a half size smaller Opal, outlined in the same rose gold that decorated the Aquamarine. Lanassa took it off her head and examined it for a minute before putting it back on again. Despite the... unpleasant experience, at least she could say Shui had a decent sense of fashion. She sighed, then turned around and walked to the robed figure. [color=00aeef][b]"What now?"[/b][/color]