Character Name: Mama Tiana
Time of Day: Early Morning
Location: Personal Dorm
Interacting with: No-one Important
In the reflection of her boudoir mirror, Tiana watched the guard get dressed. “Two days, sweetie,” she called out absentmindedly over her shoulder as she applied a fresh coat of lipstick using a horsehair brush. She waited for the door to click shut and blew out the candle, reclining in the sickly red glow of her magicks. Tiana’s room was bioluminescent; the walls, doors, floors were etched in runic patterns. It was a self-contained dome of power with overlapping wards to keep it that way, and even though the guards gave it a weekly inspection, she was still able to keep her spells intact.
Tiana opened the curtains and got dressed into a simple ensemble, tugging wearily at the wrinkles in the fabric as she prepared herself for the start of a new semester. She squinted at the morning sun and pulled a few faces in the mirror again as she checked herself out, fixing her undergarments, making sure she was a little more presentable than usual to start the day with a good first impression. Then she took up her ledger and exited into the open corridors of the Guild.
Though she could not, for obvious and unfortunate reasons, ascend to the rank of Meadowmist House Mentor, Tiana was given the next best position of assistant and personal tutor to go alongside her day-to-day teaching activities. This meant that she had to wear the Meadowmist colours whenever possible and a cheery little name-tag for the first few weeks so the newest novices could put her name to her face. Her apparel was therefore bordering on ‘gaudily-dressed greeter’, but it did not matter since Tiana appeared to be almost as excited as the newcomers during this hectic weekday morning. Her sleepy wandering picked up momentum into a purposeful trot as she navigated the confusing pathways of the Guild District towards the Meadowmist dorms.
Character Name: Mama Tiana
Time of Day: Early Morning
Location: Meadowmist Dormitory
Interacting with: Marius (Collab)
Character Name: Marius Sirvaki
Time of Day: Early Morning
Location: Dorm
Interacting with: Mama Tiana
The momentum came to an abrupt halt mere moments before she entered the dorm. She stared at the door, her fingers gently tracing the minute scratches of a spell, still hot to the touch. She shut her eyes, pressed her forehead against the door, and took a deep, deliberate breath. She exhaled lowly, and inhaled sharply-
And a moment later after talking with his wizard servants something strange would happen. Discomfort then anger would flash on his face as he felt a power come over him. ”what the devil!?”
Marius could feel his entire body stiffen. The blood pulsed in his ears, and for one brief and worrying second he could not breathe. Fortunately the moment passed in one deft sweep that made his knees buckle underneath him, his arms becoming as heavy as lead, dragging him towards the floor. Some unknown force had seized control of his own body and compelled him to collapse onto his knees and sit with his hands in his lap.
He was the victim of some spell, he threw his body against the magic using strength against his own blood to free himself. He yelled when he felt the pain in his injured body, his hands sparking blue and yellow to protect himself, a barrier forming around him. It didn't help. ”Blast it! The monster’s magic is too strong! Show yourself coward!” the magic turned to streams of fire as he attempted one last time to resist. Not calling for help he concluded.”Cant--- no choice! I'll have to burn through the floor!” it was his only recourse to escape.
Thankfully in that moment Mama made herself known. He held nothing but contempt for her. “Gnome. Female. Or she looks like one! At last the villain shows herself. The fated day has finally come!” the fire grew further on his person. Threatening the carpet and drapes. ”Flee retainers! This demoness is mine!” he rocked back and forth grunting against his bonds, anger and righteousness overriding pain, but he got no looser.
”Marius Sirvaki how dare you threaten the lives of my students in the ancient House of Meadowmist’s own dormitory!” came the thunderous roar of a woman scorned. The door was flung open again but with much more delicacy than Marius had elected to use. Even though Tiana wasn’t using the faintest lick of magic, most - if not all - of the students could feel the twinge of nerves that comes from witnessing a scolding of righteous proportions. ”Most importantly, you had the gall to cast magic in these halls unprovoked?! You impudent child!” She wheeled around to the gathered students. Her voice rang out clear through the cackling and the screams - again, not by use of magic, but by experience and tact. ”Quieten down, children, please! You are deep within the heart of the Guild now - there are no mummies, and no harm will befall any of you whilst you are with us.”
Mama turned her back on Marius and this seemed worse than the blood magic she used. ”Dont ignore me!” sounding annoyed.
Her voice turned to a more forceful tone as she continued ”Though the other houses may operate differently, I will not have a gaggle of novices blow holes out of my dorms trying to show off to their peers. You will keep your spells for the authorised classes and training facilities! You have two hands to open a door! And if I catch any of you using magic in these halls again you’ll spend your mealtimes in detention with me, ‘till the only thing you’d wish to study is how to conjure up a cupcake!” As Tiana spoke she waggled an authoritarian finger at the gathered novices. Though short in stature, her demeanour packed the punch of a pissed-off matron.
Mama talked and the words seemed to ring true in Marius as the fired seemed to die down as she continued. Despite the discomfort of the spell his face was more puzzled than anything else. ”Wait a sec. You're a teacher?” She motioned for him to use his hands on the door and warned everyone to not to use magic in the halls, he responded with a whisper to himself. ”That seems inefficient…”
Her head snapped to Marius. ”What do you have to say for yourself, lad?” she asked, softer this time. Marius could feel the grip on him lessen ever-so-slightly, enough for him to move his head and shoulders freely, though the rest of his body sat in the numbness of absolute control.
She finally addressed him personally and at this point Marius demeanor seemed to shift completely. Not quite sorry but more, reserved and deliberate in word and deed as if he was using diplomacy in a stateroom. ”I think there was a misunderstanding. I thought the elf was a mummy.” he said as if it was a common mistake.
”Do not lie to me Marius,” Tiana snapped, jabbing a finger in the boy’s chest. ”It is not fitting of a young prodigy like you to feel the need to lie to a teacher.”
Marius contorted his face. Someone like him? Lie? The shame of such an insinuation. Lying was for vile and villainous. He then pieced it together, again his face showing more of a mildness despite his situation. ”Madame Professor, if you are referring to the door. There may have been assassins lying in ambush. I merely had to confront them using shock and awe tactics. The door was not my target.” again the reasoning seemed justified to his point of view.
Tiana sighed and turned to face him fully, letting him go of her sanguine grasp. ”Tell me, Phoenix Dawn - do you know what you’ve been sent here? Why would someone like you be sent to a place like this?”
He felt control return, and somehow his wounds felt worse for it, he cradled his wrist wincing but bit his tongue to say nothing, hiding the pain, though poorly. He looked up at her for her question then shot to his feet. He put a hand on his chest and cracked a happy grin, speaking almost condescendingly. ”Well that is quite obvious. I as the chosen savior and prophesied hero, am to requisition the Guild for the battles to come, as well as employ the most forbidden of magics that no doubt lie within its vaults. I am positive that they lay in wait for the one destined to solve their mysteries and master their powers. Speaking of, if you could bring me to such vault, I would be grateful. I really need to start on those.” he spoke with a sincerity that he believed in his words wholeheartedly. He spoke as if truth was in his very being.
”So you seek power?” Tiana stared at Marius flatly, then looked down at his injuries. ”You have enough power for now. Look at you - you have the raw strength, but no idea how to use it. You seem to believe that gaining more power will somehow fix that. I’m sure even you can see that you’re missing some sort of key element, else you would not be searching in these halls. Am I correct?”
”But of course. The enemy will be powerful. I need to exceed it if the world is to prevail.” he crossed his arms, seeming to have a ready made answer to her queries.
He laughed at enough power comment. He honestly thought she was joking. ”You are an agent of destiny to find the chink in my armor. Your magic has just shown that is not the case. Were the enemy to employ such magic… his eyes went wide and he lowered his gaze, the implications striking into his heart. ”By the gods… We’d be doomed…”
He recovered to listen to the rest of her. He opened his mouth to speak but paused. She had him contradicting himself. He turned from her, his chin being stroked as he stared at the wall. ”Is it true? Am I missing something? Has Destiny sent me here cause I'm not ready yet?”
He then clicked with an answer. Fist in an open palm. ”Of course. This isn’t a Hero’s Quest. I'm on a Hero's Journey! I don't have the tools yet to succeed. If the enemy strikes now… this is bad. Real bad. If anything I should be on the third step. Did I even refuse the call yet though… hmmm.” he seemed to be off in his own little world, puzzlement on his face.
Tiana smirked with amusement. ”It seems to me as if you’ve figured out your next step in your journey then, Marius. The people you see before you are heroes in their own right - they, too, are learning how to better themselves. I recommend that you treat them as equals - get to know them, for they’ll be taking all of your classes, eating meals with you, spending their free time in these dormitories. They are not your retainers - they are here to seek their own destinies too.” She held a hand out to Marius.
”Heroes in their own---!!!
His face snapped back to her. There was something deducing in his stare. He didn't blink, he didn't waver. Not for an instant. He even covered his mouth with his hand. He bent low, low so they could see eye to eye. He stared right into hers for what felt like twelve awkward seconds. He suddenly pointed at her.
”Got you.”
He then stood upright and stared at Artemis. He looked at her uncomfortably for several seconds before he turned to look at each student.
”Not enough.” he crossed his arms and shook his head. ”There has to be more… or it wont work.”
Mixtape Ghost N