Ariel and Ferrin
Flashback - A Pebble For Your Thoughts
Then the dream shifted.
What he held was a corpse, her eyes glazed over, crimson blood dripped from her open mouth. He pushed her away as he lept back with a cry, his legs splashed into knee deep blood. Her body fell back and sank beneath the blood,. He was back on the battlefield, fighting a pointless war. Bodies were everywhere, half sunk in the blood, faces upturned, hands reaching for the distant sullen red sky. His hands, his face, his body covered in sticky blood. He could taste it, he could feel it trickle down his back. The faces of the people he had killed flashed before him. Whispering, accusing. I had to! I did what I had to do!
He slowly sank into the murk, he struggled, but could not get out. This is a dream.
He realized. Nothing more. Wake! Wake!
The hellscape faded, but not before Ferrin glimpsed an eerie figure, it wore a white rob that was red with blood and in it’s hand it held with a long, thin, bright crystalline red sword. He heard laughing, mad, hysterical laughing. “Our Blood in on your hands, wizard!”Ferrin woke. Just an opening of his eyes, nothing more. That damn dream again. It, or some version, had plagued him for several years now. Once awake, the details immediately began to fade, and it seemed almost silly. He had made his peace with the dead, so why did they keep haunting him?
The dead ought to sleep forever. He groused.
Not come and bother me while I’m sleeping. With a heavy sigh, he tossed off the blanket and sat up on the side of unfolding traveling bed. He knew from experience that after a dream like that, any chance of sleep was shot in the head and buried six feet under. He stood and stretched, joints popping and creaking. He put on a light shirt to go with the thin pants he was wearing already, and headed out on deck for some fresh air. Out there, he breathed deeply, reveling in the heady, salty night air. A few of the crew, unlucky enough to have night duties, greeted him on sight. He had been drinking and gambling with them a few times and they almost unanimously accepted the wizard as one of them.
The deck was mostly empty and covered in shadows, lit only by the dim light of several strategically placed lanterns.Ferrin strode to a spot out of the way of the crew and quickly cleared it of miscellaneous debris like rope and empty bottles. That done, he pulled his sword out of the air with a quick requip and took a two-handed stance, his metal hand over his normal hand. His breathing slow and easy, he went through a few basic forms, the easy rhythm and muscle memory drove the last vestiges of the disturbing dream out of his head and brought him fully awake. The gentle rocking of the ship and the wet wood beneath his feet made for treacherous footing, but Ferrin had been trained to fight on a ship before, so they did not concern him. Once warmed up and loose, he picked up the pace, through faster forms. Unconsciously, he slipped into the sword dance,
saltatio armatum, a style that was all about the flash and show of fencing, full of acrobatics and spins, but not useful in battle. It was, however extremely impressive looking.. With it, unbidden, came memories of Ashelia, but he let them drift away. Thinking on her would defeat the purpose of why he was here.
Ariel had never done much sailing and while it was fun in the beginning the novelty wore off. Once you were far enough out there wasn’t that much to look at. Still the sea air was refreshing. There was still a peculiar sensation around though, even before nearing Tenroe. Turning in early one day she tried to sleep. Her mind wasn't letting her get rest though as it buzzed with various thoughts and emotions. After tossing and turning for several hours, more than you do normally on a ship, she woke up late feeling ill. It wasn’t sea sickness. Her head was killing her, felt like it was getting squeezed. Getting out of bed she made her way to the deck to get some fresh air. Topside she spotted Ferrin performing some kind of training. The motions on the man and the waves that she could now see weren’t helping. Taking a seat and resting her back against the side of the ship helped some and she opted to simply watch.
Ferrin noticed his new audience, but gave no sign of it. Instead, he went through several more forms, each harder and more impressive than the last to end to culinate in a finale of thrusts, swipes, twists, and spins. Then, he returned to the starting stance with a deep slow breath. He lowered his sword and turned to Ariel.
“Are you enjoying the show?” He teased with a faint grin on his lips and in his voice.
Ariel would have rolled her eyes if she didn’t think it would make her head feel worse. Sighing slightly she shook her head slightly.
“Sure. Helps take my mind off my throbbing headache.” She rubbed her temples before shutting here eyes trying to quell any amount of pain. Something was affecting her massively right now. It was a little like the disorienting sensation she would feel when changing magics, mostly because of the sudden mood swing, but amplified which didn’t make a whole lot of sense to her at the moment.
Ferrin dismissed his sword with a small wave of magic.
“Sorry, but no encore tonight.” He said.
“Perhaps another time.” He studied this girl before him. He wasn’t sure why, but she was vaguely familiar. But, with her tan skin and blue hair, she cut a very distinctive figure. He was sure he would remember meeting someone who looked like that..
“So, whom do I have the pleasure of entertaining on this fine night?” He asked.
Flinching slightly the deep blue of her appearance began to fade slightly.
”Uh, my name is Ariel.” In moving her hand away from her head she noticed her sleeve shifting color.
”Damn, what is it now?” Turning around she put her hands against the railing and lifted herself up. Her head was spinning as she suddenly felt a wave of emotions. Taken by surprise she froze for a moment trying to sort them all out.
She was looking a unsteady. Ferrin took several steps toward her.
“Are you all right?” He asked, concern creeping into his voice. His sharp eyes noticed the subtle color change creeping across her sleeve, even in the uncertain light. He wasn’t sure what it signified, though.
Ever since getting onto the boat there had been a nagging magical presence that Ariel hadn’t been able to identify. As Farrin moved closer the magic influence grew stronger. Already having been drawing in some of the magic it transitioned to rapidly absorbing the surrounding Aether magic. The woman’s knees buckled as her ability began to try and incorporate the new magic. Internally her mind was screaming. All the fragments of her personality were being drawn together. Joy, fear, sadness, passion, and many other emotions welled up inside her all at once. None of them should have been all that surprising but it had been years since she'd had more than one so strongly at a time. Despite such an influx I the magic seemed to bind much more easily.
The color continued to fade on Ariel’s hair and clothing until everything became gray. The pattern shifted as well mimicking Ferrin’s unique attire. The hue of her eyes and the tips of her hair turned golden.
Ferrin watched this transformation with intense interest. He snapped his fingers as he made the connection.
“Oh. So you are the one. The...chameleon. You absorb magic from wizards and are able to harness said magic.” He backed off a few paces, aware of the potency of his aura.
“Yes, I have heard of your unique ability, now I have a name and a face to go with it.” He went on. He eyed her up and down, tapping his chin with a metal finger.
“And it looks like you have taken on the form of my magic. Fascinating…I have never known another wizard, even mimics like yourself, that were able to handle it. ...well it remains to be seen if she can actually harness it.” He spoke quietly, half to himself. This was an interesting phenomenon, one he wanted to look into more. Also, his magic was extremely powerful and volatile. On top of that, it was exhausting, extended use would drain a wizard dry extremely quickly. It would be a danger to an inexperienced user and to those around them. He, himself, had blown up his fair share of buildings while he was learning, and nearly killed himself attempting spells too big for him.
Thinking back on it, it was a wonder that he had survived.
His next thought was how fragile this floating tub of wood, rope, and cloth was.
He spoke up,
“Girl, Ariel, can you hear me? Do not attempt to use this new magic yet.” There was alarm in his voice. The color-changing girl was looking a bit unsteady, he wasn’t sure if she was even coherent. He also didn’t dare come closer until she calmed down.
“Ariel! Focus on my voice.” He called.
“I also heard that your personality shifts with each magic you draw in. How are you feeling now?” He hoped that conversing with her would help steady the storm of emotions he could see in her eyes. He could only guess what personality she might end up with, and that made him cautious.
One might be surprised at how well he handled this unexpected event, but when one spends their life studying magic, he or she quickly learns to handle the unexpected.
The turmoil within her settled as the new magic seemed to find its place. For Ariel it was almost instant relief. It felt like a hole had been filled that had been lingering since she first acquired magic. Her expression reflected as much as she wiped a few beads of sweat and mist from her brow. Confusion settled in as she tried to process what had just happened. She felt, normal-ish. If nothing else there wasn’t any sense of an over exaggerated personality trait. Sitting on her legs staring blankly for several seconds it dawned on her that Ferrin was speaking. The first few instructions went over her head before she turned her attention to the man.
”I feel fine.” There was a pause as if she was waiting for something else to happen that never did.
”I feel normal. I don’t know how else to explain it. This is new.” She stood and glanced at her clothing which made it abundantly clear of its source.
Ferrin relaxed and his grin reappeared.
“‘Normal’ is new?” He joked.
Hm, that response probably didn’t make that much sense.
”It is for me. Magic only ever seems to highlight some part of my personality. I haven’t really been myself for some time. What kind of magic do you have?” She was about to try using the magic but something she’d heard earlier told her better.
He chuckled.
“That question doesn’t have a simple answer.” He grabbed a nearby barrel and brought it over to sit on. There was a moment of silence as he thought about what he was going to say. Oddly, he felt vaguely irritated that she had stolen his magic, but he pushed that aside as soon as he identified it. It wasn’t her fault, obviously, and she didn’t seem to have been intending to take it. Beyond that, he felt compelled to help this girl. He couldn’t for the life of him figure out why.
“To start with, it’s name. Names are very important. Names define and limit, Names describe and allow us to cognise the nature of something.” He sounded like he was quoting.
“This magic’s name is Aether magic. Which sounds redundant. The Magic of magics.” He held up his metal hand and concentrated. A gentle, silvery mist began to rise from his palm
“This is more or less what the ‘pure’ form of Aether takes. As for what ‘kind of’ magic it is...I have no idea.” He closed his palm and the magic vanished.
“I have, however, several warnings and a proposal. First off, purified Aether reacts with magics. A little flame can become a raging inferno, or a small breeze a typhoon. I think you can already see the issue. Thus, it is dangerous to use. Don’t try to until you have practiced control. Second, generating and refining aether takes exorbitant amounts of magical energy. If you are not careful, you could exhaust your origin, and I do not think I need to tell you what happens to a wizard who uses up all of their magic. Third, using aether will train your magical senses to become extremely sharp. It will be disorienting as your mind attempts to process this new, heightened sense. On top of that, being near large crowds of wizards or places with large amounts of magic will become deafening. Like standing in the middle of a music concert with a dozen different bands all playing as loud as they can. There are some other issues, but those are the main ones.” Ferrin sighed and rubbed his temples.
“Some days, this magic feel more like a burden then a gift.” He looked Ariel directly in the eyes.
“I would highly suggest discarding this magic and stay away from me so that you don’t pick it up again. However, if you want to continue being in my sterling company, He grinned as he said this.
“And learn to wield this powerful magic, I am willing to train you. Make no mistake, you will need it. This is not a magic you will want to try learning on your own. The fact that you are even compatible with it is amazing enough. Already, I can feel it exuding from you. Of course, quid pro quo, I get something out of this too. I want to know more about your body.” He said this with a coquettish smile, aware of how it sounded and expecting a reaction.
“Your ability to change with magic.” He clarified after an intentional pause.
“Mimics like you are rare, and although I have met a few, none of them have personality changes or are as reactive to magics as yourself.” All pretenses of humour dropped, and suddenly, Ferrin was deeply serious.
“What say you? Do we have a deal?”Well that didn’t tell her a whole lot. At least as far as clarifying what kind of magic she’d just picked up anyhow. Of course the one thing that seemed to help her turns out to be just as nebulous as her own existing problem. Now from the sounds of it she had to worry about accidentally causing more trouble, as if that was anything new. Crossing her arms she didn’t seem too enthused with the options given. At least there was someone willing to help her figure out a new magic. That wasn’t always a luxury with how she picked up magic.
”Well, I don’t know how to just discard a magic. So that’s not really an option for me. But I can usually just use another magic to avoid one if I want to… eventually. I seem to need some time to adjust or something when getting a new magic.” Expression showing her frustration for a moment it lightened a bit. Not stuck with a single emotion was throwing her off. Taking the time to consider the offer it wasn’t like she had that much choice. Or at least not at the moment anyway.
”I would like to know more about how I acquire magic. I haven’t really had the chance to figure it out. It just happens and it makes living life really inconvenient. I assume you’ll have some questions to start.” Ferrin’s cut and dry way of talking with the occasional quip probably rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. Though somehow it reminded Ariel of someone. She was rather quick to accept help from a total stranger. Could be the magic at work, wouldn’t be the first time something like that happened. But Ariel was fairly certain she could trust the man.
“I see.” He said.
“So it would be a learning experience for us both. I have extensive magical knowledge, so I may be able to help you discover more about your ability. And other magics you may have as well.” He leaned back, balancing on the barrel.
“Well, you have answered a few of the question I had already, and those answers are both curious and vexing. It seems we are much in the same boat,” He paused and looked around.
“...figuratively that is, about the natures of our respective magics. Now, as for questions questions questions…” He rocked back and forth in thought.
“The easiest first, when did you first begin to develop this chameleonic ability?”Thinking back she wasn’t 100% sure on the exact day things changed. It was probably more gradual.
”I would say at least four years ago. My Water magic, the blue look you saw me with earlier, manifested around that time. I end up being sad with that magic which really sucks. Knowing that now it probably was a slow start over years before that. After that though, and as I gain access to more magic, it seems to come easier.” Shrugging slightly she noticed that one of the crew was staring as her. That was a somewhat normal reaction considering the rapid and drastic shift in her appearance. Narrowing her eyes managed to communicate that he should move on and she managed a small smile.
Four years? Ferrin looked her up and down. So far as he knew, Magic rarely manifested so late. She had to be in her late teens, he guessed. Could be a late bloomer, which is still unusual. Perhaps something had triggered it? No way of knowing. Unless… As odd as it sounds, he could talk to her parents. But that was a little too personal. He decided to let that thought be.
“All right. Can you freely switch between magics, or do you require re-exposure? About how many do you know or have used? About how well can you use a new magic right off the bat?” He wanted an idea of her capabilities.
”Switching kind of depends. The more experienced I am with a magic the easier it is to force a change to it. Otherwise it usually depends on my mood. If I feel a particular way strongly enough then that magic surfaces. Overexposure can sometimes cause it too but I haven’t had that happen much.” Thinking on it a bit Ariel continued.
”If I expend all of one magic then I’ll switch as well. They’re all kind of their own thing somehow.” Damn, this was the most she’d talked to anyone about the state of her magic besides maybe Jamie, Nolan, or her folks. Or Tidius, but best not to bring up those memories. Most others didn’t care or it was over their heads and left the topic alone.
Caught lost in thought Ariel came back to the moment at hand. It was difficult to focus a bit being able to freely feel.
”Sorry. I can usually use a new magic on a basic level. Like with fire magic I could conjure fire and direct it at something, but nothing really advanced. That takes practice like you would expect. I haven’t been properly taught but maybe a handful of spells so most of what I do is simple. As for what magic I do have let me think. Water, fire, light, dark, charm, ice, dust, lightning, uh… siphoning strength, metal, earth, green, wind, spirit summoning sort of, barrier, ash, crystal, paint... “ Trailing off she hesitated to mention the other two. Her golden eyes watched Ferrin’s for a moment as if gauging whether to say them. Checking the deck no one else seemed to be around to hear.
He was an attentive listener, nodding and watching her intently as she spoke. It was easy to imagine he was memorising every word and every motion she made. Which might seem creepy, but it was a sign that he was well and truly interested.
“That is an impressive array of magic, comparable to my own.” He complimented her. He tactly didn’t mention the trail off. He had a few tricks of his own that he would never want to make known, he was sure she was the same. He nodded once.
“No more questions for now. Do you have some you want to ask me? You have been honest and forthright with me, so I shall reply in kind, answering any questions you may have. Or shall I start your first lesson in aether magic?” Tilting her head a bit Ariel tried to think. What kind of questions could she ask?
”Well, I know your name but not that much else. Where are you from? You’re pretty new to Phoenix Wing right? So you had to have been doing something else before joining.” Ferrin looked pained.
“You had to go for the hard questions…?” He yawned it was getting early. He noted, it was far past late.He considered how to respond.
“It’s a long story, and not one I’m too fond of telling. But, I did say I would answer. And I can’t fault someone for wanting to know more about me. Afterall,” He struck a pose.
“I’m fascinating!” She didn’t look too convince. Ferrin laughed and dropped the pose.
“I am just kidding, kid. I am not that wrapped up in myself. ...I haven’t answered your question yet, have I?” He sighed and his smile vanished.
“...”
“I am from a city that no longer exists, in a country that no longer exists. Before joining Phoenix Wing, I was in a guild that no longer exists.” He shook his head.
“There is a word for this. Ironic? Apt? Sad? Well, anyway. I did something stupid and now I cannot go back. I am here, however, to find a way back. Tenrou...well, it has ties to my past. I am not sure what I will find there, if anything at all. But,” He jumped to his feet.
“History is happening here, can you feel it? The winds of change are blowing now. And there is no place I would rather be than in the midst of it, in the eye of the storm.” He fell silent, gasing into the distance.
There was a moment of silence. Then he turned to her and added,
“Oh, and the world ending or some other catastrophe would be rather inconvenient, after all, all my stuff is here.”A city, country, and guild that no longer exist. That was a rather confusing statement. Though to some extent Ariel’s origin wasn’t exactly that straightforward either. She did manage a smile from the last comment though.
”Well I guess I can understand a little bit. This is my home and everyone I know is here. But as I’ve come to understand I wasn’t born here in Earthland.”“Not born here in Earthland?” Ferrin echoed thoughtfully.
“What do you mean by that?”Lowering her voice just a bit she stepped a bit closer so there was less chance to be heard.
”Well, besides this world there is apparently another reality they call Edolas. Some in the guild have been there but the way has been closed. But before them Fairy Tail traveled there. I don’t really know the details but somewhere in between my father teleported himself to Edolas, met my mother there where I was later born, and we all came back to Earthland together. I’m fairly certain that my magic has something to do with that whole thing.” She thought for a moment.
”You met the two Karn’s when we set off. One of them is from Edolas. I don’t think everyone does, but some people have counterparts in that world. I am probably an exception to that rule since I’m kind of from both.” She shrugged.
“Ah, I heard something like that from one Karn, although the other Karn made it difficult to learn anything more.” Ferrin put his hands up in an exaggerated shrug and shook his head.
“Despite my vast knowledge, I know nothing conclusive about Edolas. Nothing but the ramblings of a madman describing fanciful dreams of flying cats, floating islands, and rivers in the sky. So, if you magic does indeed have something to do with this Edolas, I’m afraid I have no answers. Not that I couldn’t find find some...” Ferrin trailed off, looking pensive. He disliked not knowing things. He was going to have to dig up more information on Edolas after this. Something was nagging him, something at the back of his mind he could not place. This girl, something about her bothered him. Something in way she looked, the way she acted, her voice. Something was too familiar. But he could not, for the life of him, pin it down. It bothered him enough that he decided to try getting a second opinion.
Wake. He mentally commanded.
YES? Came the reply.
This girl. There is something about her. Ferrin brought up his memories and feelings from the last several minutes.
I see. Your instincts are on to something. I see a faint resemblance.To?You. It left.
“...hate it when it does that.” Ferrin muttered, forgetting himself for a moment. So she resembled him? Eh, maybe that was it. The girl reminded him of a younger version of himself, lost in a strange land and struggling with her own power, her own body. Keeping secrets from everyone around him.
He never did like mirrors.
Nodding a bit Ariel conceded.
”Couldn’t really expect anyone to know much about it. Not like it comes up in conversation much. Going back to your earlier question though, I suppose some training would be good. I would rather not be a hazard if we can help it.” Despite the fact that she was new to this magic, given having already been exposed to some pretty volatile magic before she felt reasonably confident she could keep it contained. Though she’d thought that before and been wrong.
Her voice brought Ferrin out of his reverie.
“Okay.” He said, with another yawn. Weariness was beginning to drag at him like lead weights..
“I would normally give a lecture about the mysticism and lore behind the magic I hold, but it is far too late at night for that, and actually teaching you the necessary concepts would take months.””Okay…” The statement didn’t really give much to go off of so she left it at that.
“So, what I will be doing is giving you a few practical exercises to practice your control. Master these and eventually you will be ready for aether magic.” He reached into a pocket and pulled out a small object. He held it out in the palm of his metal hand. The object appeared to be a smooth, dark grey, spherical stone.
“That is a little toy I made, similar to one I used when I was learning magic. It is enchanted to move in the presence of magic, raise, lower, spin and so on. When I concentrate my magic on it: The pebble arupty shot into the air to hover at about eye level.
“It defies gravity. Now, simply raising it is child’s play. The difficulty, and your exercise, comes in at keeping it steady. Observe as I loosen my control.” The pebble shot higher in the air, but then it began to fall, downard and toward the back of the ship. Ferrin raised his hand toward the falling pebble, and with impressive accuracy, caught the pebble mid fall. It dipped and came to a halt, floating a few feet above the deck. With a gesture, the pebble flew at him and he snached it out of the air.
“As you saw, simply channeling magic into the rock will send it shooting upward and out of your control. So, your exercise it to not only keep the pebble steady, but also be able to control its movement. Like this.” Ferrin held out his hand, and once again the pebble rose. But this time, it started moving in gentle, smooth horizontal circles.
“This ship is perfect, as not only do you have to fight the upward motion of the stone, but the forward motion of the boat.” Now the pebble moved in diagonal circles.
“Control. An iron, unshakeable will over your magic and yourself. This is one of the most important aspects of aether magic.” The pebble spun faster, and rotated it’s spin on an axis. It wasn’t obvious, but the pebble itself was also spinning like a top.
“This also carries over into other magics as well. Learning this lesson and honing your willpower will make you a better mage overall. With mastery, and a little bit of other applied magics, I can do things like this.” The pebble stopped and began to let off a light glow. It then began to move in precise motions, leaving behind a little trail of light, like a light pen. In hovering, silvery letters,and with quick flicks of his wrist, Ferrin spelled C-o-n-t-r-o-l, then A-r-i-e-l. The pebble then lost it’s glow and returned to hovering above his palm.
“Catch.” He commanded. The pebble flew in a little arc at Ariel.
Holding out her hands the woman caught the pebble and examined it a moment. A little control would be nice, especially if it helped with other magic as well. Curious she tried to apply some magic to make it float. The regulation wasn’t all that good though and it went flying into the air. Scrambling after it she got hold of it again before it could fall off the ship.
”Maybe I should try this when there’s a roof over my head first.” This could take some time to get used to. Not just to a magic that was rather nebulous to begin with, but also to the fact that she was suddenly free to feel. She had kind of forgotten how that whole thing worked. Would it even stay that way? No way to know but to wait and see.
Ferrin chuckled at the predictable outcome of her first attempt.
“That would be a good idea.” He said slowly.
“Try not to lose it, but don’t worry if you do. I can make another. It’s not easy and it will take time, but I can do it.” He let out another huge yawn.
“Well, this has been fun, but I am beat. I am going to go get some shut eye. Bene valeas et quiescas. Placideque quiescas.” He said warmly, with a casual wave as he walked way. Back in his room his cheerful demeanor vanished. He sat on the edge of the little bed, his expression sad and lost in his thoughts. Eventually, he let out a sigh and lay back down. Sleep closed in. But this time, he did not dream.
Over the rest of the voyage to the Tenrue, Ariel continued to practice control of Aether magic. Given the brief amount of time she had with it she was where one might expect. Managing the magic was frustrating as the pebble would fly around the room erratically. Her body adjusted pretty quick though. Containing the magic seemed to come naturally. Still the hardest part was relearning managing her emotions. Being shattered and put back together left her personality somewhat in flux. Ariel wasn't entirely sure she could trust her feelings just yet. That said it was a relief that she'd found something of a solution, even if she couldn't explain why.
As they approached the island she joined them above desk to watch. The air being so thick with magic she couldn't identify. Her sensitivity to magic have gone up sharply, though it didn't seem to translate to her ability to absorb it luckily. That was already hassle enough. It mostly seemed to come in the form of being ably to sense magic around her. There was so much of it here she could swear she could see it rolling around them and the ship.
"I'm not sure I like the feeling of this place." She muttered. No real turning back now. Hopefully they could get to the island in quick order and get everything back to the way they should be. But if rumor of dragons or the like were true that would likely be easier said than done. At least they had Dragon Slayers who had magic specifically for such a thing. Otherwise there was no telling how unprepared they might be.
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