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24 March 2004
After some planning, Lisle and Yosannah arrive at the Academy of Magic and proceed a little too quickly.
Yosannah shimmers into existance decending the winding staircase. Her hand lingers on the iron railing, guiding her purposeful steps. Lisle doesn't shimmer, she walks in from Landen town, looking a bit out of place, perhaps, hands in her pockets, a backpack slouched over one too-straight shoulder. Grand Hall - Academy Of Magic(#12797RL)
The room you now stand in is enormous by most standards, being large enough to hold several homes side by side within. The majority of the gleaming white marble floor remains uncovered - save for a small portion depicting the seal of The Academy; and behind this, a large oaken desk. Encircling the entire floor area are multiple stone benches leaning up against the walls. These are separated by either marble or granite statues of heroes and legends; or polished wooden doors that lead away further into the Academy.
Along the east wall - approximately ten feet off the ground - a balcony sits. Black iron railings upon it protect those there from stepping too close to the edge. This balcony ends at each side wall of the room in a winding staircase leading to the ground floor. Several doors are spaced perfectly on the balcony's wall, leading to what appears to be offices. Hanging high overhead from steel chains are numerous glowing spheres of light. These cast nearly the only illumination in this windowless room. Despite the lack of outside light, the room seems pleasant and almost inviting - almost.
Newly discovered, a formidable guard stands at a runed archway in the back wall of the Hall, centered between Light and Dark doors.
Contents:
Yosannah
Guard
Inyss
Obvious exits:
Headmistress's Office Runed Archway Dark Doors Light Doors Out to Landen
Yosannah nods at Lisle's arrival. Her gaze slides in the direction of the guard and then back to Lisle. "You made it," she smiles, intoning softly for the Princess. "There are no students about now, but who knows how much longer we'll be left to ourselves." Her gaze slides to the guard once again.
Lisle also looks at the guard, hands in her pockets. She has such a smile, both dimples showing at the corner of her mouth. "I did, and with no troubles, really." She sounds a little pleased by this, then says, "Let's get started. Or do you think this gentleman here will prevent us?"
Yosannah shakes her head, "No, I don't think so. This way." She gestures toward the dark doors...
You leave the main hall by way of the Dark Doors.
The Moon Corridor - Acadamy of Magic(#12743RFL)
The sound of muffled voices greet you as you enter the corridor. A long hallway now stands here, the end of which appears to be far away indeed. The entire area seems relatively dark - though magical globes and scattered skylights embedded in the high vaulted ceilings cast down ample light. Perhaps this more due to the color scheme.
The walls themselves are carved of gray marble and look rather forboding. On one side, paintings depicting nighttime scenes and rituals are hung side by side artifacts in cases. The other wall is broken with many small, dark, polished oaken doors. These most likely are the entrances to the private rooms of the students.
Running the expanse of the floor is a carpet of midnight blue with gold fringes. Magical runes, stars, and moons adorn it, adding to the mystical night theme of the whole room. More stone benches rest here between the doors, and line the opposite wall. It is cool and peaceful here, creating the finishing touches on a truly beautiful place.
Obvious exits:
Lounge Grand Hall
You pass through the archway into the Lounge.
The Recreation Room - Academy Of Magic(#12436RJh)
It would appear that this room of the Academy is used for the relaxation of instructors and students alike. It is octagonal in design - large and open, with high arched ceilings. The white marble walls are adorned with various pictures and arcane symbols. Throughout the chamber are placed small pedestals, each holding moderate artifacts of the past within their enchanted glass cases.
Positioned directly across the room from the door is a short marble-topped bar, serving a wide variety of local drinks. A few tables of differing sizes, comfortable looking chairs, and several couches lined either with velvet or satin are scattered throughout the room, adding to the overall pleasant atmosphere. A single chandelier hangs high overhead, casting its magical glow over everything constantly.
Contents:
Yosannah
Obvious exits:
Moon Corridor
Lisle follows Yosannah into the room saying, "I had this idea we should try a few things first. Maybe combining two objects, one that you make, one that I make. See what happens."
Yosannah motions the Princess into the room. She casts a final look down the Moon Corridor and closes the door after. She slides the bolt securely in place and turns with a nod. "Alright. Let's give it a go." Stepping into the center of the room, she waits for Lisle.
Lisle slips the pack off her shoulders, then walks to the marble topped bar. She says, "With the sorcery items I need more time for the rituals," all business, she is tending to the obsessive gradure that implies single-minded purpose. "So let me create a pattern item. If you could create something similar. Perhaps boxes. I'll create a big one, you make one to fit inside." Her hands are out, about 6 inches. "I'll make the first box about this big."
Yosannah's hand reaches outward and offers the woman a single nod. Fingers curl and her gaze goes distand. After a moment there is a rainbow shimmer and a purposeful jerk of her wrist. Where once her fingers were empty, now rests a tiny stack of cards in her palm. She shuffles through them and, withdrawing one, she sets it on the ground before her. The remaining cards are tucked away in her pants pocket.
In kind, Lisle ornaments the marble topped table with both palms, down and flat, then turned palm to palm. The fall of dark blonde hair hides much of her expression, but what can be seen is full of concentration. Eyes vivid and blue. Form begins to take shape, but it is insubstatial. It is a wavering of light and energy, like heatwaves over the blackest, hottest concrete.
The auburn haired sorceress inhales slowly and deeply. Her hands hover over the tarot that rests on the floor though she remains standing. Fingers curl and, for those with the sight for such things, seem to draw energies from the card that swirl in an upward spiral.
Dark rooted blonde lashes flutter. In a fracion of a second a hollowed box sits on the marble topped bar. It is smooth, not like plastic, not like wood. And Lisle seems to find this curious, fingertips touching its sides.
Yosannah bites at her lower lip, brow furrowed in tight, focused concentration. Her left hand lingers over the ambient spiral of energy that rises from the motionless tarot. The right hand reaches out drawing from the essence of the shadow itself. Guiding, until a form like that of the box that sits before Lisle begins to take shape.
Lisle lifts the box gingerly off the bartop, then sets it back down. Her eyes linger on the box before they settle on her counterpart, an elbow leaning on the bar, touching the box as if by that means she can keep it safe. Lisle regards Yosannah with a focuse, crisp, intensity.
The sprial before Yosannah begins to dissipate until it fades completely from view. Where the tarot once rested, there now remains a dark shadow of dust. She brushes her foot over the remnants of the card. In her hands, however, she also holds a tiny box.
Lisle's voice is rough, as if she's slept a great deal, or as if she hasn't used it in a long time, or as if she's full of feeling, "How very interesting, Lady Yosannah. I have never observed someone work the magic of the cards before. Do you take the magic from the card and transform it into matter?"
Yosannah's gaze remains intent on the object before her. "Yes. Though I don't need the cards the way most artists do, it is far easier to imbue an object such as this," she holds up the box, "when I have a physical tarot to draw power from."
Lisle says, "Well, let us try this then, though I should like to compare techniques with you at some point. I cannot help but think all these magics are related to more general laws, which I am trying to formulate."
Yosannah nods, seemingly in agreement, "Somehow I don't doubt it." She nears the woman and holds out the box, waiting for Lisle to open her own, "Within and above then."
Lisle says, "Yes," then smiles at Yosannah. It is the kind of smile that implies respect. She lifts the lid, and says, "Probably nothing will happen," but there is some bit of apprehension in her voice.
She gives Lisle one final, disconverting glance before lowering her tiny box into Lisle's larger - holding her breath all the while...
It is only when the concentric boxes are fixed together, and the top lid closed, that the vibrations begin. A slow rattling. Lisle exchanges a glance with Yosannah and steps back, eyebrows arched, motioning that, "Perhaps we had best step back," her voice wavering a very little bit. In seconds the rattling is more vigorous, the box dancing across the surface of the bar until its stopped by glasses, which begin to rattle in turn. And then all is silent. Too silent. As if time has stopped and Lisle's face, surprised eyes, settles just in time to feel the blast.
It is not an explosion. It is a force that is difficult to detect, like a lifting, and parting. And in less than 10 minutes the room has been divested of Lisle, Yosannah, and most of the marble topped bar. Dust settles, the Academy settles.
Yosannah:
This young woman has almond shaped green eyes and straight, auburn hair that hangs well below her shoulders. She dons a shirt of fine-linked chainmail, snug-fitting black leather boot cut pants, a single leather bracer and black steel-toed boots.
A silver ring adorns her left ring finger and clasped around her right wrist is a delicate, braided band that twines about a sapphire. The plain silver collar, which is usually clutched at her neck, is absent having been replaced by a necklace, or more appropriately, a pendant bearing two red gems each no larger in diameter then a dew drop. Upon further inspection, a large scar, in the very late stages of healing can be seen running down her neck.
Lisle:
Rich flaxen blonde hair, awash with pale spring colors of life, falls to the small of her back. She is tall with Aryan eyes, bright blue, set into a pale complexion of peaches and cream. An oval shaped face is serene, shoulders often slouched with a casual graciousness. Intelligent, serious eyes look out from beneath the dark-rooted lashes over a delicate nose, a more generous mouth beneath, and high cheekbones.
She wears a pair of loose jeans that hang a little low on her hips, black heeled boots beneath. A brilliant white shirt, made of fine material, has its top two buttons (all sapphires) unfastened to reveal the delicate curve of her collar bones.
Jewelry is a +detail.
Elsewhere, infinite worlds pass and shift in the span of a breath. Time loses significance and reality crumbles about Yosannah. There is only silence save for the thudding sound of her own heartbeat within her temples. Then, abruptly, a the sound of rushing air as she plummets downward and lands with a:
"Whoooosh!"
All around her, feathers. Floating and filling her nostrils. She waves a hand before her eyes and coughs, "Pffft, Pffft... of all the ... pffft.. places in the world... pffft. What are the goddamn chances..."
Elsewhere, not too far from the Academy of Magic and Landen, Lisle lands without the benefit of feathers, lands hard, on her behind, on the steps of a cathedral in some distant land where bare midriffs aren't that common. Her groan gets the attention of a few bystanders who gasp at the golden hair, the flash of sapphires. It is Thari they speak, and there is murmuring about 'the goddess' and 'the devil'. Murmuring enough that Lisle lifts a hand to her head, and overhearing groans, "I knew we should have started with simple sorcery." All the while, her hand is fishing in her jeans pocket, for a card. Just as people creep up toward her, hands reaching to touch the hem of her jeans. Another hand reaching for her high heeled shoe.
When Lisle disappears into the rainbow sparkles, the shoe is left behind, left as an Amber momento to a somewhat failed experiment.
Elsewhere...
"It's early," he urged. "What's the rush, baby."
She slid from the boy's arms and smiled at him coyly, "Mah daddy is gonna hunt you down and shoot yew if Ahm not home by ten-thirty, Danny. An yew know it."
Danny smiled at the girl and kicked his foot into the sand, "Awe, heck, jus' one more little...what the hell?!"
The girl followed his gaze as it peered up into the night sky, "Jesus, what is.."
"Look out!"
Diving for her, Danny tackled her just in time to save them both from the large marble bar that fell from the sky.
"Boom!"
When the sand finally settled the pair rose slowly from the beach, "Danny, what is that?!"
"I dunno, Emma. I don't s'pose your daddy is gonna believe us when we tell 'em this."
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