Her lips turned slightly upward when he mentioned he was a strict tutor. She wouldn't have classified her father as such - he had been good at impressing the importance of learning to master their magic without being too strict about it. It just hadn't been his nature. The Circle, however, had introduced her to must less forgiving tutors. One mistake there could be costly in a number of ways and they never let up on that fact. Strict she could handle so long as it was with a purpose other than to terrify into submission.
She nodded. [color=#68c4e8]"Seems reasonable. I'll do my best."[/color] She glanced around them, similarly looking for others who might accidentally find themselves in the middle of a magical battle. Seeing none, she felt comfortable not holding back. So long as she kept her focus on Revas and the immediate area there shouldn't be an issue.
Bethany has always been more of a healing and defender than someone who went on the offensive, but that wasn't to say she couldn't. She started with a simple barrier around herself almost as a reflex before launching into a swift series of attacks she hoped had a chance of putting him off balance. Mind blast to start, quickly followed with tapping into the power of air to form a swirling vortex around him. The air was spinning fast enough to begin to suck the oxygen away and to cut through anything that might touch it, but she held it in place more to contain and disable him than anything else as she didn't want to take the more fatal approach to such a trap. Instead, she reached out a hand and infused the vortex with lighting that would strike out at him within. Between the breathable air slipping away, she sharpness of the tornadic forces seeking to contain him, and the lighting strikes she hoped that something would disable him. Or, if nothing else, might be considered a worthy opening volley.
Strict or not, he was not here to kill her. If that were the case he may not have even bothered to speak to her in such a way, but it had been centuries since he had been an assassin for anybody, and now was not the day for it either. First he had to see what the mages of today could do, their limits and capabilities before he threw a few things at her himself. The Eth would not simply stand there and take whatever assault a mage laid against them, though small in number he suspect some of them were alike him. Awakened from their slumber to once again serve a man who had little care for the masses, whom focused only upon himself, an ego unlike many others.
While she prepared, he did little but stand there, watching the movements she made with her staff. Many of this time were still reliant upon them and briefly he wondered if there would be time to train them out of such a habit, to not rely on that stabilizing aid to control their magic to a significant degree. Unfortunately, such things took time, something he was all but certain they had very little of. The barrier was a good enough start to know that she would not fight without a defense of some kind, no matter how brittle or not it may be, he could test it in due time.
With a barrier of her own raised, he did much the same, a flick of his wrist to spring forth one of his own. Study yet malleable enough to allow him full movement without impeding his own offensive capabilities. Though what he witnessed was impressive for one so young, complexity of mixing different types of magic together aside, he could still see her restraining himself. Such an attack was not meant to kill him, only disable and cause light harm at most, perhaps he had not been clear enough to her when he spoke of not holding back. That was his own fault truly, a lack of time teaching others, he had expected her to simply know. But she was not like him.
A surge of mana beneath him and a singular jump took the elvhen warrior skyward, far above her vortex, though he did not remain up there for long and moved enough to be beyond such winds before dropping down softly. [color=#008e02]"You have my apologies for not being clearer previously, you are still holding back. Do not bother, I will not die if you try to kill me. Attack me, once you are at the limit of your abilities I want you to tell me, then I will begin to fight back."[/color] Unlike the man she had met, there was no warmth in his gaze, no comfort to be offered in his expression or tone of voice. Calm, precise and calculating, time to see what she was actually made of.
That he could effortlessly escape the vortex she'd created was impressive. She'd made it strong, but had indeed restrained herself for fear of actually hurting him. However, this made it clear she didn't need to hold back - he would be able to handle it.
Her expression grew determined and only a sharp nod was given to show she understood the assignment in full now. Growing up it had always been about control - keeping things small, controlled, undetectable. In the Circle she had been allowed to grow stronger, but never to fully let loose to the fullest extent. It had only been in the years after that she'd had a chance to test herself - and even then it was rare that she truly let go and allowed herself to be wide open to channeling and shaping the magic she called forth.
And so it took a moment for her to make that shift, to mentally shed all the instinctual safeguards she held in place to hold herself back, to keep from doing harm. If he wanted to see her strength, then she would show it.
The staff stayed at her back. It was useful, but it wasn't necessary for what she was about to do. Not yet.
A spirit wisp came forth, responding to her silent call, settling in to circle her lazily as she drew from it to enhance her spells. She called upon the air and the earth to affect the forces of gravity around him with the intent of throwing him off balance, perhaps even getting him off the ground. She quickly followed it up turning the ground beneath him to lava which he could either be dropped into or that could shoot up toward him depending on where he was.
Were he to truly treat her like those he had trained centuries before, he would have already begun to criticize her form and stance, not to mention the unneeded flourishes she used when casting. But he was not here to do that, neither of them had the time for lessons that build up magical power and skill from the ground up. If that were the case, Elgar'nan and his forces would not pose nearly as much of a problem as they currently did. Instead for now, Revas would observe, find her most glaring weaknesses and hope to adjust them as quickly as he possibly could, enough to give her a chance at survival if the worse did come to pass. Perhaps it would even be useful against others in the future as well.
For that moment, he simply watched, gaze narrowed as she called a wisp to her side. The flickering form of a spirit yet without a true purpose, briefly he wondered how many had called upon him in such a state before he had become Compassion, not that he or the wisp would recall it either way. A sign however, that she did not bind such newfound beings, only ask for their aid. A show of character that indicated something far more positive then anything he'd seen from most humans he'd encountered so far. Plenty were simply fearful of spirits, no matter if they were gentle or slightly playful in nature, maybe there were truly some of this species that wished to live with such beings as the People always had.
It was the shift in gravity that caught his attention, brought his mind back to the young woman before him, rather then semantics. A good attempt no doubt, a combo of swirling magic that might leave plenty stumbling to gain their footing. Perhaps even falling too their doom to be consumed by boiling lava on a sizable battlefield, if she could make such a gap in the earth large enough. He had to wonder, how wide could she make such a destructive force and how quickly could it be managed? A twinge of sadness, for a man he would never be, tactics and how to best work with what he had in order to succeed came so naturally he had not even questioned it. Maybe he should hate himself for it, he didn't. Instead it was with a flick of the wrist that Bethany would find her attempt to bring gravity down around him evaporate into nothingness, as if she had never even tried to cast the spell to begin with.
Only a gaping maw of lava remained, but with one aspect countered it gave the elvhen plenty of time to move out of the more direct path underfoot it had made. A single step and a short jump to his right left him standing there just as he was before. One brow raised, a silent challenge and question alike, she was still clearly holding back somewhat. How to fix that.
Usually she could get someone off-balance, if not outright defeated, relying on elemental feats alone. Utilizing one element didn't often phase others, but the fact she could combine them to dangerous effect often did. Yet Revas was able to dismiss these efforts with a mere flick of the wrist, a side step, as if they were nothing. It wasn't like she wasn't trying, she was, but she was starting to wonder if she needed to take another approach instead.
So she asked for help. The wisp still circled her to lend its strength to her attacks, but others began to appear, heeding her call and lending their aid to hamper Revas' next moves in whatever way they saw fit.
And then she attempted illusions. It was not her strength, a skill she was just beginning to learn, but with the wisp's aid she tried to flood the battlefield near him with glimpses of possible attacks - a flash of lightning, a blade of air slicing at him, a burst of flame, a dagger of rock. Again, an attempt to distract, disarm, put off balance before the true threat, a burst of magma, targeted him.
In truth, that she had learnt and figured out such combinations so early within her lifetime was impressive. If it had been out of a need, a way to ensure her own survival or simply from a love of magic itself, he couldn't be sure. But what he could be certain of were her efforts, it was clear she was trying anything she could think of to try and throw him off balance, sparse seconds in which his focus was elsewhere in order to land a hit. Not a bad strategy whatsoever, against those who existed as she did, Revas was certain it would have worked. Might have them shouting or screaming in terror at the prospect of being boiled alive with magma. The vast difference between them was simply experience and time, something that could not be made up for with merely training more. At least, not for as long as he had.
Still a glimpse into what she was capable of told him plenty, the typical style of mages casting, though he'd encountered a few on the road. They'd been more interested in taking his life, then they were defending those who could not protect themselves. Few it seemed, mixed different types of magic as he was used to, a shift in the lifespans of those across Thedas he supposed. The same trait he had seen within all of these new mages thus far, was that few genuinely wanting to be anywhere but the rear-guard as it were. He was certain some of the old teachings of what he had learnt still had to exist somewhere didn't they? Regardless of if they did or not, their reliance on nothing but magic as opposed to strengthening every part of themselves was telling. Though her as of yet lack of using her staff was interesting, quicker to adapt then most perhaps? That, he could work with.
A tilt of his body to one side was all it took to let that burst of magma fly past him, heedless of the flickering illusions she had tried to call forth around him, his mental stability was not an easy thing to break. Not after he had endured so much. [color=#008e02]"Good that you are using everything at your disposal, but do not think solely in regards to your own magic. Everything has a use on a battlefield, be it obvious or not. Expand your senses and think, use what is around you, those split second decisions will keep you alive. Now, is there more you wish to show me? Or shall I test how strong that barrier of yours is?" [/color]
She paused, looking at the elf before her thoughtfully. She had thrown much of her magical prowess at him, in combinations that, in her experience, many were not prepared for. Yet nothing so much as phased him. It made sense; if he was indeed as old as he said, then he had a wealth of knowledge and experience that would far surpass her own.
She looked around the courtyard, torn asunder by magic. He was right in that she hadn't fully tapped into the environment. There were benches and trees and the like that she could use, but she didn't want to do more damage than she'd already done. So far everything she could set right, she didn't want to go past that. It wouldn't do any good; she had shown him much of what she was capable of and he hadn't even blinked.
So she stood down. Set the courtyard back to where it had been. Lava became rock, and soil, and grass, things scattered about returned to their homes. The one thing she did not drop was her barrier. Instead of going on the offensive, she instead prepared to be tested more directly. She hoped the spirits aiding her would continue to do so, and she put her efforts toward strengthening her barrier and her senses. Much as he had sidestepped her attacks, she now prepared to do the same.
I see no point in continuing to rip up the prince's courtyard. I don't think there's anything I can throw at you that you can't counter. So test my barrier. He defense had always been stronger than her offense, hopefully she'd be able to side step a move or two before he did indeed push her barrier to its limits.
He watched silently as all her attempts to harm him fell to the wayside, quiet as she returned this small courtyard to what it had been when he had first arrived. First greeted her and told of the threat that these humans may need to face one day, and even if that worse case scenario never came to pass? Then they would if nothing else, be more than ready if any of the Evanuris decided they wanted to follow what Elgar'nan wished for. To rule those that were seen as naught but ants against one who would live forever. For the moment however, they would have to focus on one threat at a time.
Very well. I sincerely hope you are confident in maintaining that barrier of yours. While he would not attack Bethany as if she were a true threat, the elvhen warrior thought it would be rather unfair if he did not at least take this a little seriously. Nevertheless his aim was not to truly do harm, and as such, he would not require much magic or even weapons for this. A slow breath, his right leg shifted backward and a small burst of magic to launch himself forward would be the only indication that she would get.
As Bethany would soon find, he would not let up, not even for a moment. Relentless. One hit after another with fists clenched against the barrier she had raised, the force behind it not magical in origin, only his raw strength and momentum. Not only to try to break such protection, but to push her back, to force her to move. To react to each strike, to show her that no matter where she went, he would follow. Revas for his part, kept his expression neutral, it was not the first time he had tested someone. He simply wondered how far she intended to let him push back, and how much it would take to cause panic.
Strike. Strike. Strike.
Seemingly never-ending until he got what he wanted. Until he broke through. The determined look of a man who had killed thousands without a second thought, and would do so again if she could not keep up.
At first, the barrier held. Her own strength augmented by the spirit whisps who had come to lend their aid was enough to withstand his furious assault. At first keeping the barrier up would appear effortless. However, in time she would begin to show signs of wear. Concentration would cross her face, then signs of strain, and finally exhaustion. She did not know how long they had been at this, but she was ready to put an end to it.
The barrier broke, exploding outward, and she sidestepped his last assault. Enough. I think we have tested each other long enough, don't you? You should have a good sense of what I can do. I'm better trained than many mages, but there are others more powerful than I. None, however, that I think have quite the same stamina you appear to, she said, slightly chagrined at the fact.
Time affected everything. People, battles, and in this case? Magic most of all. Most modern mages had a rather limited supply of mana to call upon, compared to many of his kin. And that in a battle, was something that could be exploited with ruthless efficiency. Of course, he sought to do no real damage, a lack of any weapon whatsoever was a testament to that. Merely to test what she could withstand and thus far it looked promising. Power enough that were others fighting with her, the young human would have no issue keeping a barrier up over a drawn out battle, even against those that had served Elgar'nan throughout the ages.
What the mage advisor would find, was that of his control, the moment he saw it. Felt that bend of magic, that crack in her barrier, only to see it shatter like shards of glass upon another hit. Was that he stopped. No need to evade, no reason to do so. As the barrier broke, so did his assault and he took a step back, to give her space. To let her find a moment to regain her composure, surely exhausted now, a shame that so much had been lost with his slumber. Were all his magic still accessible to him, he could have aided in easing such exhaustion. Unfortunately for the time being, normal methods would have to do.
I would be rather concerned if anyone of this age had such capabilities as I do, given the circumstances I was placed into in order to obtain them. Regardless, I believe your barrier strength to be more than capable for now, as long as you are with others. Alone, you will not have long, and there are plenty who can strike much harder than I can. But I am certain you are already aware of that, yes? It was clear she had been battle before, though nowhere near the same frequency with which he had ages prior. You did very well Bethany, is there anything else you wish to ask before I take my leave? I'm afraid I cannot linger here much longer for today. A slight smile, genuine, if she continued on such a path. Of learning her magic, he wondered how far she would go before the cruelty of aging took her.
She was indeed tired, but in the end there was a smile on her face. It was good to be tested like this. It kept her sharp, showed her where she had to improve. If this was anything to go by she still had a long road ahead to get where she wanted to be.
Plenty, but I don't think we have time to satisfy all my questions today. However, you did say there were things you could teach me to pass on so that we can be better prepared for Elgar'nan. When do you think you can return so we can begin? She hoped it wouldn't be long, for she had a lot to learn and a lot to bring to Sebastian's attention if they were to prepare the Marches for what was to come.
To witness such a thing, to see a human of all people smiling despite what he had just put her through. Despite even the threat that loomed across the world as a whole, was a sight Revas did not think he would ever see. Such beings in the past had been ever so weary of elvhen such as he, and it was one sign among many since he had woken that things were not as they used to be. Nor would they likely ever be again, but if that was a positive or not? Remained to be seen. A judgement to be made once that fool had been removed from the world, as permanently as they could.
At her words, he considered only for a moment, pacing across the space back towards where he had left his belongings. Intent on retrieving them, slung back over his left should before he thought to answer. I suspect it will be some time until I can return here in person, but I do not need to be here physically to teach you. I am a dreamer, and should you be willing I can instruct you while you dream, as well as writing letters. How does that sound? A solution he hoped, that would suit the both of them while he continued his search.
Bethany nodded in agreement. She found herself slightly disappointed that she likely would not see him again soon, but the idea of being able to communicate across dreams was fascinating. Hopefully nothing to terribly personal would slip out unintentionally, but it would be a useful skill to learn if she could.
Letters for certain, dreams... well, you will need to teach me how that works, but I am certainly open to it, she agreed. Thank you for coming, and for your help. I look forward to when we meet again.
