01-25-2014, 08:05 AM
Claire sat on the floor, legs crossed and in the center of a Circle. She always carried erasable chalk with her, as well as the trinkets that made for a crude altar. The pentagram was large enough to seat herself inside and was mirrored by other symbols June and the others had taught her.
Tony's floor was cold, and she didn't envy him sleeping on a cold slab. She'd searched for a while for in-floor heating elements, but gave up after so long. By his breathing, Tony didn't seem too bothered if he was cold.
She sat there for a long time before he woke up. She began the usual way, with her chanting and rituals, but soon switched to saying the words in her mind rather than out loud. Much to her surprise, the forces of the world stayed with her. She smiled to herself; and wondered again where it was this force originated.
She wasn't worshipping, although it might be said that she could worship the force itself. She felt like a Jedi, one who loved the sensation itself and reveled at all the possibilities that came with it. Tony had said there were five elements. Wind, Clare knew well. With it, she fanned the flames of votives circled around her, the light flickered at the breeze. Wetness dripped through her mind, as she toyed with the most liquid of the five elements. Aether was like touching liquid mercury. It shone and slithered, always rolling, always beautiful among the other forces. But those were only three? What were the other two? Why were they so difficult to find?
The sound of Tony's arousal broke her train of thought, and Claire calmly opened her eyes. As she did, the life pulse onto which she'd been working numbed to something just out of sight. The room was itself again, but dull in comparison to what it was while she was working the elements.
She started to speak, but Tony anticipated her question. He certainly looked better, and a certain vibrancy had returned to his voice. Although he looked like a man who'd been sleeping on the floor, he had a decent composure to him. Like he was used to far worser arrangements. So Claire accepted his answer. Before pushing herself to stand, she leaned around and blew out the votive candles that surrounded the Circle.
She followed him to the kitchen. The remnants of her earlier snack were still in the sink. Somewhere in the cabinetry was probably a dish cleaner, but she hadn't wanted to fidget with contraptions that were beyond what she was used to working. Sinks, though, she understood the concept well.
While he made himself breakfast, Claire leaned over the counter across from him and perched her chin on her hands to watch.
It is a dangerous power, she agreed mentally, and pictured urine dripping to the floor beneath a man's feet. Healing, however, was something she had not considered possible. June spoke of stories of such miracles, witches so powerful they could reverse the damage done to the human body. "My God,"
Claire uttered breathlessly. Tony had known one, and had attempted to have the healing done upon him.
"Of course I want your help. I'd be a fool to refuse it,"
but her voice trailed off soundlessly as suddenly the pot boiled of its own accord. She fixed him with a questioning look that doubted it was the result of some high-grade conduction element beneath the pot.
She suddenly felt very young and childlike. Sure, she was the novice here, but the newness of her naivety grated frustration.
She glanced briefly behind her. The scent of the quickly cooking broth tingled her nose. "Tony, while you were sleeping, I searched the forces for the last two elements, but I cannot sense them. I know the movement of the wind, the wetness of liquid, and the aether."
She turned back to him and stood more upright, fingers drumming the counter thoughtfully. "Can you describe the other two? Perhaps that will help if I know what I am seeking."
Admitting her power's shortcomings to a master likewise struck a chord, but there was only one way to learn, and Claire was determined to fearlessly forge ahead.
Edited by Claire, Jan 25 2014, 08:06 AM.
Tony's floor was cold, and she didn't envy him sleeping on a cold slab. She'd searched for a while for in-floor heating elements, but gave up after so long. By his breathing, Tony didn't seem too bothered if he was cold.
She sat there for a long time before he woke up. She began the usual way, with her chanting and rituals, but soon switched to saying the words in her mind rather than out loud. Much to her surprise, the forces of the world stayed with her. She smiled to herself; and wondered again where it was this force originated.
She wasn't worshipping, although it might be said that she could worship the force itself. She felt like a Jedi, one who loved the sensation itself and reveled at all the possibilities that came with it. Tony had said there were five elements. Wind, Clare knew well. With it, she fanned the flames of votives circled around her, the light flickered at the breeze. Wetness dripped through her mind, as she toyed with the most liquid of the five elements. Aether was like touching liquid mercury. It shone and slithered, always rolling, always beautiful among the other forces. But those were only three? What were the other two? Why were they so difficult to find?
The sound of Tony's arousal broke her train of thought, and Claire calmly opened her eyes. As she did, the life pulse onto which she'd been working numbed to something just out of sight. The room was itself again, but dull in comparison to what it was while she was working the elements.
She started to speak, but Tony anticipated her question. He certainly looked better, and a certain vibrancy had returned to his voice. Although he looked like a man who'd been sleeping on the floor, he had a decent composure to him. Like he was used to far worser arrangements. So Claire accepted his answer. Before pushing herself to stand, she leaned around and blew out the votive candles that surrounded the Circle.
She followed him to the kitchen. The remnants of her earlier snack were still in the sink. Somewhere in the cabinetry was probably a dish cleaner, but she hadn't wanted to fidget with contraptions that were beyond what she was used to working. Sinks, though, she understood the concept well.
While he made himself breakfast, Claire leaned over the counter across from him and perched her chin on her hands to watch.
It is a dangerous power, she agreed mentally, and pictured urine dripping to the floor beneath a man's feet. Healing, however, was something she had not considered possible. June spoke of stories of such miracles, witches so powerful they could reverse the damage done to the human body. "My God,"
Claire uttered breathlessly. Tony had known one, and had attempted to have the healing done upon him.
"Of course I want your help. I'd be a fool to refuse it,"
but her voice trailed off soundlessly as suddenly the pot boiled of its own accord. She fixed him with a questioning look that doubted it was the result of some high-grade conduction element beneath the pot.
She suddenly felt very young and childlike. Sure, she was the novice here, but the newness of her naivety grated frustration.
She glanced briefly behind her. The scent of the quickly cooking broth tingled her nose. "Tony, while you were sleeping, I searched the forces for the last two elements, but I cannot sense them. I know the movement of the wind, the wetness of liquid, and the aether."
She turned back to him and stood more upright, fingers drumming the counter thoughtfully. "Can you describe the other two? Perhaps that will help if I know what I am seeking."
Admitting her power's shortcomings to a master likewise struck a chord, but there was only one way to learn, and Claire was determined to fearlessly forge ahead.
Edited by Claire, Jan 25 2014, 08:06 AM.