I'm glad, as well. I was thinking- proximity probably has a lot to do with how effective the armatus is. Sorey said he had trouble with it at first with Lailah, but when we combined there wasn't a single problem, so being around any seraph more must increase your resonance with them. My current theory is that working with the element of the seraph you want to armatize with might also improve our chances.
[He sets the last tub on the cart, giving it a little pat.]
This is meant to help us work on both. Though, selfishly, it is because I also like your company.
[He leads her down a series of corridors, the lighting dim but not gloomily so- simply a road less traveled.]
Actually, this path's a bit secret. I wanted a place for myself, something natural and full of my own element. It's nothing so formal as a shrine or anything, but... for me, it's as close as one gets, I suppose.
[Be honoured, Alisha! He's letting you into his inner sanctum.]
[ A secret place... For a moment, she looks to Mikleo in surprise. Out of what she was expecting today - she wasn't expecting to be shown something like this. ]
... Thank you, Lord Mikleo. I promise that I'll protect your secret [ She feels so honored!! Though, admittedly - she's surprised that he's sharing it with her. She knows that they're friends, but she hadn't thought that Mikleo had considered them to be close friends. ]
Not too excited, I hope. The room itself isn't much, so it might be a letdown.
[He guides her along until he halts at a particular room and opens the door for her, revealing what awaits inside.
Most of the room taken up by a tank, comprised of clear glass and polished wood, reaching three-quarters to the ceiling and full of clean, blue-green tinged water. The bottom of the tank is covered in patches of soil or small round stones, and growing in the soil is a collection of various aquatic plants- odd-coloured seaweed, clumps of soft moss, wisteria, ferns. There's even a few lotus and water lilies floating on the surface. A couple of rainbow fluff worms are crawling along the rocks or over the glass.
It very much resembles a giant, exotic fish tank, sans the fish.]
[ While Mikleo might think that it isn't much, but Alisha already knows - the room is bound to be lovely when its done. There's already a soothing sort of calmness that she can feel from being in the room.
She carefully wheels the cart in the room, taking a look for a moment. ]
Even if you say that it isn't much yet - I can already tell that this room will be beautiful when you're finished.
I hope so. I'm still working on it, but that's where you come in.
[He tugs the cart closer to the glass with her help, and opens up the first tub. Inside is a layer of water and a handful of aquatic flowers, alien in nature and on the cusp of blooming, bits of wet soil clinging to the roots.]
I found some new plants on one of the planets we last visited, and they're finally big enough to transplant them here. Doing it on my own would take a while, though, so I was worried they might wilt.
[ She does hope that she'll be fast enough in order to make sure that the plants are healthy... ]
If you can show me how to plant one - I'd be glad to try it on my own after. [ She doesn't think she needs to say it at this point - but, this is new to her. ]
Of course. I hope you don't mind getting wet, though- I should have warned you before we left.
[He feels a little bad now, but not much to be done about it at this point. He climbs up to the top of the glass and calls out his staff, twisting it deftly between his fingers and murmuring the incantation of an arte under his breath. The water in the tank swirls gently for a moment, until with a flourishing gesture he calls it up out of the pool, and it travels over the wall to the far side of the room, crystalizing into ice as it reaches its destination. When the arte finishes, the pool has only about one-quarter of the water left inside, and there's a slight chill wafting off of the ice wall, though the seraphic nature of it keeps it from feeling frigid the way it naturally should.
Mikleo sits down on the ledge and nudges the step ladder in her direction.]
There we go, it should be easier for us to plant them this way. Can you pass a few of the flowers to me? Once we're all in the water together I'll walk you through it.
[ She watches the water freeze over in what seems to be an instant, and she can't help but be amazed. She's seen his artes before, sure - but, not like this.
She'll move to carefully hand him the first pot. ]
Using your artes as you did is clever. [ To say the least. She sounds impressed. ]
Of course. I don't know how to do it, personally, but Edna can create seraphic barriers to help mitigate some injuries in battle. You can also use artes to strengthen those around you- turn them into walking shields, for example. My version is this-
[He waves a hand in front of himself, the air rippling and reflecting as water particles gather, and in a matter of seconds he vanishes from view. When he speaks again, his voice seems to bounce against the glass in all directions, making it difficult to zero in on his position.]
[ She watches him for a moment, eyes wide with awe before she claps her hands together in light applause. ]
That's amazing, Lord Mikleo! Artes truly seem limitless, don't they?
Though, I'm rather fortunate - even though I'm unable to perform artes, I was able to learn how to protect myself and others through physical abilities alone. Though, seeing your abilities makes me want to become stronger.
[He drops the arte once his point is made - it only ever lasts for a short time anyway - and gets back to moving plants, smiling idly.]
There are some limits, just like any other power. But the range of abilities can be pretty vast. Even I've had to learn that in recent years.
[He'd thought he was plenty strong before Alisha wandered into their domain, but ever since that day he's learned more and more just how much more powerful those who live in the harsh reality of their world actually are. He'd grown up sheltered with too much room to grow. Lailah, Edna, Dezel, Zaveid- they'd all taught him so much about being a strong seraph. He's better for it, and he's got a long way to go still.]
How about this- once we master the armatus, we'll work on developing a seraphic arte together, one that suits your skills. It'll be part of your squire training.
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[He sets the last tub on the cart, giving it a little pat.]
This is meant to help us work on both. Though, selfishly, it is because I also like your company.
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[ She'll pause at those words before offering a small smile. ]
If that's a selfish feeling - then I believe that it's a mutual selfishness. But, all the same - I truly appreciate your help.
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[He gives the cart a push from behind; it resists him for a moment, then begins to roll.]
I thought- oof- we could take turns pushing and watching the containers to make sure they don't tip over.
[Though Alisha will probably have an easier time with this part. He's not exactly built for heavy lifting.]
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Please. [ She stops, gesturing towards the cart. ] Allow me.
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Are you sure? I can probably...
[PLEASE]
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[ She's lifted heavier, okay. ]
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Alright, I'll lead us there. It isn't too far out of the way, so it should only take a few minutes.
[A beat, and then-]
Thank you, really.
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[ She's aware that Mikleo's strength lies more in his artes, really. And besides - in a way, she's learning something new from all this, too. ]
I don't think I've been this way - it's better to know all the locations here.
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Actually, this path's a bit secret. I wanted a place for myself, something natural and full of my own element. It's nothing so formal as a shrine or anything, but... for me, it's as close as one gets, I suppose.
[Be honoured, Alisha! He's letting you into his inner sanctum.]
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... Thank you, Lord Mikleo. I promise that I'll protect your secret [ She feels so honored!! Though, admittedly - she's surprised that he's sharing it with her. She knows that they're friends, but she hadn't thought that Mikleo had considered them to be close friends. ]
I'm excited to see it - truly.
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[He guides her along until he halts at a particular room and opens the door for her, revealing what awaits inside.
Most of the room taken up by a tank, comprised of clear glass and polished wood, reaching three-quarters to the ceiling and full of clean, blue-green tinged water. The bottom of the tank is covered in patches of soil or small round stones, and growing in the soil is a collection of various aquatic plants- odd-coloured seaweed, clumps of soft moss, wisteria, ferns. There's even a few lotus and water lilies floating on the surface. A couple of rainbow fluff worms are crawling along the rocks or over the glass.
It very much resembles a giant, exotic fish tank, sans the fish.]
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She carefully wheels the cart in the room, taking a look for a moment. ]
Even if you say that it isn't much yet - I can already tell that this room will be beautiful when you're finished.
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[He tugs the cart closer to the glass with her help, and opens up the first tub. Inside is a layer of water and a handful of aquatic flowers, alien in nature and on the cusp of blooming, bits of wet soil clinging to the roots.]
I found some new plants on one of the planets we last visited, and they're finally big enough to transplant them here. Doing it on my own would take a while, though, so I was worried they might wilt.
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[ She does hope that she'll be fast enough in order to make sure that the plants are healthy... ]
If you can show me how to plant one - I'd be glad to try it on my own after. [ She doesn't think she needs to say it at this point - but, this is new to her. ]
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[He feels a little bad now, but not much to be done about it at this point. He climbs up to the top of the glass and calls out his staff, twisting it deftly between his fingers and murmuring the incantation of an arte under his breath. The water in the tank swirls gently for a moment, until with a flourishing gesture he calls it up out of the pool, and it travels over the wall to the far side of the room, crystalizing into ice as it reaches its destination. When the arte finishes, the pool has only about one-quarter of the water left inside, and there's a slight chill wafting off of the ice wall, though the seraphic nature of it keeps it from feeling frigid the way it naturally should.
Mikleo sits down on the ledge and nudges the step ladder in her direction.]
There we go, it should be easier for us to plant them this way. Can you pass a few of the flowers to me? Once we're all in the water together I'll walk you through it.
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She'll move to carefully hand him the first pot. ]
Using your artes as you did is clever. [ To say the least. She sounds impressed. ]
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[Even if he's trying to brush it off, he can't help sounding like he's preening a little. He's pleased that it turned out so well, too.
Accepting the first plant, he sets it down in an empty patch of soil, and one by one the two of them transport the flowers inside the pool.]
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[ She'll watch him carefully for a moment, trying to memorize how he's transporting the flowers. ]
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[His tone is playful; of course it does! But he appreciates the compliment nonetheless.]
Hmmm... if you could create a seraphic arte for yourself, what would you want to do?
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If anything, I'd like to be able to use something that can further help me protect others.
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[He waves a hand in front of himself, the air rippling and reflecting as water particles gather, and in a matter of seconds he vanishes from view. When he speaks again, his voice seems to bounce against the glass in all directions, making it difficult to zero in on his position.]
Hard to hit what you can't see, right?
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That's amazing, Lord Mikleo! Artes truly seem limitless, don't they?
Though, I'm rather fortunate - even though I'm unable to perform artes, I was able to learn how to protect myself and others through physical abilities alone. Though, seeing your abilities makes me want to become stronger.
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There are some limits, just like any other power. But the range of abilities can be pretty vast. Even I've had to learn that in recent years.
[He'd thought he was plenty strong before Alisha wandered into their domain, but ever since that day he's learned more and more just how much more powerful those who live in the harsh reality of their world actually are. He'd grown up sheltered with too much room to grow. Lailah, Edna, Dezel, Zaveid- they'd all taught him so much about being a strong seraph. He's better for it, and he's got a long way to go still.]
How about this- once we master the armatus, we'll work on developing a seraphic arte together, one that suits your skills. It'll be part of your squire training.
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