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They say it is easy to find the road of happiness–for unlike transcendence, you do not strive for a place you cannot understand. You do not resign yourself to certainty, or walk forward burdened by the task of mapping the road for all humans to tread. You simply understand your goal and know your path, and then walk until you find the endpoint that you wish for.
That’s the text on the very first page of a notebook. Well, to be more accurate, they are the words inscribed behind the plain and untouched cover, written in a font so articulate it seems as if they were sculpted into the page rather than written with ink. At the bottom of the same page is a date, around two weeks before today, followed by a dash. It seems this notebook has not yet reached its end.
An individual presses their fingers onto the tabletop. Surely the first page of any book is its most representative. Following that logic, it would then be most proper to leave this notebook at this page.
They really are preoccupying themselves over such a paltry thing. It’s enough to make them laugh, though it’s only a small laugh in the end that escapes their mouth. But come to think of it, decisions like these–that they would ordinarily have little difficulty deciding–have been appearing more and more frequently. Is this a sign of what is to come? Will they allow it to be a sign of what is to come?
The moonlight in the neighbouring room has moved from its earlier position, from the last time they stood at the doorway and paused without entering. Of course, the ritualistic circle that they drew several days prior remains unchanged. Even untouched, there is something about it that feels sharper and brighter than the light from the faraway. This time, they do not pause before walking in.
Would it be counterintuitive to call upon the aid of an existence that serves as a beacon of humanity’s history–someone who may even outshine the light that shines for half of the day–here? They had entertained the question and the alternative some time ago, but they had decided to let it go, for they believed that someone who could be called the equivalent of luminosity in any form surely would not dawdle on such a notion.
So with that, as if brushing aside a clutter of cobwebs nearby the window, they sweep any to-be questions and regrets to the side. To move forward, one cannot step backward or aside.
“Let rise the streams that seek to reclaim the beginning. Let fall the torrents that long towards the end.”
The chant is different from the conventional version. In fact, it is one that has not been used by any other mage. Of course, its novelty is natural. It was only penned in a notebook more than two months ago, and then revised and recited. It is not wholly original. In fact, if anything, they would only deem it a revision of the original. Still, it is possible that it will not be effective. They had no means of testing it before today, after all.
“Once, twice, thrice–the gateway yet opens towards a fractured world. The shadow of the distant past will return beyond dawn, accompanied solely by the remaining principle, which heads forth to tread the inscribed path.”
Their hands are already raised, as if beckoning to someone far away. Realising the potential fallacy of doing so, they slowly retract one hand, adjusting the other to the more conventional gesture. Still, their fingers remain outstretched–as if the people standing upon a dark and parched earth, longing for the radiant sky to return once again.
“To you who stand beyond the horizon, I swear to embody all that is good and to oppose all that is evil. I entrust an equivalent desire to be vested within this oath, and vow to be your companion. If you accede to these conditions, then I implore you: Manifest yourself through shared will. Construct my fate through your resolve. May the boundaries of the sky conjoin in this instant. Brilliant existence of the Apex, bestow us your radiant presence past all bounds of restraint!”
-o-
A legend claims that the first flower bloomed only in front of children, and when it opened its petals, it said–
‘Do not fear the gods, for they merely smile from their place beyond the heavens.
Do not fear death, for it is a realm unreachable.
Live your life as you should, and you will not waste away.
If you seek to gain, only suffering will open its arms,
But should you open your arms to joy and pain, The transient world in its entirety will embrace you back.’
The moonlight, stark and silver, shone upon the flower, illuminating these words–
And when the sun rose again the next morning, the ephemeral blossom was nowhere to be seen.
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The chant, although altered, had an effect. The principles of magecraft must have remained the same.
A glowing contour faded into view around the lines on the floor, seemingly pulsating in rhythm to the spoken words. Pressure built up alongside the tension that could nearly be touched in the air.
It burst out into a beam of light and wind at the end of the exclamation.
~+~
A hand, extended.
Feeling ran through it, all the way to the fingertips. The hand closed and retracted in a fist.
It was as if she grabbed hold of her existence.
I’m here.
I’m me.
The pair of seconds lasted an eternity with flashing thoughts in her mind.
Finally, her fist unfurled and brushed through a side of her hair. The strands flicked around from the settling air in the area.
She opened her eyes of sharp gray and stared forward as the light around her vanished out of sight.
Who will tie me down to this world now?
The pale lady clad in blue grinned with a hand on her hip. Her posture radiated confidence, while her sight quickly focused on the person in front of her to boldly look them all over.
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While the newfound guest to the room may not be aware, the room has been plunged into darkness by her arrival. Well, the causation is indirect--the gusts of air accompanying the summoning process seem to be the direct cause. While the surrounding furniture remains mostly unaffected--as there is nothing that could have been toppled over--the only light that had been erected by the mage has broken loose from its holdings and shattered on the floor. But even that shatter was silent compared to her arrival.
The summoner awaits. In the darkness, their eyes are hollow, as if boring a hole through the air. But they accept the silence as if it is an old friend. They let their outreached hand fall silently, slowly to their side.
This individual has plaintive features that can be seen even through the darkness. Yet, there is something like an air of elegance about them. Perhaps the more accurate description would be to say that everything about them seems natural, almost predestined. There is nothing out of the ordinary when seeing them as a mage. There is nothing out of the ordinary when seeing them as a human. They are simply someone with the hint of a smile on their face, which belies an air of curiosity. Their hair, which seems darker in hue than that of their guest's, remains neatly arranged around their face and across the side of their neck.
"So, may I assume that I did not confuse a summoning spell with a wind spell?"
But of course that is impossible. The quiet certainty in their voice spells that fact out. These words are intended to be a greeting, even as they remain unmoving, maintaining the boundary between them and the pale figure somewhere before them.
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The newly summoned young lady leaned forward with a hand to her chin, obviously exaggerating a simple gesture of curiosity.
"Unless I'm a wind spirit--which I'm not, by the way--I would say nope!"
Her voice pierced clearly through the area, an aura of familiarity in her tone as if she were meeting an old friend and not the summoner for the first time. Soon after, she nimbly stepped to the side. Perhaps "slipped" would be a better word, for her movement was so fluid and silent that the only indicator of her motion in the darkened room was the swishing of her pale hair as it trailed behind her.
"You're keeping the place awfully gloomy, you know that?"
She now stood to the other person's side, almost directly behind them. Partly leaning to the side with her hands on her hips, the young lady pursed her lips into an O as she met the other's stare.
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They tilt their body slightly toward the direction of her voice. "Oh, is it my fault? Then I will take my leave if that is what you prefer."
It's a joke, of course, but since a ghost of a smile has been on their face for a while now, it would be difficult to tell from their expression. However, they do raise their hand and arm opposite to the side the Heroic Spirit is closer to. With a wave of that hand, a light flares to life somewhere from within the ceiling, revealing a sizeable and quaint room. Other than the shattered light from before--and what is presumably a container of sorts that was intended to weigh it down and hold it in place--the room sports a tidily made-up bed, a long desk, wardrobe cabinet, and a long abstract painting of some sort whose frame must be nailed to the wall. The floor, meanwhile, is carpeted, with a similar colour scheme to the painting.
Plainly, it's a guest room. One where no guest has actually stayed before, to the extent that the window never needed to be opened to air it out prior to the summoning process. To be honest, the space is a bit large to be a guest room, and it's almost obvious that the painting is only here to fill up space that would otherwise seem barren. Almost.
"I hope this is better?" they inquire, lowering their hand once more and turning around more to face her. "I would certainly hate to disappoint a guest at first impression."
It seems they have some sort of liking for theatrics.
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"Ooh, I liked that!" She exclaimed, enthusiastically adding a series of claps to her statment. "You're quite the magician, I say! Which must mean..."
Leaving a brief second of silence after her words, she gave a few steps around the room, taking it all in with a few glances and leaving her back turned to the summoner.
"Youuuuu, are a performer, getting ready to go out into stage for a new act!"
And then, she spun around with a short burst of laughter, pointing at the other with a wink.
"Ahaha, gotcha! No, I really meant to ask: are you my Master?"
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After waiting patiently for her to finish her words and motions, they give a nod and state, "In the flesh."
Lowering their head slightly, hands to the sides and slightly out. Right foot stepping back slightly, stopping while the weight is supported on the underside of the toes. Two seconds. A conventional curtsy.
"My name is Ambryll," they say, after they straighten back to a normal standing position. "I have no last name. If you wish to call me by my name rather than a title, then please feel free to shorten it or conjure any nicknames, as long as it is to your liking. It is truly a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Standing under the light, they look plainer than what one may expect. Their hair turns out to be some hue of brown, at least at first glance–but theoretically speaking, it is closer to being some shade of red or pink. It’s unclear if it’s rather wavy on its own to begin with or if it’s styled in a more distinctive way. Their eyes are a rather beautiful violet-blue, framed by long lashes, the latter fact visible when they closed their eyes and smiled for the curtsy a few moments ago. Their style of dress is somewhat traditional–likely similar to that of many mages–but it couldn’t be called old-fashioned. Perhaps they would sport a ringmaster costume well. It feels vaguely as if they are accustomed to dressing formally, even though their current attire is not necessarily all that formal.
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"Nice to meetcha, Ambryll," the Servant replied with a grin while playfully dipping forward into a bow devoid of the grace one would expect a formal greeting to have. Even then, it did not appear clumsy, as if every centimeter of her movements had been calculated beforehand as she straightened back up and shook her hair off her shoulders.
"Hmm... it would be super boring if you simply called me 'Assassin' just like that, and besides, you already told me your name, soooooo..."
Assassin tapped her chin with her fingers in a mock gesture of deep thought. Finally, she snapped her fingers and pointed up.
"Aha! There are lots of ways you can nickname me, but I like Cori best. Right, I'm Corinne, or Marie, Marie-Corinne in full, and with having a name like that comes the difficult choice of picking one part to address," she declared. "For me it's not that hard, though! Marie is such a common name... it doesn't really stand out all that much, you know? Oho, right, maybe you've heard of me? Name ring a bell? Recognize me or something like that? Hm?"
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They nod along a little as if in understanding. Still, they're surprised that she's revealing her True Name so readily. It seems in line with her personality. Well then, so too is this obvious surprise of theirs in line with their own personality. Perhaps they see no need to conceal their reactions.
Ambryll isn’t not very creative with nicknames, so they're already feeling a little bad in advance that they can't really offer too many alternatives for their name. It would feel right to do so, but at least they offered her the opportunity to conjure any from her imagination. For now, they answer her question.
"Mariecorinne..." They say her name in one go, tilting their head slightly with a slightly curious look, probably because they’re racking their mind to see if they recognise the name. “Your name does have a somewhat familiar ring to it, but I don’t believe you and I are from the same region.” They shift a little and untilt their head. “Hm, shall I briefly speak in my native tongue so we can see if there are any linguistic similarities?”
Given she doesn’t object, they then proceed to speak a short sentence that, despite being short, has absolutely no modicum of comprehension for Assassin whatsoever. There aren’t even any cognates.
(Would it be okay if her name is a literary term/figure of speech from another language in the present? I thought it’d be cool, so that’s what this POV is building toward lol)
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((What an unexpected honor tbh, ofc and feel free to just go ahead!))
The Servant watched, arching her eyebrows with curiosity. Whatever kind of response she had expected, it certainly wasn't this, but she wouldn't let the surprise show through so clearly. She just nodded, movement full of enthusiasm, and crossed her arms.
A little smirk formed on her lips purely out of wonder about that sentence that sounded like a strange incantation to her.
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(:D)
They speak another sentence before slightly shaking their head.
"I assume no familiarity?" they ask, translating the second sentence, which they were supposed to switch back with in the first place.
At least now it's apparent where their accent is from.
"By the way," they say with that small smile of theirs, "what I said was just a traditional greeting. Something like...'Welcome to my abode, esteemed guest.' The second portion is, 'It is my honor to host you here.' Though...oh!"
They clap once, lightly. Their face blossoms with some sort of excited recognition.
"I recall why your name sounds familiar. Marie-Corinne, it...well, I should say your name. As a term it means something related to delayed retribution, does it not?"
The narrator imagines this is sort of a weird thing to be asked, sorry.
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She simply grinned at being told the meaning as if the greeting were directed to her. (Maybe it was, she just wouldn't know.)
Upon hearing the last word, a hint of sincere amazement showed through for just one second before being replaced by that eager grin she had all along.
"It does? Really?" Hands on hips once again, this time she seemed to be posing on purpose. "I. Love. That! And so, that means you do know me! Right? Or wrong?"
Assassin held back a comment of whatever mental image Ambryll's name had prompted in her head so as to not spoil the mood.
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"I suppose it does, though in the same vein, I cannot claim to be very familiar with you." They bow their head slightly, with another slightly prolonged blink to accompany the motion. "I apologise, but I do mean no offence."
They don't seem to have caught any possibility of the mood changing. They're likely more preoccupied thinking how almost literally luminescent the personality of the hero they summoned is.
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"Nahhh, don't worry about it. If you knew nothing about me, and I knew nothing about you, we'd be even, wouldn't we? So, because you know a lil bit about me, it's just a teeny tiny bit uneven, and it's not a problem!"
She spread her hands out to the side as if presenting the most logical conclusion ever.
"Plus I met you like, what, not even five minutes ago? Just relaaaax, don't worry."
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The way they're following, it still feels like a bad thing--isn't imbalance sort of a bad thing?--but it's true that the imbalance isn't that great, so they nod in the end.
"Very well, I won't."
Just like that?
"However, to balance it out, feel free to ask me any questions you would like," they offer, but then quickly add: "Not at this moment specifically, of course. I'm open to anything you would like to do in the present time."
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"Mhm! Got it."
And then she stretched and looked around the room once more. Nothing in it was of her particular interest right now, not even the painting, because...
"Why stay here in these four walls when there's other things we can see? I'm going out!"
Assassin stepped towards the window to see what was outside the room.
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"At this hour?"
The moment the question comes out of their mouth, the moment they realise that of course she'd turn out to be the sort of person who would go out at this hour. Besides, aren't assassins practically affiliated with the night? But for Ambryll, who ordinarily caps it at a late evening walk, they only glance in the direction of the window with a mere fraction of whatever excitement she must be feeling.
It's a tiny bit hard to see what's outside because of the inside light being turned on again, but it looks like the moon has mostly turned out of sight. It's rather dark outside, though there looks to be the outlines of many trees in the distance.
For Assassin, the window probably feels like it's begging to be opened, with its two shutters and mysterious view that it's concealing.
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"Does it matter at all?"
As soon as Assassin placed her hand on the window, she imagined herself making a grand exit through the closed shutters.
That would be super obvious, not subtle at all, although she did not quite feel a need to be subtle then... Plus, it'd be property damage probably and she's not really supposed to do that. Still, it would be funny. And probably would leave Ambryll decently shocked.
The overall decision is no. She just proceeded to try opening the shutters to poke her head out and get a breath of the air outside.
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"I assume it doesn't for you," they answer cautiously.
The air hits like a slap in the face. It's almost shockingly cold. That's saying something, considering the interior of this room isn't very warm to begin with. Midnight wind. Seems it's pretty late.
Ambryll stays still, probably paying attention to what she's doing. It doesn't feel like she wanted them to leave, so they're staying for now. If she wants a tour of the inside, or ends up actually wanting to go outside, then all they have to do is fetch a coat or two.
With the window opened, the view is a little bit clearer. If Assassin pokes her head out the window, she can probably see that they're a little high up, maybe second or third floor. There's mostly grass directly underneath, and an abundance of trees in the distance along with what appears to be a hillside somewhere to the left, obscured by what appears to be a very nearby building. Or perhaps it's the same one they're already in?
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Assassin took in a deep breath of the cold air.
"Mmmmmm. Now that's good! And yeah, I don't care."
She ended with a shrug and half leaned onto the windowframe.
"There are less people outside late, no? More time to walk around, look around, climb some buildings, all that with no interruption!"
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"I see." It's a generic response they're putting out, but they sound genuinely interested. And they are--they're wondering how it must be for someone like her, who seems so lively and outgoing, to live in the role of someone who must avoid other people to fulfill her role. Or perhaps that isn't the reason behind what she's saying, and they're making presumptions.
"There aren't very many buildings aren't here, but the exterior should be stable enough for you to explore if you'd like." Another half-offer they're putting out. "But also of note," they add, "this is a rather remote location. There aren't usually many people here in the daytime either. Please, take of that as you will."
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"Oh, really? So it's all quiet and- okay then. Well-" Assassin leaned out the window once more, this time backwards. "How tall is this thing? Think we can get a good view from up there in the roof?"
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(there wasn't a notif for this thread lol just like the old days)
"Ah, this building is three stories tall." Saying it aloud makes them wonder what the etymology of the word is, anyways. A story as in a tale, and as in a floor. It feels almost like a personal oversight, so much so that they smile a little again as they think about it. "I do believe it to be situated on a good vantage point. So..."
There's no way to tell if they're feigning the motion of thinking or if they're just an exceptionally quick thinker, for after a brief head tilt, they ask, "Would you like to access the balcony?"
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"Ooh, of course! That's perfect."
She went back to being fully in the room and did a motion of dusting off her hands and arms without thinking much of it.
"Where is the balcony, then?"
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"It's in the next room. This way."
Without further ado, they walk back toward the door. Apparently cleanup will have to come later.
The hallway is a bit dim, but even so, it's apparent that it's much fancier than what hallways usually look like. It's wide, too, enough to fit a small procession of people. There's a light every once in a while, but it seems most of them are turned off. So, do be careful not to slip on the polished tiling.
Ambryll was being completely precise when they said the room would be the next--all that they need to do is just walk a little ways and turn into the room there. The door is unlocked, of course, so they can just step on in. Still, they pause for a moment before entering, and look back at Assassin.
"These are my quarters," they say with a shy smile, as if giving an explanation, but then, without waiting for another moment, they just open the door.
...to be honest, the fact would have been far from obvious if they hadn't introduced the room as being their own. There's a nice-looking desk and chair, similar to the other room, with a few small cabinets under the table and a book open to its first page. There's a bed too, of course, but the bed sheets are neatly folded into a box shape, and the bed cover is almost perfectly flat as if no one ever sleeps on it. There's a wardrobe cabinet, which is actually smaller than the other one, but there isn't any painting on the wall. A mother-daughter floor lamp stands a little ways from the desk. Currently, only the top light is on.
Other than trying not to dawdle, the magus doesn't seem to be in a hurry. They walk to the end of the room and pull the curtains there back, revealing a pair of doors plus two windows to either side rather than a window as might be expected. How extravagant.
To be honest, the narrator doesn't expect Assassin to care all that much.
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Assassin watched Ambryll walk off before hurrying behind them.
"Wow!" She exclaimed as they briefly passed the hallway. "So you own a mini-mansion?" Without waiting for an answer this time, she poked her head into the room to inspect its contents. Much like when leaving the previous room, the Servant stayed behind in the entrance until Ambryll was further inside.
In due time, however, (and that is just a few seconds later) she stepped in as confidently as ever. It is true that the room decor details went unremarked, but not unnoticed.
She finally caught up as soundlessly as ever. "This must be the way, then?"
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“Yes, seeing as the secret passageway behind the bed is a work-in-progress," they reply with a faint smile as they twist the lock to one of the doors and, subsequently, the door handle itself. Keeping their grip on the handle, they move outward cautiously.
It's immediately apparent that the wind blast here is much stronger, hitting the face and pushing back any loose hair. Ambryll's free hand immediately moves to make their hairstyle an impromptu ponytail, likely to prevent it from hitting Assassin in case she's close to them. Not that their hair is that long.
The balcony makes the height of their current vantage point more apparent, since the window from earlier had a comparatively narrow frame. From here, the night in its entirety is made more apparent, although in an effect similar to that created by negative space, the scenery seems almost caged by the structures supporting the balcony roof. Swaths of shrubbery and trees stretch out to the far distance, while directly underneath the balcony there exists some hints of a path scraped out by common footprints that wraps and coils around the building.
No other buildings or hint of life are in sight. This looks to be a rather secluded location.