The Door Opens

[lachtara]

WHO: Emet and open to any Kenoma
WHAT: After being confined, Emet gets out and explores
WHERE: Various locations around Achamoth
WHEN: Three days after this.
WARNINGS: None right now.

After his exit from the dinner party, Emet-Selch appears in his room amidst a billow of black and purple. He can immediately sense a change in the air, as if there are eyes watching him from some undefined place. The presence is the familiar one from the Dining Hall.

He inhales deeply and sighs. "Oh? Have I earned your attention now? How gracious." He takes a few steps to a luxurious cushioned chair and sits. As if in reply, the bolt on the door to the room clicks shut.


I. Days Later, The Door Opens
It becomes clear that the room is meant to be his prison. With no clear exit, fixtures that are impervious to magic or tampering, no assistance from the outside, and no food or water, the thought does arise on whether it is meant to be a grave as well. 

Three days on and the lack of nourishment has made him weary. Thinking turns difficult, as does all else. He resigns to sitting in the same cushioned chair with his head resting on the back, eyes closed as he tries to gather his thoughts for a viable solution. There is a book on his lap that he has since stopped reading for lack of clear focus.

It's then that the bolt to the door clicks noisily, indicating that it is unlocked. He drearily peeks at it from across the room.

Emet-Selch stands - steadies himself with a hand to his forehead - and makes for the door. Finding some food and water would need to be the utmost priority.

II. The Library
It seems that the natives take particular 'notice' of his presence. People part in an effort to avoid him as he moves through the crowd on his way to find the Library.  Many give the mark on his wrist a disapproving glance. Nevertheless, Emet-Selch can't help but give a small smile of delight. "A true blessing to move about wholly unbothered." He comments. Perhaps the Regent's ire is owed a commendation for this one thing.

He sighs. "Although that does make finding the Library a much more laborious task." So he explores as much as he can in order to find a room filled with books. Perhaps it would have more about this world. Or the meaning behind the sigil he now bore.

III. Magic Lessons
With that excursion out of the way, now comes the matter of looking for a place to work. There must be some open field or facility meant to train individuals - this city has a military, after all. So he sets out to explore the Citadel. 

Once he finds a suitable open area, Emet-Selch begins to work. His magic has been strange to him since arriving and this is a good opportunity to work on it with so few people vying for his attention.
 
He lifts a palm into the air and tries summoning his creation magic to make the smallest of things. Any observers may see him motioning at nothing in the air with his palm, a few glimmers of magic sparking in the air now and again as he tries to conjure. Frustratingly, nothing seems to take form...

IV. Other?
HMU If you'd like another prompt!

Comments

[lachtara]

Emet-Selch watches carefully. He looks down as the rumbling of earth precedes the cracks in the ground. It's different than the previous attempt, yes, but it's not controlled. Still. He lets the fledgling magic-user proceed as he will. There is no learning without effort and mistakes. Perhaps he can refocus his efforts.

As the spell continues, it becomes more apparent that he's straining more than he should be. Pushing is one thing, but forcing oneself to death's door is quite another.

"Enough." Emet-Selch slashes a palm through the air and the sword he had summoned dissipates in streak of glittering white light. See if he could stand without it.

[epiprocta]

Oh, no, absolutely not. The instant the sword dissipates into so much glimmering light that slips through his fingers, Gen ends up spilling messily across the ground with a startled yelp. Whatever magic had been rippling through the earth at his command fizzles out from the shock, and it takes him a moment to process what's even happened.

"-- hey." He shakes dirt out of his hair as he arduously sits back up, but any protest he raises is pretty half-hearted. "I could've held on a little longer ..."

... or maybe not, actually. Because he only manages to stay upright for another moment or two before just flopping back down on the ground, trying to ward off a wave of dizziness washing over him. -- yeah, fine, on second thought. Emet-Selch was probably right to stop him there.

[lachtara]

As he thought.

Emet-Selch approaches and kneels down at Gen's side. "Before we conclude our lesson today, I must share one last piece of advice:" An important piece of advice given what he's seen so far. "Magic will use the energy around you as well as the energy within you. Pushing yourself past your limits can be just as fatal as any wound."

He rolls a hand through the air. "So. Perhaps you'll consider my suggestion of sitting next time?"

With that, He reaches out and calls on his healing magic. The green wisps spring to life and surround his fledging student with the same cooling sensation as before. It will not cure fatigue like this completely, but it would provide some sense of relief.

[epiprocta]

"Fine, fine. I get it." Too bad it's difficult sounding flippant and dismissive when his words come hoarse between ragged breaths. Stubborn as he is, Gen doesn't bother trying to maintain that tough facade when he grumbles, "... I'll keep it in mind."

Besides, he can't suppress a little sigh of relief when that healing light takes the edge off the fatigue weighing heavy on him. Not that it's a completely cure -- everything aches enough that he can tell he's still going to need most of a day to sleep off this exhaustion -- but it's still an incredible help.

Which makes it all the more unexpected. Emet-Selch might have agreed to help him learn magic, sure, but something like this isn't a necessary part of that, right?

"Hey. Are you really doing all this just for the cause?" Gen speaks wearily, but his gaze is fixed on Emet-Selch's face. Gauging the man's demeanor as he continues, "Am I supposed to do something for you? A give and take. Or something."

[lachtara]

His hand is let fall back at his side and the healing magic ceases along with it.

Emet-Selch's tone is sincere as is the expression on his face. "The only thing I implore you to do is give your all for our cause." And he means that in every sense of the word.

He sounds listless while he explains. "I have seen countless tragedies unfold, countless kingdoms turn to dust, and precious lives squandered on the account of our world's imperfections. A few mere magic lessons are nothing compared to bolstering our chances to see a better world for us all."

[epiprocta]

If this guy's a liar, he's a very good one. That look of sincerity he's wearing certainly seems flawless, with a weary cadence to his words to match. It's actually so earnest that it makes his skin crawl a little, and Gen stares for a moment before rudely mumbling, "... y'know, you really don't look like that much of a good guy."

(Talk about gratitude. After Emet-Selch even healed him.)

Still, while it's in his nature as a surly teenager to shy away from anything earnest or honest, it's not like he's actually rejecting what's being said. And as he slowly, wearily sits back up and scuffs a hand through his hair, Gen mutters, "I was planning on it anyway. Doing what I can. If that's really all you wanted."

[lachtara]

Begrudging agreement is agreement nonetheless.

"Indeed, it is." Satisfied with that answer, Emet-Selch stands and lets his hands fall at his side. "Though, if you are feeling generous, I would most appreciate it if you would learn to control your magic so that I do not have to endure the lasting pain of projectiles sent my way."

He rolls his shoulder. Even if he'd avoided this one, his back would certainly remember for a little while.