Hours Later (Ellaria)

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Adrain returned once more to the top of the falls the same day that Ellaria indicated that she would have had an interest in learning magic. He wouldn't have waited as long normally to start up the teaching since Ellaria seemed sort of eager, but the business with Roland demanded attention and it's hard to train a novice on the arts of magecraft when you have to split your attention multiple ways. Serai had opted to stay at the Arch this time as Adrain had moved through the portal to roughly the same location that he was when he ran into Ellaria earlier. He would have told her that he'd meet her and her slithery friend here once more but whether she would show remained to be seen.

As he arrived, the sun was slipping into the edge of sunset. While it was warming up, it was still winter and likely to be cold. Even if Ellaria was used to camping out, he would have to offer her at least a temporary residence at the arch. To become a formal apprentice she would likely have to go through the entrance exams since unlike Bellxaria whom might be able to communicate with the tree and could be justified showing different treatment, Ellaria was by all measures a normal applicant. It would be no matter, if she had even the lowest inkling of talent she could develop it to pacify the entrance exam administrators.

Adrain draws a glyph on the ground and causes it to erupt into a campfire size flame, then setting up a kettle he brought with him to brew some tea, waiting to see if Ellaria would come once more.

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Ellaria was once again making her way to the falls, leaving out early enough that she would get there on the time that her and Adrain had agreed upon. She didn't exactly know what to expect. The most magic she had ever seen in her life was when she came to Nova. And with the previous reassurance that there was little chance of her dying in the process, she was excited to learn something new. Crowley tagged along with her as always, with promises to behave and to cheer from the sidelines.

Moments after the sun had begun to set, Ellaria stepped through the clearing once again to find Adrain. This time he was sitting by a fire with a warming kettle for what she assumed would be tea. She wondered for a moment if it would be tea that would help her concentrate or whatever to help focus on energy. Or Something like that. She then shook her head, she really needed to take a break from trading, it was making her imagination just as ridiculous as Crowley's.

She smiled and waved in greeting as did Crowley with his tail, "Hello, I see you've already made it." She said stepping up to stand behind the campfire, across from where the mage had been sitting.

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When Ellaria had made her presence known and approached the fire, Adrain nodded as she arrived and took a seat across from him. The pervy python took his place as usual with Ellaria, the python seemingly waving in greeting. He was admittedly curious as to how far the serpent's intelligence ran. Perhaps Adrain had always underestimated the potential of animal intelligence, or that one snake was especially brilliant.

"Ah yes, I am glad you could come. I apologize I couldn't start you with at least the beginning metrics, but Roland was rather...well, you saw him. He can be a decent guy but a little socially abrasive." he states, then wanting to move on from the subject, he pours a cup of tea and hands it to Ellaria.

"So...I am trying something slightly different. Since you seem to have rejected most of the interest of the magical with regards to your phioric abilities thus far, I have come with a batch of tea from the Arch of Ages infused with the essence of the Wisdom Fruits that come from the branches in the warmer seasons. I don't normally use an enhancer like this for beginning to train a new student, but I figure a little boost will help, especially if we are going to get you viable in time for the entrance exams so you can have a more established quarters. I can provide you with a room short term at the Arch, but to keep it you have to become capable of casting a spell with the force equivalent to blow all the leaves off a tree or some other elemental equivalent." he states, then waiting for Ellaria's questions and to sip the tea before continuing.

"The first step will be to establish what your inherent elemental affinity is. All beings have a natural connection to one of the basic elements: Fire, Earth, Air, Water, Light, or Shadow. I myself am Shadow affinity, but I don't use the curse or death oriented spells of that branch, so don't worry about such things." he states, then summoning a small orb of energy of each sphere, having them manifest around his hands and then surrounding Ellaria a few feet away.

"You will need to meditate and open your mind to your soul, to find out what your soul corresponds to. Remove all distractions and physical influences and find what your soul resonates with to the natural mana around you. It will be a sensation unique to you, and also how you will feel the mana around you as well as determine the first branch of elemental magic that you can learn."

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While Ellaria took her seat she listened as Adrain spoke about their meeting earlier with the Roland fellow, she didn't answer verbally, but simply brushed it off with a gesture of her hand. It wasn't as if she had specifically gone to Dragon's Breath Falls to learn how to do magic, initially.

When Adrain handed her a cup of tea, she thanked him, wrapping her hands around it to warm them. As the mage began to explain the ingredients of the tea and it's use, Ellaria stifled a laugh. Apparently her imagination had been on the right track, she did not comment, however, wanting to keep things professional, and hid her amusement by taking her first drink of the tea.

Her face scrunched, it wasn't exactly that the tea tasted bad, but she wasn't so sure that infused 'Wisdom Fruits' were on her list of favorite fruits. Nonetheless she continued to drink it, especially since Adrain told her that it should help. "How exactly will this enhance the process, if you don't mind me asking? And thank you, but I should be fine at the inn I am staying in for now. I made sure to save up so I would be prepared before I made my way to Nova. I wouldn't want to be a bother, especially if I don't have what it takes to become a student." A curious thought popped into her head, that she was surprised she had not thought of already. "Also, exactly why are you helping me? I don't exactly know you all that well, I've never had any experience with magic before, and if I'm being honest, I hadn't shown much interest in it until you said something. Although, I am now, it seems like fun and it's something I haven't experienced before." She finished, taking another drink of tea.

Ellaria continued to sip her tea as Adrain continued onward with explaining the beginning steps, relieved when he assured her that although he was 'Shadow affinity', he did not tamper with anything that was, questionable. "How will I know which element I have an affinity for?" She asked watching him as he summoned the orbs of energy that looked similar if not identical to the ones from before. She was again momentarily mesmerized and perplexed by them, she couldn't help it.

Although she was looking at the orbs of energy, she listened intently as Adrain spoke of meditation, it was becoming clear to hear that the silver haired man was a natural born teacher. While he continued to speak of meditation her brow furrowed in confusion, "Bare with me on this, I'm really not trying to seem like an idiot. I am understanding the theory and the hopeful outcome of it, but I've never meditated before, I'm not even sure how to meditate. And when I do meditate how will I know that sensation is there? What does mana even feel like? And correct me if I'm wrong, but you're saying each element has a different type of, mana feel? How does one know the 'feels', apart?" The questions came pouring out of her as she tried to make sense of all the information she was being given, it was exciting and confusing. She smiled sheepishly when she asked her last question and muttered her apologies.

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"It increases your sensitivity to mana. I dislike using it typically since I prefer people to learn without chemical substances helping them, but you have limited experience, so it makes sense at first. Its also a fairly decent flavor, at least if I say so myself." he says, explaining the tea. When she declined the offer at first, he shrugged casually.

"The offer is still open. You wouldn't be a bother in the least. It would be a way to save money, and don't sell yourself short on your chances of getting in. If you actually put an effort into it, you will succeed. But I suppose that partially depends on if you like what happens today, yes?" he says, remaining open to helping the woman out if that was her wish.

When Ellaria asked why he was helping her, he smiled softly as he sipped his tea for a moment.

"I am by nature an altruistic person, I suppose you could say. When I met you at the springs, and once more here, I do see someone who is looking for a purpose or a new path, you yourself having said as much looking for a new start in Nova, yes? You seem to be the sort who has been a loner, possibly because people wrote you off or showed you less than kind moments in the past? At least a guess based on the fact you don't seem to like people at first generally. I suppose I don't know where you come from though I would certainly be open to learning about it." he says, standing once he had finished his tea and walking to the falls slightly, looking at them for a moment before speaking once more.

"When I look at you, I see potential and curiosity, someone who I think can benefit from magic and magic can benefit from it. It is my deepest wish to see magic become more accepted and casual in Novian culture instead of being laced with superstition. Plus I find you interesting, especially the dynamic you have with your serpent friend." he says with a smile towards Ellaria. "I am something of an idealist, I've had this conversation a number of times, but I assure you my intentions are pure if you have any suspicion."

When Ellaria asked what element she would be, along with asking about meditation and mana, Adrain thought how to best explain it before speaking once more, his face contemplative.

"You aren't an idiot, you're learning what is one of the most complicated skills in the world so questions are always welcome. The search for you element is the first path on the track of a mage and of enlightenment. It is something of a personal journey that I can't dictate to you what to feel and it is unique to everyone that I have ever taught. Meditation is siting in a comfortable way, laying if you prefer really and closing your eyes to tune out the world around you. You must learn the sensation of mana so you can access it's power and potential. When you live a mundane life until now, your normal senses dominate your mind that your sense for mana is completely buried. Close your eye to sight, focus your ears inward, pay no heed to touch, taste, or smell and clear yourself completely. The feel for mana is what relates to your element. Heat and warmth for fire, cool and wet for water, flowing wind and light for air, solid and earthy for earth, the sensation of radiance and the sun on your skin for light, or absence of all but the soul for shadow. When you begin to feel this, hold your hand up and use your will to manifest a sphere of your own energy, drawing the sensation on your skin through your body and into a shape in your hand. When you have learned your natural element and become comfortable with it, you can then turn your natural mana flow into that of other elements."

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Ellaria nodded continuously as she drank her tea and he spoke, "Thank you again for the offer. And I'm not trying to be pessimistic, just more realistic. I find that it helps to not be disappointed if something goes awry." She shrugged, leaving it at that as she listened to him explain why he was helping her.

Once again she nodded, setting aside her finished tea, I must thank you for that as well. Also you are right on all assumptions. I am a very curious person, I like to learn things and know things, even if they lack merit. I come from the Phioric Forest Hierarchy, and the only uses of magic there are those that come naturally to our kind, so mana is completely unnecessary. Or at least the need to be aware of it is. I'm not exactly sure how it works, I never gave it much thought because I don't use my own abilities. My transformation as far as looking like Crowley is completely unintentional. I haven't looked like myself for about twenty years."

She trailed off her face becoming slightly confused, "I didn't know magic was 'laced with superstition', I just figured that it was more of an ability thing. I didn't know that it could be taught. As far as me being suspicious. I wasn't. I was simply curious. I may not trust people, but you don't seem to be a person to have, impure? Intentions. If you were you wouldn't be so patient." She smiled waiting for him to explain meditation, so she wouldn't feel foolish when she tried it.

When he finished she was glad to hear that she wasn't an idiot, and that she had not been asking to many questions. She then realized that she was overthinking the whole process. That she would not be able meditate like he was saying she needed to if she thought too hard on exactly what it was that she was supposed to be feeling. With a sigh she took off her ever present cloak to be more comfortable in her every day clothes and set it on the ground beside her; moving to situate herself so she was sitting on the ground, folding her legs like she would if she were about to draw, and clasped her hands together in her lap. Taking a deep breath and letting it out she muttered, "OK, here we go."

She then closed her eyes and began to meditate. Crowley took it upon himself to close himself off to her so any of his wondering thoughts wouldn't disturb her. It wasn't instantaneous, it took a better part of thirty minutes to an hour for her to be able to tune out everything. She kept getting distracted by Adrain's and Crowley's presence, an itch, a sound, or some other sense. But after a while everything began to fade as the tea began to take effect. The sounds of the falls and the forest became muted and she was no longer so blatantly aware of the other's presence. It was then that she felt it, something she never felt before. Ellaria couldn't quite explain the feeling besides that there was a slight tingling sensation along her skin and soft hum in the air, but she knew that it was mana. Along with the mana there was another feeling, she felt more stable, more grounded a suddenly a strong scent of dirt like that from fresh turned earth filled her nose. That's when she realized what her element was. Earth.

Doing as instructed she held up her hand and concentrated, willing the tingling sensation to move, to direct it to the center of her palm. She then slowly opened her eyes, her face breaking out into a grin. Glowing softly in her palm was pale green orb, similar to the ones Adrain had produced. "Woah," was all she managed to say as she looked up at him, waiting for him to tell her what to do next.

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"There's a fine line between pessimism and realism. Confidence widens it and makes certain that you stay on the line or the realism side of things. That said, I will certainly spend time helping you if you wish to make certain you can pass, if that is something you do want to do." he says with a warm smile as he manipulated the orbs to spin about a little as a fidget sort of thing.

"Phiorics do have a small touch of the divine in them if I'm not mistaken. The way Divine interacts with the mana based magic is complicated and to go into it right now might be slightly confusing but on the studies I've seen it's one part earth magic for the base bond with animals of the land, or air if a bird or water if a sea creature, one part blood magic for the element that transforms, and well, the rest isn't fully understood from the scientific side of things. When you say you don't look like yourself, what is different? Perhaps learning magic will help you also grasp control of your phioric abilities if you want to change that. I'm sure there is some degree of overlap." he says, curious now as to what features of Ellaria would be different were it not for the animal bond. When Ellaria mentioned the superstition, he smiled and shook his head slowly.

"Well, common people who don't know better in the cities tend to think of magic as either a cursehes of superstition. It is one of my grandest goals to have magic become as commonplace as the knife or the fire in the hearth. I imagine Phioric society might be a little more open to that approach than Novian at this moment." he says with a small laugh when she mentioned trust and patience as well as intentions.

"Well you are a beautiful woman, I can understand why you general might be apprehensive about people in general. But to be alone without friends is still quite dangerous and that's another reason why I'd like to train you so you have ways to defend yourself. You see, a group of enslavers might get a jump on you in the wild if you aren't careful, but if you were to say erupt in flame, well the superstition side of things helps in that front and usually makes them run away. I'm sure you are smart enough to avoid such situations, but a little backup never hurts, no? I've heard of enough situations that I refuse to allow them to happen if I can say anything about it"

When Ellaria entered her meditation, Adrain stayed quiet as possible and at a certain point walked away such that his scent and presence would hopefully not bother her during the process. It would be some time later until he could sense an elemental spark and he turned to see she had a green sphere in her hand. Usually green was a color of air, but it could also represent the plants. He smiled, looking at her seemingly awestruck by her product.

"Well then, I sense an Earth affinity there. Now you have a sphere of raw energy. Earth is very flexible in that it can represent stone or ground manipulation, plant manipulation, or a few other lesser affinities. What you should try now to to take the sphere and cause it to manifest as perhaps an earthen sphere of spike or a living vine. Here your willpower is what is the dominant factor. Mana wants to return to the wild state it normally is and you must have a strong will to compel it to your end. It sounds intimidating, but it really isn't once you are used to it."