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Emma thought about it for a moment, trying to recall everything she'd seen in those brief moments of panic. "....No, I don't think there was--I remember thinking it was strange, there wasn't even a drip trail like he'd been carrried away, he was just... gone."
"I wonder where he's gone to.." She mused quietly, he must have been alive still! That excited her, though she kept it to herself. |
"I'm telling you...there's something weird about him." Arturo chuckled.
The city vanished from their sights behind them as they delved deeper into the forest. The air became frighteningly icy. Immediately, the mage regretted bringing the girl. She must be so uncomfortable, he thought. He had trained before in such conditions. He was more than certain that if he used his magic, the waters would freeze. Voices could be heard in the distance, soft and haunting. There were no sights of lights. |
Emma smiled a little at Arturo, the idea that Denzell was more likely alive than dead brought her spirits up a great deal.
As the air cooled further, Emma brought her arms around herself tighter, shivering again. She gave a shuddered breath, watching the white cloud sift through the air afterwards. She'd not been trained for temperature conditions. The Tribe had not had their hands on her that long and she lived in a fairly warm to moderate climate almost all of her life. She licked her lips but it didn't help anymore, all she could feel was the cold, and she was sure that sooner or later her flesh would feel numb to her and she'd be quite cold to the touch. The voices sent a new shiver through her slender back and she looked around slowly, seeing no lights and everything suddenly felt so eerie. She wondered if going to this really had been a good idea or not? But She wasn't about to turn back now, Arturo was there, she knew things would turn out alright, even if they didn't find what they came there for. |
Arturo was the first to sight the movement. Some of the beings floated beside a slow moving creek as their voices trembled in the cold air. He stopped his progress further and watched them, growing colder from what he was seeing rather than the icy atmosphere. They were conducting some kind of act. Perhaps a séance? For once the bodies stopped their floating, becoming stationary over the waters, a ghostly vision appeared before them, a mirror image. They spoke to each other before the waters sucked in the transparent half. Meanwhile, others were gathered in close knit circles, their voices low. Their lips moved, but very little sound escaped them.
His eyes searched for the beauty with the high cut dress. There was something that drew him to her, more than her seductive looks. "If anyone asks, we're recent converts. But we've not given up our souls...yet. Now stay close, kid." |
Emma was surprised she hadn't seen them sooner, but she stiffened faintly as she watched some of the eerie beings, listening to their voices. Her body relaxed again as Arturo told her what to say should the subject come up, and she was sure it would, nodding slowly in response.
She kept close to the water mage, her gaze sweeping the area curiously while they moved along. She could see why Dominic was so hesitant to let her go and had gotten so upset, she imagined he had some understanding of the Arcane. Emma was beginning to get used ot the cold atmosphere, her shivering dying down the longer her body was engulfed in it, though the faint tremble of her shoulders might have been evident to some. |
Souled beings often drew attention. Their bodies released heat that the chilled Arcane occasionally craved. The desire to even touch a soul bearing human was so great that Arturo had suspected those who were lured to join them did so after sexual encounters. He would have to keep his straps tight tonight.
As they approached a small group, Arturo's usual playful demeanor became latent to match the somber moods everyone else carried. "Quite a party," he commented, glancing almost nervously at the creek. A noticeable chill that traveled down his body connected to let Emma feel it. He hoped she would think it was from the cold. "Quite," said a stately male with piercing eyes. "We're still new.....the shy little lady was wondering how she could learn magics. Especially how to float." Arturo laughed lightly and kept a cocky smirk. "You're weighted down with...souls." A young woman drew closer, brushing against him, opposite of where Emma stood. "The most the living can touch with Arcane magic would be...hmph, candle lighting." Her long fingers snaked about his arm. "There's something about you," the male said breathily. "I can sense it," the woman said, her hand grasping the front of his jacket. Fingers found their way under a few of the straps as her palm felt the pounding of his heart. "Now the little lady wouldn't want to join officially if she can't try anything first..." Arturo began to steer the conversation away from himself. A little touching wouldn't disturb him. "All the magics of the world...the Arcane have access to...only the Arcane can dabble..." the female said coolly into his ear. "Then show us. Show us by making her into a boy," Arturo challenged, adding a wink to the young woman. |
Emma's blue eyes studied the group quietly, watching Arturo interact when them, and she imagined it would go best if she kept relatively quiet. The shiver from the water mage did not go unnoticed by Emma, and she watched him silently for a moment, debating in her head if that had been from the chill in the air or not, but she left it be in the end.
She listened to them, the words Arturo exchanged, and while her expression did not share her feelings, how close the woman had gotten to Arturo made her vaguely uncomfortable. Blue eyes glanced between the two Arcane curiously, taking in their looks in an unavoidable fascination. She'd been curious about them after all when she'd agreed to come along in the first place. Her brow rose at the challenge Arturo proposed. "...Yes, make me into a boy." Emma agreed in a soft, almost shyly hesitant tone, a slight smile upon her lips. If they did this, she'd be Theodore again, though she had a feeling she would miss being Emma, even if she had not been in this form for very long. |
"This is nothing," the woman laughed. Her sharp blue eyes pierced into Emma's as she turned her attention to her. "A simple reversal of a spell is something even the young can accomplish!"
Arturo was well aware her bragging was due to her need to gain his approval. He smirked at her as if responding fondly to her abilities. Even a hand slipped about her waist. This action would have been accomplished much sooner had it been the young woman with the excessive amounts of thighs showing. He would have liked more than just exchanging a few smirks with her. Words, no, not words, but mysterious tones escaped her lips. The Arcane's pale blond hair rose from flowing with the wind to floating like she was, forming an arc behind her body. Arturo began to back away, swallowing hard. Part of him expected a flash of light, oh so common, but found the opposite. All sight was lost as a pulsating wave of pure darkness escaped from her body. Other members of the Arcane watched on curiously. As the moonlight began to break through the emptiness, Arturo stared at where Emma once stood. She had been knocked off her feet. Kneeling, he no longer found Emma, but Theodore. Theodore in a dress with his hair still pulled back in that ponytail. |
Emma swallowed thickly as she watched the woman begin the perform the magic, blue eyes shifting to Arturo as the man backed away. She supposed this was too late a moment to be having second thoughts about this, and she closed her eyes nervously.
The next thing she felt was the ground as she hit it, gasping out. Those bright blue eyes snapped open again and the dress clad youth patted his chest down curiously. Nothing, and he looked down at himself to confirm. He was Theodore again and he looked like he wasn't sure what to think of it--it'd worked, he'd gotten what he wanted, why didn't he feel happy? Perhaps because he was still in a dress, his cheeks flushing over slightly in embarrassment as he pressed his hand against the empty bosom of the dress he wore, shifting to try and get up as he looked at Arturo, he couldn't get words to leave his mouth, letting out a slow breath. "..." |
"Is...this permanent?" Arturo questioned, his eyes focused on Theodore.
The woman had quickly found her way back to feeling over his leather clad chest and abdomen. Apparently she was interested in how built he was. "Maybe," she murmured. "Maybe not." A dark smirk played on her lips. "We'd better get going," the mage said quickly. "Ah, and the conversion ceremony?" "Next time," he responded hastily. Perhaps if those words were coming out of the mouth of the woman he had met, perhaps then he would be more than happy to sell his soul to be with her. He wasn't thinking straight. Swooping down, he grasped Theodore's hand and took off in a direction - any direction - to make their escape from the Arcane's gathering. |
Theodore didn't look at anyone but Arturo, quickly standing as the mage finally grasped his hand and took off. He wasn't sure where they were going, he didn't particularly care--they needed to get away, and he saw that in Arturo's actions.
He was silent as they got away, waiting a while before he brought words to his tongue and past his soft lips. "Arturo..." He murmured finally, breathing out slowly at the sound of that old voice. It'd felt like it'd been so long since he'd heard himself speak, years, that's how long it felt. His voice wasn't raspy, like he'd half-way expected it to be, as if he'd not used it a while, but it was fine, he was fine--perhaps still embarrassed, but fine. The thought of it not being permanent made him slightly nervous. He could turn into a woman again any time if that woman had only given him a taste of it. What a cruel trick that would be--he didn't want to spend anymore time having to search for a way to become a boy again, or returning to the Arcane for such a thing again. He didn't feel a second encounter with them would be a wise idea. Only time would tell now. |
Arturo came to a stop at the entrance of the sleeping city. His breathing was slightly ragged. Throughout the run, he kept feeling an icy feeling upon his chest, clutching him. Releasing Theodore's hand, he laid it over his heart as if he could warm it that way.
"So cold," he murmured distantly. He didn't blame her for desiring him the way she did. But something...something was wrong.... His eyes swung over to little Theodore. "Are you all male? You've got everything? Including your magic?" He figured it would be awkward to ask if he were hung. |
Theodore furrowed his brow faintly, Arturo was acting strange. The smaller male blinked curiously at the mage's inquiries, and he shifted as he nodded. He felt like he had everything, but he wasn't going to lift his dress to make sure. It was already awkward enough as it was.
Lifting his left hand, he summoned a small flame to confirm that he did indeed have his magic. He could feel it, but he had not used it in quite some time. "I have everything. Arturo--Are you alright? You're acting strangely." He frowned slightly, worried about his friend as he gently touched the man's shoulder with a now warmed hand. |
"I'm fine," he responded quickly for the icy clutch had squeezed him at that very moment. A gasp was taken in. He turned away quickly from the boy and began walking to the inn. "Come on, we need some rest."
Rest. He was certain he could just sleep this odd feeling away. |
Theodore was skeptical, watching the way the water mage acted, something was wrong. He did not expect he would be sleeping well that night. He worried his friend would wander away in the night, or something would happen while he slept. He was mildly nervous now, what had happened back there?
Walking along with Arturo, Theodore kept quiet again. He wondered if his brother would have returned to the inn that night or if he'd kept himself occupied throughout the night. He hoped he wouldn't be there, he didn't want to be seen in that dress by him, he'd never live it down! |
Arturo opened the door they had occupied for the past few days and immediately went to his own bed. Kicking off his boots, he laid down and shut his eyes. Feeling the cold sensation take over again, he threw his blankets over his body, finding it a useless attempt to shield him from the chill within.
"We'll buy you something to wear, Theodore. But for now, get some rest." |
Theodore was relieved to find no one in the room, shifting to sit on the edge of his own bed as he watched Arturo cover up like he was cold. It was not so cold in the air anymore, especially once they were int he room. He knew something was not right for sure now.
Laying down after he'd slid his shoes off and escaped the awkward confines of the dress, he curled up under the blankets, nude but he didnt think he could sleep in the tighter fitting dress--his torso was a little wider now, it was uncomfortable. "....Alright." He murmured, but he tried to avoid sleep. It didn't take long for him to fail however, drifting off. He was quite tired, freeing his hair of the tail it'd been pulled into, the long curls falling against his back as he settled down on his belly under the covers. |
Despite the way the coldness seemed to have burned him, Arturo managed to sleep. It was an uncomfortable, difficult slumber, but one nonetheless. It was mid-morning before he woke up, the sun clear above the horizon and still rising. His stomach had rumbled insistently, demanding food.
The cold had not escaped him. Fearing the worst, he conjured up a little bit of water. Ice fell upon his lap. |
Theodore slept deeper than he ever imagined he could while uneasy about something. Blue eyes slowly fluttered open as he heard Arturo shifting about in bed, and he could see that the room was brightly lit with the light from the high sun. He shifted and froze--something didn't feel right.
Shifting to roll over, still tangled in the blankets, Theodore began to realize he was no longer a 'he' again. Laying there, Emma's hands covered her face in frustration one of her slender fingers still bearing the ring from Denzell. Her hands pushed back into her hair and she sighed out heavily. "Are you still alright, Arturo?" She asked after a moment, knowing very well that he was awake. |
Arturo felt through his hair. "Yes, I'm fine. Just...different." He could see the inquisition in the girl's eyes. "Instead of a water mage, I'm now an ice mage." He shook his head with disappointment. All his life he had been one with the water. Now it had entered another form, most likely do to his encounter with the Arcane. He was unsure whether he liked this change. Hopefully it was temporary.
"You're back to being a lass, I see..." he commented softly, disappointed that the reversal of the curse was indeed a short lasting one. |
Emma frowned slgihtly. "Perhaps the change will go away with time. At least, however, you still have your magic, even if it has changed forms." She sat up slowly, holding the covers to her front, her slender backside partially exposed.
"I half-way expected as much. I don't think... I want to try and change again. I'll just have to find a way to adjust to this body." She nodded slowly and rubbed her eyes of the residue from a decent night's sleep. |
Arturo nodded in response, relieved. He had little desire to encounter the Arcane any time soon. With the exception of that lovely lady, he would be far more than grateful to not even hear the words the Arcane again.
"You can do no magic?" he said, sighing as he felt weak from hunger. He wanted something to eat. Soon. |
Emma shifted slightly in bed as she watched the mage. "I... My magic feels faint. Like it did when I first discovered it, it may take time before I can use it again." She frowned slightly, this was not pleasant at all.
Beginning to unwrap from the blanket, Emma paused. She supposed she should ask the now ice mage to leave the room, or at least turn away. "Arturo, I need to get dressed." She stated softly while holding the blanket against her body again. |
Arturo nodded. "Okay." He sat up from his bed and went to his sack of belongings, getting out clothing he could change into. There was only so many days he would wear something this dirty from their adventures. He could see why everyone was so fond of castle life rather than being on the road. Baths were more frequent.
He kept his back to her and changed into his own outfit. |
Emma waited until he was turned away and changing before she shifted to slide out of the covers and she got her dress, carefully slipping into it. "I'm surprised Dominic hasn't returned." She chuckled faintly. "He must have had a good night." The blond mused, pulling her hair back in a loose braid and using the strap to bind it again.
"...I don't think it'd be a good idea if he travels with us, I don't want him getting involved with the Tribe anymore than he's already been." |
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