Welcome to Gaia! ::

Raemos slowed to a slow stalk behind his uncle, sword at the ready. His uncle wanted him to do this himself, to show how much he knew already. He swallowed the apprehension that built in his throat – he had to do this. Even if the Hastar was big and scary. He had to impress his uncle.

He hoped the man would be easier to impress than his father, but Raemos doubted it. At this point, he was sure that Orderite men were so much more than he could ever hope to be. He still had years of growth ahead of him, but his father and this man and Maeron... they seemed so powerful and strong. He knew he would have to try very hard. He couldn't mess this up. He tried to stalk as confidently as he could towards the prowling hastar, his sword at the ready.

Then he realized: he could impress his uncle far more if he used magic too! Father had always said that magic was good in a pinch, and if he showed he was adept at magic, maybe that would impress Uncle Argos as well!

Quietly, Raemos knelt down and took out his now well-read tome of Crippling Miasma. He took a deep breath, collecting the energies he knew were there. He had been practicing collecting them on his morning walks, when things (usually) were quiet and he could concentrate. It got easier and easier as he practiced, and he liked how the magic – for that must be what it was – flowed through his body. Now, though, he was actually using it.

”Lafhaz Gaolem!” he shouted, and the dark mist answered his call, wrapping around the Hastar in its viscous, sticky, malevolence. Raemos wasted no time – the spell would only last so long. He dropped his tome and rushed at the Hastar, sword at the ready. His attack was not very strong. The injury only angered the beast, and it reared, straining against the miasma, before clawing at him with its sharp talons. Raemos struck at it again, but again did little. He blocked a powerful blow of it's talons and felt fear eat away at the bravado he had tried to build for himself. He could see that the miasma was fading – the spell only lasted so long. The Hastar reared again, kicking at him, and Raemos managed to dodge, uninjured. He slashed at it again and finally, as the miasma lifted, the Hastar decided that it was not worth it. It kicked sand in Raemos's face and galloped off to find a less annoying place with food. Raemos shook the sand out of his sockets and watched it go, panting with exertion and embarrassment. That was it. He was a failure. His uncle would be far from impressed...