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 Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 11:49 pm
There was a time of day when even nature fell completely silent. During the final hours before dawn you could barely hear anything if you were to walk in the woods away from the towns; and in the same time you could hear everything, even the smallest of noises, be it the cadence of a bird's wings or the cracking of some fallen branch caused by a clumsy step, the sound seemed to echo far and wide becoming amplified by a thousand. To people that weren't used to the eerie silence and deep darkness of that hour, the trees and shades of the woods appeared like menacing monsters, but to others that had spent years walking among them they were nothing but familiar, often welcoming sights.
Philemon Menniadis was one of those people. Although he wasn't a person of nature and his heart would never beat in unison with it, his magic having little to nothing to do with it, he still had found a place to belong under the thick, leafy hides of the trees ever since he was nothing but a little child. Asking his brother could retrieve countless stories about how Phil begged him to accompany him in his explorations until he caved in each and every time. For all his tendency to get hurt and lack of physical strength, Phil was extremely fond of those walks.
But dawn was already breaking, the charm woven in the quiet shadows already withdrawing to give its place to the faintly luminous embroidery of morning dew upon leaves and flowers. But Phil didn't quite notice, focused to get as much work done as it was humanly possible because he hadn't come all the way out there just to take a walk in the quiet forest but to gather ingredients for his numerous potions that he couldn't grow himself. No matter how many homegrown plants he got his hands on some varieties that would grow in the wild were always that much more potent. And so, he'd continue his work, painstakingly gathering all he could before having to rush back to the town of Makai to get ready to go to work.
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Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2011 3:02 pm
 While Phil grasped and pulled the forest plants, the light began to draw brighter. With the rising son, came a rise in noise. Birds sang their morning songs, animals woke from their nightly slumber, and everything was looking for it's morning meal.
Crack.
It was far in the distance, but Phil would recognize the sound of something heavy snapping a branch beneath its weight. Soon a second crack was heard, closer this time, but followed by that eerie silence that takes your breath away. Was it a bear? A deer? Could it be another student? Where was the source of this noise?
Crack. Snap.
Much closer this time; and heading directly in direction of one blond haired boy.
The mystery of the noise was soon breaking through the bush in one fluid movement as if he melted through the foliage. It was a man with dark hair, standing six feet tall. He didn't take notice of Phil at first as his golden eyes were focused on a book in his hands. But when he looked up to see he was not the only one after the plant, shock crossed his face.
"Um... You're not going to take all of that, are you?" The tone of his voice was almost a whine. The boy had beaten him to his goal; and most of the better specimens were already gone. The man seemed to almost deflate as he bent down, reaching to touch one of the plants.
"You're quite brutal." What a thing to say to a complete stranger! "Ripping them destroys the roots, and most of these will not be able to repair the damage; even I cannot repair them." He explained as he cast a glance at Phil. "It saddens me to see such beautiful plants destroyed. If you intend to farm them like most witches, I beg you, cut the shoots. If you leave the roots behind the plants can continue to grow." The man sighed, looking at what was left.
"I came here to catch their blossoms that open in the sunrise, but it seems they are too shy to appear today." That, and most of the closed buds were tucked away in Phil's bag; hidden from the sunlight.
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Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 11:35 pm
No matter how absorbed he was in his work the sound of someone drawing near was unmistakable; almost as unmistakable as the fact that they did little to mask their presence which most likely meant it was nothing but another friendly human. Most animals knew how to navigate their home forests easily and could remain hidden if they wanted to and predators of all kinds would take great care in going unnoticed. And by the sound if it, it would seem that whoever was walking his way was either particularly careless or particularly not used to walking through dense plantation, considering that even Phil, in all his clumsiness, had learned to go by almost completely silently through the woods, not to scare away the animals and birds that called it their home.
When he finally did appear, Phil was slightly taken aback by the other bespectacled person but found himself smiling gently about to offer a greeting but a moment later only to be stopped by what would seem the man's concern about the plants he was harvesting. "Oh, no, not really. I never take too much." he smiled, still as he saw him crouching down. "I've been gathering them from their growing homes around the woods for years, so..." he lowered his eyes. "Brutal?" he knew he was clumsy, sure, but brutal was something he had never been told, especially when it came to the delicate work he came to do. Pharmacy, alchemy, and the care of plants were all much like art as Orpheus had told him once, they needed to be handled gently and he more than well knew that so he was always very careful in any case even if it meant he had to damage his fingers every time; it was a blessing that he had drank that sap in his trial at the Grave of Fairies, it was a blessing he healed as fast, every time.
"...but... I didn't cut them." Phil lowered his head, almost mortified, feeling more sad for the fact that someone would do that rather than the fact that someone had accused him for doing it. Even though Cedar had told him before, that although plants had voices they were often mindless, begging to be picked to fulfill some sort of higher destiny besides themselves, to rip a plant was to take its life and in the end Phil was nothing but a protector of it. "I know that, I've been, ever since I..." he couldn't bring himself to complete his sentence, frowning as he placed both hands in the soil, trying to feel for the remains of the roots. So what if he got tired afterwards? He knew it wasn't the most wise of things to do but in the end he had to try. You couldn't just leave a person die just because you were unsure of yourself and in their core all living things worked the same way, had the exact same spark within them that connected them to life itself.
He felt the burning only seconds after his skin started to give off a pale glow, building upwards almost like liquid fire as he overclocked his one passive seal, trying to pass on its effects to the plants in front of him. Even though he wasn't the perpetrator and he had nothing to atone by doing so he would grit his teeth and press forward until he finally saw the plants sprout forward from their hiding underground dwellings and into the light. Withdrawing his hands from the ground he turned to smile at Cassiel a little even though he looked almost as worn out as if he would collapse any second now. "Sometimes... even what appears to have passed, might have more of that life inside it." he made a weak attempt to laugh at his own words "Everything takes effort to be done, though. Nothing is received without something being given." he didn't make much sense but he didn't mind. "I'm Philemon, by the way." he remembered that with all that talk he had completely neglected to introduce himself. "I'm a pharmacist in Makai." truth be told, he was a great deal of other things too, like one who worked with the secrets of Alchemy that most potion makers completely neglected now that they could buy almost any concoction they wanted as well as a researcher and supporter of the Majin, but a medic and pharmacist was his literal profession.
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Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 4:05 pm
Cassiel was about to say something, until he saw what the boy was doing. Golden eye widened in mild shock as the boy was able to create new sprouts from the ground. Although young, the small shoots would soon grow to in life. But to see someone who had stronger life magic than his own was quite impressive. The first few words the boy had said fell on deaf ears, as he was still in a state of shock. But when he heard the name, something in his mind clicked on and he blinked a bit. A name? His name... What was his name? Oh god, how could he forget his name.
"I'm Cassiel. Cassiel Pierce." He replied, offering a small smile with his introduction. "I'm a shrine keeper, here in the woods... Well, not here. It's quite a walk away. But that's beside the point. As I said I was out on a morning stroll to paint the blossoms, but sadly it's past sunrise, and they will not open now."
Righting himself, Cassiel stood up and tried to wash away the remaining shock from his face. "I have to admit, I am impressed with your magic. That's far better than anything I could ever do. I'm almost jealous; though healing isn't not my concentration..." He trailed off, still surprised at how the plants sprang to new life.
Shaking his head a bit, he stood up and offered his hand to Phil. "You look tired. No. You are tired. How about I walk you home to this Makai you come from." It was the least he could do, walking the boy home. He'd feel bad if he collapsed somewhere along the way. "That is, if you don't mind my presence a little longer. I promise not to ask too many questions... but I can't promise not to talk a lot."
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Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:24 am
Phil's magic had little to do with actual healing much to his dismay. In the beginning, after first receiving that blessing he had felt bitter towards it, finding his power impure and tainted instead of what he had grown it to accept it as, something beautiful. Although it was a painful practice it helped remind him that his only limit was himself and that nothing was ever gained without work, without pain, without sacrifice. And he wanted to refuse the compliment that he felt being jealous of his power entailed. He wouldn't wish this kind of burden to anyone but himself. But he smiled anyway "It is very nice to meet you, sir Cassiel, in that case. How sad that we never met any earlier..." he mentioned. "I walk this woods so often it must be a miracle I haven't happened upon you." he brought his hand to touch his forehead as he thought of bringing himself back on his feet despite his head still spinning a little, his footing still most certainly uncertain.
Then he thought back to the trial at the grave of fairies as he thought Cassiel's words over. Life magic; he had only received that gift out of chance, carelessness; then again his teacher always said that nothing truly happened by chance, but his point remained. If he hadn't hurt himself as bad he wouldn't have fallen asleep at the shade of that tree -and how could he not have noticed how tall it was when he did. And if he hadn't fallen asleep there he wouldn't have had that dream that urged him to receive the tree's sap, that golden liquid, the very lifeblood of life, that of all things living. "I... don't think the magic itself is something to be admired, the way it is used though... it is what makes it worth it." even for small plants that he had never harmed, that had never been his responsibility, as a protector his duty was to do all he could. "What is your concentration if not healing if you have powers like that, if I may ask?" he questioned, the spark of curiosity in the face of new discoveries lit in his eyes. "I'm very curious, please forgive me." he shined a helpless smile at his words, accepting Cassiel's hand and standing up.
"I'd gladly have you over for some tea if you are willing to walk as far as the town." he offered. "Your presence is more than welcome actually." he laughed "And of course feel free to ask as many questions as you like, if it's within my range of knowledge I'd be glad to answer." it wasn't that often that he'd stumble across someone that loved to have a pleasant chat with a stranger but he was happy that he did. Usually it was those chance encounters that blossomed into the greatest of things.
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Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 10:47 am
Cassiel studied the boy for a long, silent moment. For someone as gifted as he was, Phil didn’t seem too happy about it. His eyes lowered slightly as he realized they were on two different levels. “Although we don’t see eye to eye on the matter, magic is something wonderful. People will spend their whole lives trying to perfect the art, and some will never get the chance to obtain the level of power that you possess…” He helped the boy up to his feet, aiding him to stand by placing an arm around Phil’s waist. He had a habit of talking too much, and not seeing any warning signs, the exorcisma’s mouth kept running. “I used to watch my mother all the time; reversing the damage and allowing life to have a second chance. I’m surrounded by death day and night, so I think life is beautiful and should be cherished. Although I loved what she did, I could never do it as graceful as she…” He seemed almost saddened by the reminder of his parents; especially his mother. But any sadness visible on his face vanished when he heard one specific word. Tea.
He almost wanted to cry out with a ‘yes please!’ Instead, he smiled at the witch and nodded eagerly. “Tea would be amazing. So I’d love to. Though, to ease your curiosity, I’ve been trained in life and death magic… though neither of them was really for me. So I focused more on Spiritual magic.” He started to explain, allowing Philemon to lead the way to town. He was still cautious of the other’s strength, not wanting to rush him. But oh, how he was so eager to have a nice cup of hot tea.
“We can talk more about magic when we reach your home. But on the subject of home, it’s no surprise to me that you never found mine. It’s well hidden in the woods, and closer Clarus Arbor than Makai. I traveled most of the night to get here by sunrise. ” He chuckled lightly from admitting that, slightly embarrassed. Who in their right mind walks all night to draw a picture of a plant? Well… Someone that needed to get out more, that’s for sure. “It’s an old shrine called Araboth, and usually the only visitor I get is some lost soul looking for gateway to cross over. They come there knowing I can open it for them and help them cross over.” He muttered as if it was no big deal. It wasn’t to him. His mother used to do it and she passed that privilege down to him when he took over the upkeep of the shrine. “But, before I get into a long winded chat while we walk, we can pause the conversation here… I have trouble stopping my mouth sometimes.”
And so, the pair headed for Makai.
At first Cassiel was dreading the walk. He hid it well though as he continued to be a supportive source for Phil. He didn’t want the boy to know he hated the town. It’s not that he hated the people; he just hated the stares. So he was a six foot pointy eared person… they didn’t have to stare and talk behind their hands. It was a new thing for the man to experience judgment like that, as the dead didn’t care what you looked like.
But thanks to mindless banter like, ‘Oh look at that flower’ or ‘isn’t that a pretty bird’ Cassiel never noticed when they entered the town. Only when they came to a stop at Phil’s home did he blink in realization. “This is where you live?” He asked, looking around in surprise.
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Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:45 am
Phil sighed at Cassiel's words but opted to remain otherwise silent. He had a very solid view in regards to his magic as well as what it entailed, most faces of it were never even seen or witnessed by others and Phil would very much like them to remain hidden for as long as possible; forever if he could help it. Some things were supposed to be hidden, meant to be kept in the darkness, it was for everyone's best interest in the end. He lowered his eyes while pressing his glasses further up his nose to hide his eyes in the reflection. "Would you still say the same if I used this same power to hurt others instead?" because he knew he could do that fairly easily in the most underhanded manner no less. "Of course I cherish life, otherwise I wouldn't have chosen this profession; but healing is something I taught myself, to some extent it is something my magic can aid with, but it isn't, strictly speaking, my concentration."[/tomato] he brought himself to smile and looked up at Cassiel again, any trace of his momentarily dampened mood disappearing in but a flash. "Most people say I don't know how to give up." he laughed. "I'm sure if you persist at it you'll be able to do it also, Cassiel, just as well. Sometimes it all depends on an individual's will." he knew of a number of people like that even though he couldn't bring them as examples to others due to most of their circumstances.
Phil found himself laughing softly at the eagerness with which Cassiel responded in regards to having tea with him. It wasn't as often that he'd meet someone as happy to have tea of all things, considering most of his friends proffered other refreshments such as coffee, milk or plain old fruit juice. "Do you prefer specific blends or do you like tea in general?" he questioned. He wondered what exactly spiritual magic entailed and made a mental note to either inquire further at a later time or simply research it on his own when he'd have time.
He blinked for a second when Clarus Arbor came up feeling the need to laugh more if nothing. In the end theirs was such a small world, wasn't it? "My family home is in Clarus." he mentioned. "But after moving to Makai for the Academy and actually working to buy off that house I didn't want to go back anymore. Of course I still visit all the time, but it's more convenient for my work that I stay there.instead." he explained with a small nod. "I'll try to come visit when I'm in the area if you don't mind, though."
Surprisingly, for someone as graceless as Phil himself was, he was comfortable in any environment you could throw at him and save for countless of mishaps that would appear to haunt him everywhere. On the other hand he usually dealt with them pretty well; so what if he fell and people stopped to look at him? He'd usually just laugh at his own clumsiness and just get right back up to continue exactly where he left. Appearances didn't really made a person in the end, nor were negative predispositions going to do anyone any good any time soon either.
With this and that he never really realized when it was that they managed to make it to his home and hearing Cassiel ask so surprised he brought himself to grin and nod. His home wasn't all that great really but he was proud of it all the same. "Yes~ I know it's not much but I love it anyway~" he chuckled taking out his keys to unlock the front door and step inside to carefully remove his backpack and place it on the floor. "Please make yourself at home, just be sure not to sit on the purple and pink stripped cushion; it literally does bite." he trailed off bringing a hand to rub at the back of his neck uncomfortably. His Alchemia partner wasn't as manageable as he would have loved it to be after all.
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Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 6:51 pm
He listened to the other speak about magic and he smiled some. Yes, he could perfect life magic if he really put his heart and soul into it. However, his techniques were totally different from his newfound friend and his heart was set on the essence of spirit. But he nodded in agreement to the man's words. Perhaps over tea he'd chat about his mother's life magic, if he could remember some of the finer details.
"I like any tea to be perfectly honest. New brews, old brews, exotic brews; their all delicious to me." The man muttered, watching as Phil opened his home. When he stepped inside he would glance around curiously, completely in awe to be in someone else's home. It was the first time he was the guest and not the host. Geeze, he could feel the butterflies start to flutter in his stomach. 'Just act natural idiot, relax... and don't sit on the stripped cushion' he thought to himself as he walked inside.
He was going to offer his help with tea, but he got lost in roaming the first room. He didn't even hear Phil talking anymore; off in his own little world. He was like a child, though didn't touch anything. He simply studied it with a puzzled look and tipped his head to the side. Only he knew of the random thoughts running through his head. Little knick-knacks and trinkets made this curious little exorcisma explore the whole room. Only when his eyes began to tire did he back away to find a safe place to sit and wait patiently.
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