Broaden Your Horizons[Training/Sollas]

The gate out of Jedidiah returned Zion to the desolate Western Front in the middle of the night. There was a large pit that was left as a scar on the earth as proof the dungeon had been there. The Storm Kitsune found himself at the bottom of the pit, but not alone. He turned to the blue haired youth he had befriended and smiled, "Come on, let's move somewhere else." Gusts of wind swelled around the silver haired fox's feet to carry him skyward. He would keep a close eye on Sollas and slowly speed up to test just how far the boy could keep up. As he slowly accelerated up to his top speed, the magician gave himself time to sort out his own thoughts about the dungeon.

The djinn and dungeons were products of magic far beyond what Zion could fathom. That one could be born of black rukh had never even been considered in the young magician's mind before. He had seen the dark clouds of rejection towards fate billow up once before in Reim. That sinister power had seemed so chaotic and wild back then. To see it wielded so finely like a familiar tool forced Zion to question what he knew about black rukh. The man with the cane had forced him to question what he knew about the world's history and to worry about the direction its heading towards in the future. Was it right of him to be so focused on returning home and getting revenge against Kornel Klien when larger things might be at stake?

Zion still had some doubts in his heart that he had made the right decision back there. Revealing his true face and name in Jedidiah would mean nothing if he went right back to hiding himself all the time. The magician was resolved to stop avoiding his enemies and instead meet them head on. Surviving two dungeons made Zion somewhat confident in his own strength even though some of the fellow competitors had also shown just how weak he was in the face of true masters of magic and users of metal vessels. But soon he would have the strength to perhaps stand in the presence of those giants.

North of the wastelands was a large oasis around which a trading outpost had been established supplying water and other goods to caravans preparing to head into the wastes. Zion swooped down in the cover of darkness, the gusts of wind carrying him kicked up dust and scared oxen but he was in and out of the wagons in just a short while. By the time the traveling merchants rushed out to check on things Zion was gone along with a barrel of water, some dried meat, and a few fruits. In their place was left a few gold coins which more than made up for the value of the goods taken.

The mischievous fox returned to the sky and gestured for Sollas to follow him as he led them back into the wasteland to a secluded cloister of tall rock formations. The magician dug into his tail and pulled out a flying carpet which he promptly placed on the dusty ground to use as a mundane carpet. The barrel of water and food were placed down on the carpets center and Zion gestured to the small feast with an eager grin, "Let's dig in first!" The words being as much to Sollas as the were permission towards himself to start eating. The lid of the barrel was molded into two cups by Zion with a tap of his wand and he poured some for both of them. With that out of the way, the magician grabbed some jerky in one hand, a melon in the other, and directly started chowing down.

It was far from a world class meal but Zion hoped it would help Sollas relax after the ordeal back in the dungeon. The magician still felt some guilt towards Sollas for asking him to turn on his 'family' for the sake of strangers even Zion didn't know. It was selfish and reckless, he owed Sollas something back and yet was preparing to be gifted even more from the blue haired child. It left Zion feeling very awkward and unsure where to begin asking about the demi-djinn's magic. Instead he decided to just talk about himself and attempt to get to know Sollas a bit better.

"I look somewhat older than you, but really I was born just a few years ago into a body made by my father. If your age matches your looks...you're probably a bit older than me. Should I call you big bro? Haha" He laughed his own comment off jokingly not realizing it might be taken seriously and continued, "About a year ago, I managed to get a dungeon beast transformation which gave me the ears and the tails, but my body is still just an artificial vessel. A living spell you could say." Zion made a soft smile that was slightly sad and self mocking. "If the world know the truth of who I was, many would hunt me down eagerly to capture as an experimental subject. They would tear me apart piece by piece in order to find out how I work..."

The words came out of Zion's mouth casually but the weight of them could be felt in his eyes when he looked up at Sollas. The meaning of that gaze being that Sollas should be wary that he likely faces the same threat too. "I normally don't reveal my true form to anybody. But after meeting you I realized that just running away and hiding from my problems won't make them go away. I need to get stronger...please help me!" Finding his comfort in asking now, Zion bowed his head and shamelessly asked Sollas for his help once more. The magician swore in his heart that he would repay Sollas these two great debts in full some day.

---

Magician Class B->A WC: 1002/2000

Traits:

No longer in their domain Sollas did feel a bit odd and uncomfortable as he had to take in the environment around them, even if it was false he did enjoy the level of control he held there. Although he had a variety of thoughts going through his head following the events of Jed he knew that this was one thing that needed to be focused on to help develop the people of this world and hopefully figure out what path he was going.

However, he would find himself torn away from the thoughts tearing at his mind once he saw what the slightly younger boy was planning for them at the moment. It warmed him a bit to see this sort of kindness and while it might not have been what he was thinking they would do it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless. He slowly floated down and watched him eating for a moment, it wasn't that he thought it was poisoned but he still couldn't believe the situation he found himself in. The Demi-Djinn would reach over and pick some food up, staring at it before watching Zion enjoy it and then throwing some down his gullet.

"Mm, I guess food is the best way to appeal to all animals and people." He said as he would listen to his questions while digging in with him slowly eating more and more. "I hope there's more of this in the future."

As the fox boy started to tell the other magical experiment his own story he would sit there with a neutral face, enjoying the meal laid before him. It might've been self-indulgent but this was a way to deal with the stress he had been experiencing, but as he heard everything Zion had said he started to feel more confident about his decision. He would start to slow down as he was calmed, but he still found himself stuffing his mouth as he remembered how much he had missed the taste of luxurious food.

"I think I understand your pain, I wasn't always what I am, and there's a load of trauma there that I won't get into at the moment." He would look around for something to drink, taking it if there was, and quickly washing down what he had stuffed his mouth with so he was a bit easier to hear. "You can call me that if you like, I see some sort of kinship between us and I would love to help you with achieving the strength you want."

He would pick up some fruit and reach to hand it over to his new 'little brother' with a smile, it was as if he was offering an act of sealing the deal by giving him some of the food that was offered to him. It might've seemed simple, but for Sollas that's what he felt they both needed in their lives. With this feeling fresh in his mind he would give his sentiments on it as the moment went on. "I'm sure we can teach other great things, let's enjoy this feast you've made us and I'll show you my power so you can learn to feel it, to use it as your own."

It may be a bit silly to others for Zion to be the younger brother, but he smiled and called it out for a try without shame. "Big Brother then." The magician nodded to himself and enjoyed a feeling of warmth. The nature of Zion's birth had not afforded him siblings. To have one now made him feel like he was one step closer to being human and so he wanted to face those feelings sincerely. When Sollas reached out to offer a fruit the storm kitsune accepted it naturally and without hesitation. "While I've faced pain and trauma...I regret none of it. To have gained a brother like you, I'd say it's worth it!" Zion said in a jovial tone as he held up the fruit in hand and took a bite out of its sweet flesh. Not quite an exchange of sakezuki cups, but the exchange of sorts was now complete.

Zion's words not only lifted the mood but also signaled his accordance and faith towards fate. Unbeknownst to him there was a single white bird of Solomon fluttering past in excitement. An odd sight considering he began to talk and eat at the same time, "The strenmf you impargh will be remmaid. Ipf bih brudder is eber in troufle *GULP*, I will dive into a sea of flames or climb a mountain of blades to help. You just say the word!" Though the ill manners made him seem unreliable in his statement the sharp resolve in his eyes would tell an experienced adventurer that Zion was dead serious. The meal was then finished up and Zion gave the stage to Sollas to demonstrate his power. This campsite had been chosen for its remoteness from civilization. There would be no worry of innocent bystanders or prying eyes this far out into the wasteland. "Try not to bring any of the rock formations down on us~" the fox teased playfully from the side. After a brief chuckle at his own mischief Zion turned solemn and observed carefully as though blinking would cost him 20 years of his life in an instant.

---

Magician Class B->A WC: 1354/2000

As he called him big brother Sollas felt something inside of him, whether it was one part of him tied to humanity or the longing for another though where all the parts of him began and ended had long ago blended into who he was now. Despite this the warmth and pull he felt from the interaction kept him going, as he would quietly sit there listening to his new protege and little brother enjoying the meal that had been set out for them.

When Zion spoke with his mouth full he tried to keep his cool but as he finished he couldn't help but laugh and spit out some of the food he was eating. It had felt odd for him to be so nonchalant giving his power and past but it had also been refreshing and couldn't help but share his sentiments. "Generally it helps to speak after you've finished your food, guess my new little brother is one to look after."

Although he teased he enjoyed the situation nonetheless enjoying some more of what was laid before him, taking a drink of water to wash down anything that had gotten lodged from when he spat out chunks. It was after a moment of collecting himself that he finally stood before walking over and relaxing by cracking his knuckles and stretching. It was only after this little ritual was done that the young Demi-djinn held out both of his hands and concentrated. In between both of the boys' space around them compressed, into a tiny sphere as it began to vibrate. The empty orb in front of them shook and shimmered as crackles of electricity and flashes of light could briefly be seen until everything inside it began to tear itself apart as if nothing could exist within that spot except for the magic itself. It pulsed and hummed until everything suddenly went silent; in its place a floating dark orb that seemed as placid as the night sky.

"Watch this," Sollas said with a bit of excitement as he picked up a sandwich before throwing it in the air and right ontop of the half-spell he had cast. As soon as it touched it the entire snack had disappeared as if it were consumed whole with no trace of it having been there, no crumbs, no smoke and not even a half to share. "It might've been a waste but impressive right?"

There was nothing afterward, just it sitting there he didn't even do anything else or create another one it seemed as though he was done before he chimed in with a fun little thought. "Why don't you throw something in, observe it before you try it?"

In the dungeon Sollas has wielded his magic with mastery and summoned up those dark orbs so fast Zion could not read the process behind how they were formed. The formulae of which rukh types were involved had been a total mystery to Zion. He had never seen nor heard of such a phenomenon before and had no reference to base any theories on. But now, before his very eyes Sollas slowed down the process by introducing each phase of creating the phenomenon. The lines of strength rukh formula became clear to Zion as he witnessed space capsize inwards. It was the opposite principle to one of his own spells which focused on expansion. Green sound rukh formulae entered the equation next. The vibration was at once violent yet graceful, tuning carefully towards an ever more perfectly resonating frequency with the force of the compressed space. New lines suddenly crackled into frame as lightning sparked up around the orb. These formulae were unclear to Zion but he knew the language from which they were derived. That yellow rukh was familiar as it was the same from his lightning fox transformation. Last was orange rukh giving birth to flashes of light adding the final lines to the harmonizing of all four magic types. It was beautiful. At first.

The terrifying result once some sort of critical point was met caused a terrifying silence. Though sound had ceased Zion's eyes clearly witnessed the orb carve our and devour the space it occupied with the air and light tearing apart and vanishing to be replaced by an uncanny black ball. Zion's eyes were wide and excitement plain of his face even without the sandwich dooming demonstration but he enthusiastically watched it with bated breath. The fear was even overcome by his curiosity and Zion flew over to the orb so he could watch it devour the sandwich up close. Fascination bloomed across his face as he watched the rukh that made up the sandwich be ripped apart disappearing into the deadly black sphere. He failed to consider his long hair however and as he leaned in he unknowingly had a large portion of the left side of his hair devoured into the orb as well. Alas, he was too wrapped up in his love of new magic types to even notice.

"T-This is amazing! How did you ever come up with such an advanced magic type!? Wow! I never would have guessed you could combine strength, sound, and light this way, let alone to use lightning!"

Zion returned to the ground and stood staring at the orb fixatedly at an angle that hid his unexpected hair loss from Sollas' view. That is until the older brother suggested Zion throw something into the orb. "Can I!?  Hehehe, I'll test this things limits then!" The silver half-haired youth turned to face his brother with a foolish grin displaying that he had actually already "thrown" something of his into the black maw.  He then took action right away and was too focused to notice if Sollas laughed at his missing hair. Now was time for him to see what this magic was capable of. "You may wish to stand back, brother! I'm gonna throw the ocean at it!" The magician held his fist out towards the orb as he jumped back from it landing a few meters away. A ring around his finger then lit up as magoi fed into the circle carved into it and blue rukh began to gather in excitement. Water surged from the air into a large sphere floating above the black orb. Perhaps too large.

Zion had a look of anticipation as deep as the sea trench which inspired this spell as he shouted, "Go!" and opened his hand as he swept it downwards and sent the water falling down towards the orb stopping just before it could reach the ground. The water acted as though the black orb was some sort of drain out of reality and became quickly sucked up. In just a couple of seconds half of the water had been devoured! At this point his spell became unstable and collapsed. The water was no longer being controlled towards the orb and so the excess remaining fell away and splashed outwards. Zion was, of course, still in the splash zone. Better move farther next time. But after the wave of water splashed over him the magician was laughing heartily. "Hahaha, amazing! Is there anything this black ball can't eat?" Now wet and still having half a head of
long hair Zion looked to Sollas.

"I'll need to learn lightning magic before I can give it a try. But it shouldn't take too long."

Zion said the words as though it were simple to learn a new magic type. Some magician's would spend years on this feat but he spoke of it as though it were easy as plucking fruit from a tree. Then the scream of a fox pierced the air and bright light emanated from where the magician had stood. In his place was a fox-shaped mass of lightning. Arcs of electricity danced along the fur of this elemental manifestation as it stood there crackling softly. This was Zion's Storm Kitsune power and usually he used it for travel or fighting. Being from his dungeon beast transformation rather than studied magic this was less the use of understood formulae and more of an instinct or flexing a muscle. But now that Zion just sat with the form and focused on himself and how the rukh behaved it suddenly became clear that he was immersed in lightning magic formulae. His body switched back and forth between normal and lightning states a few times and noticed that within his body were likewise lightning magic principles, not these were not from the dungeon beast transformation.

A forlorn gaze came over Zion as he thought of his father. The man who made Zion's body had dedicated his life to the feat and used all of his knowledge. When Zion focused on the lightning magic within him that fuzzy perception of how to understand lightning magic formulae vanished. Zion opened his eyes which shimmered with confidence as he stated calmly, "I've grasped it." He then opened his left hand and flicked his wand. "Arc." The words carried magoi and commands to the rukh producing an arc of lightning above Zion's hand. Zion beamed. This was an accomplishment but he felt none of it as it was merely a step in the process of a greater goal Zion now sought. He turned his attention to Sollas' magic now and took a deep breath. Zion then exhaled slowly and took a similar pose as Sollas had with his hands held out.

Focus and concentration were crucial when trying out the combination of magics. Zion had seen first hand out if one wasn't careful about the balance of rukh types and formulae it was possible for a spell to go out of control. At best it could misfire and at worse it could backfire in fatal ways. Space contracted down into a ball, albiet much smaller than the one Sollas had made. The vibrations then followed. But for some time there was no change as Zion carefully tried to fine tune these first two magic types. Once happy with how stable the magics became Zion moved on with what his was most familiar with. Light magic sprung up in the orb bringing even more formulae into the spell. This was the most amount of magic types Zion had manipulated at once. Perfect Illusion and Nightmare magics both required it of him, but now the door to an even greater combination of magics was before him. The forth rukh type crackled into being.

BOOM!

The mini orb burst suddenly as the lightning magic formula he used conflicted with the others causing a dissonance. The force of the expanding space that blasted outwards slammed into Zion face first knocking him back several meters. The magician hopped to his feet with a shocked look still on his face as wide eyes blinked twice before his brain seemed to catch up. He looked himself over and there were no serious injuries aside from an aching body. It was then that he discovered his missing hair and exclaimed, "Ah! I've blown up my beautiful hair!"

---

WC: 2000+/2000

Trait:

Magic Tool:

As Sollas listened to Zion and experienced all of his excitement firsthand there was a feeling of joy, it was like he was experiencing his power for the first time through him again, living vicariously in the moment as the big brother would get to share the moment with him as though it were both their first times. However, even as he felt this joy he couldn't help but feel bittersweet as he wondered if he truly had ever felt that sort of joy when he had noticed his own powers. With his own mind a haze he decided it better to not dwell on it for too long, he needed to start living in the moment.

"Haha, it can be pretty exciting, but you gotta make sure to use it for the right stuff." He spoke with the same frivolity, but there was a hint of seriousness as he didn't mince his words. "After all, there are some things that can't be regained after they're erased, so to is it on any living thing, or of importance is a decision not to be made lightly."

Even with his eyes narrowing for a moment he would almost at once return back to the same tone that they shared before once he was sure that Zion understood what he meant. With this in mind, he would step back away from the magician as he intended on watching him cast his magic, and in a way, it was really the only thing he wanted to do at this time. He had returned to the picnic blanket, throwing himself onto the ground as he leaned back to relax, grabbing some fruit and taking a bite of it.

"Jush twy to haf phun wid it." He spoke through his food-filled mouth, before stopping and laughing a bit realizing he was doing the same thing the fox boy had done earlier. "Oh great flow, now I'm doing it myself, I need to be a better influence before I feed into more bad habits."

With his comment shared he would fully relax back into his spot, picking at food and washing his mouth down with a drink and while it might've seemed like he was being carefree it couldn't be farther from the truth. His mouth and hands worked towards consuming, but his eyes and attention were tuned in watching as he tried to get the Rukh to listen to his commands with little sparks and figure out the method behind the madness. As a spark channeled between his fingers Sollas' eyebrow rose as pride would start to well up within him, even to the point where he would try to push further and further into the next steps of the process. He would sit up from his spot, his hand falling to his side with strawberries in hand as it seemed for a moment he would be able to pull it off, until it didn't.

It had actually been somewhat of a relief and sense of pure terror when it had blown up on him, in one way it would've been outstandingly terrifying if he had grasped it immediately, but it had been just as much for him to fail and hurt himself. In a sense of emotion and immediate action even he wouldn't understand at the moment the Demi-Djinn stood and walked over to his new little brother to give him comfort.

"You did well, even if you do look a little goofy." He said with a hint of worry in his voice, reaching to fix his hair and comb it in such a way that the missing bits would be less noticeable. "However, you do need to be more careful with yourself when practicing these things."

With an open hand, he would point out in the distance and slowly form the same orb again before he would let it dissipate just as easily as if to show him how quickly he would need to be able to let go of such power. In his mind to wield it meant also to know when to throw it away. However, this wouldn't help much with the lesson at the moment as he would help him up and move him over to the blanket to rest.

"I'm gonna keep watch on you for awhile I think little brother, I might not be able to solve all your problems but I'd like to keep watching you grow." He said putting a strawberry in his hand as he gave the slightly younger boy a comforting touch, rubbing his head and giving him a gentle hug. "Here's a hint as you keep trying though, this magic is destroying what's in that space, no, its more like you're pulling it apart with everything you can think, it is not a collapse so much as it is an expanse."

As the shell shocked Zion had his hair combed into less of a mess by his elder brother's fingers he could only laugh at himself. "Hehe...my mentor back in Magnostadt always insisted on being too careful. It might be dangerous, but this kind of magic is much more fun!" There was a fire alight in the youthful doll's eyes now as he pepped up for another try. He watched Sollas perform Oblivion magic once more, the orb coming into and out of existence smoothly and without any instability or delay. It awed Zion that the process of forming such a complicated magic could be so fast or look so easy. He looked at this brother of his and couldn't help but feel that his tiny back looked so much more large and vast from this angle. Truly a giant, the shoulder of which now stood Zion.

The magic began to move along with Zion's wand as he began his next attempt. The words of Sollas reached him like fuel being thrown onto the fire. Enlightened now, he adjusted the commands he had been using for the rukh and proceeded right up the the step he'd failed at last time with just half the effort! But that is where he paused. Though Zion had laughed off the prior blast, in truth, it had shaken him to his core. Had he stood just a bit closer or had made his orb a bit bigger it was possible he would have lost more than just his hair! The commands for the lightning rukh were at the tip of his wand but for a moment Zion held there, unable to send add them to the mix. Finally he committed and magoi carried lightning into the orb. The formulae were more compatible this time and the empty orb of space crackled softly with arcs amongst the light and vibrations. It pulsed and....screeched? It was supposed to hum here...

BOOM!

Another large blast, but Zion was more prepared this time and guarded himself with a wall of strength magic. The thin wall shattered immediately but cut the force of the blast wave down enough to hit Zion as little more than a hot breeze. He coughed through the cloud of dust kicked up and stood there in silence for a moment considering here he'd gone wrong. He was in a rush to get back to his last mistake and spent less time fine tuning the interaction between gravity and sound magics. He'd assumed the ratio was correct, but perhaps the sound rukh were too excited which may have caused the screeching noise. Undeterred by the failure he looked up and tried again. This was the pattern for the next week as Zion threw himself into the process of mastering Oblivion magic. In his free time he would focus on learning another of the 8 basic types, Water magic, in order to draw it from the dry air around them and keep the brothers hydrated out in the wastelands.

Finally, a dirty and disheveled Zion stepped forward with wand in hand. The flame within his gaze had only grown over the passage of time. It had been a long struggle, but it was a fun learning experience for Zion. Of all the four magic type combinations, this was perhaps among the hardest of them to learn. After all this progress Zion felt that completing the task would make it easier for him to grasp other magic types of similar complexity. Excited at the prospect, his magoi went to work once more. There was no more hesitation in Zion's actions by this point. The four magic types were still not instantly merged as Sollas could, but they did roll out in quick succession. The empty orb of space hummed and shook as it shimmered and then...silence. An empty silent black maw sat there in space devouring and scattering the air molecules within until a truly empty space was created. Then the orb dissipated leaving only the gentle wind of air moving to fill in the space the orb had occupied.

A deep breath and an even deeper smile from Zion as he clenched his fist tight. He had done it! He turned to Sollas Beaming and gave a hearty laugh. "Hahaha! Did you see that, brother!? I did it! Ahahaha!" After so much effort he was beside himself with joy. Only when the laughter subsided did he calm down and collect himself into a more solemn demeanor. "I haven't forgotten what you told me...Some things can't be reassembled once erased...I promise you again that I won't misuse this magic you've bestowed upon me. I want to become a great hero of justice, but the path of the hero is not one of destruction." These words, he probably didn't need to say them. But he wanted to assure Sollas that he was not making a mistake having taught Zion. There was only one thing left to be said.

"But if I ever do fall astray and misuse this power...then I will entrust big brother with the job of erasing me."

The seriousness in Zion's eyes could not be denied as he gave this sentence to Sollas. Zion truly did mean for his brother to come and end him in the event he abused the responsibility that came with such magic.

To be a mentor was something that Sollas had never thought he was going to be, even when he had made the decision to do so it had felt surreal up until this very moment as he saw Zion trying again right after his failing and even heeding his words. There was a sense of satisfaction that started to burn within him a feeling that he never thought of before but embraced with such warmness that even the world would feel it. A shift within his soul, not a concrete change to his fate but a lasting moment that would have a great impact on him and his decisions in the future.

"This kid has something about him." He whispered with a chuckle as he kept his eyes on him, flying into the trees as he would rest there while watching him go about his studies in his state of fixation. "I can't wait to see where he goes."

In a way similar enough to Zion the Demi-Djinn would become stagnant with what he did over the time while he had trained, it was true that Sollas had nothing to do beyond fulfilling his own whims and had decided to indulge them. He would stay in the area, watching him train or rest in the ways he had hoped to experience the world and its nature without ever fully leaving the wilderness around him. There were moments when he was clearly visible and then there were times that he was hidden away behind the foliage, testing out some of the berries or even swimming in the nearby bodies of water. For him, this had been something he needed and in a way, it had been provided because he had followed the boy out here.

Each day he had observed he could watch as Zion would get closer and closer, and with the words, Sollas had provided him he could see as he refined it each day getting their understanding of what needed to be done but not quite yet finding the path. It intrigued him and wondered if most magicians were like him, but then he noticed that where Zion was different was the innocence and level of enthusiasm he approached it with even if he had been removed from him long ago. It was refreshing to see someone hold onto it even after being exposed to the horrors of the world. Then came the day when it would finally pay off.

"Well, this is getting interesting," Sollas said as at first, he heard the difference before his head turned from his resting place on a large sunbathing rock. His body stayed leaning and resting, but his head would perk up as his eyes opened with a soft smile spreading across into a grin. The demi-djinn wouldn't make himself upright until his little brother came to share the news.

"Yeah, you did great." He spoke at first as he would reach down to pat him on the head again, that was until he heard the serious tone he had taken. It made him concerned for a moment as he stopped the petting for just a second but kept his hand there until he thought about for a moment and understood continuing to comfort and praise him. "I think you'll do great, you have good potential, but I will, but that means little brother you have to do the same for me alright, but let's promise to both be on our best?"

Panicked eyes looked up from beneath Sollas' head pat. "Don't joke with me like that, big bro! If you turned berserk I doubt a hundred of be would be enough to stop you!" There was a bit of joking tone to the statement and Zion began to chuckle but it was stifled when he saw the face Sollas was making. The doll's adams apple bobbed with a gulp. It was no joke that Zion didn't feel he had the capability to fulfill this request. But faced with his brother's gaze Zion knew he could not refuse. "...It isn't fair to saddle the older brother with all the dirty work, is it? Alright, I promise that I'll do the same to you. But I truly hope it doesn't come to that.." Zion moved forward to give Sollas a comforting hug. Which of them it was meant to comfort? Who could say.

The silver haired fox then stepped back and asked the question he'd been somewhat afraid to ask over the past week. "So now that you've taught me your magic, what's next? I've got some things to wrap up in Reim, but after that I plan to return home to Magnostadt. I have a home there outside the city...you can come with me if you want." The offer was made with half pleading eyes. After finding family, strange as the circumstances of the relation were, Zion felt aggrieved to part ways so soon. But he had feared to ask about what came next because of an unshakeable feeling that Sollas was not going to be accompanying him further. The thought of his brother going out into the world alone worried him. Zion worried not for his safety, but for how the cruelties of the world might affect him.

Though Zion hated to admit it, the chance of Sollas being pushed to a point of no return was more than zero. He feared the possibility but put on a smile as he chose to believe in hope that it would not come to this.

Sollas had been expecting a lot from Zion, seeing his hope and how he handled the magic he was being taught along with its responsibilities. However, of all the thoughts he had about him he hadn't expected him to invite him along with him on his journey. He hadn't considered what he was going to do when he left there after all, could he really just go with the young boy? It all caused his mind to stop for a moment as he floated down to the ground thinking about it all, especially after the thoughts they had just shared.

"You surprise me Zion, but I like the way you do." He said with a soft smile that was followed by gentle chuckling as he couldn't help but be amused by the situation. "I will come along with you, I need to see how you keep learning and after all it's brothers' jobs to look after each other isn't it?"

The rhetorical question was where he felt that conversation needed to go, plus maybe this man would be going to somewhere really interesting. After all he had found Sollas during his first wandering so where would he go with the Demi-djinns teachings and following behind him with a watchful eye. He would rub his chin for a moment as he walked over to Zion before placing a hand on his head and giving it a gentle rub of affection and pride. He had grown attached to him rather quickly and couldn't wait to see where he'd go and how he'd grow.

"I might not be with you all the time, but I think I'll be following you around, you found the false dungeon so maybe you'll lead me somewhere interesting." He reached down to touch the grass, letting it slip between his fingers as he let out a soft sigh. "But I also need to see this world, so I want to move with the freedom to check out the places around. However, if you ever need me I'll find you, and I promise you'll see me sooner than later."

With his sentiments shared he looked off in the direction that Zion said he'd be going first, with a firm nod he'd give a happy smile to him and fly up into the air. "I might go see some sight's right now, you'll see me before you get where you need to be and hopefully soon after you get there too."

[EXIT]

At first it seemed like Sollas would be joining Zion at his side and anticipation gave way to a stampede of excitement. Alas the cliff of disappointment lay ahead as his brother clarified that he would be staying close enough to keep an eye on Zion but otherwise off doing his own thing. The magician was downcast for a moment but recovered quickly. After all, the Demi-Djinn promised they would meet again. The magician shot Sollas a self mocking grin and nodded, "I suppose you can't have your little brother clinging to your arm all the time. It would ruin big bro's cool and mysterious persona." Zion then put the jokes aside and pat Sollas' arm.

"Alright, it's a promise."

Though Zion wanted to stop Sollas he knew that it would be wrong to suppress his brother's desire to go out and to see the world. There wasn't much shared between them about Sollas' past and yet Zion had the feeling that his brother spent a long period of time sequestered away somewhere. Perhaps that cane wielding man called "father" had something to do with it. So many questions were held in Zion's heart as he was helpless to make Sollas stay and simply watched him fly off. Zion waved and smiled at his departing sworn sibling feeling bitter sweet.

A deep breath and a moment to himself was taken before Zion took action and stepped off the ground. Storm winds gathered at his feet and with a powerful gust he ascended skyward in order to journey back to Reim. As he flew through the air the storm kitsune thought about how his mastery over the rukh had reached a new level with his grasp over Oblivion magic. and yet his other skills were lagging behind. Zion looked down at his hand and the flesh of it wriggle briefly before his nails shot out and sharpened to form Kitsune Claws. His fox body and the aptitude for manipulating it was perhaps his next most honed area of expertise. The claws retracted and he formed a determined fist. He would focus on a way to push his body manipulation forward as well!

---

Body Manip WC: 361/1000

Ability:

A ravine in the wastelands echoed with muffled grunts of pain. Deep within the crevice was a cave carved into it midway down. In the darkness of the cave was Zion's unsightly form, his muscles wriggling about like giant maggots across his skeleton. The writhing figure was too ghastly for him to risk being seen, but it was a necessary unpleasantry. The Storm Kitsune endured the agony of his bones dislocating and reshaping as his muscles expanded and contracted unnaturally to accommodate the transformation. Slowly, over the course of days his shape altered several times. The young man first became an ape, then a tiger, then a bird. Each of these new bodies were temporary disguises but brought with them their own strengths and weaknesses. After assuming each form Zion took the time to familiarize himself with them. With a different body came different muscle groups and movement patterns. So as not to make a fool of himself in battle he practiced until he grasped the basic movements of each of these creatures before moving on to a more advanced task.

The flesh on the magician's body twisted in on itself and compacted around his arm until it condensed into a black rod and struck it against the stone floor of the cave. Sparks flew as the flint he had changed his arm into met the hard stone surface. Zion winced but smiled as he undid the transformation and his arm returned to normal, but not with a small scrape on his knuckle. Next he experimented with using heavy stones to pin his own leg only to transform it into silk cloth to slip free. But if the cloth gets pinched and pulls against a shard edge he could easily injure himself and suffered a horrible gash on his left leg finding this out first hand. A tear in the cloth meant a tear in his own leg. While this mastery over his trickster foxspirit powers brought him a wide variety of possibilities, they all had their own costs and vulnerabilities. He tried out a few more object forms ove the course of the next week.

A plant, a sword, a suit of armor, a small wagon. Through experimentation he discovered his own limits. There was a cap on how large he could become as well as how small. Transforming into an object rather than a creature meant sacrificing physical movement as well in most cases. Without relying on his kitsune flight he would be helpless in most object forms. Zion would have to be careful about when and where he chose to use this. As he considered theses thoughts Zion decided to finally emerge from the cave and set out into the wastelands where his body transformed into a snake. Unlike when he first entered the cave his transformation was smooth and relatively fast without any sounds of discomfort being made.

Now familiarized with this new power, Zion sought to use it in action. He slithered through the desert for a time before turning into a crane and taking off into the sky. Using a birds eye view he surveyed the landscape until he came across some one in trouble. A wagon was stopped, their oxen having died along the way. One to bandits as they were leaving Heliohapt, another due to illness here in the Western Front. The crane descended and turned into a silver haired youth before the exasperated travelers.

Bewilderment was their first reaction to seeing a bird turn into a person, but once they found their composure and explained their plight it was time for that bewilderment to strike again. With a smile, the young man before them offered to pull the wagon for them. Zion then proceeded to transform into a 5m tall elephant. Taking the reins in his trunk the transformed Zion happily began to drag the wagon along through the last quarter of the wastes to the first border town where the merchant would be able to find new beasts of burden to pull his wagon. The man wanted to thank Zion for his help but the magician had already turned into a dove and had flown off in the direction of Remano.

---

Body Manip WC: 1000+/1000

Trait:

Returning to Remano was also part of Zion's efforts to train himself. He did not return home to rest but instead disguised himself as a middle aged mercenary and signed up for whatever work he could get his hands on that would involve practical use of the skills he had learned in the coliseum. Rather than rely on the prestige of his name as Swordking, Zion took the position of a nameless caravan escort guard and began a temporary life in the shoes of someone working security for a living. Much of the training Casvallion had given him seemed to translate over and Zion realized it must have had something to do with the masked man's own position as commander of a defense force.

Vigilant against ambushes, Zion started the journey out on high alert. But as the time they spent on the road turned to days he began to become complacent. It was on one particularly hot day that an ambush tested Zion and the other guard's worth. He earned his pay in blood that day. A bit of it his own, but most of it belonging to three bandits that fell to his sword. But it was no impressive one sided slaughter. Unlike an upfront coliseum match, these bandits struck from the shadows first and then overwhelmed with a volley of arrows from horseback. Zion relied on his shield and a burst of storm winds to give him the speed needed to close in on the mounted attackers. Meanwhile, another guard revealed his master of magoi manipulation to boost his own speed. That man felled five bandits himself and it was a mighty battlecry from him that had sent the remaining thieves running for their lives.

After the attack, both Zion and the guard he would come to know as Cassius, were hailed as heroes when the caravan made camp. The other guards that survived were mostly wounded, but Zion shared his Angel's Brace allowing each of them to heal their wounds. Meanwhile Cassius went around speaking to each one raising their morale and given practical advice on how to react better the next time they came under attack. Both Zion and Cassius had come to recognize that aside from them, most of the other guards hired onto this trip were total rookies. Apparently the glory of some Reiman mercenary group lately was inspiring many young men to take up a life by the blade despite having no training or experience.

If the caravan was going to make it to its destination and back without many more losses, both Zion and Cassius would need to rely on each other. The first attack would turn out to be only one of many. Along the dangerous route through the wastelands the bandits seemed to be like cockroaches. A few attempted pursuits eventually revealed an impossibly complex network of caves the bandits had been using to ambush them. Zion used his magic to close up the entrances they found, but whenever the attacks came he always stuck to the fundamental sword and shield techniques he had polished. During the day he fended off the hordes of rogues. By night he tended to any wounds the group sustained and then spoke with Cassius about how to handle the route for the next day. The caravan took a total of six weeks before it reached it was finally on the final stretch of its return trip to Reim.

During the journey Zion had learned much from Cassius about what to look for to anticipate an ambush as well as some hints on how to begin using magoi manipulation in his attacks. They had struck up a friendship based on respect for one another's capabilities, but in the end it was time for them to part. Cassius was a caravan guard by trade while Zion was only doing this temporarily for experience. Once the caravan arrived back in Reim Zion gave Cassius his farewell and departed. On his way home, he heard tell of a foul omen approaching from the direction of Parthevia however. Unable to ignore an approaching calamity, he made haste towards danger without a second thought.

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Warrior WC: 500+/500