MagiStream

“Who am I?” Keisin laughed in disbelief. “Very funny, Pheona.” He helped her sit up, moving his hand through her hair to make sure she wasn’t hurt too badly on her head.
She continued to stare at him, and looked around her in confusion. “Where am I?”
“We’re in Arkene, remember? Isildre kidnapped you, and we’re heading back to Avalon.”
“Isildre?” She sat up, her eyes wide. “He’s here? Where is he?”
“Well I’d assume back in that tower of his, why?” Keisin looked at her in concern. She was acting so strangely…
“N-nothing. I probably shouldn’t see him anyway, especially since Stel-“ She froze, and looked around her with wide eyes, suddenly panicked. “Where is she?”
“Who?” Keisin growled in frustration, not understanding what she was trying to say.
“Stella! Where’s my little girl?” She looked around in panic, but Keisin gripped her tighter as she struggled against him.
“Little girl? I have no idea who that is! Calm down, Pheona!” He said in frustration, holding her against him to keep her from hurting herself again.
“Stop calling me that.” She looked back at him with sudden frustration. “I’m not Pheona.”
“Then who are you?” Keisin asked sarcastically. “Because you sure as hell look like Pheona.”
The woman looked at him in disbelief and raised a hand up to her face, looking at her palm in confusion. “Wha-“ She examined her skin for a minute before feeling her face. “What?” She whispered, starting to shake with wide eyes. “What’s happened?”
“I don’t know, that’s what I’m trying to find out.” Keisin hoisted her up against him again, trying to keep her supported. “You’re really starting to freak me out, though.”
“I… I don’t know what happened. I was in Voltar… and then…” Her eyes widened and she let out a small wail of despair. “I was killed! They killed me, then how am I here?”
“Killed?” Keisin looked down at her, still not able to understand her. “Just… calm down, and start from the beginning. Why do you not know me? I’m your… Well we’ve been together for a while now. I’d hope you’d at least remember me after a bump on the head.” He said, trying not to reveal the pain that was tearing through him at the thought.
She looked up at him and shook her head sadly. “I’m sorry, I don’t know who you are. I’m not…” She touched her face again, as if unable to understand what she was feeling. “This isn’t me, though. I don’t know what happened, but I shouldn’t be here. I died, I should be in the otherworld.” Her voice shook as she spoke. “My name is Marlena. I… I was from the Etain Desert, and I… I did foolish things. I was so gullible, so lonely… I thought he was true with his words, but he prove to me time after time that he was insane- absolutely insane.” She buried her face in her palm in despair. “I was so stupid. I was with child, and I didn’t want a child to be around him- so I ran. One of his friends was willing to help me. He got me to Voltar, and I stayed there in hiding among the people. But… someone else must have found me, because they killed me, and I don’t know what happened to my daughter.”
“Wait- who’s insane?”
“My husband… Isildre.” She looked up at him, tears starting to form in her eyes.
Keisin froze, staring at her for a minute before letting out a long groan of frustration. He wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. “He did do it. He put his wife in my Pheona.” He said, starting to shake as well as emotions roiled through him. “How do I fix this? How do I get her back?”
The woman looked at him in concern and wrapped her arms around him as well, though cautiously. “I’m sorry. You seem to care a lot for this Pheona, don’t you?” She whispered, trying to calm him down.
“I just got her back. Isildre captured her, and I just got her back. How can this happen?” He said bitterly, his fists clenching in her red robes in anger. “He’s done so much to her already, and now this… Why can’t he just leave her alone?”
Marlena couldn’t help but feel pity for this man, though she still didn’t know who he was. She held him gently, trying to ignore the guilt she was feeling for taking his woman from him. “Tell me what happened. I don’t know anything that’s happened with this woman, or with you.”
Keisin looked up at her, his blue eyes filled with sorrow and he nodded slowly. “I don’t know all of what’s happened with Pheona’s past, but I’ll tell you what I know.”
Marina looked up from her book as a loud bark sounded through Inasi. She blinked in surprise- for she had no canines inside the keep- and closed her book as a dark pugeon strode in. It sat on the ground and waited expectantly.
It was dressed in the symbol of the ‘public’ pugeons that could be hired by anyone in the country to deliver notes. They had relatively easy passwords- something that anyone could use.
“What do you have for me, boy?” She tried, and smiled as the pugeon barked again, taking a rolled up scroll from its side and handing the drool covered paper to her.
“Thank you.” She said, trying to hide her disgust at the drool as the dog let out another bark in response and walked back out of the room. She looked at the seal, noticing it was from Novillo- but addressed to Rynu.
She stared at the name in surprise. How had Novillo known Rynu would be at Inasi, and not Avalon? Then again, this was Novillo. He had ways of knowing things like that.
She stood and walked through the halls to find Rynu- he had wandered off while she was reading.
She found him in her lounge, sleeping on one of the plush sofas in the room. He had dozens of cats gathered around him as he slept, some of them asleep on top of him, and others batted at his wavy hair in amusement. One cat was staring at him as he snored, rising and falling with his breathing.
Marina had to resist laughing in amusement at the scene. The cats of her keep had been fascinated with him since he had arrived.
Medusa was coiled at his feet, stirring when Marina entered the room, but set her head back down when she saw nothing bad was happening.
“Hey- Rynu.” Marina said, walking over to him and touching his shoulder to wake him up.
Rynu jumped in surprise, a rushing wind filling the room and knocking Marina against the bookcase behind her.
Ryn sat up in a scramble, sending cats flying in all directions as he rushed over to her. “Are you alright?” He said in concern as he kneeled next to her.
“Yeah… what happened?” Marina said in confusion, sitting up and rubbing her aching head.
“I don’t know- did you trip?” He asked, moving a book that had fallen on her shoulder. “You shouldn’t wake me up like that, you scared me.”
“Sorry- I just wanted to tell you a letter came for you- from Novillo.”
Rynu blinked in confusion. “Novillo?”
“Yeah, here.” Marina handed him the letter, sitting up to get more comfortable on the floor.
Rynu broke the seal and unraveled the letter, looking down at the scrawling script with unease. “Uh…” He said, squinting his eyes as if that would make more sense of things.
“What’s it about? He sent a pugeon- so it must be important.”
Rynu looked up at Marina awkwardly. “I…um… can’t read it.”
“You can’t?” Marina said in confusion.
“No.” Rynu said in shame. “No one taught me. Pheona tried, but…”
Marina chuckled, making Rynu’s flush deepen. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I can teach you if you want.”
Rynu smiled in relief. “I’d like that. Here- you read it.”
Marina nodded and took the letter, reading it aloud.
Dear Rynu-
Remember when you came back, and I trained you for a while, but you refused to use your magic? I think it’s about time you learned how. Yours is a powerful ability, and to leave something that strong untrained might be dangerous to those around you. I went to Etain desert and found you a master.
Rynu looked at Marina uneasily as a grim expression came over his face, but he continued to listen.
Yours is a rare gift- which would be terrible to neglect, whether you think it’s a curse or not. Just because it is your father’s magic does not mean you need to follow in his footsteps. Yes you are Nostros’ son, but you are also Serena’s son. You may be surprised how strong your mother was, even though she was so shy.
I hope you can find it within yourself to accept your gifts, Rynu- for that’s what they are. Origin magic is dangerous if left unchecked- you know the legend of the shaman.
-‘Uncle’ Novillo
Marina looked down at the letter in confusion. How was an earth mage unique? She heard Rynu let out a long sigh and he ran a hand through his hair in anxiety. He glanced up at Marina, who was watching him expectantly.
“Mind explaining what ‘Origin’ magic is?” She said, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. “I thought you were an earth mage.”
“No, technically I think that’s from Conintor.” He said, looking at the floor thoughtfully.
“What do you mean ‘from Conintor’? You’re not making any sense!”
Rynu sighed and looked up at her meekly. “Do water magic.”
“Why?” Marina asked skeptically.
“I’ll show you- just trust me.” He insisted.
She watched him for a moment and sighed in frustration, but raised a hand she and she brought a ball of churning water from a basin on the counter. She held it in her hand, wondering why he had her do this.
He stared at the water, frowning in concentration as he brought a hand up.
The water wobbled for a moment before streaming through the air toward Rynu, and settled in a churning sphere in his hand. “Woah, that feels weird.” He muttered, screaming the water from hand to hand in amusement.
Marina stared at him in shock as he used water magic, her cyan eyes wide. “H-how are you doing that?” She whispered.
“It’s just something I can do.” He shrugged. “I don’t like using it, though. Mostly because…” He frowned deeply, his eyes turning haunted. His concentration broke and the water fell from his hand, drenching his leg and making him cry out in surprise.
“Why don’t you use it?” Marina asked, raising her hand and flowing the water back into the basin, his leg drying quickly as she took the water back from the cloth. “It’s amazing- I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“I got it from my father.” Rynu said bitterly. “He used this magic to kill my mother, and I don’t want anything to do with that bastard.”
Marina nodded, understanding now why he had tried so hard to learn another type of magic. “Your magic is part of you, though. “ She tried reassuring him.
“Yeah well, not this magic.” Rynu said stubbornly. “I’ll just tell Novillo I don’t want to learn it.”
“No.” Marina said firmly, making Rynu look up in surprise. “You can’t run from this, Rynu. You have to learn this magic.”
Rynu frowned unhappily. “I don’t want to use it.” He insisted.
“What would you mother want, Rynu?” she argued. “Would she want you to deny your magic or learn to use it and be a better man than your father was? You can’t keep running from all your problems.”
Rynu shook his head, baring his teeth in anger. “I can’t, though- I’ve never used it more than a few times.”
“And I hardly ever used water magic before I went to The Keep- it’s better if you learn this magic, Rynu. Use it to protect- not to hurt.”
Rynu stared at the ground thoughtfully and glanced up at her with a soft sigh. “Can you write a reply for me?”
Marina smiled happily and nodded, running over to the desk across the room and taking out a parchment and ink pen.
“Tell him I’m on my way.” Rynu said, shaking his head and gripping fistfuls of his hair nervously. “Gods, I’ve never done anything like this before…”
“We’re on our way…” Marina said aloud as she wrote.
“We?” He said, looking up at her and releasing his hair.
“You didn’t think I’d let you go on your own, did you?” She grinned over her shoulder at him wryly.
“It’s dangerous though- this magic is crazy, I have no idea what will happen.”
“Ry- I think you forget I’m a big girl now, I can handle myself.”
Rynu smiled warmly at the use of his childhood nickname. “Alright, stubborn woman. It’s not like you’ll change your mind no matter what I say.”
“Well I’m glad you’re finally learning that.” Marina grinned. She stuck the pen in Rynu’s hand, giggling when he looked at it blankly. “Sign your name.” She said. “Like this-“ She took another paper and wrote his name in her own swirling script.
Rynu looked over at her writing and copied it as best he could, looking down at his work with a frown. “It’s messy.” He growled in frustration.
“It’ll get better with practice. We should go tell Pheona where we’re going first- so we’ll stop at Avalon first.”
Rynu nodded as she sealed the paper and called over a Talvar to send it on its way to Novillo.

“Who am I?” Keisin laughed in disbelief. “Very funny, Pheona.” He helped her sit up, moving his hand through her hair to make sure she wasn’t hurt too badly on her head.
She continued to stare at him, and looked around her in confusion. “Where am I?”
“We’re in Arkene, remember? Isildre kidnapped you, and we’re heading back to Avalon.”
“Isildre?” She sat up, her eyes wide. “He’s here? Where is he?”
“Well I’d assume back in that tower of his, why?” Keisin looked at her in concern. She was acting so strangely…
“N-nothing. I probably shouldn’t see him anyway, especially since Star-“ She froze, and looked around her with wide eyes, suddenly panicked. “Where is she?”
“Who?” Keisin growled in frustration, not understanding what she was trying to say.
“Starla! Where’s my little girl?” She looked around in panic, but Keisin gripped her tighter as she struggled against him.
“Little girl? I have no idea who that is! Calm down, Pheona!” He said in frustration, holding her against him to keep her from hurting herself again.
“Stop calling me that.” She looked back at him with sudden frustration. “I’m not Pheona.”
“Then who are you?” Keisin asked sarcastically. “Because you sure as hell look like Pheona.”
The woman looked at him in disbelief and raised a hand up to her face, looking at her palm in confusion. “Wha-“ She examined her skin for a minute before feeling her face. “What?” She whispered, starting to shake with wide eyes. “What’s happened?”
“I don’t know, that’s what I’m trying to find out.” Keisin hoisted her up against him again, trying to keep her supported. “You’re really starting to freak me out, though.”
“I… I don’t know what happened. I was in Voltar… and then…” Her eyes widened and she let out a small wail of despair. “I was killed! They killed me, then how am I here?”
“Killed?” Keisin looked down at her, still not able to understand her. “Just… calm down, and start from the beginning. Why do you not know me? I’m your… Well we’ve been together for a while now. I’d hope you’d at least remember me after a bump on the head.” He said, trying not to reveal the pain that was tearing through him at the thought.
She looked up at him and shook her head sadly. “I’m sorry, I don’t know who you are. I’m not…” She touched her face again, as if unable to understand what she was feeling. “This isn’t me, though. I don’t know what happened, but I shouldn’t be here. I died, I should be in the otherworld.” Her voice shook as she spoke. “My name is Marlena. I… I was from the Etain Desert, and I… I did foolish things. I was so gullible, so lonely… I thought he was true with his words, but he prove to me time after time that he was insane- absolutely insane.” She buried her face in her palm in despair. “I was so stupid. I was with child, and I didn’t want a child to be around him- so I ran. One of his friends was willing to help me. He got me to Voltar, and I stayed there in hiding among the people. But… someone else must have found me, because they killed me, and I don’t know what happened to my daughter.”
“Wait- who’s insane?”
“My husband… Isildre.” She looked up at him, tears starting to form in her eyes.
Keisin froze, staring at her for a minute before letting out a long groan of frustration. He wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. “He did do it. He put his wife in my Pheona.” He said, starting to shake as well as emotions roiled through him. “How do I fix this? How do I get her back?”
The woman looked at him in concern and wrapped her arms around him as well, though cautiously. “I’m sorry. You seem to care a lot for this Pheona, don’t you?” She whispered, trying to calm him down.
“I just got her back. Isildre captured her, and I just got her back. How can this happen?” He said bitterly, his fists clenching in her red robes in anger. “He’s done so much to her already, and now this… Why can’t he just leave her alone?”
Marlena couldn’t help but feel pity for this man, though she still didn’t know who he was. She held him gently, trying to ignore the guilt she was feeling for taking his woman from him. “Tell me what happened. I don’t know anything that’s happened with this woman, or with you.”
Keisin looked up at her, his blue eyes filled with sorrow and he nodded slowly. “I don’t know all of what’s happened with Pheona’s past, but I’ll tell you what I know.”

Marina looked up from her book as a loud bark sounded through Inasi. She blinked in surprise- for she had no canines inside the keep- and closed her book as a dark pugeon strode in. It sat on the ground and waited expectantly.
It was dressed in the symbol of the ‘public’ pugeons that could be hired by anyone in the country to deliver notes. They had relatively easy passwords- something that anyone could use.
“What do you have for me, boy?” She tried, and smiled as the pugeon barked again, taking a rolled up scroll from its side and handing the drool covered paper to her.
“Thank you.” She said, trying to hide her disgust at the drool as the dog let out another bark in response and walked back out of the room. She looked at the seal, noticing it was from Novillo- but addressed to Rynu.
She stared at the name in surprise. How had Novillo known Rynu would be at Inasi, and not Avalon? Then again, this was Novillo. He had ways of knowing things like that.
She stood and walked through the halls to find Rynu- he had wandered off while she was reading.
She found him in her lounge, sleeping on one of the plush sofas in the room. He had dozens of cats gathered around him as he slept, some of them asleep on top of him, and others batted at his wavy hair in amusement. One cat was staring at him as he snored, rising and falling with his breathing.
Marina had to resist laughing in amusement at the scene. The cats of her keep had been fascinated with him since he had arrived.
Medusa was coiled at his feet, stirring when Marina entered the room, but set her head back down when she saw nothing bad was happening.
“Hey- Rynu.” Marina said, walking over to him and touching his shoulder to wake him up.
Rynu jumped in surprise, a rushing wind filling the room and knocking Marina against the bookcase behind her.
Ryn sat up in a scramble, sending cats flying in all directions as he rushed over to her. “Are you alright?” He said in concern as he kneeled next to her.
“Yeah… what happened?” Marina said in confusion, sitting up and rubbing her aching head.
“I don’t know- did you trip?” He asked, moving a book that had fallen on her shoulder. “You shouldn’t wake me up like that, you scared me.”
“Sorry- I just wanted to tell you a letter came for you- from Novillo.”
Rynu blinked in confusion. “Novillo?”
“Yeah, here.” Marina handed him the letter, sitting up to get more comfortable on the floor.
Rynu broke the seal and unraveled the letter, looking down at the scrawling script with unease. “Uh…” He said, squinting his eyes as if that would make more sense of things.
“What’s it about? He sent a pugeon- so it must be important.”
Rynu looked up at Marina awkwardly. “I…um… can’t read it.”
“You can’t?” Marina said in confusion.
“No.” Rynu said in shame. “No one taught me. Pheona tried, but…”
Marina chuckled, making Rynu’s flush deepen. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I can teach you if you want.”
Rynu smiled in relief. “I’d like that. Here- you read it.”
Marina nodded and took the letter, reading it aloud.

Dear Rynu-
Remember when you came back, and I trained you for a while, but you refused to use your magic? I think it’s about time you learned how. Yours is a powerful ability, and to leave something that strong untrained might be dangerous to those around you. I went to Etain desert and found you a master.

Rynu looked at Marina uneasily as a grin expression came over his face, but he continued to listen.

Yours is a rare gift- which would be terrible to neglect, whether you think it’s a curse or not. Just because it is your father’s magic does not mean you need to follow in his footsteps. Yes you are Nostros’ son, but you are also Serena’s son. You may be surprised how strong your mother was, even though she was so shy.
I hope you can find it within yourself to accept your gifts, Rynu- for that’s what they are. Origin magic is dangerous if left unchecked- you know the legend of the shaman.
-‘Uncle’ Novillo

Marina looked down at the letter in confusion. How was an earth mage unique? She heard Rynu let out a long sigh and he ran a hand through his hair in anxiety. He glanced up at Marina, who was watching him expectantly.
“Mind explaining what ‘Origin’ magic is?” She said, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. “I thought you were an earth mage.”
“No, technically I think that’s from Conintor.” He said, looking at the floor thoughtfully.
“What do you mean ‘from Conintor’? You’re not making any sense!”
Rynu sighed and looked up at her meekly. “Do water magic.”
“Why?” Marina asked skeptically.
“I’ll show you- just trust me.” He insisted.
She watched him for a moment and sighed in frustration, but raised a hand she and she brought a ball of churning water from a basin on the counter. She held it in her hand, wondering why he had her do this.
He stared at the water, frowning in concentration as he brought a hand up.
The water wobbled for a moment before streaming through the air toward Rynu, and settled in a churning sphere in his hand. “Woah, that feels weird.” He muttered, screaming the water from hand to hand in amusement.
Marina stared at him in shock as he used water magic, her cyan eyes wide. “H-how are you doing that?” She whispered.
“It’s just something I can do.” He shrugged. “I don’t like using it, though. Mostly because…” He frowned deeply, his eyes turning haunted. His concentration broke and the water fell from his hand, drenching his leg and making him cry out in surprise.
“Why don’t you use it?” Marina asked, raising her hand and flowing the water back into the basin, his leg drying quickly as she took the water back from the cloth. “It’s amazing- I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“I got it from my father.” Rynu said bitterly. “He used this magic to kill my mother, and I don’t want anything to do with that bastard.”
Marina nodded, understanding now why he had tried so hard to learn another type of magic. “Your magic is part of you, though. “ She tried reassuring him.
“Yeah well, not this magic.” Rynu said stubbornly. “I’ll just tell Novillo I don’t want to learn it.”
“No.” Marina said firmly, making Rynu look up in surprise. “You can’t run from this, Rynu. You have to learn this magic.”
Rynu frowned unhappily. “I don’t want to use it.” He insisted.
“What would you mother want, Rynu?” she argued. “Would she want you to deny your magic or learn to use it and be a better man than your father was? You can’t keep running from all your problems.”
Rynu shook his head, baring his teeth in anger. “I can’t, though- I’ve never used it more than a few times.”
“And I hardly ever used water magic before I went to The Keep- it’s better if you learn this magic, Rynu. Use it to protect- not to hurt.”
Rynu stared at the ground thoughtfully and glanced up at her with a soft sigh. “Can you write a reply for me?”
Marina smiled happily and nodded, running over to the desk across the room and taking out a parchment and ink pen.
“Tell him I’m on my way.” Rynu said, shaking his head and gripping fistfuls of his hair nervously. “Gods, I’ve never done anything like this before…”
“We’re on our way…” Marina said aloud as she wrote.
“We?” He said, looking up at her and releasing his hair.
“You didn’t think I’d let you go on your own, did you?” She grinned over her shoulder at him wryly.
“It’s dangerous though- this magic is crazy, I have no idea what will happen.”
“Ry- I think you forget I’m a big girl now, I can handle myself.”
Rynu smiled warmly at the use of his childhood nickname. “Alright, stubborn woman. It’s not like you’ll change your mind no matter what I say.”
“Well I’m glad you’re finally learning that.” Marina grinned. She stuck the pen in Rynu’s hand, giggling when he looked at it blankly. “Sign your name.” She said. “Like this-“ She took another paper and wrote his name in her own swirling script.
Rynu looked over at her writing and copied it as best he could, looking down at his work with a frown. “It’s messy.” He growled in frustration.
“It’ll get better with practice. We should go tell Pheona where we’re going first- so we’ll stop at Avalon first.”
Rynu nodded as she sealed the paper and called over a Talvar to send it on its way to Novillo.