25th Combo - Rune Crest

[redcladidealist]

Who: Lloyd Irving and castmates/CR who would be aware of the Rune Crest stuff going on
Where: Winespring Inn and forge
When: Today, morning and evening
Style: Either!
Status: Closed... ish? If you feel you have an IC reason to stop in, feel free!

Note: Please mark in the subject whether you are tagging before or after the making of the Crest. The actual forging of the Rune Crest is going to be handwaved to help simplify things.

Before

[Anxiety flutters in Lloyd's stomach as he carefully gathers his tools. Today is the day. He doesn't think he can prepare himself any more than he has. He doesn't feel prepared, though, especially not when he knows he's going to have to remove his own Key Crest. Before he'd become an angel, that wouldn't have been a problem. A Key Crest applied before an Exsphere was attached ensured that the Exsphere never rooted itself so deeply that the bearer's mana became irremovably entwined. He'd taken his Exsphere off before, to no ill effect, and if he'd wanted to, he could have removed the Key Crest after that. It would have hurt, sure. Key Crests weren't meant to be easily removed. But it wouldn't have done anything worse than maybe leave a scar or two.

Now, though... Now he can't remove his Exsphere, not without risking his already unstable mana going out of control. With his angelic transformation, the Exsphere has become too much a part of him. Unfortunately, the Key Crest has to come off so that they can attach the Rune Crest to it. For however long it takes him to do that, he'll be a ticking bomb. They'd made plans to help prevent the worst, but still! Worry eats at him. If the worst happens despite everything...

He swallows. I should go warn Mat.]

After

[One breath. Another. He's not sure if it's safe to feel relief yet. Sitting on the porch of the inn, Lloyd closes his hands. Opens them.

They're shaking.

Another breath. And then another. How will he know? How will he know if the Rune Crest works? Afternoon light glints off the newly forged metal, the runes carved in it both foreign and familiar at once. He knew a lot of the basic runes, learned from Dirk since he was three, but some of these he'd had to copy from Colette's crest, had to trust Dhaos's word that they were good. If even one stroke of a rune was off, though, how would it hold if he ever had reason to really put it to the test? What if something went wrong?

One breath. Another breath.

I'm scared.

At the same time, though, he was strangely elated. The advanced metalwork that he'd just done...

I made a Rune Crest myself!]

Comments

[radiantwingedone]

If it isn't, then will find out quickly and adjust. I have enough mana to keep it for some time. If your mana goes out of control...

[ Duke tries to think of how that could happen, and maybe he'll pick a few orange gels up or something-

But the reaction would be the same. Hope this isn't too worrying, but Duke pulls Dein Nomos into his hands. ]

Dein Nomos can disperse mana. Would lower yours, and allow for replacement of key crest. Would that work?

[redcladidealist]

[Lloyd eyes the blade in Duke's hand, not entirely sure what Duke is saying he intends to do with it.]

How does it work? You don't have to... stab me or anything, do you?

[radiantwingedone]

It functions far better without such a covering.

[ Have a horrible morbid bit of humor - it could solve the problem that way, but Duke doesn't intend to.

A sweep of the blade around knee level starts a whirling of golden light and symbols. ]

Disperses.

[redcladidealist]

Whoa...

[Lloyd watches, entranced.]

I've never seen a sword do that.

[On inspiration, he summons the mana for his wings.]

Can you try it? Just to make sure it works? [A pause.] It won't hurt me, will it?

[radiantwingedone]

... Possibly. Depends on how aware of your own mana you are - this would be taking your mana and thinning it out, removing it from your control. If you are very aware of your own mana, it would be unpleasant. Less aware? Likely at most a discomfort, like limbs that tingle, only... not quite your limbs.

[ He'll wait for Lloyd's answer - he remembers that Lloyd was unused to the idea of sensing mana, so he's leaning toward the "discomfort" side of the spectrum. ]

[redcladidealist]

[He frowns at that, trying to imagine what that will feel like. Does he want to put himself through something that might hurt?

Does he dare do otherwise?

He sets his shoulders, steeling himself.]

Better to find out now, before...

[Before it might be a problem. He swallows.]

I'm ready.

[radiantwingedone]

.... [ Duke nods, dispelling the light for a moment before repeating the sweep and following it up with a sweep to the sky.

That pattern on the floor stays the same, but the symbols spin faster and faster about him, forming a small golden whirlwind that brightens. At the brightest, it then expands, moving Duke's hair and coat about but otherwise working very little like an actual wind.

Except maybe on Lloyd's wings... ]

[redcladidealist]

[That odd, half-felt feeling Lloyd's been feeling of late starts crawling up his skin when Duke prepares to cast. He feels himself tensing without conscious thought, until the "wind" reaches his feathers, ruffling them - and then suddenly he winces when they disperse.]

Ow!

[Not so much pain as... "Unpleasant" really is a good word. He works his hands, trying to get rid of the tingle prickling... not exactly in his skin, but somewhere just beneath in a place he can't quite reach..]

Man, you weren't kidding. How long does it take to go away?

[radiantwingedone]

.... Not long.

[ Duke drops the blade back to his side and.. well, there went that effect. ]

Sustained dispersal is far harder than dispersal of a moment.

[redcladidealist]

[The prickling feeling is starting to fade, but not enough to keep him from rubbing his arms to try to get rid of it faster.]

Do you think you can hold it long enough for me to finish forging the Rune Crest? Maybe a couple of hours, if worse comes to worst?

[radiantwingedone]

... [ Let him think about that. ]

Possibly. Would likely need to both touch coral and eat then sleep for a while after... [ He thinks he can, it'd just be a bit of a strain... ]

[redcladidealist]

[Something tense inside Lloyd loosens a little bit when he hears that bit of reassurance.]

Good. That's good. I mean, I hope I don't lose control that fast, but if I do... [He takes in a breath and lets it out.] I'm glad you'll be there to stop it.

[He glances at the coals in the forge. They look like they're about where they ought to be to start. He takes another breath.]

You ready?

[radiantwingedone]

[ Duke settles in that chair he'd moved, putting Dein Nomos across his lap and a book atop the blade. He shifts once - finding that comfortable enough to stay put for a while, but uncomfortable enough he won't be lulled into sleep spot - and nods. ]

When you need me.

[redcladidealist]

[Lloyd's nod is grateful.]

I'll let you know.

[And then it was time to get to work, all his concentration focused on the task at hand, with no more time for talk.]