welcome to Eldritch Academy
In a world of myths and mysteries, the pinnacle of the magical academies exists. Eldritch Academy offers education to all ages and species but specializes in the study and training of one's innate mystical capabilities, often called Eldritch Energies, Powers, or Unknowns, but more formally known as their Talent. However, tensions run high with the nations only holding a fragile peace as the Talents that rival the epitomes of technology change the balance of power.
With the more recent uprising of evil Shades and introduction of combat-oriented programs into Talent-focused schools, nations grow more aggressive towards one another. The demand for resources grows, and skirmishes at the border of Arka and Mistere become more frequent. Monsters run into the nations from the Wildes, terrorizing villages and cities. The need for trained or in-training Hunters and Guardians has never been more urgent.
Of Myths and Mysteries
eldritch academy The Tea Team
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FEBRUARY 20, 2019
Community Update 2.5 is out! We would like to introduce you to Student Dorm Assistants, a newly organized staff list, and best of all, an updated Academy Guide!
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rust. (private; esi) (seth // talent training)
Jupiter
Takpo
GRADE •
C (75)
VITALITY •
1
STRENGTH •
4 (5)
SPEED •
4 (5)
RESILIENCE •
1
STAMINA •
2
Luna ☾, Niðgeisl
|
Alatum (Pegasus)
|
ephi
|
all my life
|
Dec 23, 2018 18:05:26 GMT -6
Post by Jupiter on Dec 23, 2018 18:05:26 GMT -6
| the look of me when i opened my eyes,
it was so bright that i didnt dare approach |
Cresting over the horizon, the sun rallies high, flourishing its ever-aggressive beams of nurturing, burning light over the reflective, moon-like surface of a snow-covered field. The snow’s pale disposition shirks ever slightly -- tips of delicate crystalline structures recede and meld together -- but it nonetheless reciprocates a blinding light back into the sky, reminding the aether of its quiet, burning presence.
Soft, plastic clunks reverberate from a long-forgotten but lovingly-built wind chime, hanging from a poorly constructed pillar of earth, casting its lonely song over the vast expanses of the hilly plain it resides on. The powder-snow -- now more melted, icy -- sleeps undisturbed. Not footprints. No movement. Peaceful. The determined snow only gratifying the sky’s embrace, with its vivid, flying colors of dawn, all contained within the nicer winter weather, calm winds and a sky now devoid from the familiarity of blanketing greys.
Four wings beat against the still, winter air, offset and off-pulse, westwards from the sprawling expanse of civilization, closer to familiar lands. Snaking highways, roads, and railways eventually dissipate into obscurity as the pair head toward a familiar location, frozen into their memory. Snowy dove wings steadily thrust against the sky, guiding Chan Hee with the vagueness of muscle memory into the wilderness disguised by winter.
Within the troughs of idle chit-chat and vaguely friendly conversation, the taller, lighter member of the pair speaks up: "And you’re sure we’re going the right way," he asks his self-contained companion. "Esialeth. Hello? Are you listening to me? The heating rune I bought only has so much time. Are we there yet? Or at least getting close..?" He’s faster than Esialeth -- almost scarily so -- actually, so much so that he’s actively going at a slower than usual pace to match her. He momentarily wonders how she even flies without hollow bones… Or something of the like. She must be good at dieting.
Nonetheless, the constantly turning water wheel of time continues on, and a few long minutes later they arrive at their destination. His winter white wings steady, and stretch out to their full width. Feather tips displace the surrounding air, causing thin contrails to momentarily appear in his wake before disappearing back into the atmosphere. He creates a twirling pattern in his descent, lengthening his fall and slowing his speed to where landing on the ground becomes a soft crunch of the snow beneath him. Formerly mostly undisturbed, the collapsing of his wings against his back whispers a deadly zephyr across the down of white.
He looks up and waves his hand as Esialeth, excited for her descent. "It looks so different in the winter," his lips curl into a smile but actively detract from any air of happiness. Reminiscence, perhaps. "Are you ready to... You know," he pauses, with a face full of apprehension, "Nevermind. Let’s just begin. I already agreed to this, I shouldn’t back out so easily," he breathes in slowly, "Let’s begin."
Despite his agility and strength, Seth has a penchant to… Deteriorate quickly. Earlier, he and Esialeth decided to go somewhere private to train (spar exclusively, actually). Unknowing of how Esialeth fights (physically, at least), he grips nervously at the edges of his sleeves. Suspecting that whatever transpires next will likely escalate literally (and figuratively) into aerial combat, he hopes that his many, many years of flying and flight training will trump Esialeth and her recently acquired wings. Keeping that in mind, he backs away, assuming she will, as well, to create an adequate “arena” sized space in between them. He isn’t too worried about any injuries either, being a magical anthropomorphic woodland creature has some perks: healing hands, for example. Otherwise, the circumstances are ideal for him. Water aplenty. About two or three inches of the white stuff underneath him and an open sky. Esialeth’s attacks are volatile and he’s glassy in his defenses. A dilemma, if we wasn’t as light on his feet as he is: a faint hope that we won’t get caught in any form of attack.
The outstretches his left hand, and a newfound light -- perhaps his true talent, completely separate and devastatingly different from his learned Luna -- manifests in a spark, glittering in the center of his palm. "Niðgeisl..." he folds his fingers, forcing it to leak through the gaps on his fingers, pure silver light materializing and dripping onto the ground, like mercury from a crushed termostat. Without the poison. Or metal, necessarily, either. It forms a small depression in the snow-covered floor, the liquid spreading and forming a small seal, with the motif of a moon. After a split second, the rune flashes once and projects a beam of light seven feet into the air, where it flashes to the beat of Seth’s heart, light gathering and condensing, collapsing the beam of light into a pole made completely out of pearl. He reaches out, gripping, brushing his fingers against the intricate grooves of the stave. Less than a second passes before his hand finds its place. Instinctive. Natural and familiar. If he had any clue how on how to joust, anyways. He raises the pole above his head, striking a rather heroic pose, with the topmost edge reciprocating, pulsating and forming a star-shaped blade.
He unfurls his wings and launches himself into the air, and out of immediate danger -- the ground. Despite his showy summon, he has no clue how to use a lance, much less the magical capabilities of his weapon is. He falls back to what he’s more used to. Closing his eyes, briefly, he focuses his mana, and with a glint of his forehead gemstone, he uses his stave as a conduit for his more practiced talent. The openings within the star-shaped fill with a soapy-film. He ascends at extreme speed. He beats his wings then relaxes them, twirling onto his back, he plummets back towards the ground, his stave outstretched, the sharpened tip caressing the ground. The snow melts into a clear flow of water, following Seth as he uses his remaining momentum to return back into the sky. While flying in small loops, his gathered water orbits him in planetary-ring like fashion.
He’s never one to initiate the first attack. He waits for Esialeth’s next move. (1050) LAIKA OF THQ
|
|
Esialeth Rose
Master Scholar
GRADE •
C+ (78)
VITALITY •
1
STRENGTH •
1
SPEED •
2
RESILIENCE •
5
STAMINA •
3
Terraform Aetherfall
|
Half witch half human
|
[redacted]
|
"Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light."
|
Dec 23, 2018 20:15:56 GMT -6
Post by Esialeth Rose on Dec 23, 2018 20:15:56 GMT -6
In just the first hour of their travel—when the sun is still low in the sky and the twilight still chases the opposite edges of the horizon—he speaks. A heating rune, the slowness of their travel—she opts to ignore him, instead seeking serenity in the sound of unsynchonized wings and the sight of the snow-kissed forest. The winter covers the trees as does a blanket, and Esialeth absently hopes to prolong their travel for just a moment longer. Patience, perhaps, can be his first lesson.
Of course, patience does not necessitate inaction, far from it; they arrive at the clearing soon enough. The ground is raised as a dias is, by nature rather than man, and stands ten times her wingspan at the base. Perfect for both both ground and aerial combat.
She banishes her wings in a rush of aether, sees her gunmetal-grey feathers disappear from her peripheral vision, and lands gracefully in the snow. He speaks again, his voice an amalgamation of apprehension or melancholy or nostalgia; pauses, then shoots in the air alarmingly quickly, waiting on her to make the first move.
“That won’t do,” she says mildly. “You’re off-balance. Come back down and observe for a bit.”
It is dreadfully cold, and despite the warmth of the enchanted cloth, her sweater is still a backless halter. But she cannot—will not begin without lightening his burdens; he is still a child to her, an adolescent with time to live and find his own path.
It would not do to send him the wrong way.
Without waiting for a response, she turns around, gesturing to the landscape around her—and showing him her seemingly defenseless back. “Look at the sky. Isn’t it beautiful? And these flowers. Even in the dead of winter, they still bloom.” She glances back at him. “Even though we’re sparring for fun, we should remember them. Always question why. Especially when you fight.”
She hears him land in the snow behind her. “You have good technique,” she says, her eyes on the forest once again. “But you’re hasty. I won’t tell you what you need to do, but perhaps you can puzzle it out on your own. How does that sound?”
|
|
Jupiter
Takpo
GRADE •
C (75)
VITALITY •
1
STRENGTH •
4 (5)
SPEED •
4 (5)
RESILIENCE •
1
STAMINA •
2
Luna ☾, Niðgeisl
|
Alatum (Pegasus)
|
ephi
|
all my life
|
Dec 23, 2018 20:58:12 GMT -6
Post by Jupiter on Dec 23, 2018 20:58:12 GMT -6
| the look of me when i opened my eyes,
it was so bright that i didnt dare approach |
He sighs, "Off balance?" His golden eyes glaze over momentarily. "Okay," Seth says, somehow full with both pain and neutrality. As if something deeper wants to surface, to claw against the mental confines of an indestructible glass bottle with a weak cork. He repeats a similar process to his first landing, however this time with an almost grotesque amount of water flowing after the butt end of his stave. He doesn't land on the ground, necessarily, instead opting to levitate a few inches off of the ground. He looks off into the distance instead of listening, preferring to to gaze over the wilderness—the beauty of the winter landscape—rather than listening to the patronizing rant of Esialeth, someone he views as his peer, his equal. He wouldn't say such a thing aloud, of course.
He zones back in, feet now touching the ground, digging into the snow underneath. "Sure," he says, simply, avoiding his usual chatty self, partially from annoyance, partially from an ingrained childhood behavior. "It's obviously a lance... Spear... But... I'm perfectly fine on using it as stave." He pauses and thinks. "Blunt force trauma is one thing... From water and blocks of ice. But... Especially when up close... Blood. Blades." He defers from Esialeth's attempt from giving proverbs to him. Hopefully the new subject would catch on. He tightens his grip on his weapon. LAIKA OF THQ
|
|
Esialeth Rose
Master Scholar
GRADE •
C+ (78)
VITALITY •
1
STRENGTH •
1
SPEED •
2
RESILIENCE •
5
STAMINA •
3
Terraform Aetherfall
|
Half witch half human
|
[redacted]
|
"Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light."
|
Dec 23, 2018 21:49:32 GMT -6
Post by Esialeth Rose on Dec 23, 2018 21:49:32 GMT -6
She sighs in defeat. He not only failed to appreciate her poetic approach but also made such a feeble attempt to redirect the subject; she tries again, more directly this time: “You have good technique and good bursts, but you’re spending energy for no reason.” Beat. “What you have achieved is haste.”
No response. Or less than what she was expecting, anyway.
“Look. I might sound patronizing, and I promise you, I’m not trying to be—I like poetry—but I am still older than you. You’re an adult at eighteen, but that doesn’t mean you stop growing.” Pause. “Let me try again.”
She breathes the crisp winter air, tastes it on her tongue, before continuing. “That,” she gestures to his weapon, “is not a stave or a lance. It is whatever you want it to be. If it heals as a stave and fights as a spear, there is no reason it can’t be both.”
“Now. Many people—including me—prefer the sword, which gives your lance the advantage.” She taps the perfect pearl shaft. “Lances have greater mobility than swords, which gives you an edge if you can hone your speed, but they’re weak against axes and bows and the like. It’s good to have two specialties so you can always be at an advantage, but—details. If you can learn to control that, you’ll almost reach the offensive capability of dual daggers without sacrificing all of your defense.”
She appraises the spear—more admires it, really—speaks. “I would recommend starting out with practice weapons, since I’d hate to damage it, and it would be practical to fight without the advantages it gives first, since it seems like it would...do that.” She tilts her head thoughtfully. “I could make those, except I’d need water or ice to temper them...I trust that you could take care of that aspect?”
|
|
Jupiter
Takpo
GRADE •
C (75)
VITALITY •
1
STRENGTH •
4 (5)
SPEED •
4 (5)
RESILIENCE •
1
STAMINA •
2
Luna ☾, Niðgeisl
|
Alatum (Pegasus)
|
ephi
|
all my life
|
Dec 23, 2018 22:06:54 GMT -6
Post by Jupiter on Dec 23, 2018 22:06:54 GMT -6
| the look of me when i opened my eyes,
it was so bright that i didnt dare approach |
He tastefully abstains from giving any direct verbal response, opting to instead listen. He feels the urge to mention that he's not human and his body has different cycles of growth but doesn't. Telling her that he's probably done growing and that his mind is probably fully matured isn't really going to achieve anything. His inner wisdom tells him that. He sighs. "Right. I have a feeling that we probably don't have to worry about its durability." He pauses, slightly hesitant—perhaps frustrating memories surfacing—then says, "I can. Just don't use any iron." He lowers his stance and manipulates a decent amount of cold water into the air. LAIKA OF THQ
|
|
Esialeth Rose
Master Scholar
GRADE •
C+ (78)
VITALITY •
1
STRENGTH •
1
SPEED •
2
RESILIENCE •
5
STAMINA •
3
Terraform Aetherfall
|
Half witch half human
|
[redacted]
|
"Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light."
|
Dec 23, 2018 22:33:19 GMT -6
Post by Esialeth Rose on Dec 23, 2018 22:33:19 GMT -6
Esialeth sighs; they were getting nowhere. She doesn’t feel like pressing that biological maturity was nothing compared to six years’ more experience, so she hurriedly summons some molten metal and begins to create the blades. Titanium for Seth’s lance, similar to his own but utterly devoid of the power and magical beauty of the original, and silver alloy for her; for the purpose of their exercise, however, she avoids her typical runes. She thrusts both weapons, white-hot, into the water, and they temper with a satisfying hiss. She hands the practice lance to Seth while holding her own weapon by the bare handle.
“Oh, wait a moment…” she says absently, forming a beautiful battle axe with a wave of her hand, “For if we ever decide to raise the stakes…right. That’s all done, then.”
She digs around in her bag, looking to make a grip, and…”Done! I’d tell you about the process, but you probably don’t care.” She smiles in satisfaction anyway. “What next, then? Furthermore, why are we here? I can make weapons back at the academy, and I hardly think you asked me here for a simple spar.”
|
|
Jupiter
Takpo
GRADE •
C (75)
VITALITY •
1
STRENGTH •
4 (5)
SPEED •
4 (5)
RESILIENCE •
1
STAMINA •
2
Luna ☾, Niðgeisl
|
Alatum (Pegasus)
|
ephi
|
all my life
|
Dec 23, 2018 23:47:48 GMT -6
Post by Jupiter on Dec 23, 2018 23:47:48 GMT -6
| the look of me when i opened my eyes,
it was so bright that i didnt dare approach |
"Of course not. Actually. I would have preferred wooden weapons. Or blunt weapons actually." He sighs, "You have a way of looking into people's minds. I'm surprised you haven't figured out. Other than to spar... Train, whatever. Just to spend time with you. So much has changed since I left the island. Especially you," he tires to smile, "Not... That it's a bad thing. Not at all... Anyways." Seth waves his hand and Niðgeisl disappears into a shimmering cloud.
He takes a deep breath and outstretches his arm, grasping the practice lance, planting it steadily into the ground. "I don't think I need to worry about a second specialty," he says, glancing at the now grounded mass of water he was levitating. "I suppose there's no more putting it off," he says as he brandishes the spear, "Make your move." LAIKA OF THQ
|
|
Esialeth Rose
Master Scholar
GRADE •
C+ (78)
VITALITY •
1
STRENGTH •
1
SPEED •
2
RESILIENCE •
5
STAMINA •
3
Terraform Aetherfall
|
Half witch half human
|
[redacted]
|
"Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light."
|
Dec 24, 2018 11:38:37 GMT -6
Post by Esialeth Rose on Dec 24, 2018 11:38:37 GMT -6
Esialeth can’t help but gasp in surprise at his remark. Few seemed to want for her company nowadays; whether that was because of her penchant to wax poetic or because she spent most of her time alone in her lab or the library, she couldn’t tell; either way, she felt—feels—very old. Like Sophie from Howl’s Moving Castle, she thinks, although my life certainly isn’t a Ghibli movie.
But change happens for a reason, and if it makes her feel like a middle-aged woman, she would have to act like one, lest she be accused of wearing a crude, borrowed mask. So she speaks again, falling into the mindset of her long-dead guardian: “Why don’t you strike first? You’re at the advantage. Use it before it disappears.”
|
|
Jupiter
Takpo
GRADE •
C (75)
VITALITY •
1
STRENGTH •
4 (5)
SPEED •
4 (5)
RESILIENCE •
1
STAMINA •
2
Luna ☾, Niðgeisl
|
Alatum (Pegasus)
|
ephi
|
all my life
|
Dec 24, 2018 11:56:09 GMT -6
Post by Jupiter on Dec 24, 2018 11:56:09 GMT -6
| the look of me when i opened my eyes,
it was so bright that i didnt dare approach |
His mental composure falters slightly. He raises his practice lance at a diagonal stance in front of his body, pointed end facing the ground at a forty five degree angle. The remaining length of the pole transverses his torso.
He breathes in and looks at Esialeth, his copper eyes matching hers. Similar but oh-so-different. "It's okay, you go," he says, with a serious, but somewhat anxious look in his eyes. "I won't always be at an advantage." LAIKA OF THQ
|
|
Esialeth Rose
Master Scholar
GRADE •
C+ (78)
VITALITY •
1
STRENGTH •
1
SPEED •
2
RESILIENCE •
5
STAMINA •
3
Terraform Aetherfall
|
Half witch half human
|
[redacted]
|
"Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light."
|
Dec 24, 2018 12:09:41 GMT -6
Post by Esialeth Rose on Dec 24, 2018 12:09:41 GMT -6
Esialeth sighs in resignation. “I’m no therapist, so you should probably...see one of those, but in the meantime…” she lunges forward, her gleaming sword aimed for his leg.
“If you’re always prepared for the worst, you won’t be able to take advantage of the best.” She backs away again, not a single movement wasted, her sword held in a defensive stance; she’s missed this, the thrill of a morning duel, the itch of a crude leather grip digging into her palm. Eyes shining with mirth, she waits for his real first move.
|
|
Jupiter
Takpo
GRADE •
C (75)
VITALITY •
1
STRENGTH •
4 (5)
SPEED •
4 (5)
RESILIENCE •
1
STAMINA •
2
Luna ☾, Niðgeisl
|
Alatum (Pegasus)
|
ephi
|
all my life
|
Dec 24, 2018 12:35:27 GMT -6
Post by Jupiter on Dec 24, 2018 12:35:27 GMT -6
| the look of me when i opened my eyes,
it was so bright that i didnt dare approach |
He breathes out in surprise. Esialeth lunges towards his leg. Despite her quick mind, her body is much less so. While precise, skillful, and well-thought-out, it's not as fast as Seth. He knows he's no match for Esialeth's skill with a blade, or in the art of swordplay (lanceplay? weaponplay?) but his deftness alone can serve him. He backs away, leg fully bending upwards and allowing him to pivot a few feet away before re-extending his leg and catching himself. "What... What does that even mean?" he says, returning to a familiar, defensive stance. His eyes instead gaze at her weapon, which glints mercilessly in the sunlight. Again, he waits for her. LAIKA OF THQ
|
|
Esialeth Rose
Master Scholar
GRADE •
C+ (78)
VITALITY •
1
STRENGTH •
1
SPEED •
2
RESILIENCE •
5
STAMINA •
3
Terraform Aetherfall
|
Half witch half human
|
[redacted]
|
"Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light."
|
Dec 24, 2018 13:10:08 GMT -6
Post by Esialeth Rose on Dec 24, 2018 13:10:08 GMT -6
Esialeth shakes her head. “You’ll have to stand your ground eventually. Better to learn now than in the middle of battle.” If he’s not ready to face himself, best to just get it over with. I want to get back before nightfall, at least.
A ozone-tainted breath, and—
She charges. Fearless.
She is not quick, but she makes up for it with fluidity and precision; her sword makes for his shoulder, his side, his idol-perfect face, and the water-edge of the blade flashes with morninglight, its beauty both a distraction and a comfort.
She is rusty and he is new, and although their differences are as stark as night and day, they stand on equal ground, each fighting to the best of their abilities under the open blue sky.
|
|
Jupiter
Takpo
GRADE •
C (75)
VITALITY •
1
STRENGTH •
4 (5)
SPEED •
4 (5)
RESILIENCE •
1
STAMINA •
2
Luna ☾, Niðgeisl
|
Alatum (Pegasus)
|
ephi
|
all my life
|
Dec 24, 2018 13:37:01 GMT -6
Post by Jupiter on Dec 24, 2018 13:37:01 GMT -6
| the look of me when i opened my eyes,
it was so bright that i didnt dare approach |
Sweat forms and promptly falls, joining the fray of the icy crystals against the pristine ground. Swords strike forward and back, but his lance remains unused. The blade's icy smooth blade untouched as the shaft is used more like a bo stave, deflecting any hits that reign too close to his form.
He doesn't bid any hits back or even to reciprocate. He's too agile to be easily predicted where to go next, and his lightness of foot allows him to outstep Esialeth, which would do him good if he could echo even an ounce of her battle strategy. LAIKA OF THQ
|
|
Esialeth Rose
Master Scholar
GRADE •
C+ (78)
VITALITY •
1
STRENGTH •
1
SPEED •
2
RESILIENCE •
5
STAMINA •
3
Terraform Aetherfall
|
Half witch half human
|
[redacted]
|
"Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light."
|
Dec 24, 2018 13:59:04 GMT -6
Post by Esialeth Rose on Dec 24, 2018 13:59:04 GMT -6
Esialeth sighs. Again. She thinks of keeping count, then decides against it for her own sake. “That’s enough, I think.”
She glares at him, thrusting the unused edge of her sword into the rock-hard ground, then raises the sides of the dias with barely a flick of her hair; the dias’s new walls stand tens of meters tall, and the view of the sky is reduced to a fraction of its grandeur.
“Don’t run away.”
She readies her sword. Charges.
|
|
Jupiter
Takpo
GRADE •
C (75)
VITALITY •
1
STRENGTH •
4 (5)
SPEED •
4 (5)
RESILIENCE •
1
STAMINA •
2
Luna ☾, Niðgeisl
|
Alatum (Pegasus)
|
ephi
|
all my life
|
Dec 24, 2018 14:19:10 GMT -6
Post by Jupiter on Dec 24, 2018 14:19:10 GMT -6
| the look of me when i opened my eyes,
it was so bright that i didnt dare approach |
He exhales shakily as the earth around him raises into a crude arena. His grip falters, and the lance momentarily slides out of his hand, before he catches it. He drops the lance onto the snow-covered ground with a light crunch. If Esialeth is intent on using her talent, there's no reason for him not to either. His stance drops low, and his hand plants into the ground. He sweeps his legs and the snow melts momentarily, then refreezing into a sheet of ice, his former practice lance encapsulated in ice. He focuses on his feet and looks at Esialeth, charging at him. His feet glimmer slightly, and with ease, he strafes out of the way, sliding across the ice, almost like an ice skater. "No," he responds simply. LAIKA OF THQ
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