71st Ymiden, 718
"Do you trust me, Varlum?"
With a small glance to her, Varlum placed a hand on her scaled cheek. After all of this, she was more afraid than he was. Then again, she had a task to do, not that Varlum knew it. Protect the man. While she was opting to initiate him in the hope of teaching him to protect himself and to allow the Elements to keep him safe too, the Initiation was dangerous. If the earth refused him, for whatever reason it might, then his life would be short-lived - and her job would have failed. "l wouldn’t be here with you if I didn’t' he nodded to her, his voice firm but caring. it wasn't as if he wanted to be firm with her, but now of all times was not the time to be doubting themselves. Whatever happened, Varlum would make it out alive. He knew it, it had to be true. How else could he achieve his goals, become the hero he wanted to be remembered for being?
With a hesitant nod, Evianna led him to the woods where she showed him a small opening, leading to a big clearing - with a deep hole in the middle. Evianna had been gone for trials, so Varlum could only assume she had been out doing this. It must have taken Trials, he thought to himself. Yet she was committed to it, to making sure Varlum had what she referred to as the 'relationship' to keep him safe. Whatever it meant, the lthecal was soon to learn it. After, of course, he was buried alive. That was the twist. "Just...when the initiation starts, Varlum, open yourself up. Let yourself be buried alive and ask the Earth around you to help, let it in. I know it sounds difficult, but it isn't. Just go in with an open mind."
In his low, usual growl the man looked to Evianna through his scarred gaze. Confidence was clear on his features as he gave a small and reassuring nod. While he understood her fear and felt a little of it himself there was no reason for any worry. Varlum was strong, beyond the capability of most - or so he liked to believe. Which meant this challenge was one he could do. If any other man or woman on this continent had and could do it, Varlum could. Nothing would stop the man, nothing on this earth. Assassins had tried, bounty hunters had tried, soldiers had tried - and none had succeeded. Not then and not now. If the world around couldn't swallow him whole, couldn't bring him to his knees - then neither would this magic.
Standing on the edge of the hole, Varlum looked to Evianna and waited. Once she had cut open her hand and allowed her spark into the earth, she looked to him. When she gave the nod, the giant man dropped down into the hole. Fear spread across her features as the man let himself lie down in the dirt, before giving her a reassuring nod. Hesitantly she swayed her hands, letting the earth fall down on to the large lthecal. As was coaxed, the Earth slowly fell on to him, and within trills the man was emerged up to his cheeks in stone, his eyes now closed. As he focused, his breathing became hard, and quickly became impossible. All nine feet of the man was coated in the ground. Afraid, Evianna sat back and looked down the hole, eyes focused as she prayed to the ground around to keep him safe.
Varlum tried to focus, his breathing now impossible as dirt filled up his nose and suffocated what little oxygen he had left. Lungs tightened and a small panic ran through him, terror pulsing through his veins. Slowly, the man tried to calm down, eyes tight shut as he tried to breathe. But no air came in. At that moment he remembered her words. Allow the elements in, ask the Earth to help. Let it in. Focusing on the earth around him the man prayed. He'd been gifted a spark before, but it was nothing like this. Not remotely. But if Varlum could do it then, what was stopping him now? Slowly, his mind and body pleaded to the earth that suffocated him, begging for its self. Letting it in. Yet the world stayed quiet, and slowly the world went dark.
Until it happened. Earth moved from his mouth and out of his nose, parting away so that oxygen flowed back to him as a gap was formed. Something inside the man swelled with a burning passion, a burning heat as the hole around felt different, as if the very world he lived in was suddenly alive. It was both terrifying and beautiful in one, and the Ithecal had experienced nothing like it, even with the power his Dustforge had given him. None of it compared to the feeling he felt. Wanting to be rid of this hole, Varlum raised his hand up and through the earth, watching as the dirt around him parted to help free the man. Evianna saw from the surface and felt the emotion overwhelm her, tears of joy wanting to burst through her - even with the emotion she hid so well. Varlum was, after all, what her life was currently living for. His life was more valuable to her than her own. Now that he had surfaced alive? Nothing made her feel more relief.
As he pulled his body out of the heavy dirt, Varlum looked up at the near-dark sky above. They had picked the late night in the hope no bystanders would come past and assume the worst, that Evianna was burying a body in secrecy. Truth be told, that would be an unfortunate way for this endeavor to play out, with a mass of guards having to be told why Varlum was buried alive and why the two could persuade the elements. From what Evianna had seen, however, there was nobody around that could cause the pair any troubles or issues. If someone did, chances were the two Ithecal could be gone by then, leaving just a big hole in their wake. Evianna gave a huge grin to him and helped him out of the hole, offering her hand and pulling the giant beast out.
"You did it" she said, a look of relief clear on her face. Varlum glanced around, deciding to test it out. Slowly in his mind, he reached out to the ground around him, coercing it to follow his idea as his mind gripped small bits of dust and stone. Tiny rocks and pebbles moved as they were persuaded by him, the true sign that the relationship had formed, the spark shared and the Defiance entering the Ithecal at last. Each stone moved to his feet and surrounded him before stopping. Whatever it was that he was doing, he liked it. It felt like power as if the world around him was now his friend, his ally. It wasn't controlled, not yet at least, but it was a bond. It was a relationship that the man, somehow, knew would grow.
Varlum looked up to Evianna and grinned, his sharp fangs on show to anyone that would walk past. Fortunately, only one person was around, and that person cared little for his fangs. Right now she was just relieved that the man had made it out of the initiation alive. Too many times had she heard stories of the elements rejecting men or women, letting them fall to their death or burn alive. Yet the man she vowed to protect was still alive, in front of her, with a new spark to protect him. Evianna smiled in a warm and glowing way, before wrapping her arms around the man. "You have a lot to learn, but you did well, Varlum. Well done."
With a small chuckle, he shut his eyes and rest his head on hers. "Is there anything I should know, before I start using this new power?" he asked her, causing a small laugh from the girl. Clearly, from her eyes, she had a long list prepared. "First and foremost, try not to set yourself alight. You would be very surprised at how many people find themselves burning to death in the early stages of Defiance. As for the other elements, just be careful and calm. Even as mages, we have limits, you understand me? Believe it or not, the big, bad Varlum has boundaries that even he can not cross. If you do, you'll....well, you'll learn. One way or another, just be careful to pace yourself, alright?"
Varlum grinned at the idea that something could best him, take him down. He knew it to be true, it wasn't as if the man genuinely believed he was unkillable. But with the caution he took in his training, and the pure build and determination, very little could ever take Varlum down. Nothing would be able to stop him, one day - and everyone that doubted him would see it. Varlum would be remembered across the globe, the giant that slays armies and fights off beasts of incredible strength. One day, they would all know who he was.
One day.
"Do you trust me, Varlum?"
With a small glance to her, Varlum placed a hand on her scaled cheek. After all of this, she was more afraid than he was. Then again, she had a task to do, not that Varlum knew it. Protect the man. While she was opting to initiate him in the hope of teaching him to protect himself and to allow the Elements to keep him safe too, the Initiation was dangerous. If the earth refused him, for whatever reason it might, then his life would be short-lived - and her job would have failed. "l wouldn’t be here with you if I didn’t' he nodded to her, his voice firm but caring. it wasn't as if he wanted to be firm with her, but now of all times was not the time to be doubting themselves. Whatever happened, Varlum would make it out alive. He knew it, it had to be true. How else could he achieve his goals, become the hero he wanted to be remembered for being?
With a hesitant nod, Evianna led him to the woods where she showed him a small opening, leading to a big clearing - with a deep hole in the middle. Evianna had been gone for trials, so Varlum could only assume she had been out doing this. It must have taken Trials, he thought to himself. Yet she was committed to it, to making sure Varlum had what she referred to as the 'relationship' to keep him safe. Whatever it meant, the lthecal was soon to learn it. After, of course, he was buried alive. That was the twist. "Just...when the initiation starts, Varlum, open yourself up. Let yourself be buried alive and ask the Earth around you to help, let it in. I know it sounds difficult, but it isn't. Just go in with an open mind."
In his low, usual growl the man looked to Evianna through his scarred gaze. Confidence was clear on his features as he gave a small and reassuring nod. While he understood her fear and felt a little of it himself there was no reason for any worry. Varlum was strong, beyond the capability of most - or so he liked to believe. Which meant this challenge was one he could do. If any other man or woman on this continent had and could do it, Varlum could. Nothing would stop the man, nothing on this earth. Assassins had tried, bounty hunters had tried, soldiers had tried - and none had succeeded. Not then and not now. If the world around couldn't swallow him whole, couldn't bring him to his knees - then neither would this magic.
Standing on the edge of the hole, Varlum looked to Evianna and waited. Once she had cut open her hand and allowed her spark into the earth, she looked to him. When she gave the nod, the giant man dropped down into the hole. Fear spread across her features as the man let himself lie down in the dirt, before giving her a reassuring nod. Hesitantly she swayed her hands, letting the earth fall down on to the large lthecal. As was coaxed, the Earth slowly fell on to him, and within trills the man was emerged up to his cheeks in stone, his eyes now closed. As he focused, his breathing became hard, and quickly became impossible. All nine feet of the man was coated in the ground. Afraid, Evianna sat back and looked down the hole, eyes focused as she prayed to the ground around to keep him safe.
Varlum tried to focus, his breathing now impossible as dirt filled up his nose and suffocated what little oxygen he had left. Lungs tightened and a small panic ran through him, terror pulsing through his veins. Slowly, the man tried to calm down, eyes tight shut as he tried to breathe. But no air came in. At that moment he remembered her words. Allow the elements in, ask the Earth to help. Let it in. Focusing on the earth around him the man prayed. He'd been gifted a spark before, but it was nothing like this. Not remotely. But if Varlum could do it then, what was stopping him now? Slowly, his mind and body pleaded to the earth that suffocated him, begging for its self. Letting it in. Yet the world stayed quiet, and slowly the world went dark.
Until it happened. Earth moved from his mouth and out of his nose, parting away so that oxygen flowed back to him as a gap was formed. Something inside the man swelled with a burning passion, a burning heat as the hole around felt different, as if the very world he lived in was suddenly alive. It was both terrifying and beautiful in one, and the Ithecal had experienced nothing like it, even with the power his Dustforge had given him. None of it compared to the feeling he felt. Wanting to be rid of this hole, Varlum raised his hand up and through the earth, watching as the dirt around him parted to help free the man. Evianna saw from the surface and felt the emotion overwhelm her, tears of joy wanting to burst through her - even with the emotion she hid so well. Varlum was, after all, what her life was currently living for. His life was more valuable to her than her own. Now that he had surfaced alive? Nothing made her feel more relief.
As he pulled his body out of the heavy dirt, Varlum looked up at the near-dark sky above. They had picked the late night in the hope no bystanders would come past and assume the worst, that Evianna was burying a body in secrecy. Truth be told, that would be an unfortunate way for this endeavor to play out, with a mass of guards having to be told why Varlum was buried alive and why the two could persuade the elements. From what Evianna had seen, however, there was nobody around that could cause the pair any troubles or issues. If someone did, chances were the two Ithecal could be gone by then, leaving just a big hole in their wake. Evianna gave a huge grin to him and helped him out of the hole, offering her hand and pulling the giant beast out.
"You did it" she said, a look of relief clear on her face. Varlum glanced around, deciding to test it out. Slowly in his mind, he reached out to the ground around him, coercing it to follow his idea as his mind gripped small bits of dust and stone. Tiny rocks and pebbles moved as they were persuaded by him, the true sign that the relationship had formed, the spark shared and the Defiance entering the Ithecal at last. Each stone moved to his feet and surrounded him before stopping. Whatever it was that he was doing, he liked it. It felt like power as if the world around him was now his friend, his ally. It wasn't controlled, not yet at least, but it was a bond. It was a relationship that the man, somehow, knew would grow.
Varlum looked up to Evianna and grinned, his sharp fangs on show to anyone that would walk past. Fortunately, only one person was around, and that person cared little for his fangs. Right now she was just relieved that the man had made it out of the initiation alive. Too many times had she heard stories of the elements rejecting men or women, letting them fall to their death or burn alive. Yet the man she vowed to protect was still alive, in front of her, with a new spark to protect him. Evianna smiled in a warm and glowing way, before wrapping her arms around the man. "You have a lot to learn, but you did well, Varlum. Well done."
With a small chuckle, he shut his eyes and rest his head on hers. "Is there anything I should know, before I start using this new power?" he asked her, causing a small laugh from the girl. Clearly, from her eyes, she had a long list prepared. "First and foremost, try not to set yourself alight. You would be very surprised at how many people find themselves burning to death in the early stages of Defiance. As for the other elements, just be careful and calm. Even as mages, we have limits, you understand me? Believe it or not, the big, bad Varlum has boundaries that even he can not cross. If you do, you'll....well, you'll learn. One way or another, just be careful to pace yourself, alright?"
Varlum grinned at the idea that something could best him, take him down. He knew it to be true, it wasn't as if the man genuinely believed he was unkillable. But with the caution he took in his training, and the pure build and determination, very little could ever take Varlum down. Nothing would be able to stop him, one day - and everyone that doubted him would see it. Varlum would be remembered across the globe, the giant that slays armies and fights off beasts of incredible strength. One day, they would all know who he was.
One day.
