• Closed • a path to portals

[Kaelrik]

10th of Cylus, Arc 719

Kaelrik sat within the quiet of Alistair’s room. It was a place that he had frequented often as of late. Throughout the bitter cold season of Cylus, the two of them had grown closer. Furthermore, the addition of Kaelrik’s inherent body heat made his Kindal far more comfortable in the freezing temperatures than what he otherwise would have been. It was known to Kaelrik that one of Alistair’s quirks for being a necromancer was that his body did not retain heat very well. The Lotharro did not mind. He enjoyed sharing his body heat with Alistair. Things had calmed somewhat between them ever since their first brush with a sexual encounter. Kaelrik was not ready for that level of intimacy.

Before the encounter, Kaelrik had told himself he was going to keep his distance. He’d told himself that he wasn’t what Alistair needed or wanted in a lover. Theirs was to be a bond of deep brotherhood and friendship only but he had been fooling himself. Alistair was a man who pursued what interested him and he’d made it very clear that he was interested in Kaelrik. But Kaelrik needed time, so after some explaining, that time had been given.

At that particular moment in time, Kaelrik was seated on a rug before the fireplace. His legs were folded beneath him and his hands were resting lightly on his knees in a meditative pose. Kaelrik had his back to the fire that was burning in the hearth, enjoying the warmth that caressed his bare torso. He could feel the flames, eager and curious through the power of his Defiance. But it was not the magic of Defiance that Kaelrik was focused on at the moment. He had turned his attention inward and to a very different spark. The very reason that he and Alistair had made such a breakthrough and also part of the reason why they were both so drawn to each other.

The Spark of Rupturing fluttered in Kaelrik’s chest. He could feel it eager to explore, to wander, and to be explored. It was so very much alive with an endless yearning to move and be places that Kaelrik suddenly understood why Alistair was such a graceful and practiced man of movements. He was finding it hard to sit still as he focused on the power of Rupturing. As he focused though, he wasn’t quite certain exactly what to do with the power that was now at his fingertips. Certainly he was initiated, but he didn’t know how to work or manipulate the magic of teleportation to the degree that Alistair did. That did not concern Kaelrik though. He knew that his Kindal was going to teach him. They had needed time to settle first though. That time had been enjoyable but now it was time for Kaelrik to devote himself to being a serious student once more. He had much to learn, much to achieve and much growing to do before he was ready to pursue his goals and to assist Alistair in his.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Kaelrik felt a stirring in the spark of Rupturing that nestled within his chest. He smiled as the door to the bedroom opened.

“I hope your errand was a successful one, my Kindal. Are you home for the evening, then?” Kaelrik looked up at his life-bond partner and his master. A smile spread across his features as he regarded the man.

[Alistair]

Alistair's trial had been - genuinely - exciting. He'd met with the director of the Red Cloak Hospital, his direct business partner and a fellow Necromancer from Rynmere. The man was even a native of the southern region of the Kingdom, and so he and Alistair adapted to one another well and spoke in their strange Venora-inspired dialect. A new business arrangement for Ashbrook had been acquired, and even a new friendship that would propel both men towards further success within the Guild of Hospitality. When the mage finally returned home, he did so with a bright smile upon his face as he seated himself in the lower common room and contemplated alongside the lit fire.

He was glad to be home. Lately, things had been going exceedingly well for him, despite the cold of Cylus and the debilitating effect it had on him. Whenever he was home, he and Kaelrik seemed to naturally gravitate towards one another, even if only by their symbiotic exchange of body temperature for knowledge. Alistair had grown more fond of the other man trial-by-trial, and he'd thought frequently of ways to make Kaelrik happy and to foster his development. Of late, he determined that the other man would need to return to his studies into Domain Magic, and Alistair would assist him down that path.

But he had been busy, securing the deal he'd only just finalized, and working through the rungs of the Guild-ladder for influence and appointments that others thought rightly belonged to the businesses of local Quacians. Alistair had worked relentlessly to secure a position of prominence within the Guild, and if anything the present trial had given it to him, at least in effect.

Not long after he settled by the fire and removed his long coat did the mage rise, hanging it upon the foyer rack and guiding his feet up the wooden stairwell to meet the object of his spark's intrigue. As if guided to him, the mage knew that Kaelrik resided within the master bedroom and the two seemed to synchronously seek one another out. When Alistair stepped through the door only to be quickly greeted by the taller man, he smiled warmly and raised his legs to his knees so as to remove his well-fitted derby shoes.

"It was successful indeed, my Havendal," he stated with a warmth in his tone. A smile fulfilled his features, from his cheeks to his lips to his eyes. Alistair stepped over to the other man, now barefoot once his socks had been removed, and seated himself beside him. He leaned into Kaelrik's shoulder and shifted his position to lay soft against the other man's warmth. "I'm home for the evening. What have you been doing, Kaelrik? Not waiting here for me all day, I hope? I don't want you to have to stunt your development for my sake," he stated.

Alistair extended out his legs, his feet near to the fire, and yawned. Then, he shut his eyes and laid his head into the other man's lap. "I've been thinking; all of this time you've devoted to me for my comfort, I've spent reading books and writing business proposals. I was thinking, today, we could do something for you. Teach you things, about Rupturing or the body or... anything. What would you like to know, Havendal? If anything."

He shifted his vision, his narrowed eyes slightly open. "And... I hope you're well. I missed you while I was gone."

[Kaelrik]

As soon as Alistair’s head was in his lap, Kaelrik was immediately massaging the man’s scalp. He slid his fingers through the nobleman’s hair. The Lotharro’s gaze focused on the lines of tension he saw in his Kindal’s jaw. He smoothed his fingers over Alistair’s defined jawline, working to ease the stiff muscles and urge his life-bond partner into a more relaxed state. When he felt the tension bleed out of Alistair’s jaw, Kaelrik’s fingers slid down to the muscles of the man’s neck. He firmly pressed his fingers into the mage’s neck, working on using both his natural body warmth and the massaging to banish his partner’s discomfort.

“I am glad for your success, Alistair.” Kaelrik was sincere. When the two of them had first been reintroduced to each other, both of them had been in very dark states. Kaelrik had watched as Alistair had forlornly isolated himself to all but his work and those purely close to him. There had been no reaching him and likewise, Kaelrik had not wanted to reach out. As the seasons had passed however and life in Quacia grew on both of them as they adapted to it, Kaelrik had seen small changes. Ever since Kaelrik had bonded with his Kin element, he’d found a more healthy way forward from his ordeal’s than simply throwing himself into a blood pit to feel something other than crushing numbness. Now, after they had both shared in the Initiation of Rupturing and discovered their life-bond, Kaelrik was feeling like less of a slave and more of a man again.

“You have kept me from nothing, Kindal. But I am eager to learn more.” He chuckled and leaned down touching his nose to the tip of Alistair’s. He closed his indigo eyes and just breathed in the man’s scent. There was a uniqueness to Alistair’s smell that was hard to place for Kaelrik. The sweet smell of old roses mixed with the spice of something exotic with touches of another scent that felt almost ethereal to Kaelrik’s senses. The Lotharro slid his hands over the broad expanse of Alistair’s front. His fingers continued to press and knead at tense muscles rhythmically. Following the man’s confession of having missed him, Kaelrik laughed softly. He brushed their noses together before letting out a long content breath. Resting their foreheads together, he opened his eyes with a smile.

“I missed you too.” Kaelrik tugged Alistair upwards and into his lap more comfortably, giving him a brief hug around his torso.

“If you would teach me, I would like to learn more of the powers of Rupturing. I have some…ideas about how I would like to apply it. I can only do that if I master the basics of the craft.” Kaelrik had been toying with an idea in his head following the initiation into the magic of teleportation. On its own, the Lotharro believed it to already be a powerful gift. After having observed more swift and martial fighter, and having reflected on his own fighting style, Kaelrik had begun to think on how he could use the power to adapt and become a more lethal foe on the field of battle. For though he did not seek a fight with the crazed desire of a man running from his pains any longer, the fire of battle and the quest for the Lurker was still at the forefront of his mind.

“When you are ready, my Kindal, I am your eager student.”

[Alistair]

Kaelrik proved himself a dexterous masseur, effectively eliminating every last inkling of tension in Alistair's body, beginning with his temples and jawline and proceeding to his neck. Alistair continuously groaned his approval, his chest rising frequently in reaction to the powerful sensations that followed after his Havendal's firm touch. "Kaelrik..." Alistair whispered, pleased, and perhaps surprisingly he was unashamed to call his name in such an intimate manner. It was simply... like that between them. His satisfied exclamations only bolstered in frequency as the other man proceeded to massage his chest. Alistair Splintered his shirt and re-materialized it once he'd moved it from his torso, tossing the cloth to the side so as to allow his Havendal free reign of his muscles.

And he was satisfied. Their noses met; he could feel Kaelrik's warm breath. The Lotharro breathed him in, and Alistair did the same. For a moment, as Kaelrik exhaled from above unto him, Alistair opened his lips to breathe back. And for that moment, Alistair wanted to kiss him more than anything else. Perhaps Kaelrik would notice the instinctive display, as he adjusted the position of his lips to align with the other man's. As they exchanged breaths. But before long, Alistair rectified the momentary bleed of his affections, and he settled his head back upon the warm muscles of his Havendal's lap. He simply relaxed into the massage of his chest, his shoulders, his every contour from the edges of his pectorals to the curve of his sides.

Though his body had initially been tense from a long day of negotiations, Alistair was tense no longer; instead, he laid like a soft pillow in the warmth of his Havendal's accommodating embrace.

Their foreheads laid together, and the mage breathed out softly again. I missed you too, said the other man, before adjusting Alistair within his lap so that his rest was more comfortable. He was surprised to imagine that improved comfort - in his current state - was even possible, but it was. Kaelrik always found a way to make Alistair feel truly at ease.

But they had business to attend to. Though he remained in the lap of his Havendal, Alistair opened his eyes and smiled faintly as Kaelrik expressed his interest in delving deeper into the art. He nodded, as well as he could.

"I hope you're ready, then, as I'll begin," he grinned. Alistair, seemingly without moving, opened a small portal before the fireplace. It appeared like a watery vortex, and led from the perimeter around the open flame and directly to the center of their bed, beneath the canopy. When it opened, it made a strange noise as it sounded much like water bubbling and breaking through a surface through the density of compressed weight. Not all portals sounded as such, however. "Rupturing is predicated on doors," he began. "A Rupturer opens a doorway, an entry, and another, an exit. They are called the Ingress and Egress, but both sides can be entered from and exited from... generally. Even though they are generally the same, however, it is important to signify when creating a portal which side is the Ingress and which is the Egress. You do so internally, however; only you truly know."

That was the first principle. The second came shortly after.

"Second, a portal always has clear boundaries; look upon the edges of my helixes. If significantly disrupted, perhaps by a massive object crashing into them, the portal's boundaries will collapse upon themselves. Thirdly, portals do not generally dismantle those who enter or leave them, even if they collapse upon themselves; though objects are a notable exception, typically sundered in halves. There are other rules within the third principle, but... I am offering you a vague explanation. Such deep intricacies are unnecessary for a beginner."

And...

"Fourth, the distance and size of a portal both play into its expenditure of ether and the time it takes to prepare. For someone with my skill in Rupturing, even a very long distance portal is quite easy, but it will not be the same for you. Begin with small blinks and portholes, working only within your immediate perimeter," he advised. "Fifth, portals require familiarity with the area you wish to portal to. You must have been there before, and you must know the area. Memory and visualizations of that memory are exceptionally important to Rupturing, as is sight. It is a craft intimately tied, after all, to the eyes."

Alistair gestured, with his fingertips, to his own eyes which looked much like portals. A mutation that manifested this fact.

Many Rupturers typically had altered eyes, of some sort. Though Alistair's predator's purview had been a particularly intensive mutation, and a highly beneficial one.

"I'd recommend beginning with a Porthole," said the man. "That's what I opened, just now. Why don't you observe it, focus on its perimeters and edges, and attempt to recreate its construction? Your spark will guide you; you must only draw the dimensions, in a sort of metaphysical way, with your ether. Do so with your mind's eye - you will understand as you shape it. And before long, it will become an instantaneous thing."

[Kaelrik]

Kaelrik didn’t miss the intensity of Alistair’s posture. He could feel the other man move in his loose embrace. The way their breaths wove together. Kaelrik held Alistair’s gaze for a moment. He tensed very slightly before the moment passed. Kaelrik felt relief. He was ready for many things but that was still not yet one of them. There was a beat of silence before Alistair began his lesson. The air shifted and Kaelrik’s attention was immediately pulled to a portal that shimmered in the air. It came into being like ripples forming across the surface of pond. The Lotharro peered at the portal closely. His eyes roamed its surface, skimming over the shifting doorway as though he were studying the currents of an shifting pond. Excitement coiled inside of Kaelrik as he beheld something new and fascinating. That much was reflected in his eyes as he observed the portal whilst hanging on to Alistair’s every word.

Ingress and Egress. In and Out. That was the way the portal was supposed to function. It made sense considering the statement of portals being based upon doors. It was exactly what Kaelrik would have expected when dealing with portals even despite knowing so little about them. There were a few terms that Alistair used that he was not familiar with. He waited for his Kindal to finish his introduction before speaking his questions however.

“A few questions, my Kindal.” Kaelrik brushed his fingers through Alistair’s hair. “Firstly, what is a helix? Can you explain what it means to Blink? What is the difference between a Portal and a Porthole when it comes to Rupturing?” Kaelrik understood the mundane, ordinary definitions of most of those words. To blink was to simply do exactly that, blink ones eyes. A portal was a doorway. A porthole was a window in the hull of a ship. These were basic concepts. What he did not know was the definition of them when it came to magic. Every day words suddenly took on vastly different meanings when dealing with powers that completely defied an ordinary person’s abilities. As to the rest of what Alistair said, it was simple information. Requiring familiarity with a location was something he could understand being rooted into a magic like Rupturing. Being able to see and know exactly where one was going seemed, to Kaelrik, an important thing. The last thing he wanted to do was to teleport and find himself in a rather unpleasant situation due to unfamiliarity with the area.

Kaelrik reached inside of himself with his inner awareness. At first he almost instinctually reached for his Spark of Defiance. The magic was familiar to him so naturally he would turn to it first. Gently he settled the power of Defiance inside of himself and turned to the other that now rest within his soul. It was new. It was young and it seemed entirely eager to be used, urging Kaelrik to jump and run and explore. To wander where others would not. The Lotharro threaded his consciousness into the weave of that spark of magic. He opened himself up to that power, furrowing his brow ever so slightly as he concentrated.

Raising his right arm, Kaelrik extended his right hand. The veins in his arm began to glow, first with the light of his kinship with fire and then growing bluish, turning the light a deeper red bordering on violet. As the budding Rupturer focused, errant sparks of fire drifted upwards from the swirling veins in his arm. Mindful of his closeness to his life-bond partner, Kaelrik moved his arm away from Alistair so that he could channel the magic without risking harm to his Kindal. Lazy tongues of red-violet flame wrapped around Kaelrik’s arcane touched right arm before with a grunt of effort and concentration, a small circle appeared just a foot or so away from the Lotharro’s outstretched hand. The circle swirled slowly, a rotating doorway of ethereal fire that, for the briefest of moments, simply showed the ottoman that wasn’t far from where he and Alistair sat. The hole was scarcely large enough to fit a mouse through it but there it was.

“I did it!” Kaelrik’s excitement shattered his concentration resulting in the very, very rudimentary portal to blink out of existence. It had been a completely fragile thing. He wasn’t deterred however. A smile spread across Kaelrik’s features and he beamed at Alistair.

[Alistair]

Kaelrik's first question made him laugh, a smile forming at his lips before the mage loosed a round of giggles. "A helix?" he repeated him. "It's a... it's like a spiral. I wasn't speaking literally - it's just the way my portals look, sometimes. Like a helix," Alistair clarified. He did not wish to mock Kaelrik, he merely laughed at his almost gullible curiosity. Alistair realized he would need to be very responsible with how he worded things, as Kaelrik imagined him to be almost sagely in how he spoke. As for the rest...

"A blink is just a quick portal. It quickly opens, it quickly closes. It costs very little ether expenditure - for a true master like myself, with my degree of experience, it requires almost nothing from me. I could probably blink a hundred times before I felt the difference. As such, it is very useful for combat and evasion-based situations; for escaping or for closing in." He would have demonstrated with a Blinking portal of his own, but Alistair did not want to get up.

"And a Porthole is... well. It's a very small portal. A window instead of a door. It's called a Porthole probably because of how it's shaped, though I can't confirm that for certain. There are typically maximal dimensions to it, though I won't bother you with such specifics as you'll learn them instinctively on your own."

And so he did. Before long, Kaelrik focused on the task of creating his Porthole and he did so with an inner awareness that the mage found impressive. His ether stirred and flashed to life, emanating from the glow of his arm and as fiery sparks through the air. Despite this, perhaps due to Kaelrik's deference with the Element of flame, Alistair did not feel particularly afraid. Even so, the other mage pulled his arm from him and created some distance, only for the shade of flame to shift from a somewhat matte flame-like color to that of a deep blue, and then a royal indigo hue. The Porthole emerged not long after, and though its edges were malleable and prone to destruction at the lightest touch, it was an impressive portal nonetheless. Alistair marveled at the shape and the unique appearance of it, that of a spherical shape of flame.

It did not truly burn or cinder, though, it was only an aesthetic. It was fitting, though, as his portals were brine-like and formed with the appearance of a wild tide. Kaelrik's were the flame, a humorous coincidence that he thought might have not been derived by coincidence at all. After all, the young man's spark was born from his own. Perhaps all of these things had always been inherent; perhaps they'd been made to be as they were.

Regardless, he shared in the Lotharro's excitement. Alistair smiled brightly, and rose from his laying position on the other man's lap.

He caught the other man's smile, and it only deepened his grin. Alistair turned quickly to hug him, throwing his arms around his shoulder and clapping him gently on the back.

"You did!" he exclaimed, laughing, clearly infected by Kaelrik's own enthusiasm. "Impressive, impressive. Creating a portal is the core frustration for most Rupturers, as the dimensions and barriers must be clearly defined in a way that few can metaphysically understand. You, perhaps deriving from my spark and thereby Ellasin's and thereby Reyard's, have already shown proficiency in the most difficult aspect of the art. So--you'll do well," he said, his grin still glimmering. "Though we will need to be measured in your growth. Learning magic is dangerous, regardless of any inherent talent. Don't learn all too much on your own, and if you fail to perform new techniques even through several failed attempts, desist so that you do not overstep."

"The more sparks you have, the more caution you must exhibit, Havendal. Start slow. Foster your growth through paced progression."

And then, as if he'd spurted out enough obscure wisdom, Alistair returned his head to Kaelrik's lap in a soft plop as he yawned. He was truly helpless, this trial.

[Kaelrik]

Kaelrik was caught off guard by the hug but he returned it nevertheless. He wrapped his arms around his Kindal. The spark in his chest hummed softly, responding to the presence of its originator. It was truly a marvel how this bond made him feel. For years he had purposefully plunged himself into a state of emotional apathy and cold distance. His words clipped and short. While Kaelrik didn’t believe he would be breaking that way of life any time soon, nor did he have any true desire to, he could see the change in himself. He smoothed his fingers over Alistair's broad shoulders before letting the man settle back into his lap with a yawn.

Kaelrik let the silence fall between them. It did not make him uncomfortable. Words passed between himself and his Kindal when they needed to. As it stood, it was often more important to be mindful of what Alistair didn't say. The man was complex and Kaelrik didn't try to see beyond more than what Alistair showed himself to be...and he was many things. As this small lesson had proven, the depths of Alistair's mind were far beyond anything Kaelrik could really grasp. He was not daunted but excited by that prospect. To know Alistair was to know a mystery and be ever thrilled by new and unexpected things.

As Alistair settled in his lap, Kaelrik returned to gently massaging his partner. He processed the information that he'd been given. There were many rules that he did not yet fully understand but he trusted in time he would learn them. He was the student of a master after all. More than that however, Alistair comment on his natural affinity toward magic prompted the Lotharro to speak.

“Arenir.” Kaelrik turned his gaze from the crackling firelight to meet Alistair’s eyes. “My family name. It’s Arenir.”

The Lotharro turned his head to look back at the fire. Whether that name held any significance to the Rynmere nobleman, Kaelrik did not know but he gave it to him regardless.

“You’re the only person outside of Gauthrel who knows that.” Brushing his fingers through Alistair’s hair, the Lotharro gave his Kindal a small smile.

“Thank you for teaching me these things, my Kindal. I will learn them well.” Kaelrik held up a hand. The very hand that he had used to conjure the very rough and rudimentary portal. He studied his palm impassively for a few moments. Though he did not attempt to conjure another portal, for the act of summoning the first had required a great deal of concentration on his part and he could already feel himself grown tired, he did reach for the magic. He felt and drew his senses inward, an act that was as natural to him as breathing. The powers of Defiance required similar inward focus before extending power outward. He felt the edges of the Spark of Rupturing that dwelt inside of him. It was still such a young thing, he was looking forward to learning of it.

“This is a good foundation. I will build upon it. Is there more I should know?”

[Alistair]

Arenir. Alistair had no conception of the name, though he tried to remember. The way Kaelrik worded it implied to him that the name carried some degree of importance, significant enough to obscure and even to reveal to his Kindal in a moment of trust. Yet try as he would, Alistair could not recall the name. The depth of his understanding when it came to Uthaldrian history was surface-level at best, as the mage had tried to steer away from politics in his time within Gauthrel. He knew that had he even bothered to learn of such things, he would be consumed by them, and the tranquility offered to him would have been irreparably marred.

And so, Arenir was a name left unread, and unspoken by his lips. Still, Alistair nodded with a quiet display of approval as the man informed him of his surname. Kaelrik Arenir, it was.

"You're welcome," he said in response to the man's gratitude, as the mage began to rise again from his position on the Lotharro's lap. Alistair adjusted so that he sat beside him, and pressed his palms against the rug, his arms extending to keep his posture upright.

"I will teach you any time you might require my mentoring," he offered. "Though, take it slow. Don't learn all too eagerly, as magic is best explored with a degree of caution. Elsewise--"

He stopped, shaking his head. Kaelrik already knew the dangers, it was pointless to inform him, even as a form of reinforcement. Instead, he sat with the purpose of relaxing, and glanced at the other man as he inquired of any other things he might wish to learn under the man's auspicious tutoring. "Not at the moment," he said in reply. It was perhaps not the most monumental of words, but it was something. "Reflect on the five core rules of Rupturing that I imparted upon you, and ensure that you know all five incredibly well. There is also a book in my study that delves further into these five; I wrote it myself, in fact. It is called 'The Rupturer's Right', and largely explores the magic and its manifestations. I would read it when you are able - it is under the R section of my labeling," Alistair informed him.

And then, beckoning the other man to stand, he decided it was time for the two of them to enjoy a meal with one another. The mage was hungry, and selfishly keen on simple topics so as to clear the weight from his mind.

[Aegis]

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Thread Review

It's nice to see Alistair really coming into his own as a master and teacher of mages. And Kaelrik is quite the dutiful student. The flow in the dialogue and teaching was nice, didn't feel blocky or choppy like it can sometimes. Well done both of you.

Word Count: 5,132
Review Request Link: viewtopic.php?f=242&t=16103&p=114305#p114321

Kaelrik

• Skill Points - 15 (Can be used for Rupturing)
• Renown - 0
• Skill Knowledges
  1. Rupturing Rule: Portals are predicated on doorways
  2. Rupturing Rule: Portals always have clear boundaries
  3. Rupturing Rule: Portals generally don’t dismantle people
  4. Rupturing Rule: Distance and Size affect duration and strain
  5. Rupturing Rule: Portals require familiarity with destination
  6. Rupturing: Blinking is a quick, rapid succession portal
  7. Rupturing: A porthole is a small window-like portal
• Non-Skill Knowledges
• Items and Other Rewards

Alistair

• Skill Points - 15
• Renown - 0
• Skill Knowledges
  1. Rupturing: Porthole
  2. Rupturing: The Five Core Rules
• Non-Skill Knowledges
  1. Kaelrik: Surname 'Arenir'
• Items and Other Rewards

Final Notes

If you have any questions, please PM me.

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