• Closed • The Alchemical Deviation

[Elisabeth Black]

Ashan 103, Arc 722,

The enjoyment of the lesson was mutual, but then again, why wouldn’t it be? She was learning something and spending time with her favorite person - a win-win if there ever was one.

Beyond that, though, Elisabeth cherished the conversation. It wasn’t often that they could relax and enjoy a chat. It seemed simple, but their path took them down a road of complexities, ever-changing responsibilities and priorities. Sometimes, it was hard to take a moment and remember that beneath the surface of all that were two people that were crazy about each other, and that’s the one thing, in her opinion, they couldn’t lose sight of.

Once he explained that different powders were more effective with other metals, or even with the same metal, melting it quicker or slower, another question was prompted. “Is there an advantage to faster or slower melting other than the obvious one related to time?” Sometimes obvious answers were nothing but, so Elisabeth wanted to ensure she hadn’t missed something.

“For example, would some metals or materials benefit more from one or the other?” A quick clarifying query. It wasn’t required, but she didn’t want Balthazar to misunderstand the question.

It wasn’t often Balthazar opened up about his beginnings with magic. It was a very transitional time in his life, and she theorized that either he had mixed feelings about it and didn’t want to explore them more intensely, or he had decided to move on from it and put it behind him. Regardless, it always got her attention when he shared pieces of that life with her.

It was hard not to smile, getting to converse with a mind like his on interesting topics. Indeed, the Balthazar he once was no longer existed, but as the mage stated, everyone changed and grew. Evolution, through time and experience. Neither of them was the same people that had met in the tavern in Rharne. Simpler versions, altered slightly through what they had been through since, and different.

She considered what he said and offered her own thoughts. “I think sometimes people have a profound need to simplify things and put them into neat boxes so they don’t have to expend energy considering them any longer. It takes a unique mind to resist the temptation.”

Grinning, she continued. “I also think no two mages would describe sparks or magic the same. Having studied and considered the matter, I contend it’s a very individual experience. What you and Praetorum have shared with me sometimes is vastly different than my own unique experience with defiance."

The conversation skimmed Immortal marks for a moment. As usual, Elisabeth had thoughts about those but decided to keep them to herself for the time being. Marks were curious creatures and could fill an entire conversation themselves, so it was best to wait for a time when they could delve into that subject entirely instead of being a side note in a different one.

As soon as he began speaking about a ‘professor,’ Elisabeth knew he was talking about Doran. The two men had a history that seemed good at one point but had soured along the way. Balthazar didn’t like talking about it, so the new information gave the young woman insight she needed.

Necromancy was a complex subject for her, and what he said didn’t simplify it in her mind. Well, that wasn’t true. Elisabeth wasn’t a fan of the discipline, and her opinion was slanted close enough to what he said for her to offer an idea.

“Or does it require a certain type of person to merge with a necromancy spark? From what I understand, a spark can refuse a person, so is there some underlying trait or weakness it looks for?” Elisabeth had no clue as to the answer – no one did. Mages were still struggling to understand what was within them, prompting another question.

“I’ve often wondered how non-mages have come to loath mages and magic when even we don’t have a solid understanding of what a spark is? They have less information than mages, yet things like Immortal marks are seemingly accepted as good. Or being Forged. I confess I don’t understand.”

Waving her hand slightly, dismissing the random thought, Elisabeth returned her mind to necromancy.

“Anyway, I agree about society. It must be a contributing component. The question is how much of one, and I’m not sure anyone has the answer.”

Smiling, she turned to regard him. “Seeking to understand people is part of the journey. I’m not sure you’ve fully given up, love. Is it daunting? Certainly, but I have hope that if I can effect change, the world might be a little bit of a better place for us and future generations.”

The conversation quickly turned dark, the horror of Balthazar’s trial coming to light again and its lasting effects on him. It was easy to forget how much he continually endured because he outwardly showed no stress signs, but Elisabeth knew.

Quickly deciding to change the subject, Elisabeth did what she could to distract Balthazar from going down that rabbit hole, spotting something in the corner of the workshop. ”Oh, that’s right. You brought those here so we could look at them. We need to do that.”

The items were easily identifiable as the presents received at their wedding that didn’t identify a sender. Carefully, they had been moved to the workshop so the pair could look at them, but clean-up from the wedding took time. Well, in addition to spending a lot of quality moments with her new husband.

He indicated it was time to join the cloth and metal, ready to follow whatever demonstration he gave.

[Balthazar Black]

103 Ashan 722

"Not for this use." Balthazar said rather simply when Elisabeth asked if there was a benefit to using certain powders with certain metals. "In reality, the powder is a chemical mixture that produces a reaction to increase heat. For this, it helps metal melt faster. If you wanted to make bombs, which is what I tend to use alchemy for, then the powder you employ would matter more." In his opinion, which was based in his alchemical knowledge, all that the powders he was using now did was save time. Bomb making was different. It had many factors and most of them still escaped him. He knew how to make powder explosives but turning the powder into a gas in the air? That was more difficult. Turning the powder into a gas with a specific effect? Even harder. He had only recently figured out how to turn powder into smoke and smoke did little but provide a momentary concealment which could have been achieved by creating a bright flash of light instead.

He could tell Elisabeth was intrigued by him opening up about his early experiences with magic but he had a very specific reason for not opening up about it to her. A reason with a name that Elisabeth seemed to physically fight rolling her eyes at. A reason who killed his first master and had been the first person he loved. A reason who lead him into a life entirely opposite of the one he lived now. He could rarely find a way to discuss one thing without mentioning the other and he knew that Elisabeth did not like hearing about Isabella. As a result he often found himself having to avoid opening up about certain topics and, in honesty, the majority of his life before he'd come to Scalvoris. Beneath, he even had to avoid mentioning why he had left Yaralon to begin with.

Elisabeth spoke of the more academic conversation that they were having on the side. The conversation about sparks and what they did compared to how they were perceived by the people who did not have to live with them. Balthazar shrugged slightly. "I'm inclined to agree with you but the problem is that there are academics who study these things. However they feel more like... well more like Anton Callipo. Unless- and I say this while suspecting that there might be, unless there are individuals dissecting mages and toying with the bits of their souls, I don't know what defines the box that mages are hurled into. Every spark is different, even within the same domains. I can't deny an endless curiosity about why the Zuuda and their immortal hate us so much- especially when Vri seems to approve. Vri and Famula seemed like they would have gone hand and hand to me for the longest time. Yet, we may never really know." He took a breath as he finished working on his cloth by submerging it into the mixture for a few bits. He moved quickly into his workshop and brought out a small drying rack for the two of them to use, accidentally leaving the door to his workshop open.

He hung his cloth on the drying rack when it was ready and slid his bowl under it to catch whatever bits of the solution dripped down onto it. As he carefully laid his cloth on the rack, a strange thought occurred to him which he wanted to test but he would not test until the cloth had dried. "Transmutation allows me to touch and identify all of what a material is... I wonder what it would feel like to test one of these cloths. It is no longer just a cloth but it will have the consistency of one. It would have the strength of steel though. When I touch steel, it tells me the quality of the steel... weak points, stress points... those sorts of things. I've never tested it on something made with alchemy. I left the Elements before I had the time to give them the formula for this..." As he said that, something dawned on him and a slightly dark look crossed over his face. "Don't share this with them. I taught you because of what we are. If they want to know how to make clothing and cloaks as effective as armor, they can come to me or they can find another alchemist. The fact that they haven't yet... well... it speaks to the quality of who they work with- or the budget they are willing to expend." He gave a shrug and the dark look passed from him. "It's not exactly a cheap process to produce in mass. Even I used scraps from the forge for this and I have good equipment."

"After a few more trills, move your cloth onto the drying rack and we will let it sit for a while. When it dries, the cloth should be as strong as steel. Maybe a little less flexible if we made a mistake, but better than steel plate and almost as useful." Balthazar explained the final steps before addressing the other things that had been said so they could put the lesson behind them and enjoy the conversation that they were having. He felt it was important to get the lesson resolved first, then move on with more enjoyable topics. He waited and watched her put her own strip of cloth on the rack, and then continued to address what they'd been talking about as far as sparks and the dark magic went.

"I would agree with that theory if I had not survived four very different initiations." Balthazar said with a thoughtful look on his face. "It isn't the spark which refuses, it is the person who fails to succeed. With Defiance, if we didn't surrender to the element we were submerged in- it would have consumed us. With Rupturing, if I failed to stay composed, I'd have been... well, it's unpleasant to think about but the success relied almost entirely on my composure. Failing Attunement would only have deafened me and failing Transmutation would have stranded me in Emea- but I've survived that before." Balthazar gave a brief explanation of his personal experiences with initiations as a way of proving a point. The point being that while Elisabeth's initiation was entirely one where she'd have died or succeeded, not all were. As to her other question, the one about non-mages loathing those with sorcerous power, Balthazar had a somewhat easier answer.

"Immortal marks signify that and Immortal chose to bestow power on you. Immortals are worshipped so people tend to like them. That doesn't mean someone marked with Syroa or Sintra's mark would be liked any more than mages. For the marks, the local opinion of the Immortal is all that seems to matter. Vri is not heavily worshipped here, in fact he is not often talked about, but the fact that I carry his mark has given me credibility in some circles. Your marks do the same since your Immortals are generally liked. The Forging is the same to an extent. If all people knew about the Induks was the extensive damage that freeing them had caused, they would treat Forged the way that they treat mages. However the Forged have, more or less, done good for the people. It is the same reason that people in Rharne support those gifted with powers from Lovalus. More often than not, mages have done bad things and they are capable of mass destruction. Thats why they love to use us to fight their wars. Even I was not a perfect mage at the beginning. Rupturing was a path to crime. Defiance was a path to intimidate my enemies." He shrugged to avoid going further into how he'd abused his magic in the beginning... well before the systems of society sought to imprison him because they thought he could not control it. He could. He did not get to the level of power and control that he had without controlling the impulses. It was just the choices he made which people blamed the sparks for. Did the sparks contribute? Sure. He wouldn't have ever thought to intimidate a man by shoving his head through a portal and threatening to shut it if he could not have done that- but it was a choice he had made.

As for the notion that he had not given up on making people understand, Elisabeth did not seem to believe him. He dismissed her notion that he hadn't given up with a shake of his head. "People will believe what they want, so I will do as I want... but I will not let my lessers abuse me again... or get my animals killed." He said in a quiet voice, almost to himself. He was still bitter about how he and Elisabeth could have been taken but they paid no mind to the steed he had clearly shown up on. Elisabeth quickly shifted the topic to a few things she had spotted through his open workshop door and Balthazar briefly turned his head to glance in at the items. He'd only moved the unlabeled items in there to ensure that nothing dangerous came from them. Unlabeled items could have been quite dangerous for them and given what had happened at the wedding, he was unsure of their nature. "As long as they don't throw me around the room like your necklace did, I agree. I've left them alone so far but a little attuning and transmuting could reveal something."

[Elisabeth Black]

Ashan 103, Arc 722,

Elisabeth nodded as he explained about the powder. Different powders had different effects. Boiled down to the simplest parts, Alchemy was about experimentation. How could it not when there were virtually millions of possible combinations of materials and regents? Could a particular mix of materials cause a regent to react differently to them? It was an intriguing question.

As much as she enjoyed being taught by Balthazar, Elisabeth knew he was only doing so because she had asked. Her husband always tried to do right by her, indulging her curiosity and academic leanings when he could. If she had to guess, she'd say he didn't enjoy the teaching aspect of learning, but then again, there was nothing wrong with that. His learning style was more instinctual than hers, and that didn't necessarily translate well to explaining to another how you obtained said information.

She was different in that regard. Almost everything Elisabeth did meant some level of instructing others, explaining the hows and whys, and fielding questions. Perhaps it was her own academic upbringing, but it had never occurred to her to be bothered by it. It's just who she was and how she lived her life.

As for his past, well…she was very aware that there was a barrier to him speaking of it, and that barrier had a name. A name Elisabeth hated if she were being truthful, and 'hate' was a tough place to get the young woman to.

Magic, however, was a subject Balthazar was always willing to discuss.

Logic told her that experimentation on mages was a strong possibility, but the very thought of it turned her stomach. It was the ugly side of academics that she didn't understand. The unquenchable urge to discover? That she could grasp, but curiosity, urges, and whims needed tempering, and just because you could do something didn't always mean one should.

Adding Immortals into the mix just muddled matters. Lacking information on how they truly felt about sparks and their origins, Elisabeth had little opinion on the subject. It seemed to her, and perhaps it wasn't true, but it felt like the Immortals she had any experience with were as mystified about sparks as those that bore them were - not reassuring in the least.

However, there was a point Balthazar was trying to make, and she saw that. "I wish I could make heads or tails of that relationship – Vri and Famula. It makes sense on a certain level that they see eye to eye on most things. In this case, it feels like maybe Famula just takes the matter more seriously. Perhaps it touches a bit closer to her domains than that of Vri. Who knows the mind and heart of an Immortal? I doubt I will ever understand, but that doesn't mean I won't continue to try. Especially since several of them keep making appearances in our lives." She didn't know how to answer the questions posed, but anyone that knew her knew that the unknown drew her in like a moth to a flame, and the challenge was not getting burned.

As she copied Balthazar's movements and actions, placing her own cloth on the drying rack, he explained the line where magic and alchemy met. She knew he possessed four sparks, but her experience with those was limited to defiance and attunement. Technically she had witnessed him use transmutation once in Viden. He discussed Rupturing a great deal, but she had never seen him using it. In truth, he might have witnessed her use magic more than the reverse.

"Try it? It's the only way you'll ever know." Grinning softly at him, she knew he already knew that because it was his modus operandi. Screw around and find out. Well, not to that extent, but again, Balthazar was much more the instinctual, experimentation kind of guy.

The thought brought up an intriguing question. "So, we could meld our abilities as defiers with the more practical aspects of alchemy? Like a burning flame and imbue an object with a fire that can't be extinguished." She had to admit that the more they talked, the more questions popped into her curious mind.

"Are effects stackable? Could you perhaps add something else's properties to this cloth without sacrificing the strength we've already given it? For example, the fire-resistant phoenix wood here on Faldrass – could that trait be added?" Wait, if they transferred the qualities of the metal over to the cloth, did that mean it was already fire-resistant? Could you pick and choose traits?

So many questions and so little time.

His statement about her sharing the knowledge he gave her prompted a severe look to cross her face. Why on Idalos would he ever think she would do such a thing? Jacien hadn't recruited her for her non-existent alchemy knowledge. At least, she hoped not because she'd have to rethink her assessment of the man.

She had to believe Balthazar knew it wouldn't be a concern, that he knew what they spoke of in private was sacred and privileged to her. Because of that, Elisabeth opted not to give her reply air.

The young woman continued to consider it as he wrapped up the lesson, explaining the final results. Her husband's abbreviated manner confirmed that he wanted to wrap up the task and move on with their conversation, and she couldn't blame him for that. They weren't often afforded the chance to converse on magic in the depths they were, so it was something of a luxury.

Back in Rharne, Elisabeth had survived the terrifying defiance initiation. The mage hadn't thought much of what discipline it had taken Balthazar to agree to the attempt but now? There was a deep appreciation for what he had gone through. If the roles were reversed, knowing what she knew now, could she have initiated him?

No. Knowing that most initiations ended in death, no.

There would be no further initiations for Elisabeth Black. She had no desire for more sparks, and even if she had, Elisabeth was firmly convinced that her husband would flat-out refuse.

Listening to him spell out each initiation he had suffered made her wonder what had driven him to be initiated over and over. Magic was a part of Balthazar, and Elisabeth would never deny him that or force his hand, but it often scared her, knowing that sometrail magic might take him away from her. It also wasn't lost on her that perhaps one of the reasons she so often reminded him of her love was that, if that trial ever came, it would be one of the last things she said to her husband, and she desired that memory for both of them.

His points made sense regarding Immortals and Induks. Were most mages…. evil? That was certainly a new perspective. Elisabeth knew that with power, one could choose a few different paths. Good or evil. For the benefit of others or themselves. Balthazar would likely argue that it wasn't a simple matter of putting mages into boxes, and while she understood that viewpoint, her own was even more straightforward. Magic, in her option, enhanced what was already within the mage. She had no proof, of course, but from her own experience, it felt right. A person tending to a path of darkness would succumb once power was obtained. Someone like her, who surrounded herself with light, would see it as an opportunity to use her abilities for good. This wouldn't always hold true, but there were always outliers and anomalies.

Her thoughts, however, were jogged as Balthazar mentioned not being a perfect mage, prompting a smile. "No one is, love. Not you nor I. No one is perfect. We do our best, and that's all we can do. People, and mages, will make mistakes along the way, but it's how we react to the mistakes that more defines who we are than the mistake itself."

She noted the signs that her husband was slipping into a dark place and quickly adjusted, drawing his attention to the wedding items he had placed in the workshop. "Well, we are done with the lesson, it seems. Now is as good a time as ever, although I can't guarantee anything regarding their disposition or attitude towards you. But at least this time, I won't be on your lap."

Despite her necklace's surly demeanor towards Balthazar, that memory was one of her favorites. A simpler time for the pair, bound within the hushed whispers of a night in a far-off place. There were moments she wished that they could go back to Rharne and reclaim a more quiet pace of life, but such a thing was not in the cards for the Blacks – the universe had seen to that.

"Balthazar," she said, voice soft, a sigh escaping. "Do you ever think about us going back to Rharne sometrial?"

[Balthazar Black]

103 Ashan 722

Balthazar said nothing more on the topic of Vri and Famula. He was far from a priest but he had the literature on the immortals. Specifically on the two of those. He sought to understand Vri so he could feel closer to the immortal. He sought to understand Famula because he knew death was not always the end and Famula's servants were more equip to combat the lingering specters than he was. However her servants were also likely to hold their own bias against him for what he'd done to his own soul over and over again. That was why he turned to the books. In the books he could find information that others might not have freely given. He had a surprisingly large number of books for someone who had never really invested himself in book learning. He had knowledge that the average person did not about magic as well which had come from books and not personal experience. Books were... useful at times. He did however offer a comment on Elisabeth's remark about immortals appearing frequently in their lives.

"Not only our lives- if you think about it." He said, "I used to wonder how people wrote books on the Immortals but now it doesn't seem so difficult. Not that I'd have the patience to sit down and write." He let out a small, breathy laugh, "Not that my eyes would allow me to either." He was unsure if Elisabeth remembered the mutation that left him relatively dyslexic when not in motion but he didn't think it relevant enough to delve further into. She had plenty of questions relating to the alchemical process they were working on and questions of theory which were more interesting.

She didn't present thoughts he had not considered before but he admired that she was thinking along the same lines as he was. One of the many things he admired about her. She urged him to try and to discover the answer to his own inquiry about transmutation but he shook his head. "Controlling the sparks starts with the little things. I give into an impulse now and I might not be able to resist a more dangerous one later. It's good to practice control as much as it is to practice the magic itself... and I can always try later." Balthazar gave a small shrug. He was not there to practice his impulsive magic. He was there to be with Elisabeth and teaching her alchemy was just a bonus. Besides, experimenting with magic could easily have had negative consequences. Channeling ether through the soul was never an entirely safe thing.

In regards to her questions about imbuing items with magical qualities and stacking effects, Balthazar had to think before he answered. "I don't know that an undying flame could be made. Blood magic, in most applications I could imagine, still requires a something to trigger it for it to function. Connecting that trigger to the effect is the difficult part. Either way, better not to play with fire too much in a wooden settlement." Balthazar smirked at the joke he'd made and continued, "Effects can be applied onto each other but the quality of the result might get diminished. Experimenting is the only way to really figure it out. As for the fire resistant wood- probably. Though I had considered turning it into a sort of paste or... paint? I just don't know how to make paint. Fire proof paint would be useful for the settlement and come to think of it, Almund." Still, he didn't know how to make paint. "In general I've only worked with imbuing one quality, but again, bombs were my focus."

He did notice that she didn't say anything about his request that she not share her knowledge with the Elements. He chose to respect her desire not to continue that line of conversation and he said nothing to bring it up again. When Elisabeth said that no one was a perfect mage and included herself in the broad stroke, Balthazar shook his head defiantly. He let her finish what she was saying but he certainly disagreed with the notion she was not the perfect mage. "You are one of the most perfect mages I have ever known," he said, "You're a good leader, you have a kind heart, and you've never used your magic to hurt those who didn't try to hurt you first. You have greater control over your spark than I did for a long time."

Compliment paid, the conversation moved back to the items from their wedding. When she said that at least this time she wouldn't be on his lap if something went wrong, he smirked. "You say that like it's a good thing." He teased. Crude, but funny to him. Yet shortly after she asked a question he hadn't been expecting. Did he ever think about going back to Rharne?

"I spend more time thinking on the past than I do thinking on the future." Balthazar admit, "If there were some faster way to go, maybe- or some pressing reason. Why? Have you been thinking about it?"

[Elisabeth Black]

Ashan 103, Arc 722,

It occurred to her right then that learning with Balthazar was one of her favorite things to do. For her, having him answer and ask questions allowed her windows into an extraordinary mind that she cherished so very much; his smiles were a bonus. It didn't matter if one was teaching the other or they were learning together, the point being that it was always an activity that brought them closer together.

The point about the Immortals was fair, but then again, they could write a book because of their combined varied experiences. The settlers, in contrast, only knew what they knew through what the pair told them. She enjoyed the laugh, though – he didn't laugh enough, in her opinion, despite Elisabeth's best efforts.

With a soft smile, Elisabeth replied, chuckling. "I'll write anything you need to be written, love. All you need to do is ask. You talk, I'll write." Of course, he also pointed out his issue with patience, but that was purely a matter of motivation. If he wanted to do something, he'd find the patience for it, although writing a book on the Immortals probably fell into something other than that category.

Their conversation moved on to his transmutation spark, and as he described it to her, the mage began to understand a bit better. Discipline was a beast that they both fought to maintain, but he, as a mage with four 'elder' sparks – her term for his more advanced skills – had to employ it to a degree that seemed unfathomable to her.

"Ah, so no going down the proverbial rabbit hole? I understand. I fear I don't understand the urges as well as you do, but I know enough, I think."

His next joke brought another smile to her face, a mischievous glint within her sapphire gaze. "No fire? Oh boy, with two defiance mages with fire as their kin, danger might lurk around every corner of Haven." She knew he was teasing, of course – both had control over their abilities – but she couldn't resist prodding him in return.

Still, what he said about effects was interesting. When the topic of paint came up, Elisabeth shrugged her shoulders a bit. "I read something about the process once. The Baron even mentioned it in his books, talking to someone about the process. The quick way to make paint was to introduce a pigment from a natural source to oil. The mixture will harden, so you must work with a fresh batch to apply, but I'm sure there are other ways too."

The compliment was a bit of a shock, met with a gentle blush. Balthazar did not compliment people on a whim or blindly – even her. He meant every word, which meant more to her than he would ever know.

Yet, she still found room to remark. Her husband was an extraordinary man who never thought of himself as such, and Elisabeth often felt the need to reinforce it. "Because of you, Balthazar. You are a good man. You were the one that told me to make meditation my focus and hone discipline almost from the moment we met, even before I became a mage. As for being a good leader, you and the settlers helped teach me. I'm not dismissing my part in it, but no one becomes great on their own. I am a product of my experiences and those I've met along the way. I carry you all with me. "

Again, the urge to tease surfaced. "Perhaps that's why I'm so tired all the time…."

The teasing continued as he bantered with her, voicing his opinion regarding the lap comment. That remark gained a loud laugh as she turned and poked his belly playfully. "Don't tempt me. I'm certain I could be convinced that the presents could wait." To emphasize her point, Elisabeth quickly stood on her toes and kissed him firmly, gently caressing the mage's face.

It lasted precisely as long as it needed to before Elisabeth released him, an impish smile on her face as she stepped back. Their kisses always held a bit of magic for her, transporting her back to their first kiss.

Regardless of the moment, words continued, this time prompted by her query. She hadn't been sure how Balthazar would respond to the mention of Rharne, but his curiosity about the reason for her remark wasn't surprising.

"Sometimes. The happenings in Rharne bother me. I'm worried something bad is happening there, and part of me wants to find out what." It wasn't a secret that Elisabeth's feelings about the city were a mixed bag. Still, the attack on the tournament cemented her opinion that Syroa's minions had a far deeper hold on the town than most thought - a big concern. "I know I shouldn't worry – Ilaren's there, after all – but still, I do."

[Balthazar Black]

103 Ashan 722

Balthazar said little else about the idea of writing a book. While he might have enjoyed the offer, he didn't think he had the patience to go through with such an endeavor. He would have appreciated her effort, but he also knew he'd have grown bored by the task over time. There were better ways to leave his memories of Immortals for others to see. Easier ways. If Elisabeth ever chose to really work on a book about the strange things they'd seen, he would support her as best he could. He would always try to support her as best he could but in his opinion they had enough going on to keep them busy already. Haven was growing and it needed them. The company would be finding its feet sooner or later as well. There were many things to do before sitting down to write.

He nodded in agreement with her summation of why he didn't want to explore the curiosity he had for the moment. Discipline was easier maintained when it was maintained all the time and if he let an urge take hold now, it could be harder to resist it in a moment that really mattered. Magic was, in a harsh way, a lot like an addiction.

"We jest, but there was a fire early into my time leading here. Part of me worries it is because of my magic." Balthazar said, referring to a fire outbreak that had occurred in one of the early settler homes. Fortunately he could repair most structures with the power Lovalus gave him so the damage did not linger, but the memory and the danger did. Elisabeth commented on his idea about paint and Balthazar raised a curious brow. "It might be worth exploring then, if you think what you learned in the books can help you do it. It'll take me longer but it seems you have an idea already."

When it came to her reaction to what he had said about her as a mage, he couldn't help but disagree. He was a good man to her, but the world at large probably wouldn't have agreed. Fortunately he gave nothing away with his reaction. He kept all his expression level. All the experience and knowledge he had given her, he had learned by being objectively reckless. Reckless and dangerous. Yaralon was no place for good people and it was where he had come from. Elisabeth kissed him and he kissed her, momentarily forgetting his own thoughts before they separated again and he was left to say... anything. "You are more enlightened than I." He said simply to resolve the topic with no argument. He did not feel good, even if she believed he was. He didn't feel evil either though. He felt... somewhere between. He felt necessary.

Then Elisabeth spoke about Rharne and her fears that there was something going on there. He had a similar feeling but he had experienced the price of trying to help everyone. Few people were ever as grateful for your help after the fact as they were when they wanted the help. Rharne had been better than most place. There were many good things about it. The cultists were not one of those things. "I learned the hard way that we can't be everywhere at once." Balthazar said in regard to Elisabeth's concern. "We have a duty to the people here. If we leave them again to go to Rharne and something keeps us there- what happens to Haven? They can survive without us for a time but... you wouldn't be considered the leader if they could thrive without you." Balthazar said. "Besides, if we are really needed, we will be taken there. It wouldn't be the first time. "

[Elisabeth Black]

Ashan 103, Arc 722,

His comment about her "idea" prompted a soft laugh from Elisabeth. "I'm full of ideas, love. Some stay that while others progress into action. In this case, I think we have a viable concept. If we can imbue paint with the ability to be fire-resistant, that opens the door to other enhancements, such as paint that strengthens the base material. Regardless, I'd be curious to give it a go and see what happens. Especially if I get to work with my favorite lab partner." The remark was punctuated by a soft hip bump and smile, a reminder of times gone by. Life for the pair was often overshadowed by the severe nature of life and death, so lighter moments were something to be treasured.

There was something authentic and genuine about how the couple viewed each other. Elisabeth knew he felt she put him on a pedestal, but Balthazar maybe didn't realize he tended to exhibit the same trait towards her. In her eyes, the way they allowed themselves to be vulnerable with each other was due to the strength of their relationship. Sharing their thoughts and concerns, being a team, and supporting each other were just part of who they were. In truth, who they had been since the first time they met - each other's safe place and sanctuary.

Regardless, it was always evident to her that Balthazar struggled with her views of him. He rarely said as much, but Elisabeth knew her husband better than anyone else. Witness to his many sleepless nights and restless nature, their relationship gave her a front-row seat to who the mage was, and she didn't need his words to know how he felt or sense what he was holding back.

Gone were the days that she drew attention to it, however. The young woman had learned in her time with him that while her own intuitive nature was an asset in some ways, it was best to allow her husband to voice his feelings and concerns in his own time. Preempting them rarely yielded the desired result.

What he did feel compelled to talk about, however, was his feeling that her place was still with Haven. They had discussed it a few times before, and Elisabeth understood her husband's worry that she would eventually spread herself too thin. She, like him, had a propensity to want to help everyone, and he had identified that impulse early on in their relationship. It wasn't the first time Balthazar cautioned her, nor would it be the last.

"I know. Believe me; I'm happy here in Haven. I just…" she began, trailing off as her mind searched for the words. "There are things that feel unfinished. They nag at the back of my mind, poking and prodding."

Walking over to where the pair had placed their wedding gifts, currently occupying a corner of the workshop, her eyes fell on the three without labels - a small glass coin, a matching set of white feather quills, and the most exquisite mirror Elisabeth had ever seen. Like all the other presents, each had been handled with the utmost care, but owing to their unknown origins, the couple had communicated the feeling that they needed to give them a bit of extra attention.

Glancing at the coin and then to Balthazar, she began there. "Glass coin. If I had to guess, I'd say Chamadarst. I possess another he gave to me during the Forging."

As for the other two items, she had little idea who might have left those for them. Her mind tried not to jump to Immortals, but the wedding events made the possibility more concrete. Faith and hope in the sacred nature of their union buoyed her belief that despite whatever might have transpired, none would wish ill on the new couple as they embarked on their life together.

It was that faith that prompted her to take up the glass coin. Chamadarst had been part of her wedding day – that was clear. Whether he was the mysterious gifter or not, it was time to put her broader faith to the test and let the paranoid nature created by experience sleep for a time.

As for the mirror, she had thoughts about that. "Such an extraordinary gift deserves a beautiful place to hang it. I was thinking about the main room of Haven House, between the bookshelves, where it can be the centerpiece."

The pair of quills seemed self-explanatory, but then again, as she knew all too well, things were often not as they appeared.

[Balthazar Black]

103 Ashan 722

Balthazar allowed himself to be knocked aside, perhaps dramatically, in response to Elisabeth'd hip bump but he recovered quickly to finish the alchemy lesson. He didn't comment further on her ideas about the types of things they could do with paint because he knew it was a rabbit hole they didn't want to go down. If they could make a paint with blood magic, could he draw portals? He'd probably need a lot more blood to do something like that. He did however say something about the lab partner comment. "I have less and less time for alchemy, but I'm sure we could make it work." He wouldn't mind trying to adjust things. He couldn't create time and he couldn't be in two places at once... but he could move around pretty quickly.

He understood what she said about feeling like things were unfinished. "I know the feeling." He said quietly before they went to look at the gifts they'd been given without any labels. "But again, we can't be everywhere. It doesn't mean we're trapped here. I can keep an ear out for anything familiar outside of Scalvoris though, if you'd like, but I think we should focus on things closer to home." Such as the many mysterious gifts sitting just outside their home which they were going to poke and prod out of curiosity. Elisabeth wasted no time touching the coin once they'd set their mind to investigate the mystery gifts. They knew they were safe to move because they'd put them in the workshop but still... there was a moment he thought it might blow up. Just like the mean necklace.

Elisabeth felt the coin was from Chamadarst and she had fairly sound reasoning. He'd already given her a similar coin. Still, it could have just been that someone gave them a glass coin because they didn't know what to bring. Well that felt increasingly less likely. "It sounds likely." He said, "I can attune and find out, but if I don't have to I'd rather not risk another-" He made a gesture like being thrown around the room. "I suppose that goes for everything. How curious are we?" He pointed out with a resigned shrug. He would probably be thrown against a wall before the trial was out.

Elisabeth moved on from the coin, looking towards the mirror with an idea of where to put it already. Interior design was not exactly Balthazar's thing but he didn't like the thought of being watched through the mysterious mirror. Putting it on display in Haven House would give a watcher a good deal of access. But maybe it was just a mirror? Maybe there was nothing sinister and the tag was simply misplaced so it seemed mysterious. "It would be a shame to leave it sitting in the workshop." Balthazar said, deciding that Elisabeth's idea was probably for the best. It was a nice looking mirror but Balthazar did not tend to spend much time looking in mirrors. "We'll have to make sure it's secure on the wall so it doesn't break." He would get to the quills after they settled on the mirror and the coin but there were two quills and two of them so it didn't seem like a hard decision to split them.

[Balthazar Black]

Rewards Requested

Notes/Warnings: I am unfortunately going through and submitting old, unfinished threads with Balthazar and Elisabeth. I'm only claiming the knowledges in the code so if I miss some, oh well. They investigate some of their wedding presents but we never got far enough to actually use magic on them.

Thread: The Alchemical Deviation
City/Area: Faldrass Island

Renown: None, this was a private lesson.
Wealth Points: None
Collaboration: Yes
Local Language Thread? No

!	Message from: Pig Boy
	Done!

[Pig Boy]

Elisabeth Black

Feedback

Come back we miss you

But since I'm here I'll give a full feedback on the story. I really can't help but admire her inquisitive nature. I thought her reflection on her strange relationship to the way things are in Viden, and her own upbringing in that culture were interesting.

She asks many good questions from Balthazar, and receives many dubious answers (JK). Balthazar seemed like a good teacher for Elisabeth. She seems to respond well to his style of teaching.

At the same time, she doesn't let facts that he delivers to her go unquestioned in themselves, showing her chops as a academic woman. She always asks follow-up questions, just shining through with her intelligence.

Great writing. Come back immediately.

Rewards

• XP: 15

Knowledges

• Leadership: Leaders sometimes will have to fill needs by learning new skills
• Teaching: Adjusting instruction to fit the student
• Alchemy: Alchemy benefits from a mix of many different skills
• Alchemy: Some primers don't need specific measuring
• Alchemy: Different powders react in unique ways with each metal
• Psychology: Nature vs Nurture can pop up in unexpected places

Balthazar Black

Feedback

I will say, while Balthazar's' teaching method may be effective, I'm not entirely confident that he's giving the correct information. Not necessarily about alchemy (although you have to admit he's very vague in his description of the process to Elisabeth at times), but more about magic in general. All magic is physical? I did not know this. I guess in a manner of speaking magic can be used to effect the physical world, but there are some that only act upon perception, or emotions, such as Empathy.

Still, can't fault him. He's reflecting on some heavy topics while trying to teach, his tiffs with Syroa, his adventures in Rharne with Elisabeth, and also struggling with obligations to Haven and so on.

At least Balthazar and Elisabeth had each other here. They work well off each other.

Great writing.

Rewards

• XP: 15

Knowledges

• Teaching: Setting a student's expectations
• Teaching: Theory and Practice are very different
• Teaching: Giving a lesson on magic physicality
• Teaching: Students who focus make teaching easier
• Teaching: Finish the lesson quickly for social students