(23:24:09) Caraick interlaces his fingers over his staff's wooden handle. "You see, there are two ways of resisting Azure Way magic. One is to simply become more skilled in the Way itself. If you tell Teshia that I'm nearly to the third Realm of knowledge from Jayose, I'll put you in a small room with Roled, and coat you in a jooniper pie coating, I swear it." he grins a bit.
(23:26:41) Mariana blinks. Her lips twitch slightly at the comment, and the corners of her eyes crinkle a bit. She places a paw over her heart. "Upon my word, and upon the fear of that rather...creative threat, I'll not speak a word of it to anyone," she replies. She shakes her head. "Though it's good you're developing a resistance to it...it would look fairly bad if the leader of a guild went stark raving mad for no reason." She smirks, then sobers. "You were saying that there is another way to resist?"
(23:28:53) Caraick chuckles at Mariana's rationale, and his eyes glint with something resembling pride, as though he agrees very strongly with her logic. "Precisely my motivations for doing so." He taps his fingers along the wood of the staff. "The second means is by building a resistance to the effects of mind-invasive Azure Way tactics and spells, such as Psychic Darts, and forms of mind control, or influence. By building up one's will, in a way, one can become trained to resist nearly the full entirety of effects from such spells."
(23:32:14) Mariana rocks back on her folded legs and regards Caraick for a few beats, her eyes intent and focused. "I already know certain things about control and force of will from Red Way use. Are you suggesting I work directly with someone who uses Azure Way in order to...build up resistance?" She brushes a brief paw over her head; a small semicircle that sends a cascade of snowflakes over her brow. She wrinkles her nose a bit and moves to flick one of the flakes from it.
(23:34:18) Caraick holds Mariana's gaze quietly, and he shrugs his shoulders lightly, a few snowflakes falling from his clothing has he does so. "I'm suggesting nothing, merely offering you the option, and advice, should you like to choose such a path."
(23:36:06) Mariana pushes her hood back from her head and fixes Caraick with a hard look, one that is both assertive and introspective, as if she's trying to peer right into the quiet clamod's skill and figure him out. She opens her muzzle slowly to respond. "Are you offering your services to the end of building up resistance, then?" She inquires.
(23:37:29) Caraick ismply continues to hold his gaze, quietly, and calmly, the same as he has been for the duration of the conversation. "Should you wish me to help you, I'm sure that, no matter your little trust for me, that it may be better than any other options I can think of, immediately. Namely Esorono."
(23:39:36) Mariana keeps her gaze steady and intense for a few more breaths, as if she's fighting Caraick on some subliminal level. Her eyes narrow for a brief instant, undecided, and she finally nods her head once. "I don't really like the idea, but it's better than having myself be a danger to those around me." She waves a paw at Caraick. "So...how do we proceed?"
(23:41:35) Caraick smiles quietly. "I'm sure your will is more than sufficiently strong to resist well enough as it is. In order to train yourself against the effects of someone intruding into your mind, you must learn how to repel someone from your mind. And in order to do that, you must first let them in."
(23:43:15) Mariana's eyes flicker with something that resembles fear; an emotion that rarely crosses the fenki's face. "And...what information would said individual be privy to once access to the mind is granted?" She asks, her face molding swiftly into an unreadable mask.
(23:44:49) Caraick blinks quietly, watching Mariana's eyes, and expressions intently. "Whatever they should choose to access. However, as you begin to learn the techniques of invading another's mind, you'll find it's not so much about choosing a memory, as it is processing the sea of memories which inevitably confronts the intruder. Are you ready?"
(23:47:11) Mariana straightens her spine as though she's bracing against an incoming tide. She flicks her ears towards Caraick, and her tail swishes back and forth, the only real physical sign of her discomfort. "Ready when you are," she replies, her eyes again flickering with the same small amount of apprehension as before. Caraick's words don't seem to sooth her at all, instead, they seem to make her more agitated.
(23:48:22) Caraick holds his staff out, slightly to the side, the point glowing a dull, azure color, in place of the normal bright crystal glow. Without even waiting for Mariana to ready herself, or finish her reply, he launches a sharp barb for her mind, like a hungry leech, searching for memories to devour.
(23:50:58) Mariana's head snaps back and my eyes widen at Caraick's abrupt attack. She instantly begins shutting down certain memories, fragile ones that seem carefully guarded and shoved into multiple corners of her mind. Her pupils contract to vertical slits as she focuses, a hint of anger evident at the intrusion as she battles the barb.
(23:52:33) Caraick's voice echoes in the caverns of Mariana's mind, amplified to a phantasmal pitch, and distorted in waves. "Learn to form a barrier for yourself. Protect your mind as a whole, rather than your individual memories. Or else, they are mine."
(23:54:55) Mariana's lips slowly curl back from her fangs; creating a snarl that borders on feral. She attempts to wrap some sort of shield around her mind, unable to keep random memories, most unsettling, from surfacing. She presses the tips of her fingers to her temples as thought he voice is making her head pound.
(23:55:52) Caraick's voice slowly begins the fad,e and the barb recede. The last tendrils of the Enkidukai's voice fade, as the sharp pain of the barb also fades.
(23:56:55) Caraick looks up at Mariana a moment, his eyes glistening quietly with tears, his cheeks wet by ones already shed. He looks down, his face hidden by it's own shadow, and he simply rests there a moment, allowing her to recover.
(23:58:50) Mariana keeps her paws on the sides of her head. She takes a few deep, steadying breaths, her chest seeming to heave erratically at first, but she slowly forces herself to relax and seems to physically swallow her emotions into a deep pit she's generated internally for such a task. She opens her eyes and looks back at the menki, and her impassive expression slowly melds to one of bewildered surprise at seeing his tears.
23:59:56) Caraick stands, and slowly dusts at his elbows and knees, then wipes backhandedly at his eyes and face. "We'll...Continue tomorrow.. You did well."
(00:01:12) Mariana staggers to her feet, some grass and accumulated snow floating to the ground with the movement. She swallows once, nervously, as if unsure of what to say. So she opts for generic: "As you wish. My thanks for the lesson."
(00:02:13) Caraick nods slowly. "You'll become more...familiar with defending yourself. Turning the attack around..." he turns, and walks quietly for the hill's end.
(00:03:26) Mariana remains silent, watching Caraick walk away without a word. She raises a paw in a wordless farewell, though her face is still completely bewildered, and turns to collect her things before leaving the hilltop herself.
