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When she crystalline on my conflict.
More
mr-rowboat art? Of a FFXIV flavor? Must mean another little blurb to go with it!
FIRST, PREVIOUS, NEXT
NOTE: Direct sequel of sorts can be found here with Low Blow
“...But you're the Mentor here,” Morgan uneasily answered. Biting down on her lower lip, and rolling her teeth upon them, she quizzically cocked a brow.
“I know, I know!” Paige pitifully mewled. “It's just. I just.” Flopped over at the waist, arms hanging at his sides, the Rogue wearily sighed. “Please don't-”
FWISHHHHHHHHHH
The roar of the Rhotano Sea's waves drowned out Paige's pleas. “Please don't what?” Morgan asked.
With a roll of his eyes, and puffed out cheeks, the feline craned up his head. “Please don't-”
“HRAGGGGH!”
A furious roar, refusing to be drowned out by the surge and the surf, echoed across the land.
“DON'T WHAT?” Morgan shouted with her hands cupped around her muzzle.
“PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME BEG!” Paige screamed back.
Situated smack dab in the center of the Wolves' Den, a floating fortress of cobbled together piers situated within eyesight of Limsa Lominsa's craggy shores, the White Mage and Rogue struggled to speak to one another. Shouting themselves hoarse they competed with the grunts, fwacks, and whacks of adventurers both green and grizzled testing themselves against target dummies and one another.
Clearing her throat, and rubbing at the back of her head, the White Mage flared her nostrils and dragged out an exhale. “... Oh very well. Are you sure you don't want her to practice with the-”
Ears perking to attention, his hood popping up along with them, Paige gasped. Jolting to attention the cream colored cat clasped Morgan's hands between his own. “Awh I knew I could on you, lass!”
“Yeah yeah yeah...” mumbled the raccoon as her ring tail shyly flit behind her. As her fingers slipped between Paige's own, her cheeks growing warm at his very touch, Morgan pointedly ahemed as she turned away with a blush.
Flashing a toothy grin, his scraggly blonde hair dangling past his enchanting eyes, Paige triumphantly wiggled in place. “And I wouldn't worry! Feil's a sharp sort and no stranger to the school of hard knocks,” smirked the Rogue. Chin tucked against his shoulder he thumbed back at a lone Bangaa, scantily clad and pocked with scars, viciously going at a target dummy.
“HIYAAAA!”
Dashing forward, and leaning into her shoulder, the fiery orange and floppy eared lizard tackled a target dummy. As the wooden and featureless likeness of a Hyur wobbled to and fro Feil all but nearly slapped its blocky head clean off its shoulders with a bash of her circular shield. Panting up a storm, her scaly form slicked with sweat, the Bangaa filled her burning lungs with the salt stained air as she resumed wailing on the stationary target.
Brows arched, Morgan playfully elbowed at her purrtner in crime. Her toeless boots, thumping gently against the pitched together planks, sheepishly brushed and bumped against Paige's own as they walked. “She's an eager one alright.”
“Aye! That she is,” Paige purred. “Feil reminds me of well... me,” laughed the Rogue. “Workin' meself to the bone to impress my own Mentor back in the day.” With a dreamy sigh the flustered cat's thoughts drifted to the towering Sea Wolf he tutored under.
“Following in their footsteps then are you?” Morgan teased as she ribbed at the cat.
“Noooot quite,” Paige laughed. “Master Ilias, keen as she was to let me make my own messes and mistakes, was always there to make sure I could walk away and learn from them. More than once when I was feeling mouthy or insubordinate she'd knock me on me arse herself! Was good sparrin' practice,” he fondly reminisced.
Morgan's gaze darted back and forth between the Mentor and his mentee. “And you aren't willing to afford Feil the same opportunity because...?”
Hands held out before him, padded fingers splayed and twiddling from his fingerless gloves, Paige sadly sighed. “These hands are made for makin' boo boos not fixin' them. I can't patch and prop up Feil after putting her through her paces...” the Rogue acknowledged as he shyly rubbed at his arm and curled his tail around his waist. “Not like... not like you can.”
The ringtail pulled her lips flat and snorted. “So you want me to slap her around in your stead?”
“LASS!” yelped the Rogue. Arms crossed about his chest he harrumphed. “L-l-look! I consulted with Master Ilias herself when last we met and she said... she said it's right, she said it's good, that I'm trying to teach my Sprout my own way.” Ears twitching in embarrassment he turned away from the raccoon with a scowl. “And if that means swallowing me pride and coming crawling to mew for help... so be it.”
“Would you relax?” giggled the White Mage. “It's sweet seeing you fuss and fret over her.” Flashing a toothy and sincere smile Morgan playfully punched at his shoulder “She's lucky to have a Mentor like you.”
“Lass...” Paige mrowled as he tugged his hood over his face. “I. I'm too soft. I'm too sentimental. I can't imagine raising my hand against her even if it is to spar...”
“So I'll just have to do so in your stead!” the raccoon finished for him.
Eyes wavering, and lips pulled flat, Paige pitifully mewled. “...Promise you'll go easy on her?”
“Have some faith!” she snorted. Yellow eyes swiveling her sockets, Morgan's gaze wandered up and down Feil's form upon approach. Lean with muscle, the Bangaa's scaly frame pocked with pale colored scars, the Bangaa had clearly seen her share of scraps and walked away from too many to count. “She's clearly tougher than you give her credit for. ”
“But... but... but she's my sweet lil' Sprout!” the Rogue whined.
“Psh.” The boardwalks creaking and groaning beneath their gait, the Rogue and White Mage padded up behind the Gladiator as she cycled through her attack rotation.
Cream colored tail wiggling behind him, and heart pounding in his chest, Paige cupped his hand around his mouth. “Feil!”
“Master Pebble!” Feil beamed. Grinning from ear to ear, her floppy ears brushing at her sides, the bashful Bangaa proudly puffed out her chest.
Side-eyeing Paige, and smile spreading from ear to ear, Morgan narrowed her gaze. “...Pebble, huh?”
“Shoosh shush shoosh shoosh,” the flustered feline snapped back.
“Err! M-M-Meowster Paige!” Feil nervously laughed. The piercings poking from her ears jingled as her enormous ears bashfully drooped. Clad in little more than a bandana, bra, and a loincloth, each and every article of clothing a matching blue and red in color, the Bangaa gathered her breath beneath the sweltering sun.
“At ease, Sprout,” blushed the rumpled Rogue. “Feil...” he said with a wave of his hand. “I'd like to introduce you to my erstwhile accomplice, Miss Morgan. A finer White Mage in all of Eorzea you'll be hard pressed to find!”
Pinching at the frock of her hood, her face shrouded in shadow, Morgan welcomed the Bangaa with a courteous bow of her head. “Your Master has spoken at length of you, Feil. Quite effusively at that.”
“R-r-really?!” gasped Feil.
“Oy, oy, oy!” Paige blurted out with an elbow at the raccoon's side. “Mew promised-”
“Really,” smirked the raccoon as she continued to withstand Paige's repeated ribbing with a smile. “I'd be hard pressed to recommend no more masterful a Mentor myself. He's kind, caring, loyal to a fault... and humble enough to ask others for their aid when he knows they can accomplish what he cannot.”
“Mew gossipy-” the Rogue grumble mumbled as his face burned beet red.
“Which is why...” Morgan trailed off as her padded feet, if just barely, lifted off the ground. Toes brushing against the board walk she held her arms out to her sides as flickers of aether, brilliant and white and shaped like flower petals, whorled about her open palms before congealing into a staff.
FWOOSH
Grabbing hold of the conjured weapon, Morgan twirled about in place before brandishing it at the Bangaa. “He has sought me out so that we might put you through your paces. Seeing as how I can heal your wounds as quickly as I can make them he thought it an ideal way to ease you into adventuring.”
Orange tail trembling behind her, Feil clenched her fists as she shivered in place. A spar! And a proper one at that! Brilliant blue eyes wavering with uncertainty she nevertheless nodded in the affirmative.
“Easy now,” Paige sighed as he reached up to clasp at raccoon's shoulder and gently guide her back onto the ground. “Think of it like this, Sprout,” the Rogue elaborated at length. “Miss Morgan here is the business of fixing boo-boos. Mine is to make 'em. And yours is to take them.” Gesturing among the gathered furs he gesticulated at the implied responsibilities that Healers, DPS, and Tanks were expected to uphold among any worthwhile party.
“Within reason,” Morgan smirked. “No one here is expecting you to throw yourself into danger at every opportunity. As a Gladiator you're just being asked to keep your companions out of it.”
“Mmhmm!” the feline nodded along. “So what we were thinking...” mulled the Rogue as he sidled up behind the Bangaa. “Is that we start you off with barest of basics. Learning to intercept damage meant for me!”
“O-O-oh! Oh gosh,” Feil huffed as she bunched her clawed toes together. “Master Paige you're trusting... you're trusting me to keep you safe?”
“Why wouldn't I, lass?” beamed the cream colored cat. “S'only fair. You've placed yer trust in me haven't ye? Only fair I put mine in you.”
With a tap tap, the base of Morgan's staff cracking against the salt stained and weather beaten planks, the White Mage cleared her throat. “So truth be told... this'll be a little bit of a one sided spar. I can hit you but you can't hit me,” she trailed off with a flick of her ringed tail. Rolling her hand about her wrist, wisps of Light tinted energy gathering atop the head of her Staff, the beginnings of a Glare spell came to conjure atop it. Errant strings of aether, wispy in appearance, continued to congeal together into a whistling ball of energy whose stray ribbons lashed and snapped at the air itself.
“Your Master, your Mentor, will be my target. It's up to you, Gladiator Feil, to see to it my attacks amount to naught!”
“Ready?” asked Paige.
“R-r-ready, Master!” Shield raised, and brows furrowed, Feil sheathed her sword into the holster hanging from her hip as she readied to intercept any and all danger to her beloved Mentor!
Scooting off to the side, arms crossed about his chest, Paige nodded to Morgan. The raccoon reciprocated by thrusting her arm out before her and sending the stocked Glare whistling forward!
Kicking off from the parched planks, the many rings wrapped around her leather belt holding up her loincloth jingling away, Feil threw herself into the fray! Chasing after the conjured aether she aimed to intercept it... only to misjudge the swiftness with which it surged forward. With a yelp she swung her shield at the open air as Paige, now wide eyed, pitifully mewled when-
FWOOOOOOOOOOOM
He was sent stumbling head over heels as the Glare slammed straight into his chest. Ripping at his clothes, stripping away and tattering his cloak and scuffing his vest, the Rogue wearily groaned as he flopped into a faceful of splinters.
“...I did ask if you wanted her to practice with the target dummies first,” Morgan hummed as she sharply inhaled through clenched teeth. Staff held high overhead, the gentle caress of the sea foam splashing over the sides of the docks coming to congeal atop it as a soothing sapphire orb, the White Mage lobbed her Tetragrammaton spell at poor Paige. The bruises and scrapes upon his furred form simply melted away as if waves washed over him and pulled back the pain in the receding tide.
“Oogh...” Papping at his chest he forced a smile for Feil as she bounded over with tears welling in her eyes. Rising to his feet he playfully nudged at her soft snout before thumbing away the waterworks. “Don't lookit me like that, lass. That's what the training is for!”
“But. But!” wailed Feil.
“Nobody ever gets it right on their first try,” Morgan reassured the Bangaa. “I understand your attention was on the attack first and foremost but maybe this time try to focus on Paige! He's not only my target but yours as well. Work on putting yourself between me and him!”
Fists balled together, and shield hanging from her forearm, Feil reached back to tighten her bandanna before resolutely nodding. “Right!”
Rising back up into the air, her robe whipping to and fro and hair rustling in the breeze, Morgan twirled about in place. As her toes just barely scraped against the ground she readied another Glare atop her staff.
Ambling an Arm's Length away from Feil, Paige tossed his sweet Sprout a thumbs up. “Mew got this, Sprout!”
“Mmmhmm!” Nostrils flared, and shoulders bunched, Feil's eyes constantly darted back and forth between the threat to come and her Mentor.
FWOOSH!
The Bangaa's eyes went wide when the Glare spell sailed forth. “Look out, Master Paige!” shouted the Gladiator. Rushing to the feline's aid Feil kept her eye's on the seething ball of conjured Light magic. Eyes on the prize she-
FWACK
Bulldozed clean into the cat as they both roughly tumbled across the Wolves' Den. To the Gladiator's credit the Glare spell did harmlessly pass overhead the both of them and while she did manage to protect Paige from one attack-
“Horgh...”
“EEP! MASTER!”
She only did so by laying him out with another.
“Hoo boy,” Morgan nervously coughed as she readied another cast of Tetragrammaton.
Sporting a bloodied nose, and busted lip, Paige mrowled painfully at the unintended Shield Bash. He winced as a terrible pressure crinkled along his snout and the taste of iron lapping along his gums retreated. Blinking out of sync he sharply inhaled when his nose straightened out courtesy of Morgan's magics.
Eyes squinted shut, and forcing a tired smile, the Warrior of Light stifled a weary sigh. “S'alright, Feil. Honest. Third time's the charm!” Rolling onto his side, and pushing his gloved hands off against the ground, the Rogue wearily staggered to his feet. Gently, albeit firmly, clasping at Feil's shoulders he maneuvered the mortified Bangaa before him.
“Let's uhh... let's try a stationary target this time around,” he tactfully declared as he continued to pap at the Gladiator until she dropped to a kneel. Shield held up before her he crouched down behind his Sprout. Peeking over the Bangaa's shoulder, Paige warily tossed Morgan a thumbs up.
“...You're sure?” the White Mage uncertainly called out.
“I believe in ya, Feil!” Paige called back.
On the verge of spontaneously combusting out of embarrassment the Bangaa nevertheless stood her ground.
“Oooooooooooookayyyyyyyyyy,” Morgan grimaced through clenched teeth. Twirling about in place yet again she let the latest and greatest Glare spell rip.
Beads of sweat gathered atop Paige's brow. “Best not to risk it,” he nervously ehed. With a snap of his fingers, and a poff of smoke, the Rogue cast the mightiest of Minis upon himself and rendered himself all but impossible to catch in the crossfire. Tumbling through the air, and flopping face first onto Feil's upturned sole, he scrambled behind her upturned heel as if it were cover. Hands held over his head, and hood pulled low, he braced himself for yet another body blow.
TINK
That was mercifully not meant to be.
Shield held up before her, and teeth grit, Feil valiantly stood her ground. As her knees scraped against the splitting planks the Gladiator's arms trembled. Upon contact the Glare spell unspooled thread by lashing thread. As it did so ribbons of hard light slashed away at the Bangaa' shoulders before harmlessly dissipating. Shallow cuts and streaks of blood trickled down Feil's arms as she fought back tears.
“..A-a-again!” stammered the Bangaa.
Brows arched, Morgan hrmmed as she splayed her toes and dropped back down onto the pier. “...What says your Mentor? Paige?”
Creaking open his clenched shut eyes, and parting his fingers, Paige was flummoxed to find himself unharmed. Climbing atop Feil's heel he craned his neck as far back as he was able to peer past the Bangaa's shapely backside. “Are mew sure, Lass?” he asked of his Sprout as she tucked her chin against her shoulder to peer back at him. “Practice makes perfect and all but I dun want you to push yourself too hard!”
“Mmhmm!” she resolutely nodded. “Don't worry, Master! I'll protect you!” Turning towards the White Mage she furrowed her brows.
“You've got guts if nothing else,” hummed Morgan.
FWOOOOOSH
Steadying her breathing, and blocking out the pain, Feil called upon what few spells she had at her disposal. Aether, transparent and blue, came to conjure upon her orange scaled form. Beads of light bubbled forth from the film that came to coat her as hexagons rapidly tesselated across her curvature and an extra set of extra scales came to coat her. As the Rampart spell took hold Feil raised her buckler and-
TINK
Barely flinched upon impact. The lashing whips and tearing centripetal motion of the Glare spell split apart the defensive wards enshrouding the Bangaa yet she was left with little more than bruises to show for it.
Ears perked to attention, Paige and Morgan both looked on with a smile as the Gladiator remained stalwart as a stone and didn't move so much as an inch.
“Again!” Feil confidently claimed.
FWOOOOOOOSH
Squaring her shoulders, and relaxing her clenched muscles, aether flowed freely from the tips of Feil's clenched fingers all the way down to her splayed toes. A palpable aura enveloped the Bangaa as a transparent cone of light surrounded her and Paige both. Solid rings of light wrapped around its circumference, the beginnings of the Sentinel spell made manifest, it shattered and cracked apart under the brunt of the Glare spell. However... Feil remained stout and confident as ever. Unbothered and unaffected she brushed it off without a care.
“I know you can do better than that, Miss Morgan!” boasted the Gladiator.
“C-c-careful, Lass!” Paige mewled. “A little humility goes a long-”
“Can I now?” quipped the raccoon. Arms spread out to her sides, and lifting up into the air, Morgan smirked as torrents of magic seethed off her lithe frame. The beginning of flower petals, stitched together like wings, sprouted from the White Mage's back as the likeness of a magically conjured lily came to enshroud her. Hunching forward, Morgan thrust her staff out before her where it came to hover in midair. Violently twirling in place, and reorienting itself parallel to the ground beneath them, Morgan's weapon shimmered with a terrifying light.
“AFFLATUS PURGATION!” bellowed the White Mage before a concentrated laser erupted out from her staff.
“Way?” Paige yelped as he spied waves of light approaching. “FEIL! FEIL, NO! JUST WHAT DID YOU GET US INTO?!”
“Don't worry, Master!” Feil proclaimed. Cheeks puffed out, and fledgling wings sprouting from her back, the Gladiator fumbled and felt out the beginnings of the most powerful protective spell she had yet to muster: Passage of Arms.
“I... I think I'm g-getting it!”
“YOU THINK?!”
FIRST, PREVIOUS, NEXT
More
mr-rowboat art? Of a FFXIV flavor? Must mean another little blurb to go with it!FIRST, PREVIOUS, NEXT
NOTE: Direct sequel of sorts can be found here with Low Blow
“...But you're the Mentor here,” Morgan uneasily answered. Biting down on her lower lip, and rolling her teeth upon them, she quizzically cocked a brow.
“I know, I know!” Paige pitifully mewled. “It's just. I just.” Flopped over at the waist, arms hanging at his sides, the Rogue wearily sighed. “Please don't-”
FWISHHHHHHHHHH
The roar of the Rhotano Sea's waves drowned out Paige's pleas. “Please don't what?” Morgan asked.
With a roll of his eyes, and puffed out cheeks, the feline craned up his head. “Please don't-”
“HRAGGGGH!”
A furious roar, refusing to be drowned out by the surge and the surf, echoed across the land.
“DON'T WHAT?” Morgan shouted with her hands cupped around her muzzle.
“PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME BEG!” Paige screamed back.
Situated smack dab in the center of the Wolves' Den, a floating fortress of cobbled together piers situated within eyesight of Limsa Lominsa's craggy shores, the White Mage and Rogue struggled to speak to one another. Shouting themselves hoarse they competed with the grunts, fwacks, and whacks of adventurers both green and grizzled testing themselves against target dummies and one another.
Clearing her throat, and rubbing at the back of her head, the White Mage flared her nostrils and dragged out an exhale. “... Oh very well. Are you sure you don't want her to practice with the-”
Ears perking to attention, his hood popping up along with them, Paige gasped. Jolting to attention the cream colored cat clasped Morgan's hands between his own. “Awh I knew I could on you, lass!”
“Yeah yeah yeah...” mumbled the raccoon as her ring tail shyly flit behind her. As her fingers slipped between Paige's own, her cheeks growing warm at his very touch, Morgan pointedly ahemed as she turned away with a blush.
Flashing a toothy grin, his scraggly blonde hair dangling past his enchanting eyes, Paige triumphantly wiggled in place. “And I wouldn't worry! Feil's a sharp sort and no stranger to the school of hard knocks,” smirked the Rogue. Chin tucked against his shoulder he thumbed back at a lone Bangaa, scantily clad and pocked with scars, viciously going at a target dummy.
“HIYAAAA!”
Dashing forward, and leaning into her shoulder, the fiery orange and floppy eared lizard tackled a target dummy. As the wooden and featureless likeness of a Hyur wobbled to and fro Feil all but nearly slapped its blocky head clean off its shoulders with a bash of her circular shield. Panting up a storm, her scaly form slicked with sweat, the Bangaa filled her burning lungs with the salt stained air as she resumed wailing on the stationary target.
Brows arched, Morgan playfully elbowed at her purrtner in crime. Her toeless boots, thumping gently against the pitched together planks, sheepishly brushed and bumped against Paige's own as they walked. “She's an eager one alright.”
“Aye! That she is,” Paige purred. “Feil reminds me of well... me,” laughed the Rogue. “Workin' meself to the bone to impress my own Mentor back in the day.” With a dreamy sigh the flustered cat's thoughts drifted to the towering Sea Wolf he tutored under.
“Following in their footsteps then are you?” Morgan teased as she ribbed at the cat.
“Noooot quite,” Paige laughed. “Master Ilias, keen as she was to let me make my own messes and mistakes, was always there to make sure I could walk away and learn from them. More than once when I was feeling mouthy or insubordinate she'd knock me on me arse herself! Was good sparrin' practice,” he fondly reminisced.
Morgan's gaze darted back and forth between the Mentor and his mentee. “And you aren't willing to afford Feil the same opportunity because...?”
Hands held out before him, padded fingers splayed and twiddling from his fingerless gloves, Paige sadly sighed. “These hands are made for makin' boo boos not fixin' them. I can't patch and prop up Feil after putting her through her paces...” the Rogue acknowledged as he shyly rubbed at his arm and curled his tail around his waist. “Not like... not like you can.”
The ringtail pulled her lips flat and snorted. “So you want me to slap her around in your stead?”
“LASS!” yelped the Rogue. Arms crossed about his chest he harrumphed. “L-l-look! I consulted with Master Ilias herself when last we met and she said... she said it's right, she said it's good, that I'm trying to teach my Sprout my own way.” Ears twitching in embarrassment he turned away from the raccoon with a scowl. “And if that means swallowing me pride and coming crawling to mew for help... so be it.”
“Would you relax?” giggled the White Mage. “It's sweet seeing you fuss and fret over her.” Flashing a toothy and sincere smile Morgan playfully punched at his shoulder “She's lucky to have a Mentor like you.”
“Lass...” Paige mrowled as he tugged his hood over his face. “I. I'm too soft. I'm too sentimental. I can't imagine raising my hand against her even if it is to spar...”
“So I'll just have to do so in your stead!” the raccoon finished for him.
Eyes wavering, and lips pulled flat, Paige pitifully mewled. “...Promise you'll go easy on her?”
“Have some faith!” she snorted. Yellow eyes swiveling her sockets, Morgan's gaze wandered up and down Feil's form upon approach. Lean with muscle, the Bangaa's scaly frame pocked with pale colored scars, the Bangaa had clearly seen her share of scraps and walked away from too many to count. “She's clearly tougher than you give her credit for. ”
“But... but... but she's my sweet lil' Sprout!” the Rogue whined.
“Psh.” The boardwalks creaking and groaning beneath their gait, the Rogue and White Mage padded up behind the Gladiator as she cycled through her attack rotation.
Cream colored tail wiggling behind him, and heart pounding in his chest, Paige cupped his hand around his mouth. “Feil!”
“Master Pebble!” Feil beamed. Grinning from ear to ear, her floppy ears brushing at her sides, the bashful Bangaa proudly puffed out her chest.
Side-eyeing Paige, and smile spreading from ear to ear, Morgan narrowed her gaze. “...Pebble, huh?”
“Shoosh shush shoosh shoosh,” the flustered feline snapped back.
“Err! M-M-Meowster Paige!” Feil nervously laughed. The piercings poking from her ears jingled as her enormous ears bashfully drooped. Clad in little more than a bandana, bra, and a loincloth, each and every article of clothing a matching blue and red in color, the Bangaa gathered her breath beneath the sweltering sun.
“At ease, Sprout,” blushed the rumpled Rogue. “Feil...” he said with a wave of his hand. “I'd like to introduce you to my erstwhile accomplice, Miss Morgan. A finer White Mage in all of Eorzea you'll be hard pressed to find!”
Pinching at the frock of her hood, her face shrouded in shadow, Morgan welcomed the Bangaa with a courteous bow of her head. “Your Master has spoken at length of you, Feil. Quite effusively at that.”
“R-r-really?!” gasped Feil.
“Oy, oy, oy!” Paige blurted out with an elbow at the raccoon's side. “Mew promised-”
“Really,” smirked the raccoon as she continued to withstand Paige's repeated ribbing with a smile. “I'd be hard pressed to recommend no more masterful a Mentor myself. He's kind, caring, loyal to a fault... and humble enough to ask others for their aid when he knows they can accomplish what he cannot.”
“Mew gossipy-” the Rogue grumble mumbled as his face burned beet red.
“Which is why...” Morgan trailed off as her padded feet, if just barely, lifted off the ground. Toes brushing against the board walk she held her arms out to her sides as flickers of aether, brilliant and white and shaped like flower petals, whorled about her open palms before congealing into a staff.
FWOOSH
Grabbing hold of the conjured weapon, Morgan twirled about in place before brandishing it at the Bangaa. “He has sought me out so that we might put you through your paces. Seeing as how I can heal your wounds as quickly as I can make them he thought it an ideal way to ease you into adventuring.”
Orange tail trembling behind her, Feil clenched her fists as she shivered in place. A spar! And a proper one at that! Brilliant blue eyes wavering with uncertainty she nevertheless nodded in the affirmative.
“Easy now,” Paige sighed as he reached up to clasp at raccoon's shoulder and gently guide her back onto the ground. “Think of it like this, Sprout,” the Rogue elaborated at length. “Miss Morgan here is the business of fixing boo-boos. Mine is to make 'em. And yours is to take them.” Gesturing among the gathered furs he gesticulated at the implied responsibilities that Healers, DPS, and Tanks were expected to uphold among any worthwhile party.
“Within reason,” Morgan smirked. “No one here is expecting you to throw yourself into danger at every opportunity. As a Gladiator you're just being asked to keep your companions out of it.”
“Mmhmm!” the feline nodded along. “So what we were thinking...” mulled the Rogue as he sidled up behind the Bangaa. “Is that we start you off with barest of basics. Learning to intercept damage meant for me!”
“O-O-oh! Oh gosh,” Feil huffed as she bunched her clawed toes together. “Master Paige you're trusting... you're trusting me to keep you safe?”
“Why wouldn't I, lass?” beamed the cream colored cat. “S'only fair. You've placed yer trust in me haven't ye? Only fair I put mine in you.”
With a tap tap, the base of Morgan's staff cracking against the salt stained and weather beaten planks, the White Mage cleared her throat. “So truth be told... this'll be a little bit of a one sided spar. I can hit you but you can't hit me,” she trailed off with a flick of her ringed tail. Rolling her hand about her wrist, wisps of Light tinted energy gathering atop the head of her Staff, the beginnings of a Glare spell came to conjure atop it. Errant strings of aether, wispy in appearance, continued to congeal together into a whistling ball of energy whose stray ribbons lashed and snapped at the air itself.
“Your Master, your Mentor, will be my target. It's up to you, Gladiator Feil, to see to it my attacks amount to naught!”
“Ready?” asked Paige.
“R-r-ready, Master!” Shield raised, and brows furrowed, Feil sheathed her sword into the holster hanging from her hip as she readied to intercept any and all danger to her beloved Mentor!
Scooting off to the side, arms crossed about his chest, Paige nodded to Morgan. The raccoon reciprocated by thrusting her arm out before her and sending the stocked Glare whistling forward!
Kicking off from the parched planks, the many rings wrapped around her leather belt holding up her loincloth jingling away, Feil threw herself into the fray! Chasing after the conjured aether she aimed to intercept it... only to misjudge the swiftness with which it surged forward. With a yelp she swung her shield at the open air as Paige, now wide eyed, pitifully mewled when-
FWOOOOOOOOOOOM
He was sent stumbling head over heels as the Glare slammed straight into his chest. Ripping at his clothes, stripping away and tattering his cloak and scuffing his vest, the Rogue wearily groaned as he flopped into a faceful of splinters.
“...I did ask if you wanted her to practice with the target dummies first,” Morgan hummed as she sharply inhaled through clenched teeth. Staff held high overhead, the gentle caress of the sea foam splashing over the sides of the docks coming to congeal atop it as a soothing sapphire orb, the White Mage lobbed her Tetragrammaton spell at poor Paige. The bruises and scrapes upon his furred form simply melted away as if waves washed over him and pulled back the pain in the receding tide.
“Oogh...” Papping at his chest he forced a smile for Feil as she bounded over with tears welling in her eyes. Rising to his feet he playfully nudged at her soft snout before thumbing away the waterworks. “Don't lookit me like that, lass. That's what the training is for!”
“But. But!” wailed Feil.
“Nobody ever gets it right on their first try,” Morgan reassured the Bangaa. “I understand your attention was on the attack first and foremost but maybe this time try to focus on Paige! He's not only my target but yours as well. Work on putting yourself between me and him!”
Fists balled together, and shield hanging from her forearm, Feil reached back to tighten her bandanna before resolutely nodding. “Right!”
Rising back up into the air, her robe whipping to and fro and hair rustling in the breeze, Morgan twirled about in place. As her toes just barely scraped against the ground she readied another Glare atop her staff.
Ambling an Arm's Length away from Feil, Paige tossed his sweet Sprout a thumbs up. “Mew got this, Sprout!”
“Mmmhmm!” Nostrils flared, and shoulders bunched, Feil's eyes constantly darted back and forth between the threat to come and her Mentor.
FWOOSH!
The Bangaa's eyes went wide when the Glare spell sailed forth. “Look out, Master Paige!” shouted the Gladiator. Rushing to the feline's aid Feil kept her eye's on the seething ball of conjured Light magic. Eyes on the prize she-
FWACK
Bulldozed clean into the cat as they both roughly tumbled across the Wolves' Den. To the Gladiator's credit the Glare spell did harmlessly pass overhead the both of them and while she did manage to protect Paige from one attack-
“Horgh...”
“EEP! MASTER!”
She only did so by laying him out with another.
“Hoo boy,” Morgan nervously coughed as she readied another cast of Tetragrammaton.
Sporting a bloodied nose, and busted lip, Paige mrowled painfully at the unintended Shield Bash. He winced as a terrible pressure crinkled along his snout and the taste of iron lapping along his gums retreated. Blinking out of sync he sharply inhaled when his nose straightened out courtesy of Morgan's magics.
Eyes squinted shut, and forcing a tired smile, the Warrior of Light stifled a weary sigh. “S'alright, Feil. Honest. Third time's the charm!” Rolling onto his side, and pushing his gloved hands off against the ground, the Rogue wearily staggered to his feet. Gently, albeit firmly, clasping at Feil's shoulders he maneuvered the mortified Bangaa before him.
“Let's uhh... let's try a stationary target this time around,” he tactfully declared as he continued to pap at the Gladiator until she dropped to a kneel. Shield held up before her he crouched down behind his Sprout. Peeking over the Bangaa's shoulder, Paige warily tossed Morgan a thumbs up.
“...You're sure?” the White Mage uncertainly called out.
“I believe in ya, Feil!” Paige called back.
On the verge of spontaneously combusting out of embarrassment the Bangaa nevertheless stood her ground.
“Oooooooooooookayyyyyyyyyy,” Morgan grimaced through clenched teeth. Twirling about in place yet again she let the latest and greatest Glare spell rip.
Beads of sweat gathered atop Paige's brow. “Best not to risk it,” he nervously ehed. With a snap of his fingers, and a poff of smoke, the Rogue cast the mightiest of Minis upon himself and rendered himself all but impossible to catch in the crossfire. Tumbling through the air, and flopping face first onto Feil's upturned sole, he scrambled behind her upturned heel as if it were cover. Hands held over his head, and hood pulled low, he braced himself for yet another body blow.
TINK
That was mercifully not meant to be.
Shield held up before her, and teeth grit, Feil valiantly stood her ground. As her knees scraped against the splitting planks the Gladiator's arms trembled. Upon contact the Glare spell unspooled thread by lashing thread. As it did so ribbons of hard light slashed away at the Bangaa' shoulders before harmlessly dissipating. Shallow cuts and streaks of blood trickled down Feil's arms as she fought back tears.
“..A-a-again!” stammered the Bangaa.
Brows arched, Morgan hrmmed as she splayed her toes and dropped back down onto the pier. “...What says your Mentor? Paige?”
Creaking open his clenched shut eyes, and parting his fingers, Paige was flummoxed to find himself unharmed. Climbing atop Feil's heel he craned his neck as far back as he was able to peer past the Bangaa's shapely backside. “Are mew sure, Lass?” he asked of his Sprout as she tucked her chin against her shoulder to peer back at him. “Practice makes perfect and all but I dun want you to push yourself too hard!”
“Mmhmm!” she resolutely nodded. “Don't worry, Master! I'll protect you!” Turning towards the White Mage she furrowed her brows.
“You've got guts if nothing else,” hummed Morgan.
FWOOOOOSH
Steadying her breathing, and blocking out the pain, Feil called upon what few spells she had at her disposal. Aether, transparent and blue, came to conjure upon her orange scaled form. Beads of light bubbled forth from the film that came to coat her as hexagons rapidly tesselated across her curvature and an extra set of extra scales came to coat her. As the Rampart spell took hold Feil raised her buckler and-
TINK
Barely flinched upon impact. The lashing whips and tearing centripetal motion of the Glare spell split apart the defensive wards enshrouding the Bangaa yet she was left with little more than bruises to show for it.
Ears perked to attention, Paige and Morgan both looked on with a smile as the Gladiator remained stalwart as a stone and didn't move so much as an inch.
“Again!” Feil confidently claimed.
FWOOOOOOOSH
Squaring her shoulders, and relaxing her clenched muscles, aether flowed freely from the tips of Feil's clenched fingers all the way down to her splayed toes. A palpable aura enveloped the Bangaa as a transparent cone of light surrounded her and Paige both. Solid rings of light wrapped around its circumference, the beginnings of the Sentinel spell made manifest, it shattered and cracked apart under the brunt of the Glare spell. However... Feil remained stout and confident as ever. Unbothered and unaffected she brushed it off without a care.
“I know you can do better than that, Miss Morgan!” boasted the Gladiator.
“C-c-careful, Lass!” Paige mewled. “A little humility goes a long-”
“Can I now?” quipped the raccoon. Arms spread out to her sides, and lifting up into the air, Morgan smirked as torrents of magic seethed off her lithe frame. The beginning of flower petals, stitched together like wings, sprouted from the White Mage's back as the likeness of a magically conjured lily came to enshroud her. Hunching forward, Morgan thrust her staff out before her where it came to hover in midair. Violently twirling in place, and reorienting itself parallel to the ground beneath them, Morgan's weapon shimmered with a terrifying light.
“AFFLATUS PURGATION!” bellowed the White Mage before a concentrated laser erupted out from her staff.
“Way?” Paige yelped as he spied waves of light approaching. “FEIL! FEIL, NO! JUST WHAT DID YOU GET US INTO?!”
“Don't worry, Master!” Feil proclaimed. Cheeks puffed out, and fledgling wings sprouting from her back, the Gladiator fumbled and felt out the beginnings of the most powerful protective spell she had yet to muster: Passage of Arms.
“I... I think I'm g-getting it!”
“YOU THINK?!”
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Category All / Macro / Micro
Species Bangaa
Size 1717 x 2146px
File Size 3.1 MB
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