Eliabeth had started on the right path to earn her wings, but after an abysmal meeting with the leader of the elemental fairies discouragement sent her spiraling in a not so productive path towards forbidden magic. It had been her grandmother's idea and so Eliabeth saw no harm that could come from cheating, but oh how wrong she had been. The fairy form her grandmother had given her was weak and fragile. Not even a day had past before one of the wings she had avoided earning propperly had been ripped permanently from her back. The other one had been torn off later leaving the only difference between her fairy and human forms the scars on her back where her wings had once been, invisible only when she was a human.

This left little reason for her to ever run around as a fairy, except that is, when she was training in the elements. She had discovered that learning the elements was much easier in her fairy form than her human. Why exactly? She did not know. She assumed it had something to do with fairies being naturally magic beings and humans not.

Regardless, she was determined to do it right this time. Yes, she had messed up, and she was scared forever, literally, because of it. That did not mean she was going to give up, and as such it was time to start learning what she should have started learning before she talked to the fairies in the first place: elemental magic. She was learning fire from Haden, earth from Jaci, so who better to teach her water than the avatar herself. She had gone to an event thrown by the avatar but been to shy to say anything to her and it did not help that Riujii was there being a distraction, pleasurable though that may have been at the time.

Eliabeth had to ask around to learn how to get to the shrine, familiar with the concept of boats working at both Killian's and Calyna's shrines, Eliabeth stepped into one of the white oak boats and allowed the water elemental to chose the correct course. It was not long before her bare feet touched the white sands of the floating island and the elemental docked, ready to take her back whenever she was ready.

Eliabeth gawked at the beauty of the shrine. It was much more what she had pictured for a Conclave member than the gold elephant where she now lived as a priestess. The trickle of water was everywhere without being obnoxious, the soft drips and drops as they pattered along in the streams was quite calming. Eliabeth could not read the words inscribed above the silver doors with glowing runes but since she meant no harm to anyone or anything it really did not matter.

Once through the doors her childish side took over. She let out a high pitched squeal and ran half way across the bridge before standing on the lowest of the safety rails and looking over the top. Her long blonde hair fall down around her unrestricted by any ties as she hopped up and down and look at all the fun animals swimming around below. If no one came to get her she could be there for hours, her short attention span having abandoned her reason for coming in the first place.

Rei had been sitting on the shore behind the Shrine for hours now. Had she not had little ones inside that depended on her deeply for their care, she would have sat here for days. To her, she looked rather unremarkable in a simple light blue cotton dress, the gently rolling waves coming to lap at her bare feet. Silvery hair shifted haphazardly in the sea breezes and her gaze was transfixed seemingly on the empty vastness that was before her. But she was not looking for anything, no. She was listening for something.

As a young girl, it was common for her to follow her father about no matter where he was going. Many remarked that she was very much his little girl and quite attached to him. Though he had lost his immortality as Water before she was brought into the world, then he still used water magic and did not seem to loose his bond with the element. One day he had taken her to a lake- a small one. Rei remembered peering curiously at the gleaming surface wondering what was below. He asked her then if she could hear them. It was that day when she first heard the spirits of water speak to her.

For a moment sadness weighed on the Avatar’s heart at the thought of her father. She rarely was able to see him anymore. What he did while he was away, she did not know and never asked. It was better if she didn’t. Likely she did not want to know. The feeling was soon shaken from her. Rei heard them. Their voices were quiet at first, mumbling incoherent babble that she could not understand. At last something came forth that she understood. The titan will rise. She had been communing with them for several hours a day in attempts to discover any information of Dieloch’s plan that she could. This didn’t help her much.

What titan? Was there another? And how? How would he bring this titan? The only titan she had ever learned of had been stronger than all of them. Why would he bring forth something that could slay him? Rei sighed heavily and tousled her hair in frustration. Perhaps when she spoke to Sadrach, the phrase would have meaning to him. He was busy pulling his information from every book and scrap of paper he could find in any library. Perhaps when she told him what little she had learned something would click.

But there was no time for this now. There was a matter that needed immediate attention. The Avatar had a visitor. At the very least, this particular one seemed to be preoccupied at the bridge. Rei hadn’t bothered to extend her magic to see who exactly it was.

The cascade from the waterfall concealing the door suddenly increased and became more violent. Suddenly the water lurched out and quickly formed the elegant shape of a woman before melting away to reveal that there was indeed a woman standing there. Rei recognized the girl before her. She had seen her at the carnival but the girl had either been too busy or too shy to say anything but she remembered the fairy mask she wore and the distinct smell of fairy in the girl’s blood. “They are very beautiful,” she commented on the assortment of sea life below. “Some could stay and stare at them for hours.”

(Oh my god, sooner than expected! I'm proud of myself.)

((XD me too since you beat Rai she's posting with me somewhere else now))

"Hi pretty fishies!" Eliabeth cooed. She had a scroll that allowed her to talk to animals but she had never tried it on aquatics before. She hopped down off the rail and slid on her stomach so that her head dangled over the edge, hands on the edge of the bridge for now, legs kicking back and forth playfully much like a dog's tail indicating her pleasure. The young adult's mind had not necessarily caught up with her body yet in regards to level of maturity. She moved a little further off the edge and let her arm dangle, hair and arm not quite long enough to reach the water, but she was not really trying either. The blue and colors of the fish reflected in her eyes and she smiled playfully.

There were so many colors! She had spent time on the beaches but never that close to the water. She could not swim exactly, but she had learned to watermeld so she was not particularly concerned about falling in. She had also managed to teach herself breath of Poseidon, so while she might flounder awkwardly she could breathe. She would not mind going in and sitting there, letting them swim around her and was seriously starting to consider it. She might have been slower to consider it if she considered how the avatar might feel about someone splashing around in her shrine, but there was a reason Eliabeth was not good at chess, well several really; the two applying to this scenario being that she was easily distracted and nearly incapable of thinking more than one move ahead.

Her hair slid off her back as she reached for one of the fish whose mouth was opening and closing just above the surface of the water as if it thought she was going to feed it. She wanted to see what one of them felt like. She imagined them being rough with the look of their scales, probably wet and possibly slimy. There were even ones with long mustache like growths and skin instead of scales. The change in position had revealed the scars on her back, almost identical to the scars Riuji's back had on them at the carnival thrown by the avatar.

There was a sudden change in the flow of water in the waterfall and Eliabeth pulled her arm back to twist and see what it was. Eliabeth had only seen the water avatar once and the woman standing before her now looked much more plain than the woman in the beautiful gown of blues and silvers. For that matter, she had not seen the avatar's face at the carnival so she could not hope to recognize her. She assumed the woman before her now was one of the priestesses, making the wild assumption that Rei was always dressed up in beautiful dresses.

Eliabeth stood, manners drilled into her from birth. "They are so colorful!" She said, sweet young voice making her seem younger than her years, her eyes glowing with childish innocence and giddy with imagination. She looked back down at them again before tearing herself away. "Sorry to bother you, I was wondering if the avatar trained people, or if you are available you seem very skilled in the element too. I mean water training."

Eliabeth was not good with strangers. Her eyes started to wander. Oh how she wanted to play with the fish.

The girl, though young in body, seemed to be much younger in mind. After all, the Avatar walked in to see the girl sprawled out on the floor of the bridge, her arms stretching down to the water as if she were trying to meet the sky. It didn’t bother her in the least or offend her, Rei was simply mentally remarking on the difference in age of the girl’s body and mind. It took only a quick surface aura search to detect that while Eliabeth’s blood was heavily diluted with human, there was a touch of something different- something elemental.

Rei could only smile at the girl’s assumption that she was not the Avatar. It didn’t strike at her as offensive or an insult. After all, the girl had not seen her face before and some of the more naïve at heart believed the deities to be in a constant stare of glamour. The Avatar knew differently. With three children under her roof to care for and feed, she rarely had time for visitors much less to spend her time dressing in fancy dresses and jewels. A small smile pricked at her lips.

“It is not a bother at all, though I’m afraid you might find yourself disappointed. I am the Avatar- not quite the fancy woman you remember seeing.” She shook her head lightheartedly. “As glamorous of a job as it seems, Eliabeth, I have three children to care for. I don’t usually have time to dress in such fancy attire.” It was also fairly useless to go through such trouble when it was likely to get dirtied. Even if it did not, at some point such a big garment would get in the way. It was difficult enough to keep up with a three year old with the bulkiness of a gown getting in the way.

Though Eliabeth seemed to be very easily distracted as most children were- especially around such fascinating things as fish and dolphins- Rei could sense potential within her core. The only problem the Avatar was likely to run into in training was keeping her attention. It took a great deal of focus and drive to excel in magic the way she had at such a young age. “If you wish to be trained in the element, I would be happy to do so. And if there is anything else in the realm of magic you need assistance with, I can help. I am no amateur in most aspects.”

With a kindhearted smile, Rei walked up to the railing, her hands resting there lightly as she looked down at the assortment of fish that danced in the pool like a rainbow. Among them she saw a few turtles and a dolphin. None of them were creatures that had not been around before. “I began training in magic when I was five years old,” she said, looking up from the pool and then to Eliabeth. “Though I will tell you, while your elemental blood gives you more potential than the average person, it will still take focus and drive on your part. Anyone with natural ability can perform magic, but it takes someone with drive and focus to master it.”

((hehe "diluted" I like that))

A smile played across the woman's lips and Eliabeth smiled back; it was reassuring. Still under the impression this was a member of the temple staff she could not resist looking back into the water. She was short enough that the railing blocked her view so she ducked under it, listening to the words with an attention her actions did not suggest. She heard the unexpected statement that this was the water avatar.

So startled was she that she forgot about the railing and bumped her head on it with a muffled "owch." Her hand went to the bump that, while sore, was not serious, just embarrassing. "I'm not disappointed, just surprised," she stumbled quickly, afraid the avatar was taking her assumptions the wrong way. "You were so pretty at the carnival, NOT that you're not pretty now," Eliabeth amended. She meant it too, anyone looked better all fancied up and dressed to the nines, but the avatar was still beautiful. Eliabeth wished she could look like her. It was clear she was nervous, stumbling around her words, eyes looking like a puppy who thought she might be in trouble but wasn't sure, that hesitant look when their name was called and they thought they did something wrong.

The look changed when she mentioned her children though, Eliabeth's face lit up cheerfully and her posture became less slouched though not at it's full height either. "I babysit Killian's twins, Killian and Calyna's but mostly when they are at Killian's temple, but not frequently because he likes to spend as much time with them as he can," Eliabeth blurted, rambling because she was nervous about earlier. At least she had gotten over stuttering. At least the avatar seemed smiley, and not in an insane way.

She took in a deep breath, having expended all of hers, and closed her mouth, ready to listen. While it was sometimes hard for people to believe, she wasn't as spastic as she frequently seemed. When a situation called for it, when Dhanu needed to find his family, when she perceived someone she cared about to be in trouble, she tapped into a part of her that was not distracted by anything. The only problem was tapping into that part of her when she knew it was practice.

She nodded feverishly with and amount of quick movement that would have threatened someone older in years with whiplash if they had tried it at the "if" statement that came from the avatar. She wanted very much to learn and be trained from the best. Surround yourself with people smarter than you, wiser than you, stronger than you, better than you, and their influence will help you grow. Surround yourself with people weaker than you, less focused than you, and they threatened to pull you down, unintentional though it may be. She did not want to be a person who threatened to drag others down, but everyone had to start somewhere. She mentioned other magic, but for now Eliabeth could not think of anything she needed help with. Healing maybe, but she had Haden, Ryena, Jaci, and Haden's guild for that at the moment. What she needed more from the avatar for now was help with water so she could make an educated decision, should the opportunity ever arise where she earned that privilege.

She watched as the avatar joined her by the rail, the bump now a light throb, almost forgotten as once again the aquatic animals captured the girl's attention. She looked up at Rei wide eyed and impressed when she said she started when she was five. She volunteered information she did not usually open up with so early, but if she was going be a mentor to Eliabeth it was best she know what she was working with. "My parents would not let me practice, much less train magic so young. They wanted me to be normal," she said, obvious distaste both for the word and idea in her tone. "Not that it stopped me, but it greatly hindered my progress," she admitted solemnly.

Her emotions filled the air around her. When she was happy, anyone in the area could feel it, when she was sad, they could feel that too. Her emotions spiked and changed rapidly, annoying to some people but with practice she would keep it under control, and some people, like Riuji had learned to block what he did not want to feel even when it was directed at him.

She turned with a serious expression on her face Rei would not have seen yet. "I want more than anything to be included in my grandmother's world," she told her, meaning her fairy grandmother on her father's side. "Learning the elements is the first step." She nodded, almost more to herself than her new found mentor, her intent to reassure her that she wanted this, and would stick with it regardless of how long it took to accomplish what the avatar had to teach her.

“Careful. No need to give yourself a concussion,” the Avatar half chuckled. The young girl stumbled haphazardly over her words, trying to make what she thought was now a bad situation better. Truth be told, if it had been a bad situation, the girl certainly was not helping it. Rei was not brash, though, and not quick to anger. On the contrary, she found it quite amusing that for once she was not immediately recognized. “There is no need to be so nervous. I truly find it quite more funny than anything else. It is a rare occurrence that I am not recognized.”

She nodded when Eliabeth had mentioned she watched over Killian’s children for him. It was not that Rei could not find someone more than happy to do the job but rather that she did not trust anyone to do it. After all, given her son’s kidnapping and murder, how could she trust anyone else? “I do not trust a soul with my children, though it would be a great deal easier if I did.” The Avatar looked out blankly over the pool, her eyes seeming to hint at the pain and betrayal that had given her the right to feel this way. Perhaps if it had been someone older, someone less young at heart and innocent, she would have elaborated on the grim tale.

The girl’s excitement was obvious, though the Avatar still held doubt about her focus. Thus far she had not proved to be a very focused individual. In just a moment’s time, the girls thoughts and focus had trailed off a handful of times. If she were to ever accomplish a great proficiency with water magic- or any kind of magic for that matter- she would have to set her mind to it. “Not all parents are as lenient, but when born into this land to a fallen Goddess of Death and the Guardian of Water, it is a necessity. It is likely I would have harmed myself or someone else.” Rei smiled at the memory of the first spell she had ever cast- it had been a ball of frost that careened into the wall of a cave.

“You will learn the element so long as you put your mind to it. I am not one to turn away an apprentice. I was once one myself.” Rei smiled, her fingers tapping on the rail for a moment. “It is a little known thing about water that it is highly connected with emotions. When I was blessed with this seat of power, I became able to read the emotions of others as clear as auras or as colors on a spectrum. It can be overwhelming to understand the flow of emotions that a deep connection with water will unlock, but once you have, you will find it far easier to control youself.”

The Avatar then left the side of the bridge, venturing towards the end and motioning for her guest to follow. As they approached, the water of the falls parted and the silver door concealed behind it opened. It led them to the altar room with the basin of the purest water that could be found. It had been described in many ways, though Rei felt that liquefied diamonds was the only thing close to accurate. From the basin, the water rose up- alive- and shifted into various shapes of sea creatures. Lining the walls were watercolor portraits of all of her predecessors. The portrait of her father was bigger than the rest- an obvious show of connection. Even the portraits themselves seemed to move ever so slightly within their frames. “These are my predecessors- all the greats who came before me. And the basin is the purest of water- the very core of the element.” The Avatar approached the basin and knelt down by its edge. Gingerly, a single finger touched upon the surface. “Tell me, Eliabeth. Can you hear the spirits of the element speaking to you?”

Eliabeth gave an embarrassed grin as she was told to be careful. She had always been a bit of a spaz, but it was particularly embarrassing when it was in front of someone who she wanted to have a good opinion of her. Her cheeks flushed a pink and Rei was certainly going to feel it if she too was connected to emotions. She turned even redder when the avatar mentioned it was rare she was not recognized, but she could be sure Eliabeth would never make that mistake again.

Rei's comments about not trusting a soul with her children sounded as though there was a background story behind it, but it was clear Rei did not want to continue with an explanation and it was not Eliabeth's place to ask. She could sense a little pain coming from the woman and she was even more sure it was not her place to know. Well, the offer was out there should Eliabeth ever gain her trust. She did not expect it, but the offer was there either way and Eliabeth was content with that.

"Ooooh," the young girl's voice rang out, as if a lit candle just appeared over her head, lit with the light of understanding. "Yeah, that would be a good reason to let you train young." She wished she had been allowed to train younger, but if she had, she would not be the same person she was now. Who knew how different she would be, if she would have the same determination that she had about learning that she had now, having to teach herself. She smiled, trying to relax.

It was hard to imagine anyone, much less Rei, Jaci, Killian, or Calyna ever being apprentices. It rather baffled Eliabeth's mind quite frankly. However she was quickly distracted at the mention of emotions. "Does that make you an empath too?" Eliabeth asked, eyes as wide as saucers. She had only met one other empath besides herself, a man named Riuji. "Does that mean I have a natural inclination towards water over the other elements?" Eliabeth wondered aloud, but it was more to herself. Most fairies chose an element, but maybe since she was only part she had a natural lean toward one over the others. She had certainly discovered that fire was not her element. As of yet, in her mind anyway, earth, water, and air were all tied.

Easier to control herself

Eliabeth blushed. Rei must have discovered that Eliabeth's emotions ran rampant. It would not be hard if she was in tune to the emotions of others. Well, if water was going to help her calm down and not affect everyone around her she would be more determined than ever. She had not realized how related to other magic the elements seemed to be... Eliabeth scurried behind, reflecting these new thoughts. Eliabeth's eyes followed the flow of water as it parted. She was struggling with kenisis of any element, and thought it was amazing how Rei could just part an entire waterfall almost effortlessly. She had much to learn, the young grasshopper.

Following through the now open silver door. One of the first things she noticed were the portraits. Were they... moving? No, her eyes must be playing tricks on her. So they were the all the avatar before Rei? One of the portraits, a male, was larger than the rest. Was this Rei's father? Eliabeth followed and watched with interest as, with careful and fluid movements Rei gingerly touched the basin's surface. Inside was something clearly magical that Eliabeth could not put into words. It was an almost silvery substance and according to the avatar it was the very core of the element. Eliabeth looked at it with fascination. At first there were whispers, soft, she could hear them but not quite make them out, but the more patiently she listened the more she could understand. Her concentration was broken once she had a question.

"Do they live in there?"

“A good reason, yes,” she paused. Rei did believe parents had every reason to dislike their children being trained at young ages. While it worked out well in her cases, there were many where it had not. “But your parents- or any parents- are right to be hesitant. My situation ended well but it easily could not have. My brother, for example, is much different than I. He blossomed into a far darker and far more warmongering person than I am. It is just an account of luck that he has not succeeded in his endeavors.” The Avatar had not known the whereabouts of her brother since she was much younger- the ripe age of her teens. Then they had found themselves on opposite sides of a dangerous war.

“Some could easily argue I was pushed too hard,” she commented. Taking a moment, she loosed her dress just enough to expose the left half of her back. It concealed the most recent mammoth scar that had been made by Dimitre. While her visible skin was pristine and flawless, her back was far from matching. It was littered with scars that were old- visible yet vague. “These were not made from enemies. I was trained by an ambitious God and pushed far harder than any of his pupils. I was expected to perform better, to be able to take more, to excel. I was his prodigy.” With a swift motion she pulled the shoulder of the dress back up and tightened it. “It is not the right choice for every child.”

It was not to be mistaken that Rei ever regretted the training she had received nor did she bear ill feelings towards her mentor. Sadrach had been a fine teacher and was likely to credit for the success she had achieved in her life. Perhaps he pushed her too hard at time, but in the end she did nothing but gain from it. Minus the scars she hardly ever noticed, she had gained the control of a potent stream of power. It had made her a force to be reckoned with, yet she couldn’t recall ever using it. Always she recalled that her father would speak to her about exercising restraint when she used her power. It was something she had always practiced and some named her weak for it.

The Avatar never considered her powers the same as an empath. While they accomplished the same goal- reading emotions- they went about it differently. “In a way, perhaps. Empaths meet the same goal as I do but in different ways. Empaths just feel and pick up on emotions, while to me they are visible- as clear a color on a rainbow. In fact, they are represented as colors. Auramancy is what my mentor referred to it as.” Rei remembered Sadrach having such a similar power as Dreams. In his recent return he had remarked on it when she had begun explaining the phenomenon to him.

“It is possible that you lean towards one element- some people do, while others may lean towards multiple or none.” Rei paused, as if she was searching the girl for something- and she was. But Eliabeth’s blood was too muddled to be able to discern in a simple search and anything else would be invasive. Her element, or elements, would show as training progressed. “My element has been water since the day I was born. My father was the Guardian of Water when I was conceived and he fell shortly after my birth.” The Avatar looked up to the portrait that stood out amongst the rest and wondered where he was now.

Then Water watched with intense curiosity. Of course what Eliabeth was experiencing was not of her own doing. At some point in time- if she were truly connected with water- perhaps she would gain a more minor version of the gift. The girl questioned if the spirits lived in the basin at her feet and Rei smiled. “In a way, yes. They live in the very element. I can hear them all around me- in raindrops, in the sea, in the morning dew.” She stood then, looking at Eliabeth as if she was pleased with the results. “What do they say to you?”

Eliabeth pouted slightly as she was told her parents had been right to keep her from magic. Even with the avatar’s words she thought they were wrong, for in her mind, regardless of their actual intentions, they had been trying to subdue a part of her and not allow her to explore it at all. She did however continue to listen; disagreement while unpleasant did not deafen her ears to the words of those wiser than her. Eliabeth tried her best to be a sponge and soak up what she could regardless of content, not always the wisest actions, as had been the case with Arashii, soaking up darker ideas of life.

Eliabeth was afraid she might embarrass herself further with her next question, but since she had amused and not insulted Rei with her first round of obliviousness, maybe she would take this as Eliabeth intended it, as an attempt to learn. “Who is your brother?” The talk about luck and warmongering endeavors made him sound important. Had he ascended too? If he had but had fallen Eliabeth would not know him, but would likely smile, nod, and store the name in her memory somewhere should she need it later.

Eliabeth gasped at the scar on Rei's back. Self consciously she squirmed, making sure her hair covered her own. They were to no degree as extensive as the woman's before her, but they were there; they had not been forgotten. Eliabeth was otherwise silent for she had no idea how to reply to such comments. clearly, the training had paid off, Rei was in a position of authority and responsibility, but was it worth it, or would she have grown to be the water avatar either way? It was something to consider later.

"Auramancy?" Eliabeth stumbled over the word slightly as she had never heard it before. Seeing emotions as colors? She had only recently grasped seeing magic as colors instead of only feeling it. "Does that mean you could help me control my empathy or are they too different?" Eliabeth wondered. After all, Ryena used quite a different version of magic than Eliabeth did and yet she was able to teach Eliabeth relatively effectively. There were some skills she had taught better than others. Eliabeth did not seem to mind the pause, or the feeling she was being observed though she did not quite understand she was being searched for anything. The answer given was enough to satisfy Eliabeth's curiosity for the moment.

She watched as Rei turned to her father's portrait as she spoke of him. "What was he like?" Eliabeth asked. She had met more of them than she ever thought she would in a lifetime, the gods and goddesses that ruled her world. So far they had all been nice and kind, but she knew from stories and rumor that they were not all like that. She assumed that Rei's dad would have been much like the avatar now, open to strangers requesting training, nice and kind, but assumptions were often wrong.

Eliabeth listened to where they lived, in the rain and dew. What happened when the dew evaporated, she wondered. "So when I summon an elemental, is that where it comes from?" A water elemental had been one of the first smells Eliabeth had truly mastered. At first it had been a shapeless blob, but she had called upon it to help with a fire and it had served its purpose. Only later did it start to take the form of Iki, one of Haden's companions. She leaned close to the water without threatening to touch it. She listened quietly before a smile danced across her face.

"They are... encouraging." She was not sure what that meant, but there seemed no way it could be a bad thing.