[center][h1]Primal Magic[/h1]
[h3]A Bloody Farewell to Wolf's Run[/h3][/center]

As titans clashed and exacted a terrible toll on their surroundings, their magic mingled and recoiled against the stream of raw natural power coursing through the battlefield. Hidden and silent, the ley line began to stir, disturbed by powerful forces, and summoned its strength in fierce defiance.

Rampant magic beckoned storms to gather across the cloudless hills and twist into an dark, menacing eye. The black thunderhead plumed outward in all directions while lances of raw energy began to strike the earth. The wild precession of lightning expanded further and further, scarring the ground, melting stone, and tearing into the thin veil of reality that held the world together.

Long, sinuous fissures rended the air and sky like a clear sheet of glass about to shatter. Wherever the lightning touched blood jagged crystalline spires erupted from the ground and grew gnarled protrusions like branching veins. Nearby survivors were absorbed by their roots, their inhuman screams squelched as their flesh fused into the ruby red trees. Corpses boiled into gory columns of steam illuminated by a pale violet radiance. Water leeched from the earth and fell into the sky as torrential rain. Raging fires froze in time, their burning victims trapped in a state of cauterized agony.

A frightening reflection of a world turning itself inside out, magic was running wild. But, nature's guiding hand sought to correct the imbalance. Strange fissures engulfed the greatest of disturbances and shunted them away.

[@Hammerman][@13org][@Rune_Alchemist]

[hr]

[center][h1]Hǫggrheim[/h1]
[h3]At the foot of Yggdrasil[/h3][/center]

After falling sideways through an open fissure, Selena trapped behind curtains of impossible color shimmering like an aurora. When she finally hit solid ground, she discovered herself in a strange and wondrous place. 

Sunbeams filtered through a tangle of enormous roots which reach several stories into the air. Individually, each root could easily tower over the monarch of any forest. Yurts stitched together from brilliant orange and deep red leaves have been built around a massive stone dias, while a single monolithic pillar jutted from its center. Sacred liturgies have been carved onto every surface of it.

Sitting casually beneath the pillar is the familiar figure--a Minotaur, in fact. He sat squarely in the center of dozens of strangely dressed villagers who congregated around him and seemed to hinge on his every word.

"Hǫggrheim remains just as you left it, milord. We-" Lethe's ears twitched at Selena's arrival. "An intruder?" Her voice became quiet.

[@hivekiller]

[hr]
[center][h1]Outside Woodstop[/h1]
[h3]Into the Wild[/h3][/center]

A maelstrom of raw and furious colors consumed Yasha. The world fell away leaving only a bizarre aurora in its stead. When the torrent of energy subsided, a dense woodland scenery showed through the diminishing veil of magic. The trees grew had grown close and the air was thick enough to cut. It was an old forest, where shadows moved and life was silent, but ever watchful. 

The distant clamor of fighting reached Yasha's ears. War and strife were abundant in this world.

[@Lugubrious]

[hr]
[center][h1]Above Brightwing[/h1]
[h3]Into the Sky[/h3][/center]

Swallowed by a scintillating rainbow of color, the demoness fell through a hole in the world and found herself in the heavens. Pure white clouds unfurled beneath her like a rolling blanket of cotton. Between small openings in the clouds could be seen the tips of towering structures. Gravity mercilessly latched onto Senna and pulled her into free fall.

High above, the city sprawl appeared little more than a scaled down model children would play with. But the ground was fast approaching. A smear of blue sparkled next to a line of greenery. A pond maybe?

[@IceHeart]

[hr]

[center][color=CCCCFF][h1]December[/h1]
[h3]Guild Archives[/h3][/color][/center]

History was not December's strong suit. She likes the stories, but memorizing who did what and when was tedious and boring. It scarcely held her attention before. But, with a specific goal in mind, the work was palatable. Danielle's assistant, despite his faults, had seemed to be quite useful in a pinch. She liked to think Lexus Dominiel could be that way too, if he could stop trying to make her into a goddess for five minutes.
The guild's public archives were filled with old records about the founding of Brightwing, the royal lineage and heraldry, and important victories in their military history. It was a surreal feeling that settled into December's mind--a disconnect. The numerous accounts of powerful heroes and demonic kings seemed little more than fairy tales, but she felt that they were true nonetheless. She continued to search for older and older documents, something that might help explain their current state of affairs, but there was no mention of YGGDRASIL. 

Slightly dejected by her lack of progress, she began wandering the other sections and keeping a watchful eye for interesting titles and topics. What stole attention wasn't the biography of a great hero, but the acrid smell of distress and a salty hint of perspiration. [i]I need to figure out how to turn off this scent ability, or last weaken it. It's driving me crazy.[/i] 
Inconvenienced by her own powers, December grumbled as she passed by the source of the unpleasant odor, looking for some book or scroll to distract her. But, what was supposed to be some quiet mumbling nearly became a low predatory growl. The sound briefly rolled in her chest like thunder before she could stifle it. She peeked over her shoulder at the man behind her, and excused herself politely as if embarrassed about passing gas in public. Hopefully he would buy it.

She hurried away from the city records section and approached the front desk again. [color=CCCCFF]"Excuse me, miss?"[/color] Her tone softened when she met eyes with the receptionist.  [color=CCCCFF]"I was wondering... How does one join the Magician's Guild? I have-"[/color] She hesitated awkwardly. [color=CCCCFF]"...[i]some[/i] skill with magic already, and I'm quick to learn."[/color] It felt like there was a lump in her throat. Lying outright did not come naturally to December. Her mind raced trying to figure out what exactly she should say about herself and how much truth to include. 

[@IceHeart][@baraquiel]