[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/RQaJfun.png[/img][h1][b][color=B22222]C L A R A[/color][/b][/h1][hr][b][color=gray]IFRISE FOREST — SOVEREIGNTY OF DRYADALIS[/color][/b][/center][hr]
Clara ignored the boy's retort and false courage and kept her worried eyes fixated on him. She hadn't felt this way in a long time.

But a realisation snapped her back to reality, and she quickly pulled herself away. Clara had panicked, in that moment she had let her emotions overwhelm her. She cursed herself for making such a careless mistake.

[i][color=B22222]Steady yourself, Clara. Don't let it happen again.[/color][/i]

In that same moment, Clara felt a surge of energy pass through her body, as if a part of her soul had been restored. There it was, the ether from the forest soil circulating below in great abundance. She allowed her own ether to flow throughout her body, from the ends of her toes to the tips of her fingers.

The group soon caught up, and Clara realised the presence of a person she hadn't encountered before. He was a young silver haired man with an unsettling glint in his eyes, which Clara was quick to avoid looking at. It shocked her to see his overt display of his powers, and his knowledge of what was likely going in ahead garnered her suspicions. Perhaps he wasn't as overly cautious as she was when it came to using magic, but something about the man's smile and demeanour made her want to keep her distance.

When the young red head spoke, Clara frowned. The word 'criminal' wasn't the most appealing title to her, but as sinister as it sounded it wasn't necessarily false; in essence she was just a homeless runaway, a deceptive thief who stole to survive. But she was at least grateful that she had found herself with people who were just like her. Clara never thought she would ever find herself amongst a gathering of magi in her lifetime, even in such unusual circumstances. From what had just been said, the reserved young girl was a fulgur magi, and the talkative blond boy an ignis one. 

Clara was still hesitant. Despite her company, just the thought of letting her crystal surface made her nervous, it had been so long since the last time she had. But if she was going to live to see another day, she was going to have to cooperate. 

[b]"[color=B22222]Well, [i]life story[/i] aside, I was born under the sign of terra,[/color]"[/b] she said in a low, but audible voice. [b]"[color=B22222]I can make this red crystal that can cover my skin and any solid object. Like this, see?[/color]"[/b]

Slowly raising her left arm for observation, a bright scarlet crystal covered Clara's hand. After a few seconds of turning her hand the crystal shrank back into nothing, disappearing from the surface of her skin.

[b]"[color=B22222]It's very, uh… hard,[/color]"[/b] Clara added, unsure what other obscure details she could give like the boy before her had. [b]"[color=B22222]I guess if there's one thing my crystal can do, it's to not break. Unless your magic is that strong, you could probably swing a sword at this stuff and it wouldn't leave a scratch.[/color]"[/b]