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Had you asked Aoife Sturmgaard one week ago how she felt about active combat against a Void, she'd have fumbled over some optimistic verbiage before landing on something to the effect of [colour=0892d0]'we'll do our best'.[/colour] She was an extrovert, charismatic, quick on her feet. Some had called her a natural born leader. However, one knows when they are outclassed and the human knowledge of mortality was a damning one. Yet, as she and another Ars Magi made their way to the Palmyra Military Exercise Zone her heart was thrumming in anticipation. She wanted to speak to the blonde lightning user beside her, but her mind couldn't focus on words or niceties. It thought only of combat, about winning. 

She had to steady herself as she was nearly bowled over by a sudden tremor beneath her feet as a shockwave erupted past her and Noel. the unnerving sound of concrete shorn from structures and glass being pulverized through sheer velocity rung loudly in the freshly minted Ars Magi's ears. She felt a sensation creep from her fingertips across her spine, but it was not fear nor a flight response from her body. It may've been just a week ago, but now, something had irrevocably changed in her. This gem that had been housed within her. She could feel it pulse in time with her heart. Aoife looked to the girl to her right, one arm steadying herself against the alleyway. 

They made it to the exit and began to witness the beginning of what would likely be a short conflict, no matter the victor. She laid eyes on it, finally. This was C-Class. The Void bore a slender figure, so seemingly fragile that it caused Aoife's blood to boil in anger. It should be easy to crush it, to snap it, to sunder the beast.

The Void generated a black sphere no larger than a basketball, condensed in a way that made it look like a star before its capitulation to oblivion. It launched a volley of them upwards towards the observation tower that it was facing. Aoife braced herself for their impact, but not fast enough. A verdant-haired maiden of imposing stature loosed a slab of concrete with a single kick colliding with the ball and brilliantly erupting. The sound of the eruption itself marveled Aoife, it excited her. Two more cracks rung out not a moment later and erupted into another volley of these projectiles before Aoife was even able to parse their existence. Lilac light burst from the sky as another explosion carried a girl further, to the roof of a different building before disappearing past its lip. Two cracks followed and the Void stumbled backwards, barely catching itself.

The blonde opened her mouth to say something, an excuse to be sure. [colour=0892d0]"It's alright, I feel it too."[/colour] It was all Aoife could do to hear her own voice over the blood and adrenaline pounding in her ears. Noel nodded to her and leapt, a burst of electricity lapping at her heels as she did. Aoife marveled at the girl, firing herself like a bullet from a gun, she impacted hard against the creature, knocking it further off balance as it begun to reel back toward her.

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[center][h2][colour=0892d0]C A S T A S T E R I S M[/COLOUR][/h2]
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADn4S1ajMAI&ab_channel=TheDevilDucker]“Aoife!” Calls the lightning Ars Magi, “Go!”[/url][/center]

Time slowed to a crawl as the girl heard her name echo across the desolate city-scape, into the ears of the other Ars Magi. For the first time since becoming an Ars Magi, Aoife felt purpose clarify, and intent crystallize unto her soul. She felt her body pulled towards the void, being spurred on and catching glances from each of the other girls. This was her chance to prove who she was, that when she arrived on the battlefield, the tide would change.

Aoife closed her eyes as he legs continued to carry her forward. She stretched her arms out towards the void, feeling the pull of the tide in the pit of her stomach. She could feel the cosmic ocean this planet was adrift in all around her. Her ears filled with the sounds of the tide as she leapt into the air, gracefully caught by water she conjured around her. The water bore with it the stars themselves under its waves as it spiraled around her waist lifting her further and further into the air. But this impressive show of force was unnecessary. Aoife's hand glided across the water by her waist, plucking a strand of it like a seamstress would a thread. The thin chord of pure water danced along her fingertips as she continued to climb. The water playfully danced around her as she finally found it. 

[i][colour=0892d0]There you are.[/colour][/i] For the briefest moment she felt as though the Armagus implanted within her resonated with her, as if it acknowledged her intent. 

Aoife's eyes slowly opened, meeting the void before her with the gaze of a conqueror. [colour=0892d0]"Fear me, fiend."[/colour] Her words were nearly silent, but the look on her face spoke volumes. Her visage filled with ire that would put the fear of the divine upon a mortal. She bore her gladius in one hand, a brilliant silver blade with an azure ribbon dangling and dancing with the water below her. She continued to rise, and would until she could take her rightful seat upon the heavens. But, for now, that creature mocked her and her fellow Ars Magi by still standing. She could feel the pride and divine right coursing through her veins, it might've worried Aoife, had she not been so singularly focused.

The water she contorted into a singular thread spun violently into itself, condensing into a jet stream with enough pressure to carve a diamond. She could feel its power radiate through her hand and up her torso, releasing at the base of her neck. It gave her chills. She felt as though she had become the very waves that crushed sailors against the cliffs. Aoife couldn't help but smile with glee at what she was about to do. 

Her fingers danced in a brief formation for only an instant before the thread of water that she'd pulled from the typhoon propping her up lanced outwards like a whip toward the creature, striking with a crack as she aimed it to land a blow on its knee. [colour=0892d0]"Creature,"[/colour] this time she spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. [color=0892d0]"We are the Ars Magi. [b]Kneel[/b]."[/color]