[center][h1]Cerulean Ailorn[/h1][/center] “Sycrae, can I ask you a question?” Whitoa said as she played with the three rats that moved from one arm to another. They had crawled all over her as she cooed and whispered to them. Her dress was seemingly made of the local crimson leaves letting her blend well into the woods. But there were no woods here. The clearing around the crater had barely stopped burning. There was only ash and it caked the young dryad’s feet. Though she didn’t care. The sentinel dryad motioned for her to speak but kept her eyes on the cleaned, white stone laying on the ground before her. Something was drawing in the sentinel. Or rather, her own psyche was yearning for its rough surface again. “What are the others doing?” She pointed back towards the edge of the forest. Where several nymphs and even a handful of sentinels were softly singing while sitting spread out in the ash. “They’re raising the forest plants, Whitoa.” Sycrae explained though she still kept her eyes on the Moonshard. “Phelenia wishes us to guide the cycle. You know how I killed that fox very quickly?” Whitoa just nodded. “They are doing the same in in essence. I encouraged the passing of the animal. They are encouraging the growth of new life. And so the cycle moves on. Helped by us but never stopped. That is how it must be.” The young dryad nodded, though she didn’t fully understand everything about the cycle yet. Most of the time she just wished her friends didn’t die. Or that she was allowed to protect them. Even giving them shelter had caused a horrible debate with Sycrae, who only relented because it would cause a riot amongst the beastspeaking nymphs if she didn’t. Of course, a riot would only mean the nymphs don’t perform their duty. “So what are you doing then? Can’t you sing?” “I can, Whitoa. I can but I won’t. I have more important matters to attend to.” She said as she kept looking at the stone. Her hand inched closer to it again but she pulled back. She needed more knowledge or at the very least enough control that it shows what she needs to know. Pillars in a strange valley was not useful information. “Tell me what you are.” Whispered Sycrae to the stone. “It’s blue.” Said Whitoa who now held a rat over her and gave it small kisses. Sycrae turned to face her for the first time. Whitoa lowered the rat again. “Sorry, the rats. They say the magic around it is blue.” “Go on.” “They say that most of the magic here around is red. Whatever that means. Normally it’s green and white but here it is red. But that stone makes blue magic.” Explained Whitoa. “They say that ever since it landed there are just a bunch of colors here.” “And what does that mean?” “I don’t know.” Said Whitoa. “They just know somehow that it is magic and it is colored. Huh, what was that?” She suddenly held up a chittering rat to her ear and listened attentively. She gave it a few affirmative nods and ‘uhuns’ before lowering it again and continue petting it. “My friend here says that they can use magic easily. Maybe we could learn from them?” “What’s blue magic doing for them?” Asked Sycrae. Again Whitoa held up the rat to her ear. She whispered a few words in that ethereal tongue only beastspeakers knew and then the rat started chittering again. “Whenever he came close to the stone he saw his own tail.” Sycrae rolled her eyes. “And then the tail of another. Not close but far. One of his pup. He was worried for him. He had run away but… the blue showed him where he was hiding.” That did get Sycrae’s attention. “Tell me more.” [hider=Summary]Whitoa is asking questions to Sycrae while she’s playing with a rat. In the distance, some dryads are singing to encourage the forest to grow. Sycrae explains what they are doing and why: to encourage the cycle. Then Whitoa asks why she is doing. Sycrae says that she’s busy with the stone and wants to fully unlock its powers. Whitoa points out that the magic around it is blue. Which catches Sycrae’s attention. She asks for more and Whitoa explains how her rat friends can seemingly see and understand magic. Sycrae asks what blue magic does and Whitoa translates the tale of how it helped the rat-papa find his kit. This catches Sycrae’s attention.[/hider] [hider=Spirit] Sycrae starting spirit: 2 + 1: Features in a post + 1: Focus of a post Starts mortal quest: Unlock the vision powers (and get into contact with Yudaiel but she doesn’t know that part yet) of the Moonshard[/hider]