[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/iReqrru.png[/img]
[/center]

[hr]

Cordelia watched as Penny did as Penny always did under pressure. She skillfully used her hammer like a chisel, picking apart their enemies with a tactical precision only available to an upper echelon of combatant. Just like that, they were met with silence. The pitter of the rain, the winds now calming somewhat. Cordelia felt the rain trace silhouettes around her face, as they all stood in suspended animation, waiting to hear an onslaught approaching. 

But, they didn’t. In fact, they didn’t hear much of anything. [color=9df7ff][i]The best-case scenario.

Lucky us. [/i][/color]

The Ars Magi quickly top to the top floor of the building Aiya had pointed out to them. Before long, all that was left to focus on, was watching and waiting. Cordelia found herself distracted from looking for Nox, or machines alike. [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiPTl-xCncQ]Rather, her eyes wandered out towards the lives of those past, what they had built, and what little remained of it all.[/url] Cordelia could feel the fragility of the world she stood to protect when she looked out at what once had been.

The way the rain brought down sheets of moisture atop it, as if trying to slowly, over the course of decades and centuries, slowly push man’s creation back into the planet. It was something to behold. Some kind of spectacle, even though it looked like nothing was happening.  Cordelia chewed on her protein bar, shew as no snob for food and didn’t often eat for pleasure’s sake so she found it passably flavourful. 

She looked around, at the others Ars Magi. Those of their respective elementum’s, aether, wind, lightning, and light. She looked at them, trying to find the elementum within, trying to see it. Cordelia faltered, though, when the group began to speak. 

It was Aiya, her words to each of the Ars Magi that pulled Cordelia from her stupor. Cordelia’s cheeks flamed as she was complimented and lightly, loosely propositioned for another dance. She glanced away, into a bit of glass, searching for her voice to respond. [color=9df7ff]“That’s very kind of him,”[/color] she whispered sweetly into her knees. She pulled them closer, wrapping her arms around them and squeezing tight. [color=9df7ff]“I’d be honoured to afford you whatever kindness I afforded him.”[/color]

It was odd, being a soldier. Cordelia was having trouble keeping her mind off of that thought as of late. Her mind couldn’t resist the pull of considering the bigger picture of what exactly was happening in her life, and how radically different it all was now. She looked into the mirror she had made, shattered and fractured, her reflection still stared resolutely back at her. [color=9df7ff]“I remember,”[/color] Cordelia began, testing her voice. [color=9df7ff]“A time when nobody would ever consider me an adequate dance partner, let alone requesting another.”[/color] Her eyes were locked on Penny’s shoes. Not for a particular reason, but simply to avoid looking anywhere else. 

[color=9df7ff]“It feels nice,”[/color] Cordelia looked upwards, letting the rain run down her face as she scanned the grey clouds for something. [color=9df7ff]"To speak, and not just be spoken to. To act, rather than be directed. I've never had this much freedom before."[/color] Her smiled returned, looking rather chipper, almost as she hugged her chin in tighter towards her kness. [color=9df7ff]“m'not used to it yet,”[/color] she muttered.