[center][h2][color=slateblue] Ariella[/color][color=gray] & [/color][color=00F8FE]Callum[/color][/h2] [b][color=gold]Flashback; Afternoon, so post morning events and before the evening banquet[/color][/b][/center] [hr] Callum, I need to speak with you. It’s urgent. You know where to find me. —Ari [color=lightgray]The letter was brief, each word carefully chosen. Ariella knew the risk—there was always a chance that prying eyes would scan its contents before it reached him. But Callum would understand. He’d know where to find her. She folded the parchment with steady hands, though the storm inside her was anything but calm. There was no one else she could trust with this. No one else who would understand the fury simmering beneath her skin. She sealed the letter with a wax seal with a Large E printed into the wax. —- Ariella paced back and forth, her bare feet striking the dirt, kicking up dust as a worn trail formed beneath her restless steps. The morning air clung to her skin, cool yet suffocating, as her thoughts spiraled, refusing to settle. The voice—that voice—echoed in her mind, gnawing at her sanity like a persistent specter. Her fingers, raw from constant wringing, dug into one another, pressing tightly against her chest as if holding herself together. Each step felt heavier than the last, frustration and unease coiling tighter within her. Mid-stride, she stopped abruptly, her gaze catching on a small trunk resting atop a weathered rock. It was ornate, its intricate carvings illuminated by the moonlight, the iron lock glinting coldly. A shiver prickled down her spine. For a fleeting moment, she was still, trapped in the pull of its presence. Then, like a snap of a thread, the trance broke. She tore her eyes away, resuming her pacing as the conversation with Drake replayed in her mind, each word twisting deeper into her thoughts. Callum trekked unseen through the woods, following the same path Ari had led him down the first time he’d been to the ravine. This time was different, now his long-limbed familiar strode beside him, ensuring that the pair were neither seen nor followed. [i]Unseen by mortal eyes[/i], the spirit had promised. There would be no tabloid mentions or hushed whispers about this secret meeting in the woods. [i]Urgent[/i], had been the word Ari had used, and Callum figured from the vagueness of her letter; that secrecy was paramount. The spirit’s help had a cost, but Callum had decided when he’d made his pact that he would trust his familiar. No point in summoning one if he wasn’t going to trust it. Given what he’d traded away for the favor, he could only hope Edin’s banquet tonight went as well as Ana and Fritz’s event had gone. The familiar dissolved its magical cloaking as Ari came into view, her frantic pacing noticed by both sets of eyes. [color=00F8FE]“Ari? You okay.”[/color] Callum asked softly. He recognized that sort of pacing, a desperate movement to burn off nerves. The far-off look of being lost in the chaos of one’s own head. His room had a similar path worn into the floorboards. [color=black][i][/i][/color] The voice wrapped around Cal’s mind and its tone buzzed with excitement. The monkey stood still, closed its eyes, and took a slow, deep, inhale. [color=black][i][/i][/color] A wide grin broke out across its face as emotion wafted his way. Stopping abruptly in her tracks, Ariella turned toward Callum, her expression brightening the moment she saw him.[color=slateblue] “Cal!” [/color] she greeted him with genuine warmth, her voice carrying a note of relief. But just as quickly, the light in her eyes flickered, replaced by the weight of an unspoken burden. Right… the letter. Her forced smile barely masked the storm brewing beneath the surface. A shadow passed over her face, and her fingers twitched, subconsciously picking at the skin of her hands. Her voice softened, tinged with uncertainty.[color=slateblue] “Thank you for coming. I know it’s a risk, with how many eyes are on you, but… I didn’t know who else to turn to.”[/color] Callum smiled, a look of pride flashed across his face. [color=00F8FE]“I wasn’t followed. We can speak freely.”[/color] Her shoulders sagged as if releasing a heavy weight, and the words tumbled from her lips in a frantic rush, like she had been holding her breath and was finally gasping for air. [color=slateblue]“My parents erased my memories, and my brother helped cover it up. I was—apparently—addicted to black magic, and now my aura is bleeding yellow and black, all mixed together!” [/color] Her hands flailed wildly, emphasizing the sheer panic woven into her voice. [color=slateblue]“I keep hearing this strange voice, like something is calling to me, and I—”[/color] She sucked in a shaky breath, her eyes darting toward the object resting atop the rock. Her outstretched finger trembled as she pointed at it. [color=slateblue]“I’m really scared to find out what’s in that box.”[/color] As the last word left her lips, she inhaled sharply, as though she had spoken every ounce of air from her lungs in that one desperate confession. [color=slateblue]“Oh…and I casted a spell on you”[/color] she casually added with a nervous smile as her brows furrowed Once Ari seemed a little more relaxed, Callum closed the remaining distance between them. The burden of what she had to share released into the space around them. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.Ari looked at him [color=00F8FE]“First, if your family did that to you, [i]fuck them,[/i]”[/color] he said. She smiled softly as her eyes softened. He looked at the box, he wondered what spell she had cast on him. [color=00F8FE]“How much of what they told you, can you even trust?”[/color] He asked. [color=slateblue]“That is true.” [/color] she added [color=black][i][/i][/color] Its snack was interrupted. Callum grabbed the effigy out of the familiar’s hands. [color=00F8FE][i]See, that’s rude.[/i][/color] He pointed out to the spirit who could not have cared less. [color=00F8FE]“I summoned a familiar, and he’s kind of a dick, so, now, he doesn’t get attention until he behaves.”[/color] Callum briefly explained the monkey and returned to more pressing concerns. [color=00F8FE]“And It did work. That night Riona and I found a secret room in Wystan’s room. Filled with cursed objects.”[/color] He held up the little Callum doll. [color=00F8FE]“Pretty sure it saved me from putting on an evil crown…”[/color] Ariella looked at Cal with an expression of concern before turning her attention to the monkey on his shoulder with a smile. [color=black][i][/i][/color] It continued its slow chewing. [color=00F8FE]“And, then Riona and I nearly died when a crazy guy broke in through a window. So, you know, big thank you there for this.”[/color] He offered the effigy back to her. Accepting it back Ari held it in her hand for a moment before offering it to his pet with a grin. The monkey snatched the doll from Ari’s hand and took another bite. [color=00F8FE]“Maybe…you woke something up, or weakened whatever your family did to hide magic from you?”[/color] Her gaze dropped for a moment before shaking her head softly [color=slateblue] “ I think you woke something up…” [/color] she nearly whispered as her attention turned back to Cal. [color=slateblue] “ Infact I am starting to wonder if this voice I keep hearing isnt a voice at all…” [/color] [color=00F8FE]“I woke something up?”[/color] He repeated. [color=00F8FE]“What do you think it is?”[/color] Cal asked as the monkey chewed on its snack, crunching sounds filling his ear. [color=slateblue] "Whatever this is… it's dark."[/color] Her voice was hushed, almost reverent, as if speaking too loudly might awaken something lurking in the shadows. A chill hung in the air, and distant voices whispered on the wind, calling her name.[color=slateblue] "It triggered some kind of magical reaction, but even I don’t fully understand it yet."[/color] Absentmindedly, she reached up and ran her fingers through the soft fur of the monkey,rubbing his head as he perched on his shoulder, who seemed far more interested in its snack than the weight of her words. [color=00F8FE]“Ari, don’t…”[/color] It was too late. Her hand was already on the familiar. The chewing stopped. The remnants of the poppet fell to the ground. Beady eyes stared at the offending hand, and its fur bristled. When Ari withdrew her hand, the monkey dropped from Callum’s shoulder and landed softly on the ground. [color=slateblue] "I was hoping maybe you had heard something too? Felt something?" [/color] Her gaze flickered to him, searching for any sign of recognition.[color=slateblue] "I think this ties back to my lost memories, but I don’t know how… or why." [/color] [color=00F8FE]“No,”[/color] Callum answered. [color=00F8FE]“Not voices in the wind. But that night, a lot of crazy stuff happened. I saw things, heard things…things I can barely believe were real…”[/color] He trailed off as his eyes flickered from Ari to the monkey who was still indignant about being petted. The monkey’s hands moved as it beckoned forth the shadows cast by trees. Shadows swirled together until they formed a feminine hand that rose and reached out towards Ari. Long elegant fingers stretched out as if to pet Ari in the same manner that she had petted the familiar. Before the shadowy hand made contact, each finger snapped and twisted in an unnatural direction. An unnaturally wide smile overtook the monkey’s face, every tooth displayed. Her eyes widened as she watched the shadows twist and turn a smile spreading on her face as she withdrew her hand. [color=00F8FE]“He says ‘there won’t be another warning’.”[/color] Callum said, still looking at his familiar. [color=00F8FE]“It’s the petting thing; he really doesn’t like it.”[/color] He clarified. Ari nodded [color=slateblue] “Noted, and I apologise”[/color] she clasped her hands together. The familiar nodded its head in return. Turning away, she reached for a worn satchel resting against a nearby rock, pulling out a glass jar. She hesitated, holding it for a moment, staring into the depths of its swirling contents before stepping back in front of him. She extended the jar toward him. Inside, the water churned in a mesmerizing yet unsettling display—deep, inky blacks twisting together with gold, an endless storm trapped within fragile glass. [color=slateblue] "This… may end badly."[/color] Her voice was steady, but as her eyes dropped to the jar, a flicker of uncertainty danced in their depths.[color=slateblue] "But I need to find answers, a way to get my memories that they stole. Finally be free of the chains they’ve casted on me. Are you willing to help me?"[/color] Her green eyes looked up to her friend full of excitement and fear. [color=00F8FE]“I’m clearly not opposed to working with the darker parts of magic.”[/color] He carefully took the jar from Ari and turned it over in his hand, watching the water that was imbued with both a golden light and jet-black darkness. Opposing forces swirled together but never blended, instead, the two forces only complemented each other. He handed the jar back with a reassuring smile. [color=00F8FE]“Whatever you need, I’m happy to help. So we’ll unlock those memories, and I think that can only be a good thing. Not just to give you back whatever parts of yourself your family stole from you, but all these things they don’t want us to know, that’s just power they don’t want us to have. It’s why the crown tried to purge witchcraft from this world: to keep knowledge and power from those they can’t control. It’s why a bunch of long-dead witches tried to close off the so-called darker paths: to keep others from doing what they were too afraid to do.”[/color] He took a step closer and gave Ari his full attention, eyes locked on hers. [color=00F8FE]“Why should we be afraid? We can cast off limits and use magic to free others, to make this world better, and to get rid of all those people who will try to limit us. Dark, light, what does it matter if the end goal is something so much better than what we have now?”[/color] He asked before gently cupping his hands around Ari’s face. Feeling his hands around his face Ari’s cheeks slightly pinked as her eyes grew a little wider, she watched him closely as he continued. [color=00F8FE]“Your magicae is beautiful, a perfect reflection of what’s possible, and no matter how dark your road has gotten or will get, I want to walk that path with you. I trust who you are, I want to know who you were and who you will be when you are truly free.”[/color] Her hand reached up to her face, resting her right hand over his. She felt seen and accepted by Cal, and his words were the kindest and most honest she had heard from anyone. Her titled slightly into his palm that her hand held as her expression softened. [color=slateblue] “ I just want to be free…”[/color] she said softly nearly a whisper that only the two could hear. [color=00F8FE]“You will be.”[/color] Callum whispered, and the longer he looked at her the more the world around him disappeared. There was just the warmth from Ari’s cheek and the gentle pressure of her hand against his. The way the color in her cheeks made her freckles stand out. Her vibrant eyes. The curve of her lips. His heart beat like the wings of a hummingbird. [color=black][i][/i][/color] The familiar commented as it fed off the emotion it syphoned from the pair. [color=black][i][/i][/color] [color=00F8FE][i]Shut up.[/i][/color] He told the voice in his head. [color=00F8FE]“So, how much do you know about memory spells?”[/color] He asked, sliding his hands away from Ari’s face. [color=00F8FE]“I’ve never messed with any of that, but I do know someone who does: Marek Delronzo.”[/color] He offered with a smile. If anyone would know how to undo a memory spell, he’d bet it would be Marek. [color=00F8FE]“And what’s with the box?”[/color] He added. Her hands fell limply to her sides as she drew in a slow, measured breath, as if the brief exchange had stolen the air from her lungs. A flicker of something unreadable passed across her face before she turned, her gaze settling on the satchel of belongings her brother had given her. She blinked, as though trying to piece together fragments of a dream, then spoke, her voice laced with uncertainty. [color=slateblue]“I don’t remember much of anything, to be honest. I feel like a novice, yet according to my brother, I wielded dark magic so often that they began to fear me. And in that fear, they stripped away everything I knew about it.”[/color] Her fingers grazed the edge of the bag as she crouched down, her expression troubled. [color=slateblue]“I’m starting to wonder if I even attended etiquette school like my mother always insisted I had.”[/color] [color=00F8FE]“Oh, no offense, but you don’t act like you went to [i]etiquette school[/i].”[/color] He teased. [color=00F8FE]“And by that, I mean you’re not boring and deeply disgusted by the thought of running around the woods free from shoes.”[/color] Ari nodded with enthusiasm as he understood her thoughts. She reached inside, shuffling through its contents before pulling out a stack of journals. They rested in her hands for a moment, the weight of them strangely foreign, as if she were holding remnants of someone else's life. With quiet care, she set them beside an ornate wooden box before delving back into the bag. One by one, she retrieved more items, spreading them out on the ground as if attempting to make sense of the puzzle before her. Finally, she sat back on her heels, her gaze lifting to meet Cal’s. [color=slateblue]“Everything else was burned. This is all that’s left.”[/color] [color=00F8FE]“Of course they burned your stuff. Those who can’t do magic, try to burn it out of existence.”[/color] He replied, a bitter edge to his tone. Her fingers traced the intricate patterns carved into the wooden box. It was large, beautifully detailed, but odd in its construction—there was no visible keyhole, only a peculiar seal embedded at the center. She frowned, tilting her head in thought. [color=slateblue]“I don’t know how to open it...”[/color] she murmured, squinting at the seal. Her brow furrowed. [color=slateblue]“A key, maybe?”[/color] [color=00F8FE]“Where would the key even go?”[/color] He asked, looking at the box. [color=black][i][/i][/color] Clarence reached out, its fingers caressing the ornate carvings. Something dark sizzled against the familiar’s magicae as its fingers ran across the seal. [color=00F8FE]“It’s locked with magic. Which means whatever’s in there must be important.”[/color] Callum said. [color=00F8FE][i]Can you open it?[/i][/color] He looked at the monkey who studied the box like a gift it wasn’t allowed to open just yet. [color=black][i][/i][/color] was the only response Cal got. [color=00F8FE][i]Can you…sniff them out? Pick up the scent from the box.[/i][/color] He wondered, only to be met with an incredulous look. [color=black][i][/i][/color] It asked. [color=00F8FE][i]No.[/i][/color] Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy. [color=black][i][/i][/color] [color=00F8FE]“So we have to find the witch that locked it. Like a quest.”[/color] Cal said, looking back at Ari as she glanced back at him. Despite how screwed up the circumstances were, the idea of a quest involving tracking down the witch who helped steal Ari’s memories was exciting. An important quest, and he was her first choice to help with it. [color=00F8FE]“You think Drake would give you any more information? Oh…and how mad are we at him right now? I should know in case I run into your brother, your feuds are my feuds.”[/color] He asked. A soft chuckle erupted from Ari as she covered her mouth at his comment towards her brother. Her expression turning into a soft look of thanks as he spoke of her feuds. [color=00F8FE]“I’d guess that whoever they are, they’ve taken steps to avoid being found, but we should at least try a tracking spell first.”[/color] He suggested; no reason not to leave no stone unturned. [color=slateblue]“A tracking spell is a good idea…Maybe even these journals have some clues. ”[/color] Her attention turned to the stack of books infront of her. [color=slateblue]“Drake was really only a child when everything happened and as much as I want to be upset with all of them he did recover some of my items atleast.”[/color] a long drawn out sigh left her before she stood back to her feet. Dusting off the bottom of her dress [color=slateblue]“I also wonder what else I may have hidden around here.”[/color] she looked around for a moment before turning her attention to Cal [color=slateblue]“What about you? Any feuds I should know about? After all your fueds are my feuds”[/color] she smiled brightly. [color=00F8FE]“Almost the same as yours; my shitty parents. And the rest of this nation’s nobles who don’t care about their people. Hence the familiar: Clarence is going to help me defeat those enemies.”[/color] Cal answered, and he was relieved he didn’t have to add Drake to that list because he was starting to like the guy. Ariella’s smile softened as she listened to him, her heart squeezing at the weight in his voice. He always carried so much—anger, determination, the need to fix what was broken. She wished she could take some of it from him, wished she could make the world kinder to him. But if she couldn’t do that, she’d stand beside him through all of it. [color=00F8FE]“Edin, and Alibeth, have a lot to answer for. I’m going to make sure they suffer for the things they’ve done. So my feuds…are dangerous ones to take up. If you want to take that back, I’ll still help you with yours.”[/color] He offered, giving her an out if she wanted to take it. Her fingers curled into the fabric of her dress as she took a step closer, her voice quieter but unwavering. [color=slateblue]“Don’t be ridiculous, Cal. I would never take it back.” [/color] She searched his face, as if daring him to argue.[color=slateblue] “You’re important to me. If this is your fight, then it’s mine too.”[/color] Her hand reached out, hesitant for only a breath before resting lightly on his arm.[color=slateblue]“ “I don’t want you to go through this alone… I want you to be free too.”[/color] Her smile turned a little sad, her thumb brushing against the fabric of his sleeve. [color=slateblue]“And if I can help make that happen, I will.”[/color] She let her hand fall away, glancing at the books again to collect herself. Her heart was beating too fast. With a deep breath, she straightened and forced her usual playful grin back onto her face.[color=slateblue]“ “Now, no more of this ‘if you want to take it back’ nonsense. You’re stuck with me.”[/color] She grinned at him with a soft shrug. [color=00F8FE]“Then I guess I should tell you all of it.”[/color] Callum took a breath. Ari’s shoulders relaxed as her eyes focused on him, nodding as she listened closely. [color=00F8FE]“I’ve been helping Riona try and look for proof of the things Edin and Alibeth have done. Crimes not even a royal could get away with; they slaughtered a whole town, children and all. Covered it up. I’m sure that’s not the only secret they want kept buried. And I intend to drag all their secrets out for the people to see, see their monarchs for the twisted wretched things they are and turn against them.”[/color] He began, passion and hatred creeping into his voice with equal measure. [color=00F8FE]“But it’s not just Edin and Alibeth; the rest of the nobles, too. Strip away titles and power passed through corrupted bloodlines. That’s what freedom looks like for me. A Caesonia where everyone is free, where we are all on equal footing. I’ve already started working with a rebel group in the city to help with this.”[/color] He wouldn’t name a single rebel, only added that they called themselves Thornbreakers and that he trusted their goals. Ari nodded along softly in understanding. [color=00F8FE]“And I want a Caesonia where magic isn’t locked away and witches aren’t punished for it. I want to use magic to make a better world.”[/color] Cal paused and smiled at that distant dream that was just beginning to feel closer each day. Ari’s expression matched his own at the idea. [color=00F8FE]“Alibeth has mentioned magic as a threat at our last family meeting. She’s going to act on that, it’s only a matter of when. So I’m forming a coven: you, me, Riona, Roman, possibly Mina; those I know we can trust. We’ll have to look out for each other, work together, and keep other witches safe.”[/color] He continued, a grandiose list of plans and his first steps to bring those to fruition. [color=00F8FE]“It goes beyond hating my parents, Ari. Beyond just wishing them dead, I will make it happen and ensure that they suffer beyond what they can even imagine. And I’m talking about rebellion and treason, and if you want that too, then there’s nothing I want more than to have you stand by my side in this.”[/color] He reached for her hands as Ari’s eyes fell to his hands he pulled her closer, eyes meeting and facing each other only a breath apart. [color=00F8FE]“You're a force of nature, Ari, powerful and untamable. And once we get all your memories back, I think that will only be even more true. I’m not stuck with you, I’m grateful you’re here.”[/color] Callum whispered. Ariella felt her pulse quicken, her breath catching in the space between them. His words stirred something in her—a storm brewing just beneath her skin, a pull toward the chaos he promised. Treason. Rebellion. Vengeance. It was intoxicating. She smiled, feeling her heart pound in her chest as if attempting to break out. She attempted to speak but struggled aware of just how close he had pulled her. She took a soft breath, her fingers playfully brushing against his as she held his hands in a gentle embrace. The warmth of his skin felt comforting against her own, and she couldn’t help but smile. Each delicate touch made her heart dance with excitement. Her eyes locked with his. [color=slateblue]“I’m grateful that you’re here too...” [/color] she whispered softly [color=slateblue]“We will give them something to actually fear...”[/color] her voice was soft as if a secret was being shared between the two of them. Callum’s heart pounded. [color=00F8FE][i]You get it.[/i][/color] He looked into Ari’s bright eyes. [color=00F8FE][i]Fear.[/i][/color] Yes, that was exactly what he wanted. Not useless, not a random unneeded spare, not a joke - feared by his enemies. He could picture it. Both of them, alive with mystical power like no one in this city had seen before. Not in ages. Magic used to its full potential. Kings and Duchesses would hold no sway over them. Their enemies brought to utter ruin. They’d remake Sorian into something better. And he would not be a king. She would not be a queen. Their title would be simple, equal, better - [i]witch[/i]. United. Indivisible. Unstoppable. A force of nature. A force of vengeance. A fire that could not be doused. [color=00F8FE]“Sometimes I won’t be me, though. Sometimes, Clarence will be me. We’ve agreed on possession as part of my pact with the familiar.”[/color] Ari nodded gently, the motion subtle but full of understanding. A soft, serene smile lingered on her lips as she squeezed Callum’s hand—a gesture of quiet reassurance. [color=slateblue]“We will get what we want. I’m sure of it.”[/color] And that was exactly what he wanted to hear. What he needed to hear. No siren could sing a sweeter sound than the resolve that settled from Ari’s words. The warmth of that sentiment replaced any doubt; she believed they would succeed, and he believed anything that voice said to him. Her voice was calm, but beneath the calm was a flicker of something darker—an ember of vengeance glowing quietly behind her gentle expression. For a moment, the idea of her mother finally facing the consequences she so richly deserved painted a shadow across Ari’s face, though it remained hidden beneath the veil of her composed smile. [color=slateblue]“I wanted to show you something I’ve been practicing,”[/color] she added, her smile deepening, now laced with a quiet excitement. A knowing glint sparked in her eyes, chasing away the earlier darkness like dawn chasing shadows. Whatever weight had pressed on her seemed to lift, replaced only by the lightness of anticipation. They stood close as they bridged the last of the distance between them. Their truths had been spoken, laid bare between them without judgment or fear. There was only acceptance now, a fragile but growing trust. Callum remained enchanted, transfixed by the soft lighting and her closeness to him. He watched shadows flicker and fade behind her eyes. Watched a fire spark and spread from her eyes to her smile. It echoed how he always felt. Ari let go of Callum’s hands with a delicate motion, her fingertips trailing from his palms like mist dissolving in the morning sun. Then, slowly—almost reverently—her hands rose, hovering on either side of his face with a haunting grace. Her green eyes met his, unwavering, the dappled sunlight breaking through the canopy above them catching the gold flecks in her irises, making them seem to shimmer with unearthly energy. Her heart fluttering like a caged bird within her chest. Her hands still didn’t touch him, but he would feel it—an invisible pressure, gentle and radiant—like sunlight kissing his skin after a long, cold winter. Her fingers moved in a slow, wave-like pattern, the feeling of rippling warmth against him. The magic was soft, natural, and warm, like being cradled in the glow of something. The soft touch of her fingertips glided from his hands. His face flushed from her warmth as her hands cradled the air around his face. A fleeting moment that was equal parts innocent and intimate. Perfection. Her eyes; the only thing worth looking at. Her warmth; the only thing worth feeling. [color=slateblue]“Trust me…Close your eyes”[/color] she whispered. Callum obeyed. As his eyes shut, her hands traced the outline of his neck with featherlight precision, gliding over his shoulders, slow and reverent. Then, with purpose, she brought her hands back to his—interlacing their fingers. A jolt of energy sparked at every point of contact, like static laced electricity being exchanged. Their magic reached for one another like two halves of a whole, finally meeting. As her skin sparked against his, Callum held her hands tighter. Everything felt more alive, more aware. [color=slateblue]“Volant…”[/color] she breathed, the word slipping from her lips like a prayer. And then—it happened. A sudden rush of weightlessness swept over them both. Ari’s grip tightened instinctively as her feet lifted from the earth, heart hammering with exhilaration. [color=slateblue]“Now open”[/color] Again, he obeyed. Callum smiled at her before his eyes opened. She smiled brightly as she looked around at her magic at work. She had done this spell a few times on herself unsure if she could with another. Seeing and feeling the magic around them she giggled excitedly. The quiet sound of her laugh widened his grin. Her joy was as electric as her touch had been. Leaves and wildflowers were torn gently from the ground, caught in a swirl of wind that wasn’t there a moment ago. They spiraled upward, twirling like petals in a dance, decorating the air at their feet before slowly drifting back down like nature itself had bowed to their magic. Their bodies began to rise, slowly rotating in a graceful spiral, suspended in the still air. The earth fell away beneath them. The feeling of weightlessness washing over them like a dream. It felt like a small taste of freedom. it was everything untethered. They floated a few feet above the ground, Ari had been using this spell more frequently as it helped her feel that sense of freedom she so desired. Excited to share that glimmer with Cal. He breathed in the scent of the forest; every earthy, floral, and sweet note in the air only made him think of Ari. Everything swirled around them as nature embraced them, and magic hung like static in the air. It was a rush -- the weightless feeling, the perfection of the moment, the closeness. It was the spell or the sensation of floating that made him lightheaded and dizzy. And it was too flawless a moment to let it pass without action. Callum leaned forward, and they floated so close that the movement was barely noticeable. His head tilted slightly, and he lingered in moment before the lips met, just long enough for her to turn away if she wanted. However, she didn’t move infact she felt herself frozen in that moment as she felt her breath catch in her throat with anticipation. Her lips parted as if to speak but then he kissed her. As soft as the moment they shared was, as light as the wind around them, and with that same current of electricity running through them. She melted into it. Leaned in with the same gentle reverence, her magic sparking warmly where their fingers still touched. And that’s when it happened. A sudden gust of wind shot up beneath them—her magic surging wildly, uncontrolled. The balance slipped. [i]Oh no[/i] [color=00F8FE][i]Incredible![/i][/color] Suddenly, they crashed to the ground, landing in a soft bed of grass in a tangled mess of limbs and laughter. Ari blinked, dazed, only to realize she was wrapped up against Callum—his arm beneath her, her leg draped over his. The warmth of him, the brush of his chest rising and falling, sent her already fluttering heart into another flurry. Callum’s arms wrapped around Ari for another moment, clinging to what they had just shared. It was too perfect to let it all go; the floating, the falling, the crashing…all of it. He just needed it to linger for a second longer. Her large green eyes looked at him sitting in the moment with him as neither seemed to want to let go. A giggle escaped her lips. Cal let go; he pulled a leaf from her hair and let it float away. A bright, startled sound that quickly turned into full, bubbling laughter erupted from her as their situation set in. Callum’s laughter followed, a light and carefree sound that poured out. Paired with an easy smile and weightlessness that stayed with him long after the two of them had crashed to the ground. [color=slateblue]“Whoops,”[/color] she managed between breathless chuckles. Still laughing, she tried to untangle herself, though the attempt was anything but graceful. Her fiery red hair, glowing like a flame in the dappled sunlight, was now a wild halo around her—leaves and petals tangled like nature itself had crowned her in the aftermath. With a soft puff of air, she blew a strand from her face and began brushing herself off, bits of grass clinging to her dress. Cal stood back up, his footing awkward and off balance, as he shook some leaves and dirt from his hair. Ari attempted to help him, brushing a few errant petals from his shoulder with a sheepish little smile before settling back on her heels. [color=slateblue]“Are you alright?”[/color] she asked, voice softer now, concern peeking through her flushed cheeks. [color=slateblue]“I got a little distracted.”[/color] They may have fallen to the ground but Ari still felt like she was floating. [color=00F8FE]“Alright? Ari, that was incredible. Floating like that…wow, just wow. Sorry, for being the distraction. It just felt like one of those perfect moments, like in a book.”[/color] Her eyes softened as a smile still painted her lips. [color=slateblue]“Never apologise for that”[/color] she said softly [color=slateblue]“That was a welcomed distraction..”[/color] [color=black][i][/i][/color] somehow the familiar managed to make its voice sound like an eyeroll. The bored monkey entertained itself by attempting to lick residue magic from the locked box. [color=00F8FE]“Next time I’ll make sure our feet are both on solid ground.”[/color] He promised with a sheepish grin. [i]..Next time[/i] She smiled brightly. [color=slateblue] “Solid ground sounds safer,”[/color] she whispered, trying to sound casual but failing spectacularly.[color=slateblue] “But I wouldn’t mind… another moment like that. Even if we fall agian” [/color] she brushed off the last of the dirt from her dress, her eyes catching his familiar licking the locked box that say on the rock. [color=slateblue]”what is he doing?”[/color] [color=00F8FE]“Looking for crumbs of magicae to eat.”[/color] Callum, despite knowing that his familiar knew every word he said, chose to whisper anyway. [color=00F8FE]“Always hungry. But, at least he’s behaving.”[/color] As much as Callum wanted to believe it was due to his familiar learning, adapting to be more like the kind of help Cal wanted, he wasn’t foolish enough to fully believe that. He could feel it, even without the familiar’s voice whispering into his head, a curiosity as insatiable as the creature’s hunger. A locked box that even Clarence, with all his ancient power and experience, couldn’t open. Callum felt how maddening it was; the feeling rolled off the monkey and settled into Cal’s bones. [color=00F8FE]“He hates it. That he can’t open that box. That whatever’s in there is closed off from him. At least for now.”[/color] The understanding settled in Callum, and the monkey flung the box at a nearby tree without a shred of hope that it would shatter and reveal its contents. [color=00F8FE]“Guess we'd better figure this thing out before he eats that box.”[/color] He added, and glanced at the stack of journals Ari had set out. Ari frowned as she watched the box bounce of the tree and land on the ground. [color=slateblue]”He is resourceful i’ll give him that…”[/color] she smiled. [color=00F8FE]“Did you want help in looking through those, or would you prefer to keep them private?”[/color] [color=slateblue]”I have nothing to hide from you”[/color] she said simply looking back at him with a smile [color=slateblue]”I would really love the support if im honest”[/color] she looked back towards the books with a concerned expression [color=slateblue]”I’m a little afraid to find out whats in them…”[/color] [color=00F8FE]“Not to brag but I’m pretty good at reading.”[/color] He smiled back. [color=00F8FE]“And whatever’s in them, you’re still going to have me and my weird monkey friend, watching your back.”[/color] Cal reassured. [/color]