Snippet #2767500

Elysia listened to the explanation, it was nothing she hadn't foreseen, but she couldn't help but feel nervous. A fight might have been easier on her frazzling nerves. She was not quite being used to being around people yet after millennia of isolation, let alone comfortable at being the centre of attention like this.

It was Ixa's words that drew her out of her funk. She smiled, albeit still a bit of a wan one, to the boy, "I'm sure it will!"

She watched as a few of the more confident people in the group she was standing on one of multiple stages with, started their appeals. In some case, that confidence seemed to be founded. In most others it seemed to be decidedly misplaced. Not even a minute had passed before she decided to join in on the fun herself.

She eyed what was already being cast, and how the different magics clashed with each other in a rather unsightly manner.

'This wil not do', she thought to herself, a mischievous smile on her face.

She began to draw on her magic, which in turn drew on the Seed of Wonder hiding itself in her soul. She altered the structure of her magic, which was by nature an amethyst color, to make it shine golden.

As it was, it caused her to seem to be surrounded by a lazily swirling golden haze, birdlike constructs formed of the same golden magic, visible in the vortex. She took the opportunity created by going unseen to transfigure her clothes into something more fitting for the occasion.

All of this, safe for the transfiguration of her clothes, had been pure manipulation of aether, not given purpose as of yet. This, as one might have guessed, was about to change.

She imbued the magic around her with a single purpose, and blasted it outwards. That purpose: Dispel. The magic raced across the field, dispelling whatever displays it was capable of. In the process her new outfit was unveiled, a form-hugging pale green ensemble with white, black accents.

She did a rather good job at hiding just how uncomfortable she was in such a revealing outfit, continuing on with her appeal.

Now that the field was cleared of most magic cast by the rabble that would have lost anyway, whether it be to her, or to other opponents with actual personality, she started her appeal for real.

She raised her arms to the sky, and a giant construct shaped like a bird formed around her. If one had paid attention earlier on, they would have noticed that this bird seemed to be of the same design as the ones flying around the haze earlier.

The bird moved, and a mournful trill could be heard throughout the entire colosseum, reaching even the spectators that where the furthest away. Creating several more effects by shaping her magic, she simultaneously focussed on continuing what turned out to be the approximation of a bird's song. In truth, she controlled strings of magic to create the music.

A portion of the spectators, and even a few contestants broke into tears at the sound. It was a song of loss, of longing, of melancholy. It was song of realisation that what was longed for could no longer be found anywhere but in memories. Yet halfway through an undercurrent that had been there from the beginning, but was not focussed on became the focus of the piece. It seemed to speak of determination, of love, of hope.

What once was may never be again, but every end marks a new beginning. As the music died down the bird flew to the sky, the other effects she had created rising with it. With a final 'cry' the bird and the other visual effects burst into flame, a golden shower of sparks raining down on the platform she was and the others in her group were on.

At the center of these gentle lights, a small construct shaped like an egg appeared in the sky, where the bird, now identified as phoenix used to be. It slowly floated down to Elysia, who appeared to absorb it into her body. She gave a small bow, signalling that she was done.

As she sat down on the edge of the platform, her legs dangling. As the transfiguration on her clothes dispelled, sounds of dismay could be heard once more from her fellow contestants. The first round of grumbling had come when their magic had been dispelled mid-action. The second however, was when they determined those gentle lights from earlier, which stuck to them, were draining their magic bit by bit. They gave her the stink eye, but she didn't see nor care. That performance had drained her emotionally, if not magically.

She'd start paying attention again when Ixa decided to come out and play.