Prying Minds [Chyril 22nd, late GT]

[Keaira Morgandy]

It was after the party that Keaira decided she would finally try to enter Fauna's mind again. But last time the woman had known -- this time, Keaira wanted to do it without her knowledge. Having already undressed for the evening and wrapped herself up in her white sheets, Keaira took a seat on the large, simple chest that was pressed up against the wall that Fauna's room shared. Leaning back against the wall, she closed her eyes, breathing deeply to calm herself. Hopefully, this would go better than the last encounter.

After calming herself inwardly and shutting out all her other thoughts, Keaira imagined Fauna sleeping. She remembered the way everything else had disappeared, and the way boundaries and solid things didn't matter when it came to the mind. So she tried to reach Fauna's mind through the wall of stone, concentrating on the woman's face, remembering how she'd entered into her thoughts inside the Ha' Penny Mermaid. Her eyebrows knitted together in concentration as she tried to see the labyrinthine maze again, and place herself within it.

[Fauna Winthrope]

It was not the labyrinth that Keaira found herself facing, but a vast crystaline wall as clear as a reflecting mirror and the Dortenese woman could see the reflection of her own face mirroring upon each of the countless facets of that thick crystaline wall, duplicating her doll-like face a thousand folds.

It was cold and the apprentice mindcrafter could see that the wall was made of pure, crystal ice and it would take great strength to break through the Mirror Barrier of Fauna's mind.

Yet, there was something else too, Keaira could feel a sense of emptyness within that place, a sense of a great awareness being preoccupied, as if the awareness that holds the strange place together was somewhere else...

Perhaps...

...Dreaming in another place. For a strange flicker, Keaira heard a very strange sound echoing around the air, it was an alien sound unheard in the length and breadth of Tazlure, akin to a sound of something metallic, of a huge metallic contraptioon moving.

The collosal wall was unassailable and Keaira knew she had to be invited inside.

[Keaira Morgandy]

Keaira recognized this scene. It was the same one she had been confronted with that morning, when Fauna had been teaching her how to shield her mind. A frown settled on her lips as she examined the situation. The emptiness she felt about and behind that wall led her to believe that Fauna was perhaps dreaming.

Then the strangest sound met her ears, and her eyebrows lifted in surprise and confusion. What in Pan's name...?

No time for wondering. Keaira knew she couldn't take that wall on, and so she looked upward, her voice echoing as she spoke aloud. "Dark Lady, I have returned for my next lesson."

[Fauna Winthrope]

ooc: Tristram seems to be busy atm, Keaira, I'll just entertain you until he takes over.
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The super-ego acts as the conscience, maintaining our sense of morality and the prohibition of taboos. It stands in opposition to the desires of the id because of their conflicting objectives.

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What is a conscience? Is it a feeling of remorse? An intellectual, moral judgement of a person? Or perhaps, it is a guiding light, a sense for someone to do good, to achieve good, that soft whisper in our ears that beckons us to be a better person? What is a conscience? And does it exist? Or is it purely made of imagination, a fairy tale, like the prince charming coming to save the princess from the bad witch?

And so, Keaira's voice echoed within the voidless realm of Fauna's psyche, it lingered in the air, fading so slowly until the memory of her voice remained, a sweet memory to the emptyness that blanketed that world.

For a long period of flickers, silence washed over the air, the Dortenese's own breathing seemed to be loud upon her ears and suddenly, a small portion of the mirror wall before Keaira blurred, her own reflection rippled and undulated, growing, expanding until all the surface of the vast wall rippled silently and a form emerged so slowly from the surface, like quivering mercury separating from the wall and standing before the young mindcrafter.

She was still awe-inspiring, majestic and regal, her blue eyes glimmered with vivid cerulean hue and those orbs seemed to see through everything with imperial and ageless wisdom. Unfortunately, it was the Silver Lady that answered Keaira, dressed in her gleaming silver-almost white gossamer gown that swishes around her like air itself. Her golden blond hair was unadorned, falling behind her like cascading waterfall with gentle curls at the end and she confidently held the Myra's Staff of Mirror upon her right hand.

"So we have met once more, Keaira." Her voice was velvety and soft, almost choral, as if two voices were intertwined and for a flicker of moment, the Dortenese woman could see a man's face superimposed upon the Silver Lady's radiant face, it was a gentle face and if she had met Professor Ventella, Keaira would instanly recognize him. As quickly as it appeared, the gentle face flickered away bringing back the Silver Lady's radiant face to normalcy. "Hatred and anger consumes you, child. I can see them, almost like venoms coursing through your veins. Tell me, dear child, are you satisfied with what you are now?" The Silver Lady asked, her blue eyes intent upon Keaira but then she frowned and those blue eyes flickered down to the Dortenese's hand, the silver ring of Moore clearly evident and with a knowing look, she raised an eyebrow and seemed to look at the black-haired woman with pity. "You are playing a dangerous game, child, a very dangerous game. Not only are you tainted, but you are now a pawn."

[Keaira Morgandy]

Keaira listened thoughtfully to the sound of her own breathing, wondering if perhaps it was impossible to reach the Dark Lady or either of the other two without Fauna's consent. Then, her own reflection blurred and rippled before her, and Keaira stepped back carefully.

Her gaze fell quietly upon the Silver Lady as she emerged, and Keaira was somewhat surprised as she realized that she felt curious about her. For a few moments Keaira gazed on, before the Silver Lady's words drew her from her thoughts. Catching the flicker of a man in the woman's face, Keaira found herself all the more curious. She did not personally know that professor, she had only seen him occasionally.

"If I were satisfied, I would not be here asking to learn more," Keaira said simply. Her tone was neither condescending nor falsely friendly, as her fierce orbs regarded the woman. Catching the lowered gaze, Keaira followed it to her ring. "A pawn of whom? Moore? I am doing little more than telling him what Fauna is up to, and he pays me." Keaira didn't like the idea of being used without giving permission for it, and this was made clear as she further defended herself. "Anyhow, I must first live as a pawn before I can become a queen."

Keaira then gave a long moment's pause, her gaze moving past the Silver Lady and over the icy shield, before she looked back to the woman and asked a very simple, to-the-point question: "What power is there in goodness? You can't very well expect that I will turn away from the power that can help me attain my goals just because of something as trivial as wickedness."

[Fauna Winthrope]

The ego is a plaything of both the id and the super-ego in the Tether world. Its task is to find a balance between primitive drives, morals, and reality while satisfying the id and superego.

"There is power in goodness too, child." The Silver Lady replied with her ageless, blue eyes looking down at Keaira. “It is your choice if you want to bring that power to whichever path you choose.” She then gazed at the black-haired woman for more than a flicker as if she was deciding something far beyond the mundane things. “I am not here to stop you, child, on the contrary, I will lead you to her place.” The regal lady glanced behind her at the wall with an unreadable look on her radiant face. “Perhaps, it is time for you to see.” With an imperious wave of her hand, a small portion of the ice wall wavered and then vanished, giving Keaira the entrance she needed. “Come, look only, child and then decide for yourself.” The Silver Lady turned with a swish of her silvery robe and led Keaira inside the empty, labyrinthine mind of Fauna Winthrope.

This time, the apprentice mentalist saw that all the million doors were opened and as she passed each doors Keaira could see each of Fauna’s memories inside the rooms filled with countless faces, places and events. Some of the rooms held people Keaira could recognize, some were strangers, Keaira even saw her own image inside one of the room but the Silver Lady regally walked further, passing countless corridors and turning numerous hallways that the Dortenese woman found herself lost within the maze of Fauna’s psyche. “Fauna never had a choice.” The Silver Lady said when stopped before one of the innumerable doors and turned to look at Keaira. “Look,” she pointed inside the room.

Inside the room was a forest and she could see Fauna suspended in the air with fell magic, struggling, a terrified look upon her amunic face. Beneath her, weaving that fell magick was the Dark Mage, Tarrant and behind him were Ashtallion and Falco, trying to stop him from killing Fauna. No! I don’t want to die! Help me! I don’t want to die! Ashtallion, Falco, help me! I don’t want to die! Keaira could hear Fauna scream silently inside her own mind and she saw how Tarrant tore a small piece of his tainted awareness and planted it inside Fauna’s mind before Ashtallion could kill him. But it was there, the Dortenese could feel the frightening emotion washing over her, filling her, striking her, that taint pulsating inside Fauna’s mind.

“She never had any choice and she was alone.” The Silver Lady said softly, her face solemn as she regarded the event inside the room. With a regal turn, she walked once more, expecting Keaira to follow her and she led her to one of the doors again and pointed inside. The room was small and it was dark save for a small flicker of a candle upon a small desk. It was Fauna’s room inside the University of Magick and the Dortenese could see the Amunic woman huddled in a dark corner, her shoulder quivering as the blond sorceress wept ever so bitterly and silently in despair. I’m so afraid. I’m so terribly afraid. Keaira could hear Fauna’s thought screaming at her once more, I’m so alone, I’m so alone. Somebody please help me. I’m so afraid. It’s inside me. Help me. For a flicker of a moment, Keaira saw Fauna as the small, blond girl; lonely, afraid and lost and wave upon wave of emotions flooded her: loneliness and profound fear as the small girl continued to weep silently upon the corner inside that dark room.

“We tried to help her,” Ventella’s face flickered once more upon the Silver Lady’s face. “Fauna is a very lonely creature and she needs love, perhaps, it was how Tarrant took her for she loved him back then. Our help were not enough eventually, we think it will only be love that could turn Fauna back to us. It would take full love, perhaps an interference from another person, perhaps friendship, she never really had any friends and she walled all her loneliness and emotions inside her, hiding it inside these doors."

“So, you have seen, child.” The Silver Lady turned her eyes filled with wisdom upon Keaira. “You have seen who Fauna is. What will you be to her?” She stood there for a bit flicker of a moment and with a small regal nod, she shimmered and then vanished, leaving Keaira alone before a large, arched-double-door made of rusted metal.

[Keaira Morgandy]

Keaira looked almost suspiciously at the Silver Lady, obviously not inclined to believe her. The girl herself was unfamiliar with such things as "goodness," so it was difficult for her to grasp the concept of power within it. Her strength came from manipulation; from hatred and fury. What then could peace offer her? Naught but the inability to access that power, surely.

As the Silver Lady beconed her into Fauna's mind, Keaira followed slowly, her eyes hard and cold in their gaze. She looked upon the open doors and her expression did not change. She saw Fauna's corruption, saw what drove her to become the woman Keaira interacted with on a daily basis -- and had for some time now. She listened to the cries of her thoughts, saw her terror and fear, and followed the Silver Lady as if nothing had happened. Her features were stoic as she watched Fauna cowering in the corner, crying inwardly and begging for help. Keaira showed no visible response to any of this.

Ventella's words fell upon what seemed to be deaf ears, as Keaira stared back blankly. There was no trace of mercy, or pity, or sorrow in her eyes. Only emptiness. The face of a doll. It was only when she found herself alone that she released a soft breath, her gaze on the doors before her. It was only then that she contemplated all that she had seen.

What do they expect of me, she thought coldly. As if I would bleed my heart out for Fauna. They tell me she needs love as if I will -- as if I can give it. Love. Keaira scoffed at the air. She had never experienced any true emotions beyond hatred and anger; those good ones she had expressed, such as her concern for Talanwei just that evening, couldn't have been more empty and false. How then could she feel anything sincere toward Fauna, who was all but impossible to handle at times? No, Keaira decided, I am not the savior they are looking for.

Squaring her shoulders then, Keaira lifted her chin and fixed her gaze, once again cold and emotionless, on the doors before her. "Dark Lady!" Her voice rang out in the labyrinthe, calling for the woman's attention. "I am here."

[Fauna Winthrope]

The id behaves as though it were unconscious, the reason thought to be is that the ego and the super-ego's ideals and pressures are often in conflict with the id's, causing repression, as the gratification of the id's drives would often be devastating in terms of social- and self-image.

The metallic door swung inward with a loud groaning creak that grated and echoed upon the silent corridors of the maze and there from the shadows of the room emerged the Dark Lady garbed in a scarlet, almost blood hued robe, a red imp upon her shoulder and the ebony Staff of Myra upon her hand gleaming with a dark, shadowy glow. Though her was face beautiful, almost perfect, there was cruelty on it, upon those blue eyes that looked down at Keaira and for a flicker of a moment, the apprentice mindcrafter saw the face of Tarrant superimposed upon her face and then vanished as suddenly as it appeared.

All of a sudden, the Dark Lady laughed, her voice coming from the imp upon her shoulder and her guffaw bounced off the corridor walls and echoed upon the air. "If it gets more cloying, I think I'll throw up." The imp continued sarcastically as the Dark Lady continued to laugh and then she abruptly stopped and then focused those cruel, blue eyes upon Keaira.

"She is getting more irritating every moment she's here." The imp commented and there was a hint of profound anger upon that voice. "Her words mean nothing to us. Come, and you shall learn how to control power." With a cold, indifferent sneer, she turned and walked inside her room, the shadows devouring her deeper.
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ooc: Sorry, I have to pause this now, Keaira. I don't know what Tristam will have for you so I guess we will need to wait for him.

[Keaira Morgandy]

The Dark Lady was met with the same stoic indifference as she laughed, though Keaira noted and recognized Tarrant's face. The living doll followed the Dark Lady into her room without hesitation, despite the foreboding shadows that lurked therein. Keaira was determined to learn to control her power, for it was her inability to do so that had held her back for so long.

She would not be held back any longer.

[Tristam]

"Tell me, little Tigre." The Dark Lady began. "After all the time you have spent in my mind, have you bothered to take a good look inside your own? The head and the heart is where the power lies, my pet. And your head must rule your heart if you are to survive the power coursing through you. Come we can do little work here. We must be in your mind to truly tap your power. Invite me in, little Tigre." The Dark Lady offered her hand to Keaira.

[Keaira Morgandy]

Keaira stared at the Dark Lady for a few flickers. Though her face no longer reflected that of Professor Tarrant, Keaira was not so quick to forget that the Dark Lady was a piece of him placed into Fauna's mind. Would it then be wise to allow such a being access to her own mind? She sought to control her power, not to be controlled by it -- and Keaira saw evidence of the Dark Lady in almost everything Fauna did.

Yet if that had been the goal, would it not have been accomplished some time ago? How many times had the opportunity for it arisen now? No doubt if Keaira could enter Fauna's mind while she slept, Fauna could do the same to her. The realization of this was somewhat unsettling.

All of these thoughts passed swiftly through her mind as she gazed at the Dark Lady's outstretched hand. Keaira had come to achieve her goal. There was no turning back now.

Her slender hand slipped into that of the Dark Lady as Keaira opened her mind and welcomed her in.


At first there was only fire. A wall -- or more accurately -- a circle of flame leaped high and angry, its tips licking menacingly at the air. Yet it soon lowered, softening and calming until it was little more than a tiny ring of newborn flames, easily stepped over. Within it could now be seen that which it guarded: a spiral staircase, spinning ever downward in a seemingly endless circle. Its steps and the walls around it were a smooth black marble. Cold. Unfriendly. Unyielding. Yet lit an eerie blue, perhaps the same blue that shone from within Keaira's gaze.

Interspersed uniformly along the way were thin pedestals of clear crystal that extended three sharp claws upward, and above each of them hovered a flawless crystal ball. Here was the source of the cerulean glow, for each of them emanated the color, which filled the area with the cold light. Within many of them, however, a dark mist swirled and pulsed, hiding the memories and thoughts therein.

Porcelain masks floated between the pedestals along the way. Each of them was unmistakably Keaira's face, and each one showed a different expression. Yet they turned slowly here and there as if they were actually looking around, and every few flickers they blurred and changed, their expressions shifting as easily as the wind upon a stormy day. As soon as another presence was sensed they all grew still, facing straight forward and waiting, waiting to see what would happen. Occasionally, whispers echoed through the dark passage, bouncing off the walls until their echoes faded into silence. They seemed to originate from deeper down, weakening as they neared the top of the spiral. The center of the spiral staircase was naught but air, offering little possibility of rescue should one fall off of the stairs. There were no banisters on which to catch oneself.

[Tristam]

"Charming my dear. Absolutely charming." The Dark Lady snickered. "But you did not need to dress up the place just for me." She reached out to one of the porcelain masks. It bore wide eyes and her mouth opened in a soundless scream. The Dark Lady reached out and stroked its cheek tenderly. "Come, let us get to the center of things." Boldly she walked to the staircase and began to walk down without hesitation.

[Keaira Morgandy]

Everything was cold, and as the Dark Lady proceeded downward it only grew colder. Whispers could be heard but not understood, dancing through the air and upon the walls. To anyone else the place would have been disturbing, yet it had not been expected to bother the Dark Lady. That wasn't the aim, after all. Down, down she went, on and on. The stairs seemed as if they would go on endlessly, and perhaps they would -- until, quite abruptly, they stopped.

The floor was nothing. Blackness. Yet a soft laughter could be heard: not a childlike one, full of happiness and amusement, but a cold and unfeeling one. One that spoke of wickedness and delight in such things. Out of the darkness, like will o' the wisps rising from the mist, smaller blue globes rose from the ground and hovered at waist-height. They lined themselves into a path, the swirling darkness below them solidifying and clearly inviting the woman forward. In the distance, two figures became visible, twirling and dancing around one another. As the Dark Lady came closer, they did not seem aware of her presence.

One was undoubtedly the woman that Keaira presented herself as every day, that was clear upon seeing her closer. Her eyes held that ethereal glow, her movements not unlike those of a feline. She was seductive. Dangerous. Wearing a blood red dress with streaks of black brushing through it, the woman was obviously an extension of the girl she danced with. And she was the one laughing, a dark smile on her lips as she almost toyed with her partner.

The other was graceful and beautiful, in a way that the wickedness of the woman in red would not allow her to reflect. Yet there was no light in her eyes, no sign that she even realized what she was doing. With no expression on her face she was as empty as a porcelain doll. A marionette with no strings attached. Her dress was a soft creme, one side swirling with reds of all hues, tendrils of the color reaching toward the other side as if trying to consume it. They both had the same face and shared some characteristics, yet at the moment they seemed as night and day, and night was the one in control.

As the Dark Lady approached, the woman in red stopped dancing. Her eyes narrowed and focused upon the Lady as the other girl went on dancing just as before, but away, becoming little more than a part of the background. Tigre, as the lady in red was so called, strode forward to meet the Dark Lady, yet gave no greeting, instead heading straight to business. "What is it you want here?"

[Keaira Morgandy]

OOC: Well Fauna went and got herself killed so I suppose this thread is null and void.