Advancement

[Anastasia]

Sunlight.

The warmth of the sun washes over your face as you rest back in the mountain hot springs. You close your eyes as you soak, a moment reminding you what you fight for against Shar. The battle is past for the moment and yet more remains. Syala is with you, an arm around you, holding you to her. There's no words, none needed right now.

Yet there is something hollow about the sunlight here. Latha has been gone since the battle, in her own retreat to consider and grow from what happened. A hollowness that you can sense keenly - until it is not, a warmth to the sunshine returning. A subtle presence, as obvious to you as anything else in your realm.

[Ebiris]

"Ah, Latha's back," Alicia says as the red seen through her closed eyelids intensifies. Turning her head to no longer be looking directly at the sun she opens them while lounging against the rocks up to her neck in steaming hot waters, a small white cloth perched atop her black-haired head.

[Anastasia]

Syala forsakes even that, white hair wet. She smiles at that as Latha appears, flying behind you and landing. "I return," she announces, "Sharpened and prepared for our coming wars."

[Ebiris]

With a slosh of water, Alicia swivels herself around and squats in the spring to look up at Latha. "Do you feel better? Come join us, you can tell us about your training," she invites.

[Anastasia]

Latha disrobes, looking no different physically. You can feel it though, a change to her posture, her being. A feeling of power surrounds her.

Syala watches her as well, "You have changed," she says, "Tell us."

Once in Latha sinks up to her neck in the waters, soaking next to you. With her eyes closed, "I sought advice from Lathander, who in turn granted me special training to help expand my abilities. I have contemplated my nature, focused on my nature as a champion and explored my nature weaving the sun."

To that Syala nods and after a moment, "Which is well and good, but it means...?"

With a wry smile, "I am stronger and more capable. I had coasted in a sense, gone along as many of us do without greatly expanding my powers. I did not realize until those moments how I could be more. I had dabbled in the arts of angelic champions, and now I grasp them all. My work in weaving sunshine is so much more now, magic will answer and sing to me anew."

[Ebiris]

"It often happens with outsiders, coasting along when there's no shortage of important foes you can confront on a certain tier of strength," Alicia says as she settles back in between Syala and Latha. "But we're called for far greater obstacles and must keep striving to match them. I'm glad you've found a new style that suits you. Hopefully it'll have a chance to be properly tested soon as well."

[Anastasia]

"It will be," Latha vows. "I've taken the magic of vivaciousness to a new level." Here she smiles, eve rso slightly. "It is mine to command."

[Ebiris]

"Is this going to be like Marie and her magic missiles?" Alicia asks, an amused smile of her own on her lips. "Well, can hardly argue with the results in that case..."

[Anastasia]

"I can apply it at will to the magic of the sun, as easily as I breathe," Latha confirms, her own smile showing.

"Well, that's enough for a good fight," Syala agrees, "You're more focused now, like how Antenora is?"

A pause. Latha nods after a few seconds, "Yes. I suppose her reason for being focused came far earlier than mine."

[Ebiris]

"It takes the right inspiration at the right time, I'm just glad you found it Latha," Alicia says. "You need to be more assertive and follow your instincts more, they won't lead you astray."

[Anastasia]

"I had spoke of it before, but this time I grasped it in full," Latha admits, "As if a barrier relented within me."

"Really?" Syala asks, turning towards her. "You felt you were limited before?"

[Ebiris]

"That's interesting," Alicia hums in thought, leaning forward and raising a hand to her chin as she looks pensive. "We should all try to be aware if we run into such barriers ourselves and how best to surmount them."

[Anastasia]

Here Latha's quiet a few moments, "Yes, though I wasn't aware of it until now. I was meditating underneath the sunshine when it came to me. I remember opening my eyes and viewing the light all around me, and I realized what I had to do and how to do it."

A rumination on that, "I've heard of it happening before," Syala says, "Many spirits become somewhat stagnant, only to break through suddenly to advance, as mortals sometimes do. Meaning matters to us, as what we are does."

[Ebiris]

"Moreso soon, perhaps," Alicia says quietly. "Hold onto that meaning, nurture and polish it. It'll be everything soon."

[Anastasia]

"I vow I will," Latha says, "We've humbled the efreet and challenged Shar. I-"

That moment, that connection again. Bright and vibrant between yourself and Latha, a radiance surrounding you.

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