[ prp ] In a Bind (America, Kaleb, Leila)

[Grey Dragon]

Between the two ladies, Kaleb was learning a lot from observation. At first he worried he wouldn't be able to do anything successful either, if America was strugging, it would probably be impossible for him! But after seeing a couple successful demonstrations, maybe it wouldn't be too hard...

"Prof- ah, Leila, if you aren't too tired yet, we could try together and give America more of a break?" Although he was nervous, he did have an idea of what to try. "If you can make another one of those green threads, I might be able to do something with it..."

Kaleb wasn't too picky with selecting a test frame, what he wanted to focus on was the magic itself. He drew out some of his own magic and took a deep breath, recalling the quality of America's light blue magic. The colour of his own thread fluctuated for a long minute before finally settling into the one he desired, a pale blue. He twined it around Leila's green thread, and carefully began wrapping the 'magic rope' around his frame.

Although it was a good start, the magic didn't want to absorb into the frame like America and Leila had managed. It didn't even want to stay around the frame. In the end, Kaleb had to abandon that attempt and rethink his strategy.  

[Grey Dragon]

After a second to rethink his plan, Kaleb selected one of the frames he had created the day before, wood with the glass in the centre of the ring. Perhaps that extra focal point would allow the magic to be absorbed easier...

Once again he circled the entwined magics around the frame, his confidence increasing as he got used to working with the extra thread from Leila, and was delighted to see it start to sink into the frame. After a second delight turned to disappointment when the two threads began to come apart and absorb unevenly, and ended up a wonky mess.  

[Grey Dragon]

For his third attempt, instead of just wrapping the magic threads together, he split his own into two so he could braid them together in a stronger weave. It was more difficult to manage, and at this point he was pushing the limits of his strength, but the absorption into the frame was more even, more controlled.

The effect was worth the effort, fresh sprouts emerged from the wood, twined themselves together, and blossomed into fragrant cedar foliage at the top like a miniature tree.

Kaleb flopped onto his back, perhaps it was his turn for a nap.

Stage 2: 1/2

lizbot

cibarium

 

[lizbot]

America had taken a quick fifteen minute nap, and by the time Kaleb was on his second attempt, she was sitting up to watch carefully. The successful third had her grinning and feeling energized enough to go again, this time taking Leila's thread to weave along with her own while Kaleb rested off his own working.

She'd perhaps drawn a little too lightly on Leila's power, and in imbalance caused the threads to simply drop loosely apart.  

[lizbot]

This time the joining of the two ends was where the flaw lay. Again, something uneven, keeping the weave from fully sinking into the the frame.  

[lizbot]

Going slowly, but at a steady, even pace, America split her thread in two and braided them along with the green as Kaleb had. She wove them around the tetrahedron of bamboo and sea glass, letting the power wrap evenly around the frame until the circular thought of no beginning, no end, allowed the strands of power to fuse together into an infinite loop than sunk into the frame.

Lifting it up, the frame caught at the sun light, and a small forest made of light grew upon its surface.

Letting out a huff of breath, a small, pleased laugh, America announced, "Well that wasn't so bad at all, this time."

cibarium

grey dragon

 

[cibarium]

After they all took a break, the group was ready to try casting together.

And after the frame they were using exploded violently, they were ready for another break.  

[cibarium]

Leila realized in retrospect that she should have given herself more rest after partnering up with both America and Kaleb in succession. It hadn't seemed like they were doing much, but there had to be some kind of energy cost to working what would have been miracles in the reality she was from. With all of them trying to work at the same time, it was also proving difficult to anticipate where the mistakes were happening.

Since weaving the threads into one had shown to be a point of difficulty between just two people earlier, Leila agreed to put more focus on it telepathically for their next somewhat more slowed down attempt. It was odd -- but in a soothing way -- to effectively live and breathe the act of braiding three strands together for a few minutes, but it made the process go much more smoothly.

After that the composite strand wrapped around another of Leila's pysanky frames without a hitch. Once it was absorbed the frame burst open to produce an outpouring of sparklingly colorful fruits and berries. They were impossibly delicious and refreshing, and there was more than enough for each of them to snack on the next day.

lizbot

grey dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Kaleb wasn't sure he was ready for another attempt, even after taking a moment to enjoy the rest, and then the magical snack. It wasn't just a physical tiredness, but a strain in his mind that was making it hard to focus with the same clarity as earlier. Even when he was simply providing the magic to be guided by one of the ladies, the effort was there.

When he took over guiding the magic, it took even more strength than he expected. The magic fell apart after barely one loop around the frame.

He murmured a tiny apology.  

[Grey Dragon]

Summoning up as much strength as he could, Kaleb took one more shot at binding magic to the makeshift frame, this one being perhaps one of the most literal frames that had been crafted. The wooden border was squared into a small rectangle, centered around a blank canvas.

He gathered the threads and gently wove them together, and then wound them around the frame in one direction first, and then the other. Once it was completely encircled he let the raw edge meld seamlessly into the rest of the woven threads.

As the threads sank into the frame the canvas began to change colour, and decorative illusions began playing out around their picnic like fancy fireworks. Even after the illusions faded from around them, the canvas kept it's colour.

"I think... this might be all I've got in me for today," Kaleb said apologetically, his energy and focus completely shot.

Stage 3: 2/2

cibarium

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

"I think we've got it," America nodded before comparing notes with the others to refine the process into something they could easily share with others.

Quote:

1. Pull out power to form a thread from each caster.
2. Focus on turning the threads silver (neutrality, communication, intuition, dreams and other good stuff)
3. Plaiting the threads together, keeping the threads even and uniform as possible, take your time!
4. Wrapping the frame with the plait, again keeping it uniform until the frame is covered and the ends merge together to tie the whole together, take your time!
5. Wait for the frame to absorb the binding. (if it does not absorb, start again at step 1)

"I'm probably gonna stay a bit. I'm feeling like I've got a groove going and I want to test out one last frame."  

[lizbot]

The first try proved that maybe America was over-estimating how long refreshed she felt. She'd split her thread of power into three and it was a poor, sad piece of magic that fell apart before it could even connect with the shard.

The second attempt, was entirely too forceful and if the shard wasn't as indestructible as Renard had claimed, she had a feeling it might have broken under her magic. Instead the harm had gone directly into the hand that held the damn thing. As she shook her smoking fingers, America could still feel a whisper of the stone's draw from where it had dropped in the grass.

The third time was, as usual, the charm. Well, better third than thirteenth. America's power split and braided, the resulting white cord wrapping tightly around the shard. Watching the magic sink in, America let out a quiet breath.