Bonds of Magic [M] [Archive]

[DragonSong]

Shaking her head but smiling softly, Hana followed them. Absently, she flexed her fingers and looked down at her hand. She rather wanted to summon a quick burst of flame, or even shift to her hybrid form- something to prove to herself that she was really free.

But she didn't want to startle the child, so she figured that could wait until the girl was home. "You know how much further, Cassie?" she asked, falling into step beside Ronin and looking up at the girl.

[Medievarad]

The child looked at Hanako, arching her eyebrows. "Day!" She finally blurted out with another giggle. Ronin only chuckled. "We'll be there by noon."

[DragonSong]

Hana tossed a look at the just rising sun and shrugged. Oh well, it wasn't like she had anywhere she needed to be. "Alright then."

She couldn't wait until noon to use her powers, it would drive her mad. Glancing at the girl, she gave her a reassuring smile and said, "I'm going to do something a little strange, but you don't need to be scared, okay?"

She stepped a little away from them, giving herself room, and inhaled deeply, letting a shift wash through her.

Something happened, some unidentifiable snap of power that seemed to start in her head and ricochet down to her feet then back up again. She gave a sharp cry, knees giving out as a wave of pain pulsed through her body. Her hand scrabbled to her throat where it felt as though the imprint of that leather collar was burning against her skin, though she knew nothing was there.

[Medievarad]

Ronin stopped in his tracks, frowning. Was she going to use her magic? The green-skinned warrior turned around, he wanted to.. Witness this. Seeing was out of the question. Cassandra nodded slowly, looking at her with big and curious eyes. Ronin slowly put the girl down as he felt something pinching in his arm.

And, right as the snap of power pulled through Hanako's body, Ronin's arm lit up once more. His veins turning to a throbbing and a radiant blue again. Yet he didn't feel any pain.

He rushed over to Hanako, catching her before she fell. His eyebrows arched.

[DragonSong]

It took a moment for anything other than shock to registered. When it did, she realized the reason she hadn't felt the jolt of contact with the ground was because Ronin had caught her. Blinking, she focused fuzzily on his face, then let her eyes wander to find Cassandra.

"What..." Hanako groaned, trying to sit up a bit and one hand still brushing absently at her throat. "What just happened?" she muttered blearily. She'd never felt anything like that before.

[Medievarad]

"I.. Don't know." Ronin said, standing up slowly and pulling her up. "I felt.. Something. I can't really describe it.. An arcane force."

[DragonSong]

Letting him pull her to her feet, Hana frowned. "I couldn't...use my powers," she said slowly. "I don't understand. The collar is gone, but I still feel like-" She wasn't wure what she felt, exactly.

Shaking her head, she decided it was something she could worry about when they got Cassandra home. Giving the girl a quick smile, she ran a hand through her hair and tried to put it from her mind. Probably just some sort of aftershock, I'll deal with it later.

She smiled at the girl and offered her hand. "C'mon, little one, let's get you home."

[Medievarad]

Ronin's jaw dropped slightly as she explaindd to him that she couldn't use her powers. That she still felt as if the collar was present. "It can't be.." He raised his right arm. "I think.. I accidentally became the catalyst instead of the collar."

[DragonSong]

Hana froze, blinking at him dumbly. "Wait...what?"

That...did not sound good. In fact, that sounded very bad. "A-are you sure?" she asked, a little panicky. "I mean- how could you tell? What does that even mean?"

[Medievarad]

"I don't.. Understand it either." Ronin said, clenching his fist. "From what I heard.. And felt. You tried casting magic and failed. I had the same sensation.. I can't describe it. Like something was cramping up in my arm."

[DragonSong]

She growled in frustration. Yeah, definitely not good. "Oh, fu-" Her eyes snapped to the child and she swallowed the curse with difficulty. "Fun. Oh fun."

Running her hands through her hair, she let out a sharp breath and looked at Ronin calculatingly. "Do you think you can fix it?" she asked bluntly.

[Medievarad]

Ronin smirked as she cut herself off. Pretty clear what she was going to say. Yet, Cassandra blinked in confusion. "How dat fun?!" She loudly inquired.

Ronin glanced down at Cassandra and back to Hanako. "I.. Have no idea.. When we're in town, I'll get some supplies.. And try to."

[DragonSong]

Sighing, Hanako nodded, then remembered he couldn't see it. "Okay," she muttered. Then another sigh. "Okay..." Was she ever going to be free of this damned spell?

She forced a smile for the little girl. "C'mon, Cassie, lead the way." The sooner they could get her home, the sooner they could fix this mess.

[Medievarad]

"Up we go." At that, Ronin grabbed the small girl and placed her on his shoulder again, starting to follow the direction the small girl indicated.

[DragonSong]

Hanako followed after them, a little more sedately than before. Questions were turning over in her mind: what if Ronin couldn't fix this? What if her powers were locked away forever?

She shuddered at the thought, pushing it away as she increased her pace to fall into step beside the taller warrior.

[Medievarad]

After a short while, the three would enter a small village, just before noon. Some villagers stopped whatever they were doing and watched the two newcomers, before Cassandra, sat on Ronin's broad shoulder, waved enthusiastically to the villagers.

These smiled and waved in return, before heading back to their duties.

[DragonSong]

"We're here," Hanako told Ronin, then looked up to smile at Cassandra. "Where do you live, sweetling?"

It was a fairly small village, but she didn't think they should just go knocking door to door looking for the girl's home.

[Medievarad]

"Inn!" Cassandra beamed in response, pointing at one of the bigger buildings. Ronin only chuckled as he started to walk again, following Cassandra's loud advices.

[DragonSong]

Hana followed after them, brow furrowed in thought. "Ronin," she said quietly as they walked. "What if, um...what happens if- if you can't fix...whatever's happened?"

[Medievarad]

"Then I would have stained my own honor and have no choice but to commit Seppuku." He answered  dryly. Clear as day. No arguments to be had. "And, most likely, that would solve your issue aswell."