A Place of Power [Invite/Ask First]

[Damon Fauci]

[OOC: This is the continuation of the SL started in the 'Exploration and Change' log. There's a training goal for this thread, so please ask first before posting. Once the thread has gotten some legs curveballs are welcome so long as they contribute to the adventure intention of the thread. ]

So Titania had agreed to explore this near-condemned building in one of the worst sections of Rhy'din. Damon was certain she'd find her risk would be well worth her while.

"I'm thrilled, Bella." While his tone was casual and he certainly wasn't jumping for joy, he spoke the truth. What thrilled looked like for Damon was rather different than it might be for most, at least outwardly so. But the fact of the matter was that this night would officially deviate from his normal 'routine' and deviations were a thing always welcomed by the vampire. When one was as old as he, a predicable evening translated to loathsomely boring.

"As we can't enter through the front, we need to go around back. Mind the building, I've seen it shed plaster and rocks on a whim." Or when the wind blew strongly. Nothing else needed to be said but that. Damon set the course, rounding the far side of the building and stepping around the bits of debris and tall untamed brush with his trademark preternatural grace. He chose the far side because he knew from his prior visits it was the easier course to plot when on foot. Titania would have to keep up with him now, as he was moving with a bit more purpose than he had been on their stroll here. He'd taken his time then because they were having a discussion that could possibly shape the lesson here today. Now it was time for the lesson itself, and in the vampire's mind there was no room for dalliance.

Rounding the back of the three story building, Titania would be able to see that the rear was in far better condition than the front. The greatest damage was to the windows - which were all broken or missing entirely - and the general musty appearance of a dwelling which has fallen to neglect. The screen door was open, hanging limply by only half of its hinges. Damon pushed it out of the way, taking the main door by its tarnished brass knob and giving it a firm push inward. It wasn't locked, just as it hadn't been the first night he'd found the place a month ago.

Under normal circumstances the well-bred aristocrat in Damon would've taken over and he would've stepped aside to allow for ladies first, but these were not normal circumstances. He'd wait for her to catch up to him, but Damon blocked the doorway. A clear message to her that he intended to go inside first.

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

One might be glad to hear that they were not boring. She did not expect certain animations from Damon. The fact that he said something, she would believe, for now. Because from what she had gotten from thier previous meetings, he did not say things just to say them. He might if he was considering her his prey, and he wished to lull her into something, but that was not the case, at least she did not believe so.

She nodded. "Will do." She would too, as long as she could see something, and being careful where she walked when they did get near and inside. When Damon made mention about the fact that they could not go in through the front, for it was obvious she had started to wonder how they would, until he said how they would go in. She nodded, and when he started at his brisk pace, she would do her best to keep up with him. So as long as it was humanly possible she was doing it!

It was a bit strange that the back was better then the front of the building. But she had not spent much time with this far ran down buildings. Her thoughts would not linger there for long. Once they were there. When he moved up to push the screen out of the way, and the knob. She had stayed a bit behind him. She might not be around him a lot, but she had a way of reading cues.

Speaking of cues, the way that Damon was blocking the doorway, that was a cue that she was to wait until he went in first. She actually wouldn't move until there was another cue or words from him, that told her what to do next. She figured he did things for a reason, and as he was the teacher she was not going to question that.

[Damon Fauci]

Once she caught up, Damon flashed her one of his brief yet charming grins before he turned his back to her and went inside. The room they walked into was the kitchen, and if one made a judgment on the dwelling based on this singular room's appearance and odor they'd most likely decide the place wasn't even worth looting. But Damon didn't bring her here for the the kitchen.

As he strode past an upturned broken table and ceramic shards that probably belonged to once-intact plates or bowls, he spoke to her over his shoulder. "To go upstairs with you would prove disastrous, as the floor would most likely cave in under our weight and we'd end up here back where we started. But going downward, however, there lies the stability in this structure."

And downstairs happened to be his aim. Which is why he lead her down a hallway. Passing the first door, he stopped at the second. It was already open. Stepping into the doorway Damon's raven black eyes peered downward into the darkness, scanning the first of the rickety wooden stairs in particular. He'd put a very subtle thing in place to tell him whether or not anything had come this way since his last visit. It was undisturbed, and the rest of Damon's senses picked up nothing that indicated recent activity. Marvelous.

"Bella. Take my hand." He extended it out to Titania, turning to fix her with his bottomless black stare. "And close your eyes. Trust that I will get you to the bottom safely, and keep them closed as we walk down the stairs. Should you do this, by the time we reach the bottom you'll find your eyes have adjusted to the darkness." It was a trick about eyesight that the Romany, the gypsies, had taught him long ago when he was a boy. It would be almost pitch black in the basement, but as he intended to leave this door open the trick would help Titania's eyes adjust to what little light there was.

If she took his hand, he'd lead her with care down the stairs.

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

Now when Damon shot the grin, she gave a return grin, before he went inside. She waited a moment before following, giving him just a brief time before she was next to him. Looking around the kitchen, and she was rather glad that Damon was not brining her here for the food, because that would be a sore disapointment.

When he moved she would go with him, steps behind but with him just the same. The broken items did not surprise her. If the place had been clean and sparkling that would of been a shock. His words made a lot of sense to her. "That would be rather pointless." Speaking of going up stairs.

She did not even attempt to wander off on her own, so when Damon went to the hallway that lead to the stairs, she went with him. Chocolate gaze would glance around as they walk, nothing would be touched with her hands. She would watch him as he looked around, picking up his looking wasn't just curiousity.

Then his hand was extened, and she gave a small nod at his words, her own hand was placed into his. Trusting once more, "I trust you to get me to the bottom Damon." With those words her eyes would shut, not the super squeeze shut but the normal shutting. And when Damon would start moving she would move easily, trusting in him getting her to the bottom, in one piece.

[Damon Fauci]

The fact that she stated her trust in a vampire so bluntly, he couldn't help but smile at that. Perhaps it was best her eyes were closed, so she didn't see the predatory look. Despite the fact he had a higher purpose for her than a meal and would not seek to make her one, that didn't change the fact that when a beast was pleased, he was pleased. His head turned immediately after to focus on the stairs ahead of him.

With his nocturnal nature, he saw the clear outline of the shabby wooden incline with ease and detail. Not only did he proceed with caution for her benefit with a even, languid pace, but he kept that pace in a precise rhythm. When sensory deprived, he noticed a body responded very instinctively to rhythms. So he gave only this information, "Last stair." So she would know when she could plant her feet on solid ground.

When she did Damon placed a palm on the back of each of her shoulder blades, fingertips curling around the backs of each of her shoulders. As always he was cool to the touch and if her body was sensitive to supernatural energies she'd feel a hum on her skin where he held her. The hum was always present in Damon's touch, no matter who he touched. Like a sedative, a relaxant to soothe his prey.

Maybe that's why he didn't hold her long. Once gentle pressure turned her in the direction that was to his satisfaction, a firm tap to her back would demand she step forward. All of this was executed with fluid grace and it lasted no more than a few precious seconds. "You are walking, Titania," for his he used her proper name as he hoped she would follow his prompting and move forward into the empty open space. "into a place of Power. In other words, for you it should mean no orgasm necessary." For her to do her magic here, was the implication.

"I know you can see precious little," he added with a rather rakish smile, "but I can assure you there are at least thirty - if not fifty - candles here to be lit. Light them, Bella." She couldn't see well but Damon wasn't about to wait. They were here and it was time to get to the business of testing the truth of this powerful room out, and her.

He waited behind her for light.

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

Should a girl trust a vampire? No. Had he not warned her about such things? Yes. Could he break her in a second if he so wished it? Yes. Could he change his mind and decide that he was rather hungry and she made a tempting little meal? Yes. But a part of her trusted in him, because he was offering her help, help when no one else was there to offer it. That meant something to her. That did not mean that she wouldn't be aware of other vampires. It just meant that this one, until it was proven differently, would be the exception to the rule, in her mind. Not that she would go about boasting of such things. Damon was her teacher, and she felt in that aspect she owed him loyalty.

She was rather glad that he had given her the heads up about the stairs. The fact that he kept them going at a nice rhythm helped as well. She would not be surprised that he knew so many things. He was old. Not that he looked it. As she found that last stair and the floor in the basement. "Thank you." He could of not warned her or he could of just dragged her down the steps caveman style, though she did not think that was his style.

She felt a feeling of calm as Damon's hands curled around her shoulders. It was not that she wasn't already calm, just an added little bonus there. She felt something but she couldn't place her mind on what was coming from him, as she was still very much a infant in the learning. When he spoke of walking she would do it. That was one of those cues he gave. Without telling her to do it exactly, she did not need a detailed drawing. Once she got to where she thought he would want her she would stop. Her eyes had opened when she began to walk. She did not have to flicker them for they were more adjusted then when you blinked a bunch. She nodded at his words, for that made sense to her.

"It almost sounds like your relishing the fact I can not see!" She spoke the words, with a bit of a jest in her tone, not a whimper or a pout. "Candles. Let's try this." She was going to do her best to go for it. First she would slowly turn in a circle in the space she was in, if he allowed it. Then when she was once more facing front, she would concentrate. If there had been light one would see the look of concentration. The candles, not a single one flickered, and she let out a small breath. Okay that wasn't working. That wasn't good. She could do this, she knew she could, and she had a feeling that Damon knew if she tried, she could as well. In her mind she figured he had to believe in her as well.

A shake of her head, just small, before her eyes narrowed and moved off to the side. It was with that look, that thought that a single candle was lit. The flame cast a small glow in the area. But it showed that there was another candle that was not to far from the first, and she would turn her attention to that one as well. A small breath was blown out of her mouth as the candle would be lit. Once five of the candles were lit, she would ponder. A pause in her actions and thoughts. She closed her eyes and imagined the candles, a picture in her mind of them, what and where they might be. She would concentrate not on anything else but on the candles, it took a moment or even three, but soon the candles would start blazing one by one in a row, the flame leaping from one to the next until they were lit. When they were she had a look of Wow that worked. Afraid if she spoke that the candles would all burn out.

[Damon Fauci]

As a whole Titania was a well-behaved student. If she had a question or reservation she spoke it but otherwise she followed instructions well and she didn't complain about what he asked her to do. Far more disciplined and willing than Jade, there was no doubt of that. While Damon wasn't the sort who required or demanded absolute obedience from those he surrounded himself with, not being fought nearly ever step of the way during instruction was a very welcome change.

Watching her he flashed a wolfish smile. As beastly as it was brief. A glib offer followed. "There are ways to grant you with my eyesight, but that would require a rather large long-term commitment on your part." Hence why the offer was made in the shape of a charming retort, rather than with any depth of seriousness.

He entered the room only a few paces deeper, sliding his hands into his pockets as he watched her attempt. Damon knew of and had seen other places of power similar to this one in his centuries of living, but beyond watching the Romany work with their make-shift place of power at the center of their transient camp he hadn't seen such a sacred space in use besides one other occasion. In Salem. An moment in his past that, like most of the rest, no other living soul knew about. That had been a convoluted jump into the unknown. He was curious to see if this night turned out similarly.

So imagine the delight in his eyes when he saw flame after flame spring to life. He'd been right to bring her here. Damon clapped his hands together twice. "Marvelous," He nodded his head with approval. "I think this room will provide us with a fount of training possibilities."

Perhaps there was enough light in the room that Titania could see this for herself. The walls were constructed very differently than the upstairs walls were, fitted with smooth sandstones. Painted onto the stones were a number of markings, some small, some as large as Titania. Into the floor there was inlaid a ring made of some kind of polished metal, the circumference nearly as big as the entire low-ceilinged room. In addition to the markings, the walls were lined with long shelves and benches, the surface underneath and above filled with containers and boxes of all kinds in addition to the candles. None were labeled, if the contents wished to be known they would have to be opened.

Damon wasn't concerning herself with the room's contents however, not yet. His bottomless black eyes were watching Titania. "Now then. What things have you caused before when your power has asserted itself? Let's warm you up with what you know."

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

Before they started he said that she had to be willing. In her mind, if she fought him every step of the way, he might give up on her. Men, in general, did not have the best track record with her. Even her brother, when she let him use her car, couldn't show up when he was suppose too.

She got his retort, rather quickly one might add, and it caused her to laugh. Yes, a full out laugh, another time another place she might of asked him about doing such a thing.

She had been so proud of herself for actually figuring out how to get the candles to light, when he spoke she jumped. A grin slowly forming. If it was wrong to be glad of learning something then she was wrong. Because she felt like a child who took thier first step. And the first step was always the hardest, at least that was what she had always been told. She was glad to hear that.

Now that the candles were lit she would look around, the drawings on the walls were shadowed but the images showed. A small turn once more noticing the different sizes of the items drawn on the walls. Interesting. A questioning glance to Damon, right eye brow lifted.

What things had she caused. She could answer that. Looking rather thoughtful she did, as she pondered the question, there had been a few times, somethings were the same and somethings changed. "Windows, opening and closing. Drawers opening." They did not close. "The ice machine going nuts at work." That was from the quickie in the office, really you get an secludeded office, what do you expect? She still looked thoughtful. "The slamming of a door." Her mind was still thinking but those were the most recent events. "The lights, flickering." That happened too.

[Damon Fauci]

To his glib offer, she chose to laugh. It obviously wasn't a serious proposal on his part but that didn't mean he wasn't watching her reaction carefully. She was his pupil, and he'd agreed to teach her. What subjects he chose to impart knowledge on and what 'life experiences' he decided to give her? Those particulars weren't discussed between them so really it was up to him. So. A suggestion that he could make her like kind, and she laughed. It was a reaction he filed away for a later time, for a next lesson. One he just decided she unquestionably needed.

But to get to a next lesson, they had to complete the one they'd already begun. Her first hurdle admirably jumped, Damon ventured deeper into the room, towards her, a languid gesture of his long pale fingers at their surroundings as he spoke about them. "My deepest apologies, Bella, if what I'm about to tell you includes information you already know. There are some locations, like this one, that conduct and amplify magical energy. In some cases it's the combination of natural circumstances, in others it's the work of witches, gypsies or the like who transform through the application of various practices a space so that it becomes such a place of Power."

As he strolled past Titania, he flashed her a wolfish grin that was as charming as it was brief. And it was incredibly brief. For he was headed to one of the high counters, picking up a dagger that had a tarnished silver handle and holding it up for inspection. Eyes narrowed, scrutinizing the small etchings and indents on the handle. He was looking for anything that would give him an idea of who created this place of power, and for what purpose. On the dagger he found nothing. "As for this place, I have a feeling it's more of the latter and less of the former. Hence the building material, the markings, all these supplies…"

There Damon paused just long enough to deposit the dagger back on the table and to turn and face her once more. "And of course this." A sweeping motion of his hand at the floor. He was referring to the polished metal ring that had been set into the ground. Titania was inside of it, though she was a few sizable steps away from standing at its center. "Have you ever tried to work your magic inside of a circle, Titania, or encountered any stories or others who have?" From what the Romany taught him, to have the strongest circle was to have strongest magic. That was the exact word they had used. Strongest. Even as a little boy he'd sensed that was a very particular, important choice of word.

Damon took a half-step backwards, to make certain that he was not within the circle or stepping on the polished ring that marked the enclosed space. Reclining against one of the high counters, as his inky black eyes watched her he coaxed her with instruction. "Try putting it to use for you. Stand at its center. Close your eyes. What do you feel. What do you hear, smell, taste, what do you see not with your eyes but your innermost eye. Communicate with this circle, its power. Invite it to work with you, hand and hand, to do a trick that you already know."

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

If she had thought him serious, her reaction might of been different, it was the tone of the way he said the words. Of course, the course of the education and lessons were up to him, for she had no knowledge of how to go about things.

She could actually see Damon now, now that the candles were lit, so when he moved she saw it. Unless he did that vampire quick blink and you miss it sort of movement. When he spoke, she listened, no interupting, because he was telling her things that she had not learnt. And even if she had, it was good to have a refresher course on things, every so often.

Really, it was her luck that he was not interested in her in any other way, because a girl could be caught off guard with a smile like that. Of course, she had Xavier, and he did come to mind, she thought about him often when they were apart. Another nod of her head, for he had he right of it, he had the logic and the sense, and she had nothing to add to that. Even if one might be curious about the past inhabitors of the home.

Now the circle had been new to her. "The few books I had recieved at the library were more like mythical stories." She frowned, "So I had not learnt anything about the power of circles, well until tonight." She wished she could just pick his brain for such information, but if he directed her in what area to research she would do it. Probably happily, even if she wasn't one that liked to pour over books, she was more of a hands on sort.

She heard his words. Feet moved till she was in the center of the circle. She made sure she was at the most center point as possible, looking down in the other directions. Then her head lifted up, she took a deep breath, before letting her lids fall gently shut. It took a few moments, as if she was giving herself over to a more baser side. It was strange the things that you could miss out on when you did not let your sense work to their fullest capabilities. Her voice came out almost as a whisper. "I can feel...little trembles...or surges of something in the air." That would be the power of the circle with her standing in the middle, drawing the strongest from it. As if her body was the conductor. She half thought that there were other people in the basement with them, for she could swear she heard voices, voice that were rather encouraging, and it was not Damon's voice. She wanted to open her eyes, but she had a feeling if she did, she would not see anyone else, for she did not actually sense any other bodies in the basement. The only tastes she had were not from the basement, it was more of the smelling, and that threw her. For one would think of mildew and rotten wood, but she smelt something that she did not know the exact word for it. It was strange but the words had quit coming out of her. She was to much in a concentration with the circle. That might sound odd but it was true. The first thing they would hear would be the slamming of a door. The next would be the sound of said door falling down, for the house was not built well enough for a slamming door, on the upper story. Thankfully, at least so far, the door did not join them in the basement.

A small breath of air was released. Things she could do, things she had done without thought, were now happening with thought. A good part of her wondered if she could control the magic when she was not in the circle. She had to try another thing, the windows. The windows would be easier. Damon with his hearing would hear a window slowly etch upwards, though it stayed that way. It did not slam shut, in fact it would take more thoughts to get it to move again. She paused opening her eyes, looking for Damon. "I can feel its power, running through me." It was the only way to describe it, it was something she had never felt before.

[Damon Fauci]

His movements would all be plainly visible to her. Under normal circumstances Damon did not put his preternatural speed to use. Not only was there no need for such speed, but there was no need for others to see the speed he was truly capable without a damn good reason. If Titania watched him move, then, the primary difference of how he carried his body compared to humans was his complete knowledge and ownership of every sinew of his physical being. This translated visually into words like grace, fluidity, precision and so on.

Those words could also naturally be applied to his demeanor. Especially in a situation such as this, where he was instructing. "Then we need to get you different books. Ones that have the information suitable for your blossoming." Did he have a place in mind where these books could readily be sought for perusal and purchase? No. He was no gypsy or witch. The location of their last outing where he'd acquired Epiphany's relic was an invaluable resource, but not for books. It was something to think about.

At a later time, however. For now, they were engaged in a practical lesson. As Titania attempted to follow his instruction, he watched her. Not just with his eyes, but with all of his senses. The only that he didn't reach out to her was the power of his will - his thrall, if one wanted to use a blanket term though that power extended beyond mesmirism. While feeling her over with his power would provide him with information, it would also interferre with the energy transferrence betwen her and the circle. Thus his thrall was currently suppressed within him.

When she said she felt surges in the air, he nodded. Precisely what she should feel. When she opened her eyes and spoke again, she would see how pleased he was. "Excellent." That single word encompassed both what she said and what she'd done. "I was taught these circles have a tri-fold purpose. One, when sealed by the one standing within they cannot be crossed - no other bodies, no other objects, no other wills or spells can enter. Two, they are built to magnify the energies of those gifted such as you are. And three, this circle connects your magnifyed energies to THE energy, so that you and it are one. Because of that last purpose, Bella, when one comes to stand at the center of a circle as you are now they are doing acts of a far greater scale than slamming a door or opening a window."

A devil's smirk curled over his wolfish mouth. "Within a circle like this, Titania, you could crumble this very building around us." But surely he wasn't suggesting she try something of that magnitude...was he?

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

Oh to be able to move that graceful. Not that she was a complete klutz, and she had some grace, but you could tell the difference.

She gave a nod of her head, of course, there had to be a good place to get some books on the subjects at hand. The fact being that the places she had looked so far had nothing that was useful. Maybe between the two of them they would figure it out. Because she was willing.

The words that Damon was speaking of the circle had her thinking. It did make sense, and it would be beneficial to her if she could learn about the constructing of one, once she had a residence of her own. Maybe by that time she would have the skills required to make one of her very own. In a basement or somewhere that would be off the beaten path. Not that she wanted to hide her gifts, but because she did not want others to tarnish it. Her head was bobbing at his words.

When he said the thing about the whole fact being able to crumble the house around them, she looked over at him. "You aren't implying you want me to attempt to bring the roof down on us, are you?" As in the roof would be down on them, sure Damon could dodge and duck, but she would be there, most likely safe inside the circle, unless she missed her guess. "Wouldn't that hinder our purpose of you bringing me here to train?" She had not left the center of the circle, nor had the energys stopped humming in her blood.

[Damon Fauci]

"You could always 'raise the roof' instead." Damon suggested it with a grand smile, giving her a waggle of his brow to punctuate his successfully applied modern colloquialism. Slang from the other realm, but maybe it was a term that Rhy'din also shared. To add insult to injury he asked, "Isn't that what you teeny boppers say these days?" As well as he played the part, the remark was a ruse. In reality, vampires were creatures that when they put their minds to it were an incredibly adaptable race. The problem was, most didn't bother to put their minds to it. But while he rarely applied the knowledge he observed from the modern age, Damon found it to be in his best interests to pay attention in case the occasion called for it.

He paid special attention to the television.

The flash of his grin dimmed to something more smug, and bemused. "In all seriousness, Bella, how could it hinder your training? Part of learning about one's ability is testing one's limits. Perhaps my suggestion was too ambitious, as you're right - you'd no longer have access to this space of potent potential, but then again." He took a careful step forward, making certain to keep the toe of each of his leather boots away from the metal rim of the circle. He lowered his voice, for effect. "This is a rather unsavory neck of the woods."

In other words, Damon was under the assumption that Titania would not return here unless in his company. In some ways, the aristocrat was as old-fashioned as he was old. Remaining where he stood, he cast his endless black eyes around the details of the room, sending out his senses on a greater mission than merely taking stock of Titania within the circle. Taking stock of the floors above. He was the sort who erred on the side of caution.

"Even so," he continued to address her as he took stock of the surroundings, "As you currently have this circle at your disposal I'd advise moving from your known to something a bit more unknown. And sizable." His raven black eyes dropped, looking her full in the face. Directly in the eyes, if she allowed it. Standing within the circle, she might notice the intense magnetism his gaze normally held was considerably lessened.

The circle was protecting her from it.

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

His words got a laugh from her. Not sure if he was going for that, but it did happen, as she too had heard the term, raise the roof. A small shake of her head. "Us teeny boppers huh? If I lived to a nice old age, I am sure I would still be a teeny bopper to you." There was a grin there, because without knowing exactly how old Damon was, she had a feeling he was quite old. Even if he looked very good for his age. That was because the television was one of those things that you sit down in front of it, and many hours later your like, where did the time go. It ate your brain.

So as he spoke, she was listening, always listening. A nod of her head as he spoke about the training and hindering and the testing. "My luck I would try to do it, and the walls would crumble just enough to attempt to knock us both out." Yes she was not discounting his speed he was able to move with. But she also had some strange luck, when she least wanted it. A blink at his last words, a shake of her head. She spoke seriously which was shown in her tone. "Anywhere that I go with you, unless you say it is okay, I know not to come back alone." It wasn't that Damon took her to the safest places, and she knew that, you could feel it. She felt safe with him, which was still rather amusing to him most likely, being what he was. And in a odd way she wanted to reassure him, that she was paying attention, and that he was not wasting his time in tutoring her.

Now, when Damon spoke and looked at her, she still did not look away, or down. So she did notice the effect of his eyes was not as great as say when they went to dinner, the first night she had met him. It was a strange feeling, but then she was logical enough to realize it was the circle's power, it was helping. She thought about his words, something bigger. That did make sense. Why not see what she could do when fully tapped into a place of power?

She would start off with something small again, first, because she was still unsure. She would turn from Damon to face one of the crates that had been down in the basement, her gaze locking onto the crate, as her right hand came up, and a flick of her wrist, the crate opened, the sound of the rusty hinges squeaking. Someone needed some WD-40. Instead of going to see what was in the crate, she would concentrate more. She had noticed that he looked up at the floors. Now she would look up but her energy was focused elsewhere. Where might it be focused? The roof of course. She would attempt to 'raise the roof' literally. Eyes would close as she imagined the roof from the outside, because she had not seen it on the inside. Her minds eye would imagine the roof breaking off from the house, and raising, though it would only raise a inch or two. Not enough that would catch attention unless of course someone was staring intently at the house, which they could notice and perhaps even enter the building. Before the roof would set down, perhaps a bit not as gently as one would like, and small plumes of dust and debris would be released inside and outside.

Opening her eyes, she let out a small cough, blinking to Damon. "Very dusty." And at those words she proceeded to sneeze. 'Ahhchooo.'

[Damon Fauci]

His mouth crooked into a smirk. "All humans are teeny boppers to me, Bella, but that has precious little to do with age." It had to do with their state of development, moral codes, and obsession with things like time, death and so on. He wouldn't weigh her down with such talk, however. She was human herself, after all, and he knew firsthand from his discussions with Epiphany how alarmed a human could be at his level of detachment. From humanity, and sometimes life itself.

For example, the vampire seemed entirely nonplussed by the possibility that the walls or roof could come crashing down on them. While he didn't say it, it took a lot more than falling debris to knock out Damon Fauci - a person didn't need to live centuries to know when to duck, when to cover, and went to run and find different cover entirely. Instead he focused on what he felt the more important matter. "Should your abilities continue to develop admirably, Titania, there will come a time when you could travel here at any hour of the night, completely alone, and you will have nothing to fear. Until then I advise an escort." Note that Damon didn't necessarily say it had to be him. He was suggesting there was safety in numbers.

As he felt her energy rise and concentrate, he returned his gaze to her. While his eyes were occupied only with Titania, his other senses continued to be focused outward to the space around them and the building at large. It was how he felt the shift in the building above. And the resulting tremor of the building as the roof was returned to its slightly-less-than-original state. Gaze turned away from her as he watched the tremor rock these lowest walls of the foundation ever so slightly, the cause of the falling chips of drywall, flaking concrete and upset dust.

Damon did not cough. He needed air only to check for scents - to stop breathing entirely was no great trouble. While he didn't jump or start, as the building begrudgingly resettled around them every muscle in his body was ready. Should anything more catastrophic happen. When it didn't, that readiness relaxed to its normal state as he gave her a bemused smile. "Very successful," he countered, "and commendable. Clearly your abilities respond favorably to working within a circle. It would do you well to see about constructing one of your own, someplace that it won't be meddled with."

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

Perhaps if it was a different time or place, she might question his statement further, as it was, she took it as simple as his age and all that he must have seen and learned vs humans and how they would never learn as much. Nor have even a fraction of the life experiences as Damon.

Now she gave a nod of her head. She was not so foolish as to expect the next day she could come back on her own. Though a part of her was excited to think about the fact in time, if things progressed correctly, that she would be able to come alone. "I doubt that many would wish to come out here with me." It was true. The handful of friends she had, well even in those numbers she wouldn't feel safe. And Xavier, love him as she did, his talking would drive her insane when she tried to think. Maybe a muzzle....didn't Madeline mention one of those, something to think on. "One day I hope that I am able to do just that." The being in such a place on her own with no problems. She wasn't some little weak willed girl, she had been in a few fights, but something about those that were in the area, told her they didn't exactly fight 'fair'.

A sneeze/cough mixture escaped, and she lifted her arm to her face to sneeze into her elbow. Her eyes watered just a bit. She gave a almost shy smile to Damon, about the words. Before she looked to him. "I need to look up what information I can find on circles. To see what I can do and what I need to have done to make one correctly." It was the truth, that if she was going to make one, she wanted to make one correctly. If there was a wrong and right way, she wanted to know, so it would not be a failure.

[Damon Fauci]

To her first words Damon cocked his brow, looking bemused. "If they were smart, their desire to come here would be a thirst." As he saw it, any homo sapien's affairs - mortal, immortal or otherwise - could be summed up in one word. Desire. For any with desire unfulfilled, this circle was a gold mine in the guise of rubble. But even those who knew of such places, such opportunities, didn't realize just how much could truly be acquired and accomplished with the aid of these prized locations.

Then, he grinned, handsome as it was brief. When potential was being realized right in front of one's eyes, what was there to do but grin? This lesson was pleasing him in ways he hadn't thought to count when the notion first sprang to mind. "Yes. You need to, with great haste. A day of incredible magical potential is only three weeks away. It would be a crime to let it pass by untapped." The solstice was near, and in honor of that auspicious occasion Damon had an assignment which he would require her to complete. But all in due time.

This lesson must be finished first, and it was nearing its conclusion. "When one has natural ability such as you do, Titania, what remains to be mastered are two things. Will and skill. This circle has precious little to do with skill, beyond building it to the proper modifications and knowing how to open and close it. It has everything to do with will." Raven black eyes were intense as Damon gazed at her. "It connects you to the universal will, an almighty will that someone like yourself can channel in order to do what you cannot - or believe you cannot - do on your own. While I can teach you a modest level of skill, the true gift that I will give you over the course of our lessons is the gift of full potential of your will."

Full potential was something Damon possessed. This was something well known by his kind back where he was from. For he had achieved what other vampires did not - an absolute realization of the abilities granted by the blood in its current state of age. This priceless reality was why Damon was sought after to be made an ally, rather than sought after to be silenced.

"Most people with abilities who think they have reached their full potential have usually only reached half of it at most, as most of their mastery is in reality a mastery of skill, not will. They are still limited by an impenetrable blockade they may not even realize exists - the barrier of what they were taught all their lives to believe is so. Because of a lack of wings, a human ergo cannot fly. Because of their physiological make-up, a human ergo cannot shift their shape. All of what we were reared to believe operates as an unseen but debilitating wall in our mind, preventing us from even considering possibilities that we don't even know we can imagine because of our beliefs in gravity, matter and so forth keep these imaginings from occurring to us. Because we soon accept these things as fact, we forget that we were even taught them and thus don't realize what exactly must be unlearned before we can take full control."

For a brief moment Damon paused, allowing Titania the time to let his words and concepts sink in. Then, he continued. "As such, the attempt to break these barriers down is much like peeling away at an onion in the pitch dark." A sly, beastly smile was given to her. "First one has to feel around in the dark until they can even location the onion. However," Damon held up his index finger, a sign he was about to make the culminating and concluding point, "While it takes considerable time, it is time I will devote to you. And once this grueling time of fumbling has past, your will alone will be able to accomplish everything this circle's will loaned you to accomplish today, and more. That I can promise you."

And a promise was something that Damon Fauci did not take lightly. Why was he investing so much time in this particular woman? He had his reasons.

Lucrative reasons. "So," a wan grin given to her, "Lesson complete what shall we do next?"

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

She could not help but laugh! She was not laughing at Damon, in fact she thought him rather wise, but she was laughing at the fact he said if they were smart. So many people she knew had to be led into things. They were not usually so very adventurous that they would run head first into doing things. Herself was included in that aspect. Except when it came to her time spent with Damon. It was an odd effect he had on her that had her jumping first then asking the questions. In her opinion everyone needed that little devil on one shoulder to battle the little angel on the other. "If they were smart." A grin.

A small nod of her head. "I will do whatever research I can tomorrow at work." Which meant if they had no problems she would beable to get all the information that the world wide web had for her to probe. Now she could of done the research at home, but that would take a lot longer. The apartment building only had dial up, and that took hours for some pages to load. " A day with incredible magic potential?" She was rather new to all of this and Damon, poor Damon, had a lot to teach the girl.

While Damon spoke, Titania listened, she gave the normal sounds of listening. The head nodding, while it wasn't constant it was put in when he made a good point. Her eyes were not wandering around the basement, they were fixed upon Damon, and not because he had his allure working on her. But because she was raised that when someone was speaking to you, taking their time to teach you, you showed them the respect. The way that Damon spoke, she had a feeling that if he said it, he could do it. And that sent happy shivers along her. The thought of realizing her full potential of her will, it sounded, exciting.

When he paused for a moment, she did not have any questions, she was taking it all in. The fact she did not open her mouth for questions was probably a good thing. When Damon began to speak once more, she was once more his sponge, soaking up the information he was giving out. She smiled when he made his point. And his promise, for already she knew promises were not light, not when they were made by Damon. "I am willing to do whatever I have to do on my part." She had told him that the first time they met, and she was just making sure he knew, that she had not changed her mind. She could of babbled back to him about what he said, but he knew what he said and she knew what he said, so why bother with that point?

It was not until Damon said that the lesson was complete, that she would step out of the circle. Funny how she had been about to say one thing, and suddenly that thought escaped from her mind without getting out. A small yawn would be quickly covered with a slim hand. The Power and Will of the Circle no longer were feeding her own, and she felt the loss of it, even as she felt a bit drained. It was a good thing that Damon seemed to know how hard to push without pushing her body to exhaustion.

It was a grin that he got though, when she looked back to him, about what they should do. After her time in the circle she was feeling rather hungry. Her body needed to replenish energy. "Perhaps leave the basement. I dare say I need something to eat." Did that mean that Damon had to go with her? No. But she wasn't leaving this place alone, nor did she think that Damon was going to have her walking the streets in the bad parts after warning her either.

[Sponsored content]