There was so much that Kerii knew about her magic in comparison to when she first discovered she had it, and this was not limited to her ability to cast a myriad of spells. No, Kerii learned about the spirit that dwelled within her. She learned about its intended purpose. For centuries, elves of all kinds sought out the power the ëalar were rumored to bring. Legends told of stories that some translated to near limitless magical abilities, but there were those who knew better than to believe such tall tales. The ëalar were capable of granting magic to their hosts, but in Kerii's experience, it was far from infinite. In fact, when she first acquired its magic, it was no stronger than her Celestial Sky magic. All that was different was the element associated with it: nature. Some time had passed, and as Kerii became a more powerful and experienced mage, her magic seemed to grow with her. In fact, it did so to an extent that Ëala referred to her magic as something completely different than what it was originally called. It went from Ëala's 'Blessing' to Biophilia. In scientific terms, biophilia was the belief that humans and nature shared an instinctive bond. Of course in Kerii's case this applied to her being an elf, which was true even before she acquired Biophilia Magic. She did have a unique bond with nature from simply existing, but that was more on a spiritual sense. Now, it was physical. She had Ëala using her body as a host, providing both a physical and magical link directly to nature.

Kerii used to have a magical bond with the wind, which did apply to nature in some sense, but now this was much more direct. She could grow plants for a number of purposes, but largely in regards to healing. In fact, that's what most of her spells constituted, and for good reasons. Her healing magic seemed to be more powerful than the typical mage's, even among those who specialized in healing spells like herself. The elf of course wouldn't be complaining about that, but there were still some drawbacks to the whole thing. Kerii could not produce powerful offensive spells nor heal herself, leaving her with less defenses than the average wizard, but that's not what bothered her most about Biophilia. What constantly worried her was the effects Ëala had the potential to impose on her mind. She had only witnessed a select few of them before, but Ëala ultimately had the potential to corrupt her mind and shift her from the light to the dark side. This happened much more rapidly in those who were already morally evil or even neutral, as they were the ones who typically wanted vast amounts of power, but this was not Kerii. She was morally good and didn't take on Ëala for the sake of magic. She did it for her own safety and the safety of the rest of her family. Still, this did not make her immune to Ëala's long-term effects.

WC: 509/4200 (30% discount - Intelligence)

At the moment, Kerii was in the forest. She was sitting on a rock, meditating, connecting with nature. Despite knowing strong healing spells, there were still only a few methods she knew of actually learning magic. The most effective seemed to be Ëala taking over her mind and learning the spells through that spirit. It felt like it took several minutes, but in reality, it only took a few moments. Ëala was good at warping her perception of time. In the mind, nearly anything was possible, but Kerii hated the way it felt before she zoned out into her brain, and she hated the feeling of guilt she received afterwards. Before anything happened, the act of Ëala trying to take over the elf's mind nauseated her. It made her get hot flashes and feel dizzy to the point where she could not stand. Last time, she barely managed to stumble into a deserted shop before collapsing to the floor and succumbing to the spirit's will.

Once she was actual in her mind, Ëala taught her how to use a healing spell involving violets. Earlier that same day, Kerii taught herself a spell involving roses. Both flowers had medicinal properties even without being infused with magic and both ended up being equally as powerful. The only difference was, the rose spell Kerii taught herself took far longer to learn than the other. She read books on healing magic and books on nature magic. There was even a healing subcategory of the nature book she took extra time to read. Kerii was embarrassed to say that she lost track of time, especially considering that there was an old woman in the library she didn't know needed healing until she was finished reading, but she was confident that it took far longer than the spirit's method of teaching. As a result, when Kerii discovered that it took mere moments under Ëala's technique, she felt as if it was cheating in a way. Very few mages were capable of learning to cast a brand new spell that rapidly. It just was not fair that she could do what others couldn't. In addition, there was some sort of dark feeling Kerii couldn't shake from herself the whole time she and Ëala conversed in her head. Getting powerful magic quickly just seemed inherently evil to her, but of course neither Ëala nor Carnil would admit that.

Not wanting to go through that same process again, the Wood Elf continued to meditate. She was planning on learning a couple new healing spells that day. She highly doubted that there was much more the books from the library could tell her, so she had to start doing things her own way... preferably without the assistance of the spirit. How long it would take to accomplish such was beyond her. All she was hoping to do was utilize powerful spells that could heal even more than before. Perhaps then she would be even more prepared for a sudden tragedy than she was before.

WC: 509+504=1013/4200

Kerii was determined to become a powerful healer, and as such an expression of concentration came across her face as she tried her best to connect with nature and truly embrace what 'biophilia' was really about. Despite her attempts to do such, she honestly felt no difference magically. Sure, her mind was cleared and she both spiritually and mentally felt closer to the flora and fauna at the time, but that meant next to nothing if she didn't know how to cultivate those feelings into that of magic. Still, she didn't want to give up and give into Ëala's wishes.

The elf got up from the rock and continued her training by taking a walk into the forest. Perhaps she would see some sort of plant that would spark her interest and give her an idea of what sort of spell she could produce. After all, there were several things relating to nature that had healing properties. Kerii was often able to replicate such qualities and then enhance them via her magic. It was a rather neat process in her opinion. The plants alone should never be capable of healing the severity of ailments and injuries Kerii's spells could, but all it needed was a touch of magic to do so, which the mage would never cease to find absolutely fascinating.

Despite Kerii's knowledge on how some of her spells functioned in relation to creating plants that were already known to have beneficial properties, she was not being inspired by anything in the forest at the moment. Perhaps it was simply because she had been in it several times and thus was used to all that was in it. Nothing new jumped out at her, nor caught her interest. On the other hand, she should have been very knowledgeable about what resided within the woods, thus leading to more discoveries, but it seemed that was not the case. If she went to another town and ventured into its neighboring forests, then perhaps she would get new ideas for great spells. That being said, she wouldn't just up and leave Orchidia at this point just for the sake of learning a spell. She would have to be really desperate to do that... but if need be, she'd rather go away than learn from the spirit within her. Ëala would always be a last-case scenario.

It always perplexed Kerii why other mages were able to learn spells seemingly with such ease. Even those who possessed rare magics seemed to know a vast number of spells that rivaled most others'. And then there was Kerii. She too had a rare magic, but she also had a malefic spirit that drove her to do, well, she wasn't sure exactly what yet. She did not know what was under Ëala's sleeve, and quite frankly she was terrified of what its end goal was. Whatever its motivations, Ëala seemed to want to teach Kerii Biophilia Magic its own way. The precise reason why was still unknown to the elf.

WC: 1013+503=1516/4200

If she had to guess, it was that Ëala wanted to form a stronger bond with her. After all, there were only so many ways this could be accomplished. Besides, as Carnil put it, they had a mutualistic bond. Kerii benefited from the spirit due to the magic it bestowed upon her, while Ëala benefited from Kerii due to the fact that she was the host for it. Without a body, Ëala would die. Of course, the elf couldn't just make the spirit leave with a ritual. When the two became one, their life lines were sealed as well. If one died, so would the other. It was that simple. If Kerii happened to transfer the spirit to another person, this would not be a problem. Ëala would be tied to another helpless soul instead. Unfortunately, that was not such an easy solution. Riniya transferred it to her sister, Meldë, who transferred it to Kerii. Since the spirit initially bonded with Riniya, it became accustomed to females of the Tathvir bloodline. Meldë was dead and Riniya was nowhere to be found. Kerii, the deserter who left to join Lamia Scale and live among the humans, was the last female who had Tathvir blood run strong through her veins.

Kerii just shook her head as she walked through the forest. This whole situation seemed to be hopeless. There was little she or anyone could do to remedy even a single part of this ongoing conflict. The Wood Elf was becoming lost in her mind once again, hardly even focusing on training her magic at this point. Unfortunately, when she retreated into her mind, she lost touch with the world around her. Additionally, it became the perfect segway for Ëala to intrude. Its harsh whispering tone penetrated her mind. "I could help, you know," it said, implying that it could aid her in her search for magic. "Shut up," she muttered in reply. Luckily no one was around, or it would appear as if she was going mad talking to herself.

"You've seen the fruits of our training. You could have your new spells in just a few moments if you would just let me-" The mage cut her off. "Don't call it 'our' training. It's your training. I never wanted any part in this, and I'll learn my spells my own way. Got it?" she asked, waiting for Ëala's reply. The spirit let out a sigh and said, "Fine, have it your way." The elf smiled and continued on. Now that she was finished talking with the spirit, she was finally returning back to the normal world. Her senses were gradually coming back to their normal state. Her vision became sharper, her mind more attentive, but perhaps most importantly her sense of smell picked up on something she wished she had detected earlier. She quickly began to smell the acrid stench of smoke filling the air. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized what this could potentially mean. Panicked, she began making a run for the source.

WC: 1516+507=2023/4200

Normally, if someone thought there was a forest fire, they would run from it to warn others, not towards it. It would be rather idiotic considering Kerii did not possess any form of water magic. The only liquid thing she could produce was an assortment of oils, quite notably clove oil, but it was in no way in a large enough quantity to quell a fire. The most it could do would be to put out a tiny flame, and that was if clove oil was even good at putting out fires. Certain liquids could actually be fuel to flames, so that begged the question: why was the mage going towards it in the first place?

The answer was that she had a feeling the fire was not organic. Orchidia was not known for its forest fires. There had never been one in her recollection, and the air was not dry. The conditions were not ideal for a random one to occur. Lightning would have to strike a tree for there to be even the hint of a start of a fire, but there was no thunder. There were few clouds in the sky, certainly not enough for there to be a storm. That only left Kerii to assume that the fire was started inorganically. There was no doubt in her mind that some sick minded person started it with either mundane tools or magic, or perhaps even a combination of both. Regardless, something was going on and she had to stop it before it became worse. If it was due to magic, than the mage responsible would likely be able to put it out.

As Kerii progressed towards the centre of the fire, the pungent odor became even more noticeable. Eventually, she began to see flames lick the edges of leaves. Not too far from those were even larger ones that were eating away at the once beautiful plant life. Luscious green leaves and cool solid bark were now charred. Merely touching one would cause it to crumble into a pile of pitiful black powder. At the centre of it all was a man, his eyes ablaze with a look that could only be described as fanatical, or maybe even insane. His arms were outstretched. Flames were leaving his hands effortlessly. He was doubtlessly burning a significant amount of mana, which was good for Kerii considering she was at a disadvantage with her healing magic, but that also meant he was being very liberal with it. Should she confront him, it was almost certain that he would meet her with his full force. It was a scary thought, but he had to be dealt with in some manner. She couldn't retreat and get help from the guild, or else the woods would suffer even more damage by the time people got there. She felt semi-confident that she could handle him herself. It was likely that she would sustain injuries in the process, but it was better than letting nature suffer. With her mind made up, she began to sprint towards the fire mage.

WC: 2023+514=2537/4200

As Kerii ran toward the madman, he caught sight of her. Obviously, this was to be expected. He narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brows. With one hand, he still kept a steady stream of fire aimed at the trees, and with the other he aimed it at Kerii. She expected something like this and was able to dodge the attack with ease. He was using up way too much mana, and as such was suffering from physical exhaustion. This was seen in his sloppy transition from attacking the forest to attacking her. This again, worked in favor of the elf, but it would not make the battle be one without risk. They were still playing with fire, which was widely regarded as one of the most destructive forms of magic. Even second degree burns could be quite painful, and judging by this man's antics, she suspected that it could be a real possibility.

The healer reached the man and did what her instincts told her to do. She slammed into him, knocking him down. The jets of fire were disrupted as he fell to the ground, but the forest fire still raged on. "Stop the flames," she ordered, pinning him down. The man smirked and replied, "I must cleanse the evil in this woods." Kerii rolled her eyes. Fire bore heavy symbolism in various religions, including that of the Illumin. In some it represented death and destruction, while in others it represented life and purity. Even in the sense of good, it was never to be used in this manner. This man was taking his beliefs too far. She tightened her grip on the man and reaffirmed her statement. "I don't care. You're destroying this forest." The elf stifled the urge to cough. The smoke was becoming thicker. If this went on any longer, it would not only harm the woods, but both her and the fire mage as well.

"Never," the man spat in response. Kerii let out a sigh as she further tightened her grip, causing the fanatical man to wince. She could put up a guise about being a powerful nature mage, but it would be an empty threat. What wasn't a lie though, was the fact that she had an evil spirit dwelling within her. She never dared to tell anyone this, but she was in a difficult situation. Besides, if he decided to tell anyone about her and the spirit, hardly anyone would take him seriously. "I have a dark spirit inside of me," she warned, hoping it would strike fear into his heart. He just laughed in response. "Right, sure you do," he sarcastically said. The elf could feel Ëala liking this, and communicated to it within her mind to help her out a bit. "I do, now stop the flames!" she angrily said. This time, Ëala contorted her voice to make it sound unnatural and inhuman. "If you don't, I'll just have to taint your soul." The elf heard him gulp and felt him quiver. Clearly, he was not a fan of risking being 'impure.'

WC: 2537+513=3050/4200

"Okay..." he quietly said. She could hear fear in his voice. He clenched his fists and just like that, the flames went out, but the damage was done. Kerii looked around, her eyes full of melancholy as the once green forest was now blackened due to the acts of one manic person. "Can you reverse the damage?" she hopefully asked. "No," the man grunted in reply. "At least I was able to cleanse the woods this much," he mumbled, seemingly to himself. "Can you let me go?" he asked. The elf considered letting him up, but she would not let him go. He was too much of a risk to be set free. She could take him to the authorities, but there was a chance that he would make a run for it. She could catch him if that was the case, as he was tired due to the amount of mana he spent, but she could be harmed in the process. Still, she had to get him to Orchidia somehow. The elf gave him the benefit of the doubt and would let him stand.

"Alright, but I'm taking you to the authorities for desecration of Orchidia's forest." Cautiously, she let him go. Carefully, he stood up to face Kerii. She took his hands to apprehend him, but he reacted with sending flames up Kerii's hands. Quickly, she let go, but not without getting herself burned in the process. She held down a scream as she swiftly made an attempt to knock him out. Luckily, his reaction time was slowed down, so her blow was successful, and he crumpled to the ground. Kerii looked at her hands, and then to the forest around her. The burns were not severe, but based on the area they covered, it would be best if she got them treated. She could wait though. The forest needed her attention first.

Kerii thought back to when she discovered that she was able to heal the tree that Fenrir had harmed. Of course, that was just one tree, and it was one of her weaker spells. Admittedly, she had never healed more than one target with just a single spell. It was possible to utilize such magic, but it was a new concept to the elf. That didn't mean she couldn't try though. Instinctively, just as she did with the old woman, she thrust her hand forward. As she did it, she winced due to the burns, but much to her surprise the spell worked. She poured mana into the spell and out came a magic circle. It widened to the 4m diameter area that the man had burned and a cloud of pollen momentarily lingered in the air. As it subsided, the plant life returned to its original state. Some of the flora that had took on more damaged were left singed, but it would repair itself in due time. Kerii let out a sigh of relief before sinking down on her knees. The spell had drained much more energy than she expected, but that didn't matter. The point was that she mastered a new spell without the help of her spirit. All she needed was the right motivation.

WC: 3050+533=3583/4200

Pollinis:

Now that Kerii was done healing a portion of the woods, she had this man to take care of as well. It would be difficult though, considering her skin was extremely tender due to the burns. Now that the adrenaline from the encounter was wearing off, the pain was less numbed down. She glanced at the man. He wasn't even stirring, so she supposed that she had some time to go off in search for a nearby stream to soak her burns to mitigate the damage as best as possible. She ran off, knowing that she would find one sooner or later. She knew the woods fairly well and thus was able to find one rather quickly. Smiling, she bent down and let the cool water run over her hands. She let out a sigh as the pain melted away, but not too long after she did, she heard the sound of an animal in distress. She sprang up to see a fawn laying on the forest floor. It had severe burns, much worse than those of Kerii's. It must have been just outside of the range of her spell, for it didn't seem to be healed at all. She wasn't sure any of her current spells would be able to remedy its injuries, but a new one just might...

Again, instinctively, she pointed towards the baby deer. Why it felt right, she did not know. It just did, and a 0.25m diameter spore traveled towards the hurt animal. It left the elf feeling even more exhausted, but for good reasons: the fawn was healed. There was not even a scar from the burns. Kerii's own pain still persisted, but she was happy that she was able to help a creature that wasn't lucky enough to escape. The elf turned back to put her hands in the water again, but she heard voices in the distance. Multiple voices, in fact. Someone must have seen the smoke and alerted the authorities. Quickly, Kerii made her way back towards the man who she knocked out.

She reached the man, and much to her relief, he was still knocked out cold. Not too long after she returned, others came as well. They were confused to see that no damage was done, but knew this must have been the spot since the smell of smoke was strongest there. Seeing the Lamia and that other man, they asked what had happened, and Kerii willingly explained the situation. "I was walking through the forest when I smelled smoke," she began. As she was a Wood Elf and a member of a light guild, they did not question her motives for any part of her story. She even walked them through her reasoning of going towards the fire instead of getting help. All in all, her story added up, and when the zealot came to, he confessed to being the person responsible, but immediately accused Kerii of being a dark spirit. The elf feigned ignorance, and the authorities were in no way going to believe a man who just did something so atrocious. They took him into custody and then showed Kerii to the healer with them. Considering that a fire was involved, they thought it would be a good idea to bring one along, and the mage was glad they did. She held out her hands which were already forming blisters and let the healer work her magic. A soothing feeling washed over her burns. The person did not possess magic as strong as Kerii, so they were not healed entirely, but they were fixed to the point where there would be no scar when they healed on their own. The medic wrapped the elf's hands and sent her on her way. Kerii thanked everyone herself before departing. It was quite the eventful day. She was glad that she was able to stop the zealot, but perhaps more importantly, she had also attained the victory of being able to accomplish magical feats without the help of the spirit.

WC: 3583+672=4255/4200

Sporae: