[Xingqiu is curious about what it is Ain actually does for a living with a style like that and his ornate pendulum. He gets a bit of a taste when his skinned knee is healed with relative ease. As if to verify it isn't some optical illusion he runs his fingers over where the cut was just before, testing the job well done.]
That's incredible. Most of the healers where I come from are Vision-users that are gifted with hydro--water. Like me. But I've never been very good at that part, and never more than one person at a time.. That is quite impressive.
[He's reluctant to hang on to the coat even if Ain is just being considerate.] I won't freeze to death. [After glancing between the two of them and the fur lined coat, he shifts closer with an idea. It's not ideal (or socially acceptable) to position oneself so close to a practical stranger, but desperate times call for impractical measures.]
[Ain finds himself laughing again, that same fluttery one from moments earlier, as if he doesn't actually laugh that much and his vocal chords are actively protesting the act. He's not someone who gets much physical contact at all, and any other day he'd be scooting a foot or so away, but today a frozen hellscape is trying to kill them and everyone else in this ruin. Today he thinks he can manage to not be so weird about being touched.
It's still the least bit odd, but he doesn't mind it as much as he would if he were back home. The warmth is certainly welcome, and Xingqiu does fit rather snugly within the coat anyway, so it's not like they're fighting to keep underneath it. Accepting Xingqiu's, well, not exactly offer but his insistence, perhaps is the term he wants, Ain agreeably drapes one half of the coat over his shoulder. Sure. Sharing so that no one gets frostbite makes sense to him.
Humans are entertaining, he thinks, and then he leaves that thought there.]
May I ask a question, if you don't mind? [If Xingqiu does mind, Ain doesn't give him a second to speak up about it, continuing,] You have referenced "Visions" twice now. Am I right to assume that it doesn't refer to some sort of hallucination or dream or otherwise, and that this is the name you use for your Gods-given magic?
[While Ain's laugh is unusual and doesn't sound like any other genuine laugh Xingqiu has heard before, there is something endearing to it that makes him smile every time he gets to hear it. Even without knowing that it may be a rare occurrence, he feels appreciative of getting to experience that sound.]
Ask me anything.
[After some shuffling, it doesn't take long to get comfortable again while they're tucked together side to side to share the warmth of the coat. It becomes less of an issue when he can feel Constantin warming up again, and he focuses instead on their conversation.]
Where I come from, some humans are chosen by the gods and gifted with Visions. They're magical foci that we use to manifest elemental abilities. [Xingqiu squirms around under the coat, feeling around and maybe accidentally jabbing Ain with an elbow in the process before he presents his Vision for him to see--or hold if he wants! It's a trinket that glows with hydro power when activated and Xingqiu has attached a tassel to his to match his style.]
[There's the tiniest oof as Xingqiu's elbow connects with his waist, but the accidental elbowing is immediately forgotten about once Ain's curious eyes settle upon the Vision in Xingqiu's hands.]
Oh! It looks almost like a gem of some sort.
[And after making that very observation, Ain politely reaches toward the ornate object to touch the hydro mark upon its surface as if to test if it really is a gem or not. In either case, it's extremely pretty, and he takes in its appearance for a good while before his eyes make their way back to Xingqiu's face. If that spark in his eyes is any indication, he has more questions. Lots of them.]
How are humans chosen by the Gods, precisely? Is it random? Do they have a process of elimination? [Slow down, buddy.] Did your Vision come with all of the decorative elements on it, or is that a stylistic choice of yours? [Ain—] If you did not have it on your person, would you be unable to use your abilities?
[Seeing the curiosity alight in Ain’s eyes is hard not to smile at. Xingqiu allows him to examine his Vision closely, not overly concerned about it breaking since its withstood being dropped dozens of times without issue.
What’s actually more difficult than watching someone handle it is trying to formulate an answer to one question while another is already being asked.
He’s quick witted but even that is a little difficult to keep up with. Xingqiu gives up and shakes his head, waiting for a pause before he tries to decide where to start.]
I don’t know how it works but I think it may be random and not genetic. Usually it happens during adolescence but there are instances of children receiving visions or activating inert visions by chance at very young ages. [Xingqiu taps his chin thoughtfully as he tries to consider all of his friends for a small sample size. They came from all walks of life. Definitely random. Maybe.]
No, I can’t use my abilities without it. There’s only one person I know of who can do it without issue and they’re not even from my world. Oh, I added the tassel, but it was like that when I received it.
[So, travelers to other worlds aren't uncommon where Xingqiu comes from, then? That's the conclusion Ain draws anyway, nodding thoughtfully once Xingqiu answers his endless barrage of inquiries.]
Fascinating. Where I come from, there's no such phenomenon.
[The elements on his home plane are also wildly unstable at times. If only there were Gods just handing out magic to some trusted individuals, maybe everything would be fine? Probably not. Ain shrugs internally and turns his attention back to the conversation at hand.]
If I may ask further, how did you get your Vision, Mr. Swordsman?
[They're still uncommon, but the ones that have seem to have made names for themselves in both good and bad ways. The one Xingqiu is closest to is a good person, though, so he may paint a picture of it in a more positive light than the reality.]
I see.. So people have elemental abilities innately? Are they born with them?
[Xingqiu taps on his chin in deep thought about the matter. He's never thought of how that might work. A human being able to harness the elements for their own use without first being favored by the corresponding archons. It's all quite fascinating--like an adventure book.]
It presented itself to me not that long ago..I'm still learning to master it, actually. I may not have been drawn to learn any form of swordsmanship if it hadn't. In fact, it's a little difficult to imagine what I would be like if it hadn't. [He'd still be a second son bookworm heir, but maybe just a lot less capable in a fight.]
Your world sounds so fascinating though. Tell me more about it. What do you do there?
[Ain spends a solid minute mulling over his answer to that question. There's a lot that goes into Elrios and how magic works there; plus, he's only been around humans for the last five years, having known nothing but a blank void for five hundred before that. He doesn't get into that particular bit for obvious reasons — obvious to him anyway.]
Me, personally? [That wispy laugh of his makes another appearance.] Well... primarily, I go on adventures with a fairly sizeable group of people in an effort to... currently, stop the world from ending, I suppose is the best way to describe it. We recently were face to face with demon armies, until I was pulled here, I suppose.
[Not fighting demons is all well and good, but Ain hopes that Elrios doesn't explode while he's gone.]
To answer your prior question, though, I suppose it's true that many are born with innate elemental abilities. Those with extremely strong affinity for specific elements are actually made into "Masters" of it. These Masters are meant to guard over the elements themselves, the "El" as we refer to them.
[A pause before Ain continues, glaring into the fire,] Though, there was one such Master who betrayed them and thus the realm itself — the Master of the Moon El — and as a result of his actions, a calamity known as the El Explosion took place. My companions and I were previously cleaning up the aftermath of that.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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That's incredible. Most of the healers where I come from are Vision-users that are gifted with hydro--water. Like me. But I've never been very good at that part, and never more than one person at a time.. That is quite impressive.
[He's reluctant to hang on to the coat even if Ain is just being considerate.] I won't freeze to death. [After glancing between the two of them and the fur lined coat, he shifts closer with an idea. It's not ideal (or socially acceptable) to position oneself so close to a practical stranger, but desperate times call for impractical measures.]
We can share.
no subject
It's still the least bit odd, but he doesn't mind it as much as he would if he were back home. The warmth is certainly welcome, and Xingqiu does fit rather snugly within the coat anyway, so it's not like they're fighting to keep underneath it. Accepting Xingqiu's, well, not exactly offer but his insistence, perhaps is the term he wants, Ain agreeably drapes one half of the coat over his shoulder. Sure. Sharing so that no one gets frostbite makes sense to him.
Humans are entertaining, he thinks, and then he leaves that thought there.]
May I ask a question, if you don't mind? [If Xingqiu does mind, Ain doesn't give him a second to speak up about it, continuing,] You have referenced "Visions" twice now. Am I right to assume that it doesn't refer to some sort of hallucination or dream or otherwise, and that this is the name you use for your Gods-given magic?
no subject
Ask me anything.
[After some shuffling, it doesn't take long to get comfortable again while they're tucked together side to side to share the warmth of the coat. It becomes less of an issue when he can feel Constantin warming up again, and he focuses instead on their conversation.]
Where I come from, some humans are chosen by the gods and gifted with Visions. They're magical foci that we use to manifest elemental abilities. [Xingqiu squirms around under the coat, feeling around and maybe accidentally jabbing Ain with an elbow in the process before he presents his Vision for him to see--or hold if he wants! It's a trinket that glows with hydro power when activated and Xingqiu has attached a tassel to his to match his style.]
no subject
Oh! It looks almost like a gem of some sort.
[And after making that very observation, Ain politely reaches toward the ornate object to touch the hydro mark upon its surface as if to test if it really is a gem or not. In either case, it's extremely pretty, and he takes in its appearance for a good while before his eyes make their way back to Xingqiu's face. If that spark in his eyes is any indication, he has more questions. Lots of them.]
How are humans chosen by the Gods, precisely? Is it random? Do they have a process of elimination? [Slow down, buddy.] Did your Vision come with all of the decorative elements on it, or is that a stylistic choice of yours? [Ain—] If you did not have it on your person, would you be unable to use your abilities?
no subject
What’s actually more difficult than watching someone handle it is trying to formulate an answer to one question while another is already being asked.
He’s quick witted but even that is a little difficult to keep up with. Xingqiu gives up and shakes his head, waiting for a pause before he tries to decide where to start.]
I don’t know how it works but I think it may be random and not genetic. Usually it happens during adolescence but there are instances of children receiving visions or activating inert visions by chance at very young ages. [Xingqiu taps his chin thoughtfully as he tries to consider all of his friends for a small sample size. They came from all walks of life. Definitely random. Maybe.]
No, I can’t use my abilities without it. There’s only one person I know of who can do it without issue and they’re not even from my world. Oh, I added the tassel, but it was like that when I received it.
no subject
Fascinating. Where I come from, there's no such phenomenon.
[The elements on his home plane are also wildly unstable at times. If only there were Gods just handing out magic to some trusted individuals, maybe everything would be fine? Probably not. Ain shrugs internally and turns his attention back to the conversation at hand.]
If I may ask further, how did you get your Vision, Mr. Swordsman?
no subject
I see.. So people have elemental abilities innately? Are they born with them?
[Xingqiu taps on his chin in deep thought about the matter. He's never thought of how that might work. A human being able to harness the elements for their own use without first being favored by the corresponding archons. It's all quite fascinating--like an adventure book.]
It presented itself to me not that long ago..I'm still learning to master it, actually. I may not have been drawn to learn any form of swordsmanship if it hadn't. In fact, it's a little difficult to imagine what I would be like if it hadn't. [He'd still be a second son bookworm heir, but maybe just a lot less capable in a fight.]
Your world sounds so fascinating though. Tell me more about it. What do you do there?
no subject
Me, personally? [That wispy laugh of his makes another appearance.] Well... primarily, I go on adventures with a fairly sizeable group of people in an effort to... currently, stop the world from ending, I suppose is the best way to describe it. We recently were face to face with demon armies, until I was pulled here, I suppose.
[Not fighting demons is all well and good, but Ain hopes that Elrios doesn't explode while he's gone.]
To answer your prior question, though, I suppose it's true that many are born with innate elemental abilities. Those with extremely strong affinity for specific elements are actually made into "Masters" of it. These Masters are meant to guard over the elements themselves, the "El" as we refer to them.
[A pause before Ain continues, glaring into the fire,] Though, there was one such Master who betrayed them and thus the realm itself — the Master of the Moon El — and as a result of his actions, a calamity known as the El Explosion took place. My companions and I were previously cleaning up the aftermath of that.