#debukefarmhold

hours later... a different sort of casting...

A hand splashing into the stream, "Hod the blind, hear me.."

Dark eyes peer from the shadows, drawn by curiosity.

"Hod, the blind, hear me, lend me your limtation..." ANd she watches as Emmit's eyes grow white entire.

Head tilt, kenning.

He appears to be imagining or evoking the god, depending on how you view it, the same one that was tricked into slaying Baldur if she has her myths right, not that the norse were consistent- and drawing that same being he has just visiualized into himself.

"I thank you for this gift, Hod, I honor the land with it"

He reaches down, slooowly, hand into the water, splashing "And the water"

It's a kind of warding, but not in a style she's ever seen before, and there are other things different about this. by using himself as a conduit, does it make it stronger? Does it work longer? she's not sure.

She draws closer, quiet but not silent.

"Now, stream and field, take this blindness, take this challenge and change it to strength... now tree and stars that sleep... I give this to you to cast over home and hearth and family"

And the white in his eyes turns to glamour and bleeds out...

It does not look comfortable, but Emmit bears it. The wards are strong, but more than just strong, blinding, those seeking to look in might have a hard time of it...indeed, they might be struck blind if they peer too long and are not friends.

She's never seen any ward quite like it and is still not sure how he did it for she missed the early prep.

She settles down on the grass, waiting and watching.

And he wipes at his eyes with the last of the drops, and they nwo look clear. Ah yes, the soul of control and dignity, until he finally plops down with a less dignfied thump on his laurels "Ooff. That one's always a drain."

He turns to see who it is, "DeVere is that.. oh, Zara. How long have you been there?"

A gentle shrug. "Not for all of it."

"Ah, well, don't try that without the proper grounding first... it's a delicate blend of...wait, why am I telling you? This could be a teachable moment" A warm smile "What arts do you think were involved?"

"Naming... ah... Chicanery, I think..."

"Ah... and one you might know well.. Foul Fortune of the Soothsay set" He says "A curse of blindness, the duration depends on...certain factors."

"Ah! That.. ah!"

A wink "You get it I see. yes, it takes control over the glamour itself and a synergy with veiling to make the ill luck so specific. To put it in a metaphor you might grasp more easily than most- it is like using different strands and threads to balance out the direction of the whole... one wants to pull that way, the other tilts it back. One wants to fray, another holds it together.. and so on."

"Weaving, yes."

"Just so, though I'm sure Agnes would tell me how I'm getting real weaving wrong and my metaphor needs work" He admits good naturedly, "But for the purpose I'm sure it came through. It can be done with other things too, other effects, but I find it's best to set the template through a bunk of invocation of some sort. Hod, in this case."

She nods. "Blending arts is... tricky..."

"Very , and you'll get it in due time and at your own pace. Human wizards work their wills and we might envy that, but we kithain ARE magic, and that's an edge not lightly ignored. And if it is ignored, it is at the peril of the one doing so. If I'd known you were nearby I would have brought you in from the start of it."

"Ah. Well, I am not one to advertise my presence."

He nods at that, "Yes yes. So I gather. I do have a task for you as an apprentice though since you are here."

"if you're willing" he adds.

Eyebrow. "Aye?"

"I have a ceremony to go to, where I must serve as a professor. Would you please join me?"

"A professor?"

"I mean, you are very much one... "

"I know I know, stunned me too" He admits "The term I mean, and it's an honorific that might go to my head if I let it. But I did accept the invitation so I need to go."

"Ah. Fair enough. Need you aid?"

"I do," he admits "Mostly in the form of you taking part in the ceremony as well. I know you don't enjoy crowds but it's brief I'm told."

She grimaces. "I do not like crowds, no..."

"I know, " He says.

"Would I need to speak in front of everyone? If so, your mystery apprentice might be more suitable..."

"Nope. You would be one of a half dozen people that would simply walk into view and then go into the crowd again or around it as pleased you. I'm the one who will be there up yakking and standing."

"By that part, your biggest danger might be falling a sleep" he says bemused

Another head tilt. "What kind of ceremony is this?"

"I could be vague, but I suspect you've had your fill of that?" He looks at her.

"This... Earth Runes!" A frustrated huff. "You too?"

"Actually, not 'me too' , Earl wanted me to find you so he could apologize and explain and so on... but I told him I don't do that sorto f things to my pupils lightly. It's a matter of trust. However, here you are... so that's another matter. Zara, it's a graduation ceremony for a group of changelings to get their diplomas. You're the inpsiration, but iti s not about you, not about you alone at any rate. I'm asking you to go. Not just because Earl is miserable or your family is waiting, but because you earned your diploma. You know as well as I how poweful symbol and ceremony is... you, and these other students, earned a moment in the tapestry of life to be seen taking up the flame of those who have collected knowledge. Your name spoke up, you walk before folks before others.. yes, but it's brief and you're not alone."

"Please, Come"

She gums on her lower lip, eyes like storm clouds.

"Why... why couldn't he just tell me that?"

"Because as much as I love him, and as smart as he can be, he's a sensitive boy who takes the wrong lessons from things at time. Apparently he thinks you told her to leave him alone rather than let him explain so he tried to honor that until you allowed him to talk to you again. Now, I think he read the wrong thing into that"