ORIGIN

Cancer rested upon his throne once more, comfortable now with his solitude. Yes, it had been a long few days, but now it seemed as if he could find some normalcy in his routine again. This place was quiet, sickeningly so at times- he missed the roar of the falls, but at least here, nothing else roared at him. Better nothing at all than everyone at once, he supposed, as he lay looking up at the crystal stars of his new home. Yes, those stars would keep him company.

The cat rolled over, the sound of metal on stone echoing softly around the broken walls that surrounded his throne. He looked out across his landscape through the square hole of one such wall and to his delight, nothing moved in the darkness. This was his sanctuary. His castle. None could bother him here... At least, if someone did come, he could easily hide amongst the ruins should he not wish to be bothered.

Ah, but his solitude was not to last today. Movement near one of the many tunnels leading into this place drew his golden gaze and the leopard sat up. The newcomer was a cub, tinier than Rhone had been when she'd arrived. Another lion, though, as told by the faint spots and tawny coat. Cancer found a growl working its way up his throat, but he kept it back, silent as he observed the newborn gembound's movements. Each step was recorded into the black cat's memory, until he began to wander in a direction Cancer didn't like. Any further, and he'd be making a turn towards Monoceros... and towards the beast.

"Stop." Cancer stood, the sound of metal from his armor higher pitched than his rumbled call. A second later, he began descending towards the cub, expression neutral- if a bit disapproving. "Turn back, cub. There's danger through that tunnel ahead." He warned, tone gruff and tired-sounding. This felt familiar. "Even mighty lions get eaten there. Go home."

"Speech"

The cub's surprised reaction brought a half-smirk to Cancer's face. He stepped ever so slightly backwards as the cub settled, a show that he meant no harm- though he doubted the cub much cared for body language, or ever understood such things yet. The lion cub accused him of being dangerous, and he had to admit, it wasn't far from the truth.

"The same thing that almost ate me." He scoffed in response to the cub's skepticism. "It breaths fire and is three times my size. It can't fit through that tunnel, which is why we're safe here." He sat back, the armor plates shifting with metallic sounds against the leather across his back.

"So how long has it been, then?" A relaxed slouch put the cat's posture at a crooked angle. "A day? A week? Can't be more than that."

"Speech"

The cub was confused.

"Since your emergence, cub. How long have you been awake in this world?" Cancer explained more clearly, his tone almost teasing- if impatient. It wasn't mean, though- that cruel tone just could not come to him today. He felt no anger anymore, only contempt, deep in his chest. A feeling that only served to make him seem tired to the naked eye.

The cub continued to follow him, pester him. He turned an ear towards his questions, and upon some consideration, the leopard sat neatly to the ground and observed the cub with calculative gaze. He would test him.

"The armor I wear protects my pelt from harm. The straps keep it in place, and give me purchase so that, when I wish it, I can remove it, for cleaning or for comfort." He looked upwards, unable to see his own horns but indicating to them with his glance. "The horns are my stone. Like the one on your chest, cub." He'd hold up a paw and point casually towards the cub's chest. Then, he'd replace his paw to the floor and regard the younger cat systematically.

"Can you cast yet, cub?"

"Speech"

Cancer almost smirked at the cub's answer- he was only a few days old, then. A newborn. He watched the cub look down at his chest, and felt amusement bubble up at the cub's sudden realization that he had a stone there- he hadn't noticed? The leopard had noticed his own horns instantly, they'd been a part of what had released him from his crystal shell after all. The cub went on to ask about casting, then about the stones, and then in his excitement, he became envious of the armor the leopard wore. Finally, a name. Niru.

"Cancer." He stated simply in response. Then, he turned to face the cub more and with a shooing paw, made room between them. There, he used a claw to draw a small figure in the stone at their feet. The figure was a four-legged thing, like them, with a circle etched into its chest- like Niru's stone.

"A gembound's stone is their power source, and life source." He began, etching lines from the stone on the figure's chest. "In essence, we are the stones. We're born from the same stone we carry, and in death, our essence is returned to our stone." He drew a new figure, just a small circle, with lines coming off of it to indicate energy.

"To cast, we draw from the energy in our stones to create an action." He brought that drawing paw up now, to his head, indicating to his horns...

...and as he did, they would glow a bright, cherry red- his eyes as well, hiding his pupils behind the solid, misty glow. A second later, his pelt would darken, until completely black- like a living shadow. He'd hold this for a moment, the effect rippling down his coat, before releasing the magic and letting himself return to normal- the glow disappearing as smoothly as it had come, his pelt returning to its ashy state.

"You can do many things with your magic. The result of casting depends on your natural element. Mine has much to do with hiding, sensing... and if I am in danger, I can use my magic to push others away by their blood, or from my own energy." He recalled to himself Leon's body flinging away from him in their recent fight, and Amaria's body being flung against the ground when he'd discovered his Bloodhold ability. Both memories were shaken off with a sigh as he placed his paw back to the ground, continuing to sketch out an image for the cub to take in.

This time, his drawing was of a larger four-legged beast with horns- himself- and another even larger four-legged beast with a horn out its back- Leon. Between them, he scribbled chaotic lines.

"Some gembounds can create fire. Some can manipulate water and air. Others can see into the past, into another's mind." He looked upon the cub with a smile now- an expression he'd thought gone from his muscle memory. It comforted him to be able to do what he did best- learn, and teach. "Everyone has their own unique set of skills." He placed his paw down flat on the ground and nodded towards the cub. "It's all about pulling energy from the stone and using it for your desired effect." He glanced to the side, to the pool he'd been drinking from. What was the cub's element? Well, how better to find out! "You try it, now. Find a feeling inside that you can use to manifest your power. Hold onto it, and as you feel the tension build, let it out slowly. Deep breath in, long breath out." He'd then brace himself for anything dangerous that might come from the cub- doubtful the little lion could do much harm in his youthful state.

"Speech"

Cancer sat silently as the cub closed his eyes and put some real effort into his first casting. It felt kind of... special, witnessing such an event so long after his own first cast. The cub was doing well, concentrating- a bit too hard, perhaps- and after a few moments of awkward anticipation, finally, the air began to fizzle around him. Ah, something new then! The leopard had witnessed many elements- Arcane, Fire, Earth, Water, even the healing magic of Bevy and Quix. This was new. He approved, and immediately decided the cub would simply have to name this new element himself- surely other users of such would come up with the same name instinctively. Such mysterious coincidences happened all the time in Origin Cave. He'd simply come to accept it.

As the cub released his cast, the leopard wore an honestly pleased smile. The anticipated look the cub gave him only made that smile curl wider, though the expression didn't quite reach Cancer's eyes.

"Excellent job, Niru. A good first effort." He praised, honestly enough. "You'll have to give your brand of magic a name, though. I've never met anyone with your power- though I'm certain there are others out there, possibly those who could teach you even more." He stood then and stepped over the cub entirely, walking past until he stood below the throne again. There, he leapt up into the seat and settled down once more. "You're welcome to stick around. I could teach you more about casting, perhaps even some of my own spells if you show potential in cross-elemental casts."

"Speech"