Nyx Dawnwalker put on your war paint

Tall legs, thin but not weak, held a strong but slim body, its form so smooth as if cut from marble && crystal. Soft fur clothed the Gembound, a light brown dotted with pristine white, as if no dirt ever dared to sully its beauty.
Eyes like ebony, gleaming && sharp. They see everything, like the eyes of a Gunslinger.

Between her shoulder blades, the Sky Blue Topaz grew sharper, taller - or maybe it just appeared to? The change in her stature was visible. Where she used to cower in fear, Nyx now stood with pride, the sharp point between her shoulders glowing && pulsing with a power that had before been unknown to the Deer.

That’s what she is, just a Fallow Deer. But where before her fear won over her, it’s now nowhere to be seen. She’s someone new now.

Then: Sweet, small, scared Nyx.

Now: Proud, brave, confident Nyx Dawnwalker.

A warrior in her own name. Not a soldier, but a fighter

"Listen to me."

table by lisa

Nyx Dawnwalker put on your war paint

Nyx walked into the familiar plains of Polaris, her watchful eyes taking in the sight of the Spire, the Dam, the Generator with a new sharpness. There was a vividness to her sight now that she had never experienced before. It was the way a predator saw the world, not how prey saw it.

The lights above shone its silvery light down onto Nyx as she walked over the rough stone with elegant steps and clear determination to her posture. She was not seeking anyone out, but returning to her home, with a confidence in her steps rivaling that of a Queen coming to claim her kingdom. Maybe that’s what she was - a Queen. Not a Queen with a Kingdom to serve her, but a Queen coming back to conquer the world she’s been submitted by.

Nyx didn’t plan on making the Cave bow to her, though. She thought herself a benevolent Queen.

Now, though, was not the time to ponder on her rank.
With the Spire in sight && it's crackling magic flowing through her, the fallow deer felt every bit the empowered magic-wielder. The perfect time && place to practice her powers.

Deciding to start slow to eventually reach her more fickle spells, she closed her ebony-colored eyes && focused on her surroundings.

SPELL CAST: RED SENSE

Nyx felt her awareness of her surroundings spread throughout Polaris, ears straining to pick up on heartbeats. There were none, at least none especially close or loud. Except for lesser gembounds && the golems by the dam, no one was in the cave with her.

That was good - the danger of accidently injuring someone was there && Nyx definitely didn't want that to happen. She practiced her magic for the sake of defending herself, not attacking others && starting fights.

"Listen to me."

table by lisa

Nyx Dawnwalker put on your war paint

Now that Nyx knew she was alone && not endangering anyone, she could go on to the trickier spells.
Using Night Vision would be pointless, thanks to the Generator nearby && the lights above connected to it. She would most likely only end up blinding herself, using Night Vision in a light room.

But there was still her Camouflage spell - which Nyx had rarely used up to now - to try before attempting her newest spell.

This one was harder && it took a longer time of focusing to achieve it. Her pelt itched slightly && Nyx willed it to lighten, possibly into a ghostly, pale, white.

SPELL CAST: CAMOUFLAGE

When the magic worked its way over Nyx's pelt, she could feel it changing. It wasn't a big shift, but it was there, the chemistry in her fur's hairs changing, slowly but surely.
As far as the fallow deer could see, the spell hadn't been perfect, but it worked. There were a few splotches of white-ish gray on her legs, but they were small && thus, Nyx concluded, she'd cast the spell mostly right.
There was still capacity to improve left, though.

"Listen to me."

table by lisa

Nyx Dawnwalker put on your war paint

Nyx decided to try casting Camouflage again. She broke her concentration forcefully, letting go of her grasp on the spell, feeling the natural beige, brown-ish color return to her fur. The white spots re-appeared && the ghostly look fell from Nyx's tall body.

Had she been able to see herself wearing her pale disguise, she would've liked the look on herself. It had encased her body in an unnatural aura of mystery, not quite from their world.

Either way, the disguise fell && she re-focused to cast the spell once again, this time aiming for more perfection in a black-pelted look.

SPELL CAST: CAMOUFLAGE

"Ah!" Nyx gasped, feeling her fur burn as she miscast her spell. For a few moments, unbeknownst to Nyx, her pelt changed through all colors known to the gembounds ( as well as some shades more ) before settling back into Nyx's normal shade of beige && brown.

"This will not do." The fallow deer spoke to herself, annoyed but definitely not willing to give up. Training demanded devotion to the cause. It was obvious she wasn't going to suddenly be a master at her own spells.

"Listen to me."

table by lisa

Nyx Dawnwalker put on your war paint

Some might think she would move on now, after failing to cast Camouflage && try to use other spells, but not Nyx. No, she would persist && try && try again until she was able to use her spells effectively.
What use would it be to have half-assed control over all of her spells, when she could instead have good control over at least some of her spells? Nyx definitely preferred the latter.

While the itchy && burning sensation of her skin subsides, leaving Nyx with the echo of her irritated pelt, she was already mentally preparing herself for the next try.
Standing proud && tall as ever, Nyx closed her eyes once more && focused on the powers beneath her skin.

SPELL CAST: CAMOUFLAGE

Like a veil of shadows, the blackness enveloped Nyx. The color of her pelt changed, darkening into a near-black without her usual white splotches remaining. It was good - still not perfect, but much much better than her last attempt.
Pelt clothed in black, Nyx smiled, revealing white teeth against the darkness of her form. Now she could move on with her training.

"Listen to me."

table by lisa

Nyx Dawnwalker put on your war paint

Still wearing her black-pelt illusion like a new cloth, Nyx readied herself for her next spell. Everything before had only been warming up, getting ready && biding her time.

Before doing so, though, the fallow deer took a few steps, shaking away the itching feeling in her pelt && bones from the previous spells. This spell called for her utmost attention - getting it wrong could have disastrous consequences. But Nyx couldn't let that get to her head. Being afraid of her own magic would only serve to make her waver in her determination, causing her to fail at the spell because of her own fear.

Besides, Nyx had left that young && scared part of herself behind. She now was someone who faced their fears.

Exhale, inhale.
Exhale, inhale.
Exhale-

CAST SPELL: BONECASE

"AHHH!" Nyx cried out, rasping voice echoing through Polaris as she collapsed in a growing puddle of her own blood. Her head was spinning, the world thrown in && out of focus at unrhythmic intervals.

The pain threatened to split her head apart, the 2 in tall mock-antler, crooked && twisted, sitting proudly atop Nyx's head, behind her right ear. Another antler, barely half an inch tall, sat behind her left ear, invisible unless the doe would turn her head to the side.

Panting heavily && ignoring the blood dripping down her neck && over the gem between her shoulder blades, Nyx stood up again. Her legs shook, but carried her either way.

"Listen to me."

table by lisa

Nyx Dawnwalker put on your war paint

The warm blood seeped into Nyx's pelt, dripping down from her head into small puddles on the ground. The doe staggered where she stood, the pain still throbbing in her head from the after-effects of her spell-gone-wrong.
She wouldn't get rid of these antlers so fast.

Ragged breath && flattened ears, Nyx stood on shaking legs as she tried to focus on the world around her again.
If only it would stop spinning.
The stone walls around her eventually did stop, but the pain in her skull did not. For the moment, Nyx decided to stop her training && rest for a while.

With slow, calculated steps, the fallow deer made her way to the Tunnels, to return to Orion, where she would rest until her headache stopped && her power was re-charged.
Maybe she'd just over-done it for the day?

-- exit Nyx --

"Listen to me."