Just Keeping Swimming | March Planet Mingle

[thespaceopera]

Who: Everyone!
Broadcast: If you want!
Action: Anywhere on Mafik
When: The month of March



[Welcome to Mafik, the water world! Hope you brought your best swimming gear and don't have a paralyzing fear of water, because that's all that's here! So get out those wet suits and enjoy life under the sea!

In other words, it's a mingle! ]

> System Information

Comments

[apurrstate]

[Anders can't help but give a slightly pitying look, he doesn't share Kai's fears of drowning to that degree, but he could maybe imagine. Logically, he knew he could breath in tight and cramped places, but when he found himself enclosed like that, it was easy to forget.]

Perhaps I can help you. Let me see...

[His hands glowed with a gentle blue light and a moment later, a ball of seemingly nothing came down from above, a shimmery quality around it due to the magic.

The ball pressed to Kai's elbow and melded around him almost imperceptibly.]

There, there's air in that barrier now, you should be fine.

[Never mind the air would run out in almost no time and then Kai would be back to breathing the water through the barrier spell, hopefully it'd trick his head into thinking he was breathing fine.

Maybe.]

[halfbloodhatchling]

[ Kai could feel the pain the instant the spell enveloped him, old wounds on his back opening at the combination of magic and the iron dust embedded there.

It's not the first time it's happened at least -- Ryder had had that dubious honor -- but it's enough that Kai's focused on the feeling, on breathing and it no longer matters if it's through air or water as long as he can breathe.

It's the casting and its immediate proximity to him that's the problem, real issues replacing the imagined one. ]

Don't do that again.

[ He gasps it out when he can, in case his reaction hasn't made it clear enough. This hadn't been as bad as previous times, but he can feel blood drying on his back, even if the wounds should be closing again.

It's certainly an extreme sort of reaction if Anders wasn't expecting it, even if he thinks he managed not to scream. ]

[apurrstate]

[The spell cuts as soon as Anders sees what's happening and the glow very nearly starts up again in his hands as his instinct to heal the wounds kicks in, but his fists clench close tightly as he wills the mana away.]

I'm sorry.

[Carefully, he reaches for Kai's arm.]

If you'll allow me, I have traditional medical supplies in the ship.

[He wanted to ask, the question was there, burning on the tip of his tongue, but he had to make this right first. Blood in water wasn't a good thing, who knew what would smell it.]

[halfbloodhatchling]

[ Kai resists the urge to flinch or draw away at the touch. His nerves still sing with the memory of pain, but the actual effects are gone. ]

I've healed. Don't worry about it.

[ It's hard to be certain of how to act now, when Kai can imagine the questions his reaction has provoked. He's not the sort to volunteer explanations unasked though. ]

[apurrstate]

[He's healed? What? No, now he needed to ask.]

What was that? What happened?

[halfbloodhatchling]

I think some of the elfin in this place are different than elfin where I'm from.

[ Which is definitely a valid reason for glossing over any sort of thorough explanation. ]

I have scars made with iron. They don't generally bother me, but in the presence of magic, there's a reaction.

[apurrstate]

[Anders' expression only turns more confused.]

Being Elf-blooded had something to do with it? Iron must be different where you're from as well, I only wish my magic had some kind of affect like that on swords and armor back home.

[Not that it would help with Templars, they could just use stuff other than iron, but random others like raiders or bounty hunters looking to collect on the terrorist apostate certainly would have had another experience if their iron tools reacted to magic like that.]

[halfbloodhatchling]

[ Kai is a little taken aback by the coldness of the response, and he's not sure he's comfortable with this man knowing he has that kind of weakness. ]

It isn't the iron that's reacting, it's me. An elfin from my world wouldn't be able to touch something made of iron without feeling a level of discomfort and pain. A sidhe or unsidhe shot with an iron bullet is going to need treatment for the iron poisoning and won't heal properly unless the bullet is removed.

Because of the duration of exposure I've received, I'm less sensitive. But in the presence of magic, my blood activates and whatever immunity I've gained is compromised, so my body reacts to what's always been there.

I wouldn't recommend trying to duplicate the effect. It's not a very efficient process.