[ can't do that while stunned. ]

[arcanepower]

Who: Belthazar & you!
Broadcast: Open to the fleet.
Action: On the Marsiva.
When: A reasonable hour on 3/25

[action;]

[Anyone on the Marsiva can find a short fussy elf if they'd like. He spends most of his time in the kitchen trying to figure out what weird-ass ingredients he's supposed to cook with, but he can also be found just... staring outside the window.]

[video;]

[This is not Belthazar's first rodeo. He's not going to sit here and play with the console for your entertainment. He figures it out in about two seconds, being familiar with comm devices already, and he is furious. The look he gives and his tone are ice cold. That combined with the glowing green eyes is a pretty freaky effect, but he looks and sounds fairly young.]

Is this some kind of game, Initiative? I am DONE. Do you understand? This is unacceptable. I did not ask to be removed from my property, and my books-- [oh, he is so angry about his books]-- and I have studies I must attend to. My arcane research is infinitely more important than your misguided sloppy war or your failed attempts at entertainment, which I assume this is supposed to be.

[He leans back, looking about as severe as a fifteen year old can look.]

I'm waiting.

Comments

[faithfulwisdom]

You have been told, I assume, that it is not this 'Initiative' which now holds you captive?

[Finrod skims through the previous responses and waits patiently for the young man to calm down enough to hold a civil conversation.]

[arcanepower]

[He looks familiar in a passing sort of way. Belthazar doesn't know why, but there's something about the lack of huge ears that reminds him of someone else.]

A different name, but still the same. We're prisoners. [He's very bitter about this.] I have studies. I have training. I can't turn my back on those things, not even if I am paid to tolerate their absence. I am not motivated by money.

[faithfulwisdom]

Nor am I. [He understands the bitterness. Under different circumstances, he'd be right there with him. But he's also practical- too practical to go around pointlessly beating his fists against walls.] What is it that you study? Is there no way that you could continue your work here?

[arcanepower]

[Belth still does that on occasion.]

Magic. The mysteries of the arcane, the intricacies of fire and frost magic-- all of them are things I need to master in order to join the ranks of the Kirin Tor. My knowledge is limited so long as I'm cut off from books and other resources.

Like-- mana.

[At that last word, he looks away. This is going to be hard, he knows it.]

[faithfulwisdom]

[Another mage. If Belth weren't so distressed, he'd be quite delighted; Finrod finds this whole concept of elves wielding true magic to be absolutely fascinating. But the child obviously is upset and he can't quite parse why. He can tell from Belth's face that mana is important to him. That much is obvious. Knowing what it is- now that's something else all together.]

Forgive my ignorance- we do not have mages where I am from. I have only recently learned the word, in fact. But what is mana, precisely?

[arcanepower]

[It's so weird to think that people don't know what mana is, but he's dealt with it in Exsilium.]

Mana is magic in its purest form, the lifeblood of all spells and what nourishes my people. Mana is necessary to harness magic and use it, and--

[He shakes his head.]

... I'll think of something.

[faithfulwisdom]

[Finrod frowns. It sounds as though he will suffer without this Mana.]

Will you be all right?

[arcanepower]

[Belth is trying very hard to be brave.]

I have rationed before.

[faithfulwisdom]

[He can see that it's not going to be as simple as Beleth is trying to make it sound. But bringing that up will probably only make matters worse, so he simply nods.]

There are other mages here, I know, not from your world, perhaps, but they may have some ideas.