Legend of Ransera

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♅ Standing out in the backyard of the family estate, Dreyfus looked on into the horizon as if waiting for the sun to rise from its slumber and warm the day. The crisp cool air of early morning Ash nipped at the young wolf's face as he waited for his grandfather to arrive, his note seeming to be very urgent. Dreyfus was rather curious as to why he wanted to meet in the forest behind the estate.

He was unsure about the point of getting up so early, but he knew it was better and in his best interest not to question his grandfather when it came to meeting the elder Monteliyet's demands and requests. Like a calling horn of his arrival, a howl of a wolf echoed through the chilled air and forced Dreyfus' head in the direction of his grandfather. His approach was accompanied by two large wolves, one flanking each of his sides. The snow blown from the trees glittered around them as they approached and Dreyfus couldn't help but tense up being in his presence.

"I'm glad to see you are on time. I apologize if I left you in suspense with my note, but I felt it would be better that way, as a way to ensure you showed up." he called out to Dreyfus, waving with a small smile on his face. The wolves began to trail behind him at a respectable distance, their heads on a swivel for danger. "No need to apologize, I haven't been waiting too long, though I am curious as to why we had to meet so early." he inquired, pulling the collar of his jacket closer to himself as the wind blew by.

Dreyovani smiled as he came to sit on a brick ledge, petting one of the wolves that came to rest by his side. "Today I come bearing a gift, one that I believe will prove useful to you and allow us to bond over you learning how to use it." he said, gesturing for Dreyfus to come and sit next to him.

He was even more curious now as a list of things ran through his mind of what his grandfather could be wishing to impart in him. "Oh, and just what might that be?" the wolf inquired, a look of curiosity on his face, one he kindly nudged as the birds chirped in the canopy of the forest.

For a brief moment, he didn't say a word, more so he simply closed his eyes and hummed a bit, a melody he put together alongside the chirping of awakening birds. "Do you know what Animus is Dreyfus?" he questioned, never opening her eyes yet I could feel that she was peering into me with her words.

"I can not say I've intimate knowledge of it, though I have heard of stories of those who practice it. Turning into beasts, taking on the aspects of animals and other creatures." Dreyfus answered, watching as Dreyovani's lips curled into a smile, a laugh escaping them.

"In a way yes, you could say that, but it's so much more." he mused, a small bird coming to perch on her hand. "Animus is freeing oneself from the mortal shackles of life. To shift between forms, granted they are animals for most practitioners, but still a liberating experience at that. I wish to share this experience with you."

His explanation caused Dreyfus' eyes to widened as in all his years Dreyfus never expected his grandfather to be a mage, let alone wanting to share his magic with him. Then it started to make sense, he brought Dreyfus here in a secluded space so that they wouldn't be disturbed, even by family. "I have brought you here as the process of the initiation and what comes after requires that you have......roaming space."

He explained, moving to stand behind me. "Once initiated you will undergo a trance of sorts, sending you into a primal and feral experience. You will try to attune yourself to everything around you. It's a vulnerable time for you, and I would rather you did not die from the process. It's why my attendants and myself are here to watch over the process."

He added into his explanation, a bowl of blood being brought and set into his hands. "If you trust me and accept the risk of the initiation, tell me where you wish for me to inscribe the rune." he inquired, giving me a moment to contemplate. After some internal deliberation, he gave his grandfather a nod as he undid his jacket, removed his shirt, and moved his hair out the way, pointing to the center of his back.

"I pray for your successful initiation grandson." with these words he began to inscribe the Rune of Animus on Dreyfus. As he drew lines and patterns on the young wolf's back, he continued to explain important bits as well. "My experience was somewhat horrifying, I remember seeing myself toward the tail end of my initiation process and saw the monstrous beast I had become. You may experience something of that nature as well, but know I will be here with you the entire way."

He explained watching as the patterns morphed and shifted on his grandson's skin, a fluttering of feathers and coiling serpents causing a curious raise of his brow. He was intrigued by what type of animist Dreyfus would become. "And worry not my attendant and I will be with you the whole way, watching and ensuring that you don't do anything too reckless while under the trance of your initiation." he added, padding Dreyfus on his shoulders.

"You make it sound as if I'll rampage and slaughter a small village or caravan while under." he jested, turning his head back a bit to catch Dreyovani's gaze. A part of him was a little worried about what exactly would occur that he wouldn't be able to remember. "You would be surprised at what one could do while going through this initiation. Take me for example, my initiation led to the death of a mother and her young son. I'm not proud of this, but it's something that has stuck with me ever since." he noted, a hint of sadness in his words as they were spoken.

As it settled, Dreyfus could feel a strange sensation wash over me, then before he could figure out what was coming, he was out like a light. He couldnt remember most of what happened next, but he did remember bits and pieces. Running, his heart racing senses trying to grasp at everything and understand everything around him. It was like being thrust out into a whole new world with no inkling as to who or what you are or your surroundings. His heart felt like it would burst from his chest at any moment.

He felt primal, relying solely on instinct. At one point he remembered killing something, being covered in blood, but he was oddly ok with it, it was in his nature to kill it after all, or at least that's what he believed. He remembered watching, stalking animals in the forest, a cunning predator waiting for his chance to kill. It was quite an experience.

Within this trance, he truly let his mind fill with thoughts of primal nature, allowing his inner animal to come forth and take control. He felt himself flying with wings, seeing things through the eyes of the birds, hearing how animals around him perceived the world around them. He was soaring in an ocean of thoughts and feelings, melding with the rune to become truly one, and then everything went blank for him.

---

As the next morning came through the windows of the room Dreyfus had found himself in, his eyes shot open, and pants for air filled the space around him as he looked to the ceiling, then around the room. Dreyovani was gone, and he was now in one of the many rooms of the estate and all he could find of him was a note he left on the table beside Dreyfus.

"By the time you read this note, the day has come and gone, and you will have successfully survived your initiation into Animus. This is good, and the next step will come the next time we meet and you have all healed from the injuries you gained grandson. I, unfortunately, had to go and could not be there to see you wake up myself, so as compensation, I plan to give you something that has been passed down through the Monteliyet bloodline since our founding.
- With love,
Your Grandfather"

Looking to the window the note was right, the day had come and gone, and the new one was just beginning for me, though it was merely the same time as he started the day before. Standing to his feet he placed his hand on the place where his new rune was as it was sore much like the rest of his body was feeling at the time.

A new magic and a promise to learn something new about his family in one visit? He was starting to think his dear grandfather was spoiling him, but he didnt mind it. ♅


"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"
"Dreyovani Speech"