The Snake's Apprentice (.Crimson.//Kosmik_Khaos)[NSFW]

[Kosmik_Khaos]

---

A nearly blinding flash of light heralded the appearance of a magical construct before each leader of the five nations on the continent's western half. The hollow sockets of the skulls appeared to fixate on the leaders' eyes before speaking in unison, "I am crossing the Spine today. There is something beyond that I desire, and I will come to claim it. Do not interfere, and I shall depart as soon as I possess what I seek." With the message delivered the constructs burst into another near blinding flash their purpose fulfilled.

Vamadeva Arakhu Nilcas Kashmardi smiled with a sense of satisfaction. He didn't need to announce himself to anyone, but he had always enjoyed riling up his neighbors. Lifting his arms high over his head he stretched with a loud groan before uncoiling and slithering off the rock he had been sunbathing on. The black and teal scales of his lower body glimmered in the later afternoon sunlight and barely made a sound as he moved across the dry grasses of the Effingstead Steppe towards Ruwei's Spine.

In spite of his massive size the naga moved at incredible speeds, his powerful 30' serpentine lower half undulating in a "S" pattern across the ground. The teal markings on his scales glowed lightly and his speed increased further. He was covering dozens of miles each second and it only took him a few minutes to leave the steppe behind him.

It took Vamadeva six hours to reach Farbreak where he was met by Illadeis Udafora and her legendary Black Guard. "Mistress of swords are you intending to interfere with me?" He asked the armed woman with now indication of him feeling threatened by her, or her show of power. "I am here to find out what you are after Deva." She replied coldly, her grip tightening around the swords she held. Vamadeva's mouth twitched at the shortening of his name and he sucked his teeth at her answer. A moment later the half dozen Black Guard were each being skewered by tens of finger thick spears that had erupted from the ground without incantation or gesture leaving only Illadeis spared.

"Who are you to question me little girl?" Vamadeva asked raising up to tower several feet above the woman. Glaring down at her with golden eyes he directed the full weight of his aura onto Illadeis causing the woman to drop her swords and fall to her knees. She was paralyzed by terror, the sheer magnitude of his power. Tears streamed down her face as she stared up at him, her body trembling so hard it looked like she was having convulsions. Several times she attempted to speak but could only manage soft gasping sounds. "Be useful and serve as a deterrent for the others." He sneered right as four blades of hardened air formed and were shot forward ending the rule of Illadeis Udafora.

Before they could hit the ground, the pieces of The Mistress of Swords were teleported away each going to one of the remaining rulers with a messaged attached. "Do not test me further."

Leaving the carnage behind Vamadeva cast out with one of his favorite spells. It pulled him towards the thing that best fit his current desire. With the use of his enhancement spells He made quick progress of sweeping Farbreak, but found nothing. Leaving the now leaderless nation to its only devices he crossed the sea to Winrock Haven. Much to his pleasure his warning was heeded this time and he met no resistance as he swept the island nation still finding nothing. He was met with the same the central nation of Orzon.

"Piss and fire." He swore knowing where it was he was going to search next. He hated Snowmaw, while most of the nation is covered by the Emergar Swamp the capitol and most of the cites are built in the far colder Frost Fields north of them. He knew he would have to go though. The further north he had traveled the stronger his pull in that direction was. "I hate the cold." He griped before racing off in that direction. The closer he got the more precise the magic grew, allowing him to adjust his direction to stay on point. It also grew colder, slowly at first, then quite suddenly. Spending what felt like a neglegant amount of power he formed a pocket of heated air around himself to stay warm. His spell was guiding him somewhere that was not the capitol, which he supposed could be considered a blessing.

Vamadeva dropped his enhancement spell when he caught sight of a small town a few miles distant. His unenhanced speed still had him arrive to the town in a matter of minutes. He arrived under a cloak of magic to prevent a full blown panic, and carefully wove his way though the small down, his magic guiding him closer and closer to his intended target.

 

[.Crimson.]

'Damnit, not again!' A lone figure was hard pressed to maneuver through the constant snow drifts that littered the outside of her hometown, much less due to the nature of just how rundown the shoes adorning both delicate feet were and provided little to no actual resistance from the bite and chill of the outside air. Serafina was by all accounts an outsider even among her community and long since deemed a nuisance by her family who had chosen to sacrifice her to the streets instead of deal with the blemish that her chaos brought to their doorstep time and time again. For roughly four years now, the ebony haired female had been left to her own devices without a soul to help her or even show a modicum of kindness at that. She was a risk to the people around her and depending on the aura in the air even to herself if not careful. Deep brown pools looked over the expanse of snow, able to spot the rabbit that was to be her dinner for the evening.

"Small, but at least it is actual food." Sera found herself mumbling quietly, noting that if anyone else were to see her right now there were plenty who would take her kill for sport to leave the young woman to starve. Most if not all of the food she managed to scavenge for herself was gotten with her makeshift bow and arrow set or by the knowledge of which berries, and such were poisonous to forage off of the bushes in the forest floor. Frame covered in a robe that looked quite thin at best, though even such a modest form of fabric was better than braving the cold with nothing at all. Serafina chose to not speak when in others company anymore, leaving most of the villagers to believe that the woman had become a mute due to her unexplained fluctuations of magic forming some kind of curse. She did not see fit to correct them on the matter, instead going along with it because it made it easier to walk past people on the street and not be expected to hold a civilized conversation.

Her body was forced to pull both knees up to her chest when she made it back to a shabby little camp that she had made to avoid the rest of the townsfolk, taking two of the rather dry pieces of wood and scraping them together to create an ember that was slowly but surely allowed to roar into a proud and vibrant flame. Hands gently rubbing together over the warmth to try and regain a bit more sensation in the frigid digits, wincing as the prickling pain that had become a familiar friend took place and ensured her that the fingers were still alive and well. Her lips almost saw fit to actively drool at the prospect of a freshly cooked meal, easily knowing it to be about three days since the last one.

Sera was just about to bring the first morsel to her lips when a sound came from nearby and it caused her body to become stock still, expecting it to be some of the village men keen on harassing her like they usually did but to her surprise it was a cloaked figure that gave off an aura but remained almost entirely hidden by the fabric. "W-who are you?" She attempted to act at least a little bit brave, even if the way her heartbeat was racing inside of the confines of her ribcage told of the fear that was threatening to take hold at a moment's notice. "Is it really so hard for people to leave me be..." She muttered with a bitter laugh at the end of it, years of psychological and emotional abuse having taken its toll and left the pale female quite bitter when it came to any sort of actual company.

"Are you here to take your shot at me as well? Go ahead, I am sure I have endured worse."

 

[Kosmik_Khaos]

The cloak he wore was an artifact of concealment that transformed the wearer into a new shape It even worked on his monstrous form, his thirty feet of snake-like body now a simple pair of legs. It was unsettling but wasn't the first time he had utilized such transformations in the past. It also gave off a slight aura that made people look away and forget the wearer was there. It wasn't perfect, but it did the job for him. It only took a few minutes of being pulled through the shitty little human settlement to come out on the other side, the spell pulling him towards a what looked like a ramshackle camp.

Trusting the magic he approached the camp, the wind bringing him the scent of fire, cooking meat and a woman. He approached slowly and was slightly surprised when she noticed him. Staring at her from beneath the hood he smiled. She felt him somehow even though he should have been hidden. "I am Vamadeva Arakhu Nilcas Kashmardi, and unfortunately I will not be leaving you be, and I can assure you that you have never encountered nor endured anything like me."

Figuring why not lean into theatrics he punctuated his statement by removing his cloak. The magic that was concealing his true form shimmered and an instant later his glistening black and teal scaled body appeared in a large circle around her. The spell he was holding to warm himself also covered her now. His bare tattooed torse was raised about 6' from the ground and he looked down on the slightly pathetic looking woman. "You are what I crossed the spine for." He commented more to himself than her. "Well now that I found you it's time to go. I can see you have nothing of worth to bring with you so there is no reason to dawdle."

Striking forwards Vamadeva snatched the woman up into his arms cradling her against his chest. In the same fluid movement, he whipped his body in a U and sped off back towards the town, his golden eyes gleaming with something dark and dangerous. "I don't know your story human, but it is easy to gather this place abused and neglected you, and they call my home uncivilized. He spoke the last word with hatred. As he raced though the town his monstrous form now on full display panic erupted.

Stopping abruptly in the middle of a street he lifted up a good fifteen feet off the ground and glared down like a wrathful god on the people below. "I'll keep them around for you to decide their faith when you have more power." With a massive swell of magical power Vamadeva spoke a single word in a serpentine language. There was a loud crack, like ice breaking but multiplied dozens of times and a bright flash. A moment later everyone in sight was encased in crystalline ice. "They are all alive and magically sustained until the magic is dispelled or I release them. When you are strong enough to return here you can choose to execute them or not."

Looking down at the human in his arms it donned on him he didn't know her name. "What should I call you human?" He asked cocking his head to the side, gold eyes boring into her dark brown ones.?

 

[.Crimson.]

There was a sincere part of her mind that was tempted to tell the creature in front of her to take himself back across the spine even without her in tow, a stubborn streak a mile wide that only caused more bruises and busted lips when aimed at the villagers. Serafina openly gaped at the manner in which the serpentine being all but scooped her up and cradled her in a manner that caused the insides of her stomach to flip. She was about to open her mouth to speak, only to be brought to silence again when the one who had called himself Vamadeva spoke in a tongue that was obviously foreign and the entire village and its occupants were left frozen in a crystalline stasis. Eyes were wide in a mixture of confusion and newfound curiosity, wishing to know just who this being was and why he held such a high regard for her when everyone else in her life up until now discarded her as an abomination.

"Oh, I am called Serafina." She was keen to stay in his good graces after the act he was able to perform, goosebumps littering across delicate skin as if tangible proof of the nerves bubbling just below the surface. Her nose wrinkled up a little in disgust, trying in vain to sound out his name inside of her mind and each time the last little bit caused her to stumble and ultimately fail. "Your name is quite long and exceedingly difficult for me to remember let alone pronounce without butchering it. Deva will work just fine for now." Serafina reasoned to herself with a newfound confidence exuding an aura around her. With one arm curled protectively against her chest and one leg left to dangle over the arms being used to keep her secured to his body, there was nothing to really complain about because the heat that now radiated off of Deva and encompassed the woman in turn was lulling her into a sense of security the likes of which were foreign.

She had so many questions buzzing around inside of her skull, but no real way to ask them without fear of upsetting her newfound protector, provider? Hell, there was not even a proper title to refer to the snakelike creature as and that lead to only more frustration. "You have yet to explain just what it is you want from me - not that taking me away from there is an unwelcome turn of events, but it just makes me even more confused." Brunette locks were streaked through in what one could only assume was dirt and caked in mud from braving the harsh elements for so long, a bath was not exactly a luxury that an outcast such as herself could afford. Serafina found herself reaching up with a delicate hand to run across the side of his face, reveling in the numerous tattoos and lines that littered his skin, but instead of fear there was only reverence there.

"Why are people so afraid of you? If anything, you almost hold an ethereal glow to you." She remarked with a smile on her face, it became clear that the young woman did not hold much in terms of fear for him but rather a respect that one would reserve only for godlike figures and beings of nobility. "Especially your eyes, captivating in a way." She murmured softly before forcing their gazes to break apart, her other hand reaching up to gingerly rub at the bridge of her forehead to ease the mild headache starting to form there. "Whoa, that was odd..."

 

[Kosmik_Khaos]

"Serafina." He spoke her name carefully, as though he was feeling how it felt rolling off his tongue. After a moment he decided he liked it. "A good name." He commented. "I suppose Deva will work, though only people how hold enmity towards me have ever called me that." He remarked taking note himself of that little fact. Everyone that had dared to shorten his name to his face were people that held no love for him. Not that it bothered the Lamia in the least what human's thought of him. "Oh that, that is a bit more complicated while being very simple. I have a spell; it locates the thing that best fits what I am searching for when I cast it. I was looking for an apprentice when I cast it, and it brought me to you." He had overly simplified what he had done to a near criminal level, but it was enough of an explanation for the time being.

He took in her appearance and general state of being. She was cool to the touch in his magically heated embrace, the fire she had built being a poor deterrent to the bitter cold. Before he had thought she looked only slightly pathetic, but up close he could tell she was in a rather wretched state of being. She felt thin under her threadbare clothes, and he could see the dirt and grim that covered her skin. He decided that he would have to get her new clothing and a bath.

Not feeling threatened by her in the least he allowed her to reach out and touch his face. There was nothing she could do currently that could come close to harming him. He recognized the look in her brown eyes, and it caused the corners of his mouth to rise slightly. There was no fear there and that pleased the ancient monster greatly. His smile only grew as she questioned him, and his stare became more intense. His eyes held old truths that were hard earned, and there was almost nothing human about them. From the yellow sclera, and golden irises to the pupils that looked more like bronze starbursts than the normal black circle of a human. They were the eyes of a monster that had lived a long, long time and they carried that weight in their stare.

"They fear what is more powerful than themselves. I've lived longer than all of the rulers put together and doubled. I know magics that are forgotten to this side of the Spine. Individually none of my 'peers' can kill me on their own, it would take at least three of the four left to be even a partial threat." Deva began to list reasons why he was feared. "I've ended the life of six, wait no seven of the strongest mages produced this side of the Spine. I am of an intelligent monster species; I have magic native to my kind they could never have access to. The list goes on, but they fear me because they have good reason to."

Shifting his gaze from her eyes to the tip of her nose he gave her an apologetic smile. "Apologies, the gaze of my kind can have an... effect on people." He offered his apologies with a vague explanation. "Well, I hate it here so were leaving now. The cold makes me tired, and I don't want to keep burning mana to stay warm so were leaving." With the decision made Deva dropped down and shot though the streets deftly avoiding the frozen inhabitants as he whisked his new apprentice away from her old life.

"We will be making a stop in Zaranca, there are springs there where I can remove some of this filth from you. When we get back across the Spine I have a contact who owes me a favor. I will have her fashion you new clothes. I cannot have my apprentice going around looking like a homeless wretch." Racing eastward he gave her a brief explanation of what his plans were. Several silent castings later Vamadeva had himself enhanced once again and this time a windshield in front of him to protect Serafina from being battered by the wind.

"Tell me Serafina, why was it you were outcast in such a way?" Having a few hours to kill he wanted to get to know the woman who was now his apprentice.

 

[.Crimson.]

"My reason for shortening your name is just because I fear I might butcher it if I try to pronounce the full version." Sera managed to mutter out in kind, not in the least wishing to offend the ancient creature who had shown her nothing but gracious behavior, it was likely the cause for her attempt at salvaging a proper greeting. He deserved that as a bare minimum, but her eyes dropped down toward the ground at the mention of his gaze having an effect on humans like herself. Serafina though it was a shame to be honest, since Deva had eyes that were captivating and all but screamed to get lost inside of them. She frowned gently at the mention of the state of both the rags adorning her frame and the dirt that had long since splotched in spots across what was usually delicate and pale skin, not that the female really had a choice when it came to working with her hands and not having a proper roof over her head for some time now.

"A proper bath?" She perked up visibly at the promise of a nice soak, one that did not involve the possibility of frostbite due to hypothermia because of the inherent chill in the waters around her home. Bathing was not high on the light of priorities when the temperature lingering in the air was cool enough to make each heated breath become visible in a puff of white wisped smoke. Sera attempted to adjust herself a bit more, not really keen on being too close to his chest if it was possible to avoid simply because the feel of bare skin on her own left behind a tingling sensation that the brunette refused to acknowledge out loud. 'Probably a reaction that can be caused by his inherent magical prowess, I was told before that I produced a similar reaction.'

Cheeks took on an embarrassed dusting of blush at the mention of her exile and the reasoning behind it, could she really mention the details behind such shame? Throat clenched down in a slow swallowing motion, trying to muster up the courage to tell Deva more about it in proper detail. "Because I have been viewed as a kind of curse to the people of my village. It started when I turned around five, I ended up becoming so upset that I had set the shed on fire, and no one could come up with a cause for it in the dead of winter." Serafina cautiously put both of her hands together, wringing them in a manner that spoke of obvious nerves and a dislike for the topic in general.

"Things would always go wrong when I was around, animals becoming sick and or dying off due to an unknown cause even when no illness was ever discovered. Everything that I touch tends to be destroyed, and there is no real way for me to control when or where the instances happen. It feels like a rapid burning sensation that encompasses my chest; it actually can be quite painful if it's allowed to build up. Normally I would use self-isolation as a means to calm myself down because the bizarre calamities always tend to happen when I am upset or angered."

It was clear from the female attempt to describe it that the woman held no real clue what was going on in her life or the root cause. If she did, there would have been a much different encounter with the men and women that saw fit to bully her on a daily basis. Sera scoffed lightly at even the thought of them, unsure if Deva had heard her little outburst or not. "Sorry, I was merely thinking about the people who used to torment me on a regular basis, I found it kind of amusing to see them all as ice sculptures." She had to bite back laughter at the notion that their lives were now in her hands, if the creatures' words were anything to go by. "Even if I am what you are supposedly looking for, how can you be so sure I will not disappoint?"

 

[Kosmik_Khaos]

"Think nothing of it Serafina, just a casual observation. There was no insult taken." He said dismissively. It really didn't bother him at all, it was just curious how all the humanoids chose to shorten his name in that manner when they did decide to shorten it. Feeling her shifting about in his arms Vamadeva adjusted his grip on her, his arms shifting slightly so he could cradle her more tightly against his torso. "Don't shift about too much. If you were to fall from my arms right now you wouldn't survive the hit with the ground." He warned her, reminding her of the magically enhanced speeds they were traveling at. They were already out of the snow fields and entering the Emergar Swamps. The terrain was a blur around whipping past them, but it felt more like they were moving at a casual stroll.

Golden eyes studied her face, and the monster made a discovery and decision. This human's face was fantastic for blushing, and he was going to see it more. He could sense the unease of the subject and his frivolous thoughts were set aside to do what they would. He instead listened to her story and considered. His expression fell into one of deep contemplation as her story unfolded and he was silent until she questioned him.

"What you describe sounds like a very, very old form of magic. One that was more or less snuffed out for the potential of damage it could cause. It's been 'dead' for so long to most mortals that it's all but forgotten, I will have to see it for myself to conclude anything, but that will wait until we are back on the right side of the Spine." Deva lowed his head just a bit so he could better look at her face, his ancient eyes roaming freely over her features before settling on her lips. "I see it as a fitting punishment, don't you?" He questioned before adding. "They were cold to you and treated you with icy indifference if not downright hostility, I feel the punishment fits the crime."

Breaking his stare from her lips to settle onto her eyes he held them there for a very intense moment. "You are who I am looking for." He said confidently, while correcting her. She was a person not a thing. "And you will disappoint me. You will fail. A lot. There will be things that you just cannot do. That is how life works. Live long enough and disappointment just becomes opportunity. What if you can't cook worth a damn, that would be a disappointment but that doesn't mean I will discard you. I will either teach you to cook, or if your aptitude for it is nonexistent we will know to avoid that and then focus our attention and efforts elsewhere. My spell led me to the person best fit to be my apprentice, I trust my magic with my very long life." He continued to hold her gaze, seemingly heedless of the world ripping past them. He poured his intent into his stare, letting it become a near physical thing. He left her feel the potential his magic had found, how he was going to nurture her into a person of tremendous power. How his mind was set and the universe would have to bend to his will to fit his plans.

Vamadeva slowly blinked, breaking the eye contact. When his eyes opened again they were back on her lips. "You have beautiful eyes Serafina. I look forward to the day we can hold gazes for longer than a few breaths." His words somehow felt like a promise of her growth as well as a compliment. Looking from her face back to the world in front of him he glanced around for a handful of seconds to see where they were. "We should be arriving in Zaranca in a few minutes. There are natural springs in the Eleron Buttes where you will be able to bathe." The land was starting to dry out and become hilly as they drew closer.

True to his word they arrived a short time later. He slowed considerably as he entered the Butte, having to climb the rocks took a little more effort than racing through the wetlands. "Have you ever been this far east?" He asked before raising himself up on his tail once again to give them a nice vantage. Just ahead were a pair of steaming pools. "There we go." He said after spotting the springs. Before he lowered himself though he took a few moments to enjoy the view and allow Serafina to as well. "There are some pretty decent looking places on this side. Places the civilized people have tried to tame yet."

Lowering them both back down he made quick work of getting them the springs. Setting Serafina down onto the warm stones he let out a content sigh. "I love places like this." He said in what could be considered a wistful tone. Leaving his waist wrap on Deva slid into the left pool, his long tail coiling at the bottom. "You can use the other to bathe." With a lazy gesture he spun his finger in a circle and what looked like a window into another place opened up in the air above his hand. Reaching inside he started to pull out all the things necessary for a proper bath. Soaps, sponges, brushes. Each item was casually laid on the small stone divider between the pools. "Once you are done bathing you can hop into this one to just soak. The flow moves from this pool to that, so you don't have to worry about soaking in dirty bath water."

 

[.Crimson.]

Serafina struggled to maintain a calm composure when faced once again with those same eyes that made the female question so many things all at once, as if the now faded and the only thing that mattered in the world was the promise that reflected in amber pools. Though the mention of them being close to the steam pools caused her ears and demeanor to visibly perk, simply shaking her head to the negative at the question of if the female had ever been this far east in her lifetime. An easy question to answer, to be fair, since trekking the entire way here through the vast snow drifts of her former homeland would have weeded out the weak and those that managed to pass that test would be unceremoniously dumped into the vast stretch of swamp and desert. "No, even if I would have been able to make the journey out of the outer lying lands of Snowmaw, it is a good chance I might die of dehydration before reaching this far."

At first, the brunette held a plethora of questions about just how she was meant to undress to bathe when Vama being so close and able to see everything. Serafina never had another pair of eyes on her naked frame, and the idea of it was making legs shake due to the buildup of nerves. Fingers were stumbling through the act of undoing what little bit of fabric still covered her body, even then the wrap was littered with multiple holes and tears from the wilderness. Straight locks were weighed down by the dirt and grime that clung to each single strand, grimacing as even touching it felt disgusting to her. By the time her body was put onto full display, it was obvious that her frame was skinnier than what was considered to be healthy. Her ribs were sticking out to a degree, but thankfully the visibility was minimal at best since her hunting and trapping skills were good enough to keep some weight on.

On occasion, brown optics would flit toward Vama as if ensuring that the snake was not looking as toes and eventually an entire foot dipped into the steaming waters. Eyes shutting instantaneously from the sensation of the warmth and the way it played across each and every muscle like a practiced symphony, consequently lowering down until only the top of her breasts would be visible from above the water and swooning at the frosted ache as it ebbed and faded away. Serafina picked up one of the sponges and coated it in a mixture of warm water and the soap, noting the hint of herbal scent that wafted into the air. It was rather nice, actually.

Her hands and fingernails scrubbing along the scalp to try and get rid of as much of the dirt and grime that existed, making audible sounds of disgust as she casually dipped down into the waters and was surprised to see the dark and murky nature of the water that appeared when she smoothed her hair back down afterward. No wonder her hair was so difficult to tame if there was so much debris lingering in it, not to mention the oils that were useful in keeping the top of her head from becoming soaked and leaking precious heat but little else. "Disgusting, to think my hair had gotten so bad..."

As the sponge ran across slim waist and hips to produce suds, it almost caused her to actively laugh due to the ticklish nature. By now, the notion that he would possibly peak was pushed to the back and allowed the woman to stand up with her back facing him and leisurely lave over both arms and shoulders before moving down in a practiced manner. It took roughly fifteen minutes for the bath portion of her cleaning to be done, and honestly with the way her body became a little sensitive to the warm waters now much of the previously dead skin had successfully been washed away.

Serafina was mindful to cross an arm over both breasts and using one of the towels to bar her lower half from view before crossing over the divide, only allowing it to be removed and flopped onto the stone when her hips descended below the steamy water. Her mind wandered back to his words from earlier, about the potential that she held on the inside and that it would only take time and proper training to see it come to fruition. "You hold a lot of faith in your magic and by extent, it leading you to me. I will do my best to make sure that it is not misplaced."

 

[Kosmik_Khaos]

Ancient eyes casually studied the mortal woman as she undressed. It was endearing how shy she was acting towards him, to the point she quaked like prey. His expression never shifted, nor did his gaze break as she removed the filthy rags, instead he observed the physical tells of her unforgiving life. "A shame how you were treated." He murmured in a faint whisper. The first time she turned around to see if he was looking, he flicked his eyes up from low on her legs up to her face, looking at her eyebrows, not chancing a direct gaze to her eyes. "Go on." He encouraged.

Each time she looked back he was still watching her, observing, assessing. His gaze held a certain weight to it, but it wasn't oppressive or lecherous. He continued to study her as she bathed, taking note of the ways she moved, how she held and used the provided items, how observant she was. It was clear he was learning Serafina, not lusting after her. His expression finally shifted when she finally decided to join him in the other pool, a smile bloomed across his inked face. "I hope you feel better, you certainly look it, Serafina." He commented giving her a brief moment of eye contact as she covered herself. He wouldn't completely ignore her attempts to preserve her modesty.

He shifted his coils so she could have a spot to sit in the pool, a brief thought of wrapping her in them instead flashing though his mind. He watched as she sank into the water, finally discarding the towel and settling in. "The faith is well placed I assure you, and your efforts will be most appreciated Serafina." Moving his gaze from her to the pile of filthy rags and his tongue flicked out in their direction scenting the air, sunlight glinting off the gold and jewel piercings. His face recoiled and he pointed at them repulsed and they burst into flame, reduced to less than ash in moments. He stared at the blacked spot left behind on the rock his face still twisted in revulsion. "After getting you clean, I won't allow you to get back into that filth." He said, the last word nearly a curse directed at the stain.

Returning his attention to young woman sharing the steam pool with him mastered his expression and gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "I will have something else for you to wear until I can get you properly suited clothing for my apprentice." Leaning back against the wall of the pool he spread his arms out to either side resting them on the edge. "Has your magic ever done anything constructive for you?" He questioned after a few moments of silently looking at her. She was pretty, with the potential to be exceptionally beautiful if given the opportunity to prosper. Finding out what kind of magic she was gifted with would go a long way in doing that for her. So would a good meal.

Vamadeva started to make a list of things needed for his new apprentice to thrive, in the short and long term. While a portion of his mind worked on that, another focused on her words, checking what she was telling him against memories of others with such magical happenings. The greatest portion of his attention was still on her though. He watched her lips as she spoke, the way the formed her words and how she moved her mouth as she spoke. He also paid attention to her breathing, and other body language, watching to see what she was telling him without speaking. All old habits ingrained over the millennia, habits he would ingrain in her if she lived long enough.

"If you could have anything to eat right now, what would it be?" He asked seemingly out of nowhere. The image of undernourished body had returned to the surface of his thoughts, and the day long trip around the continent had started to make him feel a bit hungry himself.

 

[.Crimson.]

Both eyes widened to the point of saucers when the rags leaning on the rock nearby suddenly took to bursting into flames, leaving behind a miniscule pile of ash that blew away with the next gust of wind. Serafina felt a kind of relief at the notion that she would never be forced to wear such disgusting fabrics again, but it also cemented the change in her life. Had her magic done anything relatively constructive? Features were scrunched up as if attempting think on it, multiple instances came to mind but describing it could be the tricky part.

"There were a few times where the magic almost seemed to sense my distress and act on it. Creating fruit where it should not exist, healing mild wounds that came across my body from the frigid temperature." It honestly sounded like two sides of a coin, disaster and death if angered and life and abundance if it came out of necessity. But that in itself sounded impossible, since Serafina could not recall a single book she read describing someone who held control over more than one type of magic.

Wait, he mentioned having something else that would suit her until he could get something else made but that still left her essentially bared for all to see during the last half of their journey. This alone caused the female to blanch in such a way that her skin looked ghostly pale, not too keen on having anyone else privy to seeing her naked form especially in such a depressing state due to malnourishment. "You do NOT plan on carrying me the rest of the way back completely nude, do you?" Serafina desperately hoped her intuitions were wrong here, that Vama did have something else tucked away and that her fears were unfounded.

His question pertaining to food was just enough to jostle the brunette out of her little personal rant, having to take a few seconds to compose herself and allow the rapid rise and fall of her chest to subside. "O-oh, if I could eat anything?" That was truly a difficult thing to simply pinpoint, mostly because her diet usually consisted of a handful of simple items and anything else in the world did not even exist. "I am, not the most versed in foods. Most of my basic diet consisted of freeze dried jerkies and berries that were gathered by hand." Serafina blushed profusely, just not realizing how bad her existence had been up until this point.

Actually, there was something she had heard tales of before during a visit to the town. Something the local villagers had referred to as 'roast', apparently a meal that was meant to be adorned with baked potato and garnished with some vegetables. "I had heard about something referred to as a roast before, not that I have seen or tasted this supposed delicacy myself. So, if I had to pick something, I guess that would work?" One of the traits that Vama would soon figure out about Serafina was that the poor thing could be dreadfully indecisive, sometimes to the point of invoking aggression to anyone she happened to be with at the time.

"Just, I would ask that it be something without any preserved meat or berries. I think I have had enough of those to last me a lifetime." Serafina actively saw fit to gag softly at the mere mention of such things but raised a hand to cover her mouth to at least be polite in the snake's presence. "I am sure anything you pick should taste lovely, Vama." She blinked at the sudden change of nicknames, perhaps it had come about when he mentioned disliking Deva and it meant that now she was trying to bridge a proper gap between them.

 

[Kosmik_Khaos]

Vamadeva pondered over her words as she described the ways her magic helped her his golden eyes unfocused on the middle distance as he rolled over what information he had. "The magic isn't completely destructive, so you are not Calamity. There are benign benefits as well not just healing and enhancement so not Nemesis...." He focused his eyes on Serafina studying her face. "It acts on its own accord usually dependent on your emotional state." He commented his brow furrowing slightly. "I believe I will have to wait until your magics are active to get a feel for them. It's definitely an older form of magic resurfacing, no need for spell arrays, chanting, foci, or other such crutches. Once we figure it out you are going to be strong Serafina." His words held a note of promise, there was potential there that he was going to unlock.

Golden eyes locked onto her face for a long moment before tattooed lips curled into a smile and his eyes pointedly dropped down, as though he could see though the hazy waters before crawling back up to her face. "I hadn't considered carrying you around naked until now." He said his tone a perfect mix of teasing and considering. "You are particularly attractive for a mortal, and once I have you properly fed you will only look better." As he commented he shifted his coils in the waters, his smooth scales brushing across her bare calf. "You do remember I just pulled all those soaps and brushes from a hole I opened in the air, right? I can grab something for you to wear when we get out of the pool." He assured her.

Serafina's words painted a dismal picture for the ancient Lamia. This woman had obviously suffered at the hands of those who should have helped her instead. It also hinted at the strength this woman held to survive so long with so much set against her. Her answer to his question also gave insight to her personality and the sever lack of basic necessities, calling a roast a delicacy? He could show her true delicacies, but he would honor his word and give her what she had asked for.

He couldn't help but grin at her attempt to cover the gag at the mention of dried meats and berries, it was strangely refreshing how she tried to act proper in front of what every other civilized person would call a monster. The new name caught Vamadeva just as off guard as it apparently had Serafina. The brief look of surprise morphed into a warm smile of approval. "I like that. Vama." He tested the name and approved of it before turning his attention back to the discussion at hand. "Those days are now behind you Serafina. Not to say you will not face hardships and trials, but you will no longer struggle with necessities. You are my apprentice and I take care of what is mine." His words held a tangible weight to them and seemed to settle around Serafina like a cloak. It was a vow he had spoken with his power, a binding of sorts. "You will have your roast and all the trimmings that go with it."

With another shifting of his coils Vama moved around the pool to be sitting beside Serafina, their hips just a few inches apart from one another. Once again his scales brushed across her lower legs as ne moved. "I know you have many questions, let us use this time for you to ask a few now that we are not moving." Vama eased himself back against the rock shelf, his arms spread out, one behind Serafina, but not touching her. He lolled his head back and gently rocked it side to side working out the muscles in his neck. His raven hair falling into a pool under his head. "I'll be remembering this place." He mumbled happily, mostly to himself.

 

[.Crimson.]

It was then that he made mention of the portal he had used just minutes prior, and everything started to click in the woman's head all at once. Serafina honestly could not imagine how much deeper the blush on her face could become, but at that point in time, it was doubtful that the cheeks could handle any more blood lest they actually burst from the force. Eyes did shift and watch as the coil of his tail barely brushed across the skin of her calf, instead of the action feeling disgusting or wrong it felt - comforting. His presence as a whole felt so much different than that of the other villagers, people who saw her as nothing short of a nuisance that could sooner drop dead before they gave the poor thing even a single word of praise. Her eyes were delicate in notion as she saw the approval coming from him, instead of an instantaneous recoil and hiss of disappointment he actively seemed to enjoy the nickname.

"Oh, well at least I will not be paraded around for everyone else to see..." Sera mentioned but did take note of the way Vama seemed to call her attractive even despite the malnutrition and obvious signs of substandard care. If he truly thought of her as such now, there was no doubt in her mind that he would only see her as a brighter star once her apprenticeship started to take off and her body went back to a normal state. Wait, since when had the female even truly cared for him to see her in such a light? This was a question better suited for a later time, simply because to ruin the gentle atmosphere enveloping the pair would be a downright shame.

Instead of attempting to hide herself from him anymore, hands are allowed to finally rest along either side of her body. If nudity was not something that particularly bothered her Master, then it was only proper that she responded in kind. Steam wafting up from the waters and causing a thin veil of condensation to form along the delicate swell of breasts, unintentionally drawing even more attention to the area but the ebony haired female simply ignored the notion and did not even recoil at the touch of silky scales against a lower leg. Serafina allowed both hands to be drawn together in front of her, digits toying with one another as a clear indicator of nerves that were still simmering at the surface but not able to be restrained instead of flooding out on a whim.

"How is it that you do not have any sort of apprentice already?" Out of all of the possible options that she had to choose from, the delicate female possibly chose to settle on one that could prove to be a landmine depending on his reasons. Vama seemed rather outspoken and prideful, but also held his own secrets behind a facade that likely had taken decades if not longer to perfect and it afforded him the luxury of only allowing one on the outside to see what he wished for them to see and nothing more.

"I mean - were there others, you know, before me?" Sera attempted to adjust the line of questioning, somewhat regretting the words but they were already out and, in the air, so it was much too late to take them back at this point. Throat closing in an audible gulp as if fear was now a notion again, but despite the urge to hide away there was a part of the girl that refused to budge. Vama had promised to answer and as long as the line of questioning was not too painful to divulge, she had no doubt he would answer them. "I never assumed you would be alone all of this time, is all. Forgive me if I asked too soon."

Serafina flinched, turning to face Vama and a pained expression took over in kind. "We can simply have the meal you mentioned and forget I had even asked; it is not my wish to make you uncomfortable."

 

[Kosmik_Khaos]

With his head still hanging back he looked over at Serafina when she shifted, taking note of her body language opening up to him. He didn't bother with trying to hide the fact he was looking at her as he eyes roamed over her once again. He considered her question, not completely surprised she had started with this one. "Mostly because I stopped teaching them and let them go off on their own. I've had plenty of students over the millennia, there was even an incident where I almost got worshiped as a god." He made a sour looking face at that notion. "Quickly snuffed out that cult." He added with grim satisfaction.

Vama graced his apprentice with a smile before lifting his head up and looking at her properly. "Even if it has been a couple of centuries since I last took an apprentice, I haven't been alone. I have relations with the rulers on this side of the Spine, though they are tense at best and mostly an agreement for me to keep the monster races out of their lands. On my side of the Spine, I know most of, if not all of the important leaders of the monster races." While he spoke, he started to uncoil, his powerful body brushing against her legs as the lower third of his tail exited the pool.

Steam rose from the black and turquoise scales, and he let out a sigh a relief as the air cooled his heated tail. "Don't want to overheat." He explained before settling back into his lounging pose. "I must instill some confidence in you Serafina, I told you to ask, if there were limits on that I would have included them. If you bring up something I do not wish to speak about I will tell you I do not want to speak about it. You do not need to fear me Serafina, you are mine, and I do not harm what I mine." His claim over her held a weight to it, it was more than a passing statement, it was a declaration to the universe that he had chosen that was all there was to it.

"I should get you fed soon." Lifting himself from the pool he slithered out smoothly, his long body glistening in the light as steam rose from him in wispy curls. "I will gather the necessary ingredients for dinner on the way home." Looking down at Serafina, he gave her a reassuring, or so he hoped, smile. "I would like to get a proper look at you, nothing too intruding. I want to assess your physical condition and wellbeing is all. I want you in the best condition." His golden eyes were locked on her brown ones again, holding them captive for longer than he probably should have before adverting his gaze to her lips.

Offering her a hand Vama helped her exit the steaming pool. Before she could cover herself, Vama took hold of her wrists and lifted her arms up to examine them. His examination was both quick and thorough. He checked her hands and arms for any wounds, asked about any scars and checked her range of motion and flexibility and if she was feeling any pain. His hands moved from her shoulders to her face, where he gently pressed his fingertips against the spot in front of her ears, then several down her neck, above her collarbone and in her armpits.

From there he ran his fingers over her ribs, prodding and checking for any soreness. Without a word he lowered his head and pressed his ear to her bare chest and while his grip didn't tighten on her, he made sure she couldn't pull away. He listened for a few breaths before pulling his face away and nodding with a sound of approval. "Almost done." Sliding his hands down her sides and over her hips he paused, letting his hands linger on them for a brief moment before moving on. The way her hips had fit in his hands felt...correct. The lamia checked her legs just as closely as he had her arms, making her move and flex each leg before he was satisfied. Moving a few feet away from Serafina, he gave her one more look from head to foot. There was a glimmer in his eyes, and a broad smile on his face. "You are incredible. In spite of the conditions you have lived in for so long you are still mostly healthy. There is no frost bite, missing digits, damaged joints, no signs of infections. Your heart and lungs sound healthy. If it wasn't for you being malnourished, you would be in perfect health. Your magic is obviously doing something to keep you in good health." He paused for a moment, his expression telling Serafina he was having a sudden thought. "I wonder, once we get you in better living conditions will you be able to better control your magic. If it isn't always working at keeping you whole and alive instinctually could you better direct it?"

"I guess we will have to test it, and to do that we must feed you." Without the gesture this time Vama reached out to his right a hole opening in reality and swallowing his arm up to the bicep. Withdrawing his arm he held a bundle of fabric in his hand which he held open to reveal a silk robe. "Vessa made this, she is the one that will be making your new wardrobe. You can wear this in the meantime."

 

[.Crimson.]

It was a little difficult to remain still while there was a constant set of hands roaming over every singular inch of skin across her body, having to bite into the pliant flesh of her lower lip to keep what would have otherwise been a pitiful whimper as each modest caress brought about a mixture of emotion. To be fair, this was one of the first times that Serafina had been approached by someone who was willing to get into her proximity, much less someone of the opposite sex and handsome at that. Despite the female's best efforts, it seemed that the newly dubbed apprentice had developed a kind of premature crush on her master. Whether it was simply a means of savior syndrome or feelings that held actual weight behind them, only time could tell in that case. Instead, she found herself taking a few steps away to give herself a bit of space from Vama, finding it somewhat difficult to breathe when directly under his piercing gaze.

He had asked about what few marks of her upbringing had brought along with it, some developing faint scars that were barely visible to the naked eye since the coloration had softened up greatly with the passage of time. The one that seemed to concern him the most was one that fell just along her right hip, the length of it spanning about two whole inches and each touch against the scarred tissue caused her to shudder due to the sensitivity. Serafina found it passed her mind to mention that a majority of the scars along her body were sensitive spots, but it looked like the snake was keen to find this out for himself and did not feel like taking no for an answer because each time her frame attempted to shift away, his grip on her became insistent. She could still recall the feel of his cheek being pressed to her chest, likely listening to her heartbeat to check for any possible abnormalities and pleased when he found none to speak of.

"Perfect health? That is rather odd, is it not? For me to be able to survive in such a frigid climate for years and not have any underlying conditions to show for it?" Her facial features took on a confused look, as if trying to comprehend his words and at the same time finding it a bitter pill to swallow. The reason for all of the disasters, could it all have been due to their inherent distrust of her from an early age? It was sad to think that if things were different, that the magic inside of her body might not be forced to lash out in such a way as a means of ensuring its hosts survival. "There is a chance I could be.... relatively normal?"

She dared not dwell on that line of thinking for long, especially since not even Vama knew the kind of magic that they were dealing with here. Her hands reaching out to take the offered robes and marvel at the softness of the silken material, the colors were rich and vibrant as well. Whoever had made this garment was proud of their work and only used the best materials available, if not for the notion that the snake might grow annoyed the female might even venture to say it was too extravagant for someone as plain as herself. Instead, the robe was pulled onto her body and the sleeves all but enveloped both arms due to the amount of fabric. Serafina looked shocked as the tie for it showed off a proper waistline, something that the ebony haired woman did not even know she possessed.

"It's magnificent, thank you." Her words were breathless in tone, as if truly shocked at receiving such a gift. But the novelty of the item paled in comparison to the mention of the feast she was promised, utterly humiliated when a loud and disruptive gurgling sound broke through and made the woman want to simply be swallowed into the earth below. "Yes, food might be a good idea. It seems as though my stomach wholeheartedly agrees." Serafina managed to choke out, once again flush red in embarrassment but trying to carry herself with a sliver of dignity. Even now, her locks were still relatively dripping from the steamy waters but the notion of being clean for the first time in ages made her smile.

"I have no words, Vama. You feel like a kind of prayer brought to life for me. There is not a chance I could ever repay you for the hope you've given to me."

 

[Kosmik_Khaos]

"Very odd indeed. Think of the homeless from that area, very few, and those that survive more than a winter are hardly ever whole. The cold claims the lives and limbs of many, one of the old reasons that land was named Snowmaw, the unforgiving bite of the cold." Vama's entire body quivered, making his scales look like a small wave was running down them all the way to the tip of his tail. "I hate that cold place." He said in what would be hard to call anything but petulant tone. He watched her as she processed the information and quickly shut her down. "No. You will never be normal Serafina, nothing close to it. You are extraordinary as you are my apprentice, and once you have mastery over your magic you will be even more so." His words held the weight of truth in them."

Vama let her take the robe and watched as she put it on, paying particular attention to how the sash showed off her waist. His eyes moved lowered and he smiled, the hem stopped just above her knees, it would be long enough to keep her modest while he carried her. "That looks fantastic on you Serafina. Far better than it did me. Vessa is going to love making clothes for you." He complimented his eyes returning to her face and settling on her lips.

The perfect timing of Serafina's stomach brought Vama to laughter. "Well since everyone seems to be in agreement on getting you fed, we should leave." He returned her smile, noting how well her face held a blush. "You will repay me by learning and growing." He replied simply before once again scooping her up into his arms and cradling her against his chest. "You smell much better this time. Feel better too."

With a swell of magic Vama recast all his enhancements and sped off from the pools, the landscape around them once again becoming mostly a blur. "We will be crossing the Spine soon and entering the Sanrose Wilds. My...Our home is there." He quickly corrected himself, he was no longer alone and had to keep that in mind. Even though he knew that he could simply teleport them to his home, Vama found himself reluctant to do so for several reasons, the most interesting of them was that he didn't want to put the woman he was holding down yet. He enjoyed the way she fit in his arms and how she felt against his chest.

As they continued East the ground steadily began to rise, the peaks of the Spine seeming to stretch higher into the sky as they approached. "I remember those mountains be risen." He spoke softly. "Back then it was called the "Great Dividing." A powerful caster nearly broke the world with their madness. I don't know their reasoning behind it, but they died from it so if there was a bigger plan for the Spine it was lost." As he told his story he sped onward into the mountains proper. Vama barely needed to slow their pace as he wound his way along a pass that looked to be at least semi regularly used.

It didn't take long for them to reach one of the lower peaks. Vama paused to look down the mountain at the sea of trees below them. "Welcome to the untamed wilds of Ruwei, the verdant ocean below you are the Sanrose Wilds. Everything on this side of the Spine is mine. Mostly because I say so and nothing has been able to tell me otherwise. I keep the sentient creatures in check, cull harmful species, prevent wars between the species and keep them from crossing the spine in any large numbers. Though Farbreak might soon experience a monster surge. That woman did irritate me." Blinking away thoughts of revenge he looked down at the lovely woman in his arms focusing on her instead. "As my apprentice you have access to all that is mine. Everything in front of you and beyond that to the very edge of the continent is open to you. The land, its resources, the creatures that inhabit it. All are at your disposal. The only way you will go without anymore is if you don't go and get what you want."

"Now to get us home and fed." Getting down the mountain was even faster that going up and in a handful of minutes they were in the trees. Vama's familiarity with the area allowed him to keep up his speed as he wove though the endless trees, though he did hold Serafina in tighter so there was no chance of a stray branch striking her. It was nearly an hour of this before he slowed to a nonmagical pace and slithered through the trees into a clearing with a large lake. "Welcome home." He said with a grin looking at the castle in the middle of the lake. "I found this place a few centuries ago and cleaned it up. There are all kinds of lost ruins on this side of the spine, plenty of interesting artifacts to find in them."

Vama carried Serafina to the edge of the water and stopped. "I don't feel like getting wet again so I'm going to cheat. This might be a little disorienting." With a tugging sensation the world around them shifted and they were no longer standing outside the castle but were in a large kitchen. "Here we are, the kitchen. After we eat I can show you the rest of your new home." Reluctantly Vama set Serafina down. "Feel free to look around. Most of what you see is some flavor of enchanted, by me or the previous owners of this place. The ever-burning lanterns and hearth were here when I found the place, as were some of the preservation runes to keep food from going bad."

With his arms free Vama started to make his way around the huge kitchen, pulling out all the necessary items and ingredients needed for their dinner. "Do you know how to cook?" He asked as he started to set up his work area.

 

[.Crimson.]

Her eyes got wide at the mention of whose robe it was that currently draped along her body like a second skin, the color scheme of it really should have been a dead giveaway honestly. She could not help the blush that once again dotted along her cheekbones, but he did not give her much of a chance to react further before he began to lather her in compliments. Honestly, having Vama around was going to do wonders for the lack of self-esteem that the young woman possessed. Serafina tried to remain calm once she felt him instinctively cradling her up to his chest once more, choosing to ignore the comment about how lovely her body felt against his own. That line of thought was by no means warranted at the moment, especially when the two barely knew the first thing about each other. "Part of me thinks you seem to like the act of carrying me, if not just to get a chance to see my reaction..." She muttered out barely above a whisper in register. Regardless, she could not deny that the feel of his skin and the tantalizing view of the tattoos that littered across his body brought to mind things of a more adult nature.

Sera listened intently to him as he began to explain the basics of the land that outstretched in front of them, and she could easily admit to the wilds being absolutely breathtaking and a sight to behold. Eyes darting back and forth to desperately try and take it all in at once, the wildlife both plant and animal varied greatly from anything that the woman had ever seen before in her life. In the rigid winters of Snowmaw, not many types of animals could survive the harsh climate and actively reproduce to keep up the numbers needed to flourish. Barring the occasional pack of wolves and bear, the prey species were few and far between since the humans and predators alike were forced to compete for sustenance. "It's so beautiful..." Her eyes lifted to look up into his own, though he was preoccupied to ensure that they did not manage to run into any trees or limbs, so it gave her the chance to admire Vama without him being wiser.

At first, a perplexed expression came onto her face at being placed onto the ground before the lake as if wondering just what it was that he had planned. That was not left up to the imagination for long as Vama made mention of a sort of cheat and in the blink of an eye, the two of them now stood inside of a rather grand kitchen and Serafina had to grip onto a nearby counter to avoid falling over at the onset vertigo. Her body swayed back and forth a few times, stomach lurching a little as the dizziness brought about a mild case of nausea on top of it. "Whoa, that will definitely take some getting used to." Serafina gulped audibly, but she had to bite back laughter at the pout that Vama sported at the notion of placing her down instead of continuing to carry her like a blushing bride.

Her ears perked up at the mention of her being able to cook, and that seemed to brighten her spirits drastically. Serafina was able to learn the basics of cooking, and the techniques she gathered over the years would finally be coming in handy. "Actually, yes - I have been able to pick up quite a few methods of cooking over the years. Not exactly the most refined or methods, but you work with what you have." She paused and used one hand to push back a couple of stray locks from her view, shocked at the silken feel that remained instead of the grisly nature that was the case not even hours earlier. "I know the basics of making a roast, I just never was able to get my hands onto the proper ingredients. Meat was rather pricey back where I am from, so it was usually small game like rabbits instead of cattle."

Serafina started to take some of the ingredients away from Vama, along with a butcher knife that would be useful to score the meat and chop up the raw vegetables. To be able to watch her work was a thing of art, while she did not think of her methods as refined it could not be further from the actual truth. Her hands maneuvered across the counter in front of her, deftly chopping up the onions, peppers, and even carrots into thin slices within a matter of minutes. Next would be seasoning the meat, her body actively bent over and was all but pressed up against Vama's back for a moment or two before pulling away, not the least bit aware of the notion that he would have been able to feel her breasts along his back from the close contact.

"If you can finish prepping the roast, I should be able to start cooking the vegetables a bit before we put them into the actual oven." Serafina smiled and handed the slab of roast off to him, gasping out loud when their hands touched, and a shock ran up the entire length of her arm. It was not painful in the least, but actually comforting as if her magic was able to recognize someone that actually wanted to be around her and teach the woman the ways of honing it. "S-sorry, I need to learn a bit about personal space."

 

[Kosmik_Khaos]

Vama nodded in approval at her answer. "Good, it will be nice to not be the only one cooking anymore. As long as your food is edible, I don't care how fancy it is." He said honestly, and considering what he could eat, edible was a rather broad category. "Those are problems you do not have to worry about anymore Serafina, almost none of the problems from your previous life will plaque you now. Money doesn't exist on this side of the Spine, I made sure of that." Pointing across the room to a larder. "Magic larder that stops the decomposing of any food put inside. Doesn't work on living things though. Tried it. Anyhow, it is filled with meats from dozens of animals. A few that are now extinct. There are still vegetables, fruits, and grains from when this place was actually populated. If you're ever wanting to experiment and cook something new, have at it." Serafina had seemed to brighten up at being able to cook so Vama wanted her to know this kitchen and everything in it was open to her.

Backing up the ancient Lamia watched his apprentice go to work, playing the part of her assistant when she needed. He was grinding some peppercorns for her when she leaned across him to do something. He raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. The warmth of her body seeped through the silk robes and into his back. He was also keenly aware of her breasts pressed against him. The thin silk robe was a poor barrier between their skin. Before he could put too much thought into it, Serafina moved away to do the next thing.

"That I can do." He replied turning to take the cut of beef from her. He too felt her magic react to him and his eyes snapped to her face. "A reaction, this is good." He said with an eager smile. He waved off her apology with a dismissive sound. "That is not the problem, what is strange that it happened now considering I've been carrying your for nearly half a day." His tone was considering, and full of curiosity. "What were you feeling when it happened?" He questioned while taking the roast to the counter to finish prepping and seasoning it. "If we can figure out what triggers the magic, we can use that to study it more and eventually find a way for you to control it."

Giving the slab of beef a final examination he nodded, satisfied with his work. "Your roast is ready for you when you are." He announced before slithering over to a wash basin to clean his hands. "Do you want a drink?" He asked moving across the massive kitchen to a cupboard and pulling out a pair of finely crafted and glazed clay mugs. "We have many available, spirits, ales, meads, wines, ciders, juices, milks, and enough herbs to make a different kind of tea daily until the stars burn out."

 

[.Crimson.]

That one simple spark was enough to cause her body to become a bit rigid in its stance, not entirely certain how to deal with the newfound knowledge that her magic appeared to for some reason or another adore Vama. It was like the essence held a mind and personality of its own, and the close nature of the male snake was a soothing balm on a beyond ravaged soul. She bit into her lip as if apprehensive to admit this out loud, but when he proceeded to press further for the possible cause the butterflies fluttering inside of her stomach began to churn violently. "I believe, this is merely a theory - my magic might actually be fond of you and your presence." Serafina finally managed to bite out, tone wispy and breath like as if oxygen was a commodity that the female did not possess at that very moment.

The same burn came back from before, like a crackling fire that was just now being brought back to life from dim and listless embers amidst charred remains. His presence seemed to be just enough to cause the usually erratic magic to at least obtain a tiny notion of balance, however small the win, it was something she would happily take at this point. Serafina was remiss at even the idea of the damaging notions of her magic attempting to harm Vama, not that it would likely succeed due to his extensive knowledge and expertise. Having notably thousands of years to practice and hone his skill served a purpose here.

"I felt safe with you, like nothing could actually harm me anymore. In the short time I have known you, it seems you have become a sort of safe space for me." Even as she admitted this out loud, both hands were being used to cover the entirety of her face so that Vama did not get a proper chance to see the blazing red hue that now took up space there. The blush he had managed to coax out before was made to look like mere child's play in comparison now. Her nerves were abated for the moment at the mention of a proper drink, and the list being provided was pretty much endless in supply and variety. Serafina did not once see fit to look up and meet his gaze again, not wanting to risk it at the moment and instead focused on the slab of beef placed inches away from her on the counter.

"Perhaps the spirits would be best suited to go with the finished meal, for now a simple apple cider sounds heavenly." She admitted after a second to think it over, having no choices and too many ended up with the same overloaded kind of result from the female in the end. She was meticulous in seasoning the prepped meat, using both hands to rub it into the scoring marks that Vama made beforehand and smiling at the finished product nestled carefully in a bed of steamed vegetables that were finished just moments prior. The delightful mixture of char on the produce and the simple uses of salt and pepper had the poor thing actively fighting off drool.

"It feels like, a warmth that encompasses my entire body. Normally that notion means something scary is bound to occur. But this time, just being able to touch you was enough to stop the attack from happening." Serafina sheepishly said while bending down to place the meal into the oven, knowing that due to magical means it was not likely to take too long to be done but in the meantime, it left her to deal with Vama and have no potential escape from his potential questions or those piercing eyes that were somehow able to see straight through her.

 

[Kosmik_Khaos]

Vama listened intently to her and considered everything she had to say, and the multitude of implications it presented. "It is very interesting, and honestly a bit flattering." Golden eyes watched as she covered her face with her hands. He was tempted to pull her hands away for a moment but ultimately decided to let her hide for now. He would be able to watch her blush later. He watched as she avoided looking at him and busied her hands. Her shyness was endearing, but the way she pushed past it was something that Vama found attractive. She didn't let the embarrassment stop her.

Her next confession actually caught the ancient man off guard. His eyes grew wide before a smile sprouted on his face unbidden. Her words made him feel a since of pride and something else he didn't quite have words for yet. "I appreciate that, and you should feel that way, you are safe with me Serafina. Until you can protect yourself, I will protect you. After you can protect yourself, I will support and protect you still." Vama's words were spoken easily but once again held a near tangible weight to them. Moving to the wall of casks his tongue flitted out and scented the air his eyes snapped to one of the medium sized casks. "I should label these." He mumbled noticing that none of the barrels had any kind of markings to show what they contained.

Vama made quick work of tapping the cask and filling both mugs. Slithering back to Serafina he placed both mugs on the counter beside her. "Hmmm. I've touched you many times today, I even gave you a physical exam and your magic did not react to me touching you then." His hand drifted up to his face and he started to idle tug on his bottom lip while his eyes roamed back and forth bot looking at anything. It was apparent this was a thinking face of his. "I wonder if it is you touching me that causes it and not the other way around?" He considered out loud. "That is an easy enough theory to test." With the speed of a striking snake, Vama closed the few paces between them his arms on either side of her, his hands on the edge of the counter enclosing Serafina between himself and the counter. His face was inches from hers, his golden eyes on her beautiful brown ones. "Go ahead Serafina, touch me and see what happens. If this does not work I have a few other things in mind we can try while our food finishes cooking."

 

[.Crimson.]

Serafina preferred the quite nature of the room a tad more than the insistent questions from Vama, not to mention the smile that graced his features and showed off those devilishly handsome hints of charisma. He appeared to be a walking form of self-confidence; it was refreshing for her to witness but at the same time it perplexed her a bit as to why being the conduit for her magic made the snake lord so pleased. Her fingers took to wringing themselves inside of both hands, clearly the nerves from before were finally getting a chance to break free and come to the forefront instead of forcibly shelved in the depths of her mind. Both eyes widened at the speed in which Vama had managed to strike, effectively pinning her petite frame against the counter behind her while Vama towered over her with a piercing stare.

Doe eyes found it increasingly difficult to match the piercing gaze glowering down at her from above, mostly because it only increased the already racing heartbeat all but pounding within the confines of her chest. He wanted her to actively touch him. This made the petite woman falter a little, not that the temptation of getting the chance to feel just what those scales that coated his serpentine tail was not becoming a sort of siren's call. Vama held a dignified elegance to his mannerisms, but underneath it all there was still a clear sign of a predator that was enjoying the time he got to spend toying with his newfound apprentice and latest form of prey. Sera gulped audibly, tentatively reaching out with a shaking hand to caress some of the scales that covered the length of his waist and trailing down to see if the sensation happened to change as her exploration went even lower down the length of his body.

Plush lips parted and a tiny gasp managed to escape, though it was not hard to tell that the sound came from a sensation far from disgust. Her eyes held an admiration inside of their depths, as if the notion of his serpentine half did not dull any of the attraction that she found herself feeling for Vama as a whole. Finally, as if a form of invisible magnetism held a sway over the woman their eyes were allowed to meet again. Soft pants came out as if the air within her lungs struggled to maintain there for long, by now both hands were keen to run over his lower half while the other took to tracing the side of his face and memorize each chiseled feature that looked to be cut from stone like a work of art. Vama was a masterpiece that the world chose to treat as a monster and a total outcast, it was this notion alone that bonded the two of them since they could easily sympathize about the struggles of being different and by all accounts feared instead of respected.

That burning sensation from before that tried to bubble over now dimmed to a quiet simmer, each touch of fingertips to intricate tattoos that littered his body bringing a newfound sort of attraction that had been subdued up until now. Serafina found it difficult to look away from those golden eyes that had her conscious swimming in a sea of euphoria, meanwhile hands were becoming more insistent and at times just shy of inappropriate since one was quite close to what would have been his sheath area. It was not until her fingers managed to grace the area that she was broken from the trance, immediately blushing and noting that not once had Vama attempted to stop her this entire time.

"Why...would you allow me to be so intimate with my touch? There was still a chance I could have lost control and attempted to hurt you." She whispered, though even as those words came out, somehow deep inside the female knew that Vama was possibly the only being in existence that was safe from the wrath of her usually destructive magic.

 

[Kosmik_Khaos]

Vama watched as she shakily reached out to touch him. He didn't move at all with the contact, despite the pleasant feeling of her warm fingers on his scales. His face was as still as the rest of his body while she explored him with her hands. The way her breathing changed did not go unnoticed, she was excited about this, not repulsed. In spite of the way her breathing had changed, and how her hands grew more confident on his body Vama remained motionless, his unblinking eyes taking in her every movement. A swell of unadulterated desire rose though him when she finally lifted her eyes to meet his gaze. Still the ancient snake didn't move, even as her breaths came in hot pants or when her fingers ran across his face. He just watched and waited.

The euphoria she felt was something Vama could not just see but also feel. It radiated off her and emboldened her wandering hands. He was sure if she knew where her hand was drifting towards but still, he didn't move or break his eye contact with her. He had given her open permission to touch him after all. The moment broke when her fingers brushed across his cloaca. Her blush was just as attractive as always and he finally broke his stillness and silence.

"Because you only did as you were told to. I don't think I would have been hurt if you lost control, your magic seems to react to your feelings and desires." Removing a hand from the counter he slipped it between the folds of the robe she was wearing, splaying his fingers out across her stomach. "You trust me to touch you without harming you, even though I don't have to even touch you to do said harm. I am returning that trust." Vama left his hand on her body for a lingering moment, enjoying the feel of her under his palm.

His tongue flicked out, the piercings on it catching the light with tiny glimmers before disappearing back into his mouth. "Dinner is ready." He announced pulling his hand from her body and the robe. Shifting over to the oven he opened it freeing the full aroma of the roast. Reaching in bare handed he pulled the pan out and sat it on the stovetop. "Give it a few minutes to set and cool." Turning his attention to the mugs he had left on the counter he beckoned Serafina over to him. "While that is cooling, I want you to try something for me. Try to chill our drinks. Will your magic to make them cold, or really want to the be cold, hell, try and need them to be cold. Anything to get a reaction, but do not be disappointed if this does not work. It is only a playful thought experiment. We will enjoy the drinks regardless, then have a nice whiskey to go with your beautiful roast."

 

[.Crimson.]

Her features softened for a moment at the notion of his words, that and the way that his hand all but groped along the length of her stomach caused a multitude of goosebumps to break out over the delicate flesh. Serafina had not thought of it like that, already her mind and magic instinctively trusted Vama with its very lifeblood even though the ancient snake could easily abuse that very same trust in turn. It was frightening to have it placed right there in black and white, but it also proved to the female that despite the harsh treatment throughout the years - her sense of trust and ability to give it willingly still remained intact. Pliable lips parted to emit a whine, though no sooner than the noise left her that delightful touch was swiftly removed, and Vama appeared to be back on track in terms of their dinner. It left the poor thing to pant like she had just run a marathon, even though there was little to no exertion happening.

Fingers took to running through the silken tresses, relishing in the way the ebony strands would glimmer in the oncoming light not the least bit used to her own hair being so obedient and healthy. She mused quietly, meanwhile her stomach outright began to revolt all over again and this time with vengeance and gusto. Serafina appeared sheepish, despite all of that tantalizing play it would be her own damn appetite that potentially ruined the mood. Her body stiffened a tad, but his request to try and use her magic to chill the drinks lingering in the nearby mugs caused a curious eyebrow to raise in turn. Trying to use the magic and bend it to her personal will? How was it the female had never thought to actively try that before today.

Dark brown optics shifted toward the contents, actively focusing on the cider and reminiscing about the chill in the air back at Snowmaw. All of those restless night spent tossing and turning inside of a modest blanket, trying desperately to retain even a scant amount of body heat to avoid developing hypothermia throughout the twilight hours. Digits being frozen to the bone and actively protesting movement, the skin peeling and scabbing at the cracks that developed from repetitive use. All of this ran across her mind in a matter of seconds, a distinctive flash of light blue emanating from around her left hand and just like that the intensity of it proved to be a little too much and the apple cider ended up freezing over on the spot.

Serafina blinked a couple of times in rapid succession, trying to ensure that what she had seen actually happened and was not some trick of the lighting. Only for it to become all too real when a hand reached out to grab onto the mug and upon further inspection, a medium amount of ice had developed and prevented the liquid inside from coming out. Her mouth was left to hang open, a response that obviously came from shock that not only had it worked - but the potency was too much and ended in her almost creating a popsicle on the spot.

"Perhaps...we should have worried about it working too well. Now, we might end up having to heat the cider up to even partake of it now." She remarked with a sullen pout, it was a bit childish but only added to the cuteness factor that Serafina possessed in spades. "Figures, the one thing I end up excelling at is creating live ice sculpture's."

 

[Kosmik_Khaos]

Vama took not at how receptive her body was to his touch, and the delightful sounds she made. He would definitely have to hear more of those. The growl of Sera's stomach caught his attention once again. "A love a woman with a healthy appetite." He commented giving her a toothy smile. "You will need it to keep up with everything I will be doing to you." He shifted so he was behind and slightly to the side of her, giving her clear view of the mugs.

He watched, all his senses on full alert as she stared at the cups. He could feel her magic stirring, only a little at first, then suddenly it acted. "Excellent." He murmured at the flare of magic that rushed from her and froze the drinks half solid in the mugs. His smile only grew wider to inhuman lengths, his fangs on clear display. "Most excellent indeed." Reaching out he caressed Serafina's head. Looking from the frozen drinks to the pouting woman he let out a bark of laughter at the adorable pout on her face. "Fret not my precious one. This is a wonderful thing, we now have a place to start working. You did not cast ice magic just now, there was no affinity to that magic. You willed the raw magic to change that cider from liquid to solid."

His eyes were wide and bright with excitement. "With a few more tests I think I will be able to narrow down what flavor of magic it is you are blessed with." He stopped stroking her hair and moved to the frozen mugs. "But first, we must have a drink to celebrate!" Dipping his finger into a mug the ice melted on contact and he gave the liquid a little stir with his finger. Repeating the process with the second mug he handed her one. "A toast, to my new apprentice, her new life, may it be long and prosperous." Touching his mug to hers he then proceeded to drink the entire thing in what looked to be a single swallow. Looking at the mug he eyed it with a contemplative look. "Those were some damn good apples. Maybe I should try my hand at growing an orchard." He mused to himself and sat the empty mug down. "Go sit, I will bring your food to you. "He said motioning to a table off in the corner. There was an entire dining hall, two in fact, but there was no reason to go that far tonight.

Quickly grabbing a pair of plates Vama set to slicing the roast and loading the plates with meat and vegetables in equal measure. Moving to a cabinet he pulled out a loaf of bread that looked like it had just been baked and from the larder a small stone crock. He carried everything to the table, setting Serafina's plate in front of her, as well as a fork and knife. The bread was sat in the middle, though a little closer to her, the same as the small crock which Vama opened to reveal a rich yellow butter. "Honey butter." He explained quickly with a smile. "One more thing." He said before shooting off across the kitchen and to a shelf lined with bottles.

Golden eyes zipped over labels until he found one that he liked the look of. Grabbing the bottle and a pair of cut crystal glasses he returned to the table. Forgoing a chair he coiled his tail under him and 'sat' at the table. Setting the glasses down he held his open palm over the top of each glass, with a small use of magic he formed ice that fell and clanked into the bottom of the glass. Pouring the rich amber liquid over the ice he placed one next to Serafina's plate. The ice floating inside her glass was a perfect replica of a lily. "I have made you wait long enough, it is time to eat."

Vama gave action to his words, picking up his fork and spearing a hunk of potato before devouring it with a satisfied groan.

 

[.Crimson.]

Serafina gaped at the notion of her magic doing just what he had wanted it to, showing a type and despite the ice affinity being a flop it had been informative, nonetheless. Of course, the ancient being would have some idea of how to dissect the problem that was presented and in a dignified manner, no less. She simply let it slide for now instead of getting up into arms about it, if that meant it was one step closer to an answer than she could deal with being left in the dark for a little bit longer. Her eyes did shut at the way Vama proceeded to outright request for her to take a seat, once again it appeared that he was keen on servicing her instead of allowing her to do it. It was rather nice to be pampered, actually.

The female was left to merely gape at the spectacle before her, having Vama all but effortlessly conjure up ice out of nothing and not only that, but it was able to be put into shapes. She took the fork to the side of her plate and speared a piece of the roast with it, able to note the juices that flowed from the center and came to rest along the plate while the first morsel was consequently devoured. Sera had to bite back an outright moan at the taste that exploded inside of her mouth, both from the juices that still lingered inside of the piece of cooked beef and the tiny hint of char that added a smoky aftertaste on the end. Needless to say, this was a meal that made the woman feel positively spoiled when it compared to the rabbit stew that had become a custom for her.

Each bite was better than the last, until all that was left behind on the plate was a few scrapped remains of vegetables and a small chunk of the roast that made Serafina's stomach revolt to even think about partaking in. To say that the ebony haired apprentice was stuffed would be a sore understatement, having to make soft huffing noises as her entire being threatened to fall asleep on the spot in the form of a proper food coma. But instead of giving in and allow the sweet embrace to take her, she carefully pierced the remaining piece and aptly offered it up on the same fork she had used to Vama. Her features clearly emitting a smile that was brimming with contentment, and at that moment she chose to devote that emotion to the ancient snake in kind.

"Here... I would not be able to take in a single bite more. My stomach is already threatening mutiny if I even try." Sera joked with a quiet giggle, once again there was a familiar contentment that encompassed her frame and allowed the woman to relax, knowing that it was no longer a hard fueled fight for survival day in and day out. Eyes once again becoming lost in the piercing pair that saw fit to actively try and steal he very breath inside of both lungs and hold it hostage. People were cruel and judgmental, easily corrupted and allowed money to dictate what was perceived as right and wrong. Vama was different, he allowed his intuition to lead and refused to compromise for it or apologize to those that felt wronged.

"If I can become even a little like you, then this process will have all been worth it. The people on the other side see you as a monster to fear, but all I can see when I look at you is someone no less deserving of respect and admiration." Serafina chose to omit the more romantically inclined notions, even if the budding start of them had taken hold within her breast and give time to nurture and grow would become a passion so deep that no one could hope to quell it. "You are not a monster to me, Vama. If anything, you are more human than anyone I have known in my entire life."

 

[Kosmik_Khaos]

Seeing the satisfaction on her face brought great joy to Vama. Turning his attention to his plate he easily put away the first serving he gave himself. With wave the roast drifted off the counter and came to a rest in front of the massive monster. He had put enough on Serafina's plate to feed a man thrice her size, so he felt no shame in going to work on the rest of the roast. While somehow not being messy Vama managed to finish the rest of the roast around the same time Serafina had stopped eating herself.

They had eaten in silence, as both had been too occupied with the delicious meal. Vama looked across the table when she finally did speak, and the hint of a smile graced his face. "Thank you, Serafina." He said leaning across the table and allowing her to feed him her last bite. Once again, he was unsure is she understood the meaning behind her gesture or was just acting out of instinct. Golden eyes studied her as she continued, heaping praise on him. He smiled at her words, taking them for the compliment they were meant to be, and not some underhanded slight.

"It was a custom in a long dead culture to give the last piece of food, or the last bite of your meal to someone as a sign of affection." He said after a moment of letting her words sink in. "And then you go and say things like that to me Serafina, it is flattering." Moving around the table he scooped her out of her chair. "Yes, I enjoy holding you. You are warm, feel nice, smell good, and fit nicely against my chest." He explained turning away from the table and heading out of the kitchen. "That and I take up a lot of room in the more narrow of the hallways in this place." He added as he exited the kitchen with Serafina in cradled in his arms.

What he said was true, while he had plenty of room for his torso, the snake half of his body took up much of the hallway behind him as it undulated to propel him forward. Serafina would have either had to lead the way or followed all the way behind him to walk comfortably, which would have had them shouting back and forth at each other to speak. "Eventually you will learn the hallways and I will not have to carry you around as often." They moved quickly and silently though the halls making only two turns before coming to a spiraling staircase. Vama began to descend. "We are going to my alchemy lab, there is something there I have decided to do that I have not done in a few millennia." Vama exited the stairwell before reaching the bottom and started off down another series of hallways, these significantly larger than the previous ones.

Halfway down the hall he stopped in front of a pair of ornate double doors. Sitting Serafina down he let his touch trail along her body before pulling away completely. "Here we are." He announced swinging open both the doors in a grand gesture. The room before them was filled with floor to ceiling shelves of all sorts of crystals, reagents, potions and other equipment. "Feel free to look around while I get everything prepared for the ritual. I will be making you my apprentice in the old ways. There is a bit more involved than just saying am your teacher and providing for you like they do now. Long ago it was a bond between master and apprentice, something forged in magic. While one grew so did the other, though the reverse was the same. Losing an apprentice or master with this kind of bond can cripple the survivor." He paused and looked down to Serafina. "Fret not, I am too strong to be harmed by your passing if I were to even allow that to happen, and if something manages to kill me, crippled or not you wouldn't be able to survive it so there is no real risk." He said with a cheerful smile that did not fit the subject matter of the conversation.

"Anyways, this is going to make both of us stronger, as well as some other nice perks, at least for you. Our vitalities will be bound, we will have a sense of where the other is, we will know if one or the other is in danger. Things of that nature." He continued to explain as he grabbed a plethora of items from the shelves bringing them all back to the stone table in the center of the room. He made sure everything was on one end, leaving most of the table bare. "Come Serafina, I am ready for you." He called out. "And remove your robe."