[P] I had a dream,

[Eik]

Eik has struggled with faith all his life, but belief is something he knows well. So when Asterion says he thinks the worst is behind them, Eik chooses to believe his friend... if only because sometimes you need to pick and choose what you believe in, and he wants to believe in Asterion. He thinks Asterion wants to believe in his own words, too.

He wonders often how belief factors in to magic. There is magic at hand now, the most intimate of magics, and briefly Eik imagines what it would have been like if they had grown up together. It would be a peaceful cliffside by the sea, and on rainy days they would take turns letting one another win the race down mud-slick deer trails, until their legs collapsed beneath them and their chests heaved too violently even to laugh. He holds this thought of laughter and then pushes it gently across the water towards his friend. It is the laughter of a boy before the world sunk its teeth in, the laughter of a memory they never shared but maybe they could in another life, or maybe they already did.

They briefly trade thoughts, and if each man were to deeply analyze the other he would find many similarities. On Eik's end there is an underlying excitement to be sharing his magic like this, and to read Asterion's reaction to this new way of communicating. He tries not to look too deeply in the other man's mind but he can't help but sense the sorrow there, and the longing, and without meaning to his own sorrow and longing rise like a mirror, like interlaced fingers. When he says "thank you for letting me share," he wraps his mind around Asterion's and he gently tightens, like a hug, before letting go and turning to Cirrus. Her words have a faraway ring to them, as though they were coming to him from underwater, but he can make out the message- he doesn't make it easy- and his only response is to smile wryly and nod his head in thanks.

When Asterion speaks of his magic, in that silent way of speaking Eik has grown familiar with, it seems like a weapon. Like something to be used to hurt, or destroy. But then he starts to weave his spell and he's creating something beautiful, something so wondrous that every muscle in Eik's body is caught in rapture, even his lungs, and for a moment he forgets to breathe. Even after the terns fall back into the water and the sound returns to the world, awe sits like a precious stone in his chest. It is one of those things he will return to on dark days when he feels small and deep, deep blue, days when he forget how much wonder there is in the world.

He would clap if he could but all he does is turn to his friend with wide eyes and a boyish grin. "Magic," he breathes, and his tone says it all-- did you ever think we would be able to do such things? Where does it come from? Why is our magic different?-- but there is one question that he asks before the rest: "Do you think we have... responsibilities? Because of this magic?" It would be easy now for Eik to pry deep into the mind of someone else, or for Asterion to summon a wave strong enough to knock a man down and hold him there. Being who they are they would likely never do these things-- but what if they had a reason to?

@Asterion hi I love your words so much <3 sorry this is all over the place! We could wrap up soon and have them meet at the festival? (or keep going forever, I'd be okay with that)