Aurora had to skip classes for a day or two after her last encounter at the Grove. She didn't even really have to pretend to be sick - as she was so weak and drained. Not to mention that she really felt all 'wrong'.

The balance of her magicks has changed again. On some level, she had noticed that the Storm was changing within her. She'd felt it becoming more sensual, more subtle, yet also more uncontrollable. It was a gradual thing though - finding a new balance. She wasn't even sure when it started happening.

This time though, it was like a sudden invasion - part of HER magick had been 'split' from her - and another foreign magick seemed to have moved into its place. Her perceptions had changed, the 'taste' of her abilities was different now - and it made her body feel out of balance as well.

A couple of days had been enough for her to recover her strength - but now she needed to find a balance inside herself again. And that meant she needed to explore this new power. So after arranging another day free of classes - she slips out and heads out into the privacy of the woods.

She doesn't head anywhere near the Grove, nor to her Shrine - the first out of fear for herself, the second out of fear for the location and the work she had put into it. Instead she finds a high area on a hill, private - overlooking the beach, but with the woods surrounding all of the easy paths up to the bluff.

Alone, she settles herself on the ground, and tries to explore the new perceptions. Just looking out - she can feel all of the plants around her -- the grass.. the trees.. each one filled with energy.. each 'tasting' slightly different. The simple bright energy of blades of grass; the slower, richer energy of aged trees, or the burning vigor of young saplings forcing their growth in the woods.

Carefully, slowly she explores these new powers - becoming so engrossed in them that she loses awareness of anything BUT the plants around her.

Edward stretched himself as he awoke once again to a beautiful day in Shokushu. His stay here so far has been fruitful, what with the girls and sources of juices that he collected, as well as the rather memorable times that he got to enjoy with various females here, it was really a good day to begin another hunt, or exploration, whichever comes first.

As soon as he exited his lair, he suddenly felt an aura of power.... something that was attuned to nature, and yet had traces of a divine origin. With it also came the scent of a female... one that he never smelt before. Feeling curious, he soon made his way through the forest, in search of the owner of the mysterious scent.

When he arrived, he stopped as he looked at a girl sitting on one of the bluffs that overlooked the beach, and realized that this was the source of the aura that he had detected earlier. Not knowing what to do just yet, he quickly stooped down behind a clump of bushes, and watched for any movements from the girl.

Aurora may be lost in the awareness of the life around her - but fortunately for her that actually only makes her more aware of changes to that life. Changes such as the movement caused by Edward hiding amongst the bushes behind her.

"I'm not in the mood for games today. You might as well show yourself." she calls out without turning around. "I know you're watching me." she says as she finally twists around to look toward Edward's hiding spot. "I wouldn't try anything though, if I were you." she murmurs as she holds out both hands palm up.

In her right hand, swirls a globe of ice and wind, howling like a blizzard, even though it is contained in a globe no larger than the priestess' head.

In her left hand, a tower of dark flame burns - powerful magick of shadows with a strong undercurrent of barely restrained sexuality. The flames burn high, and seem to reach and lick out at the air around her, as if seeking to caress or taste or burn anything that comes close.

Edward was impressed at how fast she detected him. The amount of magic that was rolling off her was nothing but impressive, and he had a respect for her as she charged her magic.

As he came out of the bushes, he was impressed by the spells that she held in her hands. He had no doubt that they will at least injure him quite heavily, and he did not want to take the risk of incurring an injury, which might become fatal.

He then said. "Peace... I come in peace, at least for now. I have no ill intention, save for pure curiosity that awaits to be quenched, nothing more."

Aurora nods as Edward comes forward. If she is shocked by his appearance, it doesn't show at all in her expression.

She takes a deep breath, and closes both hands into fists, snuffing the magicks she held in each.

"If you mean no harm, then you are welcome. Although for your own sake, I warn you that this might not be the safest of areas or times to indulge your curiosity." she says in a simple, but sincere tone. "My magicks are not entirely stable at the moment, and I would not wish to cause you accidental damage if, as you say, you do not have any ill intentions."

If Edward has the appropriate ability, he might be able to see what she means within the priestess. The energies inside her are like an incomplete chemical reaction - where balances are changing, seeking an equilibrium that has not been found yet, causing the whole system to be volatile and dangerous.

Edward frowned a little as he approached the young woman. Though he isn't as good at perceiving magic as his mother, he could feel the magic inside her, volatile and ever changing... forever seeking a balance, which validates her words.

"I appreciate the good intentions, milady..." He said politely to her, as he walked forward. "And you are right... I could feel your energy is a bit off and unbalanced at the moment. Mind you, I can only get a rough feel of it, as I am not as skilled in perceiving magic as my dame. But since I am here... is there anything I can do to assist you to stabilize your magic? You need but ask... if I am able, I will assist you."

He looked at her with a glint of sincerity in his eyes, as well as a curious look on his face.

The white-haired priestess shrugs slightly.

"I am not really sure what anyone could do to help." she says with all sincerity. "My gifts were granted to me by my Goddess, not through study like most magick seems to be. This had never been a problem, as I was also granted the knowledge and understanding of my powers."

She again holds up one hand, and slowly ice forms in her hand, growing and changing until a small figurine of a regal young woman sits in her hand. "I've learned to hone them, and channel them more skillfully, but it's almost instinctive to use them."

"Since I've arrived here though.. I've been caught up in... I don't even know what to call them. Magick storms, I'd guess. My abilities have.. clashed with others violently - and they've..changed from those contacts. Almost like the Storm inside me is sweeping them up, like debris in a windstorm, until they are carried inside me. First, it was a kind of dark shadow, trying to crawl inside me.. like a dark seduction. Now.. there's an earth magick, like vines clinging to the storm.. roots burrowing deep inside." She shakes her head.

"I don't understand these magicks, and it feels like I am going to get lost inside them if I can't learn to control them."
She is trying to seem calm and matter-of-fact about it, but there is that little tremor in her voice that suggests she is having to struggle to not go into full panic at those thoughts.

Edward nodded as he padded over to her as non threatening as possible as he listened to her tale. Magic imbalance is something that is a bit of a serious issue to all magic users, though it seems that hers is brought upon due to the conflict in the nature of the magicks.

He then looked thoughtful for a moment before he said. "I see... I think I know what your problem is, milady." He paused for a moment and said. "This is my theory, though whether you choose to believe them or not, is up to you. Your source of magick, if you described it accurately, is from a divine source. While normally divine powers can co-exist well with other types of magicks, such as the earth magic for example... since it is an elemental and nature magick... the dark shadow, however... is something quite the opposite of what you stand for. Thus, the imbalance that you are suffering so far."

He looked at her and said. "Do you understand what I am saying to you so far?"

Aurora listens carefully to what the werewolf in front of her says, and seems to consider it for a few moments.

"I.. understand what you are saying. But I fear you are under a misconception. While you are correct about the divine gift being the first of my magicks. The Shadow has actually been.. a part of me .. for several months now. And while it has caused some changes in my abilities. It is the earth magick that has turned everything... volatile."

"I got caught up with that magick, only a few days ago."

Of course what Aurora says may be true - but that does not mean her conclusions are correct. The Shadow is subtle, and was able to work around, and was 'growing' within the Storm. Against the Storm alone, it was able to find weaknesses to exploit where it could grow. There was no true balance between the two - as the Shadow was gradually winning.

It was only with the addition of another elemental magick, the earth magick, that the Shadow started to lose ground, creating the 'war' that waged within her now. Yes the earth magick may have turned it volatile, but were it not for the earth magick, she would undoubtedly have one day succumbed fully to the Shadow alone.

Edward listened carefully to what the lady had to say and said thoughtfully. "Interesting... I have never heard about earth magicks making one's magical core to become unstable and volatile... but the Shadow, as you speak it... I am curious as to how these two different types of magicks managed to wind up into you."

He then stood by her side, and said. "That is, of course if you do not mind telling me the origins of these new magicks and the Shadow that exists in you, of course." His tone was polite, and yet inquisitive at the same time.

Aurora blushes when Edward asks about how she ended up with the additional magicks battling inside her.

"It's... kind of .. embarrassing actually." she admits, shifting a bit uncomfortably. "But I suppose you should probably know the truth, if you're going to be able to help."

"I was.. exposed.. to the Shadow by another student. We were ..um... making love to each other.. while using our magicks. And well.. um... when I came, well we came actually... our magicks.. just sort of.. reacted. Nothing changed with her magicks.. but I could feel the Shadow inside me.. but I couldn't really do anything with it. It was sort of 'sealed away'.. the Storm, I think, was containing it."

"But then I had several more encounters here... with various creatures.. and each time.. the shadow seemed to grow stronger inside me. I could feel it, and eventually, it started to manifest. I could.. use it - I wouldn't really say control it though."

"The earth magick was something similar, there are a race of pixies on the island, with very strong, and sexual, earth magick. They were.. raping.. me... and we all seemed to lose control of the magicks... maelstrom surging through the forests.. almost like the magicks were trying to rape each other. I don't remember what happened after that... but again, it's like the magicks got mixed up. I have this new earth magick inside me.. and some of the pixies.. well, it turned some of them into Snow sprites."

Aurora is blushing furiously as she finishes her tales, but looks over to Edward, almost desperately hoping he can help her.

Edward listened carefully to her tale and then chuckled after a while. "It seems that your life since your arrival on this island has become quite colorful... though you are right... with these new magicks that interacted with your own, it is no wonder an imbalance is created after some time."

He then looked thoughtful for a moment and then said. "Perhaps I can help you, though in order to do so, and I will be honest will you, you will be exposed to another type of magick that I and my family practice, specifically dealing with the carnal arts, or lust magick, to be exact. Why I say so, is that I am a werewolf/incubi hybrid... and it comes rather naturally to us. Of course, the choice is really up to you... we can just trade pointers about each other's art... maybe teach other some minor stuff of our arts... or we can find a way to stabilize that magick of yours. Either way, you will come into contact with my family magicks. What do you say to that?"

Aurora looks at Edward nervously - although it's not fear of him, as much as fear of what he is suggesting.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" she asks him. "I mean.. sex seems to trigger whatever it is.. that keeps mixing up my magick."

"Isn't it possible that I'd end up 'absorbing' your magick as well, making matters even worse?"

"Well..." Edward said thoughtfully and said. "I suppose the possibility of that happening does exist, I suppose. But it also might be true that whatever magick that is inside you might bleed off to me as well."

He paused for a moment and said. "There is also a possibility that my magick might help to stabilize a little the chaos that is happening within your mana systems. Of course, the choice is yours... but personally, I want to help you... but of course it comes with a price. Nothing in the world is free you see."

Aurora frowns in contemplation as she considers all the possibilities that Edward has laid out. She definitely has a bit of fear about 'stealing' yet another type of magick.. that it could be too much for her to control at all.

On the other hand, given that sex does seem to have some hand in her 'acquiring' these new abilities - perhaps lust magick would enable her to control that in the future. Or that some of the 'rogue' magicks might find the sexual magick more 'appetizing' than her own mana.

It is the mention of a 'price' though, which draws her focus back to Edward. "What kind of.. price?" she asks, immediately suspicious.