Breaking the tension (Aven and Magnus)

It had been a little over an hour since Magnus had had his guild induction and - whilst he was still angry at Aven for his actions during it - the big man had, at the very least, begun to calm down a little. He'd just left the training hall after having smashed a few of the dummies to smithereens and was now headed up to Fairy Hills to sit in the spa for a while. A good workout always helped to remove stress but a good hour in the spa would be perfect for removing the tension afterwards, or so he'd been told at least.

He removed his clothes, replacing them with a pair of bathing shorts and made his way into the spa proper. He ignored most of the other areas within the building though - the idea of being touched and prodded by other people through the thing they called a 'massage' did not remotely appeal to Magnus - and headed directly to the baths at the far end. Before long he was sat in the large open-air public bath, his head rest on the back and his eyes closed, breathing out a long sigh as he released as much of the tension as he could.

WC: 209

Aven rested his head on the cushion in front of his, the tension slowly worked from his shoulders as the masseuse dug their fingers into muscle, freeing him of the knots and acid buildup that had accumulated over the past months. He'd needed this desperately, and only in Fairy Hills could he find a professional who wouldn't constantly trigger his magical defenses. Given that Aven's magic sprung out to protect him whenever he'd be injured, even disregarding the natural resilience of Dark Matter, it took an incredibly skilled practitioner to massage him in any meaningful way. Some methods, like acupuncture, were completely off the table.

Good things don't last forever, however, and his hour was up before he even knew it. Rising to his feet, and cracking a few vertebrae in his spine, Aven thanked the masseuse, before heading over to the bath to wash off. his mind wandered back to Magnus as he meandered along, and the man's reaction. Aven couldn't blame him for being angry; after all, even if Aven technically hadn't lied to the man, he'd certainly deceived him. For the right reasons or not, deceit was all the same. Heaving out a sigh, black particles whirled around Aven, leaving him in nothing but a pair of white swimming trunks as he entered the bathing area. To his surprise, who else would be there than Magnus?

Aven gave a soft smile, waving as he approached. "Magnus, what a coincidence! Cooling off, I suppose?" Stepping into the water, Aven took a seat on the opposite side, facing the strapping wizard. Aven's physique was certainly not what one would expect to be hiding under a suit; though not bulky, his body was chiseled and molded, a testament to intense and focused training. More prevalent than the shape, however, was the 'decoration': Aven's arms, legs, and chest were covered with dozens of deep, harrowing scars, which pulsed softly with a golden light to the beat of his heart. Unlike trophies of battle, there were no errant nicks, scrapes, or abrasions among them, a jarring contrast of long, meticulous incisions parting unblemished skin. "If it's worth anything, I took no pride in deceiving you. There simply wasn't an easier way to test your true character. I'm sorry; truly, I am."

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[Word Count: 380.]

Magnus was deep in thought as Aven entered the baths, so much so that he hadn't even noticed the man come in. His mind was back at The Crucible, at his last few days with his friends and family. It had been how long now? A month? Maybe two? It was hard to tell as, courtesy of being unable to read, he didn't even know what the date was today. Even if he could it wouldn't matter as his people measured time in a whole different measurement. He only became aware of what months were when he had been travelling to Fiore. What were his family doing now? He'd been forced to leave so abruptly and they'd been given no chance to say goodbye. And his brother's face when he looked back...that haunting reminder of why he'd had to leave in the first place. Even now it still left him sick to his stomach.

Aven's voice broke Magnus out of his thoughts and the big man raised his head to look at who had spoken. For a moment he contemplated getting out of the bath when he saw who it was, but he decided against it - he needed to rest his muscles some more. He rested his head back and let Aven keep speaking. His 'tutor' was apologising for deceiving him, explaining that he didn't enjoy it and that he did it only for the test. Magnus sighed and waved his hand as if dismissing it. "Forget it. It's done." he replied coolly, still not raising his head back up. "I'm not smart, but I'm no fool, Aven. You were doing what you were asked to. I should have controlled my anger better." he continued before tilting his head to the side, still not looking at Aven. "For that, I am sorry."


WC: 303
Total: 512

Aven let out a nervous laugh at Magnus' response, rubbing the back of his neck. 'Well, actually... that was all me. All that I was really required to do was sit you down and tell you about it." He realized that his methods were a bit overboard, but desperate times... "I've got a bit of a history with Dark Wizards, and to be frank, I don't like the idea of allowing them into the guild. The Guild prohibits its members from turning each other in, so my best defense against a darkie sneaking in is to test them as they arrive."

Aven relaxed his head back, staring at the ceiling. "Perhaps, it sounds foolish, but I hope for Fairy Tail to leave it's dark side behind, some day. The price of freedom from the magic council is steep, and for it to cost our integrity and honor is hardly a worthy trade, in my eyes." He glanced down, the smile returning from the serious moment. "What about you? What's your story?"

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[Word Count: 172.]

Magnus' head didn't come up at all whilst Aven talked, instead remaining completely still, listening intently at Aven's words without necessarily showing it - not as a sign of disrespect, but because he was actually quite comfortable like it. Aven apparently had an issue with dark mages and the whole concept of the guild performing dark jobs. Magnus could understand that; he wasn't necessarily fond of it himself, but he wasn't going to intervene either - after all, it's how the guild worked. Once Aven had finished explaining himself he then turned his attention towards Magnus; specifically about his past. At this Magnus finally brought his head forward and released a sigh. He splashed his face with water for a second, as if waking himself up before he gave any kind of an answer.

"I was raised in The Crucible. Life was a battle every day. Strength was everything." he began, before splashing water on his face again. "I was...strong. Stronger than the others. And then I found Magic. The others feared it. Feared me. I was the only one who could use it. At first their fear was only towards me. But it changed. They changed. My brother...he was weak. He'd fallen ill as a child and so his growth was slowed."

Magnus' fists began clenching now, his head lowered to face the water in front of him.

"They beat him. To punish me. And then our leader told me to beat him too. Beat him and I'd be forgiven. Beat him and I could stand at his side. Beat him and I'd be next in line to lead.

...I refused. I attacked, with all the magic I'd learned to that point. I maimed and even killed those who beat him. The leader survived...and I was exiled."

He brought his hands up in front of him, both still clenched. "I regret not. Their blood on my hands was a judgement not of my own choice." He looked up at Aven now, a weak smile on his face. "Everyone has darkness, just as everyone has light. It's all about balance. Their blood is on my hands, but my brother's blood - the blood of my blood - is on theirs. Therefore, balanced."

With that, he lowered his hands again, the smile fading and his head returning to its place on the back of the bath. "That is me, Aven. That is my story."

WC: 404
Total: 916