Madison reflected on her host's path to necromancy as it unfolded before her. She couldn't help but to be impressed at the level of flexibility available to the players of the game. The last one she played? Her skill trees were incredibly rigid and specific. No fluidity to it whatsoever. Here was the thing you could do; and it would only allow you to do that one thing. Even the slightest variation would cost you precious ability slots and skill points. Lucia's methods fit in well with her view on the cycle of life and death, and how the raised can be more than just mindless tools that bow to your every whim. As much as Madison respected that viewpoint, she quietly disagreed with it. But that was a discussion for another time. The cursemage slowly returned to her cushion, taking a seat once more. The chance to further her studies and be of use in Terra had presented itself, and she'd be damned if she passed up this opportunity. A storm of possibilities raged inside her mind. She found herself having trouble sorting them out. Putting them into words was even more difficult. "I haven't spent much time working on Nature Magic yet," she admitted. "I've been practicing Black Magic more than anything to try and unlock necromantic spells. But, recalling my notes from past games, the plant-based undead I raised there had their bodies consumed by plant hosts that ended up powering the corpse. Fed offa' sunlight and water, could spread roots into the ground for additional nutrients. Some developed the ability to consume meat to keep itself 'alive', like fly traps and pitcher plants." Madison fought with every fiber of her being to resist making a braaaains joke. "I'm pretty certain that's out of the question for you," the witch said with an apologetic wave. She stiffened in her seat, trying to figure out how to best continue the conversation. "For what you're looking for, I'd probably have to start from scratch. My first instinct would be to find a way for something plant-based to have a symbiotic relationship with the host, one where the organism could draw energy from the sun or process water for the undead in order to sustain it." The cursemage glanced at Lucia, searching for any hint of acknowledgment or consideration of the theory she was spit-balling. "That might take a lot of trial and error, though," she lamented. "Nature Magic fighting with Spirit, Black, and Summoning... I'm guessing that too much fighting between the different threads of magic would tear the physical body apart. But that's just me guessing, without much actual experience in the matter yet." The mere thought of it got the gears turning in her head, though. She loved a challenge, something to really sink her teeth into. What Lucia half-proposed, half-dreamed-out-loud-about was just the thing she needed to keep her invested in the game. Madison could either waste more time slinging hexes at low-level trash, or she could try and work for something big in Terra. This was the perfect goal to strive for, even if she still had lingering misgivings about the philosophy behind it. She could learn so much from working with Lucia... "I would need some time to study things and grow strong enough to put everything to practice," the witch continued, her voice softening. "I want to help you out here. I really do. You've been so kind to me. And helpful. I really appreciate that." She locked eyes with Lucia for a moment, holding her gaze. "I'd like to repay the gesture. Help you out with your dream and all." Good gods, did she get awkward when trying to be nice and make friends.
Lucia chuckled a little, seeing the misgivings in Madison's expression, while she couldn't read the woman's mind she understood her thoughts clearly enough. There were throes of people who asked her regularly 'what if your undead rose up against you' or 'why would you give them free will'. The majority thought her plan was silly or foolish, so she anticipated Madison's thoughts being along the same vain. It was something she didn't have a problem with. Lucia wanted a people, an independent people who could grow and fight on their own. Static corpses that acted as puppets or tools didn't interest her as much as a thriving and evolving culture. Even if it was harder to control, that didn't mean she was powerless to do so if she controlled their government and generals. Rather then elaborating though, she just nodded, Madison's opinion was also valuable, also correct in it's own way. Undead with intelligence were just as important as those capable puppets willing to die with a thought; she wouldn't try to assert that one had more value then the other-- She merely intended on achieving the former instead of the latter. Though hearing Madison's explanation of what she'd achieved in another game, Lucia cracked a knowing smile. One that seemed to say 'youre not thinking big enough' without words. With a soft shake of her head, she spoke in a smooth tone. "Not plants inside of the undead, at least, that's not what I'd like for us to work together on. That, instead, seems like a good pet project for you to pursue yourself-- Your own kind of undead." Lucia explained with a gentle smile. "What I want is to build a Ziggurat. A large structure that will blight an area and make it habitable for undead. To transform a territory into a blighted land that will provide for undead instead of the living. That, is a structure that could make use of such a root system, coiling roots and networks of plant-like taking in nutrients and funneling it back to the structure to provide for the undead." She explained her deranged vision of an 'undead kingdom' with that. The scale... was ridiculous, Lucia wanted to use such a structure to terraform her duchy into an undead world, but she had the knowledge to make it work, the time and manpower to build it, what she lacked were means to make it efficient and support it's functionality. Though hearing Madison talk about conflict and clashing, Lucia mused and shook her head. After all others might think of light and dark working against one another, but Lucia was one who used her skills and magic in a way that represented the eastern traditions of Daoism. At least, her own magic would never clash with itself. "Daoism has a principle of mutually benefiting elements. The Yin and Yang split from the grand mist, the five elements split from the yin and yang, the lives we live were forged from the myriad elements as a functioning body. All things that were once one can be joined once more, things that mutually exclude can mutually benefit. All it takes is time, understanding and testing." Lucia explained with a sweet smile as she spoke earth shattering words. Lucia's magical know how came from a place where anything was possible provided you were strong enough, so this was certainly the same. Though when Madison tried being thankful, agreed to help and support her, Lucia chuckled in understanding, the woman's awkwardness was adorable but she understood the jist of it. "It's alright, aren't we on the same team regardless? Team Undead perhaps?" She spoke, her choice of words a little adorable for her mature age, but still her mature giggle and posture made her seem spirited and motivated. "We'll both work at it, one step at a time, for the moment, I do hope you'll consider joining me to see the duchy I've built in person someday."
Madison's imagination started to run wild with the full realization of Lucia's desires. She pictured the rolling plains of a far away land. From miles away, you could see a towering structure, a marvel of (zombified?) human engineering like none in this world have ever seen before. Sprawling from the center of the Ziggurat there were thick, intertwined systems of roots digging into the earth and spreading out for miles. The countryside transformed, darkened as the roots absorbing mana from the earth. Mana that was processed inside the structure by the gigantic plants that grew within, and given to the undead as sustenance. The blighted land itself--despite being thought of as dead by outsiders--still made suitable for the needs of Lucia's undead civilization. How they'd still be able to use it was lost on Madison entirely; but she was still new, still fresh to the world of Terrasphere. The witch had a long ways to go until she understood everything. Her host probably had all that figured out. Maddy would trust that she knew what she was doing. But, for now; she had a goal, at the very least. A task to set her mind to. A drive. A dream of her own. A wry smile crossed her face for a moment as she let out a small laugh. "Yeah, Team Undead." Over the course of the conversation, the witch began formulating a plan--the next few steps she would have to take in order to help Lucia, her new... friend? Mentor? Partner? Whichever it was, or ended up being. Madison couldn't help but to smile even wider when Lucia extended an invitation to visit her duchy someday. It was an honest-to-goodness smile, bright and warm, something that rarely crossed her face nowadays. "Sure, I'd like that," she said, feeling a bit of color rise in her cheeks. "After tonight, I'm going to do a lot of studying and exploring this world. But whenever you're available and would like me to visit, feel free to send me a message."
Seeing Madison's resolve, Lucia didn't push forward with her silliness or jokes. A smooth smile coming to her face as she patted Madison's shoulder to support her. "Good then. It's probably the best to experience it yourself personally, to really get a good idea of what the world is like and what is plausible. For you though, I'd recommend the Crystal Stellaria, it's a nice place to see something out of the ordinary at least." Lucia mused with a thought, after all if Madison wanted to see the local parasitic organisms of the world, the crystals of that place were among some of the most vicious and weren't even really undead. They were unfortunately though, no doubt an act of higher beings, whether gods or otherwise they weren't things that normal people could interfere with or destroy or erase. There wasn't really a well known cure outside of obliterating it with higher leveled abilities. Lucia had also studied there for a great long while but found that it wasn't particularly useful for her own spellcraft. Instead she merely eliminated another possibility that didn't work for her in her research into that stone. Though that said, Lucia craned her neck, wondering if there was any kind of advice she could really offer to this poor girl who was about to go out and adventure on her own. After a bit of thought, a somewhat bitter smile came to her face as she glanced back down to Madison. "Also, perhaps consider buying a very big loot bag. Back when I first started, that thing helped me out of a lot of unique problems, it seems silly, but it should be big enough to carry a body so it can double as a tent." Lucia offered. Even her own tent had been sewn from her previous two bags. To this day it remains a trick she still uses oddly enough. It was silly, but having a tool that served a myriad of functions was certainly helpful. "I wish I had more to send you off with, but I'm afraid that's all I can think of." She spoke with a sad sigh.
One corpse-hauling bag and the Crystal Stellaria. Check and check. Madison made note of Lucia's last bits of advice, also taking the hint that the meeting was winding down. As much as she was absorbing just being in the presence of the veteran, the witch agreed that it probably was time to go before she forgot it all. Giving her inventory a quick check to make sure she had everything, she rose from her seat on the cushions and straightened out the creases in her black dress. "No, hey, that's alright," Madison said after Lucia lamented that she had no more to offer. "You've given me a lot already. More than I could've ever hoped for when I reached out to you." It was on the tip of her tongue to thank the necromancer again, but she was probably on the verge of embarrassing herself enough as it was. It would also waste everyone's time going through it all again; so, y'know, there's that. Maddy made her way towards the entrance of the tent, her thin fingers lightly holding onto the canvas flap. She turned to look at Lucia one last time, feeling awkward about the words she was about to say. "So, it was nice talking with you, Lucia. Keep in touch, yeah? I'll update you on my studies, you can tell me how you're coming along on your end..." She fidgeted almost imperceptively. "Or if, y'know, you just wanna chat or something." Madison lingered for a second that seemed to stretch on into eternity before slipping into the dying light of the afternoon.
Lucia nodded back, a heavy sigh coming from her, after all, she couldn't simply curl up with a stranger and just talk for hours on end. Lucia needed to send the woman on her way rather then continue distracting her. There were after all many things that would have to be done from now on, not including MAdison's own contributions, there were her own as well that could no doubt be improved upon. "Of course. What kind of person would I be to just forget or something rude like that? Just focus on trying your best, no one can ever ask you for more then that after all." Lucia explained with a mellow and gentle smile. While MAdison lingered at her door, Lucia'd lift a hand to her head, giving her a soft pat. The gentle touch was reassuring but perhaps a little strange. It was a gesture Lucia had done often, most of the girls she'd met had been patted by her at least once or twice after all. That soft feeling of being petted was Lucia's effort to communicate that feeling she got that words didn't really do justice; 'youre special', 'i believe in you' or 'dont give up', they didn't really seem to convey those feelings properly. "We'll keep in touch." She spoke reassuringly letting Madison step out into that light. Lucia's gentle smile lingered for a while after when Madison was gone. It was only once Lucia was left alone in the quiet of her tent for a while that a vague bitterness would come to her face. "Everyone always has such a brightness to them, such a strong resplendent radiance. Woe is me, the normal plebeian who can't manage to stir the air quite like they can." She mused to herself, finding her couch to sit on, a book to unfold and study once more. Settling in as if for the night, she curled up on that couch with a deadpan expression and a faint withering bittersweet smile. "I suppose it's always been my role... But, how to promote growth in this one..." She mused while turning a page.
