Check the Syllabus.

[Tristan Damaris Rare]

Tristan was looking forward to their first study session of the summer since his half-sibling twins have chosen to come to camp during the summers. He was only thirteen when he first met one of the twins, @ Asher Harrington . Because he saw her studying umbrakinesis, he thought it would be a good time to ask if they can study it together. He was only able to materialize a sabre at the time and used it to prove to her that he has the ability. Since then, the two of them have scheduled their study sessions whenever they can. He liked learning from Asher as she knew more than him when they first started but now it seems like he developed his ability more to his liking. He would usually find himself inside their mother's cabin to study theory but today they had planned on putting what they learned into practice. Tristan was dressed in his usual orange camp tee shirt while an elastic waistband wraps around his waist. The band makes up the top rims of the running shorts, providing for easy maneuverability while staying anchored to his lower body. Amethyst tennis shoes hugged his feet as he was perched on a sturdy branch of a maple tree with a grimoire in hand. He was reviewing some of the spells he had learned to do last night while waiting for Asher to arrive.

[Asher Harrington Rare Rare]

Asher always felt like she had a lot on her plate and most of the time that was true but this time though, her to do list was growing out her own ambitious nature. She had one goal that she wanted to achieve at camp and that was mastering the art of Umbrakinesis. That skill was known to be possessed by the children of Hades and while that was impressive, Asher didn't necessarily want to learn from them. It was different. They didn't possess the skill to do magic on the side. She wanted to learn from any of her half siblings but for the longest time, she had no one around that could teach her and while she could learn by studying her mother's ancient texts, she did a lot better by example. Which is how she found herself partnering with Tristan in this art. When she arrived, she was surprised to see him there already as she would have assumed that she would be the first to arrive. That was usually the case. "Hey, how are you?" She asked.

[Tristan Damaris Rare]

Tristan could remember the look on her face when he first asked if they could study umbrakinesis together and she looked at him as if she had been looking for someone to examine this power with. It was not every day that they met up as the both of them had other things to do, but he enjoyed every second he spent with her. He was beginning to see her as a sister he wished he had because of a reason that dwelled in his past. He was not sure if he can tell her yet but if she ever asked, then he would be willing to share. The reason she won't learn from the children of Hades felt unexpected to him but he preferred it this way for some brother-sister bonding. Usually she would be the first to arrive but his excitement made him want to go. "Asher!" He called her rather eagerly. "I'm good, thanks for asking. What about you? How's life outside of camp?" All he knew was that she went to a prestigious school and worked as a high ranking official in her father's company since his passing. He recalled having her in his contacts but he preferred to save the chatter until she arrived at camp because she preferred keeping her two world's separate.

"So for today, I was thinking we dive into application. Mother's inscriptions can be a lot but it helps to know the how." Setting the book aside, two rapiers made of black energy manifested into his hands with ease. The process began with the hilt before the blade formed as if bits of shadow are working together under a single command to mold what he has in mind. "I used to only one on my first year, but I can do two now. I'm working on lengthening duration since there are times I'd want to hold my "shadow" arsenal for as long as I want." 

[Asher Harrington Rare Rare]

Asher knew that she needed to be closer to her half siblings but somehow she had never arranged to do so. They all lived in the same cabin after all but Asher didn't spent nearly as much time at camp as some other demigods did. She had a life outside of it and the resources to do whatever she wanted. Besides, camp always had this sort of depressing connotation. A reminder of what half of her represented and in all honesty, Asher wasn't entirely thrilled to have an absent godly parent. But now, she was just trying to push that out of the way and work on her magic. Despite whatever Hecate decided to do or not do, Asher was going to take advantage of her abilities.

With Tristan, he had agreed to help her with umbrakinesis, something that was quite challenging and not at all what she expected it to be. Their lessons were not consistent though as Asher had realized that she struggled with it and therefore wasn't as thrilled to get it done. She didn't like being a failure or looking foolish, therefore her motivation always lacked. Maybe that was the problem but she wasn't about to go into detail about it. "Well, a lot more exciting but different. You know, you can always just come visit me. I don't know how you would feel about not being at camp all year round but my place is big enough." She shrugged, not knowing what else to say about it. Being affectionate or overly open wasn't her thing but she did try for the most part. 

"See that is the thing I struggle with, the just getting started. I don't know how to even do one shadow so I am all ears."

[Tristan Damaris Rare]

Tristan could not remember when was the last time he had siblings to hang around with. All he could remember was that he had a terrible stepmother and that they were gone because of him. He did not know what he did that could get her to bear such animosity towards him. Years of that unleashing onto him has made him develop trust issues so he had to go big and be an extrovert. He did not want to show anyone how vulnerable he is or how he is insecure. He sometimes frowns at the sight of half-siblings spending time together which is part of the reason why he was so dedicated to his craft. Perhaps this is why he can be expressive towards Asher or Arsen. He saw her as an older sister he thought he had so he cherishes every second spent with her even though she does not seem to reciprocate it.

"Visit you?" The thought never crossed his mind. He knew that she's rich and lives in some fancy place in New York City but he did not think he would be invited. Tristan did not have anywhere to go back to. Father who passed, no other known relatives, and an abusive stepmother. He will take her offer any day, maybe even sleep there for the holidays. He had always wanted to explore the city when he only saw it through the Grey Sisters' cab window. He was deep in thought for a bit until he gulped. It seemed like it felt too good to be true. "Asher... I would love to. Maybe I could visit during Thanksgiving or Christmas. Whenever you want." He knew she has a life outside of camp but he did not want to get carried away. Is a sibling sleeping over feeling far-fetched? He could not help but widen his smile it could burst into a giggle.

"Hmm..." Tristan was not even sure how he did one shadow. He remembered generating a weapon out of it in his first encounter with the harpies but not so much as the exact mental process of it. All he thought of at the time was taking down his opponent. "Well, you are in luck. It's sunny out and the sun creates shadows. Our shadows. Like those." It was obvious, but he wanted to point at their shapes their figures produced by the rays of light. "I think it would be easier to imagine what sort of object you want to materialize and manifest the energy into that. You can use our shadows as a source since actually generating them is a bit more... ambiguous." 

[Asher Harrington Rare Rare]

Asher didn't know much of the personal stories of her siblings but she had to admit that she had also never asked. She knew that everyone had different experiences because it was obvious and it was especially true in siblings. Hell, her own brother had a very different life experience from her and the two of them had been brought up and raised in the same circumstances. So when Tristan asked her if she meant it when she was inviting him to her home, she looked at him with curiosity. "Yeah, I mean it doesn't just have to be the official holidays where everyone is required to make the trip to visit their relatives. You can stay as long as you want. We have more than enough room." And honestly, because they had more than enough room, that big old townhouse could be quite lonely at times. Asher wouldn't mind adding some color to it.

She listened to his explanation and looked down at her own shadow. It was such a natural element. The result of light hitting an object. But while Asher could understand and see its existence, she didn't know where to begin. How to make it herself. "Can you show me?" She said, looking up at her brother. She had always learned better by copying. It was easier for her if she had a pattern to follow, a direct instruction.

[Tristan Damaris Rare]

You can stay as long as you want.

As her words transitioned into his consciousness, they come with a warm feeling that shrouded his delicate heart that was shielded and hidden away. It may seem like nothing to her but having a place to come to outside of Camp Half-Blood was not something he would expect to look forward to since he had arrived. He stood there for the moment before he wrapped his older half-sister into a firm and brief hug. Tristan seldom expresses himself with such action as he found himself using his words but it was nothing he could have done better to show how he felt at the moment. Perhaps if he was elsewhere and procuring a gift, he would but it was urgent. As his hand held her arms for a bit, a tear can be found trailing down his cheek once they departed from the embrace and he wiped it off with his arm. "Sorry, sis. Um...-" He sniffled. "I'll come by for Thanksgiving. And Christmas. Good use the chance to explore the city with you. Or by myself. You must be busy." 

"Of course." He figured it would be easier to show her as well as people do learn from seeing rather than just cramming themselves into theory. Tristan faced his hand towards his shadow as he made eye contact with it. After a few moments, his shadow began to tremble and it does so the quicker with every second. Once his fingers clenched, a spherical shape began to manifest from the ground where his shadow was and using his hand, prompted it to levitate above his other palm. With a bit of effort, the ball transformed into a sabre and the dark weapon's hilt fell into his hand before he held it downwards to take away the risk of injuring her.

"It's much easier if I just generate it myself but for today, I used a source."

[Asher Harrington Rare Rare]

Asher wasn't the most emotionally mature person there was. Meaning she wasn't sure how to deal with her own emotions, let alone others. It was a very interesting characteristic since her father, while not an overly emotional man, did have a good handle on his emotions and always encouraged his children to be open about what they were feeling and how to show those emotions in a healthy manner. Quite ironic since neither her nor Arsen really had any on how to do that. While Arsen was wild in his ways, Asher was calm and bordered on being indifferent. So when she saw Tristan sniffle, she looked at him with concern but disbelief. "What's wrong?" She said, not knowing how her offer could be considered an emotional affair. She had offered him sanctuary if he so wanted it. She imagined he would like that.  "We can explore it together. I have a lot of flexibility when I am in the city." That was what happened when you were in charge but she kept that part to herself. 

"What do you mean a source? What would you be using? Do you need sunlight?" In Asher's mind, the way you made a shadow was because an object was hit with light. She would assume both would be connected but as her mother's magic sometimes didn't have a logical explanation, she didn't want to assume. She turned to look at his fingers and then at the sphere that came to be. She saw him shift the sphere to turn shapes and wished she had brougth a notebook to take notes. "Wait, would I feel that if I touched it? It looks solid but I don't know."

[Tristan Damaris Rare]

Tristan had forgotten that he has not told her about his not the best upbringing which played a big role in his habit to not trust people easily. He did not want to reveal not to mention hint that he had family issues. Perhaps more demigods than he knew has issues with their god parents but for him, it was not Hecate but with his stepmother. What he thought was his mother was just a woman out to get him. To make him suffer for his father's mistake. A small part of him was frustrated at his father for not realizing it too soon or even taking action but he was glad that he was the only family he had before leaving for Camp Half-Blood. As it turns out, any if his half-siblings could his family but he did not really put in the effort to get to know them other than the Harrington twins. Perhaps now is the time to tell.

"I had a family. I can't remember where my step siblings wound up but all I remember is that my stepmother was abusive and manipulative. The worst. She would hit me whenever she saw the opportunity. Spoke words that express her animosity towards me. And whenever I threatened her to tell my father, she would promise me in return that she will take away something that I love. I would not see my satyr friend." A deep sigh parted his lips. Relief washed over him as his story unfolds. It was not that he needed to tell someone, but he wanted someone he loves to know what made him that way. "I'm the bane of her existence... but my father. I remember he loved me but it breaks my heart when I had to make up an excuse whenever he saw my bruises. I feel that if I told him, I'll be subjected to my stepmother's wrath."

"He passed away... so she's the only one I have left. Now that I'm here, I resolved not to see her again. And I've been here ever since." Another sigh parted his lips as he set a soft gaze onto the other campers who were playing outside. Was it tag? Hearing their laughter made him miss his friends back home but he thought if he wrote letters to them, his stepmother would find a way to intercept those. Finally turning to Asher, he continued with poise. "Just having a someplace to look forward to coming back. And meeting you and Arsen. It's awesome." He could not help but smile. He could never been more content than this as far as he recalls. "I am very much looking forward to our adventure in the Big Apple."

"The source is my shadow." He replied. "Technically, you do because the light creates the shadows and it's much easier to harness the energy when the source is right here. Generating the darkness is... another story." Tristan had been studying the applications of this power during the day since it was to leave the magic to the evenings but he hasn't really delved into the fundamentals but he was determined to help her with the best of his ability. Upon her question, he laid the sword on his hand and gestured for her to give it a feel or even take it. He did not mind. "It's solid so it does not disappear unless mentally prompted to. To my surprise though, it does feel a bit cold. It does add onto the 'absence of light' concept."

[Asher Harrington Rare Rare]

Asher had not expected everything that came out of Tristan's mouth. When she had asked him if he was okay, she meant it. After all, she wasn't one to simply ask if she was not interested. She wasn't the easiest person to talk to or approach but for the people she cared for, that was all set aside. She didn't speak for what felt like an eternity and just listening to Tristan's story of abuse made her blood boil. She wasn't sure what it was as she had never felt this intense hatred for someone she didn't know. All the people she disliked simply went into this box of indifference. This was an entirely different thing altogether and nothing that Asher could ever relate to. She had never felt neglected by her mortal parent or was ever abused. When her father was alive, he had taken the role of parent seriously and despite his hectic work life, he had always made it to every school recital and parent/teacher conference. He had been present and that was something she was eternally grateful for. Not to mention their aunt did help fill that void that was left by her mother.

Asher took a deep breath and walked over to Tristan, wrapping her arms around him and holding him close. "You never have to see her ever again and you always have a place to go to. Like I said, you don't just have to come for the holidays. That is your house too. I mean, you're my brother. There is nothing I wouldn't do for you." And she meant it. She let go of him for a moment, and gave her a soft smile. She couldn't quite imagine him during those years and she felt slightly guilty for never asking but that situation wasn't something she ever thought of asking any of her siblings. After all, it could be a delicate subject. "Cold huh? I mean, that makes sense given there is no light or warmth. How would you generate it if there was no source?"