[That gets a flicker of a smile, because as much as Koby is relieved that the aching, overwhelming mental pressure of the last month has abated, it still wasn't a pleasant experience. He's used to the pains that come with pushing his body to it's limits, making himself stronger over time, but this was...something else entirely. Something violent, something that's altered him in some way.
Still, Astarion doesn't seem frightened off by it. And some of the carefully-held tension leaves Koby's shoulders as he gathers up the trailing lacy sleeves of his costume, holding them to his chest with a sigh.] I think much more of the former than the latter. I look like a spiderweb. Or an -- attempt at a sweater.
[The question gets a quick, careful once-over, but there's no radiating suspicion or fear from Astarion (or, if there is, he's adept at hiding it). So:] It's a little tricky to explain, but -- in my world, everyone's life force, their essence has a power to it. Some people call it willpower or aura or something else, but it exists in all living things. "Haki" is just the skill that lets people sense that life force and identify it -- the same way I could look at you with my eyes and know who you were, I could sense you with my haki from across this market and know who you were. With fully awakened haki, I could sense your emotions or your physical state or even your next moves. There are...different ways of awakening it, and the best way is through careful training, learning how to handle it bit by bit, because feeling other people's emotions is very overwhelming.
[A pause, a hesitation.] But, sometimes, if someone has a lot of potential for the skill and they experience a very upsetting, traumatic event, usually involving a lot of death and suffering, it can all awaken at once. [Koby doesn't think he needs to explain that part further -- Astarion witnessed the werewolf game, just like he had.]
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Still, Astarion doesn't seem frightened off by it. And some of the carefully-held tension leaves Koby's shoulders as he gathers up the trailing lacy sleeves of his costume, holding them to his chest with a sigh.] I think much more of the former than the latter. I look like a spiderweb. Or an -- attempt at a sweater.
[The question gets a quick, careful once-over, but there's no radiating suspicion or fear from Astarion (or, if there is, he's adept at hiding it). So:] It's a little tricky to explain, but -- in my world, everyone's life force, their essence has a power to it. Some people call it willpower or aura or something else, but it exists in all living things. "Haki" is just the skill that lets people sense that life force and identify it -- the same way I could look at you with my eyes and know who you were, I could sense you with my haki from across this market and know who you were. With fully awakened haki, I could sense your emotions or your physical state or even your next moves. There are...different ways of awakening it, and the best way is through careful training, learning how to handle it bit by bit, because feeling other people's emotions is very overwhelming.
[A pause, a hesitation.] But, sometimes, if someone has a lot of potential for the skill and they experience a very upsetting, traumatic event, usually involving a lot of death and suffering, it can all awaken at once. [Koby doesn't think he needs to explain that part further -- Astarion witnessed the werewolf game, just like he had.]