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Post by Althea on May 10, 2017 18:28:45 GMT -6
Althea was privately not as enthusiastic about the notion of being easy to trust - considering the whole deal with Eris and that Lycian town, she didn't quite trust herself, much less find fondness in anyone else actually trusting her. But it was kinda hard to just turn around and be like "No Drei you shouldn't trust me" because that would be weird, and also kind of crap on everything else stated or implied by his words. Which, well, she didn't want to do that. Both out of politeness, and because frankly for a dark magic user who sometimes forgot that other people existed or were worth recognizing the existence of, and who wasn't ideal at interacting with them at the best of times, praise of any kind beyond 'hey you're smart' was a bit hard to come by. And having it come from someone that by this point she... respected more so.
She had no idea where to take it from there though, how to respond to what he said like a normal person taking a compliment gracefully. Which was not exactly unusual for her BUT more pronounced right now than usual. But it was still a nice feeling. Something she wanted to cling to, if only a little bit, even if it didn't work out in the long run. And she had a feeling that it wouldn't. People who stuck around her tended to suffer from the misfortune that trailed the shaman like a shadow. Even in victory and happiness there was the knowledge that it was but a prelude to future tragedy. And with Eris to consider now... well. Althea didn't think Eris was likely to be the intentional cause of anything particularly terrible, but she didn't have amazing confidence that an emotional teenager living in her head was going to end especially well either.
You know I can hear you thinking right? I will learn Light magic specifically to exorcise you. Just so you know.
Yeah that shut the smarmy little - RIGHT focus battle death murder kill. Rawr. Althea got the mental image of her actually SAYING 'rawr' and was almost impressed by how remarkably nonthreatening the vision was in her head. The reality was probably even worse. "Yes, well, mine are near at hand, so let's finish up quickly." She wasn't quite in the mood nor 'standing up without falling' range to casually throw around high powered Elder magic again, but the Flux spell coalescing between Althea's hands spoke to her willingness to try to continue on regardless. She couldn't give up yet, whether or not she wanted to. Too much was at stake, too many lives. And too many things she had left to do.
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Post by Drei on May 10, 2017 18:49:50 GMT -6
So. He could try to keep perpetuating his ruin spell and tax his body harder. He could ignore all the red flags and warnings indicating potential bodily failure. Or he could be sensible. Learn from his mistakes in the past and not press himself to the absolute limit that he felt was getting ever so dangerously closer. The magic that began to warp and twist and writhe between his hands as thought gave birth to form? The most basic of dark magics. He did not solidify it. He did not harden it. He merely allowed writhing shadows to dance with murky form betwixt pale digits as he nodded in agreement with her mention of ever approaching limits.
The Sacaen Shaman's palm lifted upwards as an orb of magic twisted into form. It held not the force he was used to, but he could definitely get comfortable with the lack of strain it put on his body. Like lifting pillows after carrying bricks. It almost gave him a giddy chill along his spine before the shaman extended his palm and ejected the orb from his clutches. The fell magic twisting and soaring through the air, albeit at a slower pace than his far more lethal tendrils. The globe of shadows twisted and rotated through the air until it exploded into a blossoming dark blast of umbra. Though it did not burst a bonewalker asunder and obliterate it to its core it...rattled it? Hopefully? He was somewhat uncertain, as he'd never used it upon the undead before. At-least, not bonewalkers. With the meaty corpses he fought prior he could gauge impact from flesh damage. With these...he'd only know when they were vanquished.
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Post by Althea on May 10, 2017 19:03:26 GMT -6
So. In the interest of better comprehending the totality of their war. Althea allowed much of her mind to wander to a degree as small parts of it focused on the much simpler task of simply forging magic into action. The battle overall seemed to be going relatively well compared to its start; the defenders were pouring out of the two nearest cracks in the circled wagons to take the fight to the remaining undead, whose seemingly endless numbers had dwindled severely over time - it wasn't an unending army so much as a smaller force that had utilized stealth and tactics to strike a devastating blow in order to gain the initial advantage. Having lost the advantage, against a mixed-arms combat force, and struck from both sides, their already limited numbers had severely dwindled. It was fair to say that victory was likely.
But not inevitable.
There were still casualties to deal with - human warriors were not flawless in act, and two had already been injured under her gaze by the undead fighting back all the harder. One had been slain. There were wounded to deal with no doubt. Even if the expedition pushed forward it would be greatly lessened and there was no small probability that the caravan would be recalled entirely, either curtailing the investigation or forcing her and Drei to push on alone - exhausted and magically weakened, prime picking for any assault really. This would not end well regardless. And so it fell to her and Drei to continue pushing themselves, even if they felt a widdle tired, to save who they yet could.
The shadow sinking into the earth beneath her reformed a good fifty feet away, under a creature locked in combat with Robert, who was clearly winded and seemed to be struggling to a degree of his own. The creature's distraction was its undoing, the burst of dark magic beneath it joined by the haft of his long poleaxe smashing it apart, followed by a glance and a grin in her direction before he turned back to the fight. Small steps. She couldn't keep this up forever either, but at least it was more... Althea almost wanted to call it endurance training. She wasn't testing her limits in terms of volume or control so much as simply her magical stamina, using up what little she had remaining in the hopes of reforging her reserves into something ever greater each time they filled back up.
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Post by Drei on May 10, 2017 19:26:23 GMT -6
The Shaman lifted his hand quietly as he spread palms from one another. Darkened magic within his clasp weaving and slithering around them as if weaving through a nocturnal tapestry of ill magics with his hands. The shaman's pulse was slowly stabilizing as he lessened the burden from explosive expenditure to a steadier rate of depleting his reserves. Though the reserves in question were already precariously low, it did not prevent his body from recovering in a slight way. He did know though that when he was entirely spent he would be far too fatigued to continue. That dark magic he wove now began to trickle downwards.
Slowly polluting the ground as if he'd attempted to scoop up handfuls of a sludge like substance. The pools of inky black essence dancing with murky depths illusively projected before traversing the distance between himself and the bonewalker he'd injured that was in the current still distracted with another defender. It was a nice feeling to be honest, having another occupy the attention of the undead fiend so that he could wantonly launch his spells. Utilizing a more potent aspect of flux however, the spell similar to Althea's rose from the depths of shadowy void and formed upwards to explosively burst around the torso section of the bonewalker. The dark mist swirled before it flailed wildly and was forced to step backwards. A weapon of metal construct crashing through and shattering it a few seconds later.
Drei's gaze drifted to Althea for a split second, before looking back to the scene. At-least they weren't instantly dying. That...was nice.
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Post by Althea on May 10, 2017 19:43:11 GMT -6
While sound had always been a close friend on the battlefield, the din of clashing weapons and screams mixed with the fizzling splash of magic and the assorted thuds and crashes of combat, the wave of sound rapidly approaching was entirely human in origin, a chorous of shouts and other various people sounds that sounded like a fair number of people trying to sound pumped up or threatening. Some of them... less than ideally. The reason for both sides of the equation became clear quickly as a number of fighters streamed around both outer sides of the circled wagons, smashing into the bonewalker 'formation,' if it could be called that, like hammer and anvil. Caught from every side and already severely weakened, any sane force would have at least attempted a breakout maneuver, attacking the weakest side in a desperate attempt to escape from the trap. A less dedicated force would very likely have simply surrendered, saving as many lives as possible in the face of unlikely odds.
The bonewalkers fought to the very last, lashing out with blade and shield, lance and axe. Drawing life's blood and internal organs outward, sacrificing themselves in the name of taking their foe down with them. What should have been an effortless victory at that point was marred further by injury; she saw Robert take a cut to the leg that took him down, though the offending walker was crushed by her own dark magic before it could finish him off. She saw a burly axe wielder skewered through by a lance wielding bonewalker before another lopped off his head with its curved scimitar, shortly before the two were obliterated by a massive warhammer. Everywhere she looked it was clear that victory had long since ceased to be any kind of overriding goal of theirs, nor self preservation. Only causing as much damage as they could inflict.
It was almost... sad, in a strange way that left Althea feeling uncomfortable with the wording and her emotions alike. Certainly by the end the creatures must have known that it was completely futile, especially the last few, watching their comrades return to dust in the wake of overwhelming offense. It was strange to - not empathize with them, exactly, but something close. And yet they went down fighting. The last one nearly managed to cut down its executioner, narrowly foiled by another mage's fire before it too went down like the sack of bones it truly was. Was it a reminder that despite their abilities, they were but mindless creatures? Fanatical loyalty so strong that death was but a minor inconvenience? Or did they truly believe so absolutely in the eradication of humanity that they cared naught for their own lives?
Freed of the need to continue casting, Althea smiled at Drei, honestly and openly - but tiredly, far less of a bright gaze than the quiet acceptance of the moment that she shared with him now, the seemingly unscathed members of the forward caravan spreading out to look for survivors or further bonewalkers. But how the creatures had died bothered her still. "They fought to the very end. It was... almost noble, but also meaningless." There could be no negotiation with such single minded hatred, no peace. Only the absolute destruction of one side or the other.
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Post by Drei on May 10, 2017 20:22:57 GMT -6
Drei was almost unable to contain the relief that he felt when the last walker collapsed. Like high tide crashing abruptly upon unwary shores did it wash over him, flooding him with a sense of knowing. Knowing that he'd be able to relax a bit. That was a truly welcome sensation. Once more Drei slowly took a knee, unconcerned with the stains his pantaloons might acquire. The Shaman's breathing was slow, steady, and deep. Inhaling long breaths through the nose while exhaling through barely parted lips. His eyes briefly closed as he tried to embrace his center. The ever so suspicious twinge of pain in the back of his head slowly shifting to the front behind the base of his forehead was also present.
Ah yes. Glad it could make it to the party. Never a fight if we don't have the headaches...
Self lament and bitterness aside, as his gaze opened he saw the smiling visage of Althea gazing towards him. A welcome sight to those he saw when ever he did close his eyes for sure. He couldn't help but instinctively smile back a bit. Though his facade did not entirely crumble he simply felt no need to keep it as heightened around her as normal so he could allow sincerity to bleed though. He made no efforts to hide his exhaustion. The shaman's shoulders steadily rising and falling while he relied on his body's weight to keep him balanced and anchored in place. Speaking in a fairly collected tone once he'd indulged in a few more un-hindered breaths. Drei's gaze drifting to drink in the sight of Althea while she rested as well he even risked a soft "huh" of amusement while tilting his head.
"I think..next time we endeavor to spend time together it should be of a matter far less taxing. If only to spare my body the ache now imbued in each act of inhalation. Perhaps a chance to see these archives you've spoken of, or something there like? Ah.."
He turned to look at the convoy for a moment. Quietly pondering the repercussions of the ambush before speaking in a more serious tone.
"A fair number are still alive. That's..comforting to see. I feel that would not have been the case had we not intervened. "
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Post by Althea on May 10, 2017 21:23:59 GMT -6
Well, Drei was still in one piece if nothing else. That was good! He certainly seemed rather winded though. Althea might have joined him, except more likely she would have just flopped down face first into the ground and have had to be dragged away by a team of horses, but her long suffering dress was unlikely to appreciate the unnecessary filth and so she preferred not to inflict a fate worse than death on it. Or herself, considering that she was the one who would be washing it out. Hoo boy. Yes, best to just stay upright until she fell over dead. Or found something relatively clean to collapse on. In the meantime she just stood, because she couldn't trip and fall and die if she didn't walk!
Ah, optimism.
"Well, this... was meant to be a laid back endeavor after the incidents in Nabata and the ship. It just... didn't turn out that way. At least the pirates aren't here. Again. Did I tell you about that? Perhaps when I - hold on." Someone was walking up to them, NOT Robert but a middle aged man with a large sword slung over his back and a grim look on his face. "You two alright?" "Yes, more or less. What of the rest?" "Front third of a caravan's aight. Looks like you poor bastards in the back got hit the hardest, had to fight our way through. You two comin' or goin?" "To the site?" "Yeah, about two thirds of the remaining wagons are heading back to town with the wounded and them as weren't lookin' for another brush with death. Only a couple groups a fools still raring to go."
Althea glanced over at Drei, ALMOST smirking, she didn't smirk of course but there was a hint of mischief on her lips. "Well, I know at least one fool who is still eager to investigate that wild magic. Would you like to come along, Drei? I am sure that absolutely nothing will go wrong."
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Post by Drei on May 10, 2017 21:33:15 GMT -6
"Hmmm? Pirates...again? No you did not mention any such encounter, and I'll have to inquire you about it when we have a few moments."
Ahhh yes. What could possibly go wrong. Nothing to fear from an abandon ruin abruptly active evidently in unknown or strange magics surrounded by murderous legions of the damned.
Right then! So there was a brief show of emotion. Almost a bizarre mix of exasperation and accepting enthusiasm while Drei's lips ever so faintly cracked into a quiver of a smile while his palms clapped to his knee's once before wearily standing. If he was any shakier about it he might've just fallen flat on his rear a second later. He even let out the faintest of chuckles before gazing towards Althea as he rose to a standing position. The smallest ebb and flow of his stamina as he actively tried to preserve what little energy he had left and maintain himself better. He didn't precisely pay attention to the other man, most of his attention focused on the female before him that he knew and was actually comfortable interacting with.
"Delving into the unknown. Certainty of death? Right, what're we waiting for?"
He dusted his knee's twice before taking a few uncertain steps. His first affirmation as to a positive bodily condition was when he didn't instantly crumple to the ground in a mess of limbs or lose the motor functions in his knee's. His bones didn't collapse or anything either. So he was good in that field too! He let his right hand slowly shift to rest on his father's tome which was bound beneath his robe to his waist, while the other palm drifted a bit and hung idly at his hip. Ashen bangs clung to his forehead while he tilted his head, observing the caravan further to simply gauge the survivors. It couldn't hurt after all to better understand those he might have to rely on or trust in combat, in the future.
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Post by Althea on May 10, 2017 21:52:56 GMT -6
The grizzled mercenary (she assumed) looked somewhere between disappointed, disgusted, and dumbfounded at both her and Drei's responses. It was clear he didn't agree with their decision, for reasons his own, but Althea was floating too high up on cloud nine to care in the least what some knuckledragging - what a wonderful gentleman thought of her. "Your funeral I guess. Head on up the road to the two wagons straightened out, and good luck to the both of you."
Sparing them any further lecture about how they lived their lives he tromped back off to parts unknown, no longer a relevant entity in Althea's mind the moment he ceased to speak, as if he had disappeared into the ether, or rather the Nether, without a trace. Drei seemed to be raring to go, or at least capable of basic human speech and movement - basically the same thing as far as she was concerned. Where there was life, there was hope! And also investigations to be done, knowledge to be cleaned, magic to be improved upon, and last but not least, a great deal of people to ignore. Truly wonderful. "Look on the upside Drei. Perhaps this will finally be my lucky break in which an expedition goes entirely according to plan!"
...Yeah, probably not. They'd be lucky if those ruins weren't the source of literally every monster in Elibe, populated solely by dragons and undead dragons and Nether dragons, ruled by the king of Hell or the Nether or whatever, and also on ire. And watched overhead by Kraft who was about to destroy the entire area in a rain of holy fire.
Eh, what could go wrong?
[Topic end]
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