|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:13 pm
"Everything is important when there's darkness involved," Ivan growled. "So what would happen if I were to touch, say, your forehead? Begin to unravel whatever it is that's wrapped around you?"
He held up a finger just an inch away from Emma's forehead.
"You gonna go berserk or something?"
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:16 pm
She didn't flinch, nor blink, nor look away. "Well, for starters, you would find yourself the victim of a rather nasty series of defensive spells."
Some of them were of her own making, some were not.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:18 pm
"And we can't have that," he sighed and withdrew his hand. "So tell me about this insanity you've found yourself with. You know I've got quite a bit of knowledge concerning darkness. At least, I hope you know. I've tried being less subtle about it lately."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:22 pm
"Really? I hadn't noticed." You could have wrung the sarcasm from her words.
"Ask the right questions and I shall answer."
The net had glowed the slightest bit brighter as Ivan's finger had approached it, but it was now back to its usual level of illumination.
To an intruder it would feel like red-hot steel, but to her it felt like a warm embrace.
Such a subjective thing, magic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:32 pm
"No, no, no," Ivan waved his hands to shun the thought away. "I'm sick of this little Q&A session we always have. Why can't you just tell me what I want to know? You some kinda oracle or something? Sheesh."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:36 pm
"I tried it for a few years, it never appealed to me. Being an oracle." Precognition was not her strong suit.
The enchantress sighed and began. "I was hit in battle with a spell intended to drive me insane and murder both my husband and any living thing for miles around. I was saved by a handy bit of spellwork, but some of the enchantment managed to seep through."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:48 pm
"Oh, I see," Ivan nodded and smiled his usual smile. "See how much easier this is? Now we know what to do. Just give the insanity to someone else. Like a puppy or a bug or me."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:51 pm
She suppressed the urge to punch him, and replied calmly. "I would not wish this on anything."
Keep calm. It'll strengthen the defensive spell, came a British baritone in her mind.
I'm trying.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:53 pm
"The insatiable urge to murder everyone around you," Ivan asked. "Because I don't already have that warm fuzzy feeling as it is. C'mon, I can take it. That's the idea, actually."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:00 pm
A few moments of quiet deliberation later, she spoke. "And your host? What of him?"
If Zach was to be harmed by her actions, there was no way she would go through with it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:03 pm
"We're linked," Ivan reminded her. "But I'm nearly certain that the most he'll feel is a slightly uncomfortable pain followed by temporary bloodlust. I could knock him out to make things easier for everyone, though."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:08 pm
"The consequences are on your shoulders."
Her hands remained folded in her lap, but the net around her bent, channeling the darkness into a stream directed at Ivan.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:09 pm
"Of course," Ivan smiled and held out a hand to reach the darkness. "If I'm wrong, it could kill us."
And then they crossed the point of no return.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:11 pm
Emma had a set of defenses already in place that would make minor deities think twice about attacking, and a recently materialized rapier in her hand.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:13 pm
As the darkness poured from Emma into Zach's body Ivan began to laugh. There was a certain high to be gained from concentrated darkness and Ivan hadn't felt it in a long while. Shadowy markings crept up Zach's arm and stretched across her body.
"This is fantastic," Ivan hissed. "Remind me to thank you if we live."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
