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 Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 11:49 am
Runes
Hawk takes a closer look at Holicinesh's drawings.It had been a day full of excitement, and now that it was nearing its end exhaustion was rapidly setting in. He just about fell asleep mid-bite of his dinner. Had it not been for the Seer at his side to gently tap him on the shoulder and the echoed concern from Lorelei's tiny voice, he might've fallen asleep face-first in his plate.
'I think it's safe to say it's bed time,' Hawk spoke up with a low chuckle.
'Nesh nodded sleepily and reached out towards the Shadow with both arms extended.
Hawk obliged by picking him up and carrying him away from the dinner table. He'd come back and clean up once the boy was settled in bed if Athan didn't beat him to it. A vision of the man in question flashed across his mind and he paused mid-step. Athan was hunched over an ancient looking tome, brow furrowed in deep thought.
He would definitely be the one to do the dishes. He sighed, amused as he shook his head at how easy it had become to simply be so... domestic. He resisted the urge to laugh outright when 'Nesh snored against his shoulder. Poor dear. He would insist that he remained home tomorrow to catch up on rest. The night of bad dreams prior had not exactly been restful for him. That combined with all the mayhem of day to day life of Twilight Designs made from one very tired little boy.
Gingerly he laid him down in bed and tucked him in. Carefully, with a whisper's touch he removed his glasses and folded them carefully before reaching to place them on his nightstand where he would find them in the morning. Another vision overtook his mind for a moment and he faltered as he was about to set the glasses down. He paused, hand hovering just above the flat surface of the nightstand.
For a moment his eyes could See. There before him were the scribbled drawings that the boy had been so diligently working on for the better part of the day with the crayons and construction paper Reyna had given him. All of the drawings were either on black or dark purple paper. He had not bothered with any of the brighter colors. His choice of colors for his drawing were vibrant and varied, but nothing darker than an electric shade of blue.
A look of confusion crossed the Seer's face as his vision faded to black. He replayed the images in his mind over and over. Why would he See such a thing? Normally he didn't exactly question his visions. He often Saw perfectly mundane things, but for whatever reason the child's scribbles weighed heavy in his mind's eye.
Blindly he reached forward and felt along the nightstand until his hands touched the rough surface of the paper. He picked the loose sheets up and set the glasses down without a noise as he realized he still had them clutched in one hand. He sat gingerly near the foot of the bed and stared down at the drawings as though to will himself to see them. All he saw were varying shades of darkness.
A chill ran down his back. Darkness. There had been a look of sheer terror on the boy's face this morning, though he had hid it quickly. Once he had revealed his presence the fear had faded entirely. Was 'Nesh afraid of the dark? Was that what this was about? No. It hardly seemed so simple. It had to be something else entirely.
Without thinking his fingertips moved across the paper, and that's when he Saw it. An older version of 'Nesh in a dark, dark place. Runes written across the walls. The vision changed and he was a child again, crouched low on the ground, sobbing in frustration as a circle of magic enclosed on him. Sunlight broke through the circle and cast it away.
As the vision faded and Hawk came back to himself he realized his hands were suddenly very unsteady. He tightened his grip on the drawings and zoomed out of the room, through walls, and finally directly to the door of Athan's study. Normally he'd pause for a moment to consider knocking or perhaps announce his presence somehow, but the sudden urgency he felt overtook his need for niceties, warranted as they may have been.
'ATHAN.'
The man in question jerked upright out of his chair with a start. Athan pressed a palm to his face and sighed heavily. “Must you shout so? And haven't we spoken before about coming down here uninvited? I do not appreciate nor do I wish to have this discussion with you agai--”
'This is important,' Hawk cut him off, words sharper than he had intended.
Athan's scowl melted into a look of concern as he took in the Shadow's shaken appearance. He could feel the tension bleeding off into the bond they shared, and he suddenly wondered why he hadn't taken note of the Fiend's anxiety prior.
'Wards,' Hawk explained with a huff before getting straight to the point as he all but shoved the drawings into Athan's hands. 'Have you seen his drawings? Did you look at them? Read them now. To me.'
The frown on Athan's face intensified once more into a scowl as he peered at his nephew's handiwork. “What is this about, really?” he queried, “I haven't taught 'Nesh how to write yet, nor do I believe you have. He couldn't have possibly.... written... any...” He trailed off with soft exhale. He went from feeling simple confusion to a sort of stunned silence. He had been sitting right next to the boy for the better part of the day but he had not noticed this. No. He had, but he had thought nothing of it. He had noticed only a faint resemblance that had caused him to lose himself to his memories. Not this. He thumbed through the small stack of drawings before shoving a mess of papers on his desk carelessly out of the way.
Carefully, one by one he laid the drawings down so they formed a sort of mosaic. Once pieced together the scribbled swirls made infinitely more sense. “Runes,” Athan murmured breathlessly. They were clumsily rendered and obviously the handiwork of a child, but there they were. It hadn't just been his mind tormenting him with thoughts of the past.
'Yes, but what do they mean? What has he drawn? I need to know. I don't know why yet but this is important. Somehow,' Hawk muttered in a rush of words that barely contained his irritation with himself for not simply being able to See what was going on with the boy.
“It's nothing bad. Just... runes for protection. A sort of... ward against wards,” Athan replied offhandedly as though he were lost once more in some faraway place in his thoughts. He seemed just barely aware of anything other than the drawings laid out on his desk.
Hawk was silent as he mulled over this new information for a time. In all honesty he was hoping for another vision, but that would've been too easy. He thought again of the vision of what he knew now was likely the child's nightmare from the night before. The circle cast had been meant to seal him away in some fashion. '... could it be a ward against binding?'
Athan crossed his arms and stared harder down at the runes. “Yes,” he answered hesitantly, “It could be. Potentially. But too much is missing for this to be anything other than … well... childish scribbling of crude, rune-like shapes. I mean, there is obvious significance here. The boy has some sort of latent talent for magic, that is for certain, but this is no spell.”
'No. It isn't a spell. Not yet. It was a dream. A nightmare to be exact,' Hawk replied smoothly with a bit more confidence now that the picture was being pieced together in his mind. It was slowly making sense in at least a small way, and that was better than nothing. He would need to speak with the child when he woke. He chuckled quietly as another thought struck him.
Athan arched a brow, curious at the Shadow's amusement.
'Tell me. How are Mystic's dreamwalking abilities coming along? Bit of a late bloomer isn't he?'
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 11:51 am
Near Dawn
The Shadow watches over 'Nesh as he sleeps.Hawk cleaned up the dishes in the kitchen for the sake of having a distraction. It wasn't that he normally minded doing it, or didn't usually bother with the chore. It had more to do with the fact that he was having to wait. 'Nesh was sound asleep, and he'd have to wait until he awoke to ask questions. His Sight, much to his dismay, was not being helpful and he was loathe to admit it – even just to Athan.
A heavy sigh caused his chest to rise in fall in an instinctual manner despite his lack of lungs or even the need to breathe at all. He finished cleaning quicker than he would have liked, and he was now left with little to do. Sleep wasn't all that appealing to him. He didn't especially need to sleep, though at times a little rest was necessary simply to recharge. If he did cave to that particular whim, it was usually Athan's fault.
Well. It was less his fault per se, and more that he insisted on curling up next to him. Part of it was his need to protect Athan and make sure he rested when he should. The other part was a little more self-serving. He adored Athan – more so than he could ever possibly put into words. Sleeping next to him was a bit of a guilty pleasure.
Another sigh and he was left drifting lazily through the house, tidying up things here and there. Finally he ended up at the child's door and skittered inside silently. Tonight he would leave Athan be. If his instincts were correct, it was 'Nesh who needed someone to shield him from his nightmares.
He settled on the foot of the bed, tail swishing idly behind him as he moved to sit in a cross-legged position. His eyes drifted closed, though he did not sleep. Instead, he focused on his meditation to help him focus. Sometimes it helped with his Sight. Regardless it would help him remain calm and intent on the goal at hand.
After that point morning seemed to come swiftly. He hardly noticed time pass, though he did occasionally note the presence of Lorelei and Blue. Both had shown up to check in on the boy. Faintly he heard her tiny voice declare that he did not seem as restless tonight. That was good. Perhaps there would be no dreams this night. It would allow him time to prepare for the future.
It wasn't until nearly dawn that the child at his side so much as rolled over in his sleep. The boy's restlessness wasn't apparent to begin with. He seemed to be sleeping well. At first 'Nesh simply moved to lay on his side in a slow, sleep-fogged movement. Moments later his hands balled into fists and in a repeat performance of the night before, he began to thrash about as though he were banging his fists on the ground.
The action jarred Hawk back to awareness and his brow furrowed in worried lines as he leaned over the boy. He was unsure as to whether or not it would be wise to wake him or if he should allow him to wake on his own. He didn't have long to debate as 'Nesh suddenly bolted upright. Had he been a more solid creature, something more human, the both of them likely would've head butted in that instant. Instead, Hawk had kept enough presence of mind to remain intangible and 'Nesh phased right through him.
'Shhh. You're okay,' the Seer reassured him as he moved to sit on the bed and pull the boy into his arms as he had the morning before. 'Did you have another bad dream?'
The child nodded wearily and buried his face over against the Shadow's neck. He sniffled quietly and tangled his fingers in Hawk's hair before gazing up at him with his wide gray eyes. “Is Uncle Athan really dying? And why can't you remember?” he asked in a quiet, sad little voice.
A look of shock fell across the Seer's face. 'Dying? No. No. I wouldn't allow that. You see. Lots of people depend upon your dear uncle. Dying isn't exactly an option,' Hawk answered with as steady a voice as he could muster. By the gods, what was this child dreaming of? 'I won't allow that to happen,' he reiterated once more almost as though he were also in need of some reassurance of that fact. He paused for a long moment as he stroked the boy's hair and back in an effort to offer him some sort of solace from the dreadful dreams that were haunting him. 'Do you know what it is I ought to remember 'Nesh?' he asked tentatively.
Holicinesh shifted slightly so that he could peer up at Hawk once again. He shook his head no with a solemn, heartfelt look. “No,” he murmured softly, “But the voice. It said you can't remember and that Uncle is dying. It also said that the demon can't help either.” He fell silent for a moment before speaking up once more. “Hawk, are you a demon?”
That amused the Seer enough that it momentarily distracted him from the boy's more pressing questions. 'Would you be scared of me if I said I was...?' he asked tentatively.
'Nesh thought about that for a moment, lost in his own thoughts with a look upon his face that reminded him very much of Athan whenever he came across some quandary that had him puzzled. “No,” he said firmly, “You seem awfully nice for a demon. I like you.”
Hawk's musical laughter filled the air for a moment and he shook his head. 'No dear one, I am not a demon. Not technically. Though my bond is, so I suppose I could be by proxy.' His amusement faded away for a moment as he thought about what 'Nesh had said. The demon can't help. Was it Wren who was of no use or Reyna? Wren was far, far away in a place he couldn't reach no matter how hard he tried – and oh, had he tried. Reyna was technically handicapped by her being bound. Neither were exactly what he could qualify as useful at the moment. 'Miss Reyna,' he spoke up gently, hesitantly, 'She is a demon. Full blooded even. Bit of a rarity, but she has--'
“A temper?” 'Nesh spoke up with a tiny smile.
The Shadow chuckled quietly and tightened his arms about the boy's shoulders. 'So true, little one. So true.'
They both fell quiet again and not but minutes later the child in his arms was once again snoring against his shoulder. The Shadow was content for the time being to keep him there, safe in his arms while nestled in the far corner of the bed. He had much to think about and still an assortment of questions to ask. In fact it seemed they had multiplied tenfold. Everything that 'Nesh had told him simply complicated the intricate puzzle in his mind further. Each time he gained a piece, he discovered he still needed at least ten more to complete the picture.
Needless to say, it was a tiring process. Soon enough, it wasn't just 'Nesh that was sound asleep. Hawk followed suit though his arms which were protectively wrapped about the boy did not slacken one bit.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 11:52 am
Morning Light
Hawk awakens with 'Nesh at his side and Athan watching over them both.He woke slowly. First he noticed a heavy weight on his chest, and that his arms were beginning to cramp strangely. Both were things he did not normally experience, so it was a bit startling. He remained still as awareness came back to him. He had fallen asleep, and the suspicious weight atop him was Holicinesh. He relaxed visibly only to tense at a low chuckle that came from somewhere across the room.
’Athan?’
“Who else?” Athan replied with a faint smirk. He shifted his weight where he sat and crossed his legs comfortably while sipping contentedly at a cup of tea. He had brought in an arm chair into the room so that he might sit and watch over his nephew. It had amused him to no end to find Hawk curled up with him in a sort of protective huddle.
Hawk contemplated at saying something snarky at Athan’s remark, but decided against it. ’How long have you been there?’ he asked in a voice that he kept entirely silent from the ears of the sleeping child in his arms.
’Long enough,’ Athan replied smoothly as he took another sip of his tea.
The seer arched a brow with an incredulous look. ’Did you sleep at all?’ he hissed as he noted the dark circles beneath Athan’s eyes and his overall sleep deprived appearance. ’You make my job quite difficult, you know.’
It was Athan’s turn to look indignant. ’You shouldn’t feel obligated to take care of me,’ he insisted.
Hawk rolled his eyes and sighed. ’It’s not like that. It’s not an obligation it’s .. more … of a desire.’
Athan stared at him for a long moment, but before either of them could say another word Holicinesh began to stir. The child yawned and glanced quizzically up at Hawk before moving to fumble for his glasses.
He smiled happily to have woken up surrounded by the people he cared about most. His worry from much earlier was all but forgotten. His happiness faltered only slightly as he glanced over at his uncle. He looked exhausted, and that made him remember what the voice had said. He fretted quietly with the sleeve of his shirt before looking up at his uncle with wide, concerned eyes over the rims of his glasses.
"Uncle. You look... tired."
Hawk laughed. 'I told you so! Go to bed Athan. I can take care of 'Nesh just fine, and I'd wager Reyna has no issue with watching the shop.' The Fiend floated over towards him and nudged him up and out of the chair. 'Go. Rest,' he insisted in a tone of voice that left no room for argument.
"I'm going," Athan grumbled before pausing to pick 'Nesh up and out of bed entirely in a bear hug. "But I think I'll stop by the kitchen for another cup of tea first. Surely you'd like some breakfast?"
'Nesh grinned and hugged his uncle's neck. "Surely I would!" he chimed up, content for the time being.
Hawk didn't look especially pleased, but he knew he would get his way. He followed them both irritably, fox tail twitching behind him. He drifted past them in a smirk. By the time Athan reached the kitchen with Holicinesh there was a cup of tea and a small bowl of fruit waiting for him.
'You have two options,' the Fiend replied as he peered levelly over at 'Nesh.
The child stared at the Shadow wide-eyed. The seriousness of the Seer's tone left him waiting with bated breath.
A lazy, almost smug expression overtook Hawk's face and replaced the serious, weighted stare he had held. 'Pancakes or scrambled eggs with toast?'
"Go with the pancakes, kid!" Lorelei cheered as she settled upon his shoulder after Athan had placed him in his chair.
Blue chimed in with a singsong voice, 'Yay! Pancakes!'
The fairie scowled over at him and rolled her eyes. "Since when do you eat?" she muttered under her breath as she folded her arms over her chest.
Athan simply watched, amused. His house had gone from almost desolate in its solitude to this. And in such a short span of time, too! He had missed the simple little things that family and friends provided to a household. As much happiness as it offered him, he was now often reminded of the past. A small frown tugged at the corners of his mouth, but he hid it behind his cup of tea. He so wished he could be with the one he loved; now more than ever.
But that obviously, was not meant to be, or so he was inclined to believe. Not until some time after his death.
Hawk could feel the swirl of conflicting emotions surrounding Athan. It made his own heart ache for him. He wanted so very much to fill the void within the man's life, but it seemed every time he looked the canyon of regret and pain that ran so deeply within him had carved its way deeper into his very being. He wanted to do something for him – anything so long as it would make him smile.
'Well. What's it going to be? Tick, tock,' the Fiend teased as he leaned over the counter and rested his chin in his hands to mimic the boy who was peering over at him in much the same manner.
'Nesh glanced towards his uncle and then towards Lorelei and Blue. “I think... pancakes would be good,” he murmured thoughtfully.
'Yaaaaaaaaaaaay! Pancakes!' the Sprite sing-songed earning another roll of the eyes from Lorelei and a bemused chuckle from Athan.
In no time flat Hawk had managed to cook the pancakes one by one. He even flipped a couple for the child's amusement. It made him feel oddly … warm when he saw the child smile. As he pushed a plate stacked high with food towards 'Nesh his gaze fell once more upon Athan.
'You. Bed. Or shall I carry you the way I do 'Nesh?'
Holicinesh laughed outright at that before glancing away from his uncle with a sort of sheepish look. He crammed a mouthful of syrup laden pancakes into his mouth to stifle his snickering. The mental image of Hawk doing so was quite hilarious, but somehow he didn't doubt that the Seer could somehow do it. He had the utmost respect for him. He seemed infinitely wise, and never seemed to mind answering any questions he had. In fact, it was kind of like having another uncle entirely. He liked that.
Athan sighed as he pushed himself away from the counter and out of his chair. “You're right. I need to sleep,” he conceded wearily. He had only slept briefly, and even then it had been in his steady. Falling asleep there, while he had done so many a time, was hardly a pleasant thing. Waking up with his face half covered in freshly inked script was also a bit embarrassing. It thankfully wasn't something that happened to him often, but when it did he couldn't help but feel terribly juvenile.
'I'll take care of 'Nesh. You go take care of you for a little while, okay?' Hawk insisted as he rushed towards his side to hug him quickly and then skitter out of the way despite the urge he felt to simply cling to him. 'Besides,' he continued on in a voice only Athan could hear, 'I still have to talk to him. You know.'
Athan nodded. “Yes. I do know. Wake me if.. anything important comes up?”
Hawk murmured a quiet agreement to that and moved to settle in the chair next to 'Nesh. He rested his chin in one hand and watched him eat steadily, occasionally policing both Lorelei and Blue when they began to bicker over food. Blue of course did not eat, but it didn't mean he wasn't going to try.
The Seer sighed as a vision hit him. It was hardly helpful. He already knew it was coming without his Sight. The entire counter was about to end up covered in syrup one way or another and there was nothing he could do about it until after the fact. Lovely. He got an unnecessary vision of this fiasco but nothing of which would truly be of help in matters of true concern. It would at least allow him time enough to think about how to breach the subject of runes and terrifying dreams with Holicinesh.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 11:54 am
A Blind Discussion
The Fiend finally finds a moment to discuss runes and dreams with 'Nesh.Half way through scrubbing up the sticky syrup and hissing in displeasure at both Lorelei and Blue who had prompted the entire mess, he was struck by another vision. This time it was infinitely more helpful. It was of he and Holicinesh sitting in the library, calmly discussing the dream sequence that was plaguing him. Also within the discussion were the things the 'voice' kept telling him.
Hawk looked up from the counter top to meet the child's eyes for a moment. His natural vision, for a brief moment, was crystal clear. He sighed. There was something strangely familiar about his appearance, but he couldn't place what it was. Perhaps that was what he couldn't remember and was supposed to. He shook his head and finished up his work before skittering entirely through the counter to peer curiously at the boy.
He inspected him carefully before chuckling quietly under his breath, fox tail swishing behind him in amusement. 'Now how is it that you didn't end up covered in syrup, but everything else did, hm?' He laughed again when the child simply shrugged with a look of pure innocence on his face. It was hardly feigned. He knew that 'Nesh had neither provoked or taken part of the fight that had instigated the rather large mess he had just cleaned up.
He was certainly thankful that Lorelei and Blue weren't human-sized. He could only imagine the chaos they would be capable of.
With a shudder he reached to tug playfully at the collar of Holicinesh's shirt. 'Going to stay in your pajamas all day?' he asked tentatively before giving the child a rather sly look, 'Because I was thinking that perhaps a day in the library ought to be in order. Maybe even a visit to town while your uncle rests?' The boy seemed rested enough to travel; such was the joy of youth. A trip to town would be convenient, especially if a certain dreamwalker was haunting Twilight Designs alongside his ever charming demonic guardian.
Hawk smirked when 'Nesh vehemently shook his head no and hopped down of the stool he had been perched in. He ran to his room with a joyous sort of giggle while the Fiend trailed after. He let the boy hurry ahead of him, if only because when he ventured close enough he would laugh again and dash forward quickly. It was an amusing little game, and he saw no reason to ruin his fun, especially since the discussion they would have later would be terribly grave in comparison.
He wanted to keep him happy and giggling for as long as possible. He sighed and leaned against the boy's bedroom door while he waited for him to change. He had a suspicious feeling that he was going to grow up far quicker than any other child could or otherwise should. His cool gray eyes already seemed to hold vast knowledge for someone so young. Learning was at least something he enjoyed and was quite adept at. Hawk had witness that much first hand.
The door swung open with Hawk still leaning against it as Holicinesh darted out of his room in a whirl of excitement. His eyes widened comically so when he realized that he technically threw the door right into the Shadow.
Catching onto his train of thought, the Seer seemed to smirk. 'I phased right through it. No need to worry,' he insisted before floating down to his level to wrap his arms fondly about his shoulders. He rested his chin upon his shoulder and peered intently at him with sightless eyes. 'Lead the way won't you? I am not yet as familiar with Athan's house as you.' He hardly wanted to admit that his Sight wasn't cooperating as much as he would have liked. It left him truly blind.
'Nesh nodded and began walking towards the library, humming a quiet aimless tune under his breath as he did so. “Plus, you know, the house, it moves.”
Hawk arched a brow, curious. Perhaps he had also not been about long enough to notice that particular quirk. Or more likely, it was something that required actual vision. 'Moves how?'
Holicinesh smirked, proud that he knew something important that he could share with the Seer. “The rooms move around. I noticed it the other day. My closet went missing, but then Uncle made it come back.”
The mental image that sprung forth at the boy’s words served to amuse the Seer greatly. The poor child had been so flabbergasted that he had nearly been upset to the point of tears as he asked his uncle where his things had went. Also curious was that it was less of a ward and more of a spell that had gone awry a long, long time ago, but Athan had altered it in such a way that it proved to be an effective defense against intruders. Apparently the house just wasn't used to the boy's presence as of yet.
“We're here!” 'Nesh chirped merrily as he darted into the Library.
The boy's declaration banished his thoughts and questions about the house itself and brought forth more pressing matters to his mind. He relinquished his grip on the child’s shoulders and reached blindly for a chair only to find it missing. He grumbled to himself. It must have been the chair that Athan had moved to his nephew's room. He frowned a bit that Athan had carried such a heavy piece of furniture by himself, but there was little he could do about it now. He simply hoped that he had at least enough presence of mind to use a spell of some sort to aide him.
“There's another chair about.. uhm... two steps to your left?”
Hawk nodded and moved to settle into the chair. He was quite thankful that he managed to do so without making a complete fool of himself. He was also thankful that 'Nesh was not the sarcastic sort and felt no need at all to mock him for being blind. He never viewed it as a true weakness but being mocked wasn't exactly at the top of his list favorite past times.
He fell silent and simply listened to Holicinesh rustle about papers and shuffle books around on the large, expansive desk. Really, it was more table than desk, but it was rapidly becoming the boy's work space. Athan found it amusing, so Hawk saw no reason to interfere or otherwise convince him to put his things away in his room.
The Seer caught another vision of the boy that sat before him. He was contentedly flipping through the pages of a book of ornate illustrations. He could not yet read, but he had a feeling that it wouldn't be long before he had that figured out with or without the help of he and his uncle. The child seemed to find the tomes of old, gilded artwork to be just as interesting as any of the story books present that were often read to him. It was also quite endearing how he studied each one carefully. Occasionally he could pick up the sound of him mumbling or talking to himself as he deciphered the stories behind each image. So much like Athan..
'What is?'
A look of consternation fluttered briefly across Hawk's face. 'You are supposed to be sleeping,' he insisted hotly in mental voice only Athan would be capable of hearing.
'I've never done a good job of sleeping for more than a few hours at a time.'
The Shadow sighed. He knew that to be true, though as of late he seemed to be able to convince him to sleep a little longer. The fact that he had switched out his favorite evening tea with something that was meant to relax and calm helped, too. 'Sleep,' he insisted once again. His demand was met with silence, but it didn't seem that Athan was doing anything other than lying in bed reading a novel, so he said nothing further.
Instead, he turned his attention fully upon the child before him. He was now scribbling on a piece of a paper with some rather archaic colored pencils Athan had found for him. There was a fierce look of concentration on his face as he squinted down at both his own work and that of the image in the book before him.
Hawk drifted towards him and reached to touch his hand lightly and then the edge of the paper. 'Copying the picture?' he asked tentatively.
“No,” Holicinesh replied, “Just the funny letters.”
The Seer blinked, somewhat taken aback. 'Funny letters? Tell me what they look like,' Hawk murmured softly as he moved to perch himself on the corner of the table not far from where the boy was working.
“Uhmm. It's.. hard to describe them. They're.. just kind of... uhm....”
'Do they look like the shapes you've been dreaming about?'
Holicinesh glanced down at the book and then at his paper before meeting the Seer's eyes. “Yeah!” he exclaimed, “That's exactly what they look like.”
'Those are runes,' Hawk explained, 'Do you know what runes are for?'
The child paused idly twiddling one of his pencils in a nervous sort of fashion. “No,” he answered hesitantly, “Not exactly. I see them sometimes. On things. Oh. And the other day. I saw them in the circle.”
Hawk nodded quietly, carefully listening to the boy's words. 'You saw them on the circle I cast for us to go to the shop, or you saw them in another circle?'
“The one you cast,” Holicinesh said with a bit more confidence.
'Well. That's what they are for. Most of the time anyway. They are meant for casting spells, so when you see those runes on things, you should be careful. Promise me you'll be careful?'
“I promise,” the boy said with an earnest look, “I will be very careful.”
'Can I ask you about something else?'
The child's eyes widened considerably and his cheeks flushed a bit. Hawk wanted to ask him something? From the sound of his voice it sounded like something important. He wasn't sure what he could possibly know that the Seer didn't. Sure, he knew about the house moving, but there was nothing else he could think of that would be of any use to him. He hoped he hadn't done something wrong. His brow furrowed in worried lines at that thought and he nodded quietly in consent.
“Sure. Ask,” he murmured softly.
'You've been having scary dreams, right?'
'Nesh nodded.
'Can you tell me about them? About the scary voice? It's kind of important. I want to help you make the dreams stop,' Hawk explained carefully, 'I know someone who might be able to help, actually. He has the ability to banish nightmares and go into people's dreams while they are asleep.'
Holicinesh stared at Hawk, wide-eyed still. His friend sounded neat! What an awesome thing to be able to do! He fell quiet for a moment as he tried to work up a decent description of his dream. He remember nearly all of it as he knew he would, but it was difficult. Before he began to answer the question he paused with a worried look. “I.. I'm not in trouble am I? I haven't done anything bad?”
Hawk's eyes widened, somewhat shocked. He moved swiftly and scooped the boy up into his arms before sitting in the nearest chair with him cradled against his chest. 'No, no. You're not in trouble. You have done absolutely nothing wrong. I'm just worried about you that's all. I want to keep you safe,' he murmured against the boy's hair as he rubbed his back in soothing circles. 'I would never cause you harm, you know that right? Neither would your uncle Athan.'
'Nesh nodded and his eyes drifted half closed. He was sorely tempted to simply allow himself to fall asleep, but he needed to tell Hawk about his dream. And so he did in as much detail as he could muster. He flushed a bit when he was asked about the runes he had drawn out on the construction paper Reyna had given him. In all honesty, he hadn't given the drawings that much thought. He had only meant to mimic the things he had seen in his sleep, nothing more.
Hawk at least sounded proud of him for it. Why, 'Nesh wasn't exactly sure, but it was infinitely better than being in trouble. After a time they both fell quiet, and he nestled there in the protective embrace of the Seer's arms. He yawned a bit, eyes drifting close. Perhaps a nap would be nice after all. Faintly he felt himself being lifted and moved but paid it no mind. He was safe with the Shadow. Before he knew it he was back in his room and tucked in under the covers. Two nights of sleeplessness was a bit much for anyone to handle.
The Seer watched over him for a time until he was certain his nap wouldn't last long enough for any sort of terrible dream to overtake him. He left him with Lorelei and Blue to guard him, and went off in search of Athan. The potential impromptu trip to see Reyna and Mystic would have to wait for another day when both child and guardian were better rested.
Admittedly, even Hawk was beginning to feel a bit tired and wearisome from all the stress Holicinesh's nightmares had induced.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 4:07 pm
Appointment With a Seer
Dio and Red have questions and a certain Seer may have answers.Merci grimaced as she pulled up in front of the shop, her hair was pulled up in a bun on the top of her head and she was wearing sunglasses to keep the world from seeing the amazing bags under her eyes. Ever since the freak show had crawled out of her dreams and into reality, she had been pounding coffee and sleeping only when she couldn't stay awake anymore. "Alright Dio, I know you were excited about coming here but do you really think it's okay for you to go in there by yourself? I really don't like the idea of waiting in the car."
That was another thing she had been since it had happened. Entirely to overprotective. Knowing you have a problem and doing something about it though are entirely different things.
Dio rolled his eye and gave her a reassuring pat on the arm, 'Don't worry Red will be there. He'll protect me.' He sounded much more cheerful then he felt, but he was sure Red would show up. He was sure because the little shadow had left out the reason why he wanted Red to come.
The fiend had questions about the scrolls and their connection to his best friend. There was a reason Mister Athan the magic man had given him these scrolls and he wanted to find out.
His curiosity demanded an answer!
He pushed the car door open and closed it before his guardian could get another word in edgewise. This was important! He had the bag with the scrolls swung over his shoulder as he moved quickly across the street. He was shielded from the glaring sun by an old fleece blanket he had stolen from the house, and he quickly discarded it when he made it into Twilight Designs. His eye darted around to see if Red had beat him here.
The other duo had not quite made it there yet, but where not too far - with Red mostly hiding in Zero's shadow to shield himself from the sun, only darting out to the shop when the blue-haired woman recognized the car and tapped lightly on the window to make it come down. "Hey... Are you okay ?" There was definitively worry in the cyborg's voice - she remembered that night all too well, and the fox woman looked like she was about to crawl in a corner and die there. "Have you... talked to Athan yet ?"
Clearly, she was good at fending off nightmare beasts, perhaps, but for some reason she felt utterly awkward right now.
Indeed, Red's will to come along was directly linked to his complete unawareness of the situation. He was not quite curious enough to know about that to have to sit though drilling the fruitcake for answers, thank you very much ! A visit to the shop, on the other hand, was not a bad thing per-se.
There was also Mystic, which he had not seen since that day and he had to admit that he wanted to make sure his "big brother" was well. With that in mind, he slid in straight though the door, instantaneously looking for either Dio or Mystic.
Mystic's presence was no where to be found. Both his guardian and Athan himself seemed to be missing. It was hardly an unusual situation given that they had perfectly capable part time employees, but Kova’s usual delightful singing was absent. As nothing was broken or decayed, it was also rather apparent that Demare and Chrys were not working either.
Instead, it was Hawks Eye that sat brooding behind the desk that was usually occupied by the shop’s resident artist. He sat perfectly still save for his foxtail that lashed behind him every once in a while. He had not yet discarded the hole-ridden cloak he had arrived with since returning to the shop. It was Wren’s and a strangely sentimental part of him was unwilling to give it up.
He was for the most part lost entirely to his thoughts and the occasional vision. His Sight seemed to be returning to him quite rapidly now that he was close to someone he could consider a ‘bond.’ The strain from being so far from Wren was terrible, but Athan had offered him solace. For that he was eternally thankful.
He blinked once before his eyes seemed to glass over as a vision struck him: Shadows. A nightmare. A snake and a star. The Alisari. Questions.
He huffed a bit irritably. He didn’t especially feel up to reading futures for the two little brats that were about to dash through the door. He blinked again and stretched, back arching in a languid sort of movement.
At least the red one would likely prove to be entertaining.
Merci slid her glasses down her nose and gave Zero a reassuring smile, "I'm alright. I don't remember if I got a chance to thank you and your boy for... well... you know.." She trailed off and sighed a bit. She was still a little uncomfortable with the fact that her vanity had put both herself and Dio at risk. Who had sent her that gift? Now that she knew it wasn't something from some secret admirer she was bothered. Something had wanted to kill her boy.
"I haven't talked to him yet no. I didn't want to bother them so soon after their own incident. It seemed to do a number on them. But I promise in the next couple of days I am going to call him. I'm worried that someone or something may have it out for my boy. Oh, if you don't wanna stand and wait for those two your more then welcome to hop in and have a seat."
Dio beamed as his scanning eyes caught sight of Hawk behind the counter, the little shadow wouldn't know where to look for him if he wasn't here. He didn't have time to say anything before Red entered the scene. Dio's attention quickly turned to his best friend. 'Red!'
The nightmare came back to him all at once and for a moment he didn't move. An insane insecurity rushed through him and he barreled into Red attaching himself around the bigger shadow's waist. 'Red, I'm so glad you came.' Dio's only revealed eye traveled over to rest on Hawk and he pulled Red gently a bit closer to the much older and hopefully wiser shadow.
It was time his curiosity about these scrolls and the name Alisari was finally quenched.
"I know..." The cyborg frowned. "It's... an awful lot of s**t all of sudden, isn't it ? First the note with the spell... and now that belt... someone is tracking us." She frowned, looking oddly reminiscent of her own shadow at the moment. Or perhaps it was the other way around - a trait that he had absorbed from her. "Someone is targeting us. Following us. I don't like this one wit."
Her face softened, however, and she moved to sit down. "Im just... glad everything ended up okay. I... am glad Red was there, to be honest. without my weapons, there wasn't much I could do to that thing... I knew something was off, but I didn't want to leave you alone. Sometimes I just hate it when im right..."
He had barely even starting to take in his surroundings that the snake-like shadow had a Dio rather firmly attached to his form. Really, he seemed to fragile and insecure since that ******** nightmare thing. If he could somehow kill it again, he damn well would. "What did you want to come here for, anyway ?" Neither Mystic or his guardian seemed to be here. Not even Athan. Only the fruitcake. Great.
Too bad he could not open portals. Or convince Zero to step though one without potentially being skinned and used as an handbag. Maybe he'll find directions somewhere and hightail it out whenever Dio got what he wanted, as even him could figure out it was directly linked to the seer. He held in his hiss at the thought, remembering full well what had happened the last time he saw him, and not exactly planning on giving the other the satisfaction.
The rather touching seen that played out before him was enough to make him want to vomit. Best friends. How precious. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, or to say something about their little 'friendship' and what it could be.
Or once had been.
He had to choke back the urge to laugh outright. Oh now wouldn't that be fun to taunt them with. He didn't, however, as he wasn't one to simply relinquish information on a whim. Not only was it simply not his style, but the results could be disastrous. His Sight was finicky in that manner, as it was with most Seers.
'Just get to the point and ask your questions, Black Star,' Hawk voiced in a reserved, quiet voice. He had little patience for this really, but he had not Seen a way to escape it. 'Athan isn't here, and won't be for another half hour at least. Likely to be in a foul mood, to boot.'
Merci took off her sunglasses and rubbed at her eyes. "I know, I can't stop thinking that I put him in danger. I should have been more attentive this wouldn't have happened." Her eyes burned from lack of sleep but she gave Zero a reassuring smile. "I don't think your going to have to worry about your boy. He seems capable of taking care of anything that might come his way."
Dio turned his head to look at Hawk and moved toward him a bit, arms still locked around Red and dragging him as close to Hawk as Red would allow. He shifted enough to move the scrolls off his shoulder and drop them to the ground in the tote. 'Sorry if I am bothering you Mister. I was wondering when the Athan man would be in but you already answered that. Guess since your already answering questions I have a few more.'
Dio had a death grip on Red, and he wasn't about to let him go, he didn't feel brave enough to be here by himself. The older shadows made him feel small and insignificant. He wouldn't be able to get a word out let alone a thought if Red chose to leave. So he decided it would be best to talk fast, before his anchor left whether or not he was still attached. 'What are the Alasari? What do they have to do with me? How did they know all the things that are in those scrolls? What happened to them? I need to know what it all means...' He trailed off when the picture of Doran seemed to flash through his mind.
Stupid dream, the feeling of abandonment washed through him and he moved as close as he could to Red.
"And things that aren't in his way. And things that are completely clueless in the matter." The cyborg let out a small laugh. "He gives me entirely too many problems..."
Red allowed himself to be dragged onward to a point, but eventually forced a stop - this was close enough, thank you ! - and, amazingly enough, remained mostly silent. He did not personally care much himself, but if Dio wanted to know, the very least he could do was shut up and not blow up his chances. The black shadow was perhaps the only being in existence on behalf of which he was able to show such restrain, and he focused on observing the jewelry cases nearby, careful not to touch them. He was smart enough to know that pissed off Athan + broken displays = more-than-potential doom.
He did, in fact, like to observe the jewelry when he came here. He couldn't see himself wear much of it, but there was an attention to detail and craftmanship that loosely reminded him of something... not that he could remember exactly what.
Hawk's face drew into an annoyed frown at the barrage of questions he was asked all at once. Silly child. He supposed it was better that he had asked all at once. There was no way he had the patient to deal with stammering out one question at a time.
'I cannot promise that I have all the answers to those questions. My Sight is,' he paused for a moment in thought, 'Finicky.' Much like his mood. Why his Sight was on the fritz, however, was none of their business. His fox tail flicked back and forth in a blatant reflection of his mood.
'I can attempt to answer those questions,' he went on in a smooth, low voice, 'But I require a favor from both of you in return.' He fairly radiated a sort of smug satisfaction. They would both be useful to him, and how could they possibly tell him no? There was an obvious desperation to the way Dio pleaded for answers. He wasn't about to give out information without something in return.
Her eyes moved over to where Dio was, she had no idea why the little thing had been so adamant about coming here today. Merci was curious what had him so strung out. She couldn't think of a better term, Dio was strung out, something was bothering him and he was not telling her what it was. "Thanks for putting up with my weird calls dragging you out of your home all the time too. I think Dio really needs your Red right now."
Dio stared at Hawk and at first he didn't understand. What could he give someone anyway? All he had was his telescope and the scrolls. His visible eye got huge and he drew himself up to his full height, which was not all that intimidating. 'As long as you don't try to take the scrolls away from me. They were a present and I can't give them away.' In his mind they were the only thing of any value he had.
His face turned to Red and he tightened his hold so his best friend wouldn't abandon him. 'I am the one with the questions, why do you need anything from him? Can't I just give you something?' Red wouldn't agree to owe Hawk anything, and all those things that were so important to him would just slip away like water through fingers. He could feel closure eluding him, and he was truly scared.
'My dear star-gazer,' Hawk said slowly, his voice still smug and certain. 'It is not treasure, nor trinkets I require from either of you, but a favor. A call to arms, should the need arise.'
The fact that Dio was thinking he wanted the scrolls or his telescope was amusing. Neither did him any good. The stars did not speak to him, nor did he want to know any more secrets than he all ready did.
However, their help would be needed at some point down the line - he knew it. It would be easier to just call on them and make use of a boon owned instead of having to coerce or talk into it.
'Besides,' his attention settled on Red for a moment, looking at the Alisari intently, 'he does have questions, just like you do. I'm sure of it.'
Dio relaxed visibly when he realized both his telescope and the scrolls were not the object of Hawk's desire. He slowly uncoiled himself from Red and allowed the other shadow to turn his full attention to the jewelry cases. His un-sleeved arm moved up and brushed part of his hair back behind his ear, revealing the shape of his hidden eye. 'If I agree to give you a favor, you will answer my questions? About the Alasari and what they have to do with me? Your not going to make me do something gross right? One time Vance won a poker game and I had to do what he told me for a week, he made me clean out the toilets in the house, all the way down the u-bend.'
It didn't matter to him that Hawk might not know who Vance was, or that he might not be interested in his story. He blinked that large burgundy eye at the older shadow, and the multicolored hair fell back in front of his face again. 'Since I am the only one who will ask you questions you can't have a favor from Red...' The last was said with something of a sullen edge, like he was trying to protect the larger shadow from whatever devious plans Hawk had in store.
'... something stirs, star-gazer, and at some point I may call upon your help to deal with it. Assistance, regardless of what it is, is what I am asking for.' Hawk rolled his eyes, tail twitching briefly with annoyance. 'Nothing so base as ... cleaning toilets, but a real duty.
'But if you agree, then I will answer what you ask of me.' He might have given him a devilish grin if he could have. 'Not all things I will answer, since just as you said, you are the one asking and if it has to deal with Red - then he will need to ask himself.' As in he would have offer a favor to Hawk as well, though it would be the same stipulations.
'Just be wary, Black Star, not all things you really need to know.' Hawk slipped away to sit on Reyna's desk, his tail swishing slowly behind him. It was all most cute how he was trying to protect Red from him, though he was not the one they should be afraid of.
Once situated, he tilted his head to the side and waved over the young fiend. 'Sit next to me and let me see your hand. The one you hide so much,' he paused briefly, before adding, 'and ask your questions slowly.'
He knew there was something amiss, and the fact it was stated so plainly almost made him shiver. Dio lowered his gaze as he closed the distanced between them. The petite shadow perched on the desk next to Hawk and turned his face back up to stare at him. The sleeved arm that normally hung uselessly at his side, was lifted up slowly and offered to the seer, as he was asked to do. 'Do...' He trailed off as if trying to find the right words, 'I had all these questions, about the Alasari, what they are, what happened to them. I know though don't I? It... Was my dream real?'
Really that was the burning question. The evil that he saw had felt so close and so naked that he had shivered with it for hours after waking. Dio had seen things come leaping from the nightmares of his guardian and he was terrified to speechlessness that the man in his dreams would do the same.
Even if Hawk didn't let him ask any other questions, he had to know for certain if Doran was able to simply crawl from his mind and wreak havoc. The thought chilled him in ways he couldn't even explain.
Hawk looked Dio over for a moment once he sat down, as if he was trying to peer into his soul, before he gently wrapped his fingers around the younger fiend's wrist.
'Your dream?' he questioned back, though he was not wanting a reply. Instead he brought his other hand up to trace the barely there star maps on Dio's arm. He blinked his eyes once, then twice more, before it suddenly seemed like he was no longer paying attention to those in the room.
Neither Dio, or even Red, had his attention now. He was Seeing the dream that Dio spoke of and his jaw tightened briefly as a flash of Doran crossed his mind.
'Yes,' he hissed out, tail twitching in anger. Not at Dio; no, his hand was still gently holding the young fiend's. 'It was no dream, Star-gazer, but your memory of the past ... Scattered to the winds, some of the Alisari were protecting someone of importance ...'
Dio's eye moved over toward where Red was, and the crazy feeling of being alone slowly ebbed away. The fear he felt when he thought of that wild eyed man seemed to be better when he could see his best friend. 'He killed them didn't he? That man killed the Alasari, but why did he kill them? In my dream he said he came for me. Will, knowing any of this make me feel any better?'
He just wanted to feel safe again, he missed being ignorant. He stifled his questions so he didn't annoy Hawk. Dio shifted a little bit at the effort at restrain himself, it wasn't easy. He wanted to get it all out, to know what he wanted to know now. This patience thing didn't come easy to the little star. He tried to keep his arm still, so whatever it was the seer was looking for wouldn't be disturbed.
'They were scattered to the winds long before him, Star-gazer, but he did kill the ones that were there just because they were trying to stop him.' Absently, Hawk's hand smoothed along his arm soothingly. He understood the fear, but there was no fearing what had all ready happened. What was done, was done.
'He's dead, you realise.' For a moment, Hawk's looked toward Dio. His attention was back in the present. 'Doran. We locked him away, just as he locked us away. Athan, Mystic, Reyna, Wren, and myself ... To stop him from doing anymore harm.' Perhaps he would tell Dio about it at a later time, instead he let himself go back to tracing the invisible star maps that lined the fiend's arm.
'Knowledge does not all ways help, but it might in this case.' Concentrating once again, he seemed focused on the past once more. 'He came for the one who could talk to the stars. A proud Star-gazer, so much unlike you who have much to learn ...'
Dio finally seemed to fully relax, he let his mind move back over the dream. 'The scrolls, the Alasari wrote them? How is it they knew so much? And, there was a word he said I didn't understand, what is a Crux? What did that man want from the stars? H-' He cut himself off, with the feeling of comfort, he forgot that he wasn't supposed to ask too many questions all at once.
The little shadow forgot that he had been nervous about coming here. Hawk wasn't as scary or as mean as everyone had made him sound. He'd offered comforting words when he hadn't had to, and it made Dio warm up to him inexplicably. He turned his usually immobile arm over, a little awkwardly, and he lightly gripped Hawk. A small gesture of affection.
There was no mistake, Hawk was a snarky, sarcastic, often irritable, fiend. In moments like these, however, he was utterly professional about his ability. Besides, it did no good if fear tainted the person he was trying to read the future for.
He let out an exasperated huff, his mind assaulted with too many images. Each one in response to the question Dio had ask. 'Slow down, Star-gazer; one at a time, otherwise you will find out just how finicky my Sight can be.' The mess of images that he saw all at once was proof that his Sight was still not truly complete. He shifted through them, pausing briefly when he felt Dio grip his arm in return.
In truth, it might actually help.
'The Alisari,' he started again slowly, 'loved the stars. Were guided by them. What they learned in all those years, they wrote down on scrolls to be passed down ... Athan knows this and gave them to you, young Star-gazer.'
He blinked his eyes rapidly, as if something was caught in them. The images that he had in his mind were jumbled and he was trying to sort through them.
'The Crux were astronomers ...'
Dio ducked his head and muttered 'Sorry, I couldn't help it.' He managed to shut his mouth and listen. This was all parts of the puzzle, and Hawk was putting them together for him. It was what he wanted, but the more he found out the more it scared him. This man had been willing to destroy an entire people. Blood, the blood and the darkness that roiled around him. It had come at his call, it had moved with his will.
What could he have wanted so badly?
Ooo Astronomers! He knew what those were he had seen it on the television that Merci had. They were people that studied the stars, their movements and all that. 'You there is a small constellation called the Crux?' He didn't know why but it seemed something relevant to say at the moment. Hesitantly he spoke up again, 'You said I was remembering my past. If you don't answer me now, will I remember on my own?'
Eyes sliding shut, Hawk started to truly concentrate as he traced the visions in his mind's eye. 'Perhaps they named themselves after it then, not that I say that is fact.' He honestly did not know why they called themselves that. He did, however, think that Crux was not the full name of their brotherhood. For now, he kept that to himself - unsure of what to call them besides that.
Distracted by Dio's question, he opened his eyes to look towards him. 'Our memories of who we were is inside, Black Star, buried deep. Even I do not recall everything about who I was, but I know it will come to me eventually ...
'I cannot say the same for you, but some of your past will come to you. In your dreams, in your actions, in the way you act - some part of the man you once were is all ways there.' His tail flicked from side to side impishly. 'I just happen to speed matters up, sometimes. Now,' he said with just a hint of amusement in his voice, 'shush for a moment and let me tell you what I See, before it slips away.'
Dio shut up and his tail started swishing back and forth, like that of a cat stalking pray. It was simply all the pent up energy and excitement trying to leak it's way out of him, without annoying Hawk to awful much. Something inside of him was sure that without all this confusion, he would be able to listen to the songs more closely when he heard them.
Unconsciously he started very very quietly humming the tune he remembered from the dream, his burgundy eye locked on Hawks face in rapt attention. He was not going to interrupt him again, though the effort of not making to much noise was epic.
'I don't know what he wanted from you ...' Hawk slipped back into the daze-like trance he had been as he slipped from image to image in his mind. 'With Doran, there is no telling. His ways were dark, what knowledge he would have gained from understanding stars ...' It went unsaid that it was better off he did not have such knowledge, though Hawk knew for a fact that since Dio was here, Doran had gained whatever he was after in some fashion.
The moment that Dio started humming, Hawk's Eye went very still. Where as he had looked like he was just distracted, it now looked like he was no longer with them there at all.
'We all ways know,' it seemed as if Hawk's mental voice took on another quality all together, one that was not just his own, 'young gazer, your fears, your hopes, who you once were ... You hear the whispers of what we see and hum the songs of our loneliness, yet you are young still and our trust is not easily given again.
'We ask, blackest star, who is the betrayer and who is the betrayed? Why did you leave us, when we loved you so?' Hawk slumped forward a little, grip loosening on Dio's arm, but not letting go. His head spinning as he blinked to clear his eyes, coming back to himself.
'I cannot,' he whispered, 'offer you more right now. The stars keep their secrets well.' The elder fiend looked a bit paler than usual and his head ached from the sudden onslaught of a vision he had not prepared himself for.
His eye widened visibly and his grip on Hawk's arm got tighter. That wasn't hawk talking, the tone changed, his cadence changed, it didn't sound anything like him. They were talking to him, and though the language was familiar, he still didn't understand what they were saying.
Without thought he moved right over and got as close as he could to the seer. His sleeved arm hug limply again at his side, but the other one curled around the older Shadow's neck and he gave him a hug, burying his face in the crook of Hawk's neck. It was a start, he knew more then he did. He didn't have to be afraid of his dream, he had an idea of what the Alasari did, how the scrolls came to be, and now he had a message. It was something he didn't understand, but it was a message all the same.
Excitement bubbled through him, 'Thank you, I owe you a boon then to call on when you need me.'
Hawk stilled immediately at the hug and inwardly sighed. The brief flicker of annoyance, the thought of 'he's hugging me' lead to Athan briefly crossing his thoughts.
'Why, yes, that's how I feel sometimes,' the man responded, his tone somewhat gruff and apparently still grumpy. Hawk would have to do something about that, though the irony was not lost on him.
Relaxing his hold on Dio's arm, he somewhat hugged the young fiend back. His tail swished back and forth awkwardly, as if he was unsure how to proceed. After all, sometimes he didn't foresee EVERYTHING - which did include hugs from precocious young child shadows.
Letting go, he rubbed his hand across his forehead, willing the headache that was starting to go away. 'I will, someday, do not worry,' he replied quietly. 'If I See anything else, something of importance, perhaps I will let you know.'
Hawk shook his head, hair falling into his face for a moment, before it was brushed out of the way. 'If at some point you wish to know more about our past, about Doran and what happened to him, just ask.' He paused, before letting smug amusement color his voice. 'That information you may have for free.'
Dio slipped his arm from around Hawk and his head jerked back and forth before he had taken stock of the two things he was curious about. The scrolls were where he had left them, in his carrying bag, on the floor. Red took him slightly longer to spy, because he had to look through the front window of the store. Merci seemed to be on the tail end of a conversation with Zero, and Red had probably gotten tired of looking and jewelry and annoyed with Hawk's prattling.
The smaller shadow darted suddenly for the bag and scooped it up off the ground. He slipped the strap over his shoulder, so it crossed his chest diagonally, securing them to his person. 'I would like to know what happened, desperately. I have to say that nothing, not even the nightmare monster that tried to eat me, scared me as much as the look on that man's face. You don't look so good though, so you should go rest, you are getting those wrinkles between your eyes that Merci gets when I ask to many questions, or that the Athan man gets all the time.'
Dio turned around and looked directly at Hawk, for a moment he didn't move, he just watched him. Then he darted forward and give him another happy hug. 'Thank you again Mister Hawk. I think I feel better now.' And with that he peeled away and went straight through the front door of the shop without a backwards glance.
If Hawk watched, he would see Dio phase right into Merci's car, and after a few moments the Guardian would move her SUV down the street. In the window, Dio would be waving frantically at the shop.
Red hadn't moved from looking over the jewelry, mostly unwilling to get too far from Dio less the black star suddenly feel weird again and need his presence as comfort. He didn't quite know what the hell about him actually brought Dio comfort but... hey.
He looked over the jewelry, yes, but he was listening. Hawk would know it, of course, and perhaps this was what irritated him the most. How the hell could one hide anything from a seer ?
It was only when Dio zoomed out that Red finally looked from the case he had carefully settled onto. '...Call me as well, when you need us. I will come.' Oh, there was a dent in his pride indeed... But the explanations had fit his purpose. And honor was not a concept Red was foreign to.
He did not wait for the seer to answer him - was out though the door as soon as he had been done speaking.
It was only with a faint sense of annoyance, amusement, and a definite headache that Hawk watched them leave. He honestly wondered if Red would even recall the fact that he was given a boon for nothing at all.
Not that he would not take advantage of it, if the time should arise. As far as he was concerned, he would need both of their help at some point.
'Black Star, Red Star ...' he mused, slipping back into the chair he had situated himself in earlier - distancing himself from the trouble the children had brought into his view. After all, if they truly needed his help with anything, he would be there.
But then again, Hawk was of the learn the hard way mind frame.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 4:09 pm
Allure Changes Everything
Change is on its way."Change is coming, you know ..." The voice in his dream sent a bolt through his mind and his bond.
Wren!
Hawk found himself moving through the endless corridors of a place he did not know. There were doorways, but no doors. Pathways, but no ends. It went on and on in this fashion until he reached a great door. His fingers touched it lightly, and it tingled under his fingertips.
There was a forbidden seal upon this door. Something was pinning his bonded here. He was sure of it.
'Wren?' his mind reached out, brushing against that of his soul bond. Wren's mind seemed decidedly fuzzy . His thoughts were slow and thick as if it was covered in thick molasses.
"Change, Pierce, change," the voice spoke again, coming through the arched doorway more clearly.
'What are you on about? Is there where you have been the entire time?' There was the slightest hint of annoyance in Hawk's voice, but it was also tainted with concern and worry. It had been so long since he had last had his bonded around that he actually missed the demon.
"I'm sorry. You should talk to Reyna. She'll know." Wren's voice started to slip away, and the sense of being both close and far away from his bonded increased. The demon's presence was slipping away, and despite all the spells that he tried to weave, the door could not be opened.
'WREN!' he yelled, trying to grab at his bonded's mind and pull him back. It didn't work. Anger bubbled up in him, and he found himself suddenly wrenched from his dreams.
His fingers clenched in the covers of the bed as his mind steadily climbed from slumber. For the first few precious moments of consciousness, he was tempted to burn the remnants of the cloak that was once Wren's.
With a mental growl, he made plans to use Athan's favorite cloak as his own. He would not mind. Much. Just because Hawk's Eye knew that in the end, as much as he grumbled at him, Athan would let him keep it. His Sight was not necessary to know that.
Thinking of the grumpy, attractive, but not entirely healthy man, it seemed Athan had managed to sneak his way out of the bed and to the kitchen.
Pushing himself up, he phased through the walls of the house. He briefly looked in on 'Nesh and seeing that the young child was asleep. His glasses laid half-perched on his nose, a book falling off of his chest. Hawk plucked the book up, placed it on the beside table, and set his glasses neatly on top of it.
With an amused laugh, one that he knew Athan heard, he kept wandering through the walls until he made it to the kitchen. Even though he made a point to let Athan know he was coming, the man still acted surprised when Hawk's arms slipped around his shoulders and his cheek came to rest against the back of his head.
'... you slipped away,' he grumbled, not entirely with reproach. After all, Hawk was the one trying to keep an eye on the ailing man. Despite the fact that his condition was improving, there was something within Athan that was still bleeding.
No matter how much he gave back, it did not fill the gaping wound. It did, however, stop it from overtaking him or so he hoped.
"We'll make a proper room for you tomorrow." Athan said, ignoring the words Hawk had whispered into his mind. To Athan, the whispered murmurs from Hawk reminded him far too much of his old love. It was highly reminiscent of those nights long ago when he had snuck off to work on a spell or read, only to be caught up with later.
Fingers would slide along his face and tilt his head gently…
Athan shoved the thoughts away, eyes having all ready slid shut in pain. He knew, without a doubt, that Hawk had seen it. The memory. He felt the teenager's concern wash over him, even though it was tinged just a bit with curiosity and a little jealousy.
'I'm perfectly comfortable staying with you.' Hawk spoke quietly, nudging Athan away from the counter to finish making the tea for him himself. Athan's eyes were still closed, but he knew the way to the table and moved to sit down.
Truth be told, he was still tired. He was beginning to think that the only reason he felt any inkling of normal was the fact that the bond with Hawk's Eye was increasing. It was weird that the bond was growing, even though Hawk was getting older. Perhaps it was because Wren was not around. The demon being gone forced Hawk's Eye to bond to another in his stead.
Truly, the only proper candidate was him. The thought didn't please him, but it appeared to be the only clear solution.
Fingers brushed against his temples as a cup of tea was set in front of him. 'Stop thinking so much,' the voice was teasing.
"It does not mean that I will not be making you different living arrangements come tomorrow, Hawk." Athan distracted the conversation back where he wanted it, far away from the ache that was building in his chest. His eyes were still closed, even as he drank his tea.
As if planned, right as he set his tea cup down, he found his lapped suddenly filled with the teenage shadow. Hawk's tail brushed against his leg slowly, as if calculating the next move. With an ease he should not have had, Hawk nudged his head and rested it right underneath Athan's chin.
'... it does us both good if I stay where I am.' The words were quiet. 'To be frank, you need me where I am, Athan. I am afraid that what magic has saved you may not be enough. I may not need to be around you constantly, but if your energy sinks too low again, I do not like what I See coming.' There was a brief pause and for a small moment, Athan thought he felt lips pressed against his throat, but knew that to be impossible.
The things this Shadow did to him! He cursed himself and Hawk both silently.
"I do not think it wise for you to constantly keep a power transfer open between the two of us." Athan would win this, deities help him. He opened his eyes to glare, to try and make Hawk see his way, one way or another.
Except when he looked down, he found Hawk's Eye looking up at him. There was something different about the shadow. He possessed an aura of beauty he had not seen before. Without thought, his fingers reached up and brushed along the shadow's cheek, trailing slowly into his hair.
He was stunning. He seemed to glow all of his own accord.
Hawk's Eye was smiling , or at least as much as one could smile as a Shadow. Athan sensed it, and watched as Hawk leaned closer to him.
'I will keep doing it, Athan. I will do whatever is necessary to keep you alive. You must realize this. I do not care what it takes. Even if I have to deal with certain annoyances.' Such as Mystic. 'But at this moment, you need more rest. So let us get you back to bed, hm?' Hawk was out of his lap, tugging on his hand to get him to follow.
Athan found himself following, stunned and enraptured by the ethereal creature that was leading him. Did Hawk realize how he looked? It did not seem so.
He did not let go of Athan's hand until the man had laid himself back down. Any and all words were stuck in his throat. He could not find his voice, and he could not muster any words forth. Not unless calling Hawk beautiful counted, and thankfully he managed to keep that to himself.
There was no complaint from him as Hawk took up his seemingly permanent position as Athan's newest pillow.
All thought died when Hawk's fingers brushed against his cheek in the same fashion his fingers had grazed his.
Athan let himself drift, mind feeling far too fuzzy and out of place. As he started to slip off into sleep, clarity slowly came back to him as well.
His last thought before the darkness of his nightmares claimed him was that there was an allure at work here.
Wren be damned; didn't he have faerie blood in him? Hawk must have picked up a trait.
It was a meaningless thought as his mind slipped into the recesses of sleep. Everything was to be forgotten until morning.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 4:21 pm
Not So Hidden Talents
Storms, allure, and Reyna making a mask.Twilight Designs was destined for two storms to hit it. Though neither were actual storms of the rushing rain and billowing wind; they were storms of emotions. The first came in the form of Athan. The door flowed open before he even stepped into the shop.
Reyna looked up from where she was working, about to offer her customary greeting, but the words died in her throat. So did every other teasing comment she had for Athan at the moment. The man did not look like absolute hell as he normally did. In fact, he actually looked healthier than he had in a long while.
Perhaps Hawk's Eye being around was doing the grumpy old magic-user some good. Athan blew past her as if he was a gust of wind himself. She found herself studying his face. There was a wild look in his eyes she had never seen before and a flush to his skin that looked suspiciously like a blush.
The only time she had seen his cheeks even tint with the slightest hue of red was perhaps when Wren had angered him to his boiling point. The evening of the Halloween party came to mind, and she snickered at the memory.
Athan shut himself in the back room, and there was no point bothering herself with thinking about it. If it was her business he would have brought it to her attention.
Just as Reyna started on her work again, the second storm hit the building. This time it was more like a flash flood. Almost the exact same way that Athan had entered the building, Hawk's Eye did a moment later.
At least she was sure it was the Seer. There was a brief growl in the back of her mind from Mystic when he realized that the other shadow had arrived. Reyna had not seen him much since his return. The teenaged fiend shifted into a solid form once inside the shop with the hood of his cloak held tightly around his face. The cloak looked suspiciously like one Athan wore frequently, but she said nothing about it.
'Where IS he?' Hawk's voice came across like a predator hissing at its prey that escaped. He gave off the impression of a bird with ruffled feathers, but his voice had an edge of worry that was quite uncommon for him.
'Never mind. He is here. That's fine.' There was an exasperated sigh at the end of it, but Hawk's Eye seemed to calm down long enough to situate himself into a chair at the counter.
"And hello to you too," Reyna said, eyes rolling a bit as she finally got back to her work. There was obviously something going on between Hawk and Athan, but she was not sure what. Athan's refusal to speak about the subject made it rather blatant.
'My apologies.' The tone from the shadow was actually serious. 'Good day, madam shopkeeper.' If there could have been a smirk on Hawk's face, there would have been.
Reyna had the increasing urge to toss something at his head for being obnoxious on purpose. Or just let Mystic have it out with him like he wanted. Still, at the back of her mind, she knew something was off. The smell of magic was heavy in the air, and it was too heavy given that no spells had been cast.
It was making her twitchy. The magic crackled a bit in the area around Hawk. It did not take her long to realize what it was. She watched as the hood of his cloak was pulled down, and smirked. She knew why Athan was hiding from Hawk. The Shadow always had a grace about him with his pretty and delicate features, but it was nothing compared to the glow he currently seemed to give off.
He possessed an allure. It was a gift that the faeries and other such creatures had. It was something that would be both his blessing and a curse.
It was a familiar smell, one that was both sickeningly sweet and intoxicating at the same time. It did nothing for her, as she was thankfully immune, but she couldn't say the same for the dark man hiding in the back room.
"What happened with you and Athan?" she found herself asking with a sly grin.
The Seer did not bother to look up from the busy work he had found for himself in rearranging one of the displays. After a few moments she saw him surreptitiously glance her way, before he finally decided the speak.
'Probably a lover's spat,' Mystic snickered.
Hush, she thought. She wouldn’t able to keep a straight face this if he was making her laugh. So far, Mystic did not seem to care much about the allure that Hawk's Eye now had. If it did not affect Reyna, it likely would not affect him, therefore he had no real reason to care.
'After I opened the portal to Gaia, he immediately launched himself through. I barely had it finished before he was gone.' There was a brief pause as he sent a dark thought in Mystic's general direction. The Seer knew the Dreamwalker was eavesdropping through his bond.
'He would not look at me, and barely even talk to me since the previous night.' There was another pause as if Hawk was trying to figure out what was going on. He didn't have a problem with Athan being speechless around him per se, but he wasn't certain of the cause of the extended silent treatment he was currently enduring. 'Today, he just bolted. Frustrating, if only because he is still not back to full health, and I would prefer to keep an eye on him, if at all possible.'
It was then that he trailed off. His sightless eyes widened slightly as he turned to fully look at the demoness. A vision had just hit him. One that was letting him know exactly what Reyna had been thinking was the source of his problem. It was a wonder he had not Seen it sooner, but where Athan was concerned his Sight was not always clear.
The expression on his face was priceless. It was not often that one got to see utter shock on the face of the Seer. The moment was going to be one that both Reyna and Mystic would forever treasure.
'Wren,' he growled out. Hawk's tail twitched in irritation, and his fingers tightened around the quartz that hung loosely by his hand as if trying to pull support from it.
"What about Wren?" It wasn't like Wren was around to warrant such curses. In fact, she was fairly sure wherever he was he likely was just as amused as she was about the entire situation.
'A vision,' the Seer gritted out, 'Of change. That you would know about it. This so-called gift from my bonded-demon.'
"I'm sure you don't need to tell me what it is, then," she said as an idea struck her. She pushed herself up from her current project. "You seem to know it already, but just in case," Reyna said with a smirk over her shoulder at Hawk's Eye as he scowled at her. "It's called 'allure,' and it's a very potent trait that faeries carry for the most part. Some seem to have control over it, some don't. Looks like you don't, kiddo."
The look she was given from the Seer implied he was no helpless victim of his gifts, be them curses or otherwise.
'Reyna, you're just going to feed his ego,' Mystic chided in the back of her mind as he made his way to the front of the shop.
"Well," she said, continuing on as she ignored commentary and heated looks from both Shadows, "Athan probably has books and crap about this kind of stuff. My knowledge about it is pretty limited, and uh, control has never been one of my strong points, if you know what I mean." Reyna snickered again, thought back to Athan and the healthy blush on his face. Oh, if she thought she was able to get away with teasing Athan about it, she would have. Alas, she was rather certain that Hawk would've given her hell about it.
'I suppose I'll be borrowing a book or two from him, then,' Hawk's tail swished about a little less irritably. It was obvious from the far away look in his eyes that his Sight was showing him the location of the book and the solution to his current problem.
"Well, that will make things better in the long term, but as for right now," Reyna she trailed off as she grabbed up what she was looking for. She pulled out of her desk a handmade mask she hadn't quite finished. She held it up towards Hawk with a satisfied look. It would work beautifully as well as do to keep the allure in check. The materials that had been used to make the mask base had magic woven in them that pushed whatever was under the mask into submission.
Such as an eye that... Reyna shook her head.
'I ...' Hawk paused briefly, before bowing his head slightly in thanks. It was the best thank you that the demoness would get as his gratitude quickly faded as Mystic phased into the room.
There was a glint in his eyes as he looked at Reyna.'Why are you helping him, Reyna? We all gain powers and abilities that are beyond are control. He needs to learn how to master them under his own guidance, not have a hand in keeping it in check while he does ...' Mystic was not willing to help the brat. He did not have much help when it came to him being a dreamwalker, why should they help the Seer with his allure problems?
Reyna did not miss a beat and instead ignored the brewing fight between the two of them. Instead of joining in on their banter that was quickly receding primarily into adjectives and terms not suited for what was typically a PG environment, she reached out and gently turned Mystic's head towards Hawk's Eye.
"Why am I helping him, sweetness?" she asked, in a coyly honeyed voice despite how on the inside she was laughing. Her laughter threatened to burst from her chest as Mystic's expression went completely slack making it plainly obvious that the allure was working quite well.
'Oh for the love of all that is sacred,' Hawk hissed as he blanched and pulled up the hood around his face promptly. 'There is no cleansing medi-'
It took a moment, but Mystic came back to himself with a rosy color to his cheeks. 'Do not say another word,' Mystic gritted out, immediately turning back to Reyna. 'Make him the damn mask.' And then, just for her own ears, '... please, I do not think my mind can handle finding him the slightest bit attractive.'
"Of course, dear," she said with a smile as she went to work on the mask and left the two shadows to their glaring contest.
'Don't you have some place else you could be? Some wayward dimension to torment others in?' Mystic said with his arms crossed, fingers drumming against his forearm as he leaned back against Reyna's work table.
'Don't you think you should do something about that mark on your hand? It's rather tacky looking. Did you put that X there yourself or did you actually let someone brand you like a head of cattle?' Hawk spat as he settled back to his work rearranging the displays to his liking. The Seer knew he would only leave when the mask was complete and Athan was ready to go home.
'What mark are you talking about?' Mystic grumbled as he looked down at his hand, twisting it this way and that, but not seeing the supposed mark the Seer referred to.
'Of course the blind Seer sees it, but the Dreamwalker does not. Have you thought, perhaps, someone has left a mark there for a reason?' Hawk said as he looked over at Mystic with a smug look, effectively restarting the arguments between them to pass the time.
Reyna simply grinned and hummed an aimless tune as she worked.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 4:32 pm
Overstepping
An apology and a seer stepping on toes.'I apologize,' the shadow's voice was a wisp of guilt against Athan's mind as they walked the darkened paths of the road together. There was no shaking the Seer, despite all his efforts.
It made Athan want to grit his teeth in annoyance, but even he admitted there was some ease to having someone else open and close the portals to his home and otherwise.
"You cannot help the gifts that you inherit from your bonded, Hawk. You can only hope to keep them in check and under control." Athan paused, head tilting just slightly to look at the Seer who trailed beside him. The mask Reyna made was firmly in place on his face. As delicate looking as the hawk-like mask was, it was oddly suiting. The lightly colored feathers blended in well with the hair that fell in around the shadow's face.
Athan scowled - mostly at himself. It seemed that allure had a lasting effect on him.
'It will not be a nuisance very long,' Hawk promised, his fingers going to curl around Athan's elbow to have him pause. 'And when Wren returns, there will be words, I promise you.'
"Putting it lightly, are we?" Stopping in his steps, knowing they were a good enough distance away, he watched as Hawk's Eye worked his magic. Though obviously his true power was that of Sight, the Seer was no stranger to magic and it's powers. Athan had learned that when the shadow had been younger - when they had bound Doran away into the quartz.
The same battle had cost Hawk his eyes, but he wondered if he was really suppose to even keep them. Sometimes Athan knew that Hawk was using his own eyes, seeing the world through him. It was a bit unnerving, but he found himself allowing it. Serving as Hawk's Eye's bond in the stead of the demon whom he had lost.
Not truly paying attention, he felt another tug at his elbow.
'Let's go, shall we?' There was a glint in Hawk's eyes behind the mask. Clearly he liked saying the word we. Another minor annoyance. With a begrudging sigh, Athan stepped lightly through the portal, not stopping this time as it was closed behind them both.
'And I am not putting it lightly. I shall have this talent,' the word was said with mild distaste, 'taken care of.' Hawk's Eye floated on ahead, briefly turning back with his tail swishing mischieviously behind him. 'I truly do apologize, Athan. Though,' he trailed off for a moment, 'I must admit, you looked horribly attractive, flushing as you did.'
Before Athan could even grit out his words at the playful shadow, he was all ready gone. An errant thought left with him that Hawk was going to go look in on 'Nesh and see about having dinner made for those in the house. No, he would not attempt to poison Lorelei, but it was tempting if she did not leave him be.
Athan let himself truly breathe once Hawk's Eye was out of sight. His hand came up to his chest, palm rubbing against the mark there as it was aching. He was sure it was. It would never do - Hawk's attention on him. Athan's mind was forever on another, forever on his mission.
... and when it was over, at least he'd have the comfort of knowing that they just might be together in the end.
Hours had passed - and though Athan had meant to answer Hawk's call and come to dinner, he had not. What he HAD done was checked in on 'Nesh, seeing how the child was doing. It seemed that Hawk's Eye had taken to looking after him, answering his questions with more questions and fueling his fire for learning.
At least it kept his attention off of himself. Still, that had been some time ago, and the hour was late. Athan found himself having dozed off in his study. He would not have stirred, if not for the sensation of fingers gently brushing against his cheek. Stroking upwards, until they rested against his hair for a moment and left.
It was a familiar sensation and he found himself leaning into it. He was dreaming, after all. He smiled, though it was forlorn more than anything else.
So long ... I miss you ... He found his fingers curling around the hand that had pulled back. Pressing them back against his cheek, he felt as if some of the ache in his chest left. There was a soft smile on his beloved's face, but nothing was spoken. No words fell from those lips.
But it was clear from the look, he was being told to rest. That everything would be all right. The fingers continued to stroke his cheek lightly, going to rest against his neck. He felt weight against his back, comfortable and welcomed.
Athan felt himself drift off again. This time into the first peaceful sleep he had had in a long time. For once, the nightmares that usually followed such errant visions of the past did not follow.
When he woke up again, the hour even later. It was because the smell of food had awoken him. It was entirely out of place, as he had not brought anything down to eat or drink. Sniffing and groggily opening his eyes, he spied a fresh cup of tea and a sandwich sitting on a plate beside it.
How on Mhiroso ...
Immediately he was on alert, checking the wards and protections over his study to see if they had been broken or tampered with. If anyone had come through, satisfied that they were okay, he slumped back into his chair and stared warily at the food that had appeared while he was sleeping.
Perhaps it was another illusion of his mind, tired and weary and clearly telling him he needed to eat.
'It's real food, Athan.' The bemused voice startled him, if only because of it's close proximity. 'I Saw that you'd be truly waking and thought you could do to eat something, since you missed dinner.'
Pushing himself up, Athan found himself turning around. Anger already bubbling up - how DARE Hawk's Eye break past his wards. This was his sanctuary, his private study ... The shadow was sitting curled up in his beloved's chair, as if it was made for him, and all it did was anger him more. Not true anger, but a tired anger one felt when all the wind was gone from them.
There was a tome in Hawk's lap, one that Athan was certain talked about the powers and gifts of the fae folk. It had been a gift, a long time ago, from the King of the Forest. A ruler of a realm hidden from the rest of the universe. A place that both him and his beloved had found themselves spending time in when they wanted respite.
Sensing Athan's unease, Hawk closed the book. His fingers no longer brushing over the pages, reading the only way he knew how. Letting the knowledge come to him as his Sight shared it with him. Some books were easier than others, after all - if they were made by magic, they were infinitely easier to read.
'Calm down, Athan, anger will do you no good.' Hawk's Eye choose his words carefully, holding himself back and not approaching Athan to comfort him as he wanted to. 'I did nothing of the sort - breaking your seals. I merely opened the door and came down here. You KNOW that, you checked them yourself when you awoke, did you not?' The Seer's head tilted towards him, tail swishing back and forth haltingly, as if not sure how to proceed.
"Only those I allow can come down here - and you are not among those, Hawk." This WAS Athan's private sanctuary and even though he had let people in before, he all ways fixed it back so that they could not come in again, unless he willed it so. "Which clearly means you are NOT suppose to be down here."
It was not hard to miss the brief flash of hurt in the eyes of the Seer, but Athan ignored it. Instead he watched as eyes narrowed and stared at him.
'If you do not want me down here, Athan, you'd do well to make sure your seals keep me out. In fact,' there was an edge to Hawk's voice, 'the ONLY way you'll get me out of here is to fix it. If I can breeze past them, then it is obvious I am meant to be here. Don't you agree?'
"I don't," Athan gritted out, his fingers all ready itching and wanting to fix the magics surrounding his study to banish the shadow out of it. He was not sure why, but somehow, this was a place where he did NOT want Hawk's Eye. The Seer's presence often seemed to make him think of his beloved - though he was sure it had everything to do with their bond growing and Hawk's Eye tempering his magic reserves with his own.
A little bit of Sight all Athan's own was what he had long since concluded.
'Do what you will, Athan, but I will sit here and read this book - and you can work on the seals all you want. After all, you'll know when they work when they expel me from the area.' Hawk's face was stern beneath the mask, he was sure, but he did not care.
Instead, his stomach grumbled.
The Seer gracefully smothered his laughter, setting down his book and slipping right past Athan to the plate with his dinner on it.
'First eat, then work your magic, then get rid of me.' Hawk's Eye held the food out, his expression honest. It was all most a challenge - to see if Athan could run him out of this room - and he was willing to accept it.
"Infuriating Seer ..." he grumbled, snatching the plate away from Hawk's Eye. A shrug was given as the shadow went back to where he had been.
'I've heard worse, Athan,' he chuckled, his own ire gone at the moment of that stomach rumble, 'besides, from what I can tell, you've been in need of changing the seals here anyway. I just gave you a new reason ...'
Athan scowled, sitting down in his comfortable chair and being to eat lightly. There was no denying his hunger. He would deal with it and when he was done he would deal with the wayward Seer that was overstepping his bounds.
'You hope,' Hawk's voice was a smile in his mind's eye. 'Shall I tell you if you succeed or not?'
"Do be quiet," he grumbled. The shadow was purposely baiting him.
... he hated the part of himself that enjoyed it.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 4:49 pm
Tentative Plans
Hawk explains the runes to athan and begins a plan.Hawk's Eye admonished lightly, fox-tail swishing back and forth in what Athan knew to be a tell tale sign of mischief. 'Shouldn't you be doing something more along the lines of resting and getting some sleep?' the Fiend all but purred as he drifted lazily over towards the other man and crawled over towards him to lounge against his side.
Athan found that he suddenly had a hard time keeping his focus upon the book he held in his hands. His face flushed and he glanced quickly away when for a moment he managed to block the Shadow from his field of vision. He swallowed thickly and tried to focus on the words, but his attention span was shot. Not only was he quite exhausted, he had to deal with Hawk's allure.
He closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath. He exhaled a bit raggedly and realized that had been a mistake. He could smell him. It was odd, as he realized a creature made entirely of darkness should not have a scent at all, but somehow Hawk did. It was sweet in a seductive sort of way with a hint of spice. Maybe it was his hair.
He could feel the weight of him pressed against his side and the silky strands of it brushing against his shoulder. His second mistake was opening his eyes when Hawk suddenly snatched the book out of his hands.
“Do you mind?” Athan all but hissed irritably as he gazed down upon the beautiful, fae-like creature at his side.
'Mm.. actually,' Hawk purred as he stretched in a hedonistic manner purely for Athan's benefit, 'I think I do.' Yes, he knew he was supposed to be keeping his allure in check. It was why he normally wore a mask outside of the house, but it was just so tempting. The fact that he was constantly plagued by visions which tempted him to use it to his benefit made it that much worse.
Athan physically turned himself away from the Fiend as he tried to clear his thoughts. His hands shook slightly as they reached for one of the night stand drawers to retrieve a bit of quartz or just anything he could to distract him from the Shadow next to him. He wasn't supposed to feel this. He wasn't supposed to want to be anything other than a father figure. He wasn't supposed to want him.
Hawk made a huffing sort of noise and reached around Athan to stop his shaking hands from reaching into the drawer. 'Oh come on,' he murmured sweetly as he pressed his cheek against his, 'There's no need for that. Lay with me for a bit so that you might actually sleep.'
“You,” Athan gritted out between clenched teeth, “She'la .. auhn sate'na LOTHE!”
The Shadow chuckled quietly, but then suddenly found himself pinned against the the bed. He stared up at Athan with wide unseeing eyes, and still he laughed breathlessly. 'And yet who has who pinned against the bed, dear heart?'
He was fairly shaking with barely contained emotion, whether it be rage or passion it was difficult for him to say. “Must you be so endlessly frustrating?!” he yelled, “I am not your lover, nor can I ever be! You … I... I am responsible for you, Hawk. If I must be anything to you it shall be a father figure, nothing more.”
The Fiend reached up to gently stroke Athan's face with one hand he phased free. 'I've never seen you as such. Not even when these eyes of mine could see. A guide perhaps, but never a father. If anyone in my life is to be referred to as such it would be Wren. Not you. Never you.'
Athan exhaled raggedly and pressed his face against the crook of Hawk's neck with one hand fisted in his two-toned hair. “You .. you will be the death of me,” he whispered softly.
Hawk paled a bit, and was somewhat thankful that Athan was not peering at him directly and had missed the stricken look across his face. That could so easily be true. He was bound and determined that that particular fate never happen, but he knew there was potential there. He would do anything he could to keep that from happening. His eyes sifted closed and he wrapped an arm around Athan's shoulders which were still tense as though he were ready to flee at any moment.
It wasn't an option. He would sooner kill himself than give in to darkness and hurt Athan.
He toyed with one of Athan's dreads before phasing out of his arms with a playful chuckle. He picked up a pillow and thwapped Athan over the head with it. His laughter began again when he successfully instigated a pillow fight that in turn quickly turned into a wrestling match. The one benefit of his not being more human was that he so easily phase through Athan's arms, though he did finally settle there.
Once it seemed Athan's anger with him cooled, and a small smile threatened at his lips he carefully settled into the other man's arms with a pleased look upon his face. 'You know,' he began quietly as he titled Athan's face towards his and idly massaged his temples to ease the headache he knew that would surely be upon him in a moment's time, 'I did not simply interrupt your night of restless fantasy book reading for my own selfish purposes.'
Athan arched a brow and chuckled quietly before replying with an incredulous tone, “Oh really now?”
'It's true,' Hawk insisted as he squirmed to get more comfortable as he curled against Athan's side and shifted to rest his head against his shoulder. 'I discovered partly why 'Nesh was scribbling runes. It has something to do with his dreams. He said he was copying them.'
“Mh. But to do so … so accurately,” Athan mused aloud in a low voice.
'Indeed,' the Fiend replied, tail swishing to and fro before elaborating, 'I think Mystic could help us solve this particular puzzle.'
An exasperated noise escaped Athan, but before he could complain about his general dislike of that idea Hawk cut him short and pressed a hand over his mouth.
'I a distinctly aware of your distaste and lack of faith in his abilities, but he has grown since the last time you attempted to offer him counsel in magic studies. Not just physically, but mentally. His powers, while they have remained latent for so long, are awakening rapidly. He is learning, and he can help.'
Athan fell silent and simply frowned down at the Shadow. He didn't like it one bit, but he did trust the Seer's judgment. It was foolish not to. After all, he wasn't the one who could See the future.
“And you think you'll be able to coerce him into willingly helping? He's as stubborn as his bond, and equally prone to fits of rage.”
A pleased look crossed Hawk's face. 'Oh no. We couldn't so much as coerce him into taking his next non-existent breath.'
Athan stared down at him, somewhat puzzled.
'But I know who can, and so do you!' Hawk announced, quiet pleased with himself and the little plan he had that was slowly coming together.
“Reyna,” Athan murmured softly. He didn't much like that idea either. Favors from demons did not sit well with him for a variety of reasons. In fact, the very thought made his head ache. He really and truly wanted nothing to do with the situation, but he was Holicinesh's guardian, and thus would be held responsible should something go awry.
'Exactly right,' Hawk almost seemed to chirp cheerfully as he arched up slightly to nuzzle his cheek against Athan's in what likely would have been a good night kiss. 'So get some rest. I will handle Reyna. You just worry about teaching proper rune scrying and writing to a certain up and coming magic-user in the morning after breakfast.'
Athan sighed as Hawk pulled away from him and drifted off. “I think I may be able to manage that part.”
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 4:51 pm
Coercion
Hawk convinces Reyna to coerce/force Mystic into helping Holicinesh with his wickedbad dreams.
Reyna was sitting at her desk, quietly minding her own business. It was a slow day. Sometimes it was a nice break, but business had been slow for several weeks now. This in turn made her quite restless and Athan rather cranky. She sighed and stared down at the blank tablet of paper before her. She was even too irritable to draw. What a pain!
She sighed and leaned back in her chair, visible eye half lidded as she stared out towards the front of the shop. Mystic wasn’t even here to entertain her.
’I could change that,’ was his soft reply inside her mind.
She smirked faintly at that thought. Before snickering outright when a Shadow other than her own trailed into the shop with a child grasping his hand. ’Looks like you’d have company if you did,’ she teased before giggling outright when he looked further into her mind to scoff at the sight of Hawk’s Eye.
“Good afternoon, gentleman,” she purred, half-serious and half-joking as she propped her chin up in one hand as she leaned against her desk, “How can I help you?”
'We're going to ask Auntie Reyna for some assistance,' he murmured to the small boy, though he hardly reminded him of one as mature as he rapidly was becoming. It was oddly funny that the child was going to be much taller than Hawk had ever been - probably in both of his lives; he just knew he was going to be.
"Will she?" 'Nesh let out a yawn, covering it with one hand as he opened up the door to the shop for Hawk's Eye. Not like the shadow could not just go through regardless, but it was the polite thing to do. After all, he was the Seer's eyes when he could not use his Sight to see.
'Oh, I'm sure she will ...' He might have grinned at Reyna's greeting, knowing her lack of inspiration and annoyance. Hawk hated the slow business days himself - with a passion. Customers WERE amusing at times. 'Actually,' he said slowly in response to her, wrapping an arm around 'Nesh's shoulder briefly, 'yes, you can help us with something.'
The demoness arched a brow as she peered over at the two curiously. “Oh?” she replied, “And what might this ‘something’ be?” It would no doubt prove to be interesting. Hawk was not one to make simple requests, never mind ask for help unless it was truly warranted.
Her gaze settled upon the child at his side. She offered him a small smile, and wondered idly why he looked so very tired. “I’m going to guess you’re not looking for jewelry,” she smirked as she leaned back into her chair and stretched, back arching in a very feline manner, “Probably a good thing too, as I’ve not the patience for it today. But I’m sure you already know that, hm?”
’Some company,’ was Mystic’s snarky reply.
Reyna ignored him outright, which served only to rile Mystic’s irritation further. She had no desire to get on the Seer’s bad side, and just because he didn’t like Hawk didn’t mean that she had be a petulant brat as well.
'Not much business,' Hawk moved into the shop, letting the door drift shut and gave a shrug of his shoulders. 'Even I would be annoyed - which means you're down right cranky about it.' It was more in agreement than to be a know-it-all Seer. He navigated 'Nesh over to one of the chairs and lifted him up into it, all most chuckling with the boy continued to yawn.
'Actually,' he spoke quietly, gently pushing 'Nesh's glasses back up the bridge of his nose, 'it's about sleepy head here.'
"M'not," 'Nesh yawned again, "... sleepy."
'Right,' Hawk agreed, shaking his head, 'It's about Holicinesh.' Pausing for a moment, he turned to look at her seriously. 'And I need to talk to you - NOT Mystic.' Which is to say that the elder fiend needed to keep his nose out of it for the time being. After all, he was fairly sure the other would deny it outright unless he got Reyna to explain the situation to him.
Reyna’s expression softened at the sight of the boy looking so utterly adorable and only half awake. She stood from her desk and moved towards him instinctively. Being mother to her Sam had conditioned a nurturing side she never knew she had. It annoyed her, but it simply couldn’t be helped.
She scooped him up into her arms and held him close as she settled herself into the chair he had been sitting in. Mystic edged into her mind curiously before Reyna metaphorically slammed the door shut on her connection to him with only a quick warning: ’Sorry bud, having a moment with the Seer. Shall share later if I feel like it.’ It served him right for being such a moody pain in the butt lately. She was more than happy to let him sit and stew in his discontent.
‘Nesh snuggled happily into her arms. She was very warm, and he did so like her. He didn't understand why his uncle sometimes grumbled about her.
"Well,” she began slowly as she cradled ‘Nesh close, “What can I help you with, sweetness?”
“I have bad dreams,” the little boy told her with a frown.
Reyna’s arms tightened around him in response. There had been a time that her daughter had been plagued by bad dreams. It seemed like forever ago. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she told him softly as she brushed her fingers through his hair in a soothing manner. Her gaze drifted over towards the Seer.
Her curiosity was certainly piqued now.
'The kind of dreams where the nightmare beasts are real and so are the magics they cast.' Hawk paused for a moment, before balancing himself against the counter. His fingers toyed with the quartz pendant, mind lost for a moment in the paths laid out before him.
'Binding magic,' he murmured, 'Though he is only a child, he has great potential ...' Which somewhat explained why someone would be trying to bind him - but who, Hawk did not know. That part was clouded from him, someone, something was keeping it out of his Sight.
'Still, he's being attacked in the Dreamworld ...' he trailed off, looking in Reyna's direction, tail swishing back and forth haltingly.
"Uh huuh," Reyna murmured quietly as she idly sifted her fingers through the soft gray hair of the child in her arms. She chuckled. It was a low, almost sultry sound under her breath as she peered intently over at the Seer. She sensed where this was going.
A slow smirk tugged at her lips as she met Hawk's blind gaze. "I'm not so sure how helpful the little piss ant is going to be right now. He's… a bit off. But most things are when they're attached to me."
"I'm not the ant…… right…?" Holicinesh asked with a sleepy yawn and a worried look.
The demon snickered and petted at his hair. "No, dear. You are not the insect I'm referring to."
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 5:09 pm
Eternally Awake
'Nesh tries to stay awake and hawk thwarts the plan ...To say he was tired, or even exhausted, was a vast understatement. He couldn’t remember the last time he had slept. His nightmares had become progressively worse with each passing day. It wasn’t even so much that he feared his dreams any longer – he anticipated it. His recent growth allowed him a better understanding of what was going on around him, but it didn’t make enduring night after night of terrible nightmares any easier.
Each time he closed his eyes he could see the sick, twisted darkness that was threatening to consume him. He didn’t have to be fully asleep any longer. The torment was endless. He determined that if he never slept again, if he never even closed his eyes again even so much as to simply blink, then so be it. If that’s what it took for him to achieve some sort of peace then it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.
’Oh really,’ came Hawk’s familiar voice. The Shadow appeared near his side and draped himself against one shoulder as he was often wont to do. For a creature that was so standoffish at times he was very much like a feline with those he was familiar with.
Holicinesh arched a brow as he turned his gaze upon the ghostly creature at his side. “Yes,” he replied matter of factly, “Really.”
’I certainly understand your point, but it’s not exactly the brightest idea you’ve ever come up with, dear,’ the Seer told him with a quiet chuckle as he wrapped his arms about his shoulders and leaned his cheek atop the boy’s head. He had grown considerably in such a short time. Strangely he found that he missed his being little already. That, and it mildly irked him that ‘Nesh was already taller than him and thus destined to no doubt tower over him one day.
“And how do you figure that o’ Great Seer,” he teased as he pushed his glasses up along the bridge of his nose and moved to sit in one of the barstools in the kitchen.
Hawk settled next to him on another stool and with a smug look formed his own legs so he could cross them to mirror Holicinesh. ’Well,’ he began with an air of authority that bordered on simple haughtiness that the boy at his side had come to recognize as merely being part of the Shadow’s personality, ’Despite the nightmares you do rest at night. It may not seem like it, but it’s true. Your willingly subjecting yourself to sleep deprivation is wasting your energy. In turn you’re weakening yourself which is what causes the nightmares to appear as that much worse.’
‘Nesh sighed and shifted to prop his chin up in one hand as he turned to fully face the Seer. “That very well may be true, but the dreams are becoming more intense regardless.”
A glassy look crossed the Fiend’s face for a moment before his blind eyes seemed to once more focus upon him. ’That is true,’ he replied slowly. His brow furrowed into a look of consternation. ’But you,’ he went on as he reached over and jabbed one pointed finger against the boy’s chest to emphasize his point, ’Are exacerbating the problem. Get some rest or I will force you into a temporary coma myself.’
Somehow ‘Nesh didn’t doubt that for even a moment, so he chose not to argue. “Then when is your so-called friend going to show up? Auntie Reyna promised she’d ask her Shadow to help,” he complained since his idea of staying awake forever, ludicrous as he believed it to be in the first place, had been blatantly dashed by Hawk’s threat.
Again that far away look washed across the Shadow’s face, though this time it lasted for much longer than a single moment. A long span of silence stretched between them, and Hawk grew incredibly still; not even his fox tail swished about.
’Soon,’ was his reply, though his voice still held a strange sort of distant quality to it, ’The Dreamwalker and his kindred darkness will come to you. Do not be fooled by the guise of the nightmare beasts that seek the fabric of your realm. The Sentinels struggle to protect you as you are of Keloswyn’s brethren. Their contracts cannot be broken, but the gates have not yet been restored.’
Holicinesh’s eyes widened slightly, and he remained silent for a long moment until it seemed the Shadow had returned to himself. “So…” he began slowly before he trailed off in obvious hesitation, “Soon..?”
Hawk’s musical laughter filled the air as he reached to ruffle the boy’s hair. ’Yes, o’ Impatient One,’ he replied, ’’Soon’ is your answer. The rest your dear uncle and I shall interpret.’ The Shadow’s expression softened at the weary expression on the boy’s face. ’For now I suggest hot tea and sleep. I’ll stay by your side and wake you should I sense anything amiss.’
‘Nesh sighed and nodded in quiet agreement. It seemed he had no other options but continue to play the terrible, nightmare-filled waiting game that had been thrust upon him.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 5:10 pm
Nightmare Beast
There's more to dreams than one would think.Dreams are like to repeat themselves, especially when they are nightmares and especially when they are not truly of one's own creation but that of another.
The foul creature of darkness that tried to bind Holicinesh in his dreams was making his way slowly back. Dark fingers trailing along the corridors of the dream realm with grace that he should not have had. Not for someone not so skilled in dreamwalking as he.
As his fingers grazed against the pathway to 'Nesh's dreams, dark smirk on his face, he felt himself suddenly pulled back - pulled in another direction entirely. To a realm that was neither dream nor waking world.
He growled in frustration, his dream form growing darker than his other ever could. When he felt arms around his shoulders and a whisper of breath against his ear, he let out a startled gasp. Who has snuck past his wards and gotten so close?
"Really? You think it is that hard to get past the wards of someone I trained?" There was teasing in the voice, but it was hard. Friendly, but also deadly, and the dark creature knew it far too well. His teacher. His mentor.
When he turned around, all he saw was a shadowed form, darkness blurring the edges. The only thing he saw was two pinpoints of what should have been eyes.
"... they ..." Killed you. He never finished the phrase, darkness pressing softly against his lips.
"Doesn't matter what they did. What matters is what we're going to do to them." The darkness curled it's way around him, as if enveloping the creature in more power. He liked the feeling. It was intoxicating in its own way. Was this what had happened to his mentor?
"I don't think you can do much as you are." He raised an eyebrow curiously, watching the darkness writhe and move about him. Unsure what sort of things it could truly do. Then again, it had stopped him from going into the child's dream. It had stopped him from continuing his attempts to...
"About that," the darkness jarred his thoughts, "You need to be careful." Not quite fingers toyed along his cheek, brushing carefully down the runes that kept him in this creature form. "The Seer has plans to get the Dreamwalker involved more ..."
"It doesn't matter, it's not like either of them can– "
"They can stop you. They will and have a number of times, actually." The darkness seemed to solidify, holding firm onto his chin and forcing it to look at it. "Trust me, I share some of the Seer's gifts, and I know that you will be defeated before you are able to do anything of significant value."
There was silence, and his irritation was obvious. This definitely was his mentor, and he knew that the words he spoke were not lies. If anything, he should have listened more. This thing who was once a man, but now mere shadows and darkness had apparently made a deal with...
"You wish to deal with them?" The dark voice was against his ear.. "I think I may be able to help with that."
"What do I have to do, then?" The words came out in a rush, so unlike him. Here in the dream realm, he was so eager, so obvious at times.
"The Seer and the Dreamwalker need to be removed from play. Both of them have ways of figuring you out. The Seer is merely blinded because of my presence, but he'll eventually figure it all out eventually despite being ... blinded." There was a snort from the darkness and once again fingers were trailing against him seductively.
"I've already made plans to do so." He paused when he felt the fingers tighten, and he leaned his head back briefly into the feeling of it. "Speed them up, shall I?"
"It would be best." There was an appreciative sigh at his response.
"As for the Dreamwalker ... " The creature trailed off, waiting for the response from the darkness that now shifted and moved around him.
"You will need to trap him in his dreams, and make sure that no one leads him to her." The darkness nipped at his ear, pushing him forward and away. It moved far too fast for his liking. "My time is growing short and I've other things to attend to."
"When you say her, do you mean the sentinel?" The sudden coldness that washed over the creature answered his question. He knew exactly who the darkness was talking about. Before he could ask anymore questions, he was shoved back into the waking world.
Light filtered in and stung. Pulling the cloak tightly over himself, he groggily turned in the bed. His mind was a blur. His dreams a a thick haze. What had he dreamed? Looking over he brushed dark fingers over what was a blank page in a book, but he knew the moment he was asleep they would be filled with everything he needed to know.
Was he certain about that?
He was Just as he he was certain that he had gained something in his last dream. Not that he could recall it specifically, but whatever it was, he knew it would be of great help.
He needed all the help he could get.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 5:27 pm
Tarot Cards: A Reading
Hawk reads tarot cards for Athan.Athan sat quiet watching the Shadow before him. Hawk had come across or had otherwise managed to acquire an interesting set of tarot cards. All things related to visions and the like had largely seemed bogus to him save for when he was in the presence of two key individuals. The former, he tried not to think of too often for fear of losing himself to his memories. The other was sitting before him carefully stacking and folding his cards before laying them out into interesting rows.
The Shadow in question glanced up with a bemused look on his face as he realized that Athan was no longer reading his book he held limply in his hands, but was watching him intently. That in itself pleased him. He did so enjoy having the other man's attention all to himself. The fact that he was not trying in vain to garner such attention made it that much sweeter.
'Shall I read your cards?' Hawk teased with a faint look of smugness as his foxtail swished back and forth behind him playfully.
Athan smirked faintly as he shifted in his chair to get more comfortable, and finally allowed himself to set the book aside since he had been caught watching. "Perhaps, but I cannot say I put much faith into things of that nature. Cards and scrying ... seem like such paltry little things. Parlor tricks at best."
Hawk's bright, sightless eyes seemed to twinkle with a hint of amusement. 'And yet you have faith in me?' he countered with an almost audible smirk to his tone.
"That is true enough. I've only ever known of one other Seer in my many years. Most others truly are nothing more than crooks and magicians."
The Fiend let the mention of someone else slide, though the thought for whatever reason made his skin crawl. 'Then you agree to let me read your cards?' he asked tentatively so as to distract himself from the sickening feeling of jealousy that twisted in his gut.
Athan nodded with a bemused chuckle. "Sure," he answered smoothly, "If you can. Few others have had much luck where my future is concerned."
Hawk's eyes narrowed at the challenge but was more than happy to oblige. If anything it would prove to be an interesting experience. On the plus side, he had found an effective way to amuse Athan to a degree. He doubted many others could do that, never mind the card reading.
He decided to make things simple - the elaborate array of cards before him gathered up and shuffled in his hands slowly. Since Athan was watching him, Hawk made a show of shuffling the cards in his hands. The motions were all most as extravagant as some of the necessary actions for calling upon runes.
"Show off," Athan muttered, scooting closer as Hawk finished shuffling the cards. The fiend slid the deck over to the man and held his eyes shut. The shuffling Hawk had done was to clear the deck, Athan knew, of whatever previous intents and questions had been laid upon it.
Now as Athan himself shuffled the deck, splitting and then gathering the cards up, his impression was now laid upon the cards. At least, that was supposedly how the cards worked. It was why tarot card readers were so picky about having their cards touched by others.
It could taint the deck as far as they were concerned.
'I think it would be tainted regardless, given our bond.' Hawk's tail swished lazily behind him as he held his hand out for the deck to be placed back in it. 'Not that either one of us place much in cards ...'
With an amused snort, Athan handed the deck back over. "So then, what do they say, shadow-mine?" The magic-user thought he could hear the pleased purr of a cat come from Hawk's Eye when he said that but just as quickly as it was there, it was gone.
The Seer's attention was on the cards as he laid them out. It was a simple arrangement - a mere five card draw. Neither one of them had the patience for some of the larger arrays. Though the more cards laid out the more like the reader was to find himself luring the client along the path they wanted.
'The far past,' Hawk's voice once again distracted Athan from his thoughts. 'Two of Wands, not reversed ...' The fiend's fingers rested on the card before he started to speak again slowly. 'Overlooking the water, a man surveys what he has. The battle has finished and you've trinkets at your fingertips ...'
The tone to Hawk's voice was different and Athan knew it immediately. Much like the Seer he knew in old times, this was a reading that was more than just cards. His interest was starting to fade even as Hawk continued to speak.
'You won, but at what cost? Your body aches at what you see before you - a great sadness overcoming you.' The shadow's voice grew softer, though it did not quiet. 'All is laid before you, the world at your feet and you can think naught of what it cost you to get this far ...'
The fiend's heart ached, though he knew not why. It seemed beyond him now, this reading - even though some part of him knew he should stop, he found that he could not. His fingers left the first card and moved over to the next slowly. He heard Athan shift and move, not away, but closer - the man moving to sit beside him.
He did not realize it but he drew as much comfort from him sitting next to him as the other surely did from him. Sometimes Hawk knew he meddled and sometimes he knew the he meddled without realizing. This was one of those times.
"Continue," Athan's voice was hushed as well and he watched as Hawk's hand reached to turn over the next card. There was a slight tremble to it, though that could have just been the shadows playing as they were like to.
'The recent past,' he flipped over the card, eyes sliding shut as he brushed his fingers against the front of it, 'Three of Wands. Your back is turned; you are looking over the sea. Forlorn, perhaps, leaning against one of the staves placed in the ground ... The ships come and go, a business you have started with another has grown.' Hawk might have smiled, this card was far better than the previous. He knew that there was trouble in Athan's past, knew he was part of it - but drawing a card and talking about it was not something he wanted to do.
'There is success in this business; what path you are on will be easier with this ...' It was obvious a reference to what he had started up with Reyna. The contract they shared that, despite it all, actually helped Athan release the fiends from their stones with a little more ease. Not much, but perhaps a little ...
His fingers moved to the next card with less unease than previously. Things seemed to be turning for the better in this reading, not for the worse as he feared. Fingers not hesitating, he flipped over the next card.
'The present, that which you are dealing with now ...' Hawk let himself lean just slightly against Athan, his tail curling around the man as it swished back and forth slowly. 'The ...' his voice faltered, 'the Fool Reversed.
'A man who walks forward, perhaps unaware of the fact the ground is slipping from beneath his feet - or maybe it is the grace of the gods that will keep him uplifted as he steps off the known world ...' Hawk could not see this person as Athan, but ... there was a certainty to this reading that had him unnerved. His tail twitched back and forth in agitation until he felt Athan's hand rest upon it, stilling it for the time being. 'A false sense of security, perhaps, thinking that all is well ...'
"It's not?" Athan finally spoke again and Hawk turned towards him, shaking his head just slightly.
'This card would imply that it's not ...' He ran a finger tip along the figure painted on the card. 'A fool's errand ... Thinking that everything is all right - and it’s not. Folly, mania ... The sun knows the paths you take, knows that you will all ways travel and make your way back, but again, as The Fool your path is marred.’ Fingers curled in Hawk’s tail and he sighed before shifting to turn over the next card.
'This IS a tainted reading,' he muttered.
"It is also bad to not finish one, you know that." Athan nudged him on and Hawk glared at him with unseeing eyes.
'The Emperor Reversed.' And again Hawk let out a breath he had not realized he was holding. His fingers traced the figure on the card. 'When this card shows up with The Empress, it's supposed to represent married life - did you know that?' A tell-tale squeeze to his tail told him to move on and not let himself get distracted by teasing Athan. 'A benevolent ruler, who rules with compassion for those that exist within his kingdom. He offers, to you, confusion to your enemies, obfuscation, and even obstruction to stop them. Sadly, this is not without some immaturity. After all,' he tilted his head to nuzzle against Athan's neck briefly, 'rulers are just as greedy as the rest of the world.'
"Greedy?" Athan arched an eyebrow, before nudging Hawk's head away from his head. Letting out a huff, the shadow went back to his reading.
'What he might want for disrupting your enemies, you may not want to pay,' he offered simply, glad that the reading was back in favorable waters.
"Is that so? I happen to know far too well what things can cost you." His tone was dark and Hawk knew exactly what the man was talking about. There was darkness in him where there was not suppose to be any. A demonic contract had been made and there was no going back from something like that.
'... not if I'm involved, you do not pay.' And with that Hawk turned his attention back to the last card. 'The Far Future; what waits ahead of you of is,' he flipped over the card, 'Seven of Wands.' Head tilting to the side, Hawk watched Athan as closely as he could in his mind's eye.
"And it means?" Athan brushed his own fingers against the card, looking at the figure that stood above; one against many, but his position was favorable to fight. "Seems like something favorable to me."
'It is,' Hawk murmured, 'a man has the high ground against his enemies. He is able to see them coming. Some of valor and bravery, able to fight off those that are attacking. They may not even be able to attack you at all, which means success is inevitable ...' With a stretch, his tail swishing out of Athan's hold slowly, Hawk curled his way into Athan's lap with feline ease.
"We shall win?" he asked, his tone serious despite the fact that Hawk was quickly becoming comfortable where he was in Athan's lap.
'All ways.' Hawk paused for a moment against Athan's neck, as if he was pressing a kiss to the pulse that beat under the skin. 'But I do believe that 'Nesh is looking for you, dear one, and you should not keep him waiting. After all, the more he knows when Mystic finally does arrive helps.' With that, Hawk slipped out of Athan's arms and stretched out once more. Athan lifted himself up slowly, watching the shadow with some curiosity, before he merely nodded his head in agreement.
"Thank you," he said as he left the room, heading off to find Holicinesh, "for the distraction." With that, Athan disappeared from the room, the book he had put aside picked up and carried with him.
The Seer waited a few minutes, carefully watching with his Sight to make sure that the man was truly gone from the room before he turned back to the card reading. His fingers brushed across the Seven of Wands once and it turned to the card it really was.
The Tower.
A sickening feeling had been in the pit of his stomach the entire time; he knew this was the card of the future and somehow he knew it was their card.
Letting out a ragged mental breath, he rapidly drew a rune in the air before and watched as the deck in front of him was consumed by fire.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 5:47 pm
Tarot Cards
Despite the annoyance, he still wants another deck.
His mood was foul - there was no other way to phrase it. Tail swishing irritably behind him, Hawk moved about the shop in a flurry. He was arranging and displaying various new pieces. After all, he was going off what he knew would catch the eyes of those coming in.
It did not distract him from what had him annoyed. The idea of amusing Athan with a tarot card reading had gone horribly wrong when it had turned from light hearted fun to something far more serious. When the reading was over - well, he did not think about that part.
Instead he had shredded the tarot cards and went about his day with Athan, even though the reading had damaged it.
Sighing to himself, he lowered himself down to eye-level with the display case. His fingers were pressed against it, using his Sight to see what was within and what he needed to add from the tray at his side.
He didn't want to head home just yet so instead of heading back to the house he turned from the coffee shop further into town. Tek drifted along hiding in his shadow, the brightness of the day making the wisp more then a little uncomfortable; for his part Rhys at least attempted to keep under the shade of the awnings. He didn't know much about the wisp but from observing Dio from afar and the wisp's general reactions he had figured it out.
More shops soon came into view when a thought flittered through Rhys' mind. If he wasn't mistaken the shop shouldn't be too far from where he was, he hadn't really been there since the masquerade party but if anyone could tell him about the new addition following him around it would be them.
Turning down a side street Rhys quickly navigated his way to the shop - he remembered the path he took from the party which now seemed like so long ago. In a short amount of time he found himself standing in front of the shop, he stood a long moment until a passerby startled him. Better get moving before someone gets upset. With more then a bit of worry and uncertainty he pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Rhys scanned the area almost missing Hawk crouched down near a display case, he took a step toward the fiend once noticing him. "Hello?"
'Incoming,' he half grumbled to himself. His tail still swished irritably behind him, fingers unlocking the clasp to the display and opening it up.
The door opened just as he began putting the jewelry in for display, vary carefully arranging them so that each piece was visible. It was not something that someone could easily do - at least blind as he was, but he had his Sight to help.
'Greetings,' came the quiet voice, not bothering to keep all the irritation of the day out of his tone. A somewhat new guardian, he thought, with a wisp that still clung to his shadow so. 'There is not much to see here today, unlike the party ...'
Boredom ruled - it was why he was rearranging display pieces.
Rhys shifted from one foot to another a bit uneasily, he didn't have much experience with others but he could pick up the irritation in the fiend's voice. He wondered for a moment if he should leave, after all he had come here on more of a whim then anything else. Shifting from one foot to the other he took a moment before speaking again.
"Well it's quieter if nothing else," his gaze flickered to the display that Hawk was working on. "I actually prefer the quiet...but well er I didn't really come to see anything I just." Shifting from one foot to the other he shifted his gaze to his shadow where Tek was hiding, "well this is the only place that knows about, er...well," at a bit of loss for words he just gestured to his shadow.
His gaze followed the fiend as he moved from case to case, "but...I suspect your not having a very good day. I can leave this for another time if you like."
Closing the display and tilting his head just slightly, he looked towards Rhys briefly and then Tektite in his shadow. His tail flicked behind him slowly, as if in thought, before he pushed himself up. With tray in hand, he went to set it down on Reyna's desk ( though he frequently swiped it for himself whenever she was not at the shop ).
'Information all ways comes at a cost, you know,' he said, tilting the mask on his face so that he could really look at Rhys. 'But what do you want to know about your wayward shadow?' That information, at least, he could give for free.
Wrinkling his brow some Rhys considered the whole price thing before looking back to Hawk, "well...I just found it. And I've only ever seen them before at the party and well Dio." He frowned some, part of it he realized was he hated feeling out of the loop, he'd been out of the loop for far too much of his life as it was.
"So," sighs gently, "anything about it, I now the stone is Tektite. But that's about it." He shrugged a bit glancing over his shoulder, where Tek decided to float up to, now that they were out of the direct sunlight the little wisp seemed curious of it's surroundings.
His eyes drifted to Hawke's mask somewhat curiously, "I was considering trying to find Dio to talk to...but he really isn't fond of er, my mother -" there was a pause and more then a little awkwardness at the word mother before Rhys continued on, "or anyone associated with her."
'More than just a stone,' he sighed, fingers brushing and pushing the mask firmly on top of his head - the allure was under control so far as he was concerned. A little bleed through was bound to happen. The mask also pushed the hair from his face, blind eyes truly visible and focused on Rhys.
'We're called shadow fiends, but not all of us are fiendish.' Though it went unsaid that some were. 'Most of us are actually quite mischievous, it seems - inherent from being from darkness, you know.' He floated closer, tail swishing behind him lazily, just a slight twitch of annoyance presence. This one, really - did he have no idea what he had gotten into with the wisp?
'That wisp ...' He raised a hand towards it, darkness spreading from his fingertips as if to further cloak it. The additional shadows did not last long, however, his control over darkness somewhat wavering - not that it was something noticeable. Just another annoyance. Darkness. It was everywhere. 'Is a soul that was trapped within the stone of Tektite.'
Rhys studied the fiend as it moved toward him, his eyes settling on the strange blind spheres that seemed locked on him as it spoke. It...he had been referring to the the wisp as an it but this one he was rather assured was male. He wanted to ask about the mask, but wasn't very sure he'd want to hear the answer.
Rhys nodded slightly, he had met Dio before but never had it explained to him, hearing that a soul had been trapped inside the tektite was a bit of a surprise he honestly had assumed they were some other creature that used the stone of incubation or something along those lines.
When Hawke reached and extended the darkness around Tek, the wisp moved closer bobbing in the darkness a distinct feeling of curiousity coming from it. Once the shadows began to subside however the wisp moved back sinking into the shadow of his bonded.
Wrinkles his brow thoughtfully before continuing, "hmm, well do I have to do anything in particular with him? And if...he's a fiend like you are...then your bonded is around here somewhere?" It stood to reason afterall he was here so Tektite was here, at home Dio more or less went where Merci was.
'Sustain him, help him, watch him grow ...' Make sure that if there were past mistakes, that he does not commit them again. 'You are his bonded, he will need your energy to survive. Keep him close, you won't like what will happen if you don't.' Hawk's tail twitched in mild amusement at what could happen if Rhys did try and keep his distance from Tektite.
Not that he really could at this stage, but it was still a distracting thought. His face however darkened briefly when being asked about his bonded. 'We are meant to stay close to our bonded - at all times. It creates undue stress if we are not. The older one becomes, it is easier to be great distances from your bonded.' He paused, his tail twitching from side to side haltingly. 'Time and trial can increase your shadow's ability to stay apart - I do not recommend it, it is stressful and damaging - just as age does.
'My soul-bonded demon,' he paused, looking towards the back where Athan had been earlier, 'is not here.' In fact, the stress it took for him to be able to be without Wren had taken years to withstand. 'I've a bond with Athan that takes it place as a surrogate. We all have a bond with him, as he is the one that released us. Some stronger than others ...' It went without saying his was strong.
But also brought him back to the fact that the tarot card reading was still at the forefront of his mind. How horrible it had been.
'Information is at your fingertips and I wonder - do you want it?' Did Rhys really want to know what Hawk could tell him about the shadows and their guardians - as well as the man that released them?
Rhys glanced over to his left where Tek had taken to bobbing in the air right in his line of sight, Hawke had said 'him' that sort of cleared up one of the small wonders he had of the wisp. The distance he had gotten an idea of from hearing about Dio but having it said straight out made him frown for a slight moment but only briefly. He'd grown up alone and having the wisp with him even for just a little over a day and a half was already starting to make him feel a bit more worn then usual.
Shifting slightly Rhys considered asking about Hawke's bonded, but he had a feeling that a bonded was a sensitive subject and being a demon he figured it could be even more so. Nodding again Rhys took a moment to bring up the image of Athan at the party in his mind. So he had a bond to all of these shadow fiends considering how strange it already was for him...he couldn't imagine what it would be like to have all of them bonded to you.
Rhys had for the most part been listening passively when his attention was drawn to Hawke's last statement. His attention abruptly shifted fully and directly to the fiend and then for a moment his eyes got distant as he remembered.
Years of living in the same rooms, he knew the rooms he knew they were blue because it was believed blue was calming. He knew ... but in the end it was nothing, he didn't know where the rooms were who he was suppose to be working for ... nothing. Equations....diagrams, they had no substance when you didn't know what they went to. His mind kept reeling until a flash of the night he burnt the lab came to his mind at that point Rhys shook his head and blinked his eyes quickly a moment.
Looking up to Hawke again he nodded slightly and spoke clearly and somewhat somberly, "yes, I do want the information. About the shadow fiends...about this Athan. I want to know," he stopped there before he got too carried away validating why he wanted to know.
'Athan's bond isn't like yours ... Not as strong..' Hawk lingered in place, once again focusing on the Tektite wisp in Rhys's shadow. His connection with all fiends was partially what was draining him. It was why Hawk bolstered Athan's energy with his own. 'It is merely a source of energy - once bonded to another, they only have a spiritual link to the man. He knows whether they live or not, how they might fair - but not their constant moods and thoughts, not like you ... He does not keep track of that, even though I'm sure he could ...'
His fingers were toying with the piece of quartz around his wrist absently. His thoughts turning inwards. For a moment he wondered: if Wren were to die, would it kill both him AND Athan? The potential was there, he knew it was. 'Athan breathed life back into the soul in the piece of tektite and you give it life anew with the energy you share with it.'
This one's eyes were as distant as Hawk's eyes were most of the time. His thoughts of rooms and numbers. It was odd. Hawk's tail twitched just slightly. 'Athan,' he said slowly, for once luring out the wisp himself with shadows once more, 'releases us because a man who was once his friend sealed us away for one reason or another. To use our power, to punish ...' He shrugged his shoulders. 'To right a wrong he did not commit he lets us out.'
Despite everything, his thoughts were darker than he wanted - but he was not expecting to distract himself.
Rhys listened thoughtfully, his face growing neutral as he took in the information and considered it. "The bond Athan has with all the shadow fiends is from him releasing them then." Rhys shifted his gaze curiously toward tektite.
Tektite for his part took longer to be lured this time, moving closer to Rhys when his bonded's inner turmoil became apparent to the wisp. For a brief moment there was the curiosity and then more almost as if tektite was attempting to sooth. The feelings were jumbled when they hit Rhys almost as if tektite was analyzing at the same time it was attempting to project emotion. Blinking some Rhys watched Tektite with a bit of confusion as the wisp was lured toward Hawke more.
Rhys frowned some listening to the fiend, "the souls that were trapped, they could be just anyone then..." shifting some the boy turned to look over toward where Tek has moved from him some toward Hawke's shadow manipulation. "...or anything," Rhys mind considered the possibilities a bit before he shrugged. His mind was wondering on what Tek was exactly considering the origin of the stone he was trapped in, "the stones...were they chosen or did they type depend on the soul?"
'We did not choose our prisons, though I'm sure Doran felt there was some sort of irony in trapping us in certain stones.' Someone like Hawk, who was blind, being in a piece of stone known as an all-seeing eye was irony in itself. Not that it was lost on the Seer, but he preferred to ignore it for the most part.
'There is no telling what we are, who we are, not when we are wisps ...' It was odd seeing Hawk play with a wisp, encouraging it to duck and weave in the shadows he had created. There was an oddness about this one that was somewhat interesting.
'But if you want to know - about this piece of Tektite - what he was ...' Blind eyes stared at Rhys, wondering just how deep his curiousity was. 'I can tell you ...' It was not like his usual fare, to offer to answer unspoken questions instead of leaving them unanswered. Still, there was just something that made him curious about this wisp. It was out of the ordinary, unlike the others, save for maybe one ...
Frowning slightly Rhys watched Teketite and Hawke interact. Of course whoever had trapped them didn't sound like an overly nice person. His gaze went to the wisp thoughtfully...what exactly would one trapped in such a stone end up as.
Rhys looked over toward Hawke, there was something more to this fiend. And he couldn't help but feel a touch of apprehension at the offer. "How would you do that? How would you tell me about Teketite?" Wrinkling his brow slightly he wondered what sort of power fiends actually had over each other, or what power this one had...after all he said in the wisp form such things could not be told.
"But yes...I want to know, I want to know about this... wisp." He shifted almost stubbornly. He'd come for answers after all.
'Some of us are gifted,' he tilted his head just slightly, watching as he weaved paths of darkness for Tektite to work through. 'From the moment we are reborn as wisps - others it takes them time to come into their power.' Lifting his head up, he once again stared straight at Rhys.
'I'm a Seer,' there would have been a grin on his face, had he had lips with which to smile, 'though I do believe that I was called meddler at some point as well ...' His fingers lightly closed around Tektite, bringing it up to his face as if he was looking at it. He had enough True Sight he saw flickers of the stone in his grasp.
'What I See, what I know about this wisp's past and future, I will share with you.' He let the shadows disappear somewhat, revealing Tektite from within them. 'I just need a small favor; if you could pick up an item from me from the market ...'
Rhys listened closely to the strange fiend, his eyes shifting from time to time to the shadows that the other manipulated attempting to spot Teketite from within them. Once the shadows cleared some Teketite moved up close to Hawke's face bouncing in the air slightly as if studying the other fiend.
Rhys' mouth shifted slightly into a frown. It sounded easy enough...just pick something up from the market, "what sort of something is it that your wanting picked up?" He didn't get why the information about Teketite was being treated in such a way, perhaps there was something more hidden in it...or he considered that Hawke might just need an errand boy for a while.
For a moment the thought that he hadn't checked in with Cinder since he went to feed Sake crossed Rhys mind. She probably hadn't even noticed his absence he decided...he should have plenty of time to do this errand for the shop. It was for the shop after all he decided...or at least that is what he'd tell Cinder if she asked later; made it sound more important...which he hoped meant she'd be less upset - if she had noticed his absence.
After a moment of bobbing and studying Hawk Teke then moved back dropping down and moving closer to Rhys a moment before then dashing back closer to Hawke and vice versa. The wisp had found a bit of shadow that ran between the two to keep him occupied while they spoke.
It was more like Hawk treated the visions he shared, the things he Saw, with a grave certainty. Nothing came without a price; it was a fact of life. He might have smiled at Tektite's behaviour, finding himself somewhat amused at the wisp's curiousity.
'I need,' he said slowly, waggling his fingers at Tektite and making motions as if to trap the wisp - only not doing so, 'a tarot card deck.' It sounded idiotic, he thought, that he was asking for such a thing. After all, he had shredded the last one; considered it foul and tainted.
There was some nostalgia in him that made him want another one. 'The local market should have some, though there are gypsies in town as well - you may want to be wary of going.
'But are you certain that you will do this?' he asked, letting just a bit of unsureness tempt into his voice. 'After all, you'll be rewarded.'
In the end, Hawk might have gone himself - but the gypsies there regarded him warily and did not trust him. He knew, within the market, there was one special deck that he wanted. Getting it, however, was out of his hands as much as he saw.
At the teasing of being trapped Teke brought out a small burst of speed and circled one of Hawk's fingers before darting back away from the hand and then back around near it again. The acts were playful but also precise as if the wisp were testing himself and the fiend.
Rhys raised a brow, he had only a general idea of what a tarot deck was. And considering his upbringing had never actually encountered one. At the mention of gypsies Rhys wrinkled his brow he hadn't ever really ran into any of those either.
After a few moments he spoke carefully he didn't want to seem ignorant so he decided he better be sure what Hawk wanted. "Well I've never encountered gypsies or...a tarot deck - so um, I'll need to know exactly what your looking for."
With a slight frown he considered the question but then nodded slightly in response, "I'll be going...might as well and, gypsies can't be worse then pirates." At least that was his own reasoning, he'd gotten into a few run ins getting to enough safety to contact his mother - surely gypsies couldn't be worse.
Rhys considered asking why Hawk didn't go himself but decided against it, after all the fiend might have to watch the shop or something.
Hawk started to move his hands to where Tektite was heading in advance, catching him at every opportunity - only to let him go at the last moment.
'A tarot card deck consists of seventy-eight cards. Twenty-two cards in the Greater Arcana, fifty-six cards in the Lesser Arcana. You may ask around with the gypsies, I'm sure one of them will tell you about it. They're used frequently in fortune-telling, among other things ...
'And I do not want any regular deck, not a Rider-Waite deck, but something special. That only the gypsies have ...' It was as much of an explanation he would give in regards to the deck. After all, some of it he had to work out for himself. 'As for the market, I'm sure you will find it if you go far enough from here.'
His fingers closed loosely around Tektite, holding him in place for a moment before letting him go. 'As for just going, before you do - I need you to sign something. Since,' he might grinned devilishly if he could, instead his tail twitched mischievously, 'I am offering you something in return for this, so I need you to sign something for me ...'
Rhys frowned slightly in consideration, the fiend knew what he wanted but wouldn't tell him what it was specifically. It just seemed...strange - he didn't even know what a rider-waite deck was but kept that in mind, he'd just attempt to stay away from anything that looked too...normal. Normal when he didn't know what it was - Rhys had a feeling this little jaunt to the market might take more time then he was planning on. But now it seemed to late to really back down...and it still just didn't seem like it would be much of a challenge.
"Right a contract..." Rhys wrinkled his brow a bit, this was turning out to be more then just a bit strange. A contract for an errand just seemed overkill. "Alright," frowning thoughtfully he moved over some, just had to be sure to read it. Make sure he filled in his part of the deal...maybe the fiend would write down more specifically the sort of deck he wanted.
Tektite continued with the game of catch and release, with a great deal of curiosity and energy. When Hawk moved off to get the contract he quickly returned to Rhys, finding a place under the boy's wing to stay well within deep shadow.
Oh, Hawk did not have to have one - but it was practice in the most part. Something Reyna had taught him how to do one day when he was bored and at the shop with her. After all, he WAS part demon. If he was going to be doing any sort of business transactions he needed contracts ...
'It's just in case, after all,' he flicked his wrist, turning just slightly as he called forth a rune in the air, 'I'm offering to pay you in return for this.' The contract sizzled into the air into his hand and he turned to hand it to Rhys.
'You will bring me a deck, of your own choosing in the end, but something special. Something you gain from the market for me ...' He tilted his head to the side, tail swishing back and forth slowly. 'And of course, just don't fail ...'
Because there's a price to pay for failure. Owing Hawk a favor instead. He WAS a demon. Then again, it was incredibly fine print at the bottom - if Rhys read it.
Rhys eyes widened slightly as the contract appeared out of thin air. He had seen similar since arriving, but for now at least it was still surprising to him. Tektite bobbed for a moment out of the deeper shadows in Rhys' wings before drifting back out of sight - there was a distinct feeling of interest from the wisp at the going ons.
If he hadn't been going to read it before the manner in which it appeared insured that Rhys not only read the contract but read it carefully. He frowned a bit noting that the print got smaller near the bottom as if it was hiding. What sort of favor he wondered...then again he didn't plan to not fulfill his end of the bargain. For a moment he stood considering he could hear Clotho's voice like a conscious in his mind, Cinder's going to freak out if something goes wrong. As his mind fell upon his mother quickly the choice was made and Rhys signed the contract. His writing was neat and tidy making it easy to read.
Glancing up to Hawk and laying the pen aside he shifted uncertainly a moment before speaking, "so right...I'll be back then." Market wasn't too far away it shouldn't be hard for him to find it. Stepping back he prepared to head out to find this tarot deck, tektite hidden well in the shadow of his right wing still.
'I'll be here,' Hawk said with a hint of mischief. His tail swished playfully behind him. 'Just be careful to not linger too long after dark in the market ...'
It was mostly advice, partly a warning. He waved his hand again, the contract disappearing into the ether from whence it came. A small hour glass had been sitting where he had been at and he turned it upside-down, watching the grains of sand slowly start to move and fall.
Just how long would Rhys and Tektite take, he wondered.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 6:01 pm
Back Again...
Follow-up RP to Rhys' quest for tarot cards.
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