Fate - First Reply Blades Crossed

[Christian Vide]

“Hmmm. Not so many memorable kills, since I almost never killed them myself. I’ve always had my creations do it. I can describe them though. One was quite magnificent. All of them had tight, charred skin, no face to speak of a mouth filled with long, needle like teeth. One was composed entirely of human torsos, a centipede of them with four heads at each end. Quite marvelous that one.”

“Then there was the spider. Eight human torsos each with their arms and head and connected to their neighbors by their hips, were the leg would come out. There were a number of just really long humanoid ones, reaching three meters in height, a few reached up to eight. Some I gave makeshift bat wings, long, hollowed bones with skin stretched between them. Oh they were beautiful."

He nodded along as he listened to her descriptions.
"Impressive, your necromantic arts allow an unusual amount of creativity. So far my magical skills are limited to illusions, but I have the capacity to learn more if you're willing to teach me."
His eyes still stared out into the driving rain, the wind had picked up and they could hear the trunk of the great tree creaking around them. The thunder and lightening continued to flash and strike.

“So you’re well acquainted with what makes a woman squirm. Sounds like I found a good man. So what can you do that will make me writhe? I can’t wait to see you use your sexual expertise on me.”

He looked at her and made himself smirk roguishly as he leaned in to whisper close to her face.
"That would depend on your specific tastes. I've dominated and submitted, followed and taken the lead. I can make you feel like a queen or I can make you feel like property."
He was so close she could feel his hot breath on her lips, mere inches away, teasingly coming close only to hold back. His arms rested around her hips and gently slid upwards temptingly just barely under the edge of the shirt he gave her.
"I could be wrong... But you seem like one who would like to feel controlled... Correct?"
But in spite of all of this, his seductive advances didn't reach his eyes.

 

[Keia Merrenia]

He nodded along as he listened to her descriptions.
"Impressive, your necromantic arts allow an unusual amount of creativity. So far my magical skills are limited to illusions, but I have the capacity to learn more if you're willing to teach me."
His eyes still stared out into the driving rain, the wind had picked up and they could hear the trunk of the great tree creaking around them. The thunder and lightening continued to flash and strike.

“It’s not easy to learn. I’d be willing to teach, and with your close association with death it should be much easier for you. As for creativity, well, it doesn’t take much creativity to mesh existing shapes together. But I appreciate your compliments.”

He looked at her and made himself smirk roguishly as he leaned in to whisper close to her face.
"That would depend on your specific tastes. I've dominated and submitted, followed and taken the lead. I can make you feel like a queen or I can make you feel like property."
He was so close she could feel his hot breath on her lips, mere inches away, teasingly coming close only to hold back. His arms rested around her hips and gently slid upwards temptingly just barely under the edge of the shirt he gave her.
"I could be wrong... But you seem like one who would like to feel controlled... Correct?"
But in spite of all of this, his seductive advances didn't reach his eyes.

She shuddered, and peeled off the shirt he had given her, the wet fabric clinging to her wet skin. “Which do you want? You’re assessment is indeed correct, but this is a partnership, so what is it you want? What do you want out of me? What do you want to do? Think, no, feel, at least try. You still can, I know it. Tell me, what is it that you desire?”

 

[Christian Vide]

“Which do you want? You’re assessment is indeed correct, but this is a partnership, so what is it you want? What do you want out of me? What do you want to do? Think, no, feel, at least try. You still can, I know it. Tell me, what is it that you desire?”

As soon as he made a move she was quick to get down to business, pulling off the shirt he gave her to present herself to him in her halter top. But she asked some hard questions.

What do you want?

What do you want to do?

What do you desire?

For all his life, survival has been his singular drive. Everything he did, from helping the villagers to escaping with Keia... Had all been for survival.
But... Thinking about it, there was also something else that he always did in excellence that drove his motives... Killing...
When it came down to it there was no logic in him leaving his family, it was the perfect way to survive, being the apex predator admired by every other predator. Leaving made him a target, the assassins duty bound to hunt and kill him even if they had no chance. Even with his skills someone could get lucky and he would die. No, leaving wasn't the logical decision when it came to survival... But to kill... It was the perfect choice to draw out the greatest killers in Arethil and kill them, simply for the sake of killing the most powerful killers and monsters in the world.

Hiding in the village for survival? No, hiding with the knowledge he would eventually be hunted down and another enemy will present themselves.
She asked the hard questions alright, and he finally realized this about himself at least even if it wasn't the outcome she was looking for.
His face was like stone as he gave his answer.
"I want to kill.
I desire to kill.
I survive to kill.
I lust to kill.
I love to kill."
He slowly slid his hand up her body while he said this, starting from her hip and sliding up her side to her shoulder till his large calloused palm rested threateningly... gently... against her throat.
His face remained cold and unmoving, his breathing steady, there wasn't a single quiver or shake in his hands.
"But you... I don't want to kill... You I want to keep safe, and I don't know why..."
He moved his hand up to cup her cheek instead, "... But I hereby choose to do so freely."

He moved his hand back behind her neck and pulled their faces together, and he kissed her.

 

[Keia Merrenia]

"I want to kill.
I desire to kill.
I survive to kill.
I lust to kill.
I love to kill."
He slowly slid his hand up her body while he said this, starting from her hip and sliding up her side to her shoulder till his large calloused palm rested threateningly... gently... against her throat.
His face remained cold and unmoving, his breathing steady, there wasn't a single quiver or shake in his hands.
"But you... I don't want to kill... You I want to keep safe, and I don't know why..."
He moved his hand up to cup her cheek instead, "... But I hereby choose to do so freely."

He moved his hand back behind her neck and pulled their faces together, and he kissed her.

His strong hand slowly slip up her smooth, pale skin. He’d feel her slight muscle build, not near as hard as his but there was nothing there to cover the muscle she did have, giving her a beautiful balance between muscular and slender. His hand came up her thigh, I want to kill, her breath quickened, his hand on her hip, I desire to kill, she shivered, aroused fear gripping her heart as his palm met her waist, I survive to kill, her breath began to shake, his hand passing her chest, I lust to kill, she visibly shook as his fingers crossed her sternum, I love to kill, his hand threatening her throat, and for a moment she thought he might actually kill her.

But You I don’t want to kill...

Her cheek was cupped and she put her hand on the back of his and closed her eyes, wonderful. His hand gently seized the back of her head and pulled her in for a kiss with strength she’d have no hope opposing, not that she’d want to at this point. She moaned, and kissed him back.

Safe, but trapped, and now his completely. They slept well that night, if they slept at all that is. Morning came, and she’d find herself caged in his embrace, a wonderful way to wake up.

 

[Christian Vide]

She practically melted in his arms, like putty or clay he felt like he could mold her to his whims, and he did all night until she fell asleep. Their lovemaking was cramped and wet but far from cold. And by the end of it he was breathing hard but far from tired, so he simply put the cloak over them and curled up with her held protectively against his chest to keep them warm through the rest of the night until he eventually succumbed to sleep.

By morning it was hard to tell if it actually was. The lightening had stopped and the rain has lessoned in intensity, but thunder still growled in the sky and the sky was just as dark as it was that night. The rain was a fog heavy drizzle and visibility was still very low, it was likely to only get a little lighter as the day wore on. These summer storms were horrendous.

Keia was still in his arms held tightly, he would still be asleep by the time she woke up, but trapped in his embrace.

 

[Keia Merrenia]

She sighed contently. “Good morning.”

She wriggled in his grip to test her bonds, as expected, they were strong. She hummed, “That was definitely new. I had no idea there were so many place you could put you fingers.” She gingerly rubbed her once pale, now bright red buttcheeks. “And you hit very hard. Not that I’m completely mind you. So do I call you Master now? It sounds appropriate to me.

She was SORE. She was very happy with what had happened but every last bit of her was sore from the harsh and domineering lovemaking of her companion. She had no doubt that he’d have bound her with rope or leather cord if they had any. But that was for another time, right then they should be getting up, it was only a matter of time before their persuers caught up with them.

The rain washed away their footprints and scents, but a trail of death was easy enough to follow. And the knight, with his newfound allies the assassins, closed in. Just as with Bruce, breathing hard, but nowhere near tired.

 

[Christian Vide]

"So do I call you Master now? It sounds appropriate to me."

He kept his eyes closed and his voice a low whisper when he replied, "Only call me master if you want me to own you outright as a slave with no freedom, where I can touch and use you however I like no matter when or where we are or what you say or protest because you are my property... Otherwise, just call me Christian."
He spoke with all seriousness, but that's how he always spoke. He kissed her gently on the cheek before he loosened his hold on her and disentangled their limbs from each other.
Their clothes remained damp but he dressed anyways and handed her her own clothes in the process.

She was very responsive to his firm hand and rough attention. There were no permanent marks on her, but she would indeed be feeling the effects throughout their travel today.
It had been a while since he'd felt a woman in a non-violent or malicious way, and she felt amazing last night... That is to say, she was very physically pleasing.
He re-strapped his daggers and knives to his body and stepped out into the rain as he pulled his damp cloak on and put up his hood.

Spoiler: While she dressed...

He didn't stay to watch her, unfortunately. Instead he quietly slipped into the mist while an illusion of him stood watch at the entrance to the tree.
He didn't go far, though his worries that they were able to keep track of their trail were very small at this point.
They had deviated from the path the trail of animal corpses led and had even crossed a stream so the chances that they lost their pursuers was about zero.

Still he did a quick patrol looking for anything amiss just to be cautious.

 

[Keia Merrenia]

He kept his eyes closed and his voice a low whisper when he replied, "Only call me master if you want me to own you outright as a slave with no freedom, where I can touch and use you however I like no matter when or where we are or what you say or protest because you are my property... Otherwise, just call me Christian."

She looked up at him with half-lidded eyes and brought a finger up his abdomen, then she kissed his chin, “well then, master. It seems like you have yourself a new piece of property. And how will you deal with this new pet of yours when she decides to be,” she purred and brought her leg up a little along his own. “Disobedient~”

Christian huh? Bruce Christian perhaps? Or was that to be a new moniker. If the latter, it was not a bad idea for her to do the same.

She was very responsive to his firm hand and rough attention. There were no permanent marks on her, but she would indeed be feeling the effects throughout their travel today.
It had been a while since he'd felt a woman in a non-violent or malicious way, and she felt amazing last night... That is to say, she was very physically pleasing.
He re-strapped his daggers and knives to his body and stepped out into the rain as he pulled his damp cloak on and put up his hood.

Keia had other ideas. She followed him out into the forest again, only she didn’t don the cloak or shirt, and opted instead to remain as scantily clad as possible for her partner. Perhaps on the way they might find some bigger animal to kill, and since her necromancy involved the alteration of organic materials, she’d spend next to no energy fashioning a little something for Christian to mark her with.

 

[Christian Vide]

“Well then, master. It seems like you have yourself a new piece of property. And how will you deal with this new pet of yours when she decides to be,”
“Disobedient~”

So that's how she wanted it, she was to be property after one night with him. He didn't know if she realized how serious he was, but he didn't skip a beat as he casually stated. "I kill disobedient slaves." And he left it at that.

She dressed and followed him out into the rain. Oh well, they might as well get started. He handed her a new potion for her shoes (Boots?) and applied some to his own boots and spoke while they walked.
"Here are the scenarios we're facing right now:
If they stopped for shelter like us we still have our head start and a deviation from our original path. We've left the dead animals behind since we've gotten you up to strength and the rain is washing away our scent as we speak, though now our tracks will be easier to follow in the mud if they ever find our trail again so we'll be sticking to mossy ground from here out.
If they traveled through the storm it's very likely that they either passed us by, or are now mere minutes behind us.
In either case we are now cutting North by North-West to come across the road heading to a different village than our original destination. If they lose our trail their logical course of action would be to cut back to the main road and head us off at the closest village in the direction we were heading."
He took her by the hand again and led her through the thick foliage.
"The Cerberus is the deciding factor, if it can somehow pick up our scent between its three heads in this storm, then we're back to square one."

 

[Keia Merrenia]

So that's how she wanted it, she was to be property after one night with him. He didn't know if she realized how serious he was, but he didn't skip a beat as he casually stated. "I kill disobedient slaves." And he left it at that.

She hummed, a little disappointed by the answer she was given. She had hoped for something more along the lines of a whip. But he gave her an answer and she’d accept it. Oh well, she’d best mind his orders then.

She dressed and followed him out into the rain. Oh well, they might as well get started. He handed her a new potion for her shoes (Boots?) and applied some to his own boots and spoke while they walked.
"Here are the scenarios we're facing right now:
If they stopped for shelter like us we still have our head start and a deviation from our original path. We've left the dead animals behind since we've gotten you up to strength and the rain is washing away our scent as we speak, though now our tracks will be easier to follow in the mud if they ever find our trail again so we'll be sticking to mossy ground from here out.
If they traveled through the storm it's very likely that they either passed us by, or are now mere minutes behind us.
In either case we are now cutting North by North-West to come across the road heading to a different village than our original destination. If they lose our trail their logical course of action would be to cut back to the main road and head us off at the closest village in the direction we were heading."
He took her by the hand again and led her through the thick foliage.
"The Cerberus is the deciding factor, if it can somehow pick up our scent between its three heads in this storm, then we're back to square one."

“Let’s hope for the former, but just in case it’s the latter, let’s go.” She said with considering voice. Then she remembered the deal she had just made, “apologies, not my decision to make. So when do we leave... Master?”

 

[Christian Vide]

She hummed, a little disappointed by the answer she was given. She had hoped for something more along the lines of a whip. But he gave her an answer and she’d accept it. Oh well, she’d best mind his orders then.

That sobered her up real quick. While he had no intentions of mistreating her she had just agreed to be his slave. As far as their contract went it served as appropriate payment for services rendered.
Technically since the payment was delivered their contract was fulfilled, but the tenants of the contract still applied to their relationship. As his property it was in his best interest to protect what was his, in fact she was probably safer now as his personal property than she was as a client, he now had a personal stake in her safety.

“Let’s hope for the former, but just in case it’s the latter, let’s go.” She said with considering voice. Then she remembered the deal she had just made, “apologies, not my decision to make. So when do we leave... Master?”

He turned and gave her a look that said 'that much subservience was unnecessary'.
"We leave now, if you can walk. I won't kill you so long as you continue to follow my instructions and do not become a burden."
He left out the fact that he had no desire to kill her, for her sake almost. She seemed to enjoy the danger he represented as well as the protection he offered. For some reason he saw no logical reason to disappoint her.

As they walked across the mossy turf through the thick forest it was time to set the ground rules.
"Keia. You agreed to sell yourself in full payment of our contract, I accept your offer and you now belong to me and will be safe so long as you remain my property and don't become more trouble than you're worth. In time you will have the opportunity to buy back your freedom. Until then, serve me and make yourself useful at every opportunity, I will leave that judgement up to you so don't feel like you need approval to speak or act with free agency unless I specify otherwise."
Now he glanced back at her with a look of curiosity, "Now, why don't you tell me about your necromancy? How can I learn to command the dead?"

 

[Keia Merrenia]

He turned and gave her a look that said 'that much subservience was unnecessary'.

She grinned slyly. A look that said. ‘It was fun though.’

"We leave now, if you can walk. I won't kill you so long as you continue to follow my instructions and do not become a burden."
He left out the fact that he had no desire to kill her, for her sake almost. She seemed to enjoy the danger he represented as well as the protection he offered. For some reason he saw no logical reason to disappoint her.

“Oh I’ll be far from a burden. Once we find some one dead or who we’d can kill I’ll be able to make us a nice little soldier. I’ll be of a great deal of help elsewhere too.” She said reassuringly. “I’ll be of ever increasing help to you the further we go.”

"Keia. You agreed to sell yourself in full payment of our contract, I accept your offer and you now belong to me and will be safe so long as you remain my property and don't become more trouble than you're worth. In time you will have the opportunity to buy back your freedom. Until then, serve me and make yourself useful at every opportunity, I will leave that judgement up to you so don't feel like you need approval to speak or act with free agency unless I specify otherwise."
Now he glanced back at her with a look of curiosity, "Now, why don't you tell me about your necromancy? How can I learn to command the dead?"

An opportunity to buy her freedom. Not something to think too hard on at the moment. But she understood the protection she was under and was required only to be of assistance at every opportunity, which is something she’d very much be inclined to do. Then with his question she thought for a moment, how to explain.

“Necromancy, at least the kind I practice, involves the consumption, use and repurposing of life force and a vessel. This can be used to make golems too but those usually require more work. What the vessel is is of little consequence, so long as it is imbued with the force of a formerly living being, the bigger and more powerful the being, the bigger and more powerful the vessel can be, and you can use multiple ‘souls’ for one vessel too. The first thing one must understand is how to find and capture life forces, and the closer one’s connection with death, the easier it comes to them. You, since you have stated so clearly that you love to kill things, should be able to pick up this ability rather quickly. Go ahead, close your eyes and see if you can, without using your physical senses, detect something alive around us. Use magic to locate this, then see if you can’t kill them and take from them their spirit. It may take a while for you to get it right, so try to be patient.”

 

[Christian Vide]

“Oh I’ll be far from a burden. Once we find some one dead or who we’d can kill I’ll be able to make us a nice little soldier. I’ll be of a great deal of help elsewhere too.” She said reassuringly. “I’ll be of ever increasing help to you the further we go.”

"Good."
He was already not regretting this. He had yet to see any of her true power, but he was looking forward to it.

“Necromancy, at least the kind I practice, involves the consumption, use and repurposing of life force and a vessel. This can be used to make golems too but those usually require more work. What the vessel is is of little consequence, so long as it is imbued with the force of a formerly living being, the bigger and more powerful the being, the bigger and more powerful the vessel can be, and you can use multiple ‘souls’ for one vessel too. The first thing one must understand is how to find and capture life forces, and the closer one’s connection with death, the easier it comes to them. You, since you have stated so clearly that you love to kill things, should be able to pick up this ability rather quickly. Go ahead, close your eyes and see if you can, without using your physical senses, detect something alive around us. Use magic to locate this, then see if you can’t kill them and take from them their spirit. It may take a while for you to get it right, so try to be patient.”

While they walked he did as she instructed, somehow without losing his balance or running into a tree.
He closed his eyes, he knew how to detect traces of magic due to his own affinity for magic, but he'd never reached outside of the realm of illusion.
He did what he imagined "reaching out with his senses" to be. Through the rain it was difficult see anything physically, and unfortunately most animals found shelter as well and remained hidden so he didn't have much luck on his first try besides detecting her life signature very clearly.

After a couple minutes he sighed, "This rain is good for hiding, not so good for finding anything nearby. Anything that WOULD be close has taken shelter. I can detect you though..."
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
He considered what she told him about her necromancy. It was safe to assume that it wouldn't necessarily be the same for him, just as his illusion magic wasn't the same as many other illusionists.
"Could you not use raw magic as an animating force? Or even a minor conjuration to call a soul from the ethereal plane?"

 

[Keia Merrenia]

"Could you not use raw magic as an animating force? Or even a minor conjuration to call a soul from the ethereal plane?"

“Yes to the first, but that is more akin to just puppeteering dead bodies as opposed to necromancy, which gives them half of a will and let’s them maneuver based on what they see as opposed to you having to move them yourself. But for conjuring, that doesn’t work because the spirit is fully conscious or almost fully conscious, which means resistance. It’s easier and more efficient to take life force before it departs while the body is dying so that it is strong and has a small amount of will, but not conscious enough to refuse the directives given.” She explained. “You say you can sense me. What is it you’re sensing, and what through? Unless it’s from magic, it won’t work.”

 

[Christian Vide]

“Yes to the first, but that is more akin to just puppeteering dead bodies as opposed to necromancy, which gives them half of a will and let’s them maneuver based on what they see as opposed to you having to move them yourself. But for conjuring, that doesn’t work because the spirit is fully conscious or almost fully conscious, which means resistance. It’s easier and more efficient to take life force before it departs while the body is dying so that it is strong and has a small amount of will, but not conscious enough to refuse the directives given.” She explained. “You say you can sense me. What is it you’re sensing, and what through? Unless it’s from magic, it won’t work.”

He nodded thoughtfully.
"I see what you're saying, but I speak of souls and spirits as separate phenomenon. With the amount of gods and goddesses ruling their own little slices in Arethil, it's exceedingly rare to find a spirit to be set adrift in the ethereal plane and not pass on to whatever end was promised or sold to them. A soul is that animating force that you speak of, and the spirit is consciousness in my opinion."
In explanation he shrugged, "I hired a witch once to help me kill a murdering ghost, or a spirit in other words, and we traveled through the ethereal plane for quite some time tracking it down. It was an educational experience."

"As far as sensing you, I could hear your heartbeat above the rain, feel your body heat through the cold, and in general felt a sense of everything you were doing and where you stood in relation to me. Even if I wasn't holding your hand I could have thrown a knife and killed you without any problem."
He looked back at her and decided that was the wrong thing to say. He owned her now, but he had been acting cold and verging on cruel ever since they woke up. He didn't do any of it sincerely but he decided to dial it back a bit.

"... You make a very pretty target..."

Nailed it.

 

[Keia Merrenia]

He nodded thoughtfully.
"I see what you're saying, but I speak of souls and spirits as separate phenomenon. With the amount of gods and goddesses ruling their own little slices in Arethil, it's exceedingly rare to find a spirit to be set adrift in the ethereal plane and not pass on to whatever end was promised or sold to them. A soul is that animating force that you speak of, and the spirit is consciousness in my opinion."
In explanation he shrugged, "I hired a witch once to help me kill a murdering ghost, or a spirit in other words, and we traveled through the ethereal plane for quite some time tracking it down. It was an educational experience."

"As far as sensing you, I could hear your heartbeat above the rain, feel your body heat through the cold, and in general felt a sense of everything you were doing and where you stood in relation to me. Even if I wasn't holding your hand I could have thrown a knife and killed you without any problem."
He looked back at her and decided that was the wrong thing to say. He owned her now, but he had been acting cold and verging on cruel ever since they woke up. He didn't do any of it sincerely but he decided to dial it back a bit.

"... You make a very pretty target..."

Nailed it.

A witch, helped him hunt a ghost. He was better suited to necromancy than she thought. To enter the ethereal plane was to see the very things that Necromacy used with the naked eye, what she’d give to go there herself. But this meant that he had experience with necromancy at least, not necessarily casting it but he had definitely touched it during his trip with the witch.

She shook her head, “are you using your ears and intuition or you magic and mind? Because that makes a big difference, a crucial one really. It doesn’t matter whether you can tell the exact temperature of my blood or how quickly my hair grows over two minutes if you’re not using your magic to do so. If you are, then you’ve made a good first step, and once we find another animal to kill, I can walk you through harvesting it’s life force.”

She pulled out a large, white mineral from a leg pouch under her ‘skirt’ which he had seen when she was taken. The mineral was quartz, not very valuable and pretty common in truth but still crystal. “I have found that storing a soul or spirit, take your pick, in crystals or gems preserves them best and gives them a steady host for keeping, this allows you to basically program their mind, which I did for my creations, and I had a hive mind for them. Not the lesser undead, they had no crystal at their heart, but the bigger, more dangerous ones were given quartz-held souls, which made them more intelligent, and more obedient since I was able to program their minds, and with a hive mind they all know what the others knew, and so did I as the mind holder. So you trap a soul or spirit or life force in a crystal, what kind doesn’t rally matter, I use quartz because it’s both common and one of the cheapest crystals available and they can get quite big, which does matter. Then you take the crystal and use it to house the mind of the creature. For bigger creations, one often needs a floor sigil to channel the magic into the being and animate it, which I may be able to show you if we ever catch a break or get some paper and charcoal.”

She handed him the quartz. “Keep it on hand for when the opportunity arises.”

Then he mentioned that she was a pretty target, and she grinned, throwing her hip out to the side, which also exposed her shapely leg. “Why thank you Master. I aim to please~”

 

[Christian Vide]

“are you using your ears and intuition or you magic and mind? Because that makes a big difference, a crucial one really. It doesn’t matter whether you can tell the exact temperature of my blood or how quickly my hair grows over two minutes if you’re not using your magic to do so. If you are, then you’ve made a good first step, and once we find another animal to kill, I can walk you through harvesting it’s life force.”

He considered for a moment, "I know what magic feels like, and yes I am pretty sure I can confirm that I used magic to sense you. Though I could do so just as easily with my ears and intuition, this was a noticable amount of effort."
They skirted around large puddle with a stream running out of it.
"I'd imagine manipulating souls is similar to manipulating magic, but you're then using the magic to manipulate something else that you can rarely interact with otherwise."

“I have found that storing a soul or spirit, take your pick, in crystals or gems preserves them best and gives them a steady host for keeping, this allows you to basically program their mind, which I did for my creations, and I had a hive mind for them. Not the lesser undead, they had no crystal at their heart, but the bigger, more dangerous ones were given quartz-held souls, which made them more intelligent, and more obedient since I was able to program their minds, and with a hive mind they all know what the others knew, and so did I as the mind holder. So you trap a soul or spirit or life force in a crystal, what kind doesn’t rally matter, I use quartz because it’s both common and one of the cheapest crystals available and they can get quite big, which does matter. Then you take the crystal and use it to house the mind of the creature. For bigger creations, one often needs a floor sigil to channel the magic into the being and animate it, which I may be able to show you if we ever catch a break or get some paper and charcoal.”

"An interesting technique. I can't wait to try it."
As they made it around the flooded hole they kept to the mossy ground, avoiding the animal trails and muddy ground.

“Why thank you Master~"

He gave her a smile that quickly vanished and he hissed.
"Get behind me, Keia."
He took her by the shoulders and slowly pulled her towards him.
"Damn, I thought the trolls were wiped out of these woods, there shouldn't be this many."
Evil red eyes stared at them glowing behind a curtain of rain.

 

[Keia Merrenia]

He considered for a moment, "I know what magic feels like, and yes I am pretty sure I can confirm that I used magic to sense you. Though I could do so just as easily with my ears and intuition, this was a noticable amount of effort."
They skirted around large puddle with a stream running out of it.
"I'd imagine manipulating souls is similar to manipulating magic, but you're then using the magic to manipulate something else that you can rarely interact with otherwise."

“It is very similar indeed.” She said. “It is a little different but while noticable it won’t prevent you from manipulating the souls, though it isn’t best to do it with something that is recently dead or dying. Else you will encounter what amounts to a battle of souls, yours against theirs, and even if you win it may cause irreparable damage so avoid that if at all possible. But yes, magic can manipulate souls.”

"An interesting technique. I can't wait to try it."
As they made it around the flooded hole they kept to the mossy ground, avoiding the animal trails and muddy ground.

“You won’t have to. If the assassins catch up before the knight does, you’ll have a lot of practice.” She said following his footsteps. Very careful to tread where he does.

He gave her a smile that quickly vanished and he hissed.
"Get behind me, Keia."
He took her by the shoulders and slowly pulled her towards him.
"Damn, I thought the trolls were wiped out of these woods, there shouldn't be this many."
Evil red eyes stared at them glowing behind a curtain of rain.

She obeyed hastily and cast her awareness out. Four, four trolls, and on either side of them. Her hand lit up with green fire, and she looked about, trying to determine which ones she’d be best for taking, while letting Christian take the rest.

 

[Christian Vide]

The trolls had them surrounded. Trolls were probably the only creatures that would be out hunting in a storm. Keia conjured some green flames, she was the most important ingredient right now, even in rain she had access to fire that the rain wouldn't put out easily, and fire was one of the only things that could kill a troll for good.
He just needed to get them down to where she could probably cremate them without them flailing around and potentially hurting her.

The trolls didn't hesitate and immediately charged. No time to plan.
Two thrown daggers buried themselves between the eyes of the two trolls charging Keia, but that would only stun them for a few critical seconds before they regenerated.
Christian lunged forward to meet the two charging him. As he stepped and between them avoiding their swinging claws his daggers were a blur, a hundred cuts appeared on them but he turned and stabbed them both in the back to keep them from going after Keia instead.

It was up to Keia to decide how she would serve in this situation.

 

[Keia Merrenia]

Keia released a long stream of green fire that caught the troll on the left I noticed the chest and burned through it’s flesh, and charred it’s bones beneath. It’s organs were cremated thoroughly. The second stream caught the second in the face as it charged. It dove forward, and tried to grab her, she, being small but nimble, dove to the side and resumed her burning of the trolls head, and it made the mistake of opening it’s maw.

The fire poured into it’s throat and burned into it’s insides. Once it collapsed, struggling to breath with it’s incinerated lungs. She turned to see where Cristian was so that she might help him in his own battle had he not already won.

 

[Christian Vide]

The two that Christian attacked now turned on him, their wounds already closing.
They both swung at him at the same time, he angled his body to slip between their angled slashing claws, they then both followed up with their second swipe which were aimed at his legs and torso, he leapt and spun sideways as once again their claws met only air.
He landed on his hands and rolled away from the two trolls who doggedly followed him.

Fire covered the two going after Keia and they slumped to the ground.
Ultimately there was nothing he could do to trolls except distract them, his daggers had no flame enchantments and he had no way to produce fire like Keia. Once he was clear Christian called out, "Their distracted, burn them."

 

[Keia Merrenia]

She saw where he was, and didn’t even wait for the order. She just called, “get down!”

Her fingers snapped, and a broad, hot torrent of green fire basically incinerated them within moments. There was still plenty of flesh left, but they were dead. “Perfect opportunity to learn Master Christian. See if you can’t detect how I consume one of them, and collect the other.”

She pulled from her leg pouch a second quartz crystal, and after devouring the life force of one, she caught the other in the quartz. She tossed him the seemingly unaffected crystal, and when he caught it, he’d be able to feel the power it had, almost alive, not quite, but almost. “Now you try.”

 

[Christian Vide]

After rolling away from the trolls he heard her call for him to get down, so instead of coming out of the roll on his feet he remained on the wet ground. The flames consumed the remaining two trolls.

“Perfect opportunity to learn Master Christian. See if you can’t detect how I consume one of them, and collect the other.”
“Now you try.”

He watched the process and caught the crystal, it did indeed radiate life. His magic was different from hers insofar as his power was reliant on his own strength of will and bodily endurance, a renewable resource that came from resting. But he saw no reason why he couldn't apply her method of regaining power to his own.

And so, using the concepts she showed him he began focusing to replicate what she did.
First he reached out with his senses and was able to detect the lingering monstrous souls of the two creatures. Then he used his magic to grab that soul, the life force, and introduce it to himself. The sensations were strange but within expected perimeters.
Then he turned to the other soul and repeated the process, this time to trap it within the matrixes of the crystal. This too was successful.

The souls were gathered up which was a fairly sure way to assure that the trolls didn't regenerate even from their mostly incinerated state. Still, Christian disposed of the remains in the pool to hide traces of their battle.

Finally he turned and stepped close to Keia.
"You did well. I think you deserve a reward."
He slid his fingertips up her bare stomach, between her breasts, till his hand lifted her chin so she could look up at him, his thumb probing her lips for entry.

 

[Keia Merrenia]

And so, using the concepts she showed him he began focusing to replicate what she did.
First he reached out with his senses and was able to detect the lingering monstrous souls of the two creatures. Then he used his magic to grab that soul, the life force, and introduce it to himself. The sensations were strange but within expected perimeters.
Then he turned to the other soul and repeated the process, this time to trap it within the matrixes of the crystal. This too was successful.

She nodded as he repeated what she had demonstrated. He was definitely gifted in the art, and she was of half a mind to show him how to make half-living creatures from formerly living body parts, maybe attaching four or six legs to one or two of the torsos to make themselves a ride, maybe something with even more uses. But that would take time and they hadn’t programmed the captured life forces yet. So it would be a big risk, and simply too much risk for too small a chance of success, not to mention how long it would take. Maybe some other time.

He would find that the soul from the troll would replenish his mana far more than he’d be able to by simply resting. She herself was fully replenished after consuming the toll’s essence.

Finally he turned and stepped close to Keia.
"You did well. I think you deserve a reward."
He slid his fingertips up her bare stomach, between her breasts, till his hand lifted her chin so she could look up at him, his thumb probing her lips for entry.

His touching her brought a shiver up her spine. His touch was electric, and always brought some form of fear to her heart, the good kind. “Master~” Her chin was lifted, and her lips pressed apart by his thumb, she obediently gave him entry.

 

[Christian Vide]

“Master~”

This was a master and slave relationship. When the slave does good, she must be rewarded. And without stripping her down right here in the rain and giving her what she really wanted this was the best that he could give her in the interest of time.
He slid his thumb into her mouth and allowed her to suck on it, sliding the finger along her tongue as deep as he could.

His face remained impassive though, as if none of this was unusual or unexpected. With his awakening abilities for sensing life he found her and her unspoken desires that much easier to read.
As an expert of subterfuge he had various lie detecting and body language reading techniques, now incredibly enhanced by the ability she taught him. She was proving her value.

He allowed a couple minutes for her to have her way with his thumb. She deserved that much satisfaction at least.