Fable - Ask Fumbles and Foibles

[Drastus Tal'deneshaar]

Today was the day. The real day he was meant to train with Kristen, and not some other persons day.. which, was good. He didn't think he could do another trip with her and Chas so soon to the last. Or maybe... he could?

They had met early, and easy accommodation since Drast had returned from the Leopard just an hour or so prior to their session. Just enough time to sober up some.. and at least wash away a good portion of the glitter (though not all, Cherry really overdid it.. or maybe he did?)

A few hours later Rupert stood across the sparring field as they talked on the benches, sweat already dotting his brow. "Well.. pain is a strong source of energy.. hate too. You ever imagine an enemy is Bull and 'zap' frog time?" He asked with a sidelong glance. He had no idea how curses worked, let alone anything tied to Divinity. He just knew that Rupert was wholly amused by the training exercise.

"I know for me, if I run outta hate, Ruperts got a ready supply to pull from. He also makes a good anchor."

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

You ever imagine an enemy is Bull...?

"I do have reliable faces to call upon to inspire such...motivation."

Hatred was instructive. It was an indication of morals, of standing for something, of finding impermissible that which was abhorrent. This, of course, was only if one did not allow for one's hatred to spread as though it were a wildfire, consuming in flames one's humanity and replacing it with charred malevolence. And this was to say nothing of a hatred that was misguided, which could not be instructive at all, but instead wholly destructive. Hatred was potent, but it of all things needed limits. Restraints. The heart could all too easily fall victim to its inferno.

And Bull, with the way he treated those he perceived to be weaker than him, especially the female initiates, deserved every ounce of hatred he received.

When Drastus mentioned Rupert, however, that was intriguing. That he had such a reservoir of emotion in him.

"Is that so? I had thought that...well...since he was dead, of course, that he hadn't any emotions at all. That he simply did as you bid."

Drastus Tal'deneshaar

 

[Drastus Tal'deneshaar]

It wasn't a yes... but it definitely wasn't a no. Bull was very.. opinionated on the fairer sex, and Drast would never put it past Bull to not prey on some of them just because he felt he had an intrinsic right. In fact, it was Bulls treatment of Kristen that led to much of the Initiates hatred for the older sack of hot air.

Is that so? I had thought that...well...since he was dead, of course, that he hadn't any emotions at all. That he simply did as you bid.

He had never quite told anyone before how his bond with Rupert worked, or rarely ever delved into it period. "Well.. he uhh.. has a hate for those that made him dead. He isn't a normal undead.. meaning after he's put away, I can bring him back. Most.. its a one and done. You raise them, they go about their rampage, and when they drop, their soul can no longer be called upon. I think Rupert is a revenant.. its a stronger class of undead. Only thing is, there is no real Necromancer here at the Academy that I can learn from.. so.. I uhhh.. gotta figure it out on my own." A shrug. Rupert had a full range of emotions still, but hate was by far the strongest.

Then a very thoughtful scratch of his chin as he began to think. "Its odd to explain.. but.." was it a good idea? Was it his idea? "Want to learn how to summon him?"

---

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Kristen didn't know so much of the undead. She was supposed to have attended a class detailing information on potential undead enemies, but she had been pulled that day for the ill-fated mission out into the Amol-Kalit desert. Enlightening, this. A revenant—an undead creature with a capacity to persist longer in undeath upon Arethil.

His offer though caught her off guard, Kristen visibly straightening when he asked it.

"Summon him? I...well, 'tis hardly a confession to say that I know nothing of necromancy. Is it something which is easier than it appears?"

Drastus Tal'deneshaar

 

[Drastus Tal'deneshaar]

He watched her sit straight like he had put her in the hot seat of one of Proctor Vernons classes. It was cute, though.

Summon him?

Drast nodded as the words left her lips. "Oh yeah, I was seven or eight first time I got him to move about. Didn't know anything about it then. Necromancy isn't very easy.. but I do something different for Rupert than the others."

---

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

"Oh? And what do you do differently?"

He seemed to imply that summoning Rupert was easier than general necromancy, and maybe it was to someone like Drastus who already possessed an affinity for such magic, but still Kristen was a touch concerned at her ability to do so. She struggled as it was with her own magic, and her faith in Aionus was quite strong, if she could say so herself.

Still, if that capability did lie within her, would it not be beneficial to pursue it? Even if she did not master it today, for time was indeed scarce, she could gain some adequacy later, if it was at all available for her to gain.

Drastus Tal'deneshaar

 

[Drastus Tal'deneshaar]

"Well.. for others, I summon them with either a ritual of sorts, or if I have Rupert out.. I can do it much easier. Revenants can assert their power over lesser undead. For Rupert, all it takes is blood." He offered after a short glance around to make sure they were alone.

He turned to Rupert. "Rupe, come here." The undead sentinel lower his sword and walk towards the pair of Initiates, pausing just before them.

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

"Blood??" That came out a little more...shaky than she would have liked, but it was nonetheless a truthful response. The idea of using blood as a catalyst for magic sent unpleasant shivers down her spine and gave her gooseflesh. How Jaxan could stomach it was beyond her...but, then again, he was Jaxan.

As Rupert approached, she asked, "Will it...hurt?" Then she shook her head. "That was probably a silly question."

Drastus Tal'deneshaar

 

[Drastus Tal'deneshaar]

Had she said it any more shaky, Drast would have been self-conscious. He knew most associated blood with Jaxan, but Drast felt the other dark skinned boy was a waste of space who was absolutely useless. Then again, Drast felt that way about a good many Initiates, he just didn't always voice that. He wasn't an outrageous prick or anything.

Will it...hurt?

"No, it wasn't silly. A lot of blood-related magick does. Summoning him.. the pain comes from the wound itself, everything else is rather painless." He looked back to Rupert and nodded, the sentinels bones coalescing with his greenish aura before the bones clattered to the ground in a pile.

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

"Oh. That doesn't seem so bad. Certainly it could be worse," she said, grasping for a silver lining around it all.

Still she had her doubts. Magic was a whimsical thing, manifesting strongly in some, meekly in others. And, more to the point, specifically in some and more broadly in others. Some were capable of mastering a variety of disciplines, some had only the ability to wield a narrow facet of magic and couldn't harness even the simplest of College Magic spells.

Who knew? Maybe if she had the capacity to summon Rupert, probing into the wellspring of hatred broiling within him might aid her own ability to cast Curses. It was worth a try.

Kristen stood. Considered the pile of bones on the ground that had but a moment ago been assembled into a revenant.

She scratched her chin. "This wound. How large must it be?"

Drastus Tal'deneshaar

 

[Drastus Tal'deneshaar]

"Yeah, its not bad at all." Drast agreed as he rolled his shoulders. "And you'll kinda understand a little bit of it afterwards, like Rupert shares some info with you. Kinda."

This wound. How large must it be?

That. Was a very good question. That was something he never thought to investigate. "Uh.. to my knowledge, there isn't a requirement, per se." He would show her his own palm, and the raised scar across it. "So I don't have to unwrap the cut one." He laughed. "Dont have to cut too deep, just enough to bleed. If you don't want to go so wide, feel free to make it a bit shorter."

He removed his dagger and ran the dull side along his palm. "Just like that, quick, light." He then flicked it in his hand so he held it by the blade and offered the hilt to her. "Then you put the cut over his mouth. It'll.. feel weird."

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Kristen accepted the dagger, taking a moment (perhaps spurred by hesitation more than thoughtful consideration) to look it and her own palm over.

"Weird," she echoed. "Well, I suppose that is the fundamental sensation of magic. I most certainly felt as such when first I felt the tingle of its presence."

She stepped over to the bones. Okay. Alright. This wasn't anything too bad. A year ago it would have been ghastly, but she had since suffered far worse wounds than a small and shallow cut. The resilience that came from experiencing the worst made everything that was less than that far more tolerable. Goodness, her tutelage that day with Noel and Penelope had been very formative in that regard!

She held the blade to her palm.

Aionus, if this amounts to blasphemy, do send me a sign and know that I beg Your forgiveness.

A slash, and Kristen winced, a small and uncomfortable sound. As if doing so would offer relief, she crouched quickly and pressed firmly her bloodied hand to the mouth of Rupert's skull.

Drastus Tal'deneshaar

 

[Rupert]

Blood. What a simple thing, a simple thing bound to the life of every being in creation. No matter the plane, all beings had blood course through their veins at one point or another. Simple, yet powerful, especially in magick.

Blood was a bond, bloodlines, inheritances, pacts. Revinaar had waited centuries for a mortal to pact with him. And now, within a decade, a second had come forward.

Kristen's blood warmed the cool surface of Ruperts maw. It would start out awkward, just painting the mouth with blood.. until her hand was dragged tightly against the bony teeth. She could feel the slow crawl of a second consciousness within her mind, a presence. It was full of anger, rage... hate. An image flashed of an elf in crimson robes. It was brief, but a cold fear would wash over her.

Then the space between her hand and Ruperts maw would glow with the same ethereal hue that had cascaded over the revenants body. The bones would begin to churn, change, rotate, as this monolith of bone was erected, Ruperts head now towering over her. The ethereal wisps would morph over his body and she could see the construction of the plate armor that had adorned the revenant during the earlier sessions.

"And so two become one, your hate becomes mine, my hunger becomes yours..." the voice, raspy, hate-filled would echo inside her mind.

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

The presence in her mind, the voice. It carried the same sort of shock as someone who had snuck up behind her and delivered a bellow of a greeting right into her ear. The rest of her surprise was formed from the simple fact that it had worked. That's all it had taken. Blood from her hand pressed to the old skull and mayhap some inkling of an intention.

Still she jumped back with a yelp. With hardly a thought of it, she'd reached out and clutched onto Drastus's arm, smearing a bit of her blood on him. It was just all so...alarming!

"Uh, uh, Drastus?? What do I do? What do I do now?"

Drastus Tal'deneshaar

 

[Drastus Tal'deneshaar]

Ruperts voice would fade as she panicked, his ethereal eyes seemingly glowing brighter as they focused on her. Expectantly.

Drast, however, didn't seem to mind the grab nor the blood. "Holy shit! You did it, Kris!" He didn't think it would work. Surely she was a necromancer of sorts!! Her reaction had mirrored his, a young boy tinkering about in a tomb he got lost in. It had been.. a life changing experience. First fear, then awe.

Uh, uh, Drastus?? What do I do? What do I do now?

"Do you... do you feel different? Like you could raise an army or anything?"

If she calmed a bit, she would be able to feel a tingling in her palms and if she focuses, she would be able to sense a sudden well of energy to pull from. It would feel bottomless, cold. Yet at the same time, it felt.. enticing.

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

"No! Yes! I-I-I don't know f-for sure," Kristen said. She grimaced and shrank into her shoulders, as if cringing away from some uncomfortable thing lingering just above her head. "Ahh...it...it is a strange sensation."

She held her wrist with her uninjured hand, gawking at the little gash in her palm. The feel of Divine Magic was far different from this. It seemed to go without saying, that everyone, every Initiate, likely had a distinct feeling associated with their magic. Knowing this didn't help much. Still it remained that this small foray into necromancy felt incredibly foreign to what she was accustomed to. "Weird" seemed almost insufficient as a descriptor.

"It's cold. Is it supposed to be cold?"

Drastus Tal'deneshaar

 

[Drastus Tal'deneshaar]

Seeing her begin to panic some, Drast would give Rupert a little wave and the Revenant would take several steps back. "Kris, its fine."

Both hands would cup her cheeks and he turned her gently to face him. "Breathe, Kristen." She had wielded Divine Magick, Necromancy was the opposite to that, it was going to feel foreign, strange. It might even hurt, he didn't know.

"Take a few deep breaths. Slowly. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. There we go." He would coach her to a state of calm, of level breathing.

It's cold. Is it supposed to be cold?

"Yes, unfortunately death feels cold. Its lonely, its less than desirable." He added with a light laugh. He would then slowly remove his hands from her cheeks. "Okay, now focus on the cold and think about hitting Rupert with it. You're going to need to aim a hand at him or do something to direct the energy."

He backed away from her. "Like this.." he lifted a hand and shot Rupert with his patented 'finger gun', sending a purplish blast at Rupert. It fizzled against the Revenants armor. "Give it a shot."

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

"I shall try."

Such a thing was certainly second nature to Drastus now, the first fumbling missteps of a new venture long distant in the past. Not quite so long distant were Kristen's own fumbling missteps when first she attempted to seriously harness her Divine Magic after enrollment into the Academy. She had the distinct feeling this might be quite a lot like that.

Her chest heaved and she let out a quick breath. Focus on the cold. Right. And...ah!...it was as unpleasant as Drastus alluded to. Her thought from before, of how one could get used to certain unsavory things, seemed poorly timed to her now. Nevertheless, she pressed through.

Kristen lifted her bloody palm and aimed it at the revenant.

"I'm...I'm focusing..." she said, still a touch uncertain.

Drastus Tal'deneshaar

 

[Drastus Tal'deneshaar]

I'm...I'm focusing...

"Good.. now think about inflicting pain on Rupert. Pretend he's Bull, or Edric. Someone who doubts you." Drast would muse as he moved to stand behind her and off to the side.

"It will probably take a few moments for the first blast, after that it gets easier with time, and with practice." He continued to coach. There was no real formula to his magick, he had no Necromancy teacher, so there were no real tests for him, just missions for the Republic.

He placed a hand between her shoulders, to comfort her. Sometimes to know you weren't alone was the best salve for the cold, for the loneliness. In time, she would learn to treat Rupert as that friendly presence. For now, he could fill that role. "Fire when ready, i know you can do this."

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

The hand on her shoulders worked wonders. It was warmer and more welcome than Kristen would have anticipated. In a certain Festival in the future she would come to understand why, and come to know that his hand was more than merely reassuring to her. But for now it was just that, the rock in the cold waves of a dark sea, and blessedly so.

"Pain..." she said in acknowledgement.

And then into concentration she went. She thought not of Bull nor Edric as Drastus had suggested. When she thought of inflicting pain, there was one face that readily came to mind. An orcish face.

Duresh.

Even more so than the face of the Warlord Dominic himself, Kristen loathed and feared Duresh more. For it was he who was there when her pristine world was shattered in the privy room of the Square Embassy. Indeed, it was he who had done the shattering. All too vividly could she recall standing there, frozen in terror, thinking it all had to be a nightmare. She stood there as the faint blur of Duresh attacked and killed the two elite Pirian guardsmen who had accompanied her down to the privy room. She had wet herself profusely, urine staining her beautiful dress in a dark downward river. The Invisibility faded from him, and Duresh advanced, his face ice cold. The last thing she saw was a green fist swinging at her face.

In the days that followed, in her terrifying captivity on the Isles of the Blades, she had dreamed of hurting him. Of killing him. Every now and again she was blessed with a dream wherein she had the power to do so, and when the morning came and she awoke, desperately did she cling to her pillow and wish for just five more minutes within the fantasy.

So enraptured in her thoughts, so deep in her concentration, Kristen did not know that from her hand finally came what Drastus was tutoring her on:

The directed energy.

Drastus Tal'deneshaar

 

[Drastus Tal'deneshaar]

As she thought of Duresh, she could feel the hate, the rage intensified. Focused. That bond she didn't know she shared with Rupert was growing slowly with each hate-filled second. He hungered for it, and whether she realized it or not, he had deep pool to I pull from with her.

Her hand glowed faintly as the the ethereal essence seeped from her eyes and clawed it's way down her shoulder to her arm. The concentrated beam collided with Rupert, and the sound of laughter would briefly fill her mind.

Drast jumped back in surprise. "Holy shit, Kris!" He exclaimed. "You did it!"

He couldn't believe it. He had taught someone else Necromancy! With that first beam released, she could feel a well to pull from, a font of magick so deep that it must have been built over centuries.

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Kristen yelped again when the laughter erupted in her mind. Her eyes darted around as if looking for the culprit who had perhaps intruded with some cutting remark upon a secret thing she was writing or doodling.

You did it!

"I did it?"

Her gaze centered on her outstretched hand, what remaining wisps of that ethereal essence curling like steam from her fingers and her palm, these all vanishingly thin but just barely available for her to see.

"I did it! Oh—!"

Kristen snatched her outstretched hand back with her free hand as if it might have flown away had she not. The sudden feel of the font of magic falling soundly into that category of "strange" she'd thought of earlier.

Sheepishly, she looked to Drastus and remarked, "I suppose I was due for a bout of, as it is called, 'beginner's luck' sooner or later."

Drastus Tal'deneshaar

 

[Drastus Tal'deneshaar]

At the yelp, Drastus seemed to catch on, tapping his own head as he spoke. "Easy, Kris. It takes some getting used to, but while he's summoned, you can communicate with Rupert via your mind. He has like.. a soft room and board allotment."

He grinned as she finally caught in with her success. "Yeah! You did it! Now try it again!" She then grabbed her hand back like she was doing the 'barking dog' to a child. Curious.

I suppose I was due for a bout of, as it is called, 'beginner's luck' sooner or later.

"Everyone gets it from time to time. Glad you got yours. Now I have no idea if you can do it once he's not summoned. It took me time and a lot of practice. But.. I think you could do it. When your hands glow, don't touch yourself, yeah? Necrosis is nasty."

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

When your hands glow, don't touch yourself, yeah? Necrosis is nasty.

Kristen stiffened a little at this, remembering some of the results during their mission to Vel Numera, how the unluckier of the bandits which had ambushed them in the Jades had tasted its bite (though gruesome, it was still wholly deserved). "Oh! Yes, of course. That...I will need to be especially cautious in this regard, for my own Divine Magic causes no harm to my person."

And, in the spirit of being especially cautious, she wiggled her hands and the dispelled the necromantic auras from about them. The magic seemed to fall away (perhaps fittingly) like a dead weight.

She smiled then. Said, "Well, if my Curses somehow fail to impress, then perhaps Proctor Magomo might be pleased with a small demonstration of this sort instead. So long as my beginner's luck holds for a few more days yet."

Drastus Tal'deneshaar

 

[Drastus Tal'deneshaar]

Drast would wait for her to dispell the ethereal glow from her hands, his arms crossing in a purely overexaggerated fashion. "Looks like there are two necromancers here, now." He added with a wry grin.

She smiled, that smile truly captivating and even contagious, pulled forth a smile of his own. "Then, we should make sure it does. C'mon Kris, focus. Feel it, and blast Rupert a few more times. We'll make a game of it. A prize for each successful callshot."

Kristen Pirian