Fable - Ask Fumbles and Foibles

[Kristen Pirian]

Kristen, modest and humble, laughed awkwardly at the comment of there being two necromancers among the class now. She scratched at the back of her neck and said, "High praise! But mayhap it would be wise to, um...let time do the telling?"

Perhaps she would, in said time, gain a measure of proficiency close to Drastus's own. Perhaps. It was at least a worthy pursuit, given this bout of rather quick initial success—something she could do once her day had already been thoroughly saturated with practice in her own Divine Magic. More power, if it could be wielded well, was certainly welcome.

Drastus prompted her along to try her hand at it again. Ooo, prizes. She couldn't help the intrigued smile that came along with the thought. "What stellar motivation. Shall we see what I can earn, then?"

Once more, she assumed a ready stance. Her eyes were closed in resumed concentration, and the faint aura returned to her outstretched palm. The beginner's luck of which she had spoken faltered somewhat, for three out of her next five attempts fizzled and produced little more than scattered light and vague noise. Yet, out of all six of her attempts, she was successful in half of them. Not bad for a pure novice picking up the craft for the first time.

And, as well, practicing in such a manner did lend itself well to honing the mindset she needed for her own Curses. Learning two things at once, one might say. Splendid!

Drastus Tal'deneshaar

 

[Drastus Tal'deneshaar]

Oh how awkwardly she laughed, truly wonderful. And he would reward such a laugh with a broad smile.

High praise! But mayhap it would be wise to, um...let time do the telling?

"Well yeah, I'm not gonna run the campus yelling out how you're a necromancer. Now, I just have a secret apprentice." He joked with a wink. He watched her closely, if only to see how her body reacted to the use of both divine and necrotic. And a part of him wondered if he could harness both, perhaps not, since he lacked any distinct tie to the gods.

What stellar motivation. Shall we see what I can earn, then?

"We shall. One prize per call shot, you get to pick them. But.. if you get all of them, I will take you on a secret adventure outside the Academy walls." A waggle of his brows. "Now how about that!?"

She took on her ready stance. "Fire, when ready." Her beginners luck would fade, but it was to be expected. She would eventually get to fire all six callshots, landing a hit on half. Each hit was rewarded with a clap of his hands and when she finished, he would strut her way.

"Not bad. Not bad at all." He leaned in close to whisper. "No adventure, unless... you wish to try again. You got three prizes now, or you can shoot for all six again. However, if you miss 3 or more, you lose all your prizes. Get all six and you will get to keep the original three on top. Your decision, Lady Pirian?"

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Drastus certainly knew how to stoke one's curiosity! A secret adventure outside the Academy walls. More important questions like the "how" of it were given no consideration, for the "what" of it was so terribly engaging and endlessly intriguing.

It was a shame then that her half and half performance fell short of the grand prize.

"Ahhh..." she lamented with a small groan, flinging her hand with an ounce of frustration. Short-lived though. 'Twas what it 'twas, after all. There was little need to be hard on herself over it.

But then Drastus came in with a whisper. Try again, with greater stakes. Oh, but he was quite adept at stoking motivation, wasn't he? More than she had previously thought.

"V-Very well," Kristen said, smiling through her little nervous stammer. "I...I should like to try again! This, if for no other reason than to satiate my curiosity at what you have posed."

Another six blasts. Get all six and see just what secret adventure Drastus had in mind. Kristen leveled her gaze on Rupert again, retreated into the realm of deep and fastidious concentration, and made ready. She grasped at swirling emotion, summoned old memories and dark fantasies, and put herself as much as she could (despite the gnawing curiosity) into the proper mindset.

Her next six attempts produced four blasts of necrotic energy, and two fizzles. Better than before, but not quite where she wanted to be.

And, knowing she had come up short again, Kristen blurted out, "SNICKERDOODLE!"

Then clapped her non-aura hand over her mouth, looking embarrassed.

Drastus Tal'deneshaar

 

[Drastus Tal'deneshaar]

V-Very well, I...I should like to try again! This, if for no other reason than to satiate my curiosity at what you have posed.

Drast smiled at her response, and one hand rested briefly at her lower back whilst the other waved her towards Rupert. "Good luck, Kris." She was eager, she liked games, he would take note of that for a later time.

She made her attempts. Four hits, two fizzles, though he didn't exactly count those as attempts. He was about to tell her to fire more, until a laugh escaped his lips. A genuine, and hearty laugh. He couldn't believe his ears and so it would take him a moment to recover.

"Did.. you just say snickerdoodle? As a curse? As a slur? What sort of power did you just give a powerless cookie?" She must have realized it too, because that hand shot upwards to cover her mouth, something that caused Drast to catch her still glowing hand in his. "Fuck. Easy, Kris." He would pull her hand back away from her mouth before finally releasing it, shaking his hand and with it the necromantic glow. "Dont want to ruin your pretty face, yeah?" He then offered a grin to let her know all was well.

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

"My apologies! I did not mean to speak with such vulgar intent!"

Sure, she had not uttered a profane word, yet the spirit of that profanity could be wrapped around any word, spoken with the correct cursing tone. It was unladylike, regardless of the word. In Cortos, Kristen had tried to emulate Edric, who at that point she still admired, and so used a foul word which left a foul taste on her tongue. Here it was much the same, that foul taste upon her tongue.

Un! Lady! Like! Mother would be aghast.

Drastus was quick to remind her of the novel power she held in her other hand, holding it still and keeping her from inadvertently touching herself or him.

"Oh! You are right, of course. I must make myself wary of this magic's danger to myself—"

Pretty face. It just registered to her what he'd said, the little compliment. The rising warmth beneath her skin nearly threw her off of what she was saying.

"—and others."

She had some trouble meeting his eyes for a moment, bashfully averting her gaze.

"W-Well. I did a little better this time, did I not? Ha, ha. Ha."

Drastus Tal'deneshaar

 

[Drastus Tal'deneshaar]

My apologies! I did not mean to speak with such vulgar intent!

"Oh yeah, I think I might be able to recover from such a blow." He teased her gently with a smile. "You uhh, don't need to apologize, really. It was cute, ill have to remember to add such a devastating word to my arsenal."

He watched her struggle with a slew of words, suddenly avoiding his gaze. Was it the compliment? He could almost not tell her actual reaction to it, except he noted the subtle reddish tone in her cheeks. So, he would naturally have to lay it on a bit more. "I'm not too concerned with others, just your smile." To him, that was an a-plus line.

W-Well. I did a little better this time, did I not? Ha, ha. Ha.

"Oh yeah, a lot better. Did you want to try again? Or did you need to call it quits for the day?" He asked, his arms crossing. He was sure to flex a little, make his arms swell a bit more. "And you know, we can always meet up again to keep training with it. We don't always need to be ordered to hang out."

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Just your smile.

Seemed the very word summoned the action, for Kristen smiled demurely the second after he'd said it. She tucked one of her bangs away behind her ears. All of a sudden it came to mind that she quite enjoyed spending time with Drastus, whether it be in Everleigh's harrowing Punishment Game or whether it be out on a mission or whether it be something simple and domestic like this here on the sparring grounds (or "tea time" with Chasmine). Spending time with him made her feel...special. Full of goodness. Blessed, even, if Holy Aionus did not mind the borrowing of so powerful a word.

Absolutely would she call upon his offer at some later date—training need not even be the reason for it.

For now though, time was pressing, and Proctor Magomo was fair but firm. Awfully firm.

"I should continue to work on my Curses," she said, eyes involuntarily dropping to his crossed arms before she caught herself and looked back up. "Whomever it is that I must face in two days, I would do well to be as prepared as I can be."

Drastus Tal'deneshaar

 

[Drastus Tal'deneshaar]

Drastus enjoyed watching her marinate with his compliments. The lady in her adored it and the Dreadlord knew she shouldn't. It was amusing, nay, adorable. As she moved to tuck a bang, Drast would beat her to it. "There," he started with a wink. "In case you still had some necrotic energy."

It was hard to tell what she was thinking, but the fact she kept staring at his arms seemed to give him some hindsight. At least enough to encourage him to flex a bit more and add a bit more size to his arms.

I should continue to work on my Curses.

Her eyes once more dropped to his arms before there was a recovery. She'd look up to see his cheeky grin.

Whomever it is that I must face in two days, I would do well to be as prepared as I can be.

"Then we ca-" he would be cut off as a voice rose behind them.

"Initiate Tal'deneshaar," Proctor Vernon. "It has come to my attention that you were caught mislabeling all the ingredients within the kitchen. Just for that, your services are needed in the kitchens." His arms crossed. "Now." His icy gaze shifted to Kristen. "Initiate Pirian, you would do well to avoid his presence."

"Ah, snickerdoodle." Drast cursed, before shooting Kristen another wink. "To be continued, Lady Pirian." With that, he would turn to leave, Proctor Vernon at his heel.

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

DAY SIX​

Tomorrow was the duel. The big duel. Because it wasn't enough to have expanded the scope of her magic, no, not for Proctor Magomo. She needed to prove to him that she could apply it in the one thing Dreadlords were made for: combat.

Kristen's record in sparring was...abysmal. If it wasn't the worst in number of losses, it was only by dint of her short time in the Academy (but by percentage though? Oh snickerdoodle!). Yesterday she had practiced the use of her Curses in isolation on Rupert, but today what she needed was a quick study in what Zael called "the down and dirty." She needed any little tip and trick she could learn that just might help claim victory on the morrow.

Free period came around, and here she saw an opportunity.

Kalix. She spotted him in the courtyard. The Canal campaign with Lord Banick had been...harrowing, to say the least, but in its duration she had seen firsthand what Kalix was capable of. There was a reason that those who dared to mock him were careful not to do so within his earshot. He could fight, and he could batter his way through significant odds to win. That was what Kristen needed to bask in, if only for what small time she could manage it in the day's busyness.

Still, approaching him was as ever...a touch frightening.

"Um, Kalix?" she said, coming up from behind and off to one side (unconsciously making herself appear as nonthreatening as possible). "May I ask something of you?"

Kalix

 

[Kalix]

Free period was meant to be spent how Kalix liked. There were only a few things a initiate could do on free time, at least in Kalix’s opinion: waste time or not waste time. Kalix preferred to not waste time, especially with graduation around the corner. Soon enough, he would leave this place. Soon enough he’d never step foot in this courtyard ever again.

So when he discovered that Patches had given birth to four kittens, each that seemed to have a different dad— just like his own mom! Who knew cats could be whores too?— Kalix knew what he had to do. Set the kittens, the future of Stripes and Patches and Whiskers and Socks, for success! He was squatting down, a stick in each hand, and moving them just enough to catch the four kittens attention. They would leap and bat at the sticks with their tiny paws before scampering off, just to start all over again.

Kalix had yet to name them, the only thing coming to mind being Stripes Jr, Patches Jr, Whiskers Jr, and Socks Jr.

He only became aware of Kristen’s presence when the four kittens ran away. He turned his head, an irritated look set on his face on whoever dared to disturb him while he was enjoying his very important free time. But then he saw it was Kristen. His expression softened, ever so slightly, as she posed her first question. Kalix remained squatting, looking up at the Pirian noble.

“Yeah, go ahead and ask, KP,” he said easily, dropping the two sticks in his hands, thinking back to Proctor D’Amour’s words about Kristen. Thinking back to her actions on their mission together, and even more recently, their time in Punishment Games. He gestured to the bushes where the kittens had run off to hide. “The lil guys just don’t like new people, or dog-people.” He inhaled deeply. “You’re probably a dog person.”

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Ohmygodthosearecatstheyreprecious.

Funny, how amidst a storm of tension and nervousness, a thought purely separate from those roiling seas could intrude quietly and make itself known before bowing out politely, its mission accomplished.

But Kristen had to keep steady. And she was, thankfully, at least on an outward level, yet this was an improvement. Turn back time to nearly a year ago and she would have been a stuttering wreck in front of Kalix (and many other Initiates).

"I..."

Keep steady.

She lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. "I have a fight tomorrow. A fight that I must win. Kalix, might you assist me? Provide for me some quick tutelage? I do not expect something for nothing, and in return I would offer you a favor of equal measure, yours to be redeemed whensoever you need it."

Down by her waist, she was washing her hands, her left turning over her right and back again.

"What do you say?"

Kalix

 

[Kalix]

A favor?

There was a lot that Kalix could ask in return from a noble. Money was the first thing that came mind, but there were other things as well. However, here was only one thing that kept occurring: Proctor D’Amour. In truth, Kalix had plenty of confusing feelings towards the Pirian Proctor, but everyone could vouch that Kalix had, in some ways, matured. His eyes darkened for a moment, thinking back to Raf.

To him, there were plenty of things that were causing him to rethink some of his old world views.

Regardless, a favor was a powerful thing, and whereas old Kalix would have tried to cash it in right away, the new and improved Kalix figured it should be something to hold onto until the time was right.

Finally, he would stand up, looking Kristen straight in her eyes.

“Well if you want to win, you came to the right guy.” Kalix said with a grin, placing his hands on his hips as he puffed out his chest. “I’ll help you out, KP, but believe me, I’m gonna be cashing in that favor. Don’t forget about it.”

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Desperate times called for desperate measures, so the oft-said saying went. She was, of course, nervous about what Kalix might actually ask of her in return, but she needed help today.

"I shan't forget. 'Tis only fair that you be afforded recompense for your charity. You need only ask," Kristen said. With that, she supposed, her fate was sealed.

But another big failure wouldn't be good at all. Kristen had a lot to make up for, and she was so very close to making this assignment of Proctor Magomo's a success. Whatever Kalix came up with surely couldn't be as bad as weathering the stern glare of a disappointed Magomo and enduring the endless remedial training and punishment that followed.

She made a gesture for them to walk and talk.

"Let us be frank," she said. "I, um...lack the benefit of the years-long training and honed expertise typical of any other Initiate my age. Quite fair to say, yes?"

Kalix

 

[Kalix]

“Well, duh,” Kalix said, giving Kristen a rather patronizing look. “I’m not the best at math but we’re all eighteen and you’re like sixteen. ‘Course you suck.” Kalix paused, his eyes widening at the realization of what he said. He cleared his throat. “I mean, you don’t suck… you just uh need… more… experience. Yeah. That’s the word. Experience.” Kalix nodded his head. A much better answer to give a fellow initiate. Evangeline would probably have given him a nod of approval.

“So if you gotta fight tomorrow, you think you have a big chance of losing? That’s why you’re here?”

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Kalix had a certain coarse, vernacular wisdom which, while it would have been abhorred in the upper crust of society that was Anirian nobility, was as painful as it was welcome. This pain was necessary, of course, for often did such accompany the purgation of weakness and shortcomings.

"Yes, precisely," Kristen said. "I do not yet know who I must fight, but I know that I must. Proctor Magomo has made it incumbent upon me to spar and to win, such that I might prove the efficacy of the new magic that I have learned."

Her lips pressed into a thin, almost frustrated, line.

"Yet I fear I will be overmatched."

Kalix

 

[Kalix]

Kalix regarded Kristen’s stance, understood—to a degree— her words and her fears. In truth, Kalix couldn’t say he had ever feared one particular person, nor that he feared an unknown person. He was always confident in the pure destructive force that was his magic. But there was more than just magic.

“Because you’re only thinking about your new magic.” Kalix said with a shrug. “You have to think about yourself as a whole. If you’re just going in to fight with only one ability? Yeah you’re gonna lose, KP, and big time. What’s this new magic of yours anyways? More crosses?”

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

"Curses," Kristen said. "Yet another method by which to debilitate my foes, not something new, I'm aware."

Thus far, each incarnation of her magic was not, in and of itself, sufficient to take down an enemy by itself. For her, brute force was not an option. Yet, surprisingly, Kalix's first piece of advice to her was not to just use one ability, something he himself could get by on easily.

Terribly well...in some cases.

She let it go.

"You are right, of course. 'Tis no good at all if I cannot capitalize upon my Conjurations and Curses with force of arms to win the day."

Kalix

 

[Kalix]

“Curses? That’s what you do? Huh. Doesn’t suit you.” Kalix said and shrugged, leaving it at that. No curses didn’t fit Kristen at all. He remembered how she let that elven women cling to her, how she wanted to save people. How do you save people with curses? Cracking his neck and then rolling his shoulders back, Kalix knew exactly how to help Kristen.

“Come at me with your oogly-boogalee-shit.” Kalix said, a rather serious look settling over his features, his fearsome feline grin peeking through his swagger. “Let’s see if you can stop me.”

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Onto the sparring grounds they went, and it was there that Kalix's feline grin was exposed, his challenge issued.

Kristen's immediate, visceral reaction was to balk. Let's see if you can stop me. The words conjured the brutal, gruesome memory of the fight in Elyr'Morath, and helplessly in that moment was she swayed to it. Raf. His remains. He couldn't stop him. Oh gods...

"Wait, wait, wait!" Kristen exclaimed, holding up her hands.

Quickly she conjured up some viable reason for her stalling. "We, um...should arm ourselves with practice weapons from the rack, yes?"

She swallowed. Brows curling in an uncertain manner. She had asked Kalix, the veritable force of nature, for his help. And now she was about to reap the whirlwind.

Could I...have ever stopped him? Did I ever have the slightest chance in Elyr'Morath?

Kalix

 

[Kalix]

Kalix raised a dark brow in confusion at her shouting. Did she not want his help? Kalix knew that if Proctor Magagamamomo, or whatever his ridiculous name was, planned on setting Kristen to fight someone, there were few initiates stronger than Kalix. Physically and when it came to their personal magic. Kalix had fallen into the pit of many dreadlords that only thought about increasing their strength with what they were good at.

Sable and his light barriers for instance. What a lame power though.

Gravity? Nothing could stop Kalix while he could manipulate gravity— and all the benefits there were to manipulating gravity! No one would ever… wait, well, maybe a null could stop him. He would find out soon enough, he was certain of it after the setbacks of the Canal.

It wasn’t something he liked to think about.

“We could get a training circle then, if you want KP, none of the underclass men ever tell me no! But that’s because I don’t even ask, I just shove ‘em out of there.” Without waiting to see if Kristen was following or not, Kalix placed his hands in his pockets leisurely and began heading to the general outside training area. “Do you still have to run laps around the academy?” He asked suddenly.

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

"S-Sure. Good suggestion, Kalix."

Kristen followed in his wake. Wary inwardly, hopefully not so much outwardly. To be put into such a situation as this by the demands of Proctor Magomo's assignment! Time had passed since the Canal Campaign, the environment of the Academy—generally speaking—was still one mostly of indifference towards the death of an Initiate, but, goodness, the awkwardness of it all for Kristen had the unpleasantness of listening to a discordant harp.

The awkwardness, the nervousness, both were dispelled momentarily by Kalix's unexpected question. Kristen blinked rapidly. Then answered.

"Why, yes. In truth, after today's free period is finished I am due for my laps. Proctor Magomo doesn't pace me nor observe me anymore, but I know what is expected of me and upon my own integrity I keep to the schedule." Curiously, she added, "Was there a reason for your asking?"

Kalix

 

[Kalix]

Kalix listened to Kristen completely, not interrupting for once. He waited until she had finished, looking up towards the sky as they walked to the training center. He hardly looked at the initiates they passed by, his posture completely lax.

“I was thought it was weird he wanted you to run so much, it’s like he wanted to make sure you’d be quick enough to run away.” Kalix said casually, looking over at Kristen. “I mean, yeah core strength is important and so is stamina, but I always figured that they’d want you to bulk up some muscle in your legs. Girls always tend to kick the hardest and you got the longest legs out of ‘em all.”

Without missing a beat, Kalix leaned back on one leg to then deliver a proper side kick three times, each time his foot reaching higher and higher. Soon enough he was walking again, and finally they had reached their destination. He went straight for the training racks, but picked up nothing.

“One time Ebersol’s short ass got me with a few kicks to my knee with her little weird… Dornoch shit.” Kalix said, looking rather displeased admitting such a thing. “She does that sneaky shit all the time. But not you, KP.” His gaze meant Kristen’s. “So, what weapon you going for?”

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Kristen, as if to confirm, glanced down at her legs when Kalix mentioned them. A tiny wave of embarrassment washed over her; as abashed about her height as ever, even in such strange and dire circumstances as these.

The kicks he delivered in the air were impressive to watch, his leg seeming to lash like a whip each time. Kristen had seen so much hand-to-hand combat—both observing and, ahhh, participating—in so short a time here at the Academy, yet her fascination with it (especially when watching two capable fighters engage one another) seemed boundless.

The idea occurred to her then.

"I will take the one I know best," Kristen said, securing a wooden practice mace from the rack. "But, hear me out. Mayhap I ought to learn something like what you have just done there. Something new. Something unexpected."

A small shrug. Unsure, as was her wont, but with an underlying eagerness at the potential of this.

"Mayhap I should think about myself as a whole."

Kalix

 

[Kalix]

Kalix nodded his head, and once Kristen had chosen her weapon, he went to the the center of the empty training ring. He hadn’t really done the kicks to show off, Kalix rarely ever delivered a kick to a foe unless it was a heavy front kick to get some space. He much rather preferred using his fists and knocking someone out until their teeth went flying through the air. He had plenty of gruesome memories of doing something like that, especially to the other initiates.

He had stopped wondering if when other weaker initiates were paired up with him if they were being punished. At least he wasn’t.

Of course, the kicks, yes, back to those. He had shown her that even he knew how to do something even if it wasn’t his preferred method of delivering blows. There could be a chance when he would need to, like if Alistair blew off both of his hands. And that was what training was all about, wasn’t it? Especially dreadlord training: to be dangerous with any part of yourself.

“Yeah, I’ll show ya a couple of good moves that I think would fit your body. You don’t have a lot of time to practice them but… hey, if you were to fight someone like Liza? They’d blow her away! Now,” Kalix’s stature changed, a bend to his knees and he raised his fists up high, framing the sides of his face. Nothing like traditional boxing, his stance was completely different, his face clear to his opponent. “Come at me. I won’t go easy on you.”

Kristen Pirian

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Fear killed action. If it took full root in your heart, you froze. To her shame, who better in this Academy knew this more than Kristen herself?

She had always been afraid of Kalix. But if she could not bring herself to act today, in a session that was practice and without the hard, assessing gaze of Proctor Magomo boring into her, then what hope did she have tomorrow?

"Very well. And I will give my all as well."

Fortunately, it just so happened that one effective way of banishing fear was also the mindset she needed to put herself in to properly cast a Curse. Malice needed to be called forth. Ill-will. Anger. Curses were pure harm, and negative emotional intent was needed to bring them to manifestation.

And there was a well-spring of anger to draw from concerning Kalix. What good that came from their talk aboard the Banick vessel was pushed from her mind, and what was left was black and destructive.

Words to give her Curse shape. "The past inflicts pain on the present." Her voice low and dark, her left hand, outstretched, wreathed with baleful symbols. The Curse of Agony Recalled, if successful, would bring back all the amplified pain of a past injury slamming into Kalix's body.

Kristen rushed forward. Learning from Noel not to telegraph her strikes so much, she held until the most appropriate time to swing.

Kalix