anesidora 6

[16:34] "Well, Alois..."

Her eyes shift to him, smiling all the while. Although she fought very recently - only several minutes ago - she would not pass on the opportunity to dance with her most beloved witch once more. The outcome, although predictable, matters less than the bliss it'll instill in her.

His blood was, in fact, just that good.

"Shall we dance?"

She'll leave the process of ripping a part of her essence to him.
(Marjorie)
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[17:06] Silent throughout the breadth of explanations and chatter, the Loire seemed to succumb to the usual boredom and disinterest these sorts of plans often inflicted upon him.

He understood his part, and he need understand no more.

With Marjorie's utterance, he spurs finally from his pensive idling, emerald eye blinking toward her. Disdain roosts upon his countenance, not that it was a particularly personal or pointed gesture -

The entire ordeal for the sake of a poxy little tiara simply didn't grip him as much as the others. A tedious task for a tedious woman.

"This is hardly worth the effort for Naren's stale little gimmick," he lambasts, afloat still by virtue of whatever concoction the quarter had unanimously guzzled months and years prior. He bobs on with an exhausted huff, an trickle of stellar energy heaving the Imbrixium Codex from its resting place atop the nearby tea table.

It snaps to his palm in a heartbeat, ancient text aglow with primordial energy.

"It's an uncomfortable experience, as you well know. Exert yourself or you'll find the results underwhelming. Ones lifeblood is most potent when fighting for their life.

Outside. Let's not make a mess."
(Alois Loire)
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[17:13] "You could be the most hideous thing worth laying eyes upon, would your insidious nature make you any less, or more ferocious? I don't know..." She hums, a single digit tapping upon her lower lip.

"You just need to remember your promises."

There's activity in the woods, it seems, and all she does is sit by and play the observant role while speaking with her friend.

"Though if you were looking for an answer with substance. Then yeah, it may assist."
(Hannah)
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[17:13] Whatever Naren's plans were regarding Marjorie and whatever her crown was to be made of, they didn't concern Thane very much at all.

That didn't stop him from involving himself regardless, perched on the edge of their bathtub and looking between the three. It wasn't a particularly exciting conversation until the idea of using essence is brought up, as well as the methods for acquiring it. Thane hops up and stretches his arms over his head, intent on following.

"Yes, give us a good show," he comments as they exit their dwelling and head out into the jungle, "Might as well make it not a complete waste of our time."

Not that he was doing much else anyway, as Thane settles back against a tree to observe. He looks once towards Naren, but if he has any questions about the process of imbuing her 'essence' into this crown, he doesn't ask them.
(Thane)
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[17:13] It's painfully obvious that Alois wasn't very impressed or even remotely interested in partaking in the making of Her Darkest Reflection, but the fact that he's willing to spare his time for her is comforting enough. It alleviates the boring part of this process, allowing her smile to linger for more.

"Yes, yes. I get it. You have better things to do, I am sure."

Someone to hunt, some crafter to behead. She was certain that he'd have preferred to be doing that instead.

The earth crystallizes as soon as Marjorie exhales, mana overseeing the process of conjuring mirrors before her Fel magic is reached. Small droplets of Occultic mana fall from her being, reaching the grassy ground if only to taint it further.

"Just like when we first met, remember?"

She smiles, and then lunges straight at him - completely yielding herself to his scorching caress.
(Marjorie)
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[17:29] "Seemed as if though he was scared more than anything else. Though I could be convinced of many things beyond a first glance. As could you, or him.." She gestures over towards Kieran rather casually, no true investments made within the thought itself.

To have cast the scene aside meant that her interest had waned to some degree, thought to be treated as helpless as the kid so happily tugged away at least leaves a bad taste in her mouth.

"We are dreamers, but all the same are we cognizant. The dangers are considered, though thanks for your advice." A glance north is made, but she lingers no more. Now was the time to continue pressing on into the lush forests.

"Do be safe." She hums.
(Hannah)
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[17:35] Hannah really traded a mushroom and feather for a card. .

Believable, considering the trash cards she had. But still one figured if you cared enough maybe they'd come through for you? Silly nonsense, likely, but that was how people operated sometimes. On the faith of belief.

"And just which way do you see it, Hannah P?"
(Kieran Reveille)
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[17:38] Erebus blatantly saunters out of the woods, seeing a lot of people. The rather bulky female ogre looks around for a moment. "Looking for place. Looking for person." She had a single minded mission right now given to her by someone who was benevolent to her. She'd get her info, humans and their sub-kin be damned. That - and she didn't care for whatever was going on here.
(Erebus)
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[17:38] Feathers and mushrooms could at least be juggled on occasion, that card in and of itself was but ab urden upon her selective inventory. Though as he asks his question, she does stop to address a single outlier.

The Felinae, tucked within a corner yet to be addressed by quite an imposing group.

"You there, don't you think they've been kind enough not to address you so far? Would you like to walk back with us? It'd be a kindness on our behalf."

She's yet to address the oni, or the monsters which linger upon their outskirts. Though given her familiarity with this cat's run in with vampires, she was doing them a favor.
(Hannah)
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[17:41] Good vision, Hannah P.

The kitten like creature tucked into the folds of green, hiding away from the more normal view, seems to have been on her mind for the right reason. to get them to a safe place and away from all of this. . whatever this was.

"You really should take up the offer, otherwise? Things may not turn out the best for you." It didn't help their case that the last few times they were spotted, Ki was around unsavory figures.

And, was it any persons surprise that they turned up with injuries of one sort or another?
(Kieran Reveille)
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[17:45] The two dance in tandem. Superhuman speed is met by overwhelming force, and the jungle once more quakes beneath the might of warring magi. The bout itself hardly seemed personal, but one could not discard the necessity of their violent act when seeking to complete another piece of Naren's first masterwork.

The lack of payment and reward for his own participation in the process was not lost on him. His bitterness had been evident.

Flames and crystals lash destructively together, marring the land. Greenery is decorated with spires of prismatic creation, twisting eerily to the skies. Emeralds, rubies and sapphire forged from naught more than mana litter the earth, glimmering and embed within the sodden soil of their chosen battleground.

It all wilts as quickly, plagued and deadened by way of the frantic, seamless transition from portal to portal; with each hasty traversal through one rift, the Loire bounces just as quickly through the next in violent, careless pervasion of the lifestream.

It's as destructive to the lifeblood of their existence as their magics are to the earth around them.

In the conclusive moments of their dastardly waltz, the Hunter is subdued beneath a twining of stellar energies and rocked against a nearby oak with crippling might.

The Loire strikes, teeth clamping savagely upon her neckline, only inches above the collarbone. They shamelessly embed upon frosted flesh in an act she had performed to others thousands of times prior, igniting a flame upon a gelid, glacial canvas. It almost seemed a mockery, given her nature.

But what is stolen isn't the scarlet ichor that beat through his own veins, no. Her soul is sundered, and a few trickles of lifeforce slither from one body to the next.

She's cast to the dirt with his duty concluded, an eye spared toward the observing Naren. He doesn't spare the Ogre even a modicum of notice.
(Alois Loire)
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[17:52] Erebus must've happened upon a murder. Oh well.

Nothing new here to her. But no one's really responding to her. She feels like she might just head away from this. A glance is cast towards the woman who was just tossed to the ground. Was she dead? Maybe.

She can't tell. She's no magician. She'd just wait a bit. If she didn't get a response she'd just leave. Whatever happening wasn't her problem.
(Erebus)
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[17:53] Was indeed hiding in the trees, curious of the battle that was going on. Though he wasn't sure who the individuals were he remained hidden for now at least until two individuals happened to spot the moxtli felinae hidden among the trees. Maybe his white hair and pink eyes did stand out a bit much.

"Huh? Who address what?"

It was clear he didn't know whom the people were. To him he thought they were just humans. The vampire bite on his right arm still healing, almost fully healed by now.

"What do you mean? I've watched fights before."

The feminine walked out from his hiding spot.

"I guess I really should go though. Sis might be worried."

His tail swayed back and forth while he walked over to Hannah, obvious clueless. Not like they ever got hurt before, watching a fight, usually Ki climbed up into a tree for a better view but not this time.
(Ki)
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[17:53] The fight is as brutal as ever, the only difference being that this time the crystalline magic Marjorie uses reflects the light from the flames in a bright, intense show of power. It's enough to keep his attention entirely on the two of them, no thought spared for the teenagers or ogres that lurk around the jungle.

He's had enough of them, really.

Thane sighs contentedly once the battle reaches nears towards its expected conslusion, though there's a distinct lack of true satisfaction. Their fight is pretty, it's destructive and violent, and yet... he finds himself displeased by it. Perhaps it's the way Alois lunges forward to bite down on Marjorie's neck that has him glance off to the side, as if he can't seem to bring himself to watch.
(Thane)
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[17:53] She can't win.

No.

She doesn't want to win.

… In a battle against the Loire, Marjorie's heart only holds one desire: she wishes to taste him just as she had before. And for that cause, arrows are shot. Mirrors shatter and fragments chase after the fire-bender. His flames singe her body and flesh, threatening to cremate her here and now - as if he planned to host a funeral in their jungle.

But, despite the pain, her smile persists. Joy overtakes her features and the vampire undoubtedly reaches cloud nine, furthering her state of ecstasy.

Even if Alois felt bitter about this fight and even the fact that his time was wasted, she was in absolute bliss.

And it turns much, much sweeter when she manages to draw the slightest drop of blood from the man, the sweet ichor reaching her lips and filling her with satisfaction.

She does not care to lose, not versus him. Her pride is abandoned.

"... Simply divine."

By the time he bites her, she's not entirely in a state of mind that can comprehend pain or even register the gesture, which, naturally, leads to a rude awakening when a piece of her soul is ripped out of her, proving the process to be much more painful and devastating than a simple fight.

It shocks her, just as it did the first time they battled.

Fortunately, it brings her back to earth and allows her to focus on where they were, the audience that surrounded them, and her injuries. Maybe now it was time to take a sip of that potion, huh?
(Marjorie)
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[17:57] "I mean some people don't enjoy prying eyes. Come come, there's no need to count your blessings until they're gone."

Lurking is hardly a desire, and to remain an unwanted ornament should not be anyone else's either. She waves the teen over and prepares to head home.

Wherever that may be. Most could assume that it was the academy which many spent their time wasting hours far from the reach of danger.

"Preserve the luck you'll be needing for later."
(Hannah)
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[17:58] As he'd watch with intent whilst the fires of his forge were lit, the Artificer stares with curiosity- and interest, as they did battle. In truth.. Marjorie could defeat him and some of her essence might still be stolen. There's a light hint of shock to his feature as he watches Alois triumph. When she's bitten and cast aside, he slowly begins to float forward- weightlessly, though the air.

In his palms, the evergrowing manacrystal- restricted, and trapped by metaphysical runes, stood to be enchanted further. It leaves his grasp as it is presented by the flora of the jungle itself- thorned vines, carrying it forward.

"Cast your most foul magic. Take the piece you've stolen from her and implant it into this."

Marjorie's Essence would be trapped. Encased, and unable to blossom within the runes that Clotho had engraved into the gemstone.

But a cornered animal always showed its teeth; he was sure that an object of this kind would only do the same.

It would form something everdark.
(Naren)
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[17:59] Waving a hand, his gesture is intended to tell Ki that they were going now, easily shown by the way he turn about-face and seems ready to get their little show on the road.

"It's less about spying on fights and more like having a little self preservation, you know?

What happens if they decide to turn on you and gobble you right on up?" No one would be able to do anything--or if they could, would they? It was a dangerous thing to risk.

"Save your life by keeping away!"
(Kieran Reveille)
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[17:59] Erebus just heads off.
(Erebus)
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[18:03] Frowns as he didn't want to be anyone's snack. Not again and not ever. Twice he had his blood drained by two different individuals and the third time was never going to happen, long as he could help it.

"I just wanted to.. pick up some moves is all."

He huffed as he quickly decided to follow the other two. Hopefully they weren't trying to trick him like that one lady did.

"Hghn.. Wait for me!"
(Ki)
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[18:04] Violently awakened from her trance and still visibly wounded (despite the fast-acting elixir), Marjorie struggles for a short while to collect herself before rising back into the air. Alois' flames left a proper mark on her body, but her kind were built to push through pain and even shut it off when necessary.

Now simply happened to be one of those times.

To heal further she'll have to feed and sate her hunger, and fortunately enough, the audience that collected around her group seemed to hold several good targets. A couple of kids and a towering ogre, similar in appearance to the one Alois drove out of the woods not too long ago himself.

"Ogre," she calls out for it. "You were all warned. Your kind, your allies, your most powerful creature. And yet, you still find it within yourself to loiter in our lands."

Occult mana reignites around her being, her red eyes narrowing into a sharp stare.

"You will either slit your wrists and pay with your blood or I'll beat it out of you." Not a warning, but a promise.
(Marjorie)
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[18:08] Erebus just looks back at the woman who apparently got the absolute -shit- beat out of her. She -still- wants to come and fight her. She looks southwards at Torgon.

She doesn't really pay the aggressive woman any real attention. "Torgon. Looking for someone for a woman. Woman aided me."

She'd start to walk off towards Torgon if not really stopped. She was lost around here after all.
(Erebus)
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[18:11] With a small gesture made, a mirror wall erects in front of the towering ogre and forces it to halt in its path.

It will not escape its fate. Not here, not today, not versus her.

"Filth, do you hear me? Do you creatures lack a brain or are you simply one of the more dense ones?" her hand curls into a fist, shattering the mirror into fragments that chase after Erebus, intent on impaling it with as many of them as possible.

"Face me. Accept your fate. You are nothing more than a sack of meat and blood."

Despite the harsh words, her tone remains soft and gentle; quiet, even.

She charges forth, intent on clashing with the creature in battle: she will earn her blood through a fight if she must.
(Marjorie)
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[18:11] Bloodied and bruised, Alois' attention hangs upon the balance of Naren's own request, tongue striking once across his lips. The terrible flames that rock about him dwindle inevitably to embers, but -

His hand strikes, and gravitational forces lash out, erecting an obstacle betwixt the Ogre and Torgon. He keeps an eye on the situation, lest it require his immediate intervention.

It likely would.

"A moment please, Naren."
(Alois Loire)
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[18:14] Erebus has no real choice, since they want to actually fight her. She could feel the woman coming up behind her - and a obstacle come up in front of her. She'd call out to Torgon, "Got no choice."

She didn't really want to fight - because right now all it is to her was a fucking chore. All she wanted was directions. Hell, she can't even tell these races apart from normal human beings.

Another day, another injury coming up.

She turned around and put her fists up.
(Erebus)
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[18:25] Erebus does have a choice.

They could have chosen not to step on their land. They could have chosen to slit their wrists and offer their blood as a peace offering, which would have made this experience much easier for them— but they chose otherwise.

The fault, unfortunately, lays entirely with the ogre and the rest of the Shadowmire dwellers.

"You creatures," she sounds... Frustrated, almost. Her voice grows slightly louder, mana visibly pouring out of her being in order to allow the mirror constructs to grow more rapidly. Each shattering of a mirror allows for more fragment to chase after the beast, impaling them with shards that draw more and more blood. It pours in a large quantity thanks to the ogre's size.

"Refuse to understand. Refuse to give in. Refuse to accept."

"This is our land. Our jungle. Our temple. This all belongs to us."

Once more, pillars begin to chase after the beast, trailing after themas they seek to flee from Marjorie. "But fret not. Nature is a patient teacher, and so am I. I will beat sense into you and all of your allies for as long as I need to."

The crystal finally catches up to Erebus, imprisoning them just in time for Marjorie to close the distance, and bite down - hard. She drains the beast of blood and essence, ensuring to do so in a painful, gruesome method.
(Marjorie)
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[18:33] Erebus was swiftly beaten. It wasn't really much of a fight since even her own titanic blows were pretty much shrugged off by the regenerative prowess of Vampires.

This was yet again more times she was struck by magic and unable to really even contend against it. Was she honestly just that damned weak? Or is every one of her opponents stronger than her. Training or not, nothing seems to be working her way.

Hell, she doesn't really even know or gives a damn about what they are. She was imprisoned and bitten, black ichor filling Marjorie's mouth as she drained Erebus. It'd definitely take a lot longer to heal at this point. When Erebus was finally released after the painful experience, she just sat down.

Yeah, it burned, but her face didn't show too much expression over her body being brutalized. Covered in bleeding wounds, she puts a beefy hand against her neck.

She just spits at the woman's feet, then walks off. She doesn't give the woman a quip back.
(Erebus)
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[18:39] Whatever hatred the Mire may possess for the Loires and the Vampires is not one that is personal to Citalli. He is a recent arrival to these lands, and as such feel no direct attachment to the Mire's denizens on an emotional level. Dull salmon pink eyes stare forward at the encounter in progress, not particularly showing any sign of emotion. His body is covered head to toe, with the only exception being the upper half of his face.


He takes the nigh maniacal speech that comes after the vampires victory in much the same fashion, not particularly heeding her words any more or less than the numerous other individuals who had threatened him with similar rhetoric.


However, a lack of emotion does not mean that he doesn't on some level care. He cares for Erebus in the sense that they are a body and muscle, and that soldiers are not to be thrown away for no benefit if it can be helped. Seeing that Erebus is capable of walking away is enough to satisfy him for the moment.


He'll have to take the time to fix her up later. Should none interfere with him, he will merely turn in place and begin to walk away from the scene, the sound of rattling metal somewhat audible under his cloak. He saw no reason to take a fight when he was outnumbered, he didn't possess such foolish tendencies.


"Come Erebus, you seek direction no? Then please follow me, and I will provide. There is much work to do and you need to be in fighting shape again soon." His voice is pure monotone, spoke as if the man is half asleep, within a dream. "Your fight is finished for now."
(Citalli Tlalli)
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[18:44]
{LOAD GAME}

[18:45] {Item} You drop Evergrowing Mana Crystal.
[19:11] With feeding time concluded for the eve, the quartet return to the hovel they called home, dusty innards elevated with a floral scent that seemed to hang sweetly upon the air.

He might apologize for the delay were he not understanding of the fact the completion of this project operated on his time, and his time alone.

The evergrowing manacrystal is seized from the flora by virtue of stellar command, elevating skyward and depositing gently into his grasp. It resonates heavily at the touch of his fingertips.

The dispelling of essence was an unnatural feat, achieved often with a command and a sacrifice. When a fragment of the soul was claimed, simply relinquishing it was not so simple as the jettisoning of mana.

Fingertips twiddle at the buttons of his shirt, plucking them away one by one to expose the muscular, scarred torso beneath, tan chest dusted with a light blanketing of shadow.

He inhales sharply, bested by the tedium of the task, and interlocks all ten fingers around the crystalline construct in question. With a twitching of biceps and a singular, pendulous motion -

The sharpened tip incises through flesh and transfixes at the centre of his chest, nestling its way through muscle and sinew alike. Teeth grit as the rock is driven deeper and deeper, sanguine ichor oozing from pectoral to abdomen.

The world wanes, and the Helish kiss of his Lords magic pervades their dainty little hideaway. Laylines shimmer from his fingertips and coil the construct, lips twisting to breathe a quiet command:

"Karrellyos.
Lamac lamac bachalyas.
Cabahagy sabalyos. Baryolos.
Lagoz atha cabyolas. Smnahac atha famolas."

His unholy reservoir is splintered, and, pleading to his Lord, a fragment of lifeforce is offered through the laylines and into the belly of the crystal, agglutinating with mana from a thousand different sources.

Itstaint is immediate, deep azure inked with purple blots, akin to dye dribbled in crystalline water. It oozes wayward, envenoming the contents and staining translucent ebbs of energy a deep shade of mauve.

It's heaved from his chest with an audible splatter of blood.
(Alois Loire)
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[HEX] [19:13] Karrellyos. Lamac lamac bachalyas. Cabahagy sabalyos. Baryolos. Lagoz atha cabyolas. Smnahac atha famolas

[19:31] He watches, quietly- for he could never pledge himself to the Dark Lord like he'd once wanted to, Naren would instead watch on with interest. His origins were murky, and yet came from a place eerily similar to Alois..

Even so, his soul was pledged to another- even if he hadn't expected it to. Perhaps, something greater. If it wasn't for that, he would've been doing this himself..

Whilst Alois inflicts his magic, inviting the magic of the dark lord into it, his lips remain pursed. In an instant, as blood is spilt, the crystal begins to darken- to turn purple, and he takes it from the Loire; holding it within his own palms for a moment.

"I had a powerful Artificer put their runes onto this," he declared quietly. It was likely they wouldn't care very well. "To trap it's power."

It began to swell, in its purple state; starting to round out, become more oval-like on its own. The Essence of the Dark Lord was trifling, powerful, and yet, unlike anything that he'd ever worked with.

Even so, the runes held; at least, it seemed like it. "It will not grow, or change shape. But when you trap something in a corner.."

In an instant, everything began to change; it fades back to blue- back to it's dark, dark violet, before all of it's color- and size, begins to draw itself inward. It shrinks, and shrinks within his palm.

"You know, Clotho told me when it got too much power it would simply explode. This is really the opposite. But what can you expect.."

He drops the crystal- or at least, what it once was immediately. In an instant, from a single point, purple mana begins to flourish outward; expelled all at once, as if it was being rejected..

No, it was rejecting the runes. He didn't care, nor did he mind; instead, his magic comes to life. Artificery gave him a small amount of control over the runes he'd engraved within, after all; shaping the magic..

Alois' own chant slowly becomes heard over his own ears. As the occultic power it was blessed with is drawn outward, it shapes itself into something far smaller than what it once was; instead of growing endlessly and endlessly; floating up on it's own, enchanted with its own power, now.

It was dark. Too dark, surely; flowing overwards with a darkened sheen that seemed unending.

"This crystal doesn't stand to be evergrowing anymore. It's everdark. Aha.."

His magic allows him to manipulate it, now. The runes that once held its power at bay now stood to be on the inside, like runic circles as he'd hold it once more.

"It's perfected. Just as I imagined. Just as I--.. thought."

Holding it in his palms felt strange, for it was not his power to bare.. Instead, he wraps it in cloth and heads into his own forge to begin the process.

(Naren)