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| Ancient Scrolls | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Wed Jul 6, 2011 12:36 am (635 Views) | |
| Dusker | Wed Jul 6, 2011 12:36 am Post #1 |
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The city’s wall were crumbled or crumbling, all made of aged stone left over from a civilization that nobody could remember or that nobody wanted to remember. So all that was left was the mindless undead, wandering left and right, lost within their own walls or maybe just reliving their lives, stuck. More like trapped within their memories, unable to move forward and yet the graveyard still remained so full despite their empty graves, there were still so many that did not want to go back, who knew they were dead and that they should stay that way rather than shambling about the forgotten wastes of their surely once great city. However, just because a place was dead, just because what it once was had long since been forgotten, that didn’t mean it was without souls, spirits with forms no matter how odd continued to visit this place for whatever reasons. To hunt the dead, to see the old world that had been left behind, the city that had been lost to a sea made of the sands of time, to try and control those who had been forgotten and left behind to whatever they might have left or to uncover what the old world had left behind. One of these, of the fourth kind, smoked over an open grave, the uncovered wooden box below had remained untouched, the coffin almost pristine except for the dirt that covered its wooden frame. The final rest for whoever could get it. “What are you waiting for…?” A ghostly voice asked from its smoky form in the smoke of the man’s cigarette. No response came immediately, none was needed. The two knew each other well enough to read the air which is why the ghost wouldn’t leave the necromancer, hoping that it could gain its freedom back to the world of the living through this one so young, one which should have been so full of life but instead there was something else that danced between worlds which drove him forward. He wasn't alive, not dead and not undead. He was one of many enigmas that dotted the world of Chaon. The darkly dressed man lowered himself into the open grave, opening the coffin carefully to the sight of a skeleton, lying motionless within its box with a permanent grim look locked upon its boney face. Its arms were crossed over its chest, a dirty yet fancy-seeming suit upon its deceased for. An odd look for a dead man, to be dressed up in clothes so fine that had become victim to time, aging and rotting away with the flesh. The dark man simply chuckled a bit at a joke which flickered in his mind before wrapping his arms about the spine to lift the corpse up. Remnants of dried muscle and ligaments keeping the bones stuck together as its limp form was lifted from its resting place, only to be tossed from the grave. The necromancer followed the body from the grave while the spirit in his smoke simply watched the scene, he seemed too skilled at doing all of this work without losing a moment to take a drag from his cigarette, letting the smoke out through his nose in twin jets only for it to be carried off into the moon-lit night. He had his body, now all that was left was to move it to the circle, something that only took him a mere moment and a couple of more drags of tobacco. He laid the corpse carefully in the center, making his way out of the circle to examine it with his dotted-seeming white eyes. The candles he had lined in the circle with were blown out by the cool night breeze, something annoying but nothing he couldn't deal with. A smoke-filled sigh passed by his pale lips as he began to crouch next to each candle, placing his right index finger up to the singed wicks. “Spiritus vero meus mico - scintilla pario corpore flammam.” His voice sounded out the incantation darkly, an incantation which brought a purple flame to the candles which lit the circle and the marking beneath it with a purple flickering glow. It seemed that things were going smoothly. The necromancer stood from the circle and took a step back, looking to each candle with a minor sense of accomplishment as he took the cigarette from his mouth to blow out a small cloud of smoke. His eyes settled upon Tenebre, his only living companion to note, a shadow lynx who did not seem to have quite the hopes for the experiment that he did. For a moment the necromancer couldn't help but wonder if perhaps she knew something that he did not but quickly dismissed the notion. “There's no need to worry, friend...” The necromancer said simply, taking a quick pause to replace the burnt out butt of a cigarette. “I'm worried enough for all of us.” Now it was time for the show to begin. The necromancer took a long drag from his cigarette before slowly breathing out the smoke and beginning his incantation. “Deorum mortis spiritus qui regnaverunt in orbem iam obliti, exaudi preces hac nocte frigida, hoc posito corpus absque anima coniuncta. Ut olim amet animae post eam, et tradet eam mundo vivit, permitte me fr imperium super illud, ut ut videbitur expedire.” The words echoed out throughout the graveyard, carried with so much force and power that it would be carried to the so-called "great beyond". The necromancer brought his cigarette away from his face as he spoke into the smoke, tapping the ash from his lit cigarette over the corpse, each tap resounding throughout the world of the dead like the earth had been shaken. The purple lights of the candles roared into life for all of a moment, and then as one were extinguished. A moment passed, and then another… And no movement came from anything living or dead. “Not a word.” The necromancer growled quickly before anybody could say anything, biting through his cigarette in aggravation. “Spiritus vero meus mico - scintilla pario corpore flammam..” Came the incantation after he pulled a new cigarette to his pale lips. At first it glowed purple as the flames of the candle but quickly died down to red ember upon the end. Renacen took a long drag from the cigarette drawing smoke into his lungs and the spirit from the tobacco roll. No words uttered from these four… The necromancer, the spirit, the lynx, nor the skeleton… The simply stayed where they were… Ancient scrolls clearly couldn’t be trusted for modern magics users. Edited by Dusker, Tue Apr 10, 2012 10:04 am.
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| Seele | Sat Jul 9, 2011 12:20 am Post #2 |
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It had been a long time since Seele visited the ruined city. Jagged spires of rock thrust towards the sky like desperate hands, their shattered stone fingers grasping at the full moon. The elf walked amongst the dilapidated walls, his steps completely silent in the dark night. The elf seemed to blend in with the shadows as he moved; the only part of him that remained constantly visible was his pale visage. He was wearing his typical attire, a tattered black cloak over an equally dark tunic and leggings, and a sash crossed his waist instead of a belt. He also wore a wide-brimmed hat that would be sufficient to protect his white skin from the sunlight, its pointed shape reminiscent of a witch's stereotypical headgear. The elf's thin face was framed by wispy locks of silvery hair, and the only imperfection on his skin was a complicated, twisted sigil branded on his left cheek. Golden eyes gleamed from underneath the brim of his hat, glowing with a soft light. He was too thin to be physically imposing, but something about the gaunt figure's appearance screamed of malice and danger. He continued through the ruins, as silent and quick as a phantom. Seele had a specific reason for returning to this place once again. Many years ago he had trained as a summoner within these ruined walls, filling the cemetery with creatures straight from the Abyss. Later, he had had battled a holy knight here, an inconsequential paladin whose audacity had merited his destruction. He had not returned since then, but the elf had heard whispers of an excavation unearthing several new and ancient tomes in the ruins. Seele had hunted down one of the archeologists and questioned him about the validity of the rumors, but the man had claimed the discovery was a hoax. Still, the sorcerer had suspected that such an influx of attention could indeed unearth some long-forgotten grimoires, and had chosen to return to the cemetery to search for himself. He had ridden his massive shadow dragon here from Taras, returning the reptilian mount to the form of a featureless ring on his left hand after arriving at the ruins. Yet hours later, Seele had found nothing to indicate that new knowledge had been found here, and he was growing frustrated with the lack of success. He was moments away from leaving the ruins when a purple light blazed into existence around a corner, bathing the ground with lavender illumination. Seele's eyes narrowed as he stepped into the shadows of a nearby mausoleum. The darkness seemed to wrap around him like a lover, completely obscuring the elf's thin frame from sight. He stealthily walked along the length of the decaying structure, peering around the corner towards a strange sight. A man stood on the perimeter of a circle of candles, each lit with a flickering purple flame. Smoke wafted from the man's lips as he began to speak in a long-forgotten language, gesturing at the circle. A dried corpse occupied the center of the site, dried skin barely managing to keep the yellowed bones together. There was an edge of anticipation in the man's voice as he reached the end of the incantation, but nothing happened except for the candles simultaneously burning out. Seele sneered. Yet another necromancer, hoping to earn secrets from the dead. This one appears to be a dud, however... The man turned to talk at the shadows, and Seele was surprised to see the figure of a lithe feline crouched in the darkness. Seele's sharp eyes had failed to notice the lynx at first, but as it moved it became fully visible. The man was garbed in black as well, although it seemed useless to dress for the shadows if you were going to light up the cemetery with dozens of candles. He reached into his pocket, drawing out a small box. The elf watched as he used a simple spell to light the withdrawn cigarette, blowing out a puff of smoke into the still air. The elf chose this moment to reveal himself, stepping out of the building's shadows. The preternatural talent of the shadowdancers took a moment to fade, the darkness receding from the elf's body to return to its proper state. ”Greetings, little one.” Despite the seemingly derogatory name he had given to the man, there was no trace of mockery in Seele's words. ”What brings you here, to the middle of a long-forgotten cemetery.... To attempt to raise ones who have already returned to darkness?” The elf did not draw closer to the stranger, choosing to stay put until he could ascertain the man's motives. ”It is a dangerous business, to call to the dead...” |
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| Dusker | Sat Jul 9, 2011 3:53 pm Post #3 |
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Renacen removed his fingers from the glowing cigarette between his lips. He gazed down upon the scroll that he had sprawled out next to his feet, the old words resting in the dark would obviously be no help until illuminated. The spirit in the smoke of his cigarette was ready to make a snide comment about the situation but with perfect timing the necromancer waved his hand through the smoke, effectively disrupting the spirit's very existence and keeping it quiet for another moment. Even with the spirit's never-changing expression its aggravation still showed so clearly in the dark. Not a word passing by its smoky lips as it watched Renacen crouch and put a dark finger to the extinguished wick of a candle, once more reciting the incantation, “Spiritus vero meus mico - scintilla pario corpore flammam.” He uttered, summoning a purple spark from beneath his black nail, hitting the wick and clearly illuminating the ancient text upon the scroll. The wording, the marking, the entire layout all seemed to have been copied perfectly. Perhaps it was him trying to modify the spell for a cigarette rather than incense that ruined things. He cupped a hand upon his lip, the cigarette peeking out between two of his fingers as he took another drag before removing it, blowing a steady stream of short-lived smoke at the lit candle in annoyance. “So then what...” He was interrupted by the shuffling of his lynx as she returned to the darkness. For all of the time that Ren had known the beast he had learned most of what she could say without uttering a single sound and the message here was so very clear to him. The necromancer lifted his head from the sight of the scroll and his white upon black eyes pierced through the darkness to see an elf approaching, shadow slipping from his very form as if pieces of him were falling off. It was sight which Renacen had never seen before, one that he never could have even imagined. The elf seemed to hold an air of arrogance about him, the kind which usually was reinforced by the power to truly own it. Renacen slowly stood to his full height and placed the cigarette back and between his lips, looking the elf over another time and trying to gauge if he truly did have such power or was simply some arrogant nobleman. A question passed from the stranger’s lips, one of which the young necromancer mulled about in his mind for a moment, slipping his hands into his pockets and met the gaze of the elf with a look of disinterest. “Well, little one, If you know so much, then why not help me rather than giving me words of warning I already know well enough. I was personally born with this power and I figured I would try tapping into it, to see what would come of it. You must have already seen how such an endeavor has played out. The words and the circle were easy enough to follow, yet still the dead man lies there, refusing to answer my calls.” He spoke with his voice holding to it a dull sound, rimming with an hue and tinted with a bit of mocked arrogance. He did not appreciate being talked down to like a child. He threw a gesture towards the circle of candles with the corpse lying perfectly in the middle. It was an invitation to this stranger to go ahead and show him how it was supposed to be done, to prove how he might go about and gain interest from Renacen. Edited by Dusker, Tue Apr 10, 2012 10:33 am.
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| Seele | Sat Jul 9, 2011 4:52 pm Post #4 |
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Seele's expression did not change as the necromancer scanned his appearance, still smiling calmly. The man's lynx had disappeared once more into the darkness, but the elf knew of its presence now, and was not worried about a surprise attack from the creature. If it attempted something so incredibly stupid he would simply have to destroy the beast, followed closely by its master. The stranger was the same height as the elf, which was rather unusual in itself, but his eyes were what drew the sorcerer's attention. When he brazenly met Seele's gaze it revealed that his eyes were as black as obsidian, with white pupils. Clearly, this was no normal mortal. Of course, before the power of the elf's curse, even this odd individual was reduced to dust. Seele watched as the man's skin seemed to peel back from his flesh, the meat rotting off of his bones. His eyes turned to liquid and dribbled out of their sockets, gruesome tears running down his stricken face. His fair thinned and fell out in clumps as his clothes decayed to shreds. The elf had become accustomed to his cursed vision, and no reaction crossed his expression at the horrifying sight in front of him. All things, living and not, were destroyed by time in the elf's sight. It had once haunted him, but now it simply served as a reminder that no other mortals could be trusted. They were, after all, only so much meat and bones. The shadow sorcerer began to walk close to the man, eying the ritualistic set-up in the center of the graveyard. Although he was not a proponent of necromancy, during his long years of study he had researched almost every branch of dark magic. He knew a great deal about the art of raising the dead, although he considered the gift to be foul and needless in the present day. There were already too many vermin inhabiting Imythess; why would he desire more spirits to be called to this realm? However, the corpse in the center of the circle piqued his interest. The body was obviously old, from before the ruination of the city here. Perhaps its spirit would know more about tomes of knowledge hidden in the depths of the ruins. Helping this necromancer could further the elf's own goals. If the man proved to be useless, he could always be eliminated. “I have some skill at deciphering ancient scripts, if a mere translation is all you required. However, from your mantra earlier I suspect you do not need my assistance with such a mundane matter.” Seele drew to a halt several feet away from Renacen, staring at the man with his golden eyes. From this distance it was obvious that there was something wrong with the elf's pupils. Instead of the typical round appearance, his pupils were hourglass-shaped, the only physical indication of his curse. ”I personally cannot raise the dead. My arcane gifts lie along more... shadowy avenues. However, I can use my own abilities to supplement your own, if it is power you are lacking.” Seele's eyes went to the scroll that was unfurled in front of the necromancer, and his small smile broadened slightly. ”Of course, I would like to see that scroll as well. There might be a detail you have missed, or an extra requirement that must first be fulfilled.” |
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| Dusker | Sat Jul 9, 2011 5:13 pm Post #5 |
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“Of all powers which require supplementing I suggest you consider your own before speaking in such a manner to--“ The spirit of the smoke's rant was quickly cut short by the smoker's hand wafting through its form. The spirit let out an echoing and haunted of annoyance, finding he hated being silenced in such a manner just a bit more each time that the Necromancer insisted upon it. However, in this case, such an act was not of anger but of a need for a certain atmosphere. Ren could see that this elf that stood before him was unusual as well. His pupils were shaped like hourglasses, an oddity that the necromancer had heard stories about. Looking into the elf's eyes made Renacen wonder if the stories were true. Alas, for now such a question needed to be discarded for more important ones. “And how would you supplement my power? Do you intend to use such an offer to harm me?” He asked, wanting to stay cautious around such a being of the shadows. He couldn't be sure what he might do if a being like this chose to attack. Could he even survive an encounter with such a creature? He couldn’t be sure and it was something he did not wish to test any time soon. Enough people had wanted him dead since his birth so he found it wise to try and play things safe rather than find the shortest path to death. All things could be used as a weapon, of this he knew very well, and magic was perhaps one of the deadliest. It was so easily hidden with the potential to do great things. His hand fell, gesturing towards the scroll, inviting the elf to go ahead and take a look. “Through the warmth of fires and the light of day, I’ve read the scroll back and forth for far longer than I care to admit. There was not a part that I could see which I did not translate, though perhaps you will find some important element that I have missed. So be my guest, stranger, and take a look if you want. You’ll hear no qualms from me about receiving aid.”[/color] He said, smoke escaping through his lips as it would seem, but not even for a moment before he inhaled the smoke back in through his nose, the glow upon the end of his cigarette growing brighter for a moment as he took a step back. “I would be amazed if it were that the magic of this ritual had died away with time.”He said cautiously, once more finding himself gazing into the eyes of the elf with a mixture of emotions overtaking him, none of them truly good. Edited by Dusker, Tue Apr 10, 2012 10:47 am.
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| Seele | Sat Jul 9, 2011 5:48 pm Post #6 |
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The sorcerer watched with interest as the smoke curling around the man's face spoke, replying to the elf's words before the necromancer could. Seele snorted as the stranger dashed his hand through the wisps, silencing the spirit. ”Your companion seems to doubt my prowess, necromancer. But do not fear. I personally do not wish to have to power to raise the dead; it is not because I lack the ability.” He nodded to the man's query, which was exactly what Seele would have asked in the opposite situation. There was a cautious edge to the man's voice, an indication that he was still sane, if not necessarily the brightest. ”Perhaps saying that I can boost your own powers was not entirely accurate. I have some training as a Summoner.” He withdrew a long, black wand from the depths of his cloak. It was a simple device, carved from the bark of a Calmonah ironwood, arcane runes artfully carved along its surface. ”As such, I am capable of calling to beings on other plans of existence. Any spirit you wish to bind once more to its mortal coil needs only to be present, and I can strengthen your ritual.” He waved the wand with a flourish, crackling black energy following the path its tip drew in the air. He quickly sketched his summoning sigil, the complicated symbol pulsing with power in mid-air. The elf brought up his free hand, drawing it through the symbol so it was torn apart like a spiderweb. The dark energy dissipated, leaving no trace of its existence. ”If you are indeed following all of the steps of the spell correctly, then my power should amplify its call significantly. I know for a fact that such spells are still functioning in this world...” With the man's permission, Seele knelt down next to the scroll, his eyes quickly deciphering the flowing script. The page was obviously a rare artifact, its yellowed appearance and long-forgotten script validating its age. He quickly translated the ancient words, looking up from time to time and mumbling to himself as he took in Renacen's setup. He stood a few minutes later, frowning slightly. ”My only guess is that the spirit you are calling might have already gone to its rest. This corpse has been interred here for centuries. Some ghosts will eventually fade, although it is unusual. If this is the case, your efforts would be for naught. If the soul of this body is still in this plane, my assistance should allow your spell to summon it from the furthest reaches of the realm. That is, if you are summoning this spirit for a significant reason.” An undercurrent of warning entered his voice as he narrowed his eyes, glaring at the man with undisguised suspicion. ”The realm of the spirits should not be called upon lightly. What do you hope to accomplish with your meddling?” |
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| Dusker | Sat Jul 9, 2011 6:02 pm Post #7 |
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It seemed as if neither of the magic-users had any true trust within each other, enough to accomplish whatever their individual goals were, it didn’t take much for Renacen to figure this situation out, not bothering to guess or care what the elf with those eyes would want in exchange, it didn’t matter to the necromancer, as long as his own goal was reached, the elf could destroy Kellan for all he cared. Two of Ren’s fingers clenched to his cigarette as he took a drag from it, removing the tobacco from his lips for just a moment, spewing the smoke out into a cloud that drifted upon the air for a moment as he thought of how he could explain to the elf what he was hoping to accomplish without giving away too much, he had enough trouble without dealing with a stranger that the shadows attached themselves to. “I seek a word, nothing more, and nothing less from this dead man. He knows something I wish the answer to. And I know that of all beings, his soul would not so easily decay or leave from this world without one final message.” It wasn’t even that much that the necromancer desired, but he figured that such words, so cautiously chosen, would be all that the elf would care about in turn; perhaps finding some sort of common-ground where one could aid the other. After that, they could simply part ways, never to hear from one another again. Though in the grand world of Chaon, such a feat seemed to reek of certain impossibility… no, improbability. The necromancer would glare to the elf a moment more, once more picking the box of tobacco rolls from his pocket, picking another cigarette from the container and using the red glow from the first to light the second before snuffing out the old flame all-together. “Would any more than that matter to you, truly?” Renacen asked, his voice calm, cool, dark and sedate as he place the newly lit cigarette between his lips, the red glow growing brighter for a moment before smoke made its way past the white lips. The necromancer had a feeling that he already knew the answer to his question, but he needed a mysterious sort of confirmation, to make sure he was right, to make sure that this elf was not simply waiting for the right moment to place a dagger through his heart. |
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| Seele | Sat Jul 9, 2011 8:19 pm Post #8 |
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The necromancer mused over Seele's over, chewing on the end of the cigarette. Smole curled around his crown, and the elf thought he glimpsed a spirit's face in its depths before it floated away, disappearing in the night. Interesting... The presence of the spirit in the smoke suggested that this man did have some knowledge pertaining to the ethereal plane. The elf had assumed he was simply a blundering novice from his failure to resurrect one lone corpse, but perhaps there was something else wrong, an error that he could help solve. He listened to the necromancer's motives, unsure if the man was sharing his true desires with the sorcerer. Most men who served to raise the dead had much less pure reasons for doing so. Seele had battled one such foe before, a crazed doctor who was convinced dabbling in resurrection techniques could reunite him with his deceased wife. He had been wrong, of course; Seele's scythe had reunited the couple, at the cost of the would-be necromancer's life. The sorcerer chuckled softly as the stranger continued, calling the elf's own motives into play. ”Your assessment is accurate, necromancer. Truly, your intentions for the spirit do not bother me, so long as they do not impede my own designs. I seek knowledge this evening.” Seele spread his arms wide, gesturing to the entire ceremony. ”A wealth of information lies buried here, locked away in the stubborn skulls of long-dead men. They thought they could carry their secrets to the grave, but you and I both know that this is not true. Their knowledge is wasted beneath the ground, good sir, and I mean to free it from such a mortal prison. I am, above all else, a collector of knowldege.” His eyes gleamed in the darkness, his thin smile revealing none of his inner thoughts. It was true that the elf had been a scholar for a very long time, but that was not the only role had had played in this realm. He had been a librarian too, and a murderer, a general for an army of darkness and the partner of a psychotic demon. He had even ascended to godhood, ruling over the shadows with a bloody fist. He was a killer and a slaver and an archmage and a puppetmaster and a gladiator, but for now, this man did not need to know that. The necromancer could aid the shadow sorcerer this evening, and that was all that was important. ”My name is Seele, necromancer. If you desire my assistance, all I ask is that you allow me to question your restless spirit as well.” He gestured to the yellowed scroll at the man's feet, his smile broadening. 'Also, if you have no more need of this artifact after the resurrection, I would willingly remove it from your possession. I collect such documents in my search for truths about the ancient world.” More importantly, Seele suspected that a thorough examination of the scroll could reveal a walth of information about where it had been written, which would allow the elf to potentially locate more scrolls detailing dark rituals. |
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| Dusker | Sat Jul 9, 2011 8:51 pm Post #9 |
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Renacen did listen closely to each of the elf’s words, as did the spirit within his smoke. It seemed that there was nothing of importance that the man was hiding, though that could as easily be a well-done façade upon his part. Still, it did not truly matter. The spirit seemed to turn towards the necromancer, a questioning gaze upon its wispy features as it looked towards him, the red glow of the cigarette burning a bit brighter as he breathed in the pure smoke within, his gaze looking about the graveyard with an uninterested expression, surprised a bit to see the elf still there when he turned back, as well as the scroll. It seemed that to some extent, this dark man, who called himself Seele, was of his word. A simple thing to be. A good thing to be. With a puff of smoke, a new cloud rose from his pale white lips, catching into the air and being torn asunder by the breeze as he looked onward before speaking, four simple word for a moment. “Of course you are.” Words filled with his disinterest, he did not need to know why this man was here, he did not care to know why Seele was here, simply that the two could aid each other, get what they required without some petty squabble over trivial things. His gaze shifted back towards the spirit for a moment. “If you aid me in what I seek, you can feel free to question him as you will, but if he answers your inquiries is up to him, he is a spirit, not a corpse, I cannot control him, just try and convince him.” He said, agreeing to the deal, warning that desired results may not be available due to current circumstances. He had no reason to lie to Seele, but he had no reason to share his name either, there was good chance that after this encounter, they might not ever see each other again, the chance reduced by Ren keeping his name silent, for the spirits to know, and if they wanted, for the spirits to share. He didn’t care, he saw no point in caring over such a trivial thing. “And he’s not restless. Simply annoyed.” He added on about his dead companion who followed wherever the smoke seemed to be, a guide to be truthful, to what? Renacen was sure he would have the misfortune of learning at a later date. |
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| Seele | Sun Jul 10, 2011 5:03 am Post #10 |
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Seele nodded as the man agreed to the bargain, his grin widening. The man was obviously not fond of the elf's company, but he was used to such treatment. Few mortals were glad to see the former God of Darkness, especially if they were aware of the fact. His madness may have disappeared with the Kyton demon, but he was by no means a cuddly individual. Seele still derived great pleasure from his malicious actions, although they usually served some greater purpose in his plans instead of being frenzied and mindless assaults. Tonight, with the necromancer's assistance, he would further his own knowledge. Of course, there was a small chance that the spirit they summoned would be of no use to the elf. In that case, he would simply kill the unnamed necromancer. No one would weep for one who tried to raise the dead in a forgotten cemetery. ”I will call upon my powers then, necromancer. When I tell you, speak your incantation once more. You will have to focus your attention on the spirit you desire in order to guarantee the right soul is granted permission to inhabit the corpse.” Without waiting for a response from the man the sorcerer turned to the circle, eyes narrowing. The candles were no longer lit, but he could fix that quickly. He drew a small fighting dagger from the sash at his waist, eyes glowing as he called upon his arcane gift. Flame Weapon. Dark flames burst forth from the crossgaurd of the dagger, consuming the steel. He dropped the knife, speaking softly as it fell towards the ground. ”Muginn, if you would be so kind...” The knife's descent came to a halt as he uttered its name, the command word for its enchantment. The dagger swiftly shot around the circle of candles, its blade passing within a hairsbreadth of each wick. It had relit all of the tallow candles before the enchantment faded, returning to Seele's waiting hand. He immediately quelled the flames, returning the weapon to its sheath. ”Well then. Let us begin” The elf walked around the perimeter of the circle of candles, waving the wand. Dark power coursed down its length as he defined the edges of the summoning glyph. That chore completed he began to add the details to the complicated sigil, completing its full design within minutes. With a flash of power he activated the summoning powers, calling to spirits hidden on the ethereal plane. The temperature in the graveyard seemed to plummet as ghosts, ghouls, poltergeists, and other spirits remaining in the realm congregated around the summoning symbol, drawn to its fierce power. Seele kept them at bay with a flick of his wand, his eyes and blood burning with the fierce ecstasy of the magic. [color]”Now, necromancer... You must call your spirit through the barrier I have devised. Speak your words so we can be done with it.”[/color] |
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| Dusker | Sun Jul 10, 2011 5:44 am Post #11 |
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The spirit of the cigarette smoke was less than pleased with being a part of this arrangement, it trusted this elf no more than did the smoker, but it was something necessary for a potentially beneficial agreement, and it wasn’t as if Ren were selling his soul to a devil or something, just a scroll for a simple answer, one that had plagued his mind a great portion of his life, that the word still echoed within his mind. He knew that once this mystery was solved, he could begin his way onwards and forwards, doing with his life as he would choose to, making his path with his two companions at this sides, and see what trouble they might come across in the future. Because for those who left their homes, trouble was quite often around the corner, waiting for the most inopportune moment to pounce. Renacen took another drag from his cigarette, the red glow growing brighter, as his white eyes watched the elf carefully, watched the knife, watched the show; he had almost forgotten what they were doing, practically about to give the man a tip for such a wonderful performance. However, reality kept him in check, kept him from doing something so stupid and meaningless. He regained his posture, standing up straight. He could hear the magic being cast… Same as he could hear the thundering call from his failed spell from earlier. He could hear its message, calling out to the worlds of the dead, tempting them to come to this place upon this night. Dark cloud began to even roll their way slowly over head, creeping across the sky to blot out the full moon overhead. Now was coming the time for his part, to recite the words of old, to call upon an answer. Ren walked closer to the circle, placing a middle finger and a thumb lightly on either side of his cigarette, one more long drag taken from it, the red glow creeping along the roll leaving behind a trail of destruction, a trail of ash. Once more, same as before he removed his from between his lips, holding it out over the circle. This was a true now or never sort of moment. “Deorum mortis spiritus qui regnaverunt in orbem iam obliti, exaudi preces hac nocte frigida, hoc posito corpus absque anima coniuncta. Ut olim amet animae post eam, et tradet eam mundo vivit, permitte me fr imperium super illud, ut ut videbitur expedire.” Came the words from his white lips, his index finger tapping down upon the cigarette, loosing from its end the ash which hang upon it, previously teetering and now, a thundering call for who he searched for, each tap ringing a low hum through the worlds of the dead, practically deafening him, but still he spoke. For a moment, once more as before, it seemed as if nothing happened, but Ren froze in place for a moment, the cigarette dropping from between his fingers as a white smoke seemed to emanate from places it shouldn’t, jerking out sharply to show as another form, another copy seeming to look much as himself. It returned sharply, heavily into his body where it came, but quickly resumed, this time pulling for longer, in every direction, as if trying to escape, to try and leave Ren behind, jerking his body about violently, it eventually rested itself back into his body, calming as he slouched, falling to his knees and pausing for a moment. He had his answer, plain enough for him to see. A sigh passed his lips, a hand raised to hold his head to try and quell his headache as the other reached into his pocket, pulling yet another cigarette from it, though it was clear his hand was shaking. “Phasmatis of secui , mico meus etiam - victus somes quod pario flamma.” He spoke, lighting the cigarette and placing it on the ground, leaving it near the circle so that the elf could talk to the spirit which guided Ren. “Have fun…” He said wearily, standing, wobbly to his feet before he would walk off, only to sit on a tombstone somewhere in the graveyard, needing to tend to his head. |
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| Seele | Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:06 am Post #12 |
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The necromancer drew a long breath through his current cigarette, the red tip glowing brightly in the night as its tight roll's length as reduced to ash. He held the shortened cigarette over the summoning circle, speaking the ancient incantation once more. Seele felt the words echo across the graveyard on several levels, ripples spreading out from the necromancer not only on the mortal plane, but on the ethereal fields as well. Spirits howled in the night, their voices unheard to any but the sorcerer as they tore at the obstacle he had placed in their path, attempting to force their way into the corpse's decaying flesh. Seele's power surged, forcing the restless phantasms back as the man tapped on his cigarette, each light touch tolling on the ethereal plan like a bell. The invisible specters pounded on the perimeter of the glyph, but the elf's arcane prowess kept them at bay, waiting for the spirit that Renacen desired. The necromancer stiffened and dropped the cigarette as white smoke billowed from his frame, seemingly seeping out of the man's every pore. The smoke took on a form similar to the stranger's pulling away from his limbs as if attempting to escape from Renacen's flesh. The man jerked wildly, his white pupils flaring as the ritual pulled at his very spirit, drawing the being of smoke towards the circle of candles. The necromancer's entire body shuddered from the force of the struggle before he fell to his hands and knees, fingers clenching in the grass of the cemetery. Seele immediately stopped the magnetic pull of the summoning spell, staring at the necromancer incredulously for a moment. As the effect of the spell faded, so did the man's discomfort, and the spirit returned to its rightful place in his thin frame. He set the cigarette down and walked away with a snide comment, lowering himself onto a tilted gravestone. Seele snorted, waving the summoners wand through the air. The glyph on the grounded exploded, crackling tendrils of black power dissipating throughout the cemetery. The elf waved the wand again, eyes narrowing at the spirits gathered around the peripherals of the cemetery. Cause Fear. The unnatural aura of horror emanated from the elf, afflicting the ghouls with the expected effect. The ghosts scattered from the ruined cemetery, howling with impotent rage and ethereal terror at the elf's sudden dismissal. He completely ignored the spirit in the cigarette smoke and turned towards the necromancer, golden eyes narrowing maliciously. Magic sparked in the depths of his pupils, and there was an sharp edge to his words when he spoke. ”There was apparently information lacking from your story, necromancer.” He crossed his arms sternly, although he did not approach the obviously shaken man. ”Is the spirit residing within your flesh?” Seele felt his ire begin to rise. If the necromancer had misled the sorcerer, he would have to die. No other outcome was acceptable. |
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| Dusker | Mon Jul 11, 2011 5:53 am Post #13 |
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Renacen had heard tales… but before tonight, could not truly be sure of just what was real and not. With that one moment, with the spirit trying to rip itself from his body… It shook him, definitely. He could feel it tearing away, a cold feeling had quickly overtaken each part where it tried leaving, but he fought back against it, he locked it in place, he got his answer. One scream from the silent screaming of the spirit that… It didn’t hurt when it tried ripping itself apart from him, when it seemed to try and answer the call of the elf, but he had fought back against it and won. The necromancer looked up, seeming to have regained control of himself, no longer shaking from the experience. His eyes met with those of the elf’s. The eyes of death met with the eyes of time, what felt like the first time as Ren took in the answer in full. A slight of a smile appeared on his pale white lips, seeing it was clear that the elf couldn’t care less about the spirit within the smoke, but the spirit within himself. And perhaps this was the first time in a long while that the man smiled. Slowly he reached into his pocket, gaze not breaking from the elf. He couldn’t sense alignment, but he knew very well what had happened. The combination between their magics had definitely created an interesting affect. He pulled out the box of cigarettes and paused for a moment, a sigh slowly passing by his lips. “I told you everything you needed to know.” He said, very simply before pulling another cigarette from the box, his index finger running down it and stopping at the end, his incantation being recited easily as a purple spark flew from his fingertip, lighting the cigarette in a red glow before the opposite end was placed between his lips, carefully, his gaze still unyielding. “We have no more use for each other…” He said, standing slowly from the gravestone, hands upon his dirty black-clothed knees, his eyes finally looking down and away from Seele’s, “Thank you.” He would then turn from the man, seeing as they had no further use to bother interacting with each other, but at the same time he would hold no surprise if the man tried to strike him as he turned. After all… Creatures of darkness were rarely good things. |
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| Seele | Wed Jul 13, 2011 3:00 am Post #14 |
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For a moment it seemed as if Seele would rip the necromancer to shreds. The golden pools of his eyes burned intensely, as fierce as the beacon of any lighthouse. His fingers curled into claws, black energy coursing along the lengths of the digits. He could kill this man easily. His magic could drain his very life, his weapons could maim his flesh, his fury could bind his soul, an eternal servant to the elf. The night sky seemed to darken further, as if all the surrounding light of the moon and the stars and the candles was being drawn to his gaunt frame. Yet his rage seemed to pass as quickly as it had formed, and the elf threw his head back, the magic fading from his fingers. His laughter ringed out in the cemetery, echoing off of the eroded tombstones. ”You amuse me, necromancer. You bumble your way through such a simple ritual, and when I add my power to your own, it is your own soul that responds!” The elf wiped mirthful tears from his eyes, turning from the necromancer with a flourish. ”I would kill you for your audacity, but a true moment of humor is more than most mortals can aspire to. I give this life to you in payment.” The elf removed a featurless black ring from his left hand, throwing it to the center of the ring of candles. The ring uncurled as it flew through the air, rapidly increasing in size to reveal its true identity: a full-grown shadow dragon. Its flesh rippled with thick muscles and impenetrable scales, claws the length of swords digging into the earth. Nameless opened its mouth, a sinuous tongue flicking over row after row of razor-sharp teeth. Seele walked up its tail as if it were a ramp, the dragon stilling its movements to allow him to walk along its spine. ”Goodbye, nameless necromancer. For your sake, I hope we never meet again. And if we do... Well, I would hone your humor. It might take more than a solitary laugh to earn your safe passage a second time.” Seele sat between the dragon's massive wings, patting its neck in permission. It spread its wings with a deafening crack. 'Perhaps by them you will be able to cast a simple resurrection spell by yourself.” The dragon lumbered off through the cemetery, jumping into the air. Its massive wings waved furiously, carrying itself and its master off into the night air. Within moments they had disappeared into the black sky, the cemetery a mere speck on the ground beneath them. |
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| Dusker | Wed Jul 13, 2011 8:15 am Post #15 |
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As the elf spoke, Renacen did not even bother to look back, did not crack a smile, and simply kept walking. Where to, he couldn’t fully be sure, he wasn’t fully sure, though he had a good idea that he might simply circle about, return to the ritual site once Seele was gone. The stranger who had so openly shared his name was clearly not of the same sort of cloth as the necromancer, not some shadowy figure with a penchant for doing good things with dark magic, such a thing seemed to be so rare. No, that one was clearly darker than the normal. Opposite Renacen who found he lacked in trusting anybody he came across, and that one seemed devious, possibly only for himself. The darkly dressed man reached down a hand from his pocket, petting the cat he knew was there, simply because he knew the cat, knew its habits, and on some occasions could be sworn he knew what it thought. He knew that if it took off where he could still see, it wished him to follow it, and when it vanished from his sight there was a danger about. He knew that he could trust Tenebre, perhaps even more than the nameless spirit which guided him from the drifting smoke of his cigarettes. He understood why, though. People fear death, the unavoidable and inevitable end to life, they saw it as nothing but a blight upon the world, they saw it only as darkness, a sign of evil, and did their best with rituals to save the soul of the dead from the darkness… And when Ren was a young boy, he learned the consequences of so much as doubting these rituals, even as he saw the souls leave their mortal coils behind long before the rituals. The necromancer’s mind wandered and drifted, here and there amongst the spirits lost home, his white eyes gazing upon the visages of a plane unseen by most of the mortal world, seeing the spirits look back at him with a bit of surprise, but saying nothing in return. His power came from birth, he could always see the dead, sense the dead, talk to the dead… So it was always a question if he was dead. However, with each day, little did they know that he preformed his own ritual, to reassure himself that he was alive. He pricked himself with whatever he could find, just to feel the pain, just to remember that he was not dead… not undead… just not particularly alive. He was somewhere amongst those three, yet at the same time not particularly close to either of them. He simply was, existing and drifting on, and as with many he searched for what his goal in life may be, for it was clearly not amongst his people. -END- |
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2:50 PM Jul 11

