paradisalogs | Nightmares follow you like shadows

Entry tags:

Nightmares follow you like shadows

Who: Felix Harrowgate and YOU
What: Very bad dreams
When: Anytime during the Nightmare plot
Where: The labyrinth of his mind
Rating: PG-13 to R, depending on preference

[The atmosphere here isn't terribly inviting. The walls are dark, damp stone lit by the occasional sputtering torch, casting shadows so thick and alive that they seem like they could jump out and wrap themselves around your throat at any moment. The air is cold and underneath everything is a fetid, metallic tang that hangs in the air and permeates the stones. You can almost feel the despair leaking out of every pore of the rock.

Felix would call this feeling mikkary, though the word may mean nothing to you.

As for the wizard himself, he's standing with his back up against the wall, staring at you but more correctly through you, as if he can see something there that you cannot, and doesn't like it.]

We have to go...

[His voice is small and strained with the effort of holding back panic. And then you know what he does. Something is out there and it's looking for you. Something malevolent, and you don't want it to find you down here]

Hurry...

[He tugs on your sleeve, pleadingly, and darts into a darkened doorway]

FIRE | WATER | MALKAR

((ooc: ~~Wait for sections.~~ You can do any or all of them. Felix is trying to outrun Malkar. At your option, your someone can be a particular person or thing your character fears...especially if they happen to fear becoming like that. At your option, I can incorporate them into that last section somehow. Feel free to PM or contact to discuss details))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Duke blinks, trying to place the smells to this place. Fire was clear enough, if it was one of those low ones for heating that few ever used, and nothing else tells him anything... of use.

The voice is not any he recognizes, but the term of endearment automatically makes him ignore it; its not for him -

Although the slamming shut door makes him turn for the wall to find it. That is another thing he automatically places, this time as 'bad thing'. ]

[The door is there but solidly locked, and not through any mundane means, which says quite a bit more about the situation.]

You're supposed to be dead.

[Felix sounds scared and lost, his back up against the wall near the door.]

So I was. Do your friends here know you're a murderer?

[ Which means things are quite a bit worse than Duke thought at first. Felix voice adds to that.

Although, so far, the conversation isn't quite enough to pull his attention from trying to figure out how the door is locked. If he can undo that, it would make this quite a bit better. ]

Is that supposed to mean something to me? [ In Duke's mind, simple 'murder' doesn't quite cover what he tried to do. ]

[The door is held with a lock spell. One of Malkar's favorite tools.]

I'll take that as a 'no'. Not surprising. You always were a liar, Felix. I imagine you've hiding the rest of your colorful past as well...

And do please get away from the door. Both of you.

[That doesn't at all sound like a request.]

[ Duke tilts his head, weighing those words, and pokes about that spell. ]

Again, is it supposed to matter?

[ ... and maybe he takes a carefully measured pair of steps back from the door. Its still within his sensing range, but he's not going go further. ]

[The magic is different that what Duke may be used to, but he may get the sense that forcing the lock, magically or otherwise, might end up unpleasantly for the other person.]

A kindred spirit, then? I see...

[There's a few purposeful footsteps]

Get away from me!

[There's a flare of magic and a burst of heat as the fire in the brazier kindle higher, crackling and sparking like a firework. A warning from Felix.]

[ Duke hums a little, debating the idea of simply shredding the spell, when the steps and Felix seems to... Well, panic didn't sound quite right, but he did something because he didn't like what was going on.

This probably meant that Duke shouldn't continue standing with his back toward that someone who was also in there, so he turns half way. He carefully gathers some magic - not giving it a purpose yet, but holding enough for a quick spell. ]

Would you like aid in enforcing that?

Please...

[It's a plea to Duke as much as it is one to Malkar, though the latter is fruitless.

He got lucky, when he killed Malkar the last time. The same trick wouldn't serve him again.]

[ Duke thinks for a moment. What would be a 'keep away' but not something outright offensive?

... Well, he had been meaning to work on it.

Duke lays down what may be described as a bug-deterrent spell. Only he keys it so Felix and Duke are allowed across, and anything else should get a jolt. The formula scrawls about in a circle along the ground, crackling once when it encloses them. ]

... Unless something more ... violent is desired.

[He rather does desire, but he can't bring himself to order yet another person to kill on his behalf, even though he wants Malkar gone more than anything.

Malkar himself looks both displeased and strangely calm about this development]

I am sorry he's convinced you to fight his battles...

[He brings up a hand full of fire]

I'll allow you a moment to rethink that.

[ Duke listens to that, and shrugs slightly, not... feeling at all impressed with what seemed to feel like a handful of fire.

He knows what his next project will be, though. It would be useful, and double as something flashy to scare with, if he got the idea that was forming right. ]

... I am not seeing what needs to be rethought in the face of a handful of fire.

[ Duke shifts the magic he'd been holding toward wind, which may make it visible as green, indistinct lines of formula about him. ]

[It was just a warning, and clearly not effective as one, seeing as how Duke has no restrictions about what a Cabaline wizard like Felix would call dueling.

Felix hasn't moved an inch, between his master and the protective spell circling him. He whispers to Duke]

Don't underestimate him.

[Malkar sighs]

Very well, then...

[He makes a gesture with his other hand and the small flames blooms and explodes, and then it's shooting towards Duke with a pushing motion]

[ The whisper decides what he does next, really. A warning not to underestimate likely means trying an offensive - complete with the pause due to casting toll - before a defensive might not be the best idea. The green formula flickers and vanishes as Duke raises his arm, a globe faint blue marked out by what look line infinity symbols and equal signs forming about him. A moments thought has him twisting that to be a shell for both Felix and Duke, rather than just a personal shield. It looks a little frailer this way...

Duke is fairly certain that the guard spell will get the fire to wash over it and away, and give him time to resume that Havoc Gale. ]

[The fire explodes around them, enveloping them for a moment in fire and heat as the shield redirects it.

Malkar's lips twitch into a humorless smirk and twitches a hand.

The remaining sparks of flame dives downward and hit the floor around the edges of Duke's shield. Traceries of flames, like veins, etch towards them through the stone. Duke may not be able to see this, but he can feel the stone under his feet start to warm up rapidly.]

Duke, the floor!

[ Duke frowns, once again weighing defensive and offensive. But the heat is growing and with a disappointed exhale, he interrupts his spell again. Heat rises, but with the formula he was thinking of, it wouldn't burn their feet. ]

Catch onto me. [ He blindly reaches to find Felix before activating Levitation, rising a half foot or so off the ground. If this was only going to break the floor, they'd be fine. If it was going to raise fire underneath, he'd need to guard again. Maybe he could apply Levitation to Felix as well, although the different way of moving might not be that helpful... ]

[Felix clings because it's only thing he can think to do. It's better than having the floor burn him from the feet up.

The stone doesn't burst into flame, but it does begins to glow brighter and brighter. The light may not be noticeable, but the ambient heat certainly is.

He's probably not going to be able to hold on long. Felix isn't all that strong.]

Going to apply same formula to you; if continue to hold on, won't go anywhere. Lacking time... [ Felix can get a rundown of how to control Levitation if he's curious later, but for now Duke is going to stick it to him and double check his current expending rate -

He should be fine - particularly if he doesn't need to use a third - and starts for an offensive spell. Those green lights are back. ]

The winds can abide you no longer. [ And perhaps Tempest was a little on the too-large scale for being used in a room. Duke aimed it - hopefully - at a little behind Malkar, so the spell would pull him further away from them before dumping lightning. Felix should be fine, with Duke holding onto him and the Friend tag. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Nightmares follow you like shadows

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject