Nightmares follow you like shadows

[lord_wizard]

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))

Comments

[lord_wizard]

[There's a flicker of anger there in Malkar's face before he shrugs it away, as if the resistance didn't bother him]

A drink, then, while we talk?

[He gestures back to a liquor cabinet on the back. A bottle of wine is already decanted and waiting.

Felix's throat simply goes dry.]

What is it that we have to discuss?

[He grins]

You coming back to me, of course

[legacydeck]

[Clow glances at the decanter - then at Felix. Fear is easy to read on the other wizard's face. He's not sure if he should step in or not - and then he looks back at the Malkar-him, and he can feel revulsion twist in his stomach. He can't stay detached - not when faced with that]

I would think that's Felix's decision to make, really.

[His voice almost matches Malkar - the same friendly purr over a core of ice]

[lord_wizard]

[Malkar's smiles doesn't falter an inch, though the dark glance he returns to Clow is anything but amiable. But Clow isn't his concern, at the moment.

Felix edges away from them both.]

Felix isn't very good at making decisions. He requires proper guidance from someone who knows better. He made such a mess of his life after I was gone.

Because of you!

[Malkar shakes his head and softly clucks his tongue a few times]

Blaming your actions on others? Very uncouth of you, darling

[legacydeck]

Perhaps you shouldn't be one to cast stones.

[He meets Malkar's eyes, and any pretense of politeness is gone]

I know your kind of wizard. I've killed your kind of wizard.

[lord_wizard]

[He turns to Clow, then, with a soft sneer but still body language still otherwise casual]

And that makes you the better man, does it?

[legacydeck]

I like to think so. Unless you only prey on your own kind. [And there's a small, sideways glance at Felix]

...Which I somehow doubt.

[lord_wizard]

Annemer are rarely worth my time. There has been exceptions...of course...

[He glanced pointedly at Felix, who glared back, knowing that Malkar was mentioning his brother. He curled his fists at his sides]

Don't you dare...

[legacydeck]

Annemer?

[Though his eyes only leave Malkar's for a second, he intends that question for Felix, the ice gone from his voice for a moment]

[lord_wizard]

[Felix catches the glance and his face heats, losing his voice.

Malkar picks it up for him]

The non-magically gifted, as it were.

[legacydeck]

[And there's /something/ there he'd prod at if, well, there wasn't a blood mage standing across the room from them]

Ah. Still, I haven't found many blood-mages who prey on other blood-mages - more's the pity. It'd make things a great deal simpler for me.

[lord_wizard]

[Malkar laughs, low and deep and dangerous]

Felix isn't a blood-mage. He was trained be a good little Cabaline...among other things. My other protegé followed in my footsteps, but Felix did me the favor of disposing of her for me. And by sending his poor annemer brother to do the job, no less...

Leave him out of this!

[Felix advances without really thinking about it, lightning sparking in his fingers]

Hit a nerve, darling? Or did you just not want your friend here to know about that?

[Instead of throwing it, he does what he thinks Malkar won't suspect. He steps closer and tries to wrap his hands, still wreathed by magic, around his master's throat.

Malkar deflects, knocking away one of Felix's hand and plants his own palm firmly onto Felix's forehead.

And instant later, Felix screams and drops to his knees]

[legacydeck]

[Fire is the easiest to call in anger - headstrong and spontaneous, just like he is, it leaps into one hand, and he throws it in one smooth motion, with just enough sense to keep it clear of Felix. It's more a cover, a warning shot than a real attack - there is no space here for a mage-duel as he would have it. Even as the fire flies, he's striding across the room, conjuring a thin dagger in one hand, which he is more than happy to hold at Malkar's throat.]

Let him go.

[The pleasantry is entirely gone now, replaced by anger]

[lord_wizard]

[Malkar eyes are dark with malice but also a spark of amusement]

Certainly.

[He kicks Felix over, none too gently, though he stops screaming one he hits the ground]

That was very impressive.

[legacydeck]

[Clow spares a glance for Felix, mostly to make sure he's still breathing, though the knife in his hands stays perfectly still]

I get that a lot, yes.

[lord_wizard]

[Felix is breathing harshly and shaking a little, but he's at least alive and conscious.

Malkar smirks.]

Now put that away...

[The knife beings to heat up rapidly]

[legacydeck]

[One of Clow's eyebrows goes up in a parody of amusement.]

You think to challenge me on elemental magics? That would not be wise, let me assure you.

[And that blade is now radiating a frightening degree of cold - though Clow doesn't seem to mind.]