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+---- Thread: Invitation to the Charm of Darkness (/showthread.php?tid=1065)
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Invitation to the Charm of Darkness - Jigano - 04-30-2019
The night was warmer than it had been, and the rains had held off for almost a full day, leaving the cobbles dry as Jigano stalked across them on nearly-silent feet. The bard prowled more than walked as he left Sam's house and headed into the night, for once heedless of the beauty of the stars overhead.
His people were missing, his friends taken from him by invisible enemies. He had failed them and it burned in his veins like poison beneath his civilized facade. It was worse - far worse - that he had been the one left behind while their fates were unknown and though he knew he needed rest he doubted he would find much in the way of it this night.
He was calling in favors as and where he could, burning through goodwill and friendships, but what else could he do? He couldn't just leave them lost, and he wasn't strong enough to go after them alone, without risking anyone else. All he could do was let those who might follow him again that it would be dangerous, uncertain, that he couldn't protect anyone, that they might join the ranks of the missing if they came with him...
He snarled softly to himself in the moonlight, thinking he was alone on the empty street and giving momentary vent to the frustrations that twisted within him, devouring him from the inside out.
RE: Invitation to the Charm of Darkness - Lucas - 05-03-2019
"You ought to relax, else you give yourself a nosebleed." The purr of the voice in the darkness was a familiar one, and Lucas stepped out of the shadows from a street over as though he had been there the whole time. Mainly because... well, he had been. But he'd not been trying to stalk Jigano - no, he was shamelessly perving on the Artist's Sanctuary, wondering if a tasty morsel might come wandering out so he could cause further trouble.
Alas, Rexanna had not appeared yet. But Jigano was here, and the bard's upset was distraction enough that it piqued the Ascended's curiosity. "What's on your mind, bard?" he asked. "I didn't realise that lorekeeping could make one quite so irate."
RE: Invitation to the Charm of Darkness - Jigano - 05-03-2019
Jigano jerked to a halt abruptly, letting the familiarity of the voice stop him from more then twitching towards his sword hilt. He drew in a breath while Lucas chatted, then let it out slowly while he pulled his poise back into place, at least enough so that when he turned to smile at the blond Ascended it wasn't an entirely feral expression.
"Good evening, Lucas," he greeted, glancing around to see if the charming man was accompanied by anyone tonight. "I hadn't realized I had an audience..." Not an apology, nor an explanation, but it served to buy him a few more seconds to slip his bard's mask back into place, even if it still sat crooked on his face. "I don't suppose you've been out to the new woods yet, have you?" It was a blatant evasion of the other man's questions, or at least it might seem that way. In truth Jigano was reluctant to admit that he had lost people, especially to Lucas, who he had yet to take full measure of. He had found the blond dangerously likeable, but even so Remi's suspicions from Long Night lingered in his thoughts. It was enough to keep the bard on his toes, though some of that mistrust was fading as his own interactions with the Ascended had so far been pleasant, even fun.
This, however, was not a night for fun; his mood was as dark as when Lucas had first found him in the Infirmary, but far more volatile - if for similar reasons.
RE: Invitation to the Charm of Darkness - Lucas - 05-04-2019
The ripple of suspicion, however subtle, did not escape Lucas's keen eye as he watched the bard, but given that it melted away soon enough, he allowed himself to relax. "One must always be careful of that," he advised, his voice casually amused. "One never knows when they might have an audience, or so I've found in previous times." But ah, Jigano was answering without answering, and now Lucas was very interested. So much so that he would play along.
"The new woods? I have, yes. The trees get up and walk about - it doesn't make it easy to map out, and it's quite infuriating when you're trying not to get lost." He wrinkled his nose - whilst intriguing, the Greatwood had not done much to impress Lucas. "Why do you ask?"
RE: Invitation to the Charm of Darkness - Jigano - 05-04-2019
"Excellent advice," Jigano managed, with a shadow of his usual glibness, though the humor didn't reach his eyes. Considering where Lucas had gone during the Masquerade at Bastian's old church, he wasn't really surprised at the comment. A flicker of a memory of what Edy had told him of what Bastien got up to behind the bar would have wrinkled his nose at any other time, but tonight he just raised a brow in mild concern over what Lucas's previous experience with surprise audiences might have entailed.
The answer to his question was almost a relief, and he nodded agreement at the blond man's summary of it. "Yes... we found that to be the case as well," he said quietly. "I wasn't sure if an Ascended could move fast enough to counter the magic. I went during the day, and I assume you went at night?" Given how sunlight tended to treat the Voice's children, it wasn't a huge stretch to make. "But the night by the river was the only time I was able to find my way to someplace I wanted to be within those trees, on my own. Though... I suppose being 'called' doesn't quite count as 'on our own' does it?" His voice held a hint of his old, wry humor as he raised a brow at the other man. "I thought I caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye that night... you walked right through the flames without so much as a blister? Hell of a trick, that."
RE: Invitation to the Charm of Darkness - Lucas - 05-04-2019
"We cannot," Lucas confirmed with quiet certainty. Whatever it was about the woods that made them unusual, it was not something that could simply be outrun, that much he knew. There was a way through, like one of those horrific puzzles he'd been forced to solve in the belly of the Spire. But given that Lucas didn't have to solve the problem of the Greatwood, he was choosing - at least for now - to leave the great expanse of trees well enough along. (Until Wessex tempted him to go inside again, or whatnot).
Jigano seemed very determined not to answer any of Lucas's questions tonight, the Ascended levelling the other man with a flat sort of stare as if to tell him that he was well aware of his reticence. Luckily, Lucas enjoyed talking about himself too much not to pry further just yet. "It wasn't a trick. And in truth I was very glad to know that the plan worked." Fire was not his friend, not the way it used to be. Stepping further beneath the moonlight, Lucas gestured behind him, where his three shadows stretched against the pavestones.
RE: Invitation to the Charm of Darkness - Jigano - 05-04-2019
He hadn't expected the answer to be any different, but it still gave him no joy to hear it. If Ascended speed could have solved the mystery of the shifting trees he would have gladly begged the blond for help on the morrow, and asked Deimos to shift their attempt to a nighttime rescue.
But if the Ascended could not breach the forest, a nighttime incursion would only blind every non-Ascended who came along. Some members of their mission would be faster and stronger, yes, but at the expense of every Accepted and Abandoned who joined them - and most of the Attuned. And if the non-Ascended couldn't keep up, then it would only cause another disaster with the group splitting up and getting picked off one-by-one.
He caught Lucas's stare in the midst of these thoughts and he tilted his head in silent acknowledgment that the other man recognized he was being evasive. It didn't make his curiosity about Lucas's seemingly miraculous escape from the flames less sincere, however, and he peered with interest at the triple shadow the Ascended cast. "Ahhh, you were able to wrap them around you for protection against the fire, then. Is that a power you brought with you when you arrived? Hmmm... I wonder... could you use your own shadow to protect you from sunlight during the day?" he asked, mentally flipping through possibilities. It seemed an extremely useful sort of ability, depending on its limits. "How far can they stretch from you?"
RE: Invitation to the Charm of Darkness - Lucas - 05-04-2019
Lucas wouldn't forget the questions he'd not received an answer for, but he did at least let them fall by the wayside for the time being so he could address Jigano's own curiosities. Glancing down at the shadows, a small effort of will had them shifting about him, altering their size and shape depending on where the moonlight hit him. "Yes. It worked very well - something I was glad about, because I hadn't had the chance to test it beforehand," he said, smirking and watching as the longest construct tried to give Jigano's own shadow a prod.
It was a clever idea, using the shadows to protect him during daylight hours, and Lucas tilted his head, intrigued. "I haven't considered it. Though I'll certainly do so from now on," he said, a smile curling up the corners of his lips. "I can manipulate them, but I don't think they can stretch much farther than the light source allows."
RE: Invitation to the Charm of Darkness - Jigano - 05-04-2019
Fascinated by the movement of the shadows, Jigano watched them as Lucas played with them, showing off his ability with an ease the bard could appreciate, as a fellow showman. It was a pleasant distraction from the tension that felt like a rope around his chest, and he gave a nod of agreement at being glad that they had worked to protect the other man from the fire. "A risk that paid off. Though I'm not sure what else you could have done. As unpleasant as it was for the rest of us, I can't imagine how dangerous it must have been for an Ascended." He was just glad that Sam hadn't been there that night. The bookmaker would have been in real trouble if he hadn't been paired with someone who could have saved him!
"If they can stop flame from getting through, it seems like gentle sunlight would be even easier to block," the bard explained with a shrug. "But... it wouldn't hurt to have a bucket of water on hand if I'm wrong," he added, with a ghost of his wry grin. "And if you can catch a large enough light source at the right angle, your shadows can stretch fairly far indeed! Can you raise one up off the ground, like you did that night? I'm curious about something... can a shadow cast a shadow?" It would normally have been a very philosophical sort of question, but just at the moment, with Lucas's ability giving the shadows a dimensionality they usually lacked, it suddenly became a practical exercise.
RE: Invitation to the Charm of Darkness - Lucas - 05-06-2019
"Yes, quite..." Lucas was not one to show fear or nerves, but the cold fire in green eyes said more than words ever could. He was slowly getting accustomed to the shadows over the fire, of fearing that which he had once controlled with such finesse... but that didn't necessarily mean that he liked it. And having to think quickly to avoid something he would have previosuly walked through with ease... ugh.
Jigano's point about the sun was a very good one, though, and it would be something Lucas would certainly practice in the future. "I shall have to see if there is anyone looking for a job. They can be my water bearer," he remarked with a fanged smirk, resting his hands in the pockets of his coat. "Hm? Certainly. I doubt it would be able to, though - and if it did, would I be able to control that, too?"
With a wry smile, Lucas conjured the largest of his shadows to raise up from its place on the ground, where it stood beside him - sort of. it was still connected, after all. And lo and behold - no shadow to be seen.
RE: Invitation to the Charm of Darkness - Jigano - 05-06-2019
Ah, a touchy subject. Understandably so, even if Jigano didn't know of the devil's previous affinity for fire. No one liked to be reminded of how flammable they were, much less someone as poised as Lucas seemed to enjoy being, and the bard tactfully let the topic of the rings of fire drop, in order to pursue the fascinating topic of the fanged man's shadow powers. It was a welcome distraction from his own restless guilt and energy, and a part of him enjoyed Lucas's smug showmanship even through his own difficulties.
"Oh, I'm sure you can find someone willing to step up. Did you ever find a trade to pursue?" he asked, genuinely curious as to what the blond had been up to as he watched Lucas's conjured shadow stand up in an odd black mirror of the man himself. Sure enough, it cast no shadow of its own, and Jigano looked from the moon back to the Ascended with a faint frown. "So... if it stops the light from reaching you, and creates no further shadow for you to control...doesn't your own shadow cease to exist in that moment?"
RE: Invitation to the Charm of Darkness - Lucas - 05-07-2019
"A trade? I'm afraid not. Not yet, anyway. A rather bewitching lady I met has dreams of starting a house of entertainment, though. I have a background in security, so I may well offer my services as a bodyguard." Because doorman was a peasant's profession, in Lucas's lofty opinion. The questions about his shadow was met with mild confusion, however, the Ascended shrugging a casual shoulder and glancing down at his feet with the other two shadows played.
"I have three, so... I'm not sure I follow," he murmured. "But I suppose I couldn't cast a shadow if the others were preoccupied, so... perhaps that answers your question?" It didn't answer why it might be important, but at least it wrapped up (maybe) the mystery for the two of them. "What of you though, bard? Have you sought much lore, lately?"
RE: Invitation to the Charm of Darkness - Jigano - 05-07-2019
"A night guard, I assume?" Jigano asked with a hint of a grin. "It would be good to see some more entertainment options in this town, though. Especially now, well..." He gave a slight shrug. "It won't happen overnight unless the gods get involved, but hopefully the land and animals will start to recover from their centuries of isolation. If people don't have to work as hard just to subsist they might have more energy and interest in entertainments beyond the tavern. And even now I assume the Outlanders would be interested in such a place. Let me know when it's up and running and I'll stop in for a visit," he offered, intrigued in spite of his dark mood. "I don't suppose you know what kind of entertainments this house will offer yet?"
He gave a slight shake of his head and the shadow of a smile at Lucas's confusion. "I meant more that if you use one of your shadows to protect yourself from a light source - such as the sun, or a fire - wouldn't you cease to cast a shadow, and therefore your shadows would disappear? Or do they remain with you even in darkness?"
The question that came in response earned a shrug as Jigano looked up at the moon, still caught by how much clearer it seemed now that the barrier was gone. Seeking lore? More like losing friends... but he kept his tone easy and his body language relaxed as he glanced back to Lucas with a tilt of his head. "I'm seeking it right now, aren't I?" he asked, letting a small grin play across his features as he settled his performer's mask more comfortably over his face.
RE: Invitation to the Charm of Darkness - Lucas - 05-11-2019
"For now, certainly. That may well change, though, if what you surmise about my shadows is true." It would certainly make his life a lot easier, if he could use his shadows to shield himself from the sun. Nodding in agreement with Jigano - the Hollowed Grounds were desperately in need of a little fun, in his opinion, Lucas flashed the other man a fanged smile. "I'll certainly do that," he said. "It will be a house for music and dancing, as far as I know. But there may be changes - I'd have to check with the establishment's beautiful owner."
If he got his way the entertainment might stretch to letting him snack on the patrons, but that probably wouldn't go down well - not right now, anyway. Slow and steady seemed to be the way to do things with the people of this world. Nibbling on his bottom lip, he considered Jigano's question about his shadows and glanced at them as though they might offer some insight. "They must," he said simply. "Because they definitely don't disappear."
His remark earned another grin from the Ascended, Lucas folding his arms across his chest. "You are being remarkably evasive this evening," he said smoothly. "Is there something bothering you?"