like a chicken with it's head chopped off
Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
Played by: Astor Offline
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Posts: 3,156 | Total: 4,350
MP: 0
#1
WESSEX
Secret stash of snow moss collected and an extra rug scavenged from god knows where, Wessex comes laden with all the things to the Rathskellar through the tunnel from the Temple. Through the door Remi made, to the warmly lit interior. The Queen heaves it all off her shoulders, the mess of moss, carpet, and various soft, cloth-like things falling into a messy pile on the floor. Hindsight is 20/20, or so they say, and now that they’ve got the Rath open, it needs to be prepped accordingly.

The Queen begins by heading to the store room and removing all the extra boxes, crates, and booze from the dark interior, piling the bar-things in the center of the room. It isn’t a happy place, exactly. Certainly not an ideal place for keeping three to five kids in the event of an emergency. But it will have to do.
No, I’ll be the stone
I’ll be the hunter, a tower that casts the shade
I lie awake and watch it all
the Firebrand
Headmaster / Grand Healer

Age: 29 | Height: 5' 11' | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 11 - Strg: 32 - Dext: 33 - Endr: 35 - Luck: 39 - Int:
ASTRA - Mythical - Luxere
Played by: Crooked Offline
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Posts: 5,165 | Total: 9,913
MP: 3415
#2
After hearing about the decision to leave the Rathskellar open, Loren had known he would need to get it ready for LongNight. So he’d gathered what supplies he had left from setting up the rest of the Temple—black cloths, rugs, snow moss, and wooden planks—and piled them onto a golem, which he directed through the tunnel. Getting it through the wall he found there was difficult, but he managed.

Emerging into the Rathskellar proper, he was surprised to find Wessex there. Apparently she’d had a similar idea. ”Wessex. Can I be of assistance?” The summoner inclined his head carefully; while their last encounter had been cordial enough, he didn’t know where they stood. Still, they were united in purpose for now, so he gathered up handfuls of moss while his golem set down the bundle in the tunnel, before it started laying down carpets. Probably didn't need to wait for her directions in this case. However, while he had the queen here, he might as well try something. ”Might I ask a favor?” It wasn’t really a favor, just something they’d been putting off, but it needed to be done.
LOREN
Not quite an open book
Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
Played by: Astor Offline
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Posts: 3,156 | Total: 4,350
MP: 0
#3
WESSEX
Wessex hears them coming before she sees them, the golem banging along with the stuff, and the summoner’s quieter footsteps. She decides not to stop what she’s doing, instead picking up the moss to stuff under the boards of the now-empty storeroom, going one step at a time. “Of course.” she replies from within the room, “Start out there, this room shouldn’t take long.” And it doesn’t, so when the Queen comes back for some cloth and pillows to line the walls and baseboard, she is surprised to hear Loren ask for a favor.

“You can certainly ask,” she says with the softest of chuckles. Whether or not she’ll say ‘yes’ is another matter.
No, I’ll be the stone
I’ll be the hunter, a tower that casts the shade
I lie awake and watch it all
the Firebrand
Headmaster / Grand Healer

Age: 29 | Height: 5' 11' | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 11 - Strg: 32 - Dext: 33 - Endr: 35 - Luck: 39 - Int:
ASTRA - Mythical - Luxere
Played by: Crooked Offline
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Posts: 5,165 | Total: 9,913
MP: 3415
#4
Thankfully, Wessex seemed, if not pleased to see him, willing to enlist his help in the preparations. It was good to do something relatively simple and thoughtless for once: too much of his time had been taken up of late by difficult decisions and even more difficult conversations, and for once he was not thinking and just letting his hands and his magic take over. Indeed, even as he stuffed cracks with moss, the golem laid carpets down behind him.

When the queen reemerged from the backroom, he had his summons set down its burden, however, and dismissed it, clasping his hands behind his back, eyes distant. He could ask, which he supposed meant Wessex was not inclined to grant stupid requests. Hopefully his wasn't. ”I suppose it’s more than one favor, though they’re related. Although Rexanna was able to summon the Spark Bird without trouble, Remi raised the possibility of that being due to her hybrid nature. He was worried there might be a...volatile reaction with a regular Ascended, even though you have no trouble with fire magic. So I was wondering if you might help me test that, before I ask the other Ascended to drink from me.” Sam apparently wouldn’t, but there were a few others who might. ”On a related note, I don’t know where they’ll all be situated, so if you could call them together, we can make sure everyone who is willing has my magic. I can also do that, if you'd prefer. Assuming you think that my magic is best suited, of course. To that end I was also going to test if I could heal blood loss.” He didn’t have enough for multiple Ascended to drink their fill if he couldn’t, so they’d need to stagger the experience. They didn’t really have time for that, so they’d have to be selective if it didn’t work.

While they were on the subject of his magic, there was one other thing that had been bothering him. ”I also don’t know if my healing even works on Ascended.” He and Amalia had tried with the Prince, and nothing had happened. However, the summoner didn’t know if that was because it was the Prince, or something common to all Ascended. The queen might have answers for the Launceleyn, however. If not, she might be willing to sustain a small injury that would heal quickly regardless.
LOREN
Not quite an open book
Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
Played by: Astor Offline
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Posts: 3,156 | Total: 4,350
MP: 0
#5
WESSEX
Emotions don't serve the Wraith, not nearly as well as pragmatism does. Emotions make things messy and get in the way of progress, particularly if you're going to worry about stepping on everyone's toes. So perhaps Loren will soon realize that just because Wessex doesn't outwardly hold a grudge and can still get shit done, it doesn't mean she's forgotten. Then again, Loren is a bright boy; he is probably well aware that she isn't the type to forget.

Which is why when he comes to her with logical problems instead of things that he seems to take a personal offense to, she is happy to engage instead of dismiss. Although the mention of something volatile is more than a little worrisome. "Can you elaborate on the volatile part?" she asks with a slightly raised brow. First things first.

Before she tests something, she needs to know she isn't going to explode. It's not that Wessex is afraid of it, it's that there's so much to do after LongNight, so much to see! Is it worth the risk?

Is there even an actual risk? She heads back to the room and tosses the pillows on the ground, then turns around and faces Loren again. "The thing is that Rex still has Ascended fluid running through her body. That's the stuff that's highly flammable." And then there was the phenomenon that saved them all  - Wessex's lips purse together in thought. "The Sparkbird light didn't harm us last year." Ever since she came back from the Portal, she's felt like she can conquer the world - The Voice's juice is good stuff.

But how does he know she can handle her fire magic?

"So let me get this straight: You want me to bite you so I can test to see if I'll explode… but before I potentially go boom, you want me to take so much from you that you need to be worried about blood loss?" A low whistle. He thinks a lot. Like she does. And she know he comes to her because she's the strongest Ascended and if there's actually a problem, the Wraith is the most likely to survive it. "Ok. I personally don't think there's anything to worry about with the magic, but I'll test it." A small shrug. Don't ask anyone to do anything she wouldn't do herself, that always been a staunch motto of hers. "And if unicorns can heal us, I imagine you can."

But his neurosis, even if last minute and pushing it on finding a plan B, if Wessex ends up dead or she can't summon, is appreciated
No, I’ll be the stone
I’ll be the hunter, a tower that casts the shade
I lie awake and watch it all
the Firebrand
Headmaster / Grand Healer

Age: 29 | Height: 5' 11' | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 11 - Strg: 32 - Dext: 33 - Endr: 35 - Luck: 39 - Int:
ASTRA - Mythical - Luxere
Played by: Crooked Offline
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Posts: 5,165 | Total: 9,913
MP: 3415
#6
When Wessex asked if he could elaborate about the volatility, he shook his head. ”I think Remi was mostly worried about sparks landing on you, since you need to be relatively close, and the Spark Bird has an unfortunate tendency to set everything around it on fire.” Indeed, he had a pouch with one of their feathers that was proof of that. As for Rexanna versus the rest of the Ascended, the truth of the matter was that none of them knew how her hybrid nature worked. And once again, he was reminded that he wasn't here last LongNight.

However, when she asked for clarification, he nodded. ”Yes.” That was pretty much the gist of it. Hence his framing of this as a favor. Thankfully, she agreed to test it, and he nodded again, this time gratefully. At the mention of unicorn healing, he frowned. ”Unicorns can heal things I can’t. At least they can heal individuals with life drain, which is not an ability I possess.” So using that as a basis was not as useful as she might think.
LOREN
Not quite an open book
Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
Played by: Astor Offline
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Posts: 3,156 | Total: 4,350
MP: 0
#7
WESSEX
Right. Sparkbird sparks. Duh. Wessex sighs needlessly. On second thought, this is a horrible idea and she can’t believe she actually said yes to testing the death-bird magic.

Except that she knows why. If not her, who? And if they, the people she’s promised to protect, need a Sparkbird, she damn well better know how to deliver one.

“Ok. Walk me through it first.” Fire was… easier. She thought about it, asked for it, and it was in her hand. Her control wasn’t as great as any of the fire mages, but she wasn’t terrible, either. “And how do I keep it here for as long as possible? And under my control.” Two very important things, once they’re on the topic of setting things on fire. “Might want to have your companion handy to go and grab a unicorn in case this goes horribly wrong and you can’t heal me.” Looking around at the Rathskellar, Wessex shakes her head quickly. “Let’s lay down the rugs at least and then go outside.”

They should at least finish the task. So she sets to it, and, assuming that Loren does too, they should finish fairly quickly. The booze can be dealt with later. Or consumed. Whatever. She’s tired of trying to make people behave.

Once they’re finished, Wessex gestures towards the cellar door, which he has to open, and then once they’re outside, waits to be taught what to do
No, I’ll be the stone
I’ll be the hunter, a tower that casts the shade
I lie awake and watch it all
the Firebrand
Headmaster / Grand Healer

Age: 29 | Height: 5' 11' | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 11 - Strg: 32 - Dext: 33 - Endr: 35 - Luck: 39 - Int:
ASTRA - Mythical - Luxere
Played by: Crooked Offline
Change author:
Posts: 5,165 | Total: 9,913
MP: 3415
#8
Right. No one knew how summoning worked. Thankfully, Loren had already given this explanation to Rexanna, so hopefully it would succeed with Wessex as well. ”You’ll feel my power within you.” Obviously he didn’t know what shape that would take. ”Then you’ll picture the creature you want to summon, and where you want it. Once it has manifested, you have to keep focusing on it to keep it in the world. It will follow your mental directions, so imagine it going where you want and doing what you want. Otherwise it'll just sit there. If you lose your concentration or run out of energy it will disappear.” Nothing too complicated.

At the idea of sending Astra to fetch a unicorn, the Launceleyn’s eyes widened. She was nearby, and they seemed to share a link, but he’d never considered using her to actually fetch others. Still, it was worth a shot. ”Will do.” Her suggestion that they finish up preparing the Rathskellar was a good one. With the two of them—plus the golem he called upon again—they made short work of the task. When the queen gestured for them to use the door, he nodded and then dismissed his golem as he made his way over to it. Thankfully, he only paused a moment before laying his palm on the panel. Then they were outside, and he held out his wrist, assuming Wessex didn’t have any more questions.
LOREN
Not quite an open book
Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
Played by: Astor Offline
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Posts: 3,156 | Total: 4,350
MP: 0
#9
WESSEX
Listening, the Queen mentally runs through the steps Loren outlines and eventually nods. She gets it. Practicing it is another story.

So when they’re outside and Loren offers his wrist, Wessex takes it lightly in her hand and lifts it to mouth height. She looks at the delicate flesh and then from beneath her brows back to the summoner. She can only assume he’s done this before, as he’d mentioned testing it out with Rexanna, but they have an odd, tentative relationship. Orgasmic pleasure despite a non-attraction, something that is usually only experienced at the hands of a lover, could complicate their relationship.

“I’ve never drunk enough to put someone in danger, so… if you feel it going to far and can manage, tap me hard. Or pull away. I’ll try to do the same.” And then he’ll heal himself. And then she’ll theoretically summon a Sparkbird.  With a mental ‘here goes nothing,’ the Ascended curls her lip back to bare her fangs and sinks them into the Launceleyn’s pale wrist. There’s a gush of something hot and heavy as blood and power floods her mouth, and oh is the power in his veins tangible. Wessex stifles a little moan as the sensations begin to overwhelm her and she latches on to the source, drinking mouthful by mouthful, as greedy as the last time she drank from Edrei. There’s a crescendo throughout her body, as if every nanite were poised to explode - except it doesn’t. There’s just the come down. And Wessex pushing herself away from Loren.

These Launceleyn’s, man. She loves the feeling of their magic underneath her skin.

It’s dangerous.
No, I’ll be the stone
I’ll be the hunter, a tower that casts the shade
I lie awake and watch it all
the Firebrand
Headmaster / Grand Healer

Age: 29 | Height: 5' 11' | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 11 - Strg: 32 - Dext: 33 - Endr: 35 - Luck: 39 - Int:
ASTRA - Mythical - Luxere
Played by: Crooked Offline
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Posts: 5,165 | Total: 9,913
MP: 3415
#10
Apparently Loren’s instructions were sufficient, seeing as Wessex didn’t ask any more questions. She did, however, have some thoughts of her own she wanted to share. ”Alright. If you don’t take enough the first time, you could always do it twice, since you’ll need to replace my magic anyway.” Yes, he knew exactly what he was talking about and how awkward it might make matters between the two of them and how useless he'd be afterwards. However, they didn’t exactly have a choice, not if they wanted to maximize their chances come LongNight.

Then her fangs slid into his skin, and pleasure crested within him. Unlike her, he was less practiced at this. Given what Frey had put him through, though, he was able to keep his moans stifled, though enough sound escaped that the queen had to have heard it. Not that she wasn’t aware exactly what he was feeling of course. Far too soon, she pulled away, and he felt himself panting, breath coming out in quick clouds of white, cheeks flushed with lingering heat. Guess it wasn’t just Rexanna whose bites filled him with ecstasy, not that he’d really expected that to be the case. Although he was still somewhat lost in a lusty haze, his eyes watched Wessex carefully, curious to see if she was going to summon the Spark Bird or not.
LOREN
Not quite an open book
Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
Played by: Astor Offline
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Posts: 3,156 | Total: 4,350
MP: 0
#11
WESSEX
As much as she kind of enjoys the idea of a lust filled and potentially sexually confused Loren (his sex life is none of her business, she’ll never ask), there are things to do and time is short. She shakes her head to clear the residual feelings of longing and desire and holds her hands out in a very cliche ‘sorcerer’ move. A couple of moments pass until she’s sure she’s ready to summon this potential death-bird.

Wessex imagines placing the Sparkbird as far from her as possible and then conjures up the image of the beautiful bird she saw the year before. Her brow furrows and her jaw clenches, but eventually a creature appears from the distance, coming to stop a ‘safe’ distance from the two of them. It does nothing but blink at them, small and pitiful compared to the real thing, but it is there. Real. Bathing them in a very faint light. And sparking, so it’s a good thing she holds it away from them.

Without getting disracted by breathing or other physical needs, Wessex is able to hold it there for a surprising amount of time before some noise or other thing pulls her concentration. Then the bird leaves - or vanishes - and the darkness is still again.

“Okay,” she says quietly, looking back at Loren. Okay. She can do it. She can’t save the whole damn settlement, but she could maybe do something for a couple of people. Who aren’t Ascended.
No, I’ll be the stone
I’ll be the hunter, a tower that casts the shade
I lie awake and watch it all
the Firebrand
Headmaster / Grand Healer

Age: 29 | Height: 5' 11' | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 11 - Strg: 32 - Dext: 33 - Endr: 35 - Luck: 39 - Int:
ASTRA - Mythical - Luxere
Played by: Crooked Offline
Change author:
Posts: 5,165 | Total: 9,913
MP: 3415
#12
Thankfully, Wessex had to focus on the actual summoning so Loren had more than enough time to put himself together. Unlike the summoner, to whom magic was second nature it was like breathing, the queen couldn’t seem to do anything else, not even pretend to breathe, as she concentrated on keeping the spell going and on not burning herself. It was another reminder of how much sooner he should’ve started preparing people; if he had just thought that this might’ve been a problem he could’ve trained people or something.

Now, they were stuck. It was better than nothing, but it still didn’t feel like enough. As Wessex glanced at the Launceleyn, he held out his wrist again. ”Good. Do you want to drink again now so we’re not distracted or inadvertently drawing attention during LongNight?” The last thing he wanted was for an ill-timed moan to call down the monsters on him. Or for another person to catch them in the weirdly intimate act. Loathe as he was to go through the ecstasy of a bite again so soon, it was the smart thing to do. "If you're worried about the Spark Bird, you can summon anything else, including a luxere. I just don't know how effective one summoned luxere will be in comparison." Still, it was an option she should be aware of.
LOREN
Not quite an open book
Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
Played by: Astor Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,156 | Total: 4,350
MP: 0
#13
WESSEX
“What are you, a glutton for punishment?’ she asks, rather incredulously when he offers her a wrist again. Unless he likes the feeling of misplaced intimacy?

No is what she wants to say, No, because he doesn’t like it and she won’t have it said that she abuses the whole bitey thing. The Queen is about to pull some fucking rank and tell him to wait, when she remembers the blood loss and the need for strength and lack of sleep and, well… he has a point. At least he can get a few night’s sleep before the week begins.

She gives him a hard look. “Ok. But only so you’ll have time to rest.” Like Remi, he is not a trough for the Ascended to drink from any time they need power, but she can appreciate the sacrifice and what he’s doing, even if she still has some issues with his flagrant displays of emotion. She nods to indicate she understands about the luxere, about the options available to her with his magic - healing, actually, and summoning (could she summon a creature like Remi? A thing like the earth-monster at the wall?)

And then without a fuss, Wessex sinks her teeth into Loren once more and takes only so much as she thinks she needs, that bright mind outpacing the animal one. She pulls away, and the deed is done.

Surely he is done. And needs a bed.

{Fiiiiiin?}
No, I’ll be the stone
I’ll be the hunter, a tower that casts the shade
I lie awake and watch it all


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