[BlueInTheShell]

Christoval panted and continued along the path as best as he could; lungs on fire while he pondered just how long he had before he had a demon dog coming at his heels with the intent of dragging him back to Wisp. And he was more fearful of the retribution that would come if he wasn't going to either, outrun the thing or outsmart it into doing something else. The only solace there was was the fact Wisp always made sure to make sure he was intact if he failed in this endeavor. The last time when it dragged him back with a mangled foot? Wisp had....Something...Punish the being, and what she conjured after the dog was definitely bigger and meaner than the hounds she used. Puffing his cheeks, Christoval wiped his head with his cloak, before he flared his nostrils, and looked at the bit of fabric, deciding on leaving it in thicket before cursing the gods and his mentors, and carrying back onto his task of running and staying one step away from the clutches of Wisp and her evil pets.

/////

Intrusiveness was a specialty of Wisp's and while she latched onto the Halfling's curiosity like a moth to the flame, the dark mage shrugged her shoulders and shook her head at Arabella, before wriggling her fingers while she delved into a tiny pouch at her waist. "Consider your trinkets penance free. Small tokens like this aren't worth the other powers' time when it comes to sucking out your soul, or damning you in contracts or deals." Wisp hummed and produced from her person a set of bracelets; the design made of blackened iron, and bearing faces warped and twisted into various states of joy and bliss, before dangling them for Ara to take. "And if you must know, the demon in question is Urkephalos, the Evening Star." Wisp was not merciless, nor truly cold-hearted. Her knowledge was invaluable when it came to her topics, and while she didn't personally enjoy the halfling's company, they were questing together, and the Guild had a habit of pointing fingers at her when things went wrong. The topic turned to Waltz, and sensing tenderness, Wisp reeled back her coarse and unrefined manner, only to sigh and drop to a crouch while the barbarian was chittering with Arabella's apprentice. "She's nice to look at. But hear me, not as Wisp. As a personal friend of Waltz's. She's a broken woman. There's a lot of pain under that smile and carefree personality. if you go to her, and it's more to handle than anticipated, you'll only hurt yourself and Waltz even further. Court her if you will, but be prepared for the baggage that comes with her history."

"Ah spent a total of two weeks in the south, so ah don't think that counts for much." Deadwaltz boomed, picking at her teeth with a finger before she slipped and clipped her gums with a nail; the large woman cursing and puffing her cheeks and resuming the conversation. "Ah mean, yah land is important. Yah can't fight on borrowed land, as they saying goes in the north-north. The comment about chocolate and vanilla made Waltz sneer and she lifted herself into a poised position; beaming like a loon and looking down at the daughter-apprentice. "Yah both are good and all, but why have chocolate or vanilla when yah can have meat! Like mahself!"

"Do you think spirits like to sit idly and wail about their lost lives? The deceased are a bunch of gossips and wanderlust-y spirits. Would you not start sneaking into places when you can float through walls undetected?" Wisp asked, turning to face Percival and snickering. "Someone who is dead finds a plethora of wealth, and then starts to brag; and the word of rotten mouth spreads rather quickly. It's a venture someone with a lot more necromantic interests than I can educate you on."

Her warhound released and on the run, Wisp blinked a few times and rubbed her forehead, continuing to lock eyes with Percival. "All brawn. Little to no brains. They're trained to either fetch, or kill. Sometimes both. The powers that be generally don't discriminate when wanting them to retrieve someone."

Finally the Dark Mage crossed her legs and preened her nails, digging a bit of soil from underneath them, bouncing a glance at Kastivi and Arabella, before barking out a command in a foul, guttural tongue. The words of demonic. Coughing and rubbing her throat after, the dark mage smiled. "20 seconds, and another hound is gonna be making its way for you, Kastivi. I would recommend running. And don't fight it, if it manages to latch onto you." Wisp mused, waving her hand to shoo away the daughter-to-be. "

[sylvanSpider]

Arabella took the trinkets in her hands, turning them about and looking at the faces briefly before pocketing it. She could sense the magic from it, though she wouldn't have been able to put a name onto it. She chose to not ask too many questions for the sake of her own sanity and, more likely, her physical safety. “Well, I'll take them with gratefulness then, Wisp. Thank you,” she said turning her eyes up to Wisp's. “The name sounds almost angelic. I trust this is the demon that is your patron, then?” She wanted to ask more, but resisted knowing what happened last time.

The halfling swallowed, looked down, and fiddled with her hands, “I...I do not intend to pursue anyone any longer. You see, my own baggage has provided some harsh lessons on my own part.” Arabella sighed and leaned back resting her weight on locked wrists stretched behind her. An almost wistful smile appeared on the halfling's face in an attempt to hide the fact that she felt like Wisp's words had hit her like the ammunition from Christoval's blunderbuss on his back. It was true that Dead Waltz was nice to look at, but her sights saw something other than the amount of flesh she chose to show. The woman was genuinely kind, genuinely saw the world in a unique light void of the cynicism that manifest so wholly in Percival and Wisp. “I'm too old to be thinking about anything of that sort anyway,” she said finally. Her eyes stayed locked on a patch of ground to keep her from casting another wistful glance Waltz's way, “I want to hurt her no more than I want to hurt myself. It is best I keep it to nothing but glances. Thank you for the advice.”

“Well,” Kastivi said with a grin that could only say that she was actually enjoying the conversation, “I suppose I can't say very much about land. I left my rented land when I was still very young. Nothing tied me there in particular save for my family and...well...we see how that turned out.” She gave a casual little shrug. She had other things to fight for. What was land when she got to see all of the Kingdoms and all of their glory? All the mountains, and rivers? Forests and dales, being an adventurer, they were all hers. No, she fought for the good of people, for those beside her. Hell, she hadn't even heard from the actual Daughters of Ash for forever and a day – all of their missions Arabella gave them. They seemed to be completely free and out from under the noses of those even higher in their own Sisterhood. “Waltz, I'm not sure that I could have you!” she said laughing, “You'd break me!”

Percival adjusted his hat, his fingers itching to grab his book to take notes. But no, it was best to save that for when one is not mid-conversation. That sort of behavior was rude, he had to tell himself, and certain societal expectations were to be met even in the middle of nowhere. His life would be dependent on theirs in the future and it was best to establish decent relations. Granted, that was sort of ruined with the good-two-shoes knight, but he was naught but an apprentice anyway. He'd care more about what he thought when he had a title to speak of. For now, he couldn't even be called a squire, so he would protect him while not actually caring what he thought of him. The knight would learn eventually, and after seeing enough, would grow to carry a flask of his own. There was no way one could maintain an attitude like that while learning to see the world for what it is.

No, the book would remained safely situated in his satchel and his stands would still be itching for something to do. “Well, I suppose those wander-lusty spirits are even better modes of information than ravens, however well they mimic our voices,” he said, simply. “You must have a lot more knowledge on the area than most. I can see how having a dark mage is useful in a group of adventurers.”

Percival again latched onto his hat with a hand as the warhound took off. He did not envy the apprentice, but he was thoroughly entertained. “Makes for useful training. You don't have to carry around weights like our halfling friend does.”

Kastivi gulped, hearing the demonic tongue and having just seen what was going to subsequently happen to her, was already poised to start running. Arabella was going to enjoy this entirely too much. She didn't even answer before she took off in Christoval's direction.

She was quite fast, if you happened to ask the smiling Arabella.

[BlueInTheShell]

"Patron. Among other things. I don't plan on divulging the specifics of any sort of relationship between us. If only for the sake of privacy." Wisp hummed in response, brushing a plume of hair from her face and staring into space with a dreamy look. Snapping back into reality the dark mage bit her lip and looked towards Arabella with a small smile on her face. "Angelic sounding name. They all take something angelic. If only to cement the irony in being the direct counterpart to heaven, I suppose." It was slipper slope into darkness and Wisp looked towards the Halfling, offering to give her the small push into oblivion. "Feel free to converse with me on the topic. I personally think you would make a lovely dark mage." Wisp said, chuckling to herself.

The topic turned to nonrequited lovers, of course and Wisp looked down towards the bleeding heart of a Daughter, only to shake her head and suck her teeth gently, the noise barely audible while she struggled to find comforting words for the woman. Inhaling and exhaling the dark mage stooped to a crouch to make sure she was eye level with Arabella, and shrugged a shoulder before turning her gaze to the mammoth of a woman. "However. If there was someone, I would see able to bring the best out of her, it would be you. Witnessing you two banter with one another. There's a light in both of your eyes. Though if you're keen on not persuing, I won't be inclined to push you any further." Wisp snorted, and flared her nostrils out at Arabella. "Advice? More like a warning. You're both old. Best to canoodle now, before none of you can bend and twist into fun positions while you're tussled in beds."

"Well, yah should count yahself lucky. Better to clobber the things that make people afraid and whatnot, than get stuck plucking turnips and corn out in the fields, I say." Deadwaltz chimed, rubbing her backside and blinking a few times before sticking out her tongue and shaking her head. Homesteading. The thought made her cringe inside and she shuddered at a more...Homely way of existing. There was a reason she was swinging swords and not baking cakes. Part of it was wonderlust. The other was a lack of cooking ability, to be frank. "Bah nonsense! Ah can be tender. Just ask Percy over there." She cackled, leaning in, but still being as audible as she could. "His back ain't right and he can't handle the big girls."

The comment on the benefits of a dark mage in a group was only doing wonder's to Wisp's ego, and the woman had to suppress the smile she wanted to plaster across her face. Someone who had finally managed to at least see past the stigma. Wisp wouldn't deny the fact that most of her kin did much to damper relations with just about everyone else they came across. From betrayals, to sacrificing others for the smallest glint of survival or extra powers, most of the dark mages across the land were vicious recreants, barely one step ahead of their infernal masters, and casting everyone around them in the pits. At least Wisp had managed to snag something more akin to a symbiotic relationship with her own patron. And it allowed her more freedom to be less of a horrid monster than she saw in her ilk. By now, were she like anyone else, her apprentice would have already been dead and laying in a ditch; his soul sucked out to serve her hellish master.

"Having one is a good thing, yes. But you have to find one not willing to murder you." Wisp said, just as plainly as his own response before pressing a hand on her chest and offering a rather mocking bow. "I simply just wish for us all to prosper. Or whatever the proper term is so you don't stick a dagger in my back." Wisp paused and read the group, finally adding a quick, "I don't plan on killing anyone." just in case.

Deadwaltz laughed as Kastivi began her hurried trek away from the demonic warhound, and placed her hands on her hips. "Well, ah'll bet you all mah gold from this venture if they managed to escape. Both of them. Any takers?" She asked, beaming towards the more experienced of the group, to which Wisp raised a hand and quirked a brow.

"I'll take that bet."

[sylvanSpider]

Arabella nodded, still fidgeting with the trinkets before finally placing one of them around her wrist. She would hand over the other to Kastivi after her training with the hound was complete, “I understand. Well, I don't, but I understand why at any rate.” She was determined to press the matter no further than the black mage was willing to take it and was content with any amount of information she could glean from her. Personal issues were of no concern to her, so whatever she decided to keep private was as water off a duck's back. Then she mentioned Ara becoming a dark mage. This piqued the halfling's attention and she lifted her head and raised her eyebrows, “Are you saying that to earn a reaction, or do you truly believe that I could ever become one?”

The topic of becoming a dark mage sat closer to the halfling's heart than she would ever admit out loud. As it was, she and Kastivi were two years removed from the Daughters though the latter was unaware of it. Ara had cut them off while continuing to use their name. Technically, Arabella Fairfoot's position as future leader of the Daughters of Ash had never been revoked, though none of the Daughters had so much as seen her face – some assumed her and Kastivi to be dead. So, Arabella used ravens. Lots of ravens, none to the Daughters of course, but in order to earn a living adventuring, she just went on like nothing was happening. She balanced a delicate walk, assuming the face of a Daughter to everyone but the Daughters themselves, and to them...she and Kastivi were nothing but ghosts, shells of broken potential. As far as becoming a dark mage went, Arabella had nothing to lose by learning a new trade. Honor was no longer why she fought.

Arabella had her head bowed as the conversation shifted to Dead Waltz and the same painful pin pricks on her heart began to expand. She recognized that feeling. It started with interest, interest another's physical body, seeing their outer beauty. That interest would either diminish, or as it seemed to be the case with Waltz, grow to admiration. Admiration would grow to love inevitably, and the love would be requited or not. Ara lifted her eyes to Wisp's trying to contain the little bit of hope that undoubtedly showed in her eyes, “You see it in hers as well? As a long time friend of hers, I'm more likely to take your words more seriously than anything I've seen or hoped I've seen...” She took a deep breath through her nose, exhaling slowly. “If...if I were to...to ask, persay, or maybe...start a conversation? What should I do?” The halfling was more than a little nervous as it was half a decade before she even glanced at someone in the same way she found herself accidentally doing with Waltz and the thought terrified her.

Kastivi couldn't help but laugh, clapping a hand over her mouth so her voice didn't echo back at her from the trunks of the massive trees that surrounded them, “I've got to agree. My life on the farm wasn't exactly as good as it is now.” There was truth to her words. She was ten at the time she was “tried” for being a witch, when she was tied to that stake where they were going to pierce her heart, and she remembered life before that. She could remember the hours upon hours in the burning sun, back hunched as she planted or harvested and all in the hopes that the sky would cooperate and grant a moment's respite with darkened clouds. The life she led now, the life of an adventurer suit her better so she could relate to the look of disgust that Waltz now gave.

The wizard in question now had flaming cheeks that were only partially hidden by his beard. “I thought we agreed to keep that between ourselves, Waltz?” Kastivi burst out laughing, once again clapping a hand over her mouth in amazement. “So it's true, then?”

“Yeah, laugh all you want. I'm sure you'll be laughing as you're being hunted by that hell hound,” he shook his head and turned his attention back to the more pleasant company of Wisp. “I have made it a point to not stab party members unless that party member is a traitor,” Percival said simply. “My money is that Kastivi will be caught in a faster time than Christoval is, if only because of experience.”

“Second that one!” Arabella said with a snort and a laugh.

[BlueInTheShell]

"As the saying goes, some things are better left to wonder instead of study, I suppose." Wisp hummed, yawning for a second and rubbing her eyes - the dark mage looking at her hand and sighing when a bit of the charcoal she used to line her eyes was smeared along her palm. Nothing ever stuck to her skin when she needed it to. "I tend to provide what I can at least to protect others from the demonic. I like leaving the fun things like summoning them to myself," Wisp added, finally divulging smaller glints of precious knowledge, "The last thing you need is a child painting sigils on the ground and summoning something that's more than willing to burn down a village in exchange for a soul." Wisp said, grinning at the halfling when her eyebrows rose with inquisition. "You're cautious. You have a head on your shoulders that isn't laden with idiocy. Hmph. If I had to pick someone from this circus of adventurers to at least bring under a wing, it would be you. Take that as a compliment."

The more Wisp had thought about it, the more it seemed the best choice, should fate have dictated such a necessity. Deadwaltz was curiously, null of most magical potential. The woman seemed to some sort of anathema to the winds of the arcane, and the few times Wisp had attempted to teach the barbarian anything along the lines of simple tricks like small bits of healing, or prestidigitation had ended disastrously. Wisp shifted uneasily as she recalled Wisp trying to heal a nick on her finger, only to have it turn inside out. Kastivi was too impressionable to traffic with anything, at least in the dark mage's eye. She'd be led astray by every undead whisper and demonic promise that would come her way. Percival was...Percival. His mouth would end his life sooner than anything he could bargain for.

And then there was Christoval. The kid was just...Too pure. Paladin material. And while she could have been rewarded immensely in her patron's eyes for corroding a soul such as his, Wisp had other plans for the boy. He was a potential light for people to look towards, and while she was tempted by what she could gain from laying Christoval on a dais for Urkephalos, a small sliver of her just wanted...Wanted the best for everyone with the boy's future. He could do great things.

Wisp clicked her tongue and nodded at Arabella, making a subtle wave towards the barbarian, and leaning in close to Arabella, pretending to dress the Halfling's hair while she spoke in hushed tones. "Next time, look at Deadwaltz when you're talking to her. Really look. She smiles at everyone, and is polite and genuine to everyone. But when she talks to you? There is something extra." Wisp cooed, before shrugging her shoulders and looking at Waltz, a small smile forming over her features. "If you were going to ask, I would say as Waltz's friend, to just be blunt. You would be surprised at how many innuendos and sweet talk fly over her head."

Deadwaltz's attention was locked onto the embarassed looking wizard trying to defend his virtue in the bedroom; Waltz laughing like a loon and shaking her head before shrugging her shoulders. "Ah was gonna keep it between us, but ah'm sure half of the places I've gone to know about yah thrown out back when yah tried hefting my up onto the bed now. I think the town'a Janeloft calls yahself 'Hobbly Percy' now. Just so yah know if yah get called that somewhere." Waltz beamed, looking towards Kastivi once more and leaning in close. "Ah also would get ta runnin'. Hellhounds is fast things. Ah can't even run away from them and ah've tried lotsa times."

Wisp turned her attentions towards Percival and shrugged her shoulders. "And here I was, believing you too craven to pick up something sharp. Healers can stand the sight of gore, but can't endure producing it themselves." She said, a small playful jab sent his way before she looked over towards Kastivi. "I'm sure her knight in training will throw himself in her hound's way first. Chivalry, and whatnot." Wisp added, rolling her eyes at the thought.

[sylvanSpider]

Arabella kicked her feet over the rock she was sitting on, her mind reeling with the possibilities of all that she did not know. There were branches of magic that she dreamed of knowing, but her membership to the Daughters of Ash forbid it. She was to learn destruction magic, and the element chosen was to be fire. The moment she had freed herself from the Daughters, she began to expand on her already vast knowledge of magic. Training in weapons use was generally allowed, but frowned upon ( “If you are proficient with fire, you will need nothing else”). She was free, and now she had someone offering to train her in dark magics. “Some things, maybe,” Arabella answered after a moment, “But if I can help it, I want to expand my knowledge as far as I can.” She watched Wisp struggle with her makeup, and not being on to wear any, couldn't offer any consolation. “Compliment taken, thank you. So, would you be willing to take me under your wing? I am more than willing to humble myself as a student.”

The halfling followed the dark mage's gaze to the barbarian and swallowed, “I...I noticed her kindness. Her aloof but alluring way of speaking, how she has nothing to hide--” She stopped what she was saying to listen to Wisp, her cheeks coloring. “You...you really think so?” She had to admit, she couldn't really imagine their white mage hooking up with Waltz, but then, he didn't seem to deny it. “Speaking of her rather forward sentiments, I never pegged Waltz and Percival to...well, you know.”

Percival got to his feet, rolling his eyes, “Okay, okay, so I'm not the best with larger women, but hey, try everything once, right? Waltz looks lovely enough, but I underestimated her apparently. Shoulda stuck to vodka, then I would have at least had the wherewithal to not. But noooo,” Percy said, his voice getting higher to mimic...whoever it was he was talking about, “Vodka's too hard, you're drunk enough Percival, maybe you should switch to mead.” His voice went back to its normal timber, “Well look at what mead got me. It got me the nickname Hobbly Percy, and I don't even like being called Percy!”He groaned and gestured to the path, “And all of this talk made us miss the take-off! The young Daughter is already long gone.”

[BlueInTheShell]

Wisp gave a 'Ho-hum' kinda of sigh while she watched the feet that dangled from the rock Arabella was on, the woman finally resorting to just wiping off the charcoal along her eyes and leaving small spackles of black across her eyes, and reddened eyes. Wisp personally was the living hypocrisy of her own words. As a former priestess, she knew damn well what would happen when she tempted herself with dark magic, and here she was now. The exact same, only instead of banishing demons with faith, it was force of will and anger. But the Halfing seemed keen on being taught, and at the mention of being called a student, Wisp waved her hand and shook her head. "I'm not a mentor. More of a middleman. You'll see come tonight." She shrugged, taking a breath and twiddling her fingers. First step was finding a patron for the Halfling. Which was never fun.

"Oh, she has things to hide. But if no one knows what to ask, does she have to explain it in her honest ways?" Wisp replied, biting her lower lip and wagging her eyebrows at the halfling, all the while sinking her proverbial fangs into the reddening Halfling. Matchmaker should be a title added to her repertoire. "I mean, if you wanna try and do the whole courting thing and sing her a sonnet, go ahead. Just don't expect her to fall head over heels for you." She paused for a moment, looking at Waltz and Percival before nodding. "I'm glad to be enlightened as to know the two have been intimate. I'm trying to picture Percival trying to take the reins in their tryst. And it's not possible. At all."

Deadwaltz was cracking up at Percival's imitation of...Whoever he was talking about. Waltz herself had been blitzed for the most part of that day as well, but the most vivid thing she could recall was banging her head on the ground when the mage had tried hefting her up, and then having to drag his sore back to the bed and finish the job herself. "Well, if yah don't like being called Percy yah should get yah named changed. Ah didn't even know Percy-vale was yah real name for the longest time." Her voice cracked and she snickered, before looming over towards Percival and locking his head in her arms to administer a noogie, hat or no hat. "Now ah should just call yah 'Hobbly' because everyone else does!"

Waltz and Wisp however wondered the same thing: How fast did Kastivi dart when the hound followed after her?

/////

Christoval had managed to buy himself some time at least, and he knew it. Wearing his cloak had coated it in his scent, and keeping it tossed into the bushes? It was at least a few minutes of reprieve from running. Smiling to himself, the young knight-to-be hopped over a small creek and continued on his escape, before stopping at the sight in front of him when he passed a large rock: the small green humanoid bleeding profusely, and barely breathing.

Something had gotten to it. And from the looks of it, the goblin was running away from his little cave. Unusual. Wisp's books said they always headed towards home in a panick. His thoughts however, were rocked and he snapped back into the world once more when the being let out a terrified gargle, doing its best to stab at the air at Christoval to keep him back.

Sighing and shaking his head, Christoval steeled himself and kicked the Goblin's arm into the ground, before drawing his sword and giving the monster a coup de grace. He hated their kind but at the same time? Nothing needed to suffer like that. Though now he was worried. What if something bigger and meaner was in store for them? Maybe he could sneak back to the group without the hound catching him...It was worth a shot.

[sylvanSpider]

The halfling's eyes widened and she turned her gaze from the ground to the dark mage, “Do you mean...my own patron?” Arabella, admittedly, did not have the most experience with the darker magics, but she knew enough that all of the power came from a patron, similar to she and the goddess. She'd spent time praying, asking the goddess if it was alright to pursue other magics. In her heart of hearts, she knew that to be narrow minded was to sentence oneself to death, especially if she was to continue to take up this liminal space. “But...I fear I will have nothing to offer, save for myself. Would there be one willing to accept that?” Her voice was low. There was no need to cue anyone else in to what she was planning with Wisp, and she had no intention on doing so – especially to her mentee and companion.

“She...”Arabella began, turning to look at Waltz again with a dreamy look in her eyes, “She can hide them if she chooses. What I've seen so far is enough to know that she would be worth it.” From her pack she withdrew a small long-stemmed pipe, packed it, and lit it- puffing it to keep the embers running. Offering it to Wisp, she exhaled, “She won't have to explain anything to me. Besides, at this age? We all have baggage that we need to sort. I'll...I'll talk to her and...and see where I end up.” Her brooding reverie was interrupted with the thought of Percival and Waltz, and she grinned, snorting, “Lucky you. The image I got was vivid. Didn't end well for our healer.”

Percival looked anything but amused, but mostly he simply looked tongue in cheek agitated, “It's Per-ci-val. Percival. You know, like the extremely common name in the North? Where you come from? How could you not have known this? We've been in the same party several times. And, Waltz, if you start calling me “Hobbly” may the gods save you because I don't appreciate it. You'll still get your healing because of that blasted oath I took, but I'll make the least soothing spells I know.” The white mage was scowling, his hands itching to reach for his flask, but he was at least somewhat of a man of his word, and grabbed his water instead. The booze could happen when they camped for the night. His water, however, went undrunk as he was soon in the barbarian's arms, gasping for air, his hat being pushed into and rubbed against his scalp.

Struggling free, he glared at the barbarian, taking off his hat, poofing it up again, and put it back on his head huffing, “My bet's still on the knight.”
> > >

Kastivi had no experience with hounds, but she wasn't going to risk anything. She flew through the forest, jumping fallen logs and running against the trunks of trees, ducking when necessary. She was fast too, the weights no longer on her ankles meant she was faster, if only because she was now free from her shackles. It wasn't long before she came across Christoval and she blinked, “Is that... a gobline?” she asked, already knowing that it was, “What's it doing here?”

[BlueInTheShell]

"Well, I'd offer you mind, but then it's going to turn into a contest, and I'll be quite truthful. I have no qualms killing you to ensure my place near -my- patron at least. He's not getting out of this deal that easily." Wisp said venomously, a bit of balefire flicking in her eyes before fading away. "You're also not his preferred associate, but yes you're correct. Finding you someone willing to play would be the first step down the road." Wisp soon smiled, and looked at the halfling, a more sinister tone spilling across a deadpan, serious features. "You have a lot to offer. I can assure you of that." Though just as quick as the malicious tone came it disappeared, Wisp bouncing glances between Waltz and Arabella. It was like babysitting a 200-plus pound baby who could snap necks at will.

Passing on the offered pipe, only to reconsider and take it from the Halfling, Wisp inhaled deeply, taking more than her share before breathing the plume of smoke out her nostrils like a serpent. "For all this planning and scheming on how to win her over, you certainly seem to wanna overcomplicate everything. That's a trait people hate in the Far North." Wisp chided, smacking her leaps and offering the pipe back to Arabella and snirking. "I wouldn't be surprised if it ended with Percy as the wife in a dress baking things for Waltz."

"Pair-ci-val. Ah ain't heard of anybody called that in the North parts where Ah'm from." Waltz retorted, puffing out her cheeks and crossing her arms after her headlock had been escaped from. "Well, to be fair, ah cracked mah head a few times when we were doing the partying thing. Plus yah wanted me to call yah father when we was in the bedroom not yah Purr-see-vull proper name. Which felt pretty weird to me. Why did yah want that?" There was a genuine look of curiosity on her face while she dug a hole for the White Mage (Wisp red in the face and suppressing a shit-eating grin) and holding up the water for him, beamed at him like a loon.

Adjusting her cloak and biting her nails, Waltz sniffled and shrugged her shoulder. "Either way, getting caught is gonna be funny to see. Watch them get dragged back here."

\\\\\\

In an instant, Christoval's sword was pointed towards Kastivi as he swung around to face the voice at his back, only for the young knight to sigh and lower his weapons when it was the lovely apprentice that melted his heart. "Goblin, yeah. Found it on the verges of death before I helped it....Expire." He said bitterly, looking at the black-red blood staining his weapon. The thing looked so small and brittle on the ground. "No idea why it's out here, but I think something else got to it before I found him. That means there's something meaner out where we're supposed to g-"

Christoval paused and looked over at Kastivi, and then blinked a few times. "...Why are you out here?"

[sylvanSpider]

Arabella put her hands up immediately, shaking her head. “No, no, no,” she said, adamant, “I do not want to be in a contest that I would lose invariably every time.” She offered the black mage a smile and resumed kicking her legs over the side of the rock, “It sounds to me as though you got the deal to work in your favor then? Do you...do you have any in mind? How does the process work? What kinds of things do I have to offer?” The halfling was full of questions – valid questions, considering the fact that she was going to be starting an entirely new school of magic. Magic that was of the darker variety.

She said nothing of Wisp taking more than her share; smoking of the pipe was more enjoyable than necessary, and after this quest was over she'd have plenty of coin to get more tobacco. Arabella gulped, chewing at her lower lip, “I'm not trying to...to 'scheme' or overcomplicate it, but I've got nerves. It's been...gods, it's been over five years since I even considered anyone or anything like this. I'm just...I'm just nervous is all.” She took the pipe back from Wisp when she was finished and continued to puff, now with small quick bursts of smoke.

Percival sighed and squeezed the bridge of his nose, “As if I needed reminding that you weren't from the civilized parts.” He almost choked on the next part, “Now that part never happened! That's weird even for me! I would have believed it if I asked you to dress like a maid or something because that's actually sort of attractive...but I'd never ask you to call me father.” He snatched the water from Wisp's hands without realizing who he was taking it from, then seeing her, he gave a terse little bow and uttered a small thank you.

“It'll happen to at least one of them. I just hope it happens to both, having the young pups carted back by the collars of their shirts sounds like it would be more hilarious than anything else,” Percival said, still cooling off.
> > >

Kastivi stopped where she was, sucking in and blinking with wide eyes. Running up to someone in the middle of forests known to have goblins was probably not the wisest of decisions. She breathed with relief when he lowered the pointy end, her eyes quickly went back down to the now corpse as he explained the situation. “We need to be on our guard...maybe tell the others,” she murmured as he explained.

Her eyes went big again and she looked at Christoval with a look that only showed true terror, “Wisp is sending a hound after me too—shit, shit, shit! I gotta get to the river!”

[BlueInTheShell]

Wisp flared her nostrils for a second, but backed down from the inevitable possibilities of competing with the Halfling for attention from her patron. Wisp had clawed, and murdered her way into her patronage, and while she was more than comfortable in her place where she was at now, even the slimmest possibility of change was something she was going to halt immediately. "The price was an...Interesting bargain. But better than anything I could get elsewhere. As for finding you someone, it all depends mostly on you. There's plenty of things that you can ask for depending on what you want." Wisp trailed off for a second when the halfling mentioned what she could offered, taking a breath and deciding on the best way to explain things. "I would assume you have a soul. Or if your thirst for knowledge is powerful enough, your morals could be given away. You would be amazed at how atrocious you really are when wishes can come true."

"Arabella. Stop worrying. It brings you even more wrinkles. Just walk up to her when you lot are alone." Wisp said, her voice stale and the dark mage scowling. "Five years is plenty time to recover, and if you need privacy to just follow your heart, I'll go over there and tantalize Percival with my backside until he follows me." Wisp snorted, rolling her eyes and looking at the wizard for a second.

Deadwaltz nodded her head vigorously at Percival and grunted at him. "Well that's rude, Ah am pretty civilized. Yah think I am not civilized or anything, then Yah ain't met the people in the Deep West. Ah wear clothes. They don't." Wagging her eyebrows, the barbarian leaned in close and snickered. "Well, Ah'm pretty sure that definitely happened, considering yah a different person when you're in the vodka." Deadwaltz looked over at Wisp for a second, the Dark Mage's eyes rolling at the two; Waltz shrugging her shoulders.

"Would you prefer the students calling you father instead, Percival?" Wisp quipped, holding out her hand for the pipe once more once she resettled with the Halfling, and snickering to herself.

> > > > >

Christoval pursed his lips into the thinnest line he could muster. It was bad enough this was already turning into a different hunt and job than he was anticipating. Now anything was in the air, and being this lacking in preparation was going to worry him, and irritate Wisp even more. "I just wish I knew what they were running away from, so we could at least be a bit more useful." Christoval said, frowning.

"Make it to the river. As fast as you can. Swim for a while. A long time. They're patient." Christoval said immediately, already breaking into a run again, and heading towards what he hoped would be the direction of water.

[sylvanSpider]

Arabella sat in the moment of tension cringing inwardly. Had she said something to offend the dark mage? A halfling like her – with little experience in magics outside of those of simple destruction – would never stand a chance with the vetted experience of Wisp. The last thing Arabella wanted was the same patron and the need to compete with someone like that. However, with someone like Wisp watching her back, there was hope. “I will not ask about it unless you decide on divulging,” Arabella said with an optimistic smile once the silence subsided. “And if what I wanted were to be power, is that too broad?” she asked, tilting her head. “I believe all of us that have yet to give our souls away still possess one, yes, but what does that consist of?

The halfling brought her hand up to touch the small wrinkles that she was already aware were beginning to form in the corners of her eyes. Crows feet. She didn't mind them; she knew that with age, the body began to wither and she'd decided long ago that they made her look more distinguished. Eventually though, she nodded and swallowed the lump that began to grow in the back of her throat, “You'd do that for me? I suppose now is as good of a time as any with the apprentices...training,” she couldn't help but laugh a little bit at their methods, but who was she to argue against effectiveness?

“If you can consider this to be clothes, I suppose,” Percival said, gesturing to her almost garb. “I believe you and I have two very different views on what defines 'civilized',” the wizard then crossed his arms. Not for the first (or the last) time he found himself wishing for his vodka. This was going to be a long ass quest. “No. Vodka is safe. It was the mead. It's always the blasted mead.

The wizard then turned to the dark mage, fire in his eyes, “I find children to be pitiful excuses for human beings and would rather no one called me father. In or out of the bedroom or whatever else might suffice for a substitution of one. How long does it usually take for one of your hounds to grab your apprentice? I'm ready to get on the road. The sooner we get there, the sooner I can drink and forget that I'm never going to get to retire.”

> > >

Kastivi glanced back down at the corpse. As much as she hated to think about what the goblin could have been running from, she had little time to consider it – at least for the moment. “Whatever it is, we have a more immediate problem. As soon as we get back to camp though, we need to tell the others what we found. Goblins wouldn't be in this area unless provoked, right?”

Christoval took off, and Kastivi was after him. They're patient he'd said. It didn't sound hopeful for the two apprentices, but the hound was ordered to not hurt them at least. That much was at least comforting. But if this was to be a training exercise, she intended to avoid it as long as possible. And if there was a chance they could see whatever hurt the goblin, they'd have more to report on.

[BlueInTheShell]

"Well if you want me to divulge, I am supposed to show a small demonstration to your apprentice. You're welcomed to come tag along. Having someone a bit more experienced in general will probably be best." Wisp replied with a dull tone in her voice, and a tired sigh. "I'll have to start making circles once we rest for the night. I hate doing the meticulous work." The topic came to a potential desire and Wisp laughed, shaking her head and looking towards Arabella. "Undefined power? You'd probably end up trading your soul for the power to grow the largest turnips in a village you'll never visit. Some are cruel like that. I half expected you to ask a patron for an extra two inches of height."

"I would do it for you because I'm a hopeless romantic." Wisp droned on, standing up to her feet and brushing her rear and her clothing free from dust, the dark mage adjusting her herself and laying predatory eyes on the wizard. She didn't have her makeup on. She was at the disadvantage here, but Percival had one potential weakness. The same as every male that had come across Wisp's path when she needed to exploit it. And that was the Achilles' heel in their pants. And fake charm or not, Wisp could pride herself on being....A sliver of romantic, if one could call it that.

Deadwaltz looked down at the straps and hides she considered clothing, and shrugged her shoulders. Her tits weren't out and flaunting about like Wisp's were. And the cloak hid everything else. How wasn't that civilized? "Well ah mean. You got the book smarts. You probably know a lot of civilized things Ah don't. But Ah got clothes on so I win. I'm civilized." Deadwaltz laughed. Barbarian logic. "Ah'm gonna make sure ah get some then. So yah can embarrass yahself in front of everyone else."

Wisp was ready to extinguish that fire in Percival's eyes, the woman sitting right next to him and letting out a demure, helpless little sigh before resting her head on his shoulder. "Children are not pitiful excuses for humans. While I hate them myself, they're full of something we don't have, and that's exuberance." While she draped an arm around the wizard, Wisp flashed him a small smile and nodded her head to the woods. "Would you care to come to the woods with me? I'm sure we can find them getting dragged back to us then. And we can chitter among ourselves." Wisp murmured, nodding towards Deadwaltz, and then Arabella. "I'm sure you want better company."

>>>>>>

"They'd send scouts, because this one looked like it was genuinely afraid of something else." Christoval said, trying to wrap his head around everything. There wasn't time to examine the creature to see the wounds or look around the bushes for any tracks of potential, bigger threats to deal with on top of being hunted by hellhounds. "Well, this is certainly already more exciting than it should be." Christoval said with a wry smile.

As they ran, Christoval sucked in as much air as he could, looking every once a moment to make sure Kastivi was behind him. It was when those hounds caught people that Christoval hated this. Not the chase. Not the inescapable feelng of being hunted. It was that sulphurous breath and fetid drool that never left your nostrils. It was when the two cross some bushes that Christoval didn't have time to react; a mountain of flesh barraging him on the side and dropping him right down to the ground - the young knight yelping as his hound clamped down on his ankle and began to shake; Christoval looking towards Kastivi as she whirled by. He tried to call for help, tell her more advice. The only thing that managed to surface from his lungs:

"Aw fucking hell. I lost!"

[sylvanSpider]

“If...if you need help making the circles, I can assist you?” Arabella offered, voice betraying hints of uncertainty, but what was meticulous work to Wisp was an excellent chance to learn for Ara. She wondered if there was an ideal age to start practicing black magic, and if she was already past that age. She would make the attempt regardless. “I was being vague to offer up a potential example, but I will be sure to ah...not be vague...when I meet my patron,” Ara murmured, gulping. Things could go very wrong very fast if she didn't have an exact hold as to her desires and what she was willing to offer. Thankfully, she had an idea as to what she wanted. Now it was just a matter of bartering out a price.

The dark mage was being unusually kind – at least, for her. Past experiences with Wisp dictated that she was a mage that got things done but was rarely one to glean any enjoyment from by being around her. Now, she was clearing the field so that she could get a few minutes alone with the first woman the halfling had pined over in five long years. She watched as Wsip moved over to their white mage.

“Yes. Yes you do win,” Percival said with a roll of his eyes. He was bored of the conversation and was not willing to argue with a barbarian that didn't seem to hold a candle to any form of logic that came her way. “I didn't know you were so eager to get back with this flimsy white mage, Waltz. But I am sorry but I already brought my own supply of alcohol. My safe supply of alcohol.”

The white mage jumped a bit with another person suddenly in his bubble and looked down at the non-space between his thigh and Wisp's before looking back up at her, clearing his throat and straightening his collar. “If anything, their exuberance makes them that much more annoying to be around. Despite the connotations of the word, I find the quality to be less than desirable – particularly in children.” Percival looked straight ahead, doing his best to not glance down, “You know, as much as I appreciate like-minded company, I find myself being more than a little suspicious.” He paused for a moment before getting to his feet, holding his hand out to help Wisp up should she take it, “I will accept, however, if only because of the opportunity to see a hell hound roughing up the children. I mean, if one of the hounds messed up, my services may be required.”

> > > > > > > > >

The forest flew by them in a flurry of green and brown as they ran through the trees in the forest. In the distance, Kastivi could hear the river; they were getting close. They would just need to hold on for a little bit longer, but already she could feel that familiar burn in her legs that warned her that she was getting tired. It would have been wisest for her to not start off in a dead sprint, but then, she had no idea what to expect. Christoval's footfalls behind her were comforting, even as her mind reeled with their green-skinned find. She had no idea what to expect, so she utilized the speed that she was now paying for.

Then, the footfalls behind her stopped, followed by a yelp and a proclamation of loss. Kastivi stopped where she stood, turning back around and running at full speed toward the hellhound, latched onto its prey. Without thinking, she was airborne, arms stretched and aimed for the beast's shoulder from the side in an attempt to knock it off its feet. “Not...if I...can help it!”

[BlueInTheShell]

Wisp shrugged her shoulders at the offer and puffed a cheek out for a second. "Go ahead. I don't plan on standing in your circles you've created however. I'm going to be the one attempting to control the situation. If you get me possessed or killed, it would end horribly for everyone." The Mage was going to have to find one of her lighter reads for the infernal for Arabella to pour through at some point, but for now it was all talk and speculation, before the actual attempt at the halfling's first time with dark magic. "Tell me right now. Let me see what you're going to barter with. So I can have an idea of who to try and bring into the fold, then." Wisp replied tartly.

It was a fleeting act of kindness. Wisp was going to be helpful now. At least with the coming of a ritual for the halfling. It was less about the actual kind acts and more building the trust with Arabella, so when Wisp said to jump off the proverbial cliffs? She would without a second thought. That split second of indecision was going to be crucial. As for her playing matchmaker with the barbarian? Wisp just owed a kind thing for Deadwaltz, and having the two at least try and love each other counted, right? She didn't know.

Waltz pumped her fist in the air at her impending victory and wriggled in place for a second, before looking at his rolling eyes and scrunching up her face. She didn't remember if that was a rude gesture down in these lands or not, but if it was when she asked someone later? He was getting a thump in the dome. "Yah should lemme make some hooch for yahself to drink. It's pretty good if yah like juniper berries." Waltz mentioned offhandedly, before peering at him. "Gimme yah vodka. Friends share."

Wisp feigned a look of hurt on her face and planted a hand on her bosom; looking towards the White Mage and pouting. "I am pretty offended you'd reject my company, and not want to watch the apprentices get mauled by hellhounds." She said incredulously, before she pressed against him further and he finally did manage to agree to go with her. "Who knows? They might be mangled up enough for you to impress us all with your helaing prowess. I'd positively swoon." Wisp said, droning on and winking at him.

> > > > > > > > > > > >

Christoval had been content to relent himself to the fate the hellhound had placed on him: his jaw locked around the young knight's ankle. It was being...Somewhat gentle for a ferocious, infernal skinless engine of war, and suddenly the young knight felt a sharp pain as the hellhound was on its side - the beast's locked jaw dragging his ankle with it. Was the thing actually trying to hurt him? Glancing back and seeing Kastivi on top of the beast while it flailed, Christoval fumbled for a weapon. Anything. And pulled the arquebus from his back and took aim; uttering a pray to whatever deity would listen to make sure he didn't hit the girl as he pulled the trigger.

[sylvanSpider]

Arabella bowed her head and nodded. She was a novice after all. It made sense that Wisp wouldn't want Ara performing the beginning processes. “Then, I'd be happy to watch to learn?” the halfling offered instead. She felt useless in this endeavor, thankful that she had plenty of experience in other areas so when the fighting actually happened she already had plenty under her belt. There, at least, she would not be wanting. “I...I don't know what I'm going to barter with just yet, just what to barter for. I...I want protection for Kastivi when the time comes. And I want to be the one granting her that protection, if only to ensure that nothing bad happens to her. I am willing to accomplish these goals by almost any means necessary – including selling my soul to whatever patron is willing to grant me this.”

There was much that she was leaving out in terms of why. The apprentice already showed plenty of potential, but, if the ancient texts were to be believed and other Daughters were to catch wind of her abilities, that safety may only be short lived, and it would be the Daughters themselves that she would need protection from. She would need much more than fire to keep them at bay.

“Juniper berries?” the wizard asked, interest piqued, “I do enjoy their taste. But how do you manage to make it while out in adventuring parties?” He looked back down at his flask, disappointingly unused, “Nope. Nuh uh, no ma'am. If I'm not allowed to drink it because our dark mage has decided to side with the goody-two-shoes wannabe knight, you aren't allowed to drink from my stores either.” He folded his arms and cast a steely glare in the direction that Christoval took off running in and looked back to Dead Waltz, “I'll share when I'm able to join you and not a moment before. So you can either convince the dark mage and her pet to leave me to my own devices, or you can wait until we make camp like I have to. She likes you more, maybe you can convince them.”

“I...I am not rejecting your company, but know that I am sensing ulterior motives,” Percival said simply, wishing that he could just be left alone to trail behind the party like he'd been able to with the last few. “Well, I don't normally care how impressed the people I travel with are, only that I can keep them alive in and out of a fight, but I suppose if it makes you swoon, I'll give it a try.” The wizard seemed to be willing to play her games, but only so far, and always with an air of caution.

> > > > > > > > > > > > > >

The explosion was all Kastivi needed to jump back off the beast's shoulders, stumbling backwards, eyes wide. She blinked, both ears ringing and she leaned against a tree to try to catch her bearings. Without thinking, balls of fire appeared in both her fists, body ready for a fight that the mind had yet to catch up on.