Achronum

Of Blood and Magic

Varis watched the mage’s little display upon his return with some skepticism but that wasn’t much of a concern of his. If the boy was anything to go by, he was just embarrassed and Eris hadn’t trained his mage well enough to remember it wasn’t his place to feel those sorts of things. Varis clicked his tongue in disapproval. Eris was playing far too nicely with this boy but considering his curious indulgences of his other mage, the competent one whatever her name was, Varis couldn’t say he was surprised. Perhaps he had some odd method that produced mages of that other one’s ability. If that was the case, Varis might consider lending the boy over to Eris for training every now and then. Speaking of training...

“You may stand.” Varis told the kneeling mage. “When we are out of this ordeal, remind me to have you contact Malek. I don’t feel like hearing nails on a chalkboard but I do need something from my vault.” Varis sent Eris an inquisitive look when he returned, all bubbling confidence as usual. Whatever his mage told him must have put him in a good mood so Varis would let it slide for now.

“No better time than the present I suppose.” Varis agreed with Eris and stretched his hand out in tandem with the other, vanishing as his hand made contact.

Interacting with: @Obscene Symphony @Scribe of Thoth [Hero]

Harry Potter and the Alchemist's Quest - Discontinued

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Artemis “Arty” Harrington

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Location: Knight Bus: Middle Back
Magic:N/A

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“No kidding, Mads.” Artie groaned as he flopped onto the hugging that was going on while adamantly ignoring the Snyde gang. There would never be a hug pile that Artie wasn’t going to be involved in in this group. “And even after the Death Eater was taken care of, the sneak-o-scope was still trilling! I’m just happy to say good riddance to the train this year. Hopefully, this was the most bad eventful this year will be.” Artie chatted, gesturing with one hand as he did. His hand pressed against the pocket where the memory was. No need to freak out over everything now. He had to get this to Doubledore, help Penny with the first years, and then maybe he could convince Georgina to hang out with him in the common room for a bit. And bring tissues. This felt like a tissue night. He suppressed an involuntary shudder. His ears perked up at the mention of Georgina.

“She probably just needs some chill time; she went through a lot just now.” Artie explained, his words a little slurred from how his cheek was squashed as he hugged. “She’ll come find us when she feels more under control. Don’t want to make her feel too overwhelmed, you know?” He left out the part where she said she’d see them on the bus. If she hadn’t come up here, she probably needed sometime. Most of the time, she’d seek them out but sometimes she just had to get through some of it by herself. So instead of hunting her down like he wanted to, he pulled out his wand and focused on that bubbly feeling he got when he first met Mr. Hopkinson.

“Expecto Patronum.” He murmured, unable to keep the smile off his face as the golden retriever spun out of his wand and pranced around excitedly. With a swish, he sent it off to Georgina, just to let her know they were there for her even if she needed some time to herself.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

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Location: Training Room
Skills: N/A

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James didn’t need to hear Ben’s side of the conversation to guess what that comment meant and he just sent Casper a fond eye roll but James had asked more out of curiosity than expectation. He expected a no or one of his boyfriend’s adorable attempts to sidestep that because he knew how Casper was about this. He expected maybe a later at best but he had definitely not been expecting an immediate demonstration. It took James a few moments to process what he was seeing, Casper glowing the same color as Ben and Ben looking so happy he would explode. He couldn’t hold back the little rush of pride at Casper but he did stop himself from wrapping him up in a hug. James wasn’t sure how much concentration, a lot from the look of it, and he didn’t want to run the risk of hurting Casper if he was interrupted. Instead, he decided to focus his attention on the now visible ghost.

“Shit, you guys can do it!” James walked up to Ben and poked his arm, letting out an impressed whistle when his finger made contact without passing through. “It’s nice to finally meet you face to face, battlefield meetings notwithstanding.” James shook his head with a laugh, socking Ben in the arm for the language. “So, does it feel any different or is it just the same but now you can chill with us?”

Then, James heard Sunshine’s comment. Oh shit. James really wasn’t sure how to handle that particular idea but he was sure Casper wouldn’t be down for summoning Erg back. God only knows what Erg would have to say about everything after he’d been murdered. James didn’t know him well but the man was… passionate about his cause and frankly, James thought that limiting an extremist influence right now was probably a good idea. James decided he’d let Casper field that one and back him up once Casper explained it. Was James a coward for hiding from a difficult situation behind him? Maybe. Probably…. Definitely but James would make it up to him somehow.

Of Blood and Magic

_{Time: 2:01 - The Forest}

Max/Aaron/Eris/Varis

Varis listened with his head tilted to the side and arms crossed, waiting for Eris’ mage to respond before considering the information.

Lilie/Ben

The beast barely managed to twist out of the way, the arrow slicing deeply just beneath the eye. The creature growled and it’s body quivered before a sickening crack broke the silence. It’s body bulged and grew and patches of fur started growing in spots. The claws grew another two inches until they were as long as fingers and a predatory grin stretched across its face. The thing towered over Ben, easily clearing eight feet and it stared at Ben with a feral glint in its eye as the cut started to stitch itself shut.

“Shoot first, ask questions later, huh, little vampire.” The beast’s voice rumbled from deep inside his chest. “Typical bloodsuckers. Never thinking of the consequences.” The beast ripped the harp from it’s spot in the ground and chucked it straight at Lilie’s sleeping form before charging Ben head on.

Salem/Victor

As they each said the names their partner gave them, the blue mists that had nearly reached the table suddenly washed over them. The mist was pleasantly cool and a soft giggling surrounded them. That too vanished as the mist lifted and Victor and Salem sat across from each other once more. A little blue glass cat, no larger than a marble, sat where the orb once sat. A wispy trail of the mist curled on the ground, away from the table and into a small deer trail.

Maddie/Amaris

Maddie tried to focus on the countess’ words but most of it was swallowed beneath the rising panic now that two more cracks appeared above her and the water level just past her knees. She took a steadying breath. Her legs were freezing. She was prepared for cold air but the water soaked her clothes and she was cold and she just didn’t want to be cold anymore.

“It’s just two truths and a lie. Just say which one is a lie.” She explained loudly, not quite sure how well the Countess could hear her through here. “I don’t really understand the first one honestly and the second one suggests that whatever this raven is, it’s holding back? And it’s somehow smart and wicked? But the last one I think is the lie. I’m your partner now and you haven’t given me any reason not to trust you.” At least she hoped that was the lie. Figuring her feelings out right now wasn’t exactly her priority if she was being totally honest.

Harry Potter and the Alchemist's Quest - Discontinued

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Artemis “Arty” Harrington

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Location: Compartment 3 -> Knight Bus: Middle Back.
Magic:Charms

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“And that’s why it’s bloody awful! They’re so cute! why does everyone sacrifice them?” Artie complained. He quite disliked chess of any type. Muggle chess was just plain boring and once the thrill of the wizarding gimmick wore off, it was just as dull. “I like Exploding Snaps better. No choosing sacrifices, no bloody death eaters, no awful brothers who can’t. Keep. His. Head. To. Himself. Just plain fun with an exciting pop you’re never quite ready for!” Arty stated definitively, poking his sibling in the cheek with his finger with every punctuation. He watched as the Knight bus popped up and frowned at it. He hadn’t been prepared for this and he really didn’t want to lug Apollo’s body around. Because there wasn’t anyway that couldn’t be seen horribly. He was about to work the counter charm when he realized his brother was stirring out of his catatonic state.

“Well, there he is! Rise and shine, it’s a beautiful day!” Arty said in a sing song, pushing his brother up into a sitting position. “I’m going to get our luggage onto our newer, radder, totally not you-know-who infested ride! Stay right here for now please.” He patted Apollo on the head like a child with a laugh, an outlet for the relief bubbling up and threatening to overwhelm him at his brother moving around again, and whipped his wand around with an outrageous flourish, just calming his motions as he cast. Apollo’s luggage lifted obediently and he gave them a little pat too and marched them around where Mary mentioned. He repeated the process with his own luggage and returned to get his brother.

“Come on Georgina! We got a rad spot right in the back, the view is great!” Artie beamed at her. “I’ve never been on the Knight Bus though. I’m so excited!” If Artie wasn’t insisting on fussing over Apollo, it was practically guaranteed he’d be bouncing in place and then zipping all over it and pestering the driver with questions.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

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Location: Training Room
Skills: N/A

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He let her cry, automatically running his fingers through his hair like he did when Casper was in the same position. He knew Sunshine well enough that she wouldn’t cry in front of people just because she was hungry; she’d lived on the streets long enough to have developed a tough exterior but if that was her story, he wouldn’t push. He’d let her come to him if she wanted. He knew how stubborn she would get if he tried to pry. “Then we’ll see if we can get you more to eat once everythings settled down, how about that?” James suggested quietly as he listened to Veil.

“Good luck guys. Stay safe.” He said as Veil took the team. He was… more than a little worried about her choices. Luna and Callie would be fine but Sapphire and Waverly were emotionally compromised. He wanted to push for Veil to choose other people but she was stressed as it was. He just hoped and prayed to anyone that was listening that Max would keep his mouth… shut was pushing it so civil at the very least and Leighton wouldn’t escalate with Sapphire. This whole situation was a shit show and a half. Maybe he should get some medical supplies setup in a car in case the whole thing devolves into a fight.

“So now we’re on the lookout for a flamboyant Canadian? Let’s cross our fingers it isn’t Max 2.0.” James shook his head. “Maybe I’ll just write a report about the other world fiasco. That way she can read it when she isn’t as overwhelmed.” James frowned as he thought about it and something clicked in his head. “Hey Ben? Can you still do that whole… materialization thing you did when we fought Magneto and Polaris? That was really useful and we could use you in the whole getting this place put back together. Or was that you, babes? A combination? Though, uh, I’m sorry about the whole Eldritch Horror comment.” JAmes apologized sheepishly.

Of Blood and Magic

Varis could only blink at how Max spoke back to Eris. He couldn't imagine a mage having the audacity to speak to him like that. Varis already considered the nonsense spewing out of the boy’s mouth and still decided this was the course of action he wanted to take. He gave Max an unimpressed look―He would have to talk to Eris about how he was going to handle this clear breach of proper conduct―but didn’t interfere. If he stepped in, he was undermining Eris’ authority and although the mage’s behavior was completely out of line, it fell to Eris’ to correct him. If he let it pass without a proper punishment however...

“No, you weren’t.” Varis replied absently as he considered the coin for a moment. He picked it up out of the boy’s hand and examined it. It didn’t seem like anything special but at least it wasn’t another crest. He pocketed it, though it took him a second because of the oversized gloves. He leveled his unimpressed stare at his own mage now as he finished considering everything the boy said. He pointed at the ground, not quite able to snap, but he was sure the boy would get the point anyway. “Eris, still your mage’s hand a moment. Now that we’ve confirmed you only need one person in the skull to clear a portion, perhaps his familiarity with himself will illuminate more than what the boy inevitably missed. ” Varis turned back to the boy, tone sharp. “That is a pathetic excuse of a report. This clearing, was it the one we were standing in or was it another? Were you able to recognize it and if not, what other details did you notice? Was fighting the only option or did you fall back on the only skill the Noilas bothered to invest decent resources in? Did you sustain extensive injuries and where? Show us.”

Interacting with: @Obscene Symphony @Scribe of Thoth [Hero]

Born Again - Rev:Re

@Versa Hey I haven't heard anything in a while and the discord disappeared? Are we still moving forward with this?

Harry Potter and the Alchemist's Quest - Discontinued

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Artemis “Arty” Harrington

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Location: Compartment 3
Magic:N/A

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“Thanks.” Artie said as he took the memory carefully and he slipped it into his robe’s pocket. No one was touching that without someone he knew they could trust being present. Otherwise, it was his and his alone. Artie was… tempted to lose it so no one else had to see what was still in his head but he knew that was probably a bad idea. Instead, he turned his attention to his still sleeping brother, carefully picking up Apollo and adjusting him so he was stretched out along one bench with his head in Artie’s lap. Artie made sure he kept a firm grip on his wand as he guarded his brother. He’d let the mental connection fall away after he first put him under so he could focus on everything around them.

“Apollo didn’t… trust your Uncle.” Artie revealed hesitantly. “But they got the death eater, right? If your Uncle was in on it, or any of the Aurors for that matter, why would they expose the other one? Wouldn’t they just cover it up or something?” They were in over their heads with this and he wasn’t sure he liked how fixated his best friend was on this still. He was half a second away from casting the Hardening Charm on the trolley door to keep anyone from leaving… or getting in for that matter. He didn’t want Georgina running off. He wouldn’t abandon Apollo like that and he didn’t like that left her without him to back her up. Not that Mary wouldn’t probably follow her in a heartbeat but… she was always there for him. He should always be there for her.

Of Blood and Magic

_{Time: 1:46 - The Forest}

Max/Eris/Varis

“Well, that was anticlimactic. I was expecting some grand display after the last challenge.” Varis muttered to himself thoughtfully. The idea of waiting for the boy to return was tempting but considering their previous challenge required them to work together, and their clue suggested they would be fighting each other, Varis wasn’t confident that letting the boy’s time run its course would end the way he’d like.

“Assuming you’ve already completed a challenge Eris and it followed the inane premise of this exam, I doubt the boy will come back anytime soon if we just wait.” Varis said as he got closer to the skull, circling to examine it, but other than the crack left by his reflection, there wasn’t anything notable. “Send your mage in and we’ll see if there is any noticeable difference. We can go in together afterwards if not. I’d rather have someone I know can put more than two brain cells together on my side than a finger waving imbecile.”

Lilie/Ben

The incantation carried itself on the music of the harp and both faded away after holding the last note. The change didn’t give anyone time to adjust. One moment, they were in the forest surrounded by flowers and the next, the ocean stretched past the horizon. The only solid ground was the island they now stood on, barely more than a mound of grass and dirt that was the size of the dorm. On one end stood the harp, plucked at softly by a towering beast. It stood on its hind legs, sharp claws handling the instrument delicately, but it fixed the spot behind Ben with animalistic intensity, teeth bared. It’s ears flickered absently and it’s attention wandered back to Ben whose vision had returned.

Behind Ben, Lilie lay motionless with her eyes closed in a coffin. Her skin was paler than usual and she barely breathed. A sword, a bow, and a quiver of arrows lay in the coffin with her.

However, Lilie’s consciousness hovered above the water. An invisible barrier stopped her from crossing onto the island but she could otherwise move however she pleased. From her position, she could see small eight legged monstrosities, mouths full of gnashing teeth, crawling around just beneath the surface of the water as if waiting for something to step into it. Ben unfortunately, wouldn't be able to see them until he stepped into the water.

Salem/Victor

Little changed for the two at their tables. As the blue walls shrunk in every closer, their voices sounded most distant by the minute.

Maddie/Amaris

Oh thank the stars. Hearing the Countess’ voice was a great relief. Maddie was terrified that the Countess had just disappeared but Maddie hadn't considered if it was even possible for Amaris to leave. Either way, the Countess was clearly intending to solve whatever this puzzle was. Maddie only hoped it was sooner rather than later.

“A raven? I…” Maddie scoured her memory for anything that might be of significance but honestly, she had no idea. “I’m afraid not, Ari. The only thing that comes to mind is the Noila family crest but nothing that I can think of.”