Achronum

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

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Location: Outside
Skills: N/A

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James listened to her long winded explanation. Why she was wasting time, he wasn’t sure. Any high schooler who even so much as glanced at a biology book knew spinal injuries were only for the experts to handle and despite what Sapphire might think he thought of himself, he was fully aware this was well outside his area of expertise. But maybe she just liked the sound of her voice. Not likely but an amusing thought nonetheless. More than likely it was her weird way of shifting guilt in a situation she’d caused and reasserting her dominance over someone she didn’t care for to make herself feel somewhat better. Boring, banal, bland. At least make it interesting. Anyone with eyes, and probably without, knew Sapphire didn’t like him. She didn’t need to hide behind this half baked excuse.

“You don’t give a shit about me on a normal day, no need to beat around the bush, but I’m not here about you. I was here to fix this and realized I couldn’t yet.” James cut straight to the point, not particularly interested in hearing more of her drivel. He did keep his voice down but raised it at Luna’s question. “They went back home, Luna. Magneto just picked up his daughter from a playdate. Sit back down and I’ll help you inside in a second.” He turned his attention back to the ice queen.

“So, what’s your call here doc?” James asked, whispering again. “I’m waiting on your orders.”

Of Blood and Magic

_{December 7th, 5:35am - The Sinnenodel Dorm}

Varis’ eyebrows rose at the sudden admittance. Count Benjamin Eve was certainly a bold one, handing his opponents ammunition before they’d barely strung their bows. If Varis was a lesser noble, perhaps he’d even admire the gambit but he heard the careful consideration laced into the words. The admission certainly had a traditionalist slant but he deflected the blame off the thing. He made the mage out to be a victim, not the perpetrator, and Varis was sure that was intentional. It could have been a slip in the traditionalist facade but the Eve’s were always keeping themselves firmly in the center, options open on both sides. Varis couldn’t bring himself to believe the Eve hadn’t considered the question in the nights leading to the party; after all, any of the attendees would be well within expectations if they asked before he did. This Eve was amusing. It felt like the party had barely begun and already the Eve was casting his net.

“Pretty words on warm winds make for poor arguments, Countess. We send out our mages―our diamonds, if you will―in silks and velvet, in make up and accessories, all to make them shine that much brighter. It covers scars and marks and spots, all the other blemishes that make them unique. They whisper a story of a life you’ve never seen, far beyond that which is in our reach, in ways that only the short lived flame can seek. Ought we strip them of their modest sensibilities, ignore their carefully cultivated comforts and display them as they are?” Varis swirled the glass between his fingers for a moment as he considered. Frankly, he couldn’t care less about how she felt but it was a nice opportunity to poke at the Marivaldi. He hadn’t done so in a few weeks by now. “The color would bring remarks and scrutiny not only to the Count but to his mage as well. Do you think it fair that everywhere she travels, she’s the subject of rumors and whispers, of scathing remarks and outright snubs? Or do you have a better way to protect her?”

---

Maddie shuddered at the thought of her old tutors finding out about that. It fell definitively into the not ladylike category and she was happy that it rather stayed away from them. She turned her attention to the conversation between the other three as Salem explained the purpose of mages at events and she was quite pleased that she wouldn’t have to do anything because well, she didn’t have any idea of what to do. She hadn’t considered that she’d be the one brought to parties. Her magic, while valuable, wasn’t particularly flashy so she expected to be left behind to work on whatever it was she’d be doing in the Marivaldi family.

And what would she be doing? She hadn’t considered that either, her attention far more focused on catching up and matching pace with her peers. She’d have to discuss the possibilities with Ari someday soon so she could make the choices that would help her the most. That might help her choose her arcane major actually. Another thing she was hopelessly lost about because how did someone choose just one. But she was here with a handful of other mages who may have some insight into it.

“I don’t know about gossip but I was wondering something. Salem, Max, what are your thoughts on the arcane majors? I’m having a hard time choosing one to specialize in. Clearly not mental or summoning but I don’t really have a strong opinion on any of them.” Maddie interrupted, realizing the conversation had taken a dangerous turn. She may not have been overly familiar with politics but even she knew that any gossip about each other would be handed over to their vampires without a moment’s hesitation. She still needed to have that conversation with Amaris about what she was looking for and what to be careful about before she felt comfortable playing that game. Especially with a Starag hanging over them.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

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Location: Entranceway -> Outside
Skills: N/A

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James watched Magneto and Polaris leave and then spared Havok a glance. It seemed like he'd live, unfortunately. "And how easy was that?" James muttered to himself. He offered Casper a smile. "At least this shit show wasn't a total loss. I found out that apparently S.H.I.E.L.D already has a cure but they're circulating it to a senator or something first. Regular humans too apparently. Magneto is going to go liberate it and start circulating it, I guess. At least James hoped Magneto's information was true. After Havok's little stunt, James figured it was unlikely Magneto would be particularly forthcoming for the Underground. Another reason to hate this situation.

"Its kind nasty outside so I gotta go make sure no one got themselves killed before Magneto got his daughter." James sighed to his boyfriend and walked back outside. He beelined for Echo first, dodging and ducking around the nonsensically panicked laser show the singer was kicking off. What a damn drama queen. "If you wouldn't mind shutting the fuck up and calming down, this would be a lot easier. James shouted over the cacophony around Echo. He managed to get a look at the wound and noted the metal still embedded in him. He glanced over at Sapphire, who seemed to have shut down if her lack of ice was any indication. Fantastic. Gotta love the ice queen's "vulnerable" moment was in the middle of a crisis. He'd give her a moment. Maybe by then Echo would tone down the light show and she'd actually be able to help him.

held roll

Reactive Adaptation if attacked

Of Blood and Magic

_{December 7th, 5:25am - The Sinnenodel Dorm}

The glass met the table with the ease of a vampire long used to denying himself his pleasures. More than half the blood remained in the glass despite the hunger than still sung in his veins much like the abhorrent fleshbag it came from. He’d never found blood that gave taste to the aroma of the mage’s sweets and treats until now, never had something quite so tantalizing that he couldn’t at least steal away and enjoy in secret. Something neatly wrapped under an Eve’s thumb whose weak, pathetic palate probably barely understood, let alone enjoyed, the experience he’d been unexpectedly blessed with. The problem was, of course, the glaring and whimsical hair choice but that was easily fixed. A little dye until it’s natural color grew out and she could be schooled into a proper mage. He could believe that with a little training she may even be fit for a show mage. The hair though. Varis couldn’t wrap his head around why Count Eve hadn’t fixed it yet. Though, he was an Eve. Perhaps she’d put up a fuss and he;d folded just like the rest of his house. A smile prickled at the corner of his lip at the thought of it before the passing amusement gave way to another thought.

If he believed show mage potential lurked beneath that garish surface, then what could the Princess have seen in her? What an interesting move. She gave the weakest house someone that could shine as brilliantly as a whimsical worm could. That could be cultivated as a favor later and she’d have her fingers in Count Eve’s business. A little pressure on the mage, a reminder to the vampire, and suddenly her hand was around someone’s neck. Varis would need to dedicate some time to considering how the other two mages played into this. The Marivaldi mage was someone the boy was already playing with so he’d develop a few things for him to look into but her choice of display was far more bold than her meek demeanor suggested. And of course, there was the ever persistent gnat the Astorio commanded but he was half a mind to dismiss him as the obvious power move on another vampire’s private assets. Still, he couldn’t disqualify more at the moment but he just didn’t have the time to really put his efforts behind pulling apart her scheme.

His attention focused back on the conversation at hand. The line was cast and the Countess took the bait nearly as soon as it landed. Though Varis was surprised at how rusty she was. The formal introductions just started and wouldn’t end until they’d each returned to the privacy of their own dorms. Perhaps he’d just chalk it up to the Marivaldi blood curse―friendliess―but it still left an impression that she was little more than a naive little girl not yet ready to face the real world. And of course, Eris never failed him when he needed it. The subtle shift from polite to pointed was perfect. Varis would let Eris fly before he reigned him in and slid the knives in their slots.

“Her grasp on the fundamentals is certainly thorough. I don’t doubt she spent an impressive amount of time on them. Though I am curious.” Varis comment thoughtfully. “You’ve allowed your mage to maintain her whimsical fashion choice. Why is that?”

---

Maddie nodded along with Salem’s assessment of their evening. She wasn’t surprised at it but she did wish she’d been able to bring a book or her knitting supplies. She stayed out of Lilie and Max’s conversation when it was clear Max wasn’t interested in playing nice. Her time in Sinnenodel influence institutions made her wary of people too blunt or forward and it was exhausting being as combative as Max seemed to be. So she focused on Aaron, who stood rather than sat, and she understood that much at least. Sitting made getting back up much harder than it needed to be when you knew you were needed soon.

“You aren’t wrong.” Maddie laughed at Aaron’s joking tone. “My sister would spin swords as part of performances sometimes and I made her teach me as part of that obsession. The fire I added after a little research. I didn’t think spinning a little metal would make a large enough impression. I wanted to make more of a focus on my magic like Max had but even that little bit was exhausting.” Maddie admitted with a sigh. “Your music was beautiful though. I can’t say I’m surprised because it suits you but you definitely have talent. I hope you have time to play still.”

Scion: Children of Light

Yeah, I'm still here! Work started back up so once a week is about all I can post but if the RP keeps going, I'll keep posting!

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

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Location: Outside -> Entranceway
Skills: Reactive Adaptation

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While the world went to shit around him, James sipped at his coffee again. Quakes, lasers, and metal shards (which James refused to acknowledge nearly toppled him back into the last moments of the other world) flew through the air like bullets and all James could think about was how Magneto was right. Nothing anyone here said would matter; Havok took Polaris against her will and those in charge of mitigating the situation supported his decision. It was frustrating that they’d put Havok’s obsession above the wellbeing of the Underground. Defending people is one thing and James would always support escalating like they had with Sinister’s lair but this? This was senseless carnage where they considered how outmatched they were, that it was likely they wouldn’t make it out on the other side in one piece, and said fuck it. They…

That wasn’t quite right. They was some ambiguous figure who was incapable of accepting responsibility and consequences for their actions. They was someone without a face, a personality, or flaws. It wasn’t They. While Havok’s actions were the cause of all this, Sapphire was the one who shoulder the responsibility for the call. While James headed outside to hopefully establish some rapport and work to deesclate, Sapphire was handling Polaris. At the very least,come up with a plan to handle this fight. Instead, she walks out and goes for it. His respect for her ebbed away faster every day.

But now wasn’t the time for idle consideration. James barely blinked when he brought himself back into the moment and found a gun levelled at him. One and two missed but it didn’t stop the visceral flashbacks―the sharp pain, the familiar mind space, the numb way he dug offending metal out of his chest even as he continued to run after them―and he slipped back into familiar space as the last two slammed straight into him. He watched with detachment as the bullets crumpled against his skin and fell uselessly to the ground, sipped at his coffee once more, and pocketed one of the bullets. This was twice now he’d been able to negate rather than restore. It would require further experimentation.

“Personally, I’d prefer not to. We’re clearly outclassed and I have no interest in watching any of my allies die.” James replied emotionlessly, putting his empty cup on the ground as he took stock of the field. Echo was down, Sapphire was there, a massive snake coiled around one of the new people, and another was taking on the ground quaker. James shook his head at the utter idiocy of it all. Too many people were already getting hurt for him to handle in a fight and he couldn’t rely on this new function to protect him and them. The priority had to be getting Magneto’s group out of here and then they could focus on piecing everyone back together which meant getting Polaris out of there as fast as possible. And hopefully with no more damage to the surrounding structure.

“She’s up the stairs to the left, in the second to last room. That was her and Havok’s room when she was part of this.” James explained, pointing where Magneto needed to go.

Held Roll

Reactive Adaptation

Of Blood and Magic

_{December 7th, 5:15am - The Sinnenodel Dorm}

Varis waited as Aaron moved the mages out of the way and the soft music from the phonograph filled the room in his wake. The performances had been overwhelmingly uninspiring. The mistake made some form of an attempt which, despite that even he had to begrudgingly admit she had potential, still ended in the melodious cooning of a dying whale. The display of fire spinning or whatever it was―Who trusted a novice mage without a fire affinity with fire in a room full of nobles?―nearly had him demanding Marivaldi and her mage take their leave. Eris’ mage had him considering the medium of magic as art again, something he would make time for later, even though he wanted to bleach whatever metal monstrosity the boy created out of his memory. The Spellman boy’s sketching was as exciting as his magic, which was to say not at all, and the poor attempt at a slight only made Varis want to roll his eyes. He could see why his father despised him. At least put some effort into it.

And last of all was the boy. The piece he’d selected was challenging on purpose. It served to let him test the skills the boy’s paperwork claimed he possessed and to see how he worked in a tight spot. The boy’s performance, for the most part, pleased Varis greatly and it sounded like the boy may have earned a reward. Maybe a picture for one of those letters or a free day. Though, that all came to a screeching halt when he heard it. The change. If he hadn’t been listening for mistakes he may not have caught it and while he certainly approved of the boy’s ability to seamlessly adjust for his lack of familiarity with the piece, Varis expected the piece to be played perfectly. No mistakes, no changes, nothing that could suggest the boy couldn’t handle the piece with the time he was given. How harshly Varis came down on him for it depended on the rest of the evening and his explanation for it after the rabble left.

“What unique performances we had tonight. Your mages certainly performed to the best of their abilities. A testament to how much they respect you. But I think it time we move onto a more interesting subject, the guest of honor, Count Benjamin Eve.” Varis introduced the newest vampire to the little group. As he did, Aaron made his way back into the room with the Eve bottle. He displayed it to each of the vampires before uncorking it and serving, each vampire with a half glass of Lilie’s blood and another with a neutral flavor. “Count Benjamin, this is Eris Samael, a star in the world of actors and movies. He’s quite the political influence to when he decides to put his weight behind something. Here we have Count Victor Astorio. He is a mage hunter for the Council when he isn’t busy playing school. He takes his job quite seriously; the dedication is admirable. And finally, our last guest is Amaris Marivaldi, the previous heir to the Marivaldi family before Salazar graciously accepted the head of household from his predecessor. We’ve all been eager to make your acquaintance in the proper manner.”

After his introduction and opening the floor to conversation, Varis picked up the blood and swirled it as he took in the aroma. He’d been surprised at the hunger that bubbled up in him when Aaron first opened the bottle―a sweetness he’d only smelled in pastries and baked goods all but assaulted him. He thanked his foresight for drinking glass earlier tonight; he wasn’t certain he’d have been able to keep himself in check otherwise. Varis took an apprehensive sip. The same armora burst across his tongue, no hints or notes to distract from the overwhelming sweetness. His grip on the glass was just a hair too light to break it but he forced himself to take it back, consider it, and sip calmly at it again. He couldn’t control the red in his eyes at the second sip but he kept himself calm and collected. Varis wasn’t about to lose himself over a white haired screeching street rat, delicious blood or not.

Lilie’s Blood Profile when you try it.

Lilie’s blood tastes like strawberry candy

Scion: Children of Light

A pang of defensive irritation shot through his chest at the Magus’ resolute dismissal of the Hall. His own family etched their achievements and successes in the walls of their home, mosaics and murals depicting their family history in loving detail. They were guides and reminders of why they worked so hard to make this city like it was, a testament to the blood, sweat, and tears they’d poured into this world, and he found that the Hall reflected that quite clearly. The Maryatum family mosaics served as guides when they found themselves wavering in their dedication, faltering in their resolve, or even just weary in a way sleep could never ease. He didn't quite understand what that meant but the first two were understandable. Their stories were a flame that burned so long as the images stood and would always find a way to light the way for a Maryatum who found themselves without a beacon. Khaemtir could admit vanity played into it but that wasn’t all there was. It was so much more.

And the Hall resonated with the idea that the past could illuminate and inspire the future. Khaemtir had no doubt some of it was vanity. If the leader of the greatest city in history chose to favor one Cult over the other, they deserved to preen. Khaemtir could certainly understand vying for a parents attention; that was the same Sorcerer or not. But there was more and Khaemtir felt a sourness in the back of his throat at the Magus’ certainty that there was nothing more. It felt… personal, as absurd as that was, and Khaemtir wasn’t sure if a rebuttal was appropriate. Scathing words, hot and heavy on his tongue, died at a concerned and soothing presence in the back of his mind and he felt himself relax as Udjebten whispered calming words to him.

The timing couldn’t have been any better because he’d almost missed the beginning of Dagon’s discussion. There were books in front of each of them now and Khaemtir was itching to pick it up and open it, new as it was. But he paid attention to Dagon instead and nodded at the seriousness of his words. It made sense. Magic was a terrible force, awesome in it’s breadth but equally terrifying for the same reason. Khaemtir only stared at the Magus with confidence and his head held high, his irritation at the earlier conversation all but gone, and smirked. “The Heka, and you, chose me. Through moon, sun, and storm, you’re stuck for better or for worse.” He laughed, nudging the two next to him as he did.

Of Blood and Magic

Playing with Fire

After arriving at the Sinnenodel dorm, Maddie spent the time until her performance mentally running over the routine a few times. It was short but a lot of room for error. She wasn’t particularly skilled in it but with a little practice, she’d built a decent foundation from the few tricks she’d picked up from her overentusastic sister. It wasn’t incredibly embellished for that reason; flinging fire around when she wasn’t totally in control of it in a room of vampires was stressful enough. Lilie’s singing was beautiful and helped her relax a little at least. When she heard the polite applause, she stood, squared her shoulders, and did her best not to let it show how fast her heart was beating.

Thankfully the performance went well. After she’d gotten some help filling up the basin of water she’d had placed at the edge of the room just in case, she’d lit the wick in the curve of the hook at the end of the blade and it caught fire instantly. She ignored the room and focused on the movements, spinning it quickly and efficiently, steps calm and composed. The longest she could go without setting off the fire alarm was one minute and at the end of it, she almost messed up with her haste in putting out the fire. She nearly missed the handle of her focus, managing to grab it at the last second, and she felt the relief rush with the magic flowing into her palm and pulsing green in her veins. She ran her hand and the handle of the focus down the burning blade, pushing the fire away and away until she pinched the flame away and let the last of it rise from her outstretched palm, revealing not a single bit of singed skin. She stored away the weapon and her knife, bowed, and took her exit faster than she probably should have.

Stepping away from the group of nobles was a breath of relief. Expect for Ari, they all looked like they would snap a mage in two for looking at them the wrong way. It was more pressure than she was interested in bearing and she was pleased they got to relax with each other afterwards. She’d spent some time with Aaron and Lilie already but the other two were mostly new to her. She’d made note of Salem Spellman back at the practical and the other she only knew as Eris Samael’s mage because someone pointed him out in passing. The second one surprised her. She’d expected only nobles and while Eris was certainly a prominent figure in entertainment, she hadn’t realized he was connected enough to be invited to an Sinnenodel event organized by the hair of the family himself. No one else had been surprised so she guessed she was just out of the loop. Hopefully, tonight would fix that a little bit.

“I haven’t had the opportunity to meet half of you actually. My name’s Madalyn Vazquez. I only came in after the Revel.” Maddie introduced herself. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to see each other more often.”

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

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Location: Outside
Skills: N/A

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James watched the mutant swaying side to side with sympathy but didn’t respond to him when the rest of Magneto’s lackeys didn’t either. He frowned at Magneto’s explanation. As far as anyone was aware, m-pox affected mutants only. Why would they distribute a drug to people that couldn’t use it? It was a waste of resources. It’d be easier to keep a hold of the cure in the event m-pox suddenly struck regular people so it could be distributed more efficiently. James considered how angry it made Magneto, and rightfully so, and it made more sense then. If it was him working for S.H.I.E.L.D and he had the hands on something even remotely resembling a cure, his first thought would be to use it as bait. It wouldn’t be difficult to assume that Magneto would take the bait; a man known for both taking what he wants and a strong sense of justice and loyalty to the mutant community. It'd be like Christmas, all wrapped up in a steel bow. James had a sneaking suspicion that Magento might disappear for a little while.

“Good to know. I don’t think I’ve ever felt quite as useless as I have recently. Even using my healing factor on them doesn’t help. It just comes back worse right after..” James grimaced at the thought of the first few attempts. It hadn’t been pretty. But for now, he had a more pressing concern. The fact that he hadn't heard anything from anyone suggested they were in for a fight and James would bet a lot of money on losing this fight. The last time they’d taken on Magneto, several of them almost died and Jack had been actively bleeding out at the end. Admittedly, that was mostly Polaris but she got it from somewhere. James just hoped they came outside to fight. He was pretty sure surrounding themselves with metal would be a mistake.

Held Roll(s)

In case they attack him, rolls for Reactive Adaptation