10-14-2013, 01:21 PM
As Whirda leapt forward to dance with the dead, an idea struck Nyx. The liquid that had churned and bubbled within the ruby atop her staff had resembled blood… and the staff had mimicked her magic with the flick of her wrist. Maybe it needed blood in order to be effective?
The blood mage ultimately decided she would be safe to spend a few minutes experimenting, given the ease at which Whirda was laying waste to the corpses. Her companion’s fatigue had not gone unnoticed, but the enchantment Tyrande had placed upon her kukri was no small favour – in fact, if Nyx wasn’t already readily aware of Whirda’s combat prowess, she would have said that was the primary reason for their success.
In light of this, the blood mage stepped forward, to an open space where Whirda had laid waste to one of the undead waves. Though their bodies and clothing had disintegrated, some of their blood remained. Nyx touched the tip of her staff to one of the pools of blood, and concentrated.
Crimson eyes filled with black, sclera included. She looked positively demonic. The blood mage’s actions had the desired effect – the ruby began to glow with a dull black aura, and absorbed the blood from the ground. Slowly, over the course of a few minutes, the ruby began to fill with a putrid and foul liquid – the blood of the fallen. When the corpses had been drained, the gem was only half full. It seemed to pulsate hungrily, wanting more.
Nyx tore the bandage from her palm and let the staff drain her. As the ruby drank its fill of her energy, her eyes faded back to their usual crimson, but she felt notably weaker. The blood mage turned the staff over in her hands, still questioning its power. It was capable of echoing her own magic, she knew that much – but the ruby seemed to offer her the potential to store her energy for later, so she wouldn’t have to suffer through entire battles with exhaustion weighing down on her.
What was the catch?
‘Such a good girl…’
As though on cue, the voice spoke to her. To Nyx’s credit, she barely even flinched. She didn’t even seem fazed when Whirda landed next to her, though her brows quickly knitted together with concern for her companion. She looked exhausted. This was a terrifying prospect for the blood mage, because Whirda was the one they usually relied on when things got tough. Nyx supposed she would have to pull her own weight, maybe even beyond it a little.
As they reached the dark cave, everything seemed to really hit home. The reality of the trials they had endured to get here, the uncertainty of what they faced, the probability that they would die, the thought that their suffering was all some kind of game to a twisted deity… and above all else, the fact that they had not slept in just under two days. Nyx’s body was weakened by her magic, and Whirda’s stamina and endurance had been tested when she had engaged the undead waves in toe-to-toe combat. They had both suffered for their art, and it was showing.
“Are you ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” The blood mage turned to look at the Professor, a shadow of a smile painted across her lips. “The name’s Nyx, by the way. I don’t believe we were ever formally introduced.”
“Whirda Windstrom,” said the battle mage.
“A pleasure to meet you both,” Van Helsing replied, inclining his head politely. “I remain Professor Abraham Van Helsing, at your service.”
”The pleasure is all mine,” Nyx purred coolly, stepping towards the mouth of the cave. She held her hands out and concentrated. Omnilium appeared in the palm of her hands. Within a few minutes, it had swirled and rematerialized as three lit torches. She kept hold of one, and offered the others to Whirda and Van Helsing, who accepted them gratefully.
The trio began their foray into the darkness. The mouth of the cave lead them downwards at a steady incline, enough to ensure that they advanced at a reasonable pace. The further they got from the surface – and the entrance, - the darker it became. Nyx found herself questioning why she had even bothered to summon any torches, given that the light that the flames produced was paling in comparison to the effect the shade was having on the environment.
The air felt thick, heavy and damp. For the two weary Primes, it was the icing on the cake. They were already fatigued, and their weary muscles didn’t need the added pressure of what felt like deoxygenated air. The one benefit was that they hadn’t yet met any resistance, though the blood mage suspected that that was due to the Shade being aware of their current state. She found herself wondering whether it was reluctant to send its minions at them because it wanted the pleasure of killing them itself…
‘Losing hope are we, Nyxy? That’ll never do. It’s certainly not the Nyx I knew. Don’t you remember her?’
‘You don’t know anything about me. Shut up.’
‘Au contraire! We used to be the best of friends, you and I. But you had to ruin it, just like you ruined everything else. In time, you’ll remember. I promise.’
The voice emphasised the last two words in such a way that it was hard to interpret as anything but a threat. Nyx stiffened, lifting her head a little higher in a defiant measure. Some part of her realized how redundant an action it was – there was no guarantee the demon was able to see her, - but it made her feel a little better.
After spending a few minutes following the cave’s tunnel downwards, the trio reached a fork in the road. To the left, the blood mage could just about make out a source of dim light. To the right, there was nothing but darkness. The Professor, who had naturally assumed the position of leader, turned to face Nyx and Whirda.
“We have a decision to make.”
The blood mage ultimately decided she would be safe to spend a few minutes experimenting, given the ease at which Whirda was laying waste to the corpses. Her companion’s fatigue had not gone unnoticed, but the enchantment Tyrande had placed upon her kukri was no small favour – in fact, if Nyx wasn’t already readily aware of Whirda’s combat prowess, she would have said that was the primary reason for their success.
In light of this, the blood mage stepped forward, to an open space where Whirda had laid waste to one of the undead waves. Though their bodies and clothing had disintegrated, some of their blood remained. Nyx touched the tip of her staff to one of the pools of blood, and concentrated.
Crimson eyes filled with black, sclera included. She looked positively demonic. The blood mage’s actions had the desired effect – the ruby began to glow with a dull black aura, and absorbed the blood from the ground. Slowly, over the course of a few minutes, the ruby began to fill with a putrid and foul liquid – the blood of the fallen. When the corpses had been drained, the gem was only half full. It seemed to pulsate hungrily, wanting more.
Nyx tore the bandage from her palm and let the staff drain her. As the ruby drank its fill of her energy, her eyes faded back to their usual crimson, but she felt notably weaker. The blood mage turned the staff over in her hands, still questioning its power. It was capable of echoing her own magic, she knew that much – but the ruby seemed to offer her the potential to store her energy for later, so she wouldn’t have to suffer through entire battles with exhaustion weighing down on her.
What was the catch?
‘Such a good girl…’
As though on cue, the voice spoke to her. To Nyx’s credit, she barely even flinched. She didn’t even seem fazed when Whirda landed next to her, though her brows quickly knitted together with concern for her companion. She looked exhausted. This was a terrifying prospect for the blood mage, because Whirda was the one they usually relied on when things got tough. Nyx supposed she would have to pull her own weight, maybe even beyond it a little.
As they reached the dark cave, everything seemed to really hit home. The reality of the trials they had endured to get here, the uncertainty of what they faced, the probability that they would die, the thought that their suffering was all some kind of game to a twisted deity… and above all else, the fact that they had not slept in just under two days. Nyx’s body was weakened by her magic, and Whirda’s stamina and endurance had been tested when she had engaged the undead waves in toe-to-toe combat. They had both suffered for their art, and it was showing.
“Are you ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” The blood mage turned to look at the Professor, a shadow of a smile painted across her lips. “The name’s Nyx, by the way. I don’t believe we were ever formally introduced.”
“Whirda Windstrom,” said the battle mage.
“A pleasure to meet you both,” Van Helsing replied, inclining his head politely. “I remain Professor Abraham Van Helsing, at your service.”
”The pleasure is all mine,” Nyx purred coolly, stepping towards the mouth of the cave. She held her hands out and concentrated. Omnilium appeared in the palm of her hands. Within a few minutes, it had swirled and rematerialized as three lit torches. She kept hold of one, and offered the others to Whirda and Van Helsing, who accepted them gratefully.
The trio began their foray into the darkness. The mouth of the cave lead them downwards at a steady incline, enough to ensure that they advanced at a reasonable pace. The further they got from the surface – and the entrance, - the darker it became. Nyx found herself questioning why she had even bothered to summon any torches, given that the light that the flames produced was paling in comparison to the effect the shade was having on the environment.
The air felt thick, heavy and damp. For the two weary Primes, it was the icing on the cake. They were already fatigued, and their weary muscles didn’t need the added pressure of what felt like deoxygenated air. The one benefit was that they hadn’t yet met any resistance, though the blood mage suspected that that was due to the Shade being aware of their current state. She found herself wondering whether it was reluctant to send its minions at them because it wanted the pleasure of killing them itself…
‘Losing hope are we, Nyxy? That’ll never do. It’s certainly not the Nyx I knew. Don’t you remember her?’
‘You don’t know anything about me. Shut up.’
‘Au contraire! We used to be the best of friends, you and I. But you had to ruin it, just like you ruined everything else. In time, you’ll remember. I promise.’
The voice emphasised the last two words in such a way that it was hard to interpret as anything but a threat. Nyx stiffened, lifting her head a little higher in a defiant measure. Some part of her realized how redundant an action it was – there was no guarantee the demon was able to see her, - but it made her feel a little better.
After spending a few minutes following the cave’s tunnel downwards, the trio reached a fork in the road. To the left, the blood mage could just about make out a source of dim light. To the right, there was nothing but darkness. The Professor, who had naturally assumed the position of leader, turned to face Nyx and Whirda.
“We have a decision to make.”