|
Asbolus: A message had been received and responded to, and in short order Asbolus made his way to the Mirror's stronghold in the city, bedecked in the leather duster that had been crafted for him some months passed. Pale eyes scanned the hollow as he went about looking for his courtly mentor, ears metaphorically perked as the hunt - minor as it was - was on.
Vorpal: Vorpal waits in the Ritual Hall, the hall darkened, none of the occasional sleepers present. She stands with her back to the door, quiet, staring into a large fireplace, lit and crackling from the flickering light from that end of the room. Strange- she doesn't seem to be paying much attention.
Asbolus: That was indeed unusual, and that lack of apparent attention led to a raising of the Darkling's hackles. The air about him stilled just so as Asbolus pressed on into the Hall, a flicker of Winter's chill moving in his wake.
Vorpal: Silence. No notice from the Helldiver. What strangeness this is.
Asbolus: Curiouser and curiouser indeed.
Asbolus scanned the shadows once again to make sure that nothing was amiss before turning his gaze back to Vorpal, stopping a few paces away with a hand resting at his side, albeit with no weapon there to be drawn. "Everything alright?"
Vorpal: Johnnie stands silent a moment longer than is comfortable- then twists in place, a queer, jittery movement that's unsettling in its unnaturalness. The fireplace, Asbolus can see now, is actually unlit- the flickering licks of flame are coming from Vorpal. Their arms are covered in coursing cracks spitting wisps of flame, and their eyes and hair beneath their drawn hood are pits of flame, wisping up towards the ceiling now that she's lifted her head. It's her but it's not and-
-and as soon as she gets a reaction, she cracks up and melts to the floor laughing. Nope, that's definitely just Jackie.
Asbolus: Asbolus' eyes widened as the source of the fire became apparent, stepping back on reflex but not jumping out of his skin or the like, to his credit. Once she started cackling he shook his head, a wry smirk on his features. "Bloody hell...had me worried there for a moment."
Vorpal: The Elemental sat back up, beaming. "Sorry, sorry! It was the coolest way I could think to demonstrate the relic I found. It's- super fun. It's a pretty basic trick, but it's not one that's typically available and it has lots of applications."
Asbolus: "It is impressive, I will say. Where did you find it?"
Vorpal: Johnnie pulled on a chain round her neck, tugging a pendant that sure as heck looks like it's storing her shadows for the time being from under her top. "In a marsh. Swamp. Whatever. There was a sunken ruin, I made a deal with some pixies to raise the ruins so I could explore it. Got this, a cool crystal bowl, a set of jewelers tools that someone left behind, and a pouch that looks digitized.
Asbolus: Asbolus moved close to take a look at the pendant while still being polite, nodding along as she explained. "Sounds like quite the jaunt, and quite the haul as well."
Vorpal: She dangles the necklace where it's easily seen. It's a Token, for sure. Round, with a prism inside currently swirling with shadows. "It was. The ruins were flooded with gas. I nearly choked out. Had to pull a trick I picked up from Glitch's gaming. You ever hear of Castlevania?"
Asbolus: "Can't say that I have, no..."
Vorpal: "Ah. Well, one of the ways to restore your health is to know there's food hidden in certain bricks in the walls. Wall chicken! So I Hedgespun a cache of healing fruit into one of the walls and broke it open." Johnnie laughed, her flames blazing a little higher as she did, responding to her amusement. "I'm sure Glitch would be proud."
Asbolus: "Ah hah..." He nodded with a smile. "Very clever indeed, and I imagine he would. Never dabbled much in video games, I'll admit; was more of a reader growing up."
Vorpal: "They didn't exist when I was a kid, so. I just know cuz he obsesses."
Asbolus: "Fair enough. The others in the house play on occasion and I tend to watch more often than not."
Vorpal: "Same here."
|