42 (Keylo)

[Tassadar]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

Spoiler

HP = 48, PP = 49, EP = 91, Status = Fine

Her inhuman host smiled as Enigma gave her assent, and wasted no more words. She rose from her seat, the cloak billowing out behind her and making her nudity beneath it plain for the elf to see as she gracefully stalked forward. Bare pale flesh flashed forward in an appropriately predatory manner, but the motion seemed to be natural rather than any affect added to try to intimidate Enigma. With her hunger on the verge of satisfaction, the vampire seemed unable to consider such airs as animalistic need took over, something that Enigma herself had not long ago experienced herself.

In the blink of an eye, the woman had Enigmas chair leaned back, her weight supported on two legs and by one of her hosts arms around the back of her seat. The other hand softly pressed against Enigmas forehead, pushing her head back, and the elven necromancer could see that her hosts crimson eyes were now nothing even resembling human now, those crimson orbs now pitch black with a blood-red slit running along their center. Cold breath brushed against Enigmas throat, just before two pinpricks of pain, followed by an almost orgasmic wave of euphoria that would wash away all concern from her mind, were she to allow it. A low moan issued from the vampire, and the womans breath suddenly heated as she exhaled. The euphoria continued for several moments, and Enigma couldn't help but notice the almost sexual gratification her host seemed to take from it, the previously controlled woman moaning like a young thing in heat, all pretense of nobility abandoned. Several times, she shuddered, her moans reaching a fevered pitch even as she continued to feed, before dying back down. A weakness, ready to be exploited in later dealings, perhaps?

Regardless, the woman drank of Enigma for almost a minute, and just as she was beginning to get dangerously light headed, and unconsciousness threatened, the vampire withdrew her fangs from Enigmas neck with one last heated sigh. Her host lapped up the blood still running down Enigmas neck for several moments, but then reluctantly withdrew and set her chair back upright. Enigma was dangerously lightheaded, and before she could move, the vampiress swiped her arm across her face, and uttered a single word; "Sleep." And so, Enigma slept.

Some time later, Enigma awoke in an exceedingly soft bed, still naked save for her bandage, but with a source of warmth lying next to her. Lanai stirred just as she did, her pet issuing a pleased coo, and only then did Enigma noticed that the pink-haired demoness was curled up next to her, her arms wrapped around Enigmas thin frame in a tight hug. She was, for lack of a better word, cuddling with her mistress with as much enthusiasm as Enigma had ever seen from her pet. The demoness opened her eyes lazily and sighed, grinning widely at Enigma for a moment before her eyes shot open, uncertainty and a little bit of fear evident on her features. "What.... What happened, Mistress?"

Elsewhere in the room, Enigmas and Lanais clothing lay, cleaned and folded, on large ornate dresser, and the sounds of the insects and creatures of the night sounded in from an open window, the first that Enigma had seen in this house. She could feel another presence within the room, but could not locate it with any precision or identify it properly with any of her senses, even her supernatural ones.

 

[Keylo]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

Although tired the high elf was, exhausted from the course of events and such, hapless she would not be. Not with her mind free of the chorus that had always made her far less perceptive than she would have liked. For now, even as the fangs pierced her neck, Enigma found herself making various observations. The first being her host's...euphoria as she ate, the mindlessness the vampire seemed to experience as she feasted from another. Similar to her pet's feeding perhaps, but with the "victim" being able to retain their mind and composure...with enough discipline of course. Meaning of course, without a means of disabling prey in advance, a vampire was utterly powerless to prevent retaliation should it still prove lively. A fact to be taken to heart, though...not acted on, for now anyway. After all, a pact "had" been made after all...for now anyway.

Keeping such thoughts masked in obscurity through her impassive expression of submission, Enigma would speak no more as her host sent her off into the realm of dreams, rather a single thought resounding audibly should one delve her mind.

My my...such excitement that awaits ahead, I can hardly wait~...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After her trip into the corridors of her subconscious however, and the voices returned, fewer than before but more prominent given those remaining, Enigma would find herself having to repeat a rather painstaking process in her mind...the amalgamation of souls, wills, and desires once again...a process which would cause her to fall unnaturally silent for a few moments despite the soft arms wrapped around her person and the voice of concern, but a necessary one to insure that she remained herself. It wouldn't do to raise unnecessary worry by speaking as another being altogether after all...it was important that "Enigma" was "Enigma" before she reentered the mortal plane.
Delay aside however, once the high elf was certain she was herself again...perhaps enjoying a new found lucidity (after silencing a particularly annoying warlock voice that demanded the rebirth of fantastical...dragons or the like), it would be only then that she replied to her pet...her voice seeming to be filled with a strange tinge of mischief oddly enough.

"Tea, scones...a mutually beneficial agreement between like-minded individuals, tis all. Rather dear, if you're going to be clinging to me like a scared little duck still, care to right me up? In your lap or the likes will do just fine. After all, it would be horribly impolite to greet our little spectator while lying down in such a manner, no?"

A sudden flare of spiritual energy would burst forth from Enigma's person as she uttered the last line, her aura, although now lacking malice and seeming far more refined than before, quickly spreading out into the corners of the room, as if as a warning to the other presence that the elf was no longer powerless as she had been before... Then, once Lanai did as she was told, or perhaps simply allowed the necromancer to right herself up, it would be then that Enigma spoke once again.

"Come now dear, would you not care to make yourself known? After all, it's awfully rude to eavesdrop like that~..."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

Spoiler

HP = 48, PP = 49, EP = 91, Status = Fine

Lanai looked very confused, but then noticed the bed and the different room, her confusion deepening, but instead she simply lifted Enigma, and placed her in her lap. Her pets body was very warm and surprisingly comforting, the voices threatening to take over her mind receding slightly as Lanai held her closer. It was almost like they were afraid of her. Enigma was allowed to sit up as Lanai leaned back against the pillows and headboard of the bed, her massive, soft pillowy breasts pressing against the willowy elfs back. Her aura stretched out, but found no target to latch onto, living or dead.

At her ultimatum, a soft laughter in a familiar, haggish voice issued from a rocking chair in the far left hand corner of the room, followed by a soft clap. Her host materialized in the chair, untouched by Enigmas aura as it seemed to slide around her, hidden perfectly from her perceptions both natural and otherwise, so long as the vampire chose. Lanai jumped as the woman appeared, the demoness eyes narrowing as she glared at their host, and she said, under her breath and into the elven necromancers shoulder so that only Enigma might hear her; "Give me a shrug of your shoulders, mistress, and I'll try to distract her, while you bind her...." The vampiress smiled, her fangs showing, and her eyes softly shifted from red to black over the next couple of seconds. Enigma had the distinct impression that the woman had heard her pets words, and was already taking precautions in case Enigma should decide to renege on their deal.

Her eyes still black, the woman began to speak, her hoarse, crone-like voice unpleasant on the ears, despite her elegant tone and regal bearing; "Ahhhh, you awaken.... My apology, for not introducing myself earlier, mine guests, but as you had not entered my home by my invitation, you will understand, I hope, my caution. My current name, the one that I go by on the deed to this particular establishment, is Countess Selena Argentis. At your service, Lady Enigma, and Duchess Lanai." She rose and bowed in one with motion, revealing that she was still nude beneath that strange cloak that she wore. Enigma felt Lanais nipples harden against her back as the other womans soft, pale flesh was revealed, but the demoness more immediate reaction was a glare and a soft glow from her own crimson orbs.

"The ones we spoke of have arrived, and have been snooping about for well over three hours now. I have kept them from reaching this part of the mansion, of course, but I was sadly unable to separate them. The four are together now, being entertained in my ballroom by a few people you might have met on the way in. Or, whatever is left of them, at least." She smiled slightly again, her fangs poking at of her mouth, as she gazed upon Enigma and Lanai. Her pet was practically shaking with anger as she glared at the vampire, but she didn't make any aggressive move toward their host. Yet.

 

[Keylo]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

An unsurprising revelation really, as far as Enigma was concerned of course. Whereas her pet had jumped at the appearance of the mansion's countess, the elf has remained disturbingly passive, merely seeming to settle a bit more into her pet's remarkably soft bosom as she seems all too amused by the current turn of events, even despite her pet's anger and anxiety.

"Calm yourself dear, anger will cloud your judgment. The one before us is one with goals and purposes very similar to our own, a true...mmm, "ally", at the present time of course. Our most gracious host, and one with a similar disdain for self righteous "would-be" hunters. A like-minded individual who I have entered into a mutually beneficial pact, so long as our intentions remain the same of course. Thus, stay your hand dear...there are others to deal with at this time anyway."

A message spoken audible enough for the fair countess to hear, though more to reassure Lanai rather than her, given the emphasis on the "terms" of the deal. No doubt a statement to remind the demon of how skilled her master was in diplomacy, and creating "loopholes" to binding agreements...though left vague enough to show no confirmation of such. Once "Selena Argentis" has concluded her introduction however, and finished explaining the situation...Enigma, would begin her own assessment of the situation.

"Pity, much harder to work on such short notice. Then again, it is far easier to roast silly ducklings when they hop into the first on their own volition I believe. But more about that later...for now, there is knowledge that I require. Firstly, would it matter if the....solution to our four guests is a bit...shall we say messy? If so, to what extent?... Also, is it possible for me to gain access to shall we say...flour and coal? Would make the job far more easier on me really. That or a large quantity of say...oil, or water. Though that is a tad more risky. Well dear Countess?"

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

Spoiler

HP = 48, PP = 49, EP = 91, Status = Fine

Lanai listened to Enigmas words without comment, but the demons eyes gradually cease to glow, and she nodded slightly. The elven necromancer was very comfortable between the soft pillows of Lanais breasts and the bed she'd been lying in, and Selena was smiling almost teasingly at her and her pet. Lanais eyes were still narrowed, and her pet had wrapped her arms protectively around Enigmas waist, but she remained silent rather than voice her complaints.

At Enigmas questions, her host looked worried, and she replied; "There is a bit of baking flour in the larders, though it's too early in spring for there have been a harvest that we might have a great deal of it. Coal... We are far from the mines or the factories, where such would be easy to come by. I keep little on stock, save for some charcoal. The gunsmith may have some, but I cannot say how much, and you would have to leave the grounds to check." She glared for a second at Enigma, and then said; "I really would prefer to avoid any damage to my property, if it can be managed. It may be only things, but, the aggravation at having to replace anything of value, or do repairs, would be quite irksome. Particularly since I'd have to get zombies to do the brunt of the work, since you killed all of the townsfolk that worked for me.

"Oil I have some of on hand, though most of it is of the sort that doesn't burn, if you catch my meaning. Water I of course have plenty of. What might you be planning, Enigma? We only have another few minutes to speak. The walking corpses have mostly been destroyed, and they'll be moving to continue their search soon."

 

[Keylo]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

"Fire is a double-edged sword dear, one which only the unsound of mind would dare utilize should one say...be bathed in oil or the likes And a muddied earth is far harder to control than one that is pure and unsullied. Though it hardly matters, if you'd prefer avoiding property damage altogether. Understandable really...but in that case my hands are a bit tied. Mainly as any more...elegant approach to dealing with this situation would undoubtedly result in some here and there. Pity really, I do abhor the brute force methodology so..."

Enigma seems to let out a sigh as she no doubt, has begun to feel alien presences at the edge of her "spiritual sense", seeming almost...disappointed by the turn of events, and what the situation demanded. Yet, a moment later, smiles once again, as she suddenly raised a hand to her pet's cheek, seeming to tilt it towards her way.

"...Though perhaps a combination wouldn't be so bad. Regardless, let us make the preparations to greet our guests, perhaps find a more suitable battleground afterwards. And of course pet dear, do well enough, and you'll be rewarded as such. Though maybe with a spin here and there this time around..."

Twisting herself a bit, so as to bring herself to behold her pet's visage directly, it is then that Enigma opts to...strangely enough, indulge in what appears to be a lover's kiss, entwining her tongue with her pet's as an extremely "thick" and ominous aura begins to gather about her... the tattoos upon her naked elven body beginning to glow during the embrace. As the kiss grew in intensity, and the power emerging from the necromancer became almost...suffocating to those in the immediate vicinity, it would be than that the runes of the tattoos begin to...move, snaking off of the high elf's skin, and crawling onto...no, into Lanai's body, seeming to fill the latter with power...or perhaps awaken power that had been laid dormant in one manner or another. Regardless, once the last symbol "delved" its way into the demon's body, it would be then and only then that Enigma broke away from the kiss, provided the former allowed her of course. And if so...it would be then that she opts to speak again, seeming rather...pleased with herself.

"Well then pet dear, how do you feel?"

((Restore Lanai's Power, Effectively "Summon Demon Lord".))

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

Spoiler

HP = 52, PP = 53, EP = 95/99, Status = Fine

"Some property damage is alright.... But if you burn down the house, I must say that I will be very cross with you... And your little pet too." Her hosts words fell even as she turned around kissed Lanai, the demoness surprise melting instantly as she responded with just as much fervor and hunger as had been present in their earlier encounter. She didn't even seem to notice as Enigmas magical tattoos began to glow, and flow into her body. The seals shattered, and she felt her own aura, which had been present for a long time, suddenly matched by another. Just as dark, but also different in ways that might not be obvious, even to Enigmas trained senses. Lanais arms pulled Enigma in close, but during the embrace, she couldn't help but notice that her pets belly seemed somewhat larger than it had been before.

Her pet only held the kiss for a second or two after Enigma tried to pull away, but as she pulled back, Lanai was grinning, her eyes aglow as the demoness stretched power that had sat long unused. "I feel...... Wonderful, mistress.... It's been a long time since I got to stretch my legs." She slowly slide up and out of bed, taking Enigma with her and setting the elven necromancer down gently upon the soft covers, before she went through a few brief stretching motions, her joints cracking slightly. She turned to her mistress once she was gone, the size of her stomach indicating that she clearly was pregnant, and causing Enigma to glance briefly down at herself. Still flat, thankfully.

The vampire sighed warily, and spoke into the now otherwise silent room; "If I have what you need, it will not be in this wing. The four are heading upstairs via a servants stairwell in the East Wing even now. They're still a floor below us and on the opposite side of the mansion, but we should not linger, as they will likely check this part of the mansion once they've finished wrecking my office. There is a storeroom on this floor which may have some lantern oil, take a right and go to the end of the hall." She rose and strolled out the door, not giving either Enigma or Lanai a backward glance as she left. She simply vanished as soon as she left the room, unseen, unheard and unfelt.

 

[Keylo]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

Indeed, Enigma had found herself a bit...surprised, at the bulge her pet now possessed, requiring a moment or so to realize its source and seeming almost relieved when she found that it was not the same for her. As interesting as it would be to splice apart the child of a demon and an elf...motherhood was of a low priority to her, if not an impossibility altogether. Best to find another subject for that, so the high elf thought.

Once that notion had been put aside however, as the necromancer snapped back to reality, she would opt to slide off the bed as well so as to get dressed, donning her black robe once again from which much clattering came (for some reason) and perhaps even fetching the ornamental staff she cherished so very much (should it be present).

"No guarantees Countess dear, mainly as I am not the one with mastery over flame. The security of your home depends on the degree of intelligence the hunters possess. Staying here is a bad idea though regardless...thus let us be off. A storeroom is it?...Then there we go~"

Once her preparations were complete, the elf too would head out of the door, motioning her pet after her...asking for her input along the way strangely enough.

"In the event the quantity of oil is below what I would like dear, would you happen to have any ideas as to how best to resolve our present situation? Our opponents are a mountain of a man, a master of flame and earth, a daughter of angels, and an aspiring witch~..."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

Spoiler

HP = 52, PP = 53, EP = 95/99, Status = Fine

Her and her pets things were indeed present, her staff lying atop an ornate dresser on the right side of the bed, and once that had been reclaimed, Enigma and her newly released pet demoness stepped out into the hallway. As they proceeded down the hall, toward the most unremarkable door in the otherwise well furnished mansion, Enigma asked her pet about ideas, causing Lanai to consider for a moment or two.

"The man you can leave to me. He will be no threat to us, that I can promise you, my mistress. I will neutralize him, and then I will see what I can do about the wizard. Ones who rely upon their body rarely have much resistance to the manipulation of their minds, and the wise usually don't stand up so well when pressed physically. The other two...." Her pet appeared uncertain for a moment, and then quietly continued; "If the one truly is the daughter of an angel.... Then forgive me, mistress, but I cannot aid you much in facing her. My kind only ever faced theirs when we outnumbered them. Maybe with a lucky blow, I might be able to fell her, or at least wound her, but I could not hope to win in a straight fight. As for the aspiring witch..." Lanai smiled, an extremely malicious expression which she hadn't ever seen on her pets face, before she continued; "I believe that you might show her a few things about her trade, mistress. The best way to teach is, after all, by example."

She became serious again, as she said; "If it comes down to a direct confrontation, then we should flee. I highly doubt that we can rely much upon our hosts aid if things begin to go poorly. We would be best to try and split them up, and deal with them one at a time, or in groups. That, or kill them before they can react to our presence."

The two arrived at the closet, and Lanai opened the door to reveal a small simple room filled with assorted cleaning supplies, extra blankets, and a variety of assorted supplies. On the far end of the top shelf, a pair of lanterns, as well as two miniature kegs of oil sat, covered in dust. They had an illegible manufacturers title scrawled across the side, and when Lanai pulled them both down, they were both full almost to the top with a thick, clear, foul smelling liquid. There were several bags of sand lying along the walls, resting beneath the shelving and on the floor, as well as a small, slightly filthy sink, its metal parts built all of swiftly aging copper.

 

[Keylo]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

Pondering her pet's words as they ventured to the supply closet from which to inspect the supplies that were to be granted to them for the ensuing battle, Enigma was strangely silent as she contemplated the best course of action. Yet, by the time they arrived, it would appear that the high elf had come to a decision as to how to best handle the encounter to come.

"Very well then Lanai dear~ The brute and wizard shall be entrusted for you to do as you see fit. Though you simply must tell me more about those encounters with angels some time. Creatures that can put demons at bay are fascinating, to say the least~... Mmm, makes me regret the agreement for attempting simple capture a bit in fact...A fine specimen that would be to examine, or a spice to savor...But no matter. Let us begin dear."

Once the elf had time to survey over the materials she had to work with, it would be then that she began to hum a singular note once again, as she did when she would begin to work her more...complex magics. Drawing forth the oil from the kegs...sand for sustenance... the blankets for melding, and even the aged common sink itself...

Imagine, visualize. What is the form that you seek the most?


...Beginning to shape them, to give them form... breathing "life" to the lifeless and bending it to her will, sculpting it to fit her bidding. Each droplet, each strand of fiber, each particle even... All had to be controlled precisely, a feat of such exact control that it should be impossible for a single mortal mind to perform.. All the better that "Enigma" did not consist of only one of course.

Meld, shape...Obey, twist yourself into reality, and bend to the undying will.

...Until finally, after her magic was complete, Enigma had before her grotesque imitations of what some civilizations dubbed..."mummies", only...far more fluid, agile... of course, "specter"-eqsuque...sharpened claws of copper reinforced with earth and sand to serve as their weapons. Four of them now stood before her, ready to serve her for this moment in time. A swish of her staff, one that causing them to disperse apart into floating strips of cloth, a liquid body, and deadly blades...and then another to cause them to reform once again...the picture of perfection for her plans, so the mad elf thought anyway.

"Go, you know the scent of what you seek and your role in fate. Bathe them in oil, and then disable them one by one. Killing is impermissable, but bones and flesh will heal in time, thus feel free to wound and cripple as you like. He who commands flame shall be first to go, then she who practices this art shall be next. Disperse, hunt, and weave. Pave the road to tomorrow. Go."

A final swish of her staff to send her puppets out to start as a preliminary greeting, and then Enigma turns to her pet once again, in the new mostly savaged supply closet.

"Well then Lanai dear, shall we be off to flank our guests? Chaos would no doubt be the best time to separate them if any."

((Animate four "Liquid Assassins" as I now so dub them...And after that, to skip a bit of the menial stuff, start searching for a means to flank the four, perhaps having Lanai fly Enigma through a window, animating a wall into a door, or the likes as needed.))

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

Spoiler

HP = 52, PP = 53, EP = 71/99, Status = Fine

(Enigma consumes 6 * 4 = 24 EP)

Her golems, formed of oil and sand and assorted other parts, stood before Enigma one at a time as she gave them life. They wouldn't last forever, of course, but they would certainly last long enough for them to have served their purpose. Lanai watched impassively, her arms crossed over her huge breasts, until Enigma sent the four Liquid Assassins off to distract and assault their guests.

When her mistress turned to her, Lanai unwound immediately, and quietly said; "I thought you'd never ask, mistress." She walked out of the closet first, as she continued; "There are several ways to get around them, but I would recommend we go up a floor. A hole can be made without doing too much damage, one we can easily repair, which will allow us to strike from above. If we hurry, some of your puppets may even continue to exist by the time we arrive."

Unless Enigma came up with a better plan, the two would be off, up the stairs, and down several dark hallways, lit only by the half-moons light and Lanais glowing crimson eyes. Eventually, the heard a crash bellow, and without another word, Lanai waved her hand, and the floor parted with a loud creak and a series of cracks. Below them, Enigma could see a quartet of people, all of whom were covered in oil, and all of whom were staring right up at her. One was a mountain of a man, a greatsword clenched in both hands, who bore a scowl that looked perpetual beneath a mane of long dark hair. Another, a thin wispy blond girl, carried a pair of short swords, and whos eyes were sharper even than the blades that she carried. The last two both wore robes, both brown and fairly simple, but and both stained heavily by the oil coating. Neither seemed very happy to see Enigma and Lanai standing above them.

"What's this? Clowns? A circus act? Why will the wench not show herself and die?" The huge man spat, and the rest of the group heaved an exasperated sigh. The blonde girl quietly said, irritation evident in her tone; "You know, Garruk, since you keep insulting everyone we meet, you do seem to get us into a lot of fights. Could you, I don't know, not do that? Please?" This kind of thing seemed common, judging by the way they were going about it, and Lanai actually heaved a grunt of laughter at their expense. The girl who had spoke looked up at Enigma and continued; "Who are you, strangers? Why are you here?"

 

[Keylo]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

Following Lanai into a flanking position from above of all places, Enigma could not have been more delighted by the new state of events and conditions presented to her. The high ground was her's, all four ran the threat of being lit aflame, a channel of communication had been opened, and if desired a preemptive strike could be her's as needed. Now she really had to make sure to reward her pet well for such circumstances, it was imperative to reward brilliant behavior after all.

For now though, that was a thought for another time, as Enigma, opts to don her trademark smile, the same passive demeanor as usual while seeming to ignore the larger oaf outright. Such a savage being was hardly worth talking to after all, much less even being acknowledged. Besides, Lanai had promised to take care of him already, one should allow others the opportunity to carry out their words after all.

"On the contrary dear, the question should be "who are you?"... Poor manners to ask for another's identity before giving your own you know. Though I do suppose example's really the only way to teach nowadays, pity."

It was a "pleasant" tone that Enigma chose to adopt, a "friendly" one that served to mask her intentions while she played a little..."game" with the ones she had promised to capture or dispose of. Diplomacy namely; her preferred method of dealing with most situations save for the truly unruly. Much better to coax food to come to her of its own volition, then to have to engage in a painstaking hunt for it after all...in this scenario anyway.

"Regardless though, generous individual I am, I do suppose I'll set a proper example first as to the art of basic introductions."

A pause, if only to expose enough of her aura to signal her pet that it would be appropriate to strike if anything went wrong...and then the game would begin.

"I am, as some say...a collector. One of knowledge to be precise. I am an individual that wanders the world in search of things to learn, specimens to study , artifacts to investigate, and so forth. On my pilgrimage in seeking truth, I stumbled upon this place during this journey when I was needy of a place to rest. Mostly why I'm here really. "

Statements that were obscure, but arguably true to a certain extent regardless. As was her style of course, and her mannerisms in speech...but also because of her vague loosening of the restraints that defined her present consciousness as she proceeded to ask her own questions.

"Now then dears, your turn. Who are thee that would make such a din to disturb a traveler of her rest, and why? Do pray tell please."

...Small talk for now, but small talk that could only be interrupted at fatal consequences for whoever dared. For as Enigma loosened the ties on her soul...and a particularly "hungry" one came to its surface...whosoever was foolish enough to make an aggressive action towards her would find themselves quickly in the jaws of a gigantic serpent. Jaws that belonged to a magical serpent that some claimed would devour an entire world one day, but was "devoured" in turn by Enigma after losing a contest similar to this...
Perhaps one of the reasons the need to consume the souls of others was greater than normal at times actually...

((Action: Diplomacy for now, but in the event of a hostile action, Summon Spirit 17. (One over spirit ceiling)...With Lanai on standby to do as she pleases of course.))

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

Spoiler

HP = 11/52, PP = 53, EP = 19/99, Status = Fine

Rolls

Spoiler

Enigma spends a total of 52 EP and 1 HP in order to summon her Spirit, which has 170 Body.

Attack (Garruk) : Miss. He needed to roll a 3 to hit it. He rolled a 2. :|

Casting (Nihlus) : Failure.
God dammit dice.

Casting (Nalee) : Success.
Damage: 4 + 4 + 3 = 11 * 4 = 44 damage. -4 for Enigma, but the other two have 0 armor.
Enigma, her spirit, and Lanai are all affected by a curse of unluck, giving them -10 to all non-damage rolls until the end of combat.

Perception: And not a soul did see her.
Attack: Double automatic hit.
Damage: 1 + 6 + 5 + 17 + 5 = 34 * 2 = 68 damage.
Damage: 4 + 1 + 6 + 17 + 5 = 33 * 2 = 66 damage.
The serpent has taken a total of 178 damage. :|
Well, it's not total failure, at least.

Attack (Lanai) : All four hit.
Damage: 3 + 1 = 4 * 12 = 48 damage.

So, first five seconds of combat: Enigma summons giant serpent. Brown robed girl casts spell that hurts Team Enigma pretty bad, while Garruk and Nihlus fail completely at everything. Then, blondie jumps on the serpents back and murders it in one turn. They all stare up at Enigma for a second, which promptly allows Lanai to sucker punch them with an energy blast that knocks both casters out.

The blond girl below her, no doubt the "daughter of angels" that her generous host had told her about, stared up at Enigma as she spoke, gradually adopting an incredulous expression. The two in brown robes cast covert glances at one another, the man holding a flawless poker face while the girl, who looked a bit young for this sort of thing, fought to stifle a fit of giggles. The brawny man, Garruk apparently, began to grin widely. Lanai rather quickly began to scowl irritably at the four. Finally, just before Enigma delivered her question, the girl couldn't hold it in anymore, and burst out laughing. The blond sighed, Lanai twitched, Garruk began to chuckle, and the other robed man smiled slightly. While she couldn't see much of his face, Enigma got the distinct impression from his angular features that he was one of her kin, a high elf, though she couldn't be sure quite yet.

Coughing and sputtering, the girl finally managed to get herself under control enough to say; "So. Necromancer?" The man next to her nodded sagely, hi poker face returned, and said with a surprising degree of certainty; "Necromancer. The one with the pink hair is a demon, as well." Garruk issued a snort of laughter, and said; "Figures that the first thing you'd notice is the hair, Nihlus. You can never put things in perspective." The blond girl sighed again, shot Enigma an apologetic look..... And then promptly disappeared entirely, both from her physical and her supernatural sense. A quick glance at Lanai revealed that the demoness had no idea where the girl had gone either, as she stared agape at where she'd been.

That sort of thing clearly indicated a degree of hostility, of course, or at the very least conjured a bit of healthy caution in Enigma. She called up her serpent, a rather sizable portion of her essence torn off and consumed in order to give the spirit a body and reign it under her control. That said, when a massive serpent formed of barely opaque material suddenly appeared right next to you, it was normally something that one took notice of, and as her apparition screeched loudly and surged toward the first of its targets, the girl in brown robes, Enigma felt that she was, at least for the moment, safe from any retaliation.

The man in the brown robes, Nihlus apparently, and the girl next to him were both already casting as the serpent bore down on them. Nihlus seemed to be unable to concentrate under such duress, but the brown robed girl had no such dilemmas. She faced the charging serpent with shoulders squared, and suddenly a wave of blackness reached out from her. At first, Enigma thought that it might be akin to her own leeching aura, but as it touched her, she knew the difference. This was not a reaching out of the girls own energies, but rather a manipulation of the energies around them, combined with some outside force. As it reached her, Enigma felt pain reached throughout her entire being as the dark energy sunk into her body, multiplying her weariness a thousandfold and threatening to cause her to black out completely. Lanai shuddered, and her serpent screamed, both apparently affected by the wave as well, but none of the girls allies seem to feel it in the slightest.

Her dark spirit surged toward the girl in a blind rage, its jaws wide, and it looked like there was not a chance in the world for her to dodge the creature, as Garruk tried and failed to intercept the incredibly powerful spirit. As it turned, out, she didn't really have to. The blond girl appeared on top of her summoned abomination, and plunged both of her blades into its sides as she began running up the thing. The powerful spirit screamed, this time in agony, but for all its thrashing about it couldn't dislodge its deadly rider, and the blades drew lines along its sides, leaking ectoplasmic gore all the way, until she reached its head. There, her blades came out only to plunge into its skull, barely a half a foot apart. Her summoned ally, one of the most powerful spirits that Enigma had at her disposal, collapsed lifelessly to the floor, and dissipated into a fine, whitish-yellow paste. She felt the entities rage and pain as it returned to her spirit as though they were her own, but she knew that the serpent had been greatly weakened by its bodies destruction, perhaps permanently.

The blonds gaze turned back up to stare at Enigma and Lanai, and the other three soon followed. The brown robed girl wasn't smiling anymore, and was even shaking slightly, though if it were from emotion or from the spell she'd cast, Enigma could not tell. Garruk was grinning cockily, though Enigma could see a bit of sweat on the massive mans brow. Nihlus eyes were hidden by his robe, but Enigma had the distinct sensation that that wasn't stopping the angular-featured man from seeing her. The girl who was their apparent leader was glaring up at her and her pet, not a trace of emotion on her face save, perhaps, for disapproval. Lanai, apparently deciding to take the initiative, broke the tension by promptly launching a glowing crimson orb right at the girls feet, which exploded, encompassing all four of them in a bright red flash. A few loud thumps followed, and when her vision cleared, Enigma could see both Nihlus, and the girl who had yet to acquire a name or title, slumped several feet from where they'd been previously, unmoving. The blond girl was simply gone, absent totally, while Garruk was getting to his feet, rage evident on his face. He suddenly vaulted, catching the warped floor with one hand, and began hauling himself up toward Enigma and Lanai one handed. The climb might take him another three seconds, all told, as his head was already at knee level with Enigma.

Lanai promptly turned to her and quietly said; "Perhaps a retreat is in order? For the time being, at least." She ignored the man who was climbing up through a hole in the floor with the rather clear intention of murdering both of them completely, the demoness clearly not worried in the slightest despite the rather dire circumstances.

 

[Keylo]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

((Ouch~ That's gotta sting. Oh well. Explains what "that" one is...))

How long had it been since she had encountered foes capable of forcing her to grasp at life's edge? How long had it been, since she saw another slay one of the greatest souls she had personally handpicked to meld into her very being, albeit in the blink of an eye?... Pain, excruciating pain at that, filled her...threatening to drive consciousness away...to let the the voices whose volume only amplified in light of her weakness to over take her, to make her plunge into...despair?

"I want her!...We want her!... "

Nay...madness, for the high elf's very spirit seemed to tear against her very body in its weakened state...desiring to lunge out...to replenish what had been lost, even as she was barely able to force herself to stand aloft...to take into her which had created such a void within her!...

Devour, then everything would be fine...let herself go, and "it" would take care of everything...

...No, she couldn't afford to here, not if she wished to maintain herself. She was unstable yet again, a ticking time bomb at the moment... One she couldn't let go off...not while "it"...she, one who she had promised benevolence was in range of it... She would not go back on her word, not if she was to remain who she was...

...Which left the only other option available, retreat..take time to recuperate, to regather herself and perhaps plan... yes...the only sensible one action she could allow herself to take...

Her voice hoarse, her breathing ragged...Enigma would be brief as she made her decision, not seeming to notice the hulking man heading towards him, for too plagued by her own inner demons was she... After all, she had entrusted "that" bit to her pet already.

"...Yes...dear...take me away...I need...time."

...And more would she have to entrust from the looks of it. Only, how capable was her pet really?


((At this point in time, Enigma is on her "last bearings" as to control. If somehow she should be separated from Lanai and have a foe within twenty feet... Life Leech 15 automatically, regardless of the condition. To signify a breakdown of sorts.))

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

Spoiler

HP = 11/52, PP = 53, EP = 19/99, Status = Hex of Unluck, Badly Injured, running low on energy

Rolls

Spoiler

Attack (Lanai) : Hit.
Damage: 6 + 4 = 10 * 10 = 100.

(Forgot statuses last time. Also, what's happening that Enigma can't see is too interesting for me to not include, so it'll be spoiler-ed at the bottom.)

Lanai grabbed Enigma and quickly started dragging her tired mistress away from the scene of the brief battle, down the hall they had come. They heard a grunt behind them, and thumping bootsteps after only a few moments, and Lanai promptly turned toward the source, Garruk charging at them full pelt at a pace that Enigma couldn't hope to match without magical aid, with a psychotic grin stamped across his face. Without hesitation her pet conjured an orb of crimson light, similar to the one she'd sent at the entire group earlier, but it proved much more focused as it shot toward the man, a crimson spear of dark energy sent right at the mans heart. It flared brilliantly as it streaked toward its intended target, the powerful working clearly meant to kill rather than to stun.

When it struck, Enigma expected it to put a hole the size of a watermelon in the burly mans chest, and she was about to reprimand her pet for such a rash action when they were supposed to take their targets alive. The words died in her throat, however. The blast struck the man and simply.... Slid off of him, harmlessly, as a flash of white light suddenly shrouded him. Arcane runes very briefly danced across his torso, and as he bore down on them, the man cackled loudly, and shouted; "Hahaha! That won't work on me, demon!" Without hesitating, Lanai pushed Enigma away, turning to face the man squarely, and shouted; "Mistress, run! Now! I'll catch up!" Her body began to glow softly, red light pouring out of her and setting her entire body aglow. Even after the energy she had gained from Enigma earlier, the necromancer knew that her pet would hardly be able to keep up such a fight for long, at the rate at which she was burning energy at least. Leaving her pet here might be leaving the demoness to die, and as she had been taken through a gate, rather than temporarily summoned, that would be permanent. But, she also knew that the longer she took to regain her energies, the greater the chance she had of losing control of herself, and allowing her powers to run rampant, which would endanger her pet even further. The doors into the wing where she had rested were only a few feet away, the maze-like corridors of the mansion offering a sanctuary in which she might rest, at least for a while. Choices....

Spoiler

Back down in the hallway, Talia, called by some the Glowing Guardian, waited invisibly, the magic inherent in her charm allowing her to remain imperceptible to even the most keen of senses. She waited, away from her fallen friends, and away from the man, also one of her greatest friends, who had gone to chase the mad necromancer and her demon familiar. Her thoughts did not dwell on him. Any worries other than the immediate problem were dispelled from her mind, lest they prove to bring about her death, and the death of her friends.

She watched them, from far away, her two fallen allies. They were vulnerable, easy prey for any predator after having been knocked unconscious by the demons blast. Nihlus would have a nasty bump on the back of his head, from where he'd hit the wall, and Nalee might have sprained her wrist when she fell, as it was at an odd angle. But, if Talia didn't guard them, then she feared that they would never wake at all. The vampire was near. She could feel the dark beings presence, and knew that the creature could be anywhere. She needed to be ready. And she prayed silently that her friends would forgive her for the way that she was using them now. As bait.

~~~~~~~~

Selena crept forward, toward the two fallen mages, her hunger growing with every step. She saw the meal ahead, ripe for the taking, but she hesitated as well. The warrior was gone, after the mad elf and her almost-as-mad demon pet, but the leader.... She was nowhere to be seen, perhaps, but she could hear her. Not directly, of course. The hall echoed with three heartbeats, and the sources of two were plainly visible. But the third.... She could only hear the echo as it reverberated off the walls, the ghost of the sound, rather than the sound itself. Not a sigh of breath, or the shift of muscles. Where was she? The first to be revealed would fall, for she had seen how the girl had ravaged the spirit her present ally had conjured, a being of immense power brought low before it could even strike once. She did not want to risk seeing if she were more resilient. If she discovered the girl, then she didn't doubt her ability to strike quickly, before the other could hope to harm her. A deadly game, it was, and a plan formed in the vampires mind, which would have brought a rasping cackle from her dead throat if she weren't required to be utterly silent. As only the dead could be.

 

[Keylo]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

Nothing was going according to plan...The "novice" witch's spell had proved to taken far too great a toil on her physical health, her serpent reduced to naught but another to be processed into energy within seconds, and the cacophony of voices that had been subdued by her pet resounded greater than ever before...clawing at her from within, threatening to seize control, to take from her the ability to act, to remain "herself". There was hardly a better time to do it after all. With each loud footstep that approached, each "thump" that reverberated against the mansion's floor...the tension would only continue to mount, the means of retaining controlling slipping away more and more...until Enigma found herself suddenly sprawled upon the floor, shoved aside by her pet.

What?...What was this?... Run?...What could she possibly be thinking? A last stand? A means to buy time? Time for her to scamper to safety like a mongrel with its tail between its legs? Was that what her pet wanted?... The voices seemed to confirm it...for they too screamed incessantly for her to flee, so that her journey might continue, so that her quest for knowledge would not end in such a place. After all, a pet a luxury, a commodity that could be replaced in a future time by another. Perhaps next time she'd take up a witch for a pet, call her a student eve-

"Good pets will never be discarded dear, only bad ones will. I am a benevolent person after all, perhaps "cruel" at times to some. But that will never apply to those that demonstrate worth..."

...No. She would not leave her pet here, to risk death's jaws alone while she scampered away like a worthless mutt incapable of keeping its word. Not if she was to remain as herself, as "Enigma". This wasn't a matter of petty pride, or some other superficial self-worth. This was about retaining one of the core fundamentals that allowed her to define herself as who she was, as "Enigma" rather than another voice in the agonized chorus. If she was to go against that here, then how could she possibly claim herself to be who she was now?

It is then that gritting her teeth, and perhaps displaying the truest and greatest emotion she had in the longest time, that of uncharacteristic resolve, Enigma made herself stand side by side with her pet. Battling off the other contradictory voices in her mind, enduring the pain that seared through her being, and fighting tooth and nail against the exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm her with sheer force of will... A hand moving to wrench the blindfold from her eyes.

"No dear. I shall...not! I do not leave true pets of mine to their fate in this manner. If fate demands that tales are to end today, then let them end in unison!"

It was not that she did not calculate the dangers of her power going rampant at this time, for the possibility that her willpower would not hold. But rather...if her power was to go amok, and to desire an outlet...she would give it one here and now. Her eyes, one crimson and one golden with glyphs emblazoned upon them gazing upon the world for the first time in months, perhaps years...it was then that Enigma would focus all her remaining energy to them, those demon tainted pupils of hers and its gaze... To stare death in the eye as it came bowling towards her step by step. Even if it meant that darkness would overtake her soon after, she would stand by her word, and her pet to the bitter end.

"You. Shall. Not...PASS!"

((Gorgon's Gaze, 14 points. DC 56. Show me a miracle.))

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

Spoiler

HP = 52, PP = 53, EP = 99, Status = Fine

Rolls

Spoiler

Attack (Enigma) : Hit.
Resistance Check: He automatically wins.

Attack (Lanai) : Hit.
Damage: 7 + 2 + 31 + 15 - 15 = 40 damage.

Attack (Garruk) : Hit.
Damage: 6 + 8 + 55 = 79 damage.

Power poured from Enigmas unsheathed eyes. The glyphs in her eyes alighted, her energies pouring through them, and the pattern they formed akin to the effect of the eyes of another mythical being, one who turned its prey to stone with only a gaze. Power flowed through those unmatched eyes, dark in its presence, but strangely just in its cause, as Enigma strove to protect both herself and her pet demoness from the man charging toward them, intent on their deaths. A literal beam of shadow shot directly toward the man, the effect of so much power going through her eyes causing them to water, nay, to bleed, crimson tears running down her narrow cheeks. The beam, which would have turned a dragon to stone..... Halted, and flowed around the man, like water would flow around a stone in a river. She felt the resistance, the same thing she realized that had stopped her pets attack, but she also felt it buckle beneath her gaze. Static surged around the man, and his triumphant laugh turned into a roar of pain as lightning suddenly wrapped around his body.

He briefly stopped in his tracks, pain contorting his face, but the effect lasted for only a few heartbeats. That was all the time that Lanai needed. She surged forward, a blood-red blur, and slammed a fist into the stunned giants face, the blow loud enough for Enigma to hear the bones cracking as his cheekbone broke under its power. He was thrown back, at least twenty feet, where he collapsed in a heap, shuddered, and remained still. This was all noted only lightly by Enigma, who was left in a daze. Her head felt light as feather, and her perceptions were rapidly failing her as the voices within her closed in upon her mind, while her body felt like it was made of lead. Lanai turned around, and came toward Enigma, her glow fading as a look of concern crossed the demons face. "Mistress? Are you alright?" The words came to Enigmas mind as though they were muffled, like a very soft yet solid something was between herself and Lanai's voice.

Enigma suddenly felt herself beginning to fall backwards, the weight upon her too much for her to hold up any more, and her vision began to darken rapidly. The last thing she saw, before darkness took her completely, was a man standing behind Enigma. He looked familiar. Hadn't they met before? Yes... He was the one she'd been running from. A strange thing to forget, that. Why had she been running from him again? He raised his sword over his head, and Enigma wondered if that had been why she had been fleeing from him. It looked very sharp, and very large. It descended down, toward Lanai, her wonderful, faithful pet. A flash of red, and a look of surprise on the demons face.

Darkness took her, then. She did not dream.

Enigma awoke to a dark hallway, padded carpet beneath her having not caused any relief to her aching body. Pain caused her to awaken more than anything else, as a thousand minor stabs of pain shot through her nerves. It was almost pitch black in here, and the half dozen windows allowed only a sliver of moonlight in to illuminate the place. The night was almost over, as the moon was falling. Dawn wasn't more than two hours away, she'd guess. She ached, but she was alive, and she was herself still, and she could feel herself filled with magical energies once more. She was no longer helpless. That was always a start.

The first thing she noticed, after the time, was that her bandage, which had covered her eyes for a long while, was not on her eyes. That caused her memory to return, the last portions of it fuzzy, but at least clear enough for her to piece together. The fight. The serpent. The angel, and her savagery. Lanai. Garruk. The sword, falling. Sitting up, she found the rest of the hallway empty, save for a great deal of blood, in a stain in the carpet. It looked black, in this light, but her supernatural senses could feel the power that flowed through it. It was demons blood. Lanais blood. It led a trail over to the hole they had created to attack the ones their host had requested they eliminate. There were no corpses, either of her pet or of the man whom they had fought. She was alone, but she was also alive.

(I take your cliffhanger, and raise you a much bigger cliffhanger!)

 

[Keylo]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

She had screamed, the first time in an untold eternity perhaps... Pushing her power to its limits to halt the juggernaut in its advance, exhausting every resource left available to her, her willpower, her spirit, the very agony she felt...the elf threw everything she had into this single moment. Every last drop of her being, her essence into it...

Freeze. Halt. Stop. Disappear!... I won't...I won't allow it! I refuse to accept this conclusion! I will not...let this tale...these tales...end here! Fate....destiny, if those will stand in my way...I will devour them as well! Don't... get... in.. my way!

One last push...one last try...something had to break way...something...anything!...

*Snap*

The unwavering crimson gaze blinked...once...twice... in confusion, perhaps...disbelief if any feeling was felt. Dizziness, a moment of emptiness...then...a sensation of falling. Falling, sinking...deeper and deeper into the darkness, where naught by silence reigned. All as lightning crackled, as bones broke...and a flash of steel graced her fading vision, as her mind and spirit had parted from the world...and her voice...her voices were drowned out by the darkness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

...That had been what she was able to recall as she sat there upon the bloodied floor as she gazed upon her discarded blindfold...and gazed upon the remnants of a forgotten scene. The aftermath of a scene where she had truly, for once, given it her all...her best. Was this is though? Was this the result? Nothing?...Despite how hard she had tried...was this, all she was to receive for it? A pathetic continuation of a solitary tale?... Powerful eyes once filled with madness, now seeming empty and void scanned to the hole where the fight had been... It couldn't be...right? For her efforts to be for naught in this manner. A strange sensation had filled her...one she had never truly felt before. Fear was it called?...

...She had to find out....she had to. Rising silently from her seat, the elf began to walk...no, drag herself towards that hole in the ground forcibly. She could not allow the results of her actions to remain in the dark like this, no matter what they were..."Enigma" could not live on otherwise. For no voices were to be heard in her mind, nor a sound she could perceive... everything was all so deathly silent for her in spite of things...as if a sign of things to come...

The necromancer, having left her blindfold where it laid, would seek out the aftermath, one way or another. This time, with her own eyes, for she would no longer look through the world behind a false veil...

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

Spoiler

HP = 52, PP = 53, EP = 99, Status = Fine

The blood trail began to thin, the closer Enigma got to the hole in the floor, the fading magic within it glowing brighter with every step that she took. The potency of her dread increased, a veritable weight against Enigmas chest, as she neared the edge of the hole, but she peaked over the edge. All she saw beneath was more blood. No bodies, living or dead, lay down upon the floor, but the ever thinning trail of blood led away, down the hallway. Only by following it would Enigma be able to find the truth, and see it with her own eyes, and so that was what she did. A brief use of power allowed her safe passage down, and she followed her pets blood down the lavish hall, surrounded on all sides by the not-quite-decadent luxury that her undead host seemed to favor.

The blood gradually became thinner and thinner as she traveled on, until it became nothing more than drops, dots forming a line to the truth. Had she healed herself, somehow? Or had she simply run out of blood? Had the vampire been the cause of it, either way? Enigma didn't doubt that a demons blood would be a rare treat for one of her kind, particularly a demon lord as Lanais power seemed to indicate. There was only one way to find out, either way, and she continued on. Through a pair of double doors, down a flight of narrow stairs, Enigma followed the path, but it became more and more difficult to do so, until the elven necromancer found herself at a four way intersection, and the trail, which had been little more than a few scattered droplets hidden amid the rich fabric of the carpet, ended completely. No a trace of blood, in any direction save the one where she had come, could be seen. The air was still and totally silent, not a trace of movement of any kind. She could see nothing, hear nothing, and feel nothing, save perhaps for what she felt within herself.

A whisper came to her, suddenly, a familiar voice, but one she did not recognize all the same. Was it one whom she had devoured, perhaps? Would the voices within her come for her now, when she was so vulnerable, her confidence shaken after her power, so reliable for so long, had failed her in such an important moment? Apparently not, as the whisper was not followed, silence reigning within and without, after a simple message had been delivered. "Right." No other options were presented to her, and taking that lead, Enigma turned right, and proceeded forward. A set of double doors awaited her, and she thought that she smelled the scent of oil from up ahead.

The doors opened easily, and Enigma found herself in a lavish ballroom, easily twice the size of what she might have expected to be reasonably required form such a place. She was no longer alone, and it was no longer silent. Ahead of her, a face off, of sorts, was going on, two groups arrayed against one another at a roughly estimated distance of a hundred feet from where Enigma stood. Three figures, familiar to her, were standing in a line on the left, and she was looking at them from just at the right angle for Enigma to see all three, despite their arrangement. On the right, there was only the one, but it was so large, that she could not see past it to check if any stood beside it.

One, the closest to her, was the man in the brown robe, his hood thrown back to reveal that he was, in fact, an elf. He looked exhausted, his face weary and his eyes sunken, and blood was running from his ears and nose, but he still stood tall, leaning on a staff similar to the one she normally carried. The second, and farthest from her, was the large man, that sword, covered in blood, still clutched in his hands, held before him and at the ready. A massive bruise had formed on his cheek, and the eye above it was swollen shut, but he stood without shaking, even slightly. The third was the blond girl, and she alone among that trio seemed uninjured, her armor and body immaculate despite her companions injuries, and what she'd seen of the girl in action herself. She was scowling darkly, her attention unwavering from what stood in front of her,

Across from them, perhaps thirty feet away from the trio, stood the vampiress, all that might have once been called human about her gone. Before, she had been all poise and beauty, her pale skin flawless, and her body all perfectly arranged curves, enticing to any eye regardless of ones preference. Now, her skin sagged like it was about to fall off, and had turned grey and brown, like something fresh from the grave. Her curves were gone, sagging breasts hanging low and at very odd angles, and she hunched forward like a being that had lived in closed spaces too small for it all its life, every vertebrae visible beneath her flesh. A hole, from a dagger perhaps, was punched into her chest, and black ichor ran down it and down the womans body. She held another against her, the brown robed girl from before, her head now exposed to reveal silky raven hair, though it also blocked Enigmas view of her captors head. Shadows twisted around the vampire, and tendrils of mobile darkness, illuminated in the light cast by the many softly glowing chandeliers that hung from the ceiling, waved all around her. They obscured Enigmas view of what lay past her, but as they writhed, she thought she spotted a glimpse of another figure, one who stood next to but apart from the vampire. Had that been a shock of pink?

As she entered, neither parties leader even glanced at her, but the captive girls head lolled in her direction, and empty eyes fixated on Enigma, while the elf cautiously turned to watch her, his face locked in a tired scowl. The vampire spoke, her hag-like rasping voice echoing throughout the chamber; "You know I will do as I have promised, human. Another step, and your witch dies. Leave my home, and never return to harass me again, and she will be released in three days, or whenever she so desires. I give you my word upon it. I will give no better a deal than that, and you are unreasonable to expect any more." The words were clipped, and highly detached, but the response from the tiny blond girl across from her couldn't have been more different. She spoke in what was practically a roar, contained but nigh omnipotent fury in every word; "Your word is worth less than the sand beneath my feet, vampire. I know damned well what you'd do to her over those three days, and you know just as well that I won't let that happen."

"Don't be so hasty. You of all people should know.... She would enjoy every moment, after the first day. And beg for more, most likely. I can, of course, extend the same hospitality to each of you. All you need to do is discard your weapons, and your trinkets." The vampire shot back, but the girl stepped forward, and the shadows writhed as the vampire flinched, pressing something against the captive girls belly, and causing the blond to stop, helpless rage on her expression. Had that been another shock of pink, on the opposite side of her host? "Dear girl, you know full well that, if you don't take up my offer, I will have disemboweled her long before even you could possibly reach me. You really don't have any other choice."

(Assumed some actions on her part, so as to advance the story some more. Hope you don't mind.)

 

[Keylo]

Re: Enigma (Keylo)

Doubt, anxiety, insecurity... Fear. Feelings that had been alien to her until only recently, emotions that she had not felt for an untold age. Such was what filled her with each ominous step she took, each echo serving only to unsteady her ever more so. When was it that her ability to succeed had begun to falter? Her ability to gamble against the odds, and come out atop regardless? She had been a force of nature, one impervious to the whims of fate...a will of her own. Now she was at its mercy, her success now determined by a roll of the dice.

...How detestable, so the elf thought as she came to a crossroads with no more trail to follow...Finding herself standing there, all alone. Was this it? This empty road where she stood all alone, was this the fruit of her efforts? A solitary path filled with...nothing?... If this was the hand that destiny now dealt her then...it could have its cards back to do as it pleased...There was no more reason for it to be her that continued this journey. "Enigma" could continue fine as it was...their purpose was united after all, that much at least was guaranteed.

At least... until a voice graced her, if but only for a moment to break the silence. That silence that would have swallowed her, if not for a small light that had been reignited. "Hope" was it called?...Not entirely unpleasant it seemed.

Venturing as per the whims of the fading light, would the Enigma wander. Following, perhaps clinging to a final means of self-retention, that solitary "candle" till it led her to those double doors. Doors that would be swung open with neither care no delicacy, and to her, would only behold at that time...that "flash" of pink. The only thing she cared to find at this time, even if a conscious mind would have granted her some degree of relief at this time. Nothing else mattered at this moment, the weight in the air did not exist to her as it was now, for upon eyeing the shock of pink once again...the necromancer would find herself making a beeline for it... Her eyes still hollow, but perhaps with a faint spark once again...

A spark that just may cause her to cup her hand to the face of that which stood there then...or perhaps disappear altogether.