RP:Dyeing Isn't Worth Dying Over
This is a Mage's Guild RP.
Mage's Tower
Kovl sits atop a table in the Guild quarters, resting his head back on a stack of nearby books and letting his feet dangle over the floor below him. With a bit of auditory illusory assistance, the pixie was collected by a student and hurried to a healer from a sister guild. Now Forenza, guardian of the Guild headquarters, still frowning after a difficult conversation, exits the room in a huff. The pixie's light skin is paler than normal, and he clutches a tiny bag at his side for use if and when his body rejects more of the poison administered by that ruffian. Leaning his head back, Kovl closes his eyes and runs his hand over the lip of his satchel, stomach wretching and his mind in hazy thought.
Svilfon has been busy of late, answering the questions to complex theories brought up by the Revenant Kasyr and the Magister Glacies Satoshi. It was why, when he felt Kovl's urge for assistance, he could not answer. But now, having taken a break from his study, he decided it's probably time to see if the pixie is still alive. From Vailkrin to Xalious in a matter of moments, curtesy of a teleportation spell, has Svilfon in the Mage's Tower, and it takes about as long to find out information about the pixie illusionist. Thanking those who briefly fill him in, the wizard makes his way to where Kovl sits. When he sees the Arcane Steward he is silent for a long time, letting his pale gaze look over the pixie, before he clears his throat and speaks, "You've looked better."
Kovl's gaze quickly snaps to a familiar voice: Svilfon. He nods lazily. "A thief somehow got wind of the new spellbooks that were distributed to Arcane Stewards. Somehow he knew who I was. I met him in Cenril, was poisoned with some sort of sleeping powder and then brought here. He demanded I hand over my spellbook or he would kill a woman named Phaedra. He took the pendant I used to contact you and left, presumably for the woman. I already sent word of warning to her." A sly smile creeps over Kovl's pale face as he pats his satchel. "But I still have the book." The pixie clutches the barf bag for a moment. "I don't know how he got in. Forenza is looking into it."
Svilfon scowls for a long moment, before speaking in a voice which is chilling, drowning out the usual jovial tones which the wizard so often wears. “We must be clear on this, Kovl. Entirely clear: This man attacked you here, in my tower? I don't care what happens outside Xalious, I don't care if he kills this Phaedra slowly and painfully. But you tell me now whether or not he attacked you here? And if so, use your magic to show me what he looks like.” If the Sublime Master cares Kovl seems in no position to do magic, he doesn't show it. There is an air about him of great anger, simmering just beneath the robed-man's surface. The look on his face shows he will accept no excuses.
Kovl nods to the wizard. "He first attacked me in Cenril, but he brought me here. No physical harm was done in the tower, but I was certainly at his mercy as he demanded my book and stole my pendant." At Svilfon's request, the pixie mumbles under his breath. An fuzzy image of a figure standing at about 6 feet tall appears beside the table. As the sick Kovl concentrates, more features form. The figure is a rather tall half-elf wearing a black duster coat. His eyes are blue, and his hair is black. The figure's face shows some blurs, understandable considering the pixie's hazy thoughts. A bag is held at the half-elf's side, and a bottle of what appears to be wine is visible from the lip of the bag. Kovl speaks, "The man has associations in Cenril. He seemed quite friendly with a group of pirates near the harbor, but the thief did not seem to mind spilling their blood. His next move is to find Phaedra who sleeps among the cliffs in Xalious. Additionally, he is in possession of the pendant you gave me. Are you able to track where the pendant is?" The pixie frowns at the blurs on the figure's face and furrows his brow, deep in thought. Finally, the face is revealed with a last push of Kovl's focus. An image of a man named Ohan stands before the two. The pixie does not know his name, but if Svilfon recognizes the image, he might. Kovl's eyes get wide, and the image disappears as he lifts the bag at his side, puking again.
Svilfon ignores the puking Kovl as he ponders the man's words, trying to decide if Ohan broke Mage Guild law or not. Finally, the wizard nods, more to himself than the pixie. “Yes, I can track my pendant. But I cannot destroy this man, for he did you no harm here. What really is his crime? Attacking you is your own business... bringing you here, but not doing you any harm could be construed as him trying to aid you.” The sublime master falls silent again. “I do not like it, but I am bound by the tenants of the Guild. I cannot kill a man in the Guild's name if he did the Guild no harm...” Svilfon nods at that, before speaking again, apparently still uncaring about the fate of Kovl. “But he did steal something from you which I gifted. Perhaps I will find him and ask him why he sought to steal my pendant.” The wizard brightens, “And if he refuses to return it, then I can kill him.” A final nod at that, before Svil, after properly filing away how Ohan looks, kneels down beside the table and looks at the pixie, apparently unconcerned by the man's vomiting. “You did well to hold onto that book. I commend you. But now I have a task I wish us to both do. You will be useful in aiding me, for I want an illusionist. Plus, I wish to see how powerful you have become. You were poisoned. I can burn that poison from your body. It will not be pleasant, and truly I will not hold you accountable if you do not wish me to do this. But your help would appreciated.” What the wizard doesn't say is that it could well kill the pixie. But that's merely semantics when your life motto is, 'What's the worst that could happen.'
Kovl looks up from the bag at the pondering wizard. "No, he did not harm me, but he did technically break in and rob me." At Svilfon's loophole finding strategies, the pixie smiles wearily. "He almost killed me. Kill him or not, he does not deserve to live unpunished. I want a hand in his deserved retribution, and I will make him wish he never messed with me." The pixie's stomach wretches as he vomits once again into the bag before wiping his mouth. The pixie's curiosity is peaked. "What task do you need me for?" Another smile forms on Kovl's lips. "I would love to help, but do you not think that burning the poison from my body will incapacitate me further than I already am?" The pixie looks at the bag again and groans, resting his head back against the stack of books.
Svilfon cannot help but let out a quiet laugh at the pixie's words. Pale, vomiting, looking like he's about to fade into the sweet embrace of blissful sleep... yet still eager to both get some retribution and aid the wizard. Svil knew he liked Kovl for a reason. He answers as his mirth fades, the first words accompanied with a nod of his head. “If you wish it, we can seek retribution together. I suppose that will ensure the right person is punished and all that,” he waves his hand as if that doesn't really matter. Which it doesn't. At least, not to Svil. “For the task... I want you to accompany me to Rynvale's Fog Forest. It's a somewhat dangerous place, I suppose. Beasts, the occasional dragon, ogres, the usual.” The wizard grins, flashing gaps and fangs in equal measure. “But also there are many dryads who call that place home. I wish you to aid me in stealing fruit from one of their trees. It's a useful dye and rich with magic.” He doesn't bother explaining to the pixie the reasons why he needs it; he figured out a way to aid Satoshi in her goal of flight. A somewhat complex way which has already begun, that will end with the ice queen requiring a tattoo of very specific ink. One of the ingredients is the fruit, for it will aid in making different colours without diluting the powerful magical properties. “The problem is, if they see me wandering in, the fruit will shrivel up and die, or they will poison it. You know dryads and their trees, more protective of them than I am of my hat. You will be the distraction... and once the fruit is picked, you can aid me in escaping... believe me when I say they won't be happy, and there's more than those fey creatures to contend with. The forests are like limbs to them... limbs with many claws, many talons... it will not be easy.” Svil falls silent for a minute at that, letting it sink in while he ponders the best way to answer Kovl's final question. Lying springs to mind, and were Kovl anyone else a lie is what he'd get. But the wizard is loyal to the Guild, he will be honest. “I might kill you. It might leave you drained of magic and useless. It might not work. Or it might help destroy the poison and feed your body. All you will need to do is draw upon fire magic, but instead of drawing upon the arcane elements, you will draw it from me. As it floods your system I will ensure it burns away the poison that lingers... and perhaps it will leave you with the chaotic energy of the element for a while, tainted of course by wizardry...” he coughs, “Enhanced, I meant to say.” He grins. “I've done it before... twice. Once it burned the nefarious essence of the most powerful wraith Vuryal ever created from someone, saving their life. The other time it turned someone into a pile of ash, but they were not of a magical race, like you are, nor were they very intelligent. The choice is yours, Kovl. If you do not wish to aid me, I will go alone. I will not hold it against, choose freely.”
Kovl tilts his head to the side as Svilfon describes the task set out for the two of them. "Yes, I know the dryads. I have many of their kind as neighbors and friends. Their tree is life for them, and getting to the fruit on their trees will not be easy even with the aid of illusion." Kovl, the curious and bold creature he is, asks, "But why would you want the fruit of their trees?" It's a fair question if the pixie would be risking his life for such a fruit. But that isn't what he cares about. His main motive for asking is curiosity, curiosity, curiosity! Gods forbid if Kovl doesn't know why he is set out on a task. The pixie's eyes widen as Svilfon explains the possible consequences of the dangerous action of burning poison from his blood. Part of his bold and risk-taking nature is drawn upon as the wizard speaks, and he pauses for a moment. Though Kovl is often quick to jump into dangerous situations, he is not unintelligent. "Ya know, I've already been burnt by my own pixie dust today, and if you haven't experienced excrutiating and torturous pain throughout your body with zero mercy, I wouldn't recommend it. The healer gave me these herbs to puke the rest of the poison out, and I imagine by the time we reach Rynvale, my ailment will be relieved." Kovl taps his chin. "Unless you plan on teleporting us there now and the mission is time sensitive, burning the poison from my blood is an unnecessary risk. You do want your illusionist living, don't you?" A smile creeps upon the pale pixie's face again. "The poison should be out of my system within a couple hours and I will be as good as a new and sprite Kovl."
Svilfon scowls at the pixie's logic, but agrees. “No-one ever lets me heal them. You'd think they didn't trust me.” He shrugs as if that doesn't matter, completely and utterly ignoring the illusionist's questions about what he needs the flowers for, as if they had never been asked. “I would rather not teleport us there. The person for whom the fruits are for hates teleportation magic... is, in fact, allergic to it. It's best if none is cast, and no warnings are given.” At that, the wizard smiles slightly, “We'll take Alahir, my couatl companion. It will take many hours to get there, I suppose by the time we arrive you will be well.” Another slight scowl at that, damn magelings avoiding wizard-healings. “Are you ready, Kovl? Alahir waits outside.” At those words, the pixie would sense a questioning upon his mind, an unintrusive request; like the slightest whisper against his consciousness, easily ignored, but surely not malevolent. It is the pscionic creature greeting the pixie with a politeness that is unending. This causes the wizard's slight smile to grow. “I'm sure you'll like him. He's not at all like me.” That said, the wizard turns and exits the room, making his way outside. There he would wait beside the large serpentine couatl whose feathers are proudly puffed out in the sunshine of Xalious, eager as ever for an adventure.
Kovl allows himself to let out a light chuckle, unsure whether the wizard truly is upset at his logical response or merely joking. "I doubt anyone would want to undergo a poison cleansing by fire if you tell them you have a 50% success rate." The pixie's stomach churns again and his eyes widen. Clutching his bag tightly, the pixie leans forward on the table top and weakly tries his wings before taking flight in short pursuit of Svilfon. The illusionist senses the subtle hints of psionic greeting but a moment is taken to determine the winged source. Nodding his pale head to the couatl, a wide grin is made in response to Alahir's greeting. The pixie has always had an affinity with creatures, magical or otherwise, and Svilfon's prediction shows its veracity in an amicable greeting. "Hello, Alahir!" Though weak, the cheer is evident in Kovl's small voice as he reaches to touch his miniscule hand to the side of the couatl's neck. Weary and sickly, Kovl nods to Svilfon, indicating his readiness to start the journey to Rynvale.
Svilfon ignores the waves of affection which come from the couatl as he climbs onto the creature's back; Alahir is easily large enough to carry four or five people comfortably, so there's ample space for wizard and pixie. Silently Alahir conveys his thoughts to Kovl, the words coming into the illusionist's mind with that same unfailing politeness that clearly conveys that were Kovl inclined to end the conversation, he could do so easily, despite the obvious pscionic strength the couatl has. ~Hello to you, Kovl. The wizard has told me much about you... are you ready?~ With that, wings are spread out, causing a small storm of dust clouds to billow either side of the couatl, before he launches himself into the air. Svilfon spends a long moment looking over the side, watching as Xalious grows smaller, a fond look in his pale gaze, before he focuses again on Kovl. “Alahir here is first born of Emiur's brood, and the strongest. He will carry us to the shores of Rynvale... you may rest, if you wish.” The wizard grins, “I'll make sure you don't fall off, and I won't attempt to hurry your healing...” At that he grows silent for a moment, “And perhaps you were right earlier about my odds of survival speech. But I will not lie unless I must, and never to a guild member when it comes to magic.” He tips his hat at that, the headwear oblivious to the wind which is beginning to whoosh over the couatl's back. “Perhaps one day I'll find another volunteer.” With that, and a nod, Svil lets his gaze rest over the land which is quickly passing beneath them.
Kovl nestles himself onto the back of Alahir and grasps onto him tightly with one hand. The other hand holds the bag at his side. The pixie nods at Svilfon appreciatively. "I would be lying if I said that your idea to clear the poison from my body did not interest me. I was not aware fire magic had such a capability." Kovl grins. "The scope of such elemental magic must be larger than I anticipated." Kovl glances down at his satchel which contains his spell book and another tome on a subject which has caught his interest. He changes the subject to another item he has been studying. "I've been learning a bit about enchanting items, but I must admit that I'm not adept in it at all. The biggest item I've enchanted was used as a distraction in Frostmaw, but I had to be present for the illusion to work. I'm working on eliminating my presence as a necessity for illusion, and as you may imagine, that may have many useful implications." The illusionist rests his head back on the couatl's scales. The steward assumes the wizard may have some interest in his progression as a mage, but moreso, Kovl hopes to glean any helpful information he can from this source of vast arcane knowledge called Svilfon.
Svilfon lets out a quiet laugh which is almost lost in the wind which blows so high above Hollow's surface as Alahir continues to fly them further towards Rynvale. His words, though, without visible effort from the man easily reach the pixie's ears; a trick of spellcasting which the sublime master unconsciously adopts in such situations. “Elemental magic has many uses. People think fire is nothing but damage; burning everything in its way, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake. It's not. It can be used to help give energy to those who're tired, it can be used to remove that which is ailing someone... its uses beyond the apparent are almost limitless. All elemental magic is like that, it just takes a master to use it for more subtle means than fireballs.” The wizard nods at that. “You will learn as your illusionist magic grows that it has more uses than deception. The mind is a powerful thing, once you become a master of it, your potential is limited only by your imagination.” Svil grins again, “Though, in saying that, the application of magic to imbue weapons or items with a certain power is difficult. I have found the best method is the use of runes. You can imbue a rune with a certain spell easily enough, but fueling the rune when you're not there is the difficult part. It involves crafting one which essentially casts the magic itself from the same source as you do. So instead of being a source of power itself, it's merely a conduit between the mundane and the magical. I am not the best to speak to about this for illusion magic, that would be Redhale. He could give you more practical advice than I can. But showing you how I do it is possible... just be wary; if you create a gate which is wider than you seek, you can find yourself at the mercy of your own magic before the rune is sealed... such things have been known to kill the unwary."
Kovl listens as Svilfon teaches more of his knowledge concerning the arcane arts. He nods lightly, a movement which many may not notice due to his small size. "I only have some experience with runes." Patting his satchel with his free hand, he continues. "I've been reading up on the subject of enchantment, runes, and creating a sort of energy source with imbued crystals." The pixie tilts his head at Svilfon's warning, and he lets his imagination wander to possible ways his illusions would backfire. A devious smile crosses his face. The idea of something he creates being a threat against himself causes him to muse in amazement. The threat is appealing to him for some reason. Perhaps it is the fact that he can cast such a powerful spell. Kovl's gaze switches to the scenery below, and he brushes his fingertips over the couatl's scales as his mind wanders. "Do you have a plan for how we will steal this fruit?"
Svilfon eyes that devious smile with a hint of appreciation marking his countenance. “Often you remind me why I like you, Kovl. We should spend more time discussing matters of the arcane.” Svil tips his hat at that, before leaning a little to the side to eye the passing waters beneath him. With a quiet nod, and a pat to Alahir's scales in appreciation of his flying, he knew the couatl would understand the gesture, and respond with a blossoming sensation of pride and happiness – ever are couatls filled with vanity – the wizard answers the pixie. “Honestly? No. I have no wish to harm the dryads if I can help it, and no wish to taint the fruit before it's plucked. I was hoping you could help in the distraction and escape... I can do the sneaking.” He offers a gap-toothed smile at that. “Don't let the hat fool you, I can hide well when required.” A bit of a lie that. “I was going to leave the rest up to you. You like trouble, do you not? This is the perfect chance to scratch that insatiable itch!”
Kovl's smile doesn't fade as Svilfon brushes his ego with the first line. "How did you know I like trouble?" Kovl chuckles. "Of course we wouldn't harm the dryads, and as I said, dryads are my neighbors." The pixie looks into the distance as if in thought. "I imagine it'd be difficult plucking a fruit from her tree without her feeling something. Do you suppose a dryad would destroy only the fruit she senses was picked, or do you think she'll destroy them all as a defense mechanism? Because if it's just the one..." The pixie trails off, smirking as he starts formulating mental plans of just how he can confuse the dryads. His face suddenly turns sullen before he has to take a break contributing to his bag. As he lifts his sickly face, the wheels in his mind continue to turn. Kovl starts again, adding to his last thought. "And you suppose the dryads will reach for us with the limbs of the forest?" Kovl taps a finger to his chin as he ponders their escape. His hand moves to brush over the small bags of pixie dust on his side as he contemplates. Gazing below, brown bangs flow over Kovl's thoughtful face.
Svilfon answers the man's questions with frank honesty. “I have no idea. I spent some time reading about the dryads. What I gathered was once the fruit was plucked from the tree, it would be beyond their control. They are the trees, the trees are them, but once it's no longer connected it's like if you or I lost an arm. We couldn't clench the fingers of a severed limb.” That's not quite true, it'd take some necromancy. But close enough for Svil's approximation. “And I think they will reach for us with more than just the trees. Strange things live in that forest, things which protect its denizens as fiercely as I would our Guild. It won't be a simple matter of tricky a dryad, taking some fruit, getting back on Alahir and flying away.. that much I do know. We'll have to be careful and sneaky, but ready to defend ourselves if required. I can do majority of the latter, I am sure, but the former will be up to you.” Svil tips his hat at that, before speaking again. “Think it over while you rest. Sleep if you can. I'll awaken you when we're close to the Fog Forest. We'll enter on foot, for I will not risk Alahir in there; flight is difficult when you cannot see clearly.” The couatl lets out a mental note of frustration, he hates being left out of the fun, but Svil merely answers with a pat onto his scales. “Rest well, gather your strength.” Svil looks out over the ocean beneath them. “You'll need it.”
Kovl nods to the wizard, pondering possible outcomes for their mission. The pixie did not think escaping the limbs of the trees would be easy, but he tends to have a naive type of confidence and boldness when it comes to uncertain situations. Kovl had not considered the possibility of other creatures or beings who may be guarding the forests as intently as a dryad protects her tree. "I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at my ability to protect myself, given I'm not blindly poisoned by a coward." The illusionist's face shows a glint of anger. "He will pay for that by the way. A man does not mess with a pixie and not suffer the wrath. We are a type that doesn't tend to forget acts like these." The pixie clutches his tiny hand into a fist around his bag. Kovl lets out a long sigh and rests his head back against the scales of Alahir. "I'll get my rest. I'm already starting to feel a bit better after that last heave." All traces of anger leave his face and are replaced with a chuckle. "We'll get that fruit. Of this, I'm sure." There's Kovl's naive confidence again. His emerald eyes close as he lays back on Alahir, grinning a bit at the wind caressing his face. The sick pixie begins his snooze. Should Svilfon have anything more to say, he will be quick to open his eyes and respond as he is not yet on the brink of true sleep. That sleep will wash over him quickly due to the haziness caused by the sleeping powder administered to him by the thief.
Heart of Fog Forest
Svilfon did not reply to Kovl's words, other than to nod agreement that he should rest. The three of them, couatl, pixie and wizard, flew swiftly across the seas separating Rynvale from the main continent. Svil himself spends this time preparing a few things and ensuring the draw-string bag he has to store the fruit is sufficiently warded. While he works in silence he chats to the couatl, discussing various things in the silent language the pscionic creature uses for all communication. A few hours pass in such a manner, the wizard occasionally looking back to make sure Kovl hasn't fallen off while he does various things, before at long last he sees the coast approaching. He ponders waking the pixie up, but decides against it, allowing him to sleep as the coastal area is flown over, followed by the mountains behind it where many dragons rest – though, Svil knows enough of them to ensure they're not attacked by the territorial beasts. Until, at last, they come to a large area of forest which is blanketed in a thick mist; so think, it's impossible to even see the tops of the tallest trees, so dense that beneath its veil seeing anything is difficult. At this time, the wizard standa up, proda Kovl with his wand to wake him up, before speaking. “We're here. Alahir will fly as low as he can... I'll meet you on the ground. Be as quiet as you can be.” The wizard grins, before the couatl shifts in the air, his feathered wings twisting so they dive down quickly, before with a snap they extend, stopping the downward momentum just above the edges of the foggy tendrils. The wizard tips his hat to the pixie, before simply leaping off the couat's side. His fall is hidden by the fog, thankfully, for it's not graceful. He slams down into the trees, bouncing off the branches which don't loudly snap – meaning the whole be quiet thing is an exercise in futility – before at last he thumps into the ground. He lays there in pain for a moment, before pulling himself to his feet. He's got quite a few scratches covering his body, but it was the only way for him to enter the forest without too much magic. That done, he'll wait for Kovl to join him before pressing onwards.
Kovl 's eyes snap open and his arms quickly move to steady himself on Alahir's back as Svilfon prods him with his wand. He swivels his head, causing his brown bangs to bounce into his face. Kovl feels oddly... awake. It's as if he woke up from a century-long nap though in actuality, it has only been a few hours. The sleep powder-- the poison must have caused this alertness despite the pixie's certainty that he'd wake up groggier than he's been in a while. The illusionist nods at Svilfon's words, grinning as he knows silence is his own specialty. The pixie's eyes widen, however, as his adept and sensitive sense of hearing encounters multiple thwacks and thuds caused by the Svilfon's descent. Scanning the forest floor below, he spots the wizard and folds his wings, quickening his own decent before catching himself above the wizard's pointed hat. Quietly, the pixie whispers, "Are you okay?" Kovl is quite surprised that Svilfon pulled himself to his feet so easily after such a fall though he attributes the wizard's good health to a possible arcane manipulation he does not know about. The pixie scans the fog ahead of them, finding it difficult to see through the haze. Already a problem presents itself in Kovl's head in regards to illusions. Sight may not be the best method of distraction through this fog, but sound certainly may be. The wheels in Kovl's head turns as he thinks. Emerald eyes look to the wizard silently to lead the way.
Svilfon pulls a few twigs from his robes as he grins at the pixie while replying, “Kasyr and Dami are part of my family... it takes more than a fall through trees for me not to be okay.” The wizard pulls a few more leafy twigs from his robes, which have already begun to sew up the tears in them – that courtesy of an enchantment Satoshi imbued in the clothe when making the robes – before he turns to get his bearings. Not easy in the thick fog which seems to choke out all light; added to the canopy above, it means the ground is bathed in a sort of perpetual night, much like Vailkrin. “The dryads live east of here, I think. It is my opinion the best thing for us to do is distract them, which I'll leave to you, I will then go in, get the fruit, then we'll escape... the first part should be easy enough... it's the escaping that'll be tricky. We'll need to get free of the fog so Alahir can grab us, but as soon as they know what we've done, this whole place is going to try and kill us.” If that bothers Svil, he hides it by turning and beginning to walk to the east, feet making almost no noise on the rotting ground beneath him; the natural skill of a hunter, something most vampires possess. “Have you any ideas how to distract them, Kovl? It must be good, for they'll abandon everything to save their fruit, and I'd rather it not be ruined.”
Kovl hovers above the wizard as he speaks, trying to scan through the fog to get a bearing of his location even though he has not been to this part of Rynvale before. The pixie notes his landmarks: tree with a strange looking knot that looks like a screaming woman followed by another tree with low branches and then another tree with a knot. Gods know if the pixie will remember all these landmarks, but a lifetime outdoors and finding familiar places such as these in wooded areas may work to his advantage. The fog certainly will not. The pixie brings a finger to his chin as the wizard develops a plan. "I was thinking of tricking the dryads into looking for an intruder, but in the wrong place. If they think a daring traveler is picking fruit on one side of their tree, that will draw their attention to the side opposite of where you actually are." The pixie lets out a hum. "That or we can go the fun route and convince the dryads they are stuck in a box that doesn't exist." The pixie laughs. "Oh! Or maybe a roaring fire is destroying their forest!" Once the ideas start, Kovl's thought process flows easily. He imagines each scenario vividly, chucking at the more devious ones. "You won't have to worry about them finding you. You can be sure of that. Oh! And... I can make you invisible if you cannot perform that trick already." The pixie scans the woods again, stopping his stories as he wonders about the inhabitants of this wood and whether anyone, sentient or not, hears their plans.
Svilfon shakes his head at the pixie, though his eyes seem to catch what light there is with a self-mocking twinkle. “Sadly, my archaic comrade, invisibility doesn't work on me.” He lifts a hand to point at his hat. “No matter what I try, the hat refuses to vanish. I've had some of the strongest illusionists, with myself aiding them, try to do it... all that happened was headaches all around. But leave the stealth to me, I should be fine.” He's not very graceful, is Svil, but he's hunted enough prey since being sired that he can do well enough. Or at least, he likes to think so. “For your distraction, do what you think is best. Just be warned, if they think an intruder is coming, they will ready their defenses early. But if they're readied in the wrong place, it could work in our favor – a gamble either way, one that you can decide the worth of yourself. I'd not bring you here if I didn't trust your prowess.” Svil tips his hat, before ducking under a low hanging branch as he continues to move forward, seeming uninterested in any landmarks. “We'll be close... it's a pity you lost the pendant, it would aid us in finding each other... but if we're separated after the act, I'll make enough noise for you to find me. Just... don't take too long.” He doesn't need to say such a noise will also attract their enemies.
Kovl shakes his head at Svilfon's last suggestion, but the pixie cannot think of any other solution on how to find each other after the fruit has been plucked. He does smile, however, at Svilfon's decision to trust him with his life. "I'll keep an eye on you, unless your stealth is too quick for me." That line is not meant to mock although sarcasm does come quickly and seemingly naturally from the pixie regularly. Kovl becomes decidedly quiet suddenly as he hears a tiny rustle just ahead of where his vision stops. He holds up a hand though it may be too tiny for the wizard to see unless he was looking up at him. "Something is here." Kovl squints his eyes as he whispers and then stops. So does the rustling. The noise was so faint, even the pixie is unsure what it was, and he even doubts he heard it in the first place. He motions to Svilfon in the direction of the noise, reaches into a pouch at his side and disappears immediately from view to the naked eye, using a trick of invisibility thanks to pixie dust. Kovl bolts forward before outstretching his wings to glide, making the least amount of noise he can as he nears the source.
Svilfon grins at the pixie, uncaring it seems if his words were meant as mockery. The wizard doesn't take himself too seriously, and the words are probably right. He's about to reply before he sees the pixie's hand raise. Instantly he drops down to a knee, making himself as small as possible. His senses are attuned, highly so; not so much his sight and hearing, more those of the archaic variety, seeking sources of magic and power within the thick fog which obscures the view in all directions. He doesn't immediately sense anything, though, other than a slight influx of magic when the pixie vanishes from sight. A fine trick. Not worth sacrificing a hat over, though; not when you're a wizard. Nevertheless, as Kovl moves invisibly forward, Svil begins to move to the side, making little noise, keeping low. Further and further from his companion does he go, until at last, through the trees, he sees what the rustling was. A sentry of sorts for the dryads; it looks like a deer, but far too majestic for the normally hunted and eaten animals. It moves only a little, noise twitching as it seeks out scents amongst the rot and decay of the forest floor, ears moving with it, listening for any sound not dampened by the fog. The wizard knows he cannot move closer for fear of alerting it, so he remains still, letting the pixie deal with it... though, it will not be as easy as a normal deer would: This buck has a huge set of antlers which are viciously sharp, and though the wizard is ignorant of this fact, the antlers also are coated with the sap of a tree within the forest, which means anything they strike will be stuck to it firmly until further help can arrive. As fine a sentry as you could have in the forest.
Kovl intently scans the area immediately in front of him. The form of the sentry is silhouetted against the fog. It is not until the form of the deer is completely revealed to the approaching pixie that he realizes its significance in the forest. Several encounters with dryad acquaintances informs Kovl that such guards exist in their territories. The illusionist has only seen a few of these forest scouts, enough to know deer are not the only ones of its kind. Kovl is not privy to knowing in all certainty a scout such as this is a dryad's ears and eyes, but caution is a great way to err in this situation. A tiny trick, and the pixie will know for sure. A couple of words are mumbled under Kovl's breath: an incantation. A similar rustling seeming to originate from Kovl's far left begins to sound, and the deer's quick auditory senses cause it to look toward that direction with its ears pointed forward. Cautiously, the sentry moves toward the noise. Clearly, it is not easily spooked. Is it a guard? Likely. The pixie counts on the fact that many deer would be quick to move the opposite direction than toward the noise. The pixie turns back to where Svilfon was originally ducked. It takes a couple moments for him to spot the wizard. Kovl blinks into view for the moment, dispelling his invisibility so the wizard may see him. He motions to his eyes, he points to the deer and brings a finger to his lips to indicate stealth is important around this creature.
Svilfon resists the urge to move when he hears another rustle in the trees, caused by the illusionist. But he knows sudden movements will give him away. So he remains still and silent, trusting his companion completely. A wise choice, it seems, as the deer begins to move towards the rustling, rather than the cautionary actions of its more natural kin, which would of course run away. Svil tips his hat to Kovl, assuring him he understands, before he begins to move forward. He's like another shadow, clad in black with his hat obscuring a fair portion of his face. Each footstep is placed with a slowness that is instinctively wrong; he knows the sentry will return shortly, but silence is better than noise forcing it to return immediately. So he moves, placing each foot down, letting the pressure slowly build before his weight is fully transferred and another step can be taken. In this fashion he moves past, using the fog to aid him further. He resists the urge to cast a spell to cause more fog, knowing that though the pixie's magic is somewhat natural, being a creature inherently of magic, the wizard's may be less so. He will not use it until he must. So he utilizes nothing but the gifts given to him by Kasyr until he is certain he's past the immediate danger of being spotted. There he crouches down again, his keen hearing picking up through the fog the faintest sound of females singing in the trees. They were close. But the wizard doesn't wish to move forward again until the pixie is with him; it seems Kovl is quite wise in the ways of the woods, the sublime master will wisely follow rather than lead.
Kovl watches as Svilfon inches his way forward slower than the pixie wishes he could move. With a sense of urgency another rustle, originating from much farther away and through distant fog sounds. The deer sentry leaps toward the source of the sound at a quicker pace, solidifying Kovl's suspicions that it is not its more ordinary kin. Quickly and immediately, Kovl jolts forward, blinking back out of view thanks to his dust. He hears the voices singing faintly in the distance. Dryads. Kovl feels the adrenaline rushing through his veins and arteries and his heart pumps as the two get nearer. The voices of the females stop suddenly, and Kovl dives to the ground, landing softly, but working to forgo any noise caused by his already-nearly silent wings beating. Do they see something? Perhaps the deer is communicating with the protectors of the trees? No visual is obtained yet by the pixie, but the no-longer-singing-but-quietly-whispering dryads can still be lightly heard. Kovl's head swivels and his eyes squint, trying to ascertain the exact location of the potential threats.
Svilfon moves forward with Kovl until he pauses behind a tree where he can look out and see, just before they stop, the dryads singing and dancing. The woman are inhumanly beautiful and seem to be clad in nothing but leaves and random patterns drawn with bark and mud upon their pale skin. None who dwell within the cities of this land could ever consider them 'decently' dressed, but here amongst the forest and trees they seem... perfect. Unlike most sentient creatures in nature, these ones fit so well with their surroundings, appearing more a part of the forest than even the leaves in the trees. But their natural grace stops the moment they do, and though the wizard's hearing is keen, he cannot pick up their whispered words. Were they already alerted? He doesn't know. So all he does is remain motionless once more, before slowly kneeling down and pulling out his wand. He uses it to draw into the mud beneath him a few quick pictures for the pixie. Four circles indicate the dryads, one further off the sentry, plus a few crosses where the wizard assumes other sentries will stand. Behind that, he scribbles the image of a tree, before circling it twice – their quarry. He pauses for a moment in thought, before pushing his wand into the ground on the other side – the message, if Kovl understands, that that's where the wizard thinks he should go and create the distraction, though now they are alerted, he knows it will be far more difficult to draw them away. Kovl will have to be clever, the wizard has no doubts he is. Svil himself will wait here, then move forward to snatch the fruit from the trees, which though not yet visible, he's sure is behind the dryads. They are never far from their trees, unless they must be. After that, the chaos would begin in earnest.
Kovl 's invisible face is consumed by his smile as his eyes lay on the beautiful and minimally dressed dryads. The pixie knows they are asexual, but it does not hurt to wish. He has to force his eyes to peel away from the beautiful sight and onto the wand within the wizard's hand drawing in the dirt. The illusionist nods at the pictures, forgetting a moment that the vampire does not see his sign of understanding. Now it is time to work. The artist places a finger on his chin as he quickly assesses the situation. The dryads already seem to be alerted, and the distraction must be one that draws them away from their trees and not closer to them. Svilfon was right. An illusion of a thief may draw these women near their trees. What Kovl has to create is an image or sound which will draw most if not complete concentration from the dryads. If an intruder, it'd be a relentless one. If a fire, it'd be a threatening and overbearing one. No, no. A distraction which will draw the dryads -away- from the tree is most needed. Scanning the forest, the pixie's eyes lay upon one of the brush below a nearby tree he presumes is not owned by a Dryad, though at times, it can be impossible to tell. Quietly mumbling incantations, the illusionist gathers a visage which will undoubtedly be a curious sight to any forest dwelling creature. A tiny audible squeak sounds from the brush. Rustling. Another squeak. Already, the women collected in a clearing peer toward the source of the sound, tilting their heads. A large egg rolls from the brush and another squeak sounds as the egg begins to crack. A claw and then a head pops from the egg. A tiny, baby dragon whelp cries for its mother, but to no avail. All of this is an illusion, of course, but the pixie hopes that instead of feeling threatened, the dryads would welcome its birth, as confused as they may be at how the egg actually got here.
Svilfon watches from his spot behind the tree as the dryads seem rather interested in the egg which seems to roll out from the thick fog, like it were birthed from the magical mist itself. They talk together further, whispered words too quiet to hear within the muffling forest, before one of them takes half a step closer. This causes the wizard to flash a gap-toothed grin – glad he is he chose Kovl to accompany him, for the pixie is undoubtedly more than just clever - he wills them all to be interested, just barely restraining himself from casting a spell to further push at their curious emotions... but he knows such a spell would betray his location. So he stays silent, still, even as the first one takes a full step closer and begins to humm a quiet, consoling song. Like a lullaby sung while in a mother's embrace, it's designed to comfort, to relax, to assure all is well in the world, that all is safe. The others are clearly interested, but have no yet begun to move forward... nevertheless, trusting now in the pixie, Svil begins to silently move around behind them, taking a rather wide circle to ensure he's not seen or heard. It'd be up to Kovl to keep up the distraction so he can pluck the fruit, but until all the dryads move further away, the wizard knows it's too risky. When in position further behind them, he sees for the first time their trees with the fruit of many hues, of many shapes, none of which dictated by nature's usual desire to spread its seed – these more like the clothes humans would wear, mere reflections of their personality. He is tempted to move forward now, but would wait a moment to see if the pixie has any other tricks before committing himself to the thievery.
Kovl glances quickly toward Svilfon, careful to keep in view his own illusion while finding the wizard. A smile creeps onto his face as the unseen pixie watches the dryads' songs. The trick is working. If anyone were to see this invisible being right now, he or she would see him execute a fistpump in his sense of accomplishment. But the show is not over. The pixie grins at the soothing song, but he only increases the whelp's distress. A shriek rises from its mouth and its claws scratch at the air as if it is panicking and feeling trapped inside the egg's shell. It whimpers, beginning to cry before flopping in it's egg again in fear and wonder at the new world he is exposed to. The invisible pixie's wings take him higher, now at branch height near the targeted tree, planning on plucking his own fruit if Svilfon fails.
Svilfon watches with satisfaction as the dryads begin to move towards the clearly distressed baby dragon, before he himself acts. Though, wearing his hat should make stealth all but impossible, considering its size, the Sublime Master nevertheless manages to be rather unassuming as he stalks forward, weaving through the trees in the thick of the fog like an eldritch spirit. When at last close to the prize, Svil wastes no time – he utilizes all the speed his undeath has granted, which admittedly isn't all that much, to pluck the fruit from the trees and stuff them into his warded bag. Red ones, green ones, blue ones, orange ones; all shapes and sizes shoved into a bag which strangely seems like it shouldn't be able to hold so much, yet manages it without the wizard having to force anything. It does not take long, though, for the vampire to feel the change in the air as he plucks them, the coming fury of the dryads as they realize they were fooled. He does not stop, though... not until he feels the very ground beneath his feet begin to shudder, followed almost immediately by a roar of such titanic rage that a wince is given birth at the same moment the drawstring is pulled shut. He has time to turn and to stare open mouthed at what's in front of him, before a great limb slashes out and slams into the wizard's robed body, sending him hurling through the air. The creature was just moments before one of the large trees of the forest. But now, awakened from its slumber by the dryad's dread, it moves upon many roots which have amalgamated themselves to form four great legs. Its disproportionately long arms have many branches, a large hole high in the bark acts like a mouth, and two smaller ones act as eyes. It's clearly sentient, clearly enraged, and the dryads themselves, after ensuring their trees are safe from further harm, have begun to sing to it, to will it to crush the thieves. What is perhaps most strange, though, is as the wizard lays still on the ground, gathering his bearings as quick as he can, the tree-creature slashes another of its many thick limbs at where the pixie flies. It's careful not to harm the dryad's trees, but clearly whatever strange magic has given it birth is not hindered by Kovl's invisibility. Perhaps because it doesn't see with real eyes, perhaps it can sense the magical creature. Either way, a limb would be slashing the air quickly towards Kovl, and the many, many branches will act much like a fishing net... making simply evading it far more difficult, even for a creature so tiny in comparison...
Kovl nods at Svilfon, forgetting again that the wizard does not see him, as the wizard pulls as much fruit as he can into his runed bag. Smiling, the pixie buzzes toward the dryad's tree to pluck some of his own, but he stops dead in his tracks as he hears the rustling of the sentient tree swinging at the vampire. His head snaps to Svilfon, watching as it moves to hit the wizard. Kovl cries out in warning, his illusion vanishing before the dryads in an instant blink. The winged creature immediately senses a disturbance in the air as a second swing lashes out to him. Hearing and feeling the air around the protector's strike before seeing it, the pixie pulls his wings to his body and plummets to the earth, narrowly missing the lowest of the tree's finger-like limbs. Kovl's wings snap open, catching his body and causing him to glide toward the dryads. He gazes at the aggressive foe towering above him. 'Did the tree see me?' he wonders. Immediately glancing at the direction he was headed, his gliding takes him within feet of the closest dryad unintentionally. Gasping, Kovl turns, darting away from the dryads and the tree as quickly as he can. A quick second is taken to hover as he scans the forest through the haze toward where Svilfon's body went flying.
Svilfon spends a longish moment gathering his wits, before he pulls himself back to his feet with a groan of agony. Bruised and battered he may be, but not broken yet – and perhaps most importantly of all, the bag he holds wasn't crushed. He looks around, trying in vain to find the pixie before realizing he's invisible, until he is forced to act. The great tree-like creature has begun to thunder towards him and the wizard knows he has to act quick. So he does the only thing he can think of in his slightly dazed state. He yells, “Catch!” to the air, before hurling the bag as high as he can – his hope that the pixie will catch it. But that hope doesn't live long in his mind. He focuses on the titanic tree bearing down upon him, even as he raises his wand towards it. “Oi, you hunk of rotting bark!” words simply to ensure he has its attention, “Eat this!” As if these words were some archiac spell, from the tip of the wizard's wand comes forth a torrent of fire. It's his magic without bounds, without real form; simply a stream of heat and force, unleashed from the powerful master of the Guild. It strikes the tree with tremendous strength, and though any normal plant would be consumed in mere moments, this one resists rather admirably. It struggles forward as the wizard unleashes more and more of his magic; something he rarely does. He prefers people not to know how powerful he is, but he cannot restrain himself now. The fog begins to clear as its burned away, trees on either side of the two combatants burst into flame, causing the dryads to cry in fear. He is deadlocked here, keeping the tree at bay, keeping the attention upon himself, hoping the pixie has the bag, is safe, and perhaps can aid him, before he's forced to burn down half the forest.
Kovl does not pinpoint the exact location of the wizard until he yells his command to catch the runed bag. The pixie's primary focus now is on the bag tossed aimlessly into the air, up and behind the wizard. Quickly, Kovl darts toward it, ignoring the surprised shouts of the dryads beside him, but as soon as the prized target completes its arch in the air and begins to fall to the earth, Kovl knows the bag will be impossible to intercept. It disappears from view behind the wizard and hidden in the fog. The wizard's blast of fire and heat light the air for a moment, causing the pixie is spot movement at the corner of his vision. A familiar silhouette of a deer appears beyond the haze, dashing toward where the wizard tossed the fruit. The sentry... It's rushing to steal the bag! The race with gravity has now become a race with a quicker foe. "Behind you!" Kovl's tiny voice can be heard in front and to the right of the wizard, near the dryads which are now rushing toward the fruit-bearing tree. A familiar spell is cast as Kovl moves to the prize. A visage of a wall, constructed of stone blinks into existence in an attempt to cut the deer sentry from the bag. Thinking quickly while the sentry stops confused in its tracks, the pixie ascends toward the treetops to pluck another fruit, but a barrier of the dryad's creation suddenly appears, causing Kovl to clumsily crash and tumble toward the ground. The stone wall vanishes with the break of the illusionist's focus, and the sentry moves to the bag as the pixie catches himself with outstretched wings.
Svilfon hears the words of the pixie despite the roar of his magical fires, and lets out a, “By the balls of Sven himself...” He glances back, but is unable to see through the fog which gathers outside the reach of the fire's heat. Nevertheless, the wizard assumes something is going for the bag that clearly Kovl couldn't catch. Once again the wizard curses, this time about the thief who stole the pendant, this would be a lot easier if Kovl still had it!- Svil could track him easily. So he does the only thing he can. He enacts magic he has only done once before, speaking through a complicated spell rather quickly, recklessly, before he lets go his wand. The Xalious wood, so powerful, acts now as the fuel to keep the fires burning, without Svil needing to concentrate on it. It is a tricky thing to do, and only those who truly understand the nature of Xalious himself, his tree, and its ties to the world, can master it. But Svil knows these things well enough. It would work. With the fires burning themselves, a shade more wildly than before, causing more trees to erupt into flame around them, the wizard turns and sprints into the woods. He is struck by branches, normal ones ran into, he stumbles more than once and almost loses another tooth as he staggers into a tree, before at the last he sees the triumphant stag pick up the bag in its mouth. With a curse, the wizard leaps forward, wrapping both his hands around the antlers even as his legs wrap around the creature's body. With a start it begins to leap and run, straight back towards the clearing where the dryads are moving now towards Kovl, if he's not yet flown into the sky. They are wary of the fires, for sure... but they sensed Kovl striking their barrier... there is an animalistic murder in their once pretty eyes.
Kovl admires Svilfon's power, and a quick sense of relief washes over him as the wizard grabs hold of the stag which tries to pull at Svilfon. The pixie is quick to cast a near duplicate of stone wall spell he attempted before, only this time, both the wizard and the stag are the target. A curious stone box, resembling a fortress, solid and enclosed in every side, appears around Svilfon and the stag if neither do anything to escape it. The purpose of the fortress is twofold: to keep the stag from escaping with the bounty, and to keep the foes away from the wizard. The pixie only hopes the stag will not maul the wizard within the illusion. The two would only be imprisoned within the box if their mind conceives the walls as reality. The pixie would laugh at the idea of his victims being trapped only by their own minds, but there is no time to laugh. The dryads rush toward the pixie. A pulse of natural magic flows through his arm as he reaches into a pouch at his side, activating a dust he feels he has to use. Tossing a few handfuls toward the approaching dryads, Kovl darts toward the fortress in an attempt to escape. If the pixie dust makes contact with the dryads, they would feel as if their skin is burning, their nerve endings emitting an ever-intense pain which would hopefully stop them in their tracks.
Svilfon is not fooled by the illusion the pixie cast around himself and the stag, because he is well aware of Kovl's prowess. But the stag on the other hand is entirely fooled. It stops, surprised, before exploding into bucks and bumps, twists and turns, trying to throw Svilfon off its back, or at the least push him forward with enough momentum to impale him on the antlers. The wizard refuses to be shaken, though; he holds on with grim determination, not even having the ability to reach forward and try to wrestle the bag from its mouth. This carries on until the dryads scream out in pain. The roaring fires, the damage to their trees when the fruit was plucked, their great creature now beginning to properly burn beneath the barrage of fires the wizard and his wand do cast... it's too much. They yell, a lamenting sound filled with agony; like the death throes of prey before the predator pounces. This causes the stag to lowers its head and charge at the wall, trying to bust free of it with sheer strength, which it manages to do without any resistance at all. Off balance, it stumbles and the wizard is crushed beneath it, but still he won't let go. He wrestles it as best he can, holding it with all his strength, keeping it still, even as he cries as loud as he can, hopefully louder than the dryads do. “Come, Kovl! Take.. the... bag...” The wizard twists the neck around as he struggles against the powerful animal. Svil knows that the time to flee is upon them... the distractions, the fires, the chaos, the pain from the pixie dust... it was a perfect time to make an exit, but first they needed the bag.
Kovl glances back at the dryads, crying in pain, but the pixie knows that it is only a matter of time before they begin to retaliate. Svilfon and Kovl cannot stay here long, and to this the two already have a similar thought pattern. The pixie has no problem hearing the wizard's call as he is diving toward the struggle over the bag of fruit. Another pulse of natural magic activates another powder from one of the eight attached at his side. Svilfon's resistance and the stag's refusal to release the satchel makes the stag an easy target for the sleeping powder the pixie slaps onto its side. Immediately, falling into a slumber, the stag releases the fruit to the forest floor. The scenary in flames around Kovl and Svilfon may leave the poor sentry to its death, but the pixie cannot think much of it. The satchel begins to shrink as it's placed in Kovl's own magical bag, disappearing from sight while the pixie and his accoutrements are still invisible to the naked eye. "Come on!" A quick survey of the area will reveal the dryads, in extreme fury beginning weaving magic through pained expressions. Roots from nearby trees snake from the ground and rush toward the wizard in an attempt to ensnare him.
Svilfon snarls, “Fly high, get to Alahir, I'll meet you shortly!” After pulling himself back to his feet, the wizard keeps his grip upon the antlers. “If I do not calm some of this, half the bloody forest will burn down, and I'll have dryads hunting me all my days.” That said, he begins to drag the sentry across the ground, away from the fires. Whether it's an altruistic act to save its life, or whether he simply doesn't wish to add to the dryads' rage... that's not clear. When he thinks it'll be safe for a while, he speaks a quick harsh word, causing his wand to vanish, which puts out the torrent of fire, before it appears again in his grasp. “Now listen here,” his voice thunders through the area, even as roots begin to snake up and entangle his feet, before moving up his legs. “If you pursue, I will kill you all. If,” his words stop as the vines climb up his body and begin to seek his neck, but he doesn't bother to stop them, instead he lets his words start up again, ringing with magic strength far beyond just this area of the forest. “...if you carry on this way, you will die. You lost nothing of worth this day.” He winces at the state of the tree creature, it's clear it will not survive. “Well... not too many things of worth. Be thankful. But if you do seek revenge... I am Svilfon, I am not hard to find.” This was more to aid his accomplice than anything, the last thing the wizard wants is them coming after Kovl. But that was all he had to say, other than a few muttered words which cause the fires burning in the trees to rush towards him, burn away the roots trapping him, before the wizard seems to suck in all the fires and use their strength to vanish from the forest floor. He appears again high in the sky, drawn to Alahir's pscionic signal. Upon his back he lands, before he slumps down with a weary sigh, hoping Kovl made it after all.
Kovl 's watches in horror as the roots begin to reach Svilfon, and the wizard seems to do nothing about it. The pixie ascends into the sky, but not so high that he is out of sight of the wizard in case further aid is needed. A brief moment of indecision is overcome by Svilfon's thunderous confidence despite the climbing roots. The illusionist spots Alahir approaching and quickly dispels his invisibility, waving toward the couatl and latching onto him as he approaches. The pixie blinks when Svilfon disappears, and his gaze snaps to him as the wizard lands on his mount with the pixie. A broad, knowing smile crosses the pixie's face as he watches the Sublime Master. He snatches Svilfon's bag from his own satchel and tosses it to the wizard. The tiny bag grows to its original size in midair before reaching Svilfon. Kovl looks down at the scene left behind, whistling at the destruction below them.
Svilfon catches the bag with a grin at the pixie, one which flashes his gaps and fangs in equal measure... only now there is some soot on said fangs, making him look even more toothless than he actually is. “That could have been worse... well...” the wizard leans over and winces for a third time at the destruction, before the fogs begin to crawl back and obscure it from view, “... it could have been worse for us.” He tips his hat with his free hand, his Xalious wand having vanished back to its hiding place during the teleportation. “You performed as well as I thought you would, Kovl. I am in your debt.” He nods, even as he absently pets Alahir, answering the silent pscionic question of, ~Are you in my debt too?~ It's an ambiguous answer, though – the two, couatl and vampire, will discuss it at length later. “If you require me for anything, just ask.” He eyes the pixie in silence for a moment, even as they begin to soar back towards Xalious. “I knew you would be a wise companion. You proved me right. Thank you.” He offers Kovl a half-bow of respect; a rare gesture of high praise from the wizard.
Kovl reclines his head against the couatl's scaly neck and smiles at the wizard's praise. "Thank you, Svilfon." A pause. "May I ask now what the fruit is for?" Part of the pixie knows he should accept the praise in a dignified way, treating the wizard as a professional partner and instructor, but Kovl's rigid self-consciousness in this moment is thrown out after only a minute. Like a child, the pixie bursts out in glee and excitement. "Did you see the look on those dryad's faces when they realized they were duped?? And the tree sentry! It scared me half to death! Nearly split me in half..." Kovl continues recalling the events that just happened as adrenaline moves through his body. On the ride back, such debriefing would occur sporadically, and moments of quiet only lasted minutes before the pixie remembers another detail. As they near Xalious and the stories become exhausted, the outbursts become fewer and less frequent. This grin cannot be wiped from Kovl's face.
Svilfon decides to answer Kovl's question at the last, he had earned that much at least. “I am creating a dye for Satoshi, one magical in nature, to imbue colours for an arcane tattoo she intends to get. Its specifics I cannot really go into, that is Satoshi's secret not mine. But rest assured, our work this day was vital for one as ever-vain as the One Lesson lady.” The wizard grins at that, before falling silent. As the pixie discusses the day's actions, the wizard answers with stories of his own, from the pain of trying to wrestle a magical stag, to the agony of actually being hit by the tree-creature! They share stories back and forth throughout the flight, and as it quietens down towards Xalious, the wizard's grin is a mirror of Kovl's own. It was a fine day's work the two did. Though, he cannot wait to get back to the Mage's Tower, which is just now coming into view, and rest. His body is bruised, but it was worth it. All for the bag he still holds in his hand... a fine day's work, indeed.
Kovl tilts his head at Svilfon's reply, nodding at the mention of Satoshi. "One Lesson lady?"
Svilfon grins a crooked grin. "Hopefully, you never learn the answer to that question."
Kovl smiles. "If Satoshi is the One Lesson lady, then I would hope I wouldn't have to see the answer."
Kovl smiles. "If Satoshi is the One Lesson lady, then I would hope I wouldn't have to see the answer." Kovl chuckles.
Svilfon nods his head, but doesn't otherwise answer. Kovl could find more concrete answers around the Guild, though - the legend of Satoshi's apprentices vanishing is rather well known. But that was a story for another day. Now they are almost back at the Tower, it was time for rest. After, of course, the wizard had thanked Kovl once more, and reminded him if he has need of the wizard, he has to just ask.
Kovl thanks the wizard. "You may count this as a favor, or you may count this as simply recovering what you lost, but will you aid me in finding that thief that poisoned me?"
Svilfon nods again as he gets off Alahir's back, having landed beside the tower. "That I will, Kovl. I will not allow my property to be stolen. You can rest assured we will get revenge for that... I will not seek said revenge without you with me. But for now, Arcane Steward Kovl, I need to rest. Thank you again for your aid, it shall not be forgotten."
Kovl nods to the wizard and smiles. "Thank you too. Rest well."
Kovl dismounts Alahir, places a hand on his neck and says, "Farewell to you as well, and thank you." The pixie starts for the tower.
Svilfon grins, "You too." With that, he turns and walks back to the tower. Behind him, Alahir, after a pscionic thank you to the pixie, spreads his wings and flies back towards Frostmaw.