RP:Forgive Maureen

Part of the Rise of Larket Arc

Summary: Valen is mad. He comes to the headmaster of The Academy of Magics after learning that academy alumni were part of the attack in Xalious on Lionel, Krice, and Stroud. Percival calms the vampire and enlists his unique abilities in the treatment of the culprits should they be found.

Larket: The Academy of Magics

Valen had spent most of the afternoon helping someone who had been injured, but had made his way back to the Academy with heavy footfalls as he marched right through the doors with a murderous glare. Someone had better have answers for him and he knew the only person who he even trusted now, would hopefully be in his office. With a sharp rap on the door with his knuckles, as he was most certainly not going to be going to the King about this yet, he would await Percival to open his door. Larketian students...attacking Krice? Preposterous. They had to have been imposters, as all of his students thus far were brand spanking new. He was going to get to the bottom of this, one way or the other, and he would see the ones responsible pay dearly for putting the Academy's reputation at risk.

Percival, upon opening his door via magical means while sitting behind his desk, immediately sees that Valen is upset. He hears the vampire out and attempts to calm him without knowing previously of the situation which the instructor speaks about. He explains that while he doesn't believe any of the current students could be behind the attack, perhaps graduates participating in the Kingsguard program may be to blame. This is disturbing all the same, Percy admits, but if his belief that those responsible are close to the king, then he can almost completely forgive them due to the maddening effect Macon appears to have, which the headmaster has previously confided in Valen about. “I don't believe this will put your mind at ease, but I hope that you may be able to forgive them. I am sure repercussions are going to be handed down from the King as well…”

Valen would look at Percival with a raised eyebrow. "Of course I can forgive them, the ones that are dead and the ones that survived, but..." With a sigh he honestly did not know where to go from there. This whole thing was more complicated than it seemed, and idly he wondered if he had the stomach or the fortitude to even carry on in it. War was war, but he did not ever believe that for a second, he would be involved in such a way. "Forgive me Percival, I did not mean to intrude." would be said almost monotone. With a somber look, the Vampire would rise from his seated position "I hope you enjoy the bauble I left on your desk, I did not know what else to do with it." With that, he would turn to leave, ultimately assuming he had simply wasted a friend's time in matters that he himself did not know about personally, only details from an injured friend.

Percival frowns slightly at Valen’s loss for words to describe how he feels about Maureen and Gwen’s, (it would seem that the vampire didn't even know the identity of those involved in the attack, and neither does Percy, though he has a chance at guessing at least), participation in instigating conflict with Frostmaw. When the instructor gets up to leave and mentions the gift he left for the headmaster, Percival’s eyes widen, “Ah!” and he pushes his chair out slightly so that he can bend down in his seat and pluck something off the ground where his feet had been and place it on the desk. It is the magical mistake Valen had gifted him. “Yes. This is quite something. The magic within is intriguingly chaotic.” He does not dare to dive into detail in the explanation of why it is on the ground, but he says, “It is almost too distracting, so I had to leave it down there to work.” In reality, the faint magic given off by the object that only Percy appears able to see seems to be heavier than air and sinks to the bottom of the room. In Percival’s view the item, when placed on the ground, has the effect of a fog machine, causing a low hanging cloud of arcane energy to blanket the surface of the floor. He has a thought while staring into the sparking flame of the crystal and perks up, “Valen. Do you think, if we are able to get ahold of one of the mages that was involved in the attack, that you could use your magic to see exactly what happened? It may help in finding a solution to The King’s affliction…”

Valen most certainly had not gotten a name from the one who had attacked, and had come to Percival straight away after learning of it. He stopped once he heard an item being placed on the desk, and turned his head over his shoulder to look at what it was wistfully. "I'm glad you kept it, but I am sorry that it was distracting." He knew the man meant well at his words, and really he was flattered that the gift was so enamouring. At the suggestion of using his particular brand, and specialty, of power...The elf would give a perhaps surprising shrug. "I certainly could, I could certainly see what they -remember-. That is not always the truth, though I am certainly able to tell if something has been tampered with at any rate. I warn you though Percival..." and here was where he showed once more his more serious side, forlorn expressions gone as he stood still and stoic as stone. "It can be quite frightening, seeing how it looks when I do this. It will also leave my body vulnerable while my consciousness alone goes into their mind to find what it is I am looking for. I will need you, because I trust you implicitly, to be near by while this happens. I trust you to make sure no harm or interruption comes to pass, just as I would trust my closest friend. Can you do that for me?"

Percival nods subtly and adopts a faint smile. Of course he would make a point to be present whether Valen requested it or not. The chance to see such magic put into practice was enough to get him interested. “Yes. I wouldn't have it any other way,” the headmaster answers, confident in his own ability to keep the vampire safe while in a compromised position. “I will not be frightened, and I assure no harm will come to you under my watch. From anyone.” Those last words are said with something more than confidence; ferocity. It is an uncommon look for the blonde elf, but should serve to show that he means what he says absolutely. “I am sure those responsible will be found soon. I will contact you when the time comes for you to do this…” he concludes while the hard look disappears from his face and he is distracted by some out of place wisp of arcane energy that floats through the room and passes through walls…

Valen was appreciative, nigh, grateful, for his headmaster and former student. If only the elf knew as well how much he appreciated feeling safe, feeling protected meant to him, he may have chosen his words perhaps a bit more carefully. It was not the fact that he was upset with how it was worded, but again how he took it to heart...and the type of safety he felt at those words. "I am certain that you will defend me no matter what Percival, and that means to me more than you could ever imagine. I feel the same towards you." As he turns to leave, certain that the business is concluded, he would catch the man's eyes. Acting quick, he would stretch out his hands to where the eyes were pointed, extend his index finger, and shadows from all corners would start to swirl and try to encapsulate just what he had been sure, was the invisible essence of a magic that only Percival could see. He was not about to take any chances that it was what ensorceled the king possibly, as he would NOT be letting it influence his close friend, not today. Only Percival would be able to tell him whether he completed the task or not.