RP:Maddening Magics And Melee, Part 1

Part of the Do You Believe In Magic? Arc

Summary: Having made the decision to have a friendly spar in preparation for the future encounter with Raiez, the couple set out in the early morning in Frostmaw to find the perfect spot in wilderness that didn't have much traffic. Dominic is as unsure as ever about his magic, and while Khitti tries to help as best as she can, things don't exactly pan out as things should have.

Amazing View

Morning dawned, and the pair sought out a place for Dominic to work on his magic and possibly spar, as promised. He led the way, meandering through streets, dodging debris from the destruction of war until they’d reached the outskirts of the city; roads became snowy paths and they began to slip through trees and brambles instead of alleyways. Dominic was unusually quiet, even for him -- except where it was necessary to communicate some hazard on their journey, he was keeping his thoughts to himself. Did he even had a particular spot in mind, or was he just leading them aimlessly until they stumbled upon something suitable? Even that, he wasn’t sharing. It wasn’t until they’d come upon this cliffside overlooking the village of Xalious that he slowed, first peering over the edge and then whirling around to survey their surroundings more thoroughly. The snow was undisturbed except for their own footprints, and it seemed unlikely that anyone else would end up coming this way -- good. The treeline wavered before breaking entirely, leaving a few scattered pines to jut out on their own -- suitable cover, if it was needed. A house-sized outcropping of stone rose up above the rest, providing an even higher vantage point if it was needed, and a ways further out to the northwest, a small frozen pond could be found in the crater of what might have been a particularly large giant’s footprint at one point. “I don’t think we’ll find anywhere better…” Dominic murmured at last, as much to himself as to anyone else.

Khitti studied Dominic quietly as she followed along behind him. His silence worried her somewhat, and she wondered if perhaps he was still panicking about possibly hurting her. When they finally came to a halt and he broke the silence, she'd take his hand finally and pull him close, "Are you going to tell me vhat's vrong first before ve do zhis? Or are you going to continue to keep to yourself?" Not that she was any better the majority of the time and probably would likely continue to do that because she's just as stubborn as he is. Her arms slip around his waist, beneath that entirely too large coat of his, clinging to him as if she'd absorb all of his warmth for herself.

“Wrong?” Dominic definitely looked like he was about to deny anything being off with him, the way his eyebrows raised innocently. His gaze fled from Khitti and ran back across the forest they’d left behind, those few seconds taken to weigh what he should or shouldn’t say. “...No, it’s n-nothing much, only… I guess… I guess I’m nervous.” And ‘nervous’ was an understatement, in truth. His mind was shouting at him all the things that could possibly go wrong, and more that might -im-possibly go wrong, besides -- and it was a miracle he’d even made it here without having come up with some excuse to turn around and head back for the inn and the safety of that cozy bed and the warmth of its many blankets. Well, a miracle named Brand, maybe. The man was creating just as much noise in that head of theirs as Dominic’s anxiety, trying to drown it out but mostly only succeeding in creating enough chaos for Dominic to have made it here as if he were one of Odhranos’ golems, piloted as if by some outside will.

Khitti sighed softly, hugging him tightly before pulling away and taking a few steps back. "Vell, stop it." Her tone was somewhat stern, but in a sort of joking manner. "Come on, now. How do you vant to do zhis? You're zhe one zhat's been sparing recently. Vhat do you vant me to do? Vhat vorks best for you? Zhis is all about you, you know. I vant you to get better." ~Because I can't and I desperately need your help~, she considered saying, but thought better of it and kept it to herself. She removes her still tattered duster and tosses it to the side, letting it sink into the snow. She looked so odd out here in that black dress of hers and boots and nothing more, but thankfully one of the many perks of being undead was that she'd never get cold.

Dominic bit at a lip and wrung his hands from inside his sleeves. “I don’t -- I don’t know. I’ve been trying to figure that out this whole time. But this isn’t like the other times I’ve sparred. Brand knows what he’s doing even if I don’t. And the illusion is … hard to explain, but that’s still more him than me. -I-,” he emphasized the word with a pivot, so he could stare down into Xalious once again, “don’t know how to do anything, really, at least not on purpose. I can try, but… I don’t know what I’ll get out of the attempt. Nothing, probably.” If he was lucky, he thought.

Khitti tilts her head to the side, watching him, knowing full well what his anxiety level must be like. She was Queen of Anxiety 'round these parts, you know. "Okay. Try zhis. Use your surroundings. You've got snow right beneath your feet. Pick up a bit of it and try to turn it to solid ice. You've got to start somewhere." Seemingly restless, she takes to circling about him slowly, "If anger is vhat sets off zhe fire, zhen vhat of ice? You need to be cool, calm, and collected. You need to focus your mind and get rid of zhose vorries zhat I know are up zhere. It's you and me alone together and nothing is going to go vrong." She completes her circuit, but continues on with another lap. "Zhink about how cold you'd be vithout zhat coat on. Actually feel zhe cold. Not just on zhe surface." It was odd how she could attempt to instruct him on the finer points of magic using, yet she couldn't even manage her own. Perhaps all of that studying actually came in handy.

Dominic snorted out a laugh. “I’m not quite convinced I know -how- to be calm, Khitti.” But… it was worth a shot. Despite his words, he did as instructed, scooping up a handful of the snow and using the ends of his sleeves as protection against the chill in lieu of gloves. After one more worried glance at the vampiress, he drilled his gaze into it, twisting it and molding it into a solid sphere. A minute passed in silence, and then a second, before he sighed in frustration. “Look, Khitti, if we’re supposed to be sparring, the most I’m probably going to be able to do is just --” he cut himself off, demonstrating rather than explaining, lobbing the snowball in an arc aimed directly at the crown of her head.

Khitti watched as that snowball closed in on her personal space. With those oh so lovely reflexes of hers, she manages to swat the ball out of the air, a slight frown creasing her lips. "You're not trying. I really didn't vant to have to be mean to you, you know." She takes a step and disappears into a blur, soon reappearing behind him. "Come on. Use your magic and try to hit me." Attempting to upset him a little, to get his mind off his worries, she shoves him in the back somewhat, then disappears again, only to show up again in front of him, both hands planting themselves on his shoulders to push him backwards. "Come onnnn. Just hit me vith something."

Dominic tried to keep his sight on her, but quickly gave up and gave a resigned gaze to the sky instead. “It’s not that I’m not trying! I just don’t know where to start and nothing anyone’s suggested has proven useful. You’d think Brand would know the right instructions to give, if anyone would…” He ducked to dodge her next push, and in the same motion rolled to his left. From his crouch, he gathered up another handful of snow before glancing back up at the spot he’d vacated and, presumably, Khitti. “I could try again, but…” He shrugged, already having convinced himself the whole endeavor was useless.

"Instructing and teaching isn't Brand's zhing. You know zhat better zhan I. Even if he did try, he'd likely get too frustrated and feel zhe need to punch zhings again. If it vasn't for zhe fact zhat I know him and have spoken vith him, and know zhat he's a part of you, zhen I'd say he's all muscle and no brains." She grinned mischievously, darting off again as he turns to face her. She appears again in front of him, promptly pouncing him carefully into the snow, kissing him, and heading off again. She comes to a halt near the cliff's edge, emerald eyes staring over the side. "You know, if you vere able to figure it out, you'd have me at a serious disadvantage. I can't use my magic against you. It's too corrosive and too intrusive. Besides, I know you can do it." She looks over her shoulder at him, that happy smile he had become accustomed to with her shining for him again, "I zhink you're afraid. Maybe because of how harsh Brand has been over zhe years?" Khitti shrugs, turning back to eye the scenery, "I vouldn't vorry about zhat. He did vhat he had to, to protect you. He may not have done it in zhe right vay, but if he hadn't...ve vouldn't have ever met." She scrunches up her nose a bit, "But...I'm getting off topic." She turns to completely face him now, another shrug, her attention focusing on the ground, "If zhere's anything zhat I believe in above all others, it's you, you know. I told Brand zhat in zhe beginning. I know you're going to become a great mage some day. So...just...believe in yourself too, okay?"

Dominic picked himself up out of the snow and brushed himself off before turning toward her. “Afraid? ...Probably.” He moved to hold her close, as if he could protect her from the chill. As if she -needed- protecting. “I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense. The other times… I think I was afraid then, too. So, you’d think that would make this -easier-, if anything.” A kiss reached her lips, then another. It was a shame they’d not simply come here to share a romantic moment, he thought -- the view was perfect for it. Being here to try to fight almost put a damper on things; never mind that it was as much his idea as hers. “Actually, come to think of it, figuring out that illusion of Brand worked that way, too. I eventually kind of figured out the right… feeling to get in my gut to have him appear, I guess is the best way I could describe it, but before that he would just pop up briefly when something startled me or when I was in danger. You remember when we met?” His gaze drifted off the edge of the cliff again. “Like that.” A chuckle. “Maybe you need to threaten me with another arrow to the face.” It was an idea, sure, but he didn’t sound very serious about it.

A 'hmm' passed Khitti's lips as she listened to him, accepting his kisses and returning them in kind. "I see. So...some kind traumatizing event to stir your magic?" She pulls him into a dance position, taking the lead. "I zhink I can do zhat." There's a bit of twirling and of course dancing, the vampiress' actions seemingly harmless as she attempts to distract and enchant him, trying to keep him from realizing her plan. Then, without warning and very close to the edge, she spins him out over the edge, as if nothing was wrong, though she kept quite a hold on his hand. Her other free hand reaches out to the closest tree, tendrils snaking out from her fingertips to latch onto the tree and dig in deep, using it like an anchor to keep them both from falling over the side. They were absolutely, perfectly fine. Not that he'd likely think that considering the fact that she held him over the side in such a way that he'd not be able to climb back up.

Dominic knew Khitti well enough to be mildly suspicious, at least at first. “This isn’t really the place for dancing,” he’d protested, weakly, though he made no move to stop their waltz -- too relieved was he to procrastinate further on this whole magic business. And any excuse to stare into her eyes was an -especially- welcome distraction, one he was swept into all too easily. Those beautiful green eyes that gazed up at him lovingly were so captivating, he could almost -- but Dominic didn’t have time to finish the thought, because it went careening off the edge of the cliff at the same time he did. Sure enough, in the instant he fell a small ledge formed underneath him -- the rocky cliffside extended just enough for the barest of footholds. And he dangled there, the toe of one boot braced against that ridge, his hand gripping Khitti’s as tightly as he could, his face frozen in shock and his heart pounding in his ears.

It's quite possible that the vampiress had never grinned so much in her entire life as she was right now. "See? I've totally got your back, my love. Nothing to vorry about." She lets a bit more of the tendrils out, allowing her to hang over the side a bit more and look down beneath him. "And, it seems to have vorked, I zhink." The grin never sways, her dark eyes sparkling with mischievousness as she continues to lower him until his feet properly touch the ridge he had made. "I'm surprised Brand didn't decide to come out and help, to be honest. I guess zhat means he trusts me now, yes?"

“I… you… what?” It was possible to watch the gears turning in Dominic’s head, that slow realization of what had happened, that he had been the one to make that shelf he now stood on, that she must have -planned- it. And his expression went cold as he stared up at her and the revelations dawned. “Not funny, Khitti. And I didn’t mean to actually go and -do- something like that.” He had half a mind to stay down there now, to try to expand the ledge enough that he could sit on it and sulk down where she couldn’t follow. The only thing stopping him was that he still didn’t think he could do such a thing on purpose, and furthermore, he didn’t trust the ledge to hold even if he -could- make it. Instead, he scanned the cliff above him until he found a suitable handhold, and then another, and he scrambled up and over the edge until he could stalk straight past Khitti, arms folded and countenance just as sour as anything Brand could ever manage.

Khitti's brows knitted together as he climbed up and stomped past her, all of that roguishness that had been there moments ago draining from her face. The tendrils dissapated, her arms dropping to her sides. "D-Dominic? But..." A frown alights her features, the urge to defend herself bubbling forth, but with a defeated tone to accompany it. "I vas just trying to help...I vasn't going to let you get hurt..." The vampiress sighs, her emerald gaze drifting towards the snow beneath her. Somewhat frustrated by the situation, she kicks a bit of the snow to the side with the side of her boot, a scowl briefly replacing the frown as she turns back to look over the side of the cliff, muttering to herself, "Vonderful."

Dominic sighed in turn before pivoting back around to face the vampiress. He didn’t -want- to waste time in anger at her… and now he felt guilty for ever getting angry at all. “No… I -- I know that. It’s not -- you meant well. I know that. I -know- that. But I don’t --” He grunted in frustration; he didn’t have the words to properly express himself right now, not with the chaotic whirl of emotions he was experiencing. He flopped down on his back in the snow rather than try to say anything else, one hand raised to the sky. He stared up at it as he turned it, flexed the fingers, twisted at the wrist, all as if he was examining it for the first time. “...That was really me…?”

Khitti rested her left hand on the upper portion of her right arm, rubbing it idly in thought. It was almost as if she were cold, but obviously, that wasn't the case. "Yes, Dominic. It vas you. I've been here and zhere vas no such formation zhere before." She pivots around, throwing her hands up in the air, "I don't know vhat to do zhen. I tried. It may have not been zhe best vay, but I tried." Still not entirely convinced that he had forgiven her. Another moment of thought is given until finally she says, "Use your fire. You need to get angry and use it. Now. Just...don't actually hit me vith it. I'd prefer if you didn't." She gets into a sort of fighting stance, one that looked like she'd be able to use it to dodge out of the way of any oncoming fireballs. "And I mean it. Use your fire. It'll be fine.", the vampiress sounding like she might be out of options at this point. She couldn't use her magic against him, but at least she could run fast.

Dominic ’s hand dropped limply out to the side before he picked his head up just long enough to catch a glimpse of Khitti. “I don’t want to,” he muttered, petulantly. There, he’d said it, that thought that had been lurking in his subconscious this whole time. “I didn’t ask for this. I don’t want this. I don’t want to be like Brand and I don’t want to fight anything and I wish I didn’t have anything so I wouldn’t feel obligated to figure out how to use it.” He sweeped up some of the snow in his hands, squeezed it into his fists, let it melt in the warmth of his palms and let the slush dribble back down to the ground. “I just wish the whole thing would go away, and I’d find some -normal- way to help out in Frostmaw or something.”

Khitti's position eased a bit, a scowl finding her lips, "Zhen vhy didn't you say so in zhe first place, Dominic?" She mirrored his attitude, hands planting on her hips now, "Seriously. I have zhings I could be doing. Places to scout out. A -dragon- to find. I didn't ask you to help. You remember zhis, yes? You begged to let me let you help." A hand motions towards the city, "Go back to zhe tavern, Dominic. Go back to letting Brand do all zhe damn fighting zhen. I don't give a damn. I'll find Raiez and kill her myself." Much like him, she'd start storming off, but instead of heading towards the city, the vampiress intended to go deeper into the wilderness for now, her boots carefully trudging through the snow past him.

Dominic almost let her leave. It would have been so easy. Maybe it wasn’t too late for him to run, to disappear and find somewhere new, far away where maybe there wasn’t a -need- for fighting (and never mind that Brand almost certainly wouldn’t tolerate such a thing very well; Dominic would wrestle him into going along with it somehow, dammit). But, no. It wasn’t a realistic option, and he knew it. There was no choice to be made here. There was no such place, not that he knew of, and there was too much here for him to abandon, anyway, and he cared too much about that vampiress that was currently fuming away from him. So instead he called out to her, eyes pleading, begging her to stay a while longer. “Khitti…” He’d press through this eventually. He had no other choice. And, after all, it would be easier -with- her, wouldn’t it?

Khitti walked a bit further, even after he pleaded with her, though she eventually came to a halt. She knew something like this was going to happen. Maybe not this exact scenario, but -something- was going to happen that was going to make her realize she should've kept this whole debacle to herself, that she should find Raiez and hopefully the mages on her own. With her back still facing towards him, she'd stare at the ground, her line of sight glancing across all of the undisturbed snow ahead of her. "I can't help you, but I tried at least. I honestly don't know vhat I vas zhinking. I can't even help myself. If you -do- vant to get better, zhen you need to go find zhat Odhranos guy again. You're better of sticking vith zhem anyway." Her hands curled into fists as she spoke. Her frustration only worsened as moments passed. She had wanted to be the one to help him, to be a little less of a failure, but it was clear to her now that it wasn't going to happen.

“Khitti,” Dominic repeated, a little louder now, a little more firmly. He sat up, legs still splayed before him, one hand reaching out for her. For a moment he wished he had tendrils of his own to cross the distance and pull her back with. “Please. I’m sorry. Please stay. I-it’s nothing wrong with you. -I’m- the screw up here. I shouldn’t be so -- so --” He shrugged, another groan of frustration passing his lips and hanging frigid in the air. “You’re right. Brand is right. I’ll... I’ll try again. Just… please don’t leave.”

Khitti turned around, but she didn't move closer to him. "No. You're not zhe screw up, Dominic. No matter how much you zhink you are." Her right hand juts out, motioning to the edge of the cliff, "You still did something. You vere able to make even zhat tiny bit of progress. It is so much more zhan I have done in zhe past eight years." Her hands clench into fists again. "Don't ever say zhat around me again. You can still do zhings. I -can't-. I can't be anything more zhan vhat I am...and because of zhat I need you're help. I didn't vant to ask you, but I do. I can't do zhis on my own because I'm not strong enough. I never vill be. But, vhether it's you or Brand fighting, I don't care...I just..." She stares at the ground angrily, never making eye contact with him, "I can't do it."

Dominic stood again at last and walked at a hesitant pace over to Khitti, placing a hand on each of her hips. “I’d just -give- this to you if I could, you know. I’m sure you’d be better with it than I would be.” One hand moved up to twirl at her hair. “I’m sorry. You deserve better. I’ve just got… so many reasons to be conflicted about this. To want it and not want it. To be scared that I want it for the wrong reasons and that I’m lying about it to myself to try to justify it. If I figure this out… I can’t just unlearn it. I can’t un-cross that bridge.” His line of sight drifted off her and over to the cliff’s edge. “And I think I’m still in shock that I can do anything at all.” His gaze returned, with canted head, scrutinizing the expression on her face, afraid of receiving judgment from her. “But… you’re right. I -did- say I wanted to try, and that I wanted to help you. I wasn’t really expecting anything to come of it, though, and now that it has…” He cringed and shrugged all at once. There was so much more he wasn’t saying, that he didn’t even know how to begin to explain.

"But, Dominic, look at how many successful mage zhere are here. You should embrace it. Be vhat you have become. You may not have asked for it, but it has happened nevertheless." There was no judgement on her face when he looked at it, her right hand raising and pressing against his chest, to set atop his heart. "You can use it for good, you know. Even if you don't vant to use zhese skills to be some sort of famous hero like Hildegarde, you can still use it to help people, like me and you." Her free hand moved up to his chin, caressing it lightly and sliding up his cheek and into his hair, lightly ruffling it. "Or don't. It matters not. Just don't become like me. Don't resent yourself and hate vhat you are now. Do not become a monster. You do not have to fight. Not now vith me, or for Hildegarde, or soon against Raiez. But, it is better to be trained and ready zhan to be careless and something bad happen." She wouldn't say it, but she knew that's what had happened with Dhavislavv. The village as a whole had become too lazy and assumed all was well when it so clearly wasn't. "You don't even have to do it now, but just zhink about it at least, please?"

Dominic raised both hands to meet the one on his chest. She should be able to feel the shuddering breaths exiting his lungs, and feel the way his heart’s nervous, frenzied pace calmed somewhat at her touch. “O-okay. I’m sorry. You’re right. You’re… always right.” He tried to swallow back more of that anxiety, but the lump in his throat went nowhere. “I don’t think I’m sparring anyone today, though. That, uh… might have been a bit ambitious. L-let me start smaller?” He pulled her now, gently, back to the frozen pond, clinging to her side from start to finish. “Just g-going to… try to crack the ice a little. That's all. That's it. Okay. I… I guess I should be able to do that, right?” Still secured to her arm, he stared into the center of the pond. The longer he stared, the harder he trembled, until finally and with tears forming in his eyes he buried his face in her shoulder. “No, no, nonononono. I'm s-s-sorry, I just can't. It's too much. I can't. I can't I can't I can't I can't I--” A splintering through the center of the pond interrupted him, a localized shattering as if it had been pummeled with an invisible fist. He froze just long enough to blink in horror at it before digging his face deeper into her arm, alternately sobbing and hyperventilating.

Khitti allowed herself to be dragged along by Dominic, an eyebrow raised as the tears formed and the sobbing and hyperventilating ensued. "D-Dominic. Dominic! Look at me." She pries his face from her arm, taking both of his shoulders in her hands to give him a bit of a shake before moving to cup his chin in her palms, "Dominic. It's -alright-. It really is. You -don't- have to do zhis. Not right now. Not ever. Okay? Just stop." The vampiress did her best to hide the impatience in her voice, to mask it with the love that he knew so well. It wasn't his fault she was on edge, and she so desperately didn't want to take it out on him. Kisses were littered across the lower half of his countenance, trying to pacify him.

“I’m sorry, I can’t. I’m s-sorry… I can’t.” Dominic was merely repeating himself through the sobs, shaking his head and stepping back from her a couple paces, his gaze darting wildly back and forth from her to the fractured ice, staring -through- both rather than truly seeing either. “I’m sorry. I should, but I can’t. It’s not okay. I should be able to --” His sight froze on the frozen water again, lingering a moment before he shook his head once more and sank into a curled up cower with the weight on the balls of his feet and his fingers interlaced over the top of his head. “I can’t. I can’t. I can’t. I can’t.”

Khitti breathed a soft sigh, swift feet bringing her to where he had decided to huddle up into a ball. She scoops him up into her arms as she had so many times before and moves to the nearest tree, settling herself beneath it on the opposite side of the tree, away from the pond. It was quite the sight to see: the thin vampiress with the slightly larger male on her lap. But, she did it nevertheless, not concerned with his dignity at the moment, or Brand's should it happen to offend him, lithe arms wrapping around his abdomen as she pulled him close, "Dominic...my love...you don't have to do anything. I vill be zhe one to take care of zhis mess vith zhe dragon." She'd cling to him in a comforting manner, her forehead resting against arm, a frown forming on her features. It would appear that she really -was- on her own against Raiez.

Some combination of her touch and her words seemed to bring him out of his broken state somewhat, though he still just looked as if he’d … reverted, somehow, as if the boy of fourteen that had first tried to learn such magic had been summoned into the future by recent events. His eyes were wide as they finally met hers again; his lip trembled until the moment he chose to bite it to keep it still. Once again his gaze dropped and he curled further into her, allowing himself to be held like a child. “I… I can’t let you do it alone. I have to do… s-something, but… I…” And whatever composure he’d regained was lost again, and he buried his face in his knees. “I’m sorry. I m-must be such a disappointment…”

Khitti held him more tightly as he spoke, a shake of her redhead given. "No. You're not a disappointment. I can do zhis, okay? You just gotta believe in me like I do vith you..." Her own tone took a sad turn, the never ending string of self-deprecation running rampant through her mind. But...she kept it to herself. Now wasn't the time. He was her world, and slowly but surely, her world was breaking bit by bit. "I'll be fine. Really. I promise." The index finger of her right hand curls just beneath his chin, lifting his face to meet hers again. "I just vant you to be happy and healthy and if zhat means no magic practicing until you're completely ready, zhen zhat is how zhings vill be." A soft kiss is placed on his lips and another comforting hug given. "It's not needed or necessary anyway. I'll protect you for as long as I can."

Dominic shook his head yet again, still protesting. “N-no… I have to protect -you-...” Nevermind that the idea of him protecting anyone seemed completely laughable in this state; his expression was nothing but earnest. “If anything happened to you, it would be my fault for not being able to help more, and I’d --” He collapsed into a miserable sobbing ball again, seemingly unable to pull himself out of his distress, or be pulled out of it by Khitti’s words. But this time it only lasted a few more seconds before he rose up out of her lap, tense, hands in fists. “Enough,” was grumbled as Dominic’s surly counterpart rippled to the surface, his back to Khitti. “Enough.” Brand rolled his eyes hard enough that they rightly should have come clean out of their sockets before he regarded Khitti with a backwards glance over a shoulder. “Kid needs a break.” Or Brand did, from all the sniveling. Either way.