RP:New Day, Old Scene
Behind the Barrier
You are now standing in the battle zone, where you could be in grave danger. You quickly duck every now and then to ignore a zap of lightning flying onward to an opposing foe. This room is magically sealed, to prevent actual physical or mental harm from the spells, but the visual aspect of them is a little frightening. You notice the wall is lined with many books, some probably from the library you saw earlier. There is also a rack with many rune engraved or magically enhanced quarterstaffs, but you notice a monk shake his head at you as he notices you eyeing them. This part of the room is larger by far than the area on the other side of the barrier, where most of the teachers stand and watch their students practicing. The only mentors you see on this side are the ones teaching hand to hand or weapon combat. Your only retreat is through the invisible barrier to the west.
Ezekiel sat just outside the barrier, tome in hand. His bag wasp thrown across a table and his jacket hung on the back of his chair. He'd been spending the majority of his free time here in the tower, if not in the library, he was here in the training room instead. He'd grown confident with his abilities, and even more, practicing them in front of others, whether they were looking or not. Unfortunately, they were always looking, always watching; between his bout with Svilfon and Lydrain, he'd made quite the name for himself. No pressure, Eze! For now, he studies the runes in a specific page, reciting them to himself while he translates them with another book.
Kovl makes his way toward the barrier to play with his newest weapon bestowed upon him by Svilfon, the Xalious staff. The pixie is still unaware of the full extent of its power and how it can aid him in his casting. As he enters the library, a familiar figure hunched over a book is in sight. "Ezekiel?" The pixie knows now that Ezekiel lives in Xalious, but he hasn't seen this face in a while. Kovl gives his fellow mage a wave and peeks over his shoulder to take a look at the rune he is studying.
Ezekiel was starting to get use to his name being called here in to tower, and even when outside. Still, he yanks his attention away from the tome and glances back over his shoulder and comes almost face to face with the pixie. "Kovl." He replies, short, curt and without any added enthusiasm. The two hadn't left on good times the last time they met, as much as Ezekiel was for letting bygones be bygones, he didn't know how the illusionist stood. "Long time no see. What can I help you with?" He spoke with a little bit more of a spine today, one grown from a collection of recent, but much needed events.
Kovl backs away from Ezekiel's shoulder as he turns to face him. "What can I help you with? That's so formal. How about a 'How are you?' or 'What's new?'" The pixie winks, though many would be hard-pressed to see such a small action on his tiny form. "Speaking of which, how are you? I heard you have been working with a certain headmaster named Lydrain. A research partner, he called you." Kovl points to the page in Ezekiel's book. "I'm guessing this is what you're researching?" The pixie is well-aware that the two have not left off on good terms, but he has nothing to say about it now. If anything, Kovl thinks, the human ought to apologize to him to clear the air.
Ezekiel simply looked him in the eye, dismissed the ire in his little tone, and was already moving along. "Research partners, in a way, perhaps. And this-" he'd say, pointing to the tome with his chin, "just an old dusty tome. I've come a long ways since we last met-" There it was, the first clue as to where they sat, "They're simple spells, but we've got to start somewhere." He'd shrug and snap it shut before slinging its leather strap around his shoulder so that it hung at his side like a satchel. "And what of you? What brings you here?"
Kovl smiles as he recognizes the way Ezekiel holds the tome at his side. "I can see that. You're carrying a tome again, I see." The pixie drops a little hint of his own with the previous sentence. "I came here to try out another extension to my spellcasting." Kovl holds his hand outstretched as a pixie-sized staff blinks into his hand. It is his Xalious Staff. The one given to him as he was promoted within the guild. "This Xalious Staff." The pixie has a wide and proud grin on his face.
Ezekiel raised an eyebrow in response, cracked brown eyes study the token of promotion with curiosity. "So that means Satoshi is around? Or perhaps Svilfon?" He hadn't seen the either of the two for quite some months now. He figured, just like the last time, they'd either pronounced him dead in their minds, or for some other conquest to invest their time in. Frostmaw's war was as good a guess as any, for Eze. "Congratulations, by the way- What did you have in mind?" He glances back towards the barrier and then his tome. If he were confident enough to square up to Lydrain, someone far more advanced than he, was was stopping him from inviting the pixie to a healthy use of his new tool? Perhaps the grey line they skirted, the one that questioned their friendship because of events in the past?
Kovl replies, "My promotion was awarded to me through mail. Unfortunately, I have not seen Svilfon nor Satoshi in a while though something suggests to me that Svilfon may occasionally stop by. Thank you for the congratulations." The pixie lifts a hand to his chin. "As to what I had in mind... well, I'm not sure. I don't know exactly to what extend this staff assists me in my spells." Kovl follows Ezekiel's gaze to the barrier and then back to the mage. The pixie waits for a moment. "Want to watch me try it out?"
Ezekiel could see hear the gears turning in his head and he could see the spark in Kovl's eye; the air around them bristled with the static that was their anticipation. "Sure." He knew this profession well enough to know that any chance of Kovl simply 'trying' his spell out was slim to none. At least.. unless it was tried out on Ezekiel first. The mage, so quick to put out the flames of a grudge can't help but grin while he reaches down to his side to undo the clockwork locking mechanism to his tome. "Why not a friendly (emphasis on friendly) spar? For old time sake?" If that weren't enough to squash what was in the past, he'd not give it anymore thought. He casually steps backwards into the barrier and pays no attention to the immediate few who were quick to vacate. Eze was known for his bright flashes and his big booms.
Kovl is already on the other side of the barrier in anticipation before the mage finishes his words. "Sure." An incantation is spoken in preparation though now the pixie must keep in mind that his magic flows not only from his thoughts, but it is also channeled by the staff at his side. The pixie studies his opponent. The tome at Ezekiel's side reminds him greatly of the same tome the two fought for possession over during Satoshi's surprise test. That was the same tome Ezekiel tossed into the firepit in Frostmaw tavern. The pixie remembers the book, a symbol of Ezekiel's future as a mage, in flames. When Josleen unhinged him. Kovl, lost in thought, does not even realize what has formed at his side. Flames! Everywhere. A book the size of a man tossed from some unknown source. Sparks from churning logs explode as the large tome impacts. And from the flames emerges a likeness of Josleen, smiling in a smug satisfaction, making her way toward Ezekiel. As the pixie comes to his senses, he yells in surprise, not realizing all that has been created is from his own mind. The staff helped him do it without his realization.
Ezekiel held his palm above the clockwork lock and let his magic flow through it. A series of small mechanical clicks resonates from within, and in a matter of seconds the lock is undone. A small feature he added himself, But he doesn't do much after that, instead he stares at the explosive display of book, log and flame that give birth to familiar image. "Jos?" Ezekiel takes a moment to cross his arm over his chest and grip at the armless stump that is his shoulder. His brows knit together and his eyes narrow, he studies the pixie. "Do you have something you need to say? Or even more, get off your mind?" Ezekiel recognized the scene as it unfolded, but not the illusionist Josleen that stood before him. She wore a smile he'd never seen before, distasteful and with ire; or in this case, smug. At least that's how he read it. He could have made some corny joke about playing with fire, but for the sake of all readers present, we'll let this one slide.
The flames, the tome, Josleen, all of it blink away as Ezekiel questions the pixie. He had not intended for these images to display for everyone in the room to see. The pixie is embarrassed by the show, and takes note that while much of his concentration was involved in his past illusions, the staff at his side eased the mental burden considerably. In most cases this would be an advantage, but in this instance, his mind was opened to his opponent. "I..." Kovl is too shamed for this conversation now. Instead, the shelves full of books began to be pulled through the barrier straight toward Ezekiel. In reality, the real books were safe from the illusionist, but it is the pixie's craft to be convincing. Kovl points to the distraction just as it is ten feet away from the mage and quickly approaching. If impact is made, if any part of the mage believes what he is seeing is reality, his body would react accordingly, bruises, scrapes, or in this case, possibly broken bones.
Ezekiel was quite visibly irate at this point. He knew he and Josleen had a slight disagreement in the past, this much learned from conversations in the past, and he even know of Kovl's distaste for his girlfriend. That much was learned from their last encounter, when the illusionist tried to talk him out of fighting for her love. So having a little mix of all that thrown in his face was enough for the mage to lose interest. And had he not started to walk away from the barrier, he might not have seen the wall of books flying straight for him. Three books hit him square in the face before his right arm is thrown up and a wall of pure arcane energy is erected. His head had bounced back each time, one-two-three until he was with a bloody nose, and slightly staggered. The wall of energy, as raw and unstable as it was, would do one of two things: shatter and disperse the illusion all together, its excess of energy too much for another spell to reciprocate with, or detonate on impact. Either way, Ezekiel was slid back a few feet while holding his left arm up firmly against the assault of literature. Knowledge was a powerful tool, but not to be used like this!
Kovl's illusions disperse as soon as it hit Ezekiel's barrier. There is no way out of this, is there? "Look, I didn't mean to make that illusion. It just happened. I'm getting used to this new staff and all, and everything that happened right there was an accident." The pixie pauses. "I'm happy you're happy, but..." Kovl shrugs. "I was trying to save you from what you were doing to yourself, and I was pushed to the side." The pixie frowns and furrows his brow before an azure illusionary flame larger than Kovl himself forms quickly and is launched at the mage.
Ezekiel had gotten use to dodging- and catching -raw lighting with Lydrain. As much effort as there was in that azure flame, Eze had no problem turning to face the pixie, and in turn catching it with his right hand only to deflect to the side. His hand was aglow with its own azure force, like a sphere summoned and ready to be transformed. "I have a home here in Xailous. I have a wondeful talent and the tools to explore it, and now, a few damn good friends. I wake up every morning to the smell of bacon and eggs, or the most beautiful woman in the world. I am beyond happy, Kovl. And if you think by trying to keep me from that, you were 'helping'? You've got it all wrong, friend." He changes his stance and squares his shoulders. "I appreciate the notion, I really do- but please. Let it go." That said, he has no problem letting go of the store of energy in his right hand. He fires at Kovl a solid beam of azure energy. It wasn't had to dodge, but if not, one might simply find themselves knocked back a bit.
Kovl eyes the arcane sphere in Ezekiel's hand as he speaks and is more than ready to evade. He stops his wings and divebombs toward the ground under the arcane beam. "How was I supposed to know you would be happy now? You would have completely destroyed your chances with the guild if I had actually done as you told me to do. You're here. And you're practicing magic. None of these things looked possible when Josleen tore your heart out. Sure, you may have succeeded with Josleen, but what if you failed? I was watching your back." Kovl waits for Ezekiel's reaction to his words.
Ezekiel said, "Then I guess I would have had to find a new profession. Guild or not, nothing was going to stop me from getting her back. While I appreciate the concern, maybe it's best if you quit showing it to me." He shakes his head, hand on his tome ready to lock it. It didn't seem like anything productive was going to come from this meeting. He had a bloody nose and a large knot on his head to explain, instead. "Clearly, I'm undeserving of your wise advice. "He'd start for the edge of the barrier.
Kovl darts after Ezekiel and yells, "Stop!" Kovl moves in front of the mage. "I just wanted to be appreciated for what I did for you. Instead I was the object of your anger. I was being a friend to a friend. I already put Josleen and I's dispute behind me." The pixie pauses and scans Ezekiel's eyes. "I really am happy that you are happy." It is evident that the pixie no longer wants this strife between the mages. What may not be evident is that Kovl refuses to apologize first. He feels hurt. He felt betrayed when the mage traded advice with ingratitude.
Ezekiel wasn't going to be the first to trade that apology, too. "Then put it behind us. Or at the very least, pretend to! Show me another picture of Josleen with a smug-ass grin, and I'll believe just how over it you really are." He'd try once more to step around the pixie and head for the barrier, but he could be just as easily intercepted if Kovl really wanted. "I came here to study my magic, and even offered you an outlet for yours. You brought this along, Kovl. With that, I find it tough to believe you've really put it behind. "What's done is done."
Kovl calls after Ezekiel, "That picture was an accident, Ezekiel." The pixie tries to think of more to say, but only repeats, "It was an accident. If I had the choice, that would have never been shown here." It is apparent to the pixie that an apology may never come from Ezekiel. What happened to that insecure Ezekiel who the pixie was sure would admit fault? Is he dead to the new life Josleen has given him?
Ezekiel snagged his coat and threw his bag's strap over his other shoulder. The coat was folded over his arm and held in front of him while he walked away. Several of the students and mentors were quietly sifting back through the barrier, some to train, others to talk of the let down that was Ezekiel's usually explosive display. The mage turned around to shake his head, this time laughing. "Then it was an accident. It's all behind us, and you're intentions were good. Nobody was ever in the wrong." He spoke casually and without tempter in his tone, but his words had a cynical mock of their own. "Honestly, it's done and over with. Tomorrow brings a new day. I'll see you around, Kovl." As stated before, he was quick to get a rise out of, but even quicker to dismiss said temper.