RP:Unlife Lessons

From HollowWiki

Part of the How to Train your Wizard Arc



  • Satoshi, Kit-vampire, Frost Singer.





Satoshi slams the tavern door open with considerable force, snow-laden wind gusting in around her and setting her lion-pelt cloak to fluttering dramatically as she stands with an imperious air upon the threshold. Sharply narrowed eyes scan the room and its inhabitants, seeking the telltale pointed hat of Svilfon. Once he's located, Satoshi jabs a stern finger in his direction. "It's time for the first lesson!" she declares loudly. Although, not quite as loudly as she's declared to the six other locations she's looked for Svilfon today--she's getting tired of the primadonna act, after all.


Svilfon was quite contently munching and sucking on a nice raw leg o' boar, when all of a sudden the door opens in an awfully regal fashion, and the lady icicle speaks the words that send dreaded shudders down the throat of magelings far away. For the wizard, though, he merely grins. With casual disregard he tosses the bone he was munching on over his shoulder, before getting up to his feet. He offers the snow queen a tip of his hat and a gap-toothed grin, brimming with a couple of fangs, "Thought you'd never ask, Satoshi queen." He pulls his wand out, before tapping it against the side of his face, "Where to?"


Satoshi looks slightly deflated when her proclaimation is met with an eager grin and not the expected look of dread, shoulders drooping along with ears. Although... eager might be just what she needs in a dance partner. All the others had been too willing to run in the opposite direction, after all, so perhaps this time her luck will change. With that in mind, the kit shakes off her weighted expression and perks back up, all fanged grins and mischief. "Catch me first, and you'll find out~." She hardly gives the wizard time to digest the challenge before she's out the door, lion's tail flapping in her wake.


Svilfon kept the grin on his face as Satoshi realizes the wizard is not cowered by the high probability of her killing him... again. It was her idea to come here after all, was it not? Though, as her face breaks into a sly expression, fox coming fully to the surface then, Svil cannot help be give a little gulp. There was something unnerving about these kit-vampires and their rather sneaky ways. Though, perhaps that is why he so enjoyed their company. As she speaks, spins and leaves, the wizard spends a few moments with an open-mouthed look of confusion on his face, before tipping his hat to Drargon and chasing her out of the door, directly into the swirling snow that seems to fall on these mountains all year round. He beat one of their family in a race already, and damnit, he's going to beat another!


Satoshi takes a sharp turn once out the door and skids with a certain amount of grace across the iced road, letting her momentum carry her forward a moment so that she can glance back in search of pursuit. Once the wizard hat is spotted, Satoshi flashes a grin and calls, "Hurry, hurry~. We fanged folk are a fast folk, after all~." Apparently lesson one consists of teaching Svilfon to use the grace and agility gifted to vampires upon 'rebirth'. So what's waiting at the finish line, then...?


Svilfon comes charging out the door like an eager puppy; a ball of excitement for the coming lessons with the snow queen. Sadly, like said puppies, he's not really spent enough time thinking this all through. For when his booted feet meet the slick ice, direction changing no longer becomes an option and within seconds he has found himself deposited in a large mound of snow. With a hurnff, he pulls himself out, shakes the layers of white off his robes, before getting back to the chase - his movements more graceful than they have been the last few days as slowly he gets used to his body's changing strength. "Kirien lost yesterday, icicle queen, you will lose today!"


Satoshi trills with laughter. "It's not a race, wizard~. You have to -catch- me. Being fast is one thing, being able to use it to duck and dodge another entirely~." Boots shift slightly then and give a kick to the ice, abruptly altering her sliding path to bring her in a loop around Svilfon where she gives a tug to the brim of his hat as she passes by and resumes her skating-dash onward.


Svilfon grins at the frost singer as she skates past him, her words causing another bright grin to form on his face, "Then you're the finish line!" As she tugs on his hat, he made a futile grasp at her - not even getting close - before he continues his half sliding, half running chase of the snow queen. He skids around the cliff edge, no real care taken to ensure he doesn't fall off its edge, before coming to a sharp slope that layered in ice. Forsaking control for speed, the wizard hurls himself down, aimed to where the snow queen was. His feet dance on the ice, keeping him somewhat in balance, as he goes faster and faster, eager hands ready to make a grasp at the lady icicle, if he could get close.


Satoshi isn't expecting the sudden acceleration of the wizard, and her tails very nearly find his grasp without her even being aware of it. The rumbling chuckle of an observing giant is what forewarns her, however, of the hand closing in on her silken fur, and with a startled yelp Satoshi jerks aside. Feet skitter dangerously across the ice as she twists, back arcing over the speeding wizard with barely an inch to spare between them, before she's sent spinning by his passing form. Chuckles erupt into thunderous laughter as the few giants present at this hour behold the impromptu Scratch Spin that's performed by their queen--and with the execution only worth a 4.2, it's a good thing the foot traffic is light currently. Groaning at the dizzying sensative, Satoshi eventually rights herself and shakes her head to clear her vision in time to discover she's now behind Svilfon and gaining fast on him, with gravity doing all the work upon the frozen hill.


Svilfon flails at the queen as she gracefully evades his grasp - well, graceful compared to the wizard. He would surely have to give her some pointers on form, he thinks. The thunderous chuckles that rumble through the area cause the deceased wizard to snicker - he has been viewed amongst her rather large citizens as somewhat of a mascot, none of them really taking him seriously. He'd manage to tip his hat to one of them and offer a fast moving wink that is probably lost in the hectic nature of their little dance, before the wizard changes tactic. Speed and grace were ever useful; fine things to learn. But being as sly as a fox is a lesson far more valuable. So with a muttered word and a brief little gesture, Svil casts a minor spell ahead of him, causing the ice to rapidly heat into a little pool of water. Steadying himself, the wizard bends his knees and takes the stopping of momentum rather well, skidding just a touch on the dirt beneath. All of a sudden, he turns, crouches, and flashes Satoshi a fanged grin filled with as much mischief as any fox's could - for while she would be sliding down, he is now ready to tackle her, and win their impromtu little contest in a rather abrupt fashion.


Satoshi's boots frantically dig for purchase on the ice until the enchantments, reading too deeply into the kit's desire to stop, activate themselves and flashfreeze the wintry soles to the road. A wall might have stopped Satoshi a tad more gently than her locked boots have, and while they do nothing to stop the wizard's tackle at least the sudden halt is enough to knock her to her hand and knees, allowing the clever man to sail neatly over her. Satoshi wastes no time watching where he lands, instead wrenching her legs free and half-running, half-scrambling on down the hill, trying to put distance between them once more--however gracelessly it's done. At least Frostmaw's citizens are being rewarded for starting their days early.


Svilfon lets out a cheer of victory that soon turns into a yelp of surprise as he goes sailing over top of the clever, so clever, snow queen. Once again his gap-toothed face meets the icy ground, though this time there isn't as much snow to break its fall. But damnit, with the thrill of the chase, and the mounting sounds of amusement coming from the giants, he doesn't even spend time to brush the flakes of ice off his robes. He scrambles forward on his hands and knees, following the snow-queen in much the same fashion, before he can awkwardly regain his feet and begin a half-sliding, half running chase. "Almost, lady queen!" He yells in battle-cry, causing the rumbling sound of giant laughter to be heard again.


Satoshi shouted, "Persistent bastard~!"


Satoshi, shouting over her shoulder along with a mocking 'nyanyanyan' sticking out of her tongue, momentarily forgets about the intersection coming up. Although Alaza the clothing merchant is more than willing to remind her with the broad side of his wheeled cart as he's pushing it onto the street, heading for his normal site for the day's sales. The poor giant isn't expecting to obtain a queen-sized dent in the side of his mobile stall however, and he stands there shuffling anxiously, trying to determine which of the two he should check on first. Satoshi spares him the decision-making when she peels herself off the cart with a groan, stumbles around it, and resumes an unsteady, brisk walk down the road, hoping the wizard will be momentarily stalled by the stall too so that she can regain her addled wits.


Svilfon was was waggling his finger at Satoshi's very regal and awfully queen like 'naynaynyaanah', before he winces. He would have normally shouted out a warning to the snow queen, but in light of their ever-growing comeptitive streak, he decides against it. 'Thud' is his reward as kit-vampire meets wood, and just as he's about to gloat he realizes he is about to share her fate. "Well... fucc.." He cannot even finish his rather crude curse; he was a wizard/pirate after all, before moments after Satoshi has peeled herself off, Svilfon imprints himself on the same spot. He bounces, though, skidding back to land on his rump in a cushioned clump of snow. Around his head little Percy's fly, and it takes a while for him to regain his senses, before the deceased spell-caster pulls himself up and staggers after the snow queen, making a somewhat feeble attempt to grab the many versions of her he sees before his dancing vision. He did manage a muttered apology to Alaza, though... Always wise when dealing with giants...


Satoshi's footsteps falter. Is it nighttime..? No, she could have sworn she saw the watery light of the sun moments ago. So why is her world suddenly a wall of midnight? The scent of leather hits her then, and the kit realizes she's involuntarily absconded a piece of Alaza's merchandise. Growling in frustration, she claws the item off her head and makes to hurl it aside before she stops, shooting a glance over her shoulder. Seeing that the wizard is just disentangling himself with the cart, Satoshi figures she has a moment to duck off the road and behind a snowbank before he resumes the chase. Giggles are barely suppressed at the sight of him groping at empty air as he draws even with her hiding place. She stands up then, giant's boot lofted high and hurled with vampiric strength at Svilfon. Hit of miss, the kit is darting off across the snowbanks then, trying to reach her destination before her pursuer has a chance to recover.


Satoshi shouted, "Think fast~!"


Svilfon was doing his best to shoo away the lingering stars that're dancing before his eyes. He shakes his head a little, before looking carefully around. Where the hell was the icicle queen? The wizard turns on the spot, wondering if the entire chase was invented in his mind during the scrambling introduction to the stall. Must be, he thinks, as he begins to move forward again; the very epitome of confuzzled wizard. And then he hears it. Her battle cry. Think fast. Well, that's entirely unfair! He's a bloody wizard in the middle of.... 'THWACK'. Boot meets head with enough force to send the wizard sideways staggering into another giant's stall. He ooomphs as his hand grabs onto it for support, before turning an altogether feral gaze on the fleeing, and rather smug he thinks!-, queen of Frostmaw. He will not be beaten! With a cry he begins to run forward, finesse forsaken for brute speed as he plows through snowbanks, his hands swashing in front of him to clear the path. "Come back here!" He would not give up as he makes his way closer to the queen, his hands always ready to grab at her tails, but knowing in truth in their little series of battles they are once again even. Damn her!


Satoshi might be light and agile enough to run across the top of snow like a fluffy elf, but that grace does her little good when the snowbanks are devoured beneath her by the wizard's determined bulldozing. "Wah~! S-stop that!" A hop, skip, and flail are performed before the kit finds herself tumbling directly into Svilfon's grasp, but she's going down swinging! Or rather, twisting, as she turns about quick and fluid as a cat in an attempt to turn the wizard's catch into a fox's pinning.


Svilfon lets out a mighty 'Huzzah!" As the queen of icicles is finally grabbed. "I.. Oooh..." Though he may be quicker than he was, and learning painfully the art of being graceful, he is still no match for the languid queen and her sneaky fox-ishness. And within moments he is pinned beneath the frost singer. "Hrrnnfff," is the only response he can really give her as he slyly picks up a clump of snow in his hand at flicks it at her head. "Cheat!" The word is spoken in a rather ambiguous way - almost as if instead of an accusation it is a compliment; he is always impressed at slyness, after all.


Satoshi beams proudly from her triumphant position--oblivious or uncaring that it can appear, to passers-by, as far more than just 'triumphant', considering she's blatantly staddling the man's form while her good hand is pressed to his shoulder to keep him pinned. The snow sliding down the side of her head is given a simple shake to banish it then, but that does nothing to rid her of her grin. "Damn right~. Fight fair and you die fair, wizard. You'll have him on speed, at the very least, so you gotta put it to its fullest use. Bags o' bones aren't known for being nimble. If you can keep up with me, you're that much closer to using your gifts properly~."


Svilfon nods his head solemnly at her words, "I think I understa..." Suddenly, the wizard twists on the ground; he grabs her wrist in one hand as he pushes off with his left leg, arcing his back to send her tumbling to the side. Quick as a flash the wizard rolls with her, until their positions are reversed and he is grinning down. "Yes, fight fair and you die... Boast, and you lose." He winks then, equally oblivious to anyone spying the two rolling in the snow, as it were. "And don't assume you've won until you're sure of it, eh? A lesson for you, lady queen." He would laugh then, the sound full of good humor. He did very much enjoy her company.


Satoshi lets out a very undignified squeak when she finds herself flipped around and staring up at a grinning Svilfon. Oh, she'd have to watch this one. As sneaky as Kasyr, as gentle-seeming as Kirien, and with fire magic to boot: a decidedly dangerous anti-Sato entity. Still, the kit does her best to play off her surprise at being bested, nodding along knowingly to his words. "Yes, yes, exactly. You learn fast~. I expected as much, from someone Death is so fond of visiting~."


Svilfon chuckles at the snow-queen's wisdom in defeat; thinking there is still far too much cat in her to accept too much ribbing over this. "One doesn't dance with death without learning a few tricks, queen of snow and ice." He leans down a touch to speak quietly then, "And foxes aren't the only sly ones." He flashes the woman a wink, before suddenly realizing their position in the snow. He briefly looks about, before taking Satoshi's good arm and pulling both himself and her to their feet. Absently he reaches out and brushes a clump of snow off her head, before speaking again, "But your lesson is well learned, Satoshi queen. Both of them."


Satoshi glances from the nearby giants grinning broadly, to the imprint the two spell-casters have made in the snow, and then finally to Svilfon, grinning. "-Both-~? Aha, who's escaped her Guild curse now, eh?" Reaching up to return the favor of brushing off snow, the kit can't resist yanking the front of Svilfon's hat down over his eyes before dancing backwards with a laugh. "Let's see if my fortune rubs off on you, and you manage to avoid the worst that could happen against the Eldermage~?" With that, Satoshi begins ambling off in the direction they'd originally been racing, still intending on reaching her destination.


Svilfon has his hat pulled over his eyes again by the frost singer. He cannot help but laugh with her; for most touching his hat would result in a fiery death, but in their easy comradarie the wizard doesn't mind. With a flashing grin, he adjusts it on his head, before tipping it to the giants. They return the gesture with an avalanche laugh, before Svil ambles off after the queen. As he makes his way to her side, he responds to her words, "Both, lady icicle!" He nods, "Cheat to win... and make sure when you win, you -win-. Otherwise, you'll end up in the snow, as it were." He steps over a jagged bit of ice as the village begins to fade behind hem, "And yes! Half the guild will be rich, the other poverty bound... They always wondered what would happen when your... lessons... met my... resilience. Your curse is broken... But don't worry, I won't tell... Can't have you ruining your reputation. How else will the young magelings be terrified into obedience?" He grins at her again then, and takes a slight step away, just in case she responded by thwacking him.


Satoshi doesn't thwack Svilfon although it's tempting, because unfortunately to do so properly she'd have to call up her Xalious staff--world's most magical whackin' stick--and she's just too lazy to bother right now. "A reputation is all a girl has, really," is her reply instead as she picks up her pace now that they've reached the end of the main road. Angling left, the kit begins to guide Svilfon toward a collection of tents and makeshift cages. "But since we're breaking curses, we might as well go for lesson three now, eh~?"


Svilfon grins at the queen, "Aye, lady icicle. One must..." Well, he was going to say keep up apperances, but coming from a gap-toothed wizard who's often seen setting himself on fire, the irony is just too much. So with a sardonic smile he nods, "Aye." As they pick up the pace, Svil begins to look around - taking careful note of where they are, and how to get back. He would learn the peaks of Frostmaw; it is his intention to remain here for a while once the battle is done... If he survives it. "Lesson three, lady queen..?" Most would be worried, but the wizard is nothing but eager. He does enjoy when they play.


Satoshi doesn't respond immediately, dropping to a knee beside a wall of snow pushed off the dirt path. A hand is pressed into the pile's depths as she sings a string of arcane words that draws an azure glow from the snow. With a crackle, the frost compacts and hardens as it rises, reshaping itself into the hulking, gorilla-esque form of her golem--the smaller, more versatile one, mind you. "C'mon, Buster," the magus calls, receiving the eager pounding of boulder-shaped fists against one another as answer before the glacial construct trudges after her, arms almost dragging the ground. To Svilfon, she finally replies with a sly smile and quiet, "Why, a lesson in -magic-, master wizard~."


Svilfon follows after Satoshi and Buster with a spring in his step. He whistled quietly as she summoned her golem; his appreciation for her magic obvious. As they walk out onto the bridge, the wizard spends a few moments staring out over the side, admiring the tall mountain peaks hidden amongst the ever-present clouds. The height doesn't bother the man at all; one who has fallen from the clouds before, it is nothing to him. Though, without his friend Emiur around such a fall might be a little less exciting this time... its ending, at least. He calls out to the snow queen, his words whipped from his mouth by the always-blowing winds, "A lesson in magic, lady queen?" He can't help but eye Buster, "I do hope not in flying magic." Ah yes, he had heard about that little trick of hers, and in truth, he hardly cared. Life amongst the snow and ice was far too fun to let some thinking get in his way.


Svilfon follows after Satoshi and Buster with a spring in his step. He whistled quietly as she summoned her golem; his appreciation for her magic obvious. As they walk out onto the bridge, the wizard spends a few moments staring out over the side, admiring the tall mountain peaks hidden amongst the ever-present clouds. The height doesn't bother the man at all; one who has fallen from the clouds before, it is nothing to him. Though, without his friend Emiur around such a fall might be a little less exciting this time... its ending, at least. He calls out to the snow queen, his words whipped from his mouth by the always-blowing winds, "A lesson in magic, lady queen?" He can't help but eye Buster, "I do hope not in flying magic." Ah yes, he had heard about that little trick of hers, and in truth, he hardly cared. Life amongst the snow and ice was far too fun to let some thinking get in his way.


Satoshi gestures for the wizard to stay where he is while she continues on to a distant point on the bridge before turning around to face him, Buster at her side. She regards him silently a moment, that vulpine grin still on her features albeit with a slightly more determined tinge to it. "Not flying magic. Purely magic." Hardly an explanation, but apparently it's signal enough for Buster, as her words cause the golem to lumber forward while it slams a fist of ice into its palm in a threatening manner. "Treat this like the lessons we give the magelings: Stop your target with magic only. Except, you're getting an advanced lesson, and learning on your feet like I did, minus an opponent trying to kill you. ...Well, mostly kill you. Buster doesn't know his own strength." For the moment, Satoshi burrows her hand in her pocket and leaves it at that, allowing Buster to begin closing the gap between itself and the wizard, a fist already drawn back and poised to deliver a swinging punch once it's within range.


Svilfon opens his mouth to reply, before simply nodding. He tips his hat to the golem, and almost immediately blocks out everything around him. No longer is he upon a bridge, freezing in the snow he is slowly getting used to. All that exists is the golem and the wizard, his task to stop him, magic his weapon. With a gesture and command his Xalious wand appears in his hand. He uses it to quickly trace an intricate tapestry in the air, weaving with thin azure-lines a twisting pattern of convoluted lines and dancing shapes. Buster is close by the time the wizard finishes, but behind his arcane picture the wizard just smiles. Buster's hand is sent swinging, and when ice meets the pattern it sounds like the clapping of thunder. The glowing shield of sorts doesn't give way, though, and from his place behind it the wizard mutters, "Is that all?" He has no idea if Satoshi would hear him or not, but he makes no move to attack the golem. He is confident the shield can last a few more blows... at least, he hopes so... Buster was far more formidable up close.


Satoshi's grin takes a decidedly macabre twist by that point. "Far from all," she whispers. While Buster delivers another behemoth punch against the arcane ward, Satoshi's hand is withdrawn from her pocket. Held delicately between the crook of each finger are a series of vials, each containing a crimson liquid. A third blow comes from Buster in the same moment that the first of the vials is dropped to shatter upon the ice. Satoshi has no doubt Svilfon will be able to scent the spilled contents then, what with the wind blowing in the right direction to carry the rich smell of blood straight to him. Her words will reach him just seconds later, "Spells are nothing without concentration, we are nothing without spells. -This- is our deadliest enemy." Although she doubts Tiphareth will have remotely enticing blood in his decomposing body, she won't underestimate the patron of drow's ability to use a fledgeling vampire's weakness once the pieces have been revealed to him. This is her attempt to give Svilfon that extra leverage she wasn't granted herself. And all the while, her golem stands firm while arms wildly swing in a barrage of punches.


Svilfon feels rising within him that growing hunger. Always does it lurk beneath the surface of the vampire - so freshly turned as he is, it is a battle within: his body consumed by his desire to devour, driving the feral, primal nature within to wash away the foolish notions of thought. He snarls then as his predatory gaze lifts to Buster, his shield ignored as it fades from sight, no longer being supported by the wizard's own magic. For Svilfon, magic is a thing of the mind, and with insatiable hunger forcing thought to an absent little noise in the back of his head, he is, standing there on the bridge, almost defenseless against the mighty Buster. Satoshi's commands are ignored. He had no desire anymore to face her companion, his sole wish is to find the sickly source of the sanguine scent and feed upon like the animal he is becoming. So as Buster throws another of his tireless punches, Svil ducks underneath it with a forward roll, his momentum carrying the wizard through the golem's legs and to the other side. Fangs are flashed in victory, until Svil sees Satoshi standing there, still in the whipping winds, silhouetted against the mighty backdrop of her mountainous kingdom. It causes Svil to take pause, which is all the time Buster needs to hurl a punch at the back of the wizard and send him sliding face-first across the bridge. He remains still for a long moment, pain washing away any pretense of anger, the only thing stronger the remnants of his hunger. But he would speak then, to the queen, "Again..." Pulling himself to his feet, he'd turn to face the golem, studiously ignoring the blood that pours down his back from the large gash in the back of his head.


Satoshi stands firm when the vampire charges toward her position, prepared to hurl a vial at his feet to deter an attack. But the need doesn't arise as something brings Svilfon up short, giving Buster enough time to come to her defense and send the feral wizard skidding closer. "There are brains under that hat, wizard. Use them!" she snarls at him as he rises to his feet against the golem. By unspoken command, the construct hunkers down then, palms held out as if it's expecting to catch a thrown ball, and seconds later Satoshi sends a second vial sailing over Buster's head to break open behind it, delivering another burst of that intoxicating scent into the air. Even Satoshi's beginning to get twitchy by that point, belatedly pulling her watery scarf over her nose to ward off the worst of the distraction while she observes how the wizard reacts to having a golem between himself and the 'food'.


Svilfon lets Satoshi's words seep into his mind, drawing strength from their almost challenging air. Oh how he wanted to hurl himself at the creature who is foolish enough to stand between him and his bloody prize. But he won't, not yet. This was his test, his lesson, and he would not fail. So instead of a fool-hardy charge, the wizard begins to weave whispered words in an arcane tongue, his body moving through archaic gesticulations that mirror the sounds like a shadow. He draws on his magic, feeling it fill his deceased body in a way never-before felt: It is almost wrong - the rich life of the spell flowing through veins that are all-but rotting within the deceased spell-caster. It makes him angry, a rarely felt emotion for the wizard, but this is the point of it all. It was the gift Satoshi was offering him. So he carries on regardless, driving beneath the magic his innate desire for the blood, his predatory need to hunt. He forces it to the back of his mind for the first time since he was turned, and in that moment feels the serenity he was told about. But it is fleeting... There is a golem to fight. So speaking the final words, moving through the last motions, he releases his spell into the world. Twisting spirals of burnng light dissolve into an almost sentient existence. They dance on the air for a moment, before snaking towards the golem - their intent to wrap around his mighty legs and draw ever tighter, sending him sprawling to the ground. Snowflakes hiss and splutter as they land upon them, but the magic tendrils would not be hot enough to really damage the frozen guardian, standing between Svil and the blood... that sweet blood... and it takes all the wizard's determination to stop himself hurling forward and taking a much desired drink... So much so, a thin trail of his own vitae would drip from his nose as his body tries to tear itself apart; feral beast against jovial wizard... he would not bow down...


Satoshi bites her lip, resisting the urge to offer advice, shout challenges, or encourage the wizard in any way. She wouldn't be present in his fight against the Eldermage to do so, thus if he was going to learn how to tame the ravenous beast of his vampirism, he'd have to manage on his own from here on out. Silently, she watches Buster take the full-force of Svilfon's spell, the golem possessing no innate self-preservation tendencies that would have caused anyone else to dodge or defend themselves. But once the golem has been knocked flat it begins to fight, driven by its construction command to attack anything that attacks it as its limbs flail in every direction in an attempt to rip apart and shake off the burning lights. Satoshi leaves the golem to that and hurls a third and fourth vial into the fray, both of which crash against Buster's broad chest to spill fresh blood down its frozen form.


Svilfon remains standing for as long as he can; blood dripping from his nose, face twisted into agony. But for all his determination, he is made whore to the dark gift he was given... and its price is high. No longer can he resist the insidious stench of blood; it fills his senses completely, giving birth again to the hunting monster within. He hurls aside his wand, fingers soon curling up as if they were vicious talons, and drops into a crouch. With a speed born of feral might, the wizard charges at the golem, fangs beared in a snarling challenge. He moves with an animalistic grace, twisting direction in a way that would confuse most opponents... But Buster is not most opponents. He is creation, tied through commands to the snow queen. He does not see in subtle shades of gray, so all the cat-like movements of the wizard shown to be in vain when he eventually leaps forward, ready to devour the blood that soaks the mighty golem. A flailing fist connects directly into the wizard's face, spinning him upside down, before the other fist connects with his back. There is the disgusting crack of a bone being broken and a muffled cry of agony as the vampire is sent hurling back across the bridge, his consciousness being held onto by the most slender strands imaginable. But as he showed Leo on the Row, as he showed the barbarian Eboric when they fought, there is no quit in the man. He would die before giving in to an enemy, more so one that lurks within. So groaning again he pulls himself to his feet, his left arm grotesquely bent and an unnatrual angle, clearly broken at the elbow, and turns. He sways like a drunk as he stands there in the wind, blood pouring from his head, and takes a step towards Buster, one fist raised in a pathetic contrast to the hulking creature of ice. The scent of blood is not what fuels him, though it still fills his mind. It is his refusal to bow down that keeps him feebly on his feet, ready to meet Buster again, with or without his magic...


Satoshi shouted, "Enough!"


Satoshi's word, although uncertain whether delivered to Buster or Svilfon, at least brings the golem to a complete standstill. The kit stalks forward then, sweeping past the frozen construct and marching straight up to the wizard. In her wake frost grows over the various small pools of blood to seal them within spheres of ice and cut off the enticing scent. A hand is raised as if she's preparing to strike the man upside his head, but after a moment of hesitation and internal debate, Satoshi settles instead upon tugging his hat slightly askew. "Stubborn bastard. That knack of yours is either going to be your death, or what saves your neck. I can't rightly figure out which, though." Gingerly she rests her hand on his shoulder and applies pressure, hoping to coax him into starting the walk back to town as she continues, "We'll try again later. Pushing you now will leave you too drained to confront the Eldermage. Let's find a shaman to see to those wounds, and I'll find you something to eat, hm?"


Svilfon heard Satoshi's shouted word, but he doesn't respond right away. He stands there swaying on the bridge, eyes clouded as the scent of blood slowly fades from the air. The waves of agony washing through his body cause a small moan to tear itself free from his mouth, but when the frost queen tugs his hat he cannot help but offer a small smile. "Stubborn... Is needed to survive lessons with you." He cannot muster a wink at the snow queen, and as she lays her hand on his shoulder he relaxes. The same gesture he made to Kirien yesterday, though under far different circumstance. As she pushes him gently forward, the wizard allows himself to be led. His arm hangs unmoving at his side, the other lifting to rest across Satoshi's shoulders. "I am sorry, lady icicle..." He rests his weight on her, uncertain if he can entirely make it on his own. "Shaman.. yes..." He shakes his head, "Food.. yes... no goats, queen." He lets out the whisper of a chuckle, "you couldn't take them on your own..."


Satoshi said to Svilfon, "Ah, I bet I could handle that 'chimera' following you around, at least." A light nudge is given then, meant in a playful sense but surprisingly gentle enough to avoid toppling the battered wizard. "And eh~, you did nearly as well I as did in my first fight with blood spilled~."


Satoshi's lying. She did far worse than Svilfon in such circumstances, but she's far too vain a creature to admit such things as being bested by a wizard.


Svilfon said to Satoshi, "No eating.. my buddy..." He flashed another small grin, "How else could I fly into battle?" Another whispered laugh comes from the man, before he talks again, "I will get better, lady icicle... I did not expect it to be so... consuming."


Satoshi nods as she leads the man along toward the healer's tent. "It'll get easier, little by little. You'll learn to start expecting it, how to brace against it, even use your magic -through- it, if you try. I don't know if covering your nose will be enough to stop it for you yet, though. That became a deterrent for me only recently."


Svilfon returns the nod as they move towards the healer's tent, "It isn't the smell... it is... the knowledge it's there... ready..." Even just talking about it makes the feral hunger rise in him again, "Let us hope the Eldermage is not as wise as you." He lets out a little laugh, then. Durability may not have been the wisest course for the wizard...


Satoshi said to Svilfon, "Exactly. Just the thought of it was enough to make me attack those close to me. But I learned. So will you. Otherwise you'll become a monster, and I'll have to kill you." The words seem a joke at first, but the kit's tone is serious and her face somber. They're an echo of Cuki's words to her, ones she's etched into her heart as a reminder each time the beast attempts to win. But those thoughts aren't shared with the wizard, not here or now, and instead she puts on a cheerful expression and shoves him toward the healer's entrance. "Get that arm mended. I'll leave you something to eat here. And don't worry, it won't be your precious goat-dragon~."


Svilfon turns and looks at the queen for a moment as she speaks, before he replies in serious tones. "Promise me before you leave if I become that monster you will do what you said." He grabbed her arm with his good one, and waited for her to reply. Her other words seem ignored for now, though maybe the hint of primal joy in the depths of his pale gaze would betray the fact they were heard... especially the words about food.


Satoshi said, "I promise."


Svilfon spends a moment longer looking at the queen, before he nods. "Thank you, Satoshi..." He offered a brief grin, before shumbling into the healer's tent. "Hunt well, lady icicle," he calls from within. "I will see you soon."


Satoshi returns the farewell with a quiet, "And rest well, pointy hat. You've a dead man to dance with soon." With that the kit is gone, soon to return long enough to deposit the incapacitated body of a young mammoth outside the tent before she departs once more. To do whatever it is troublesome kits do when they have a night to themselves.