[center][url=https://fontmeme.com/celtic-fonts/][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230502/18498c7db9c1f2ec93e1a038ccbc3012.png[/img][/url] [img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/4f6a6543780b6ea0aafd98f26b999532/tumblr_mlxobbZYzt1s680tzo1_500.gif[/img][/center] [indent][indent][indent][indent]Lucien looked around and watched as everything was going to shit. He knew that it was going to be tough to try and get Victor. But he didn't expect this to go south so quickly. He spent most of his time glaring at Lilith. She was a cocky little shit that's for sure. And most likely the biggest obstacle to his plans. Seeing that most of the werewolves were now either damaged, dead or near death, Lucien let out a growl and sent out a psychic pulse, trying to cause everyone In the room to recoil in mental pain. At least for a moment or two. [color=7D12FF]"Don't think this is the end of it Victor. This coven can't protect you forever!"[/color] He hissed as he looked over at Lil one more time [color=7D12FF]"And your days are numbered too bitch"[/color]. With that, he ordered the remaining Werewolves to run, the group staggering and sprinting out of the front door and making a beeline to the Coven gate. At least he still had the curse on Carlisle. There was no way the Tanner barrier was going to be put up again anytime soon. So he could come back and attack whenever he wanted.[/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent] [hr] [hr] [center][url=https://fontmeme.com/fonts/quite-magical-font/][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230502/d4429a51d082738b91a67bc6228be245.png[/img][/url] [img]https://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/38800000/GIF-devon-bostick-38810639-300-206.gif[/img][/center] [indent][indent][indent][indent]Carlisle was getting frustrated. Angry. Enraged even. After seeing that vision of what had happened between both Miles and Lil, he had wanted nothing more than to escape these binds that kept him stuck here on the astral plane and then return home. While seeing Miles and Lil together still vexed him, that was a secondary issue to him right now. He was more concerned with Lil's feelings surrounding her grandpa John. [color=00FFFF]"You are a so-called deity. Take me back, give me a way to get back to the world of the living."[/color] Carlisle demanded. This wasn't a request. This was an order. Charon on the other hand was casually sitting on the bench, playing with the apple core from his previous snack with his one hand. [color=CBC3E3]"Well, I can send you to the afterlife, no problem at all. Sending you back to the world of the living though. That I can't do. Not without the proper authorisation on the otherside."[/color] [color=00FFFF]"Fine! Fine. I will find the correct authorisation. I will create my own way out of here!"[/color] Carlisle looked around the platform. Looking over at the exit he had before to find his "answers". He began to walk over to it as Charon protested. [color=CBC3E3]"Where are you going!? Come back. You don't need to go anywhere at all!"[/color] Carlisle simply ignored the male, Ignoring his plea as he carried on walking off. Once he reached the exit, he took a look back over at Charon before stepping down the steps and once more into the unknown of the Astral Plane. As Carlisle walked further and further into the unknown, he had lost his footing somewhere along the way. Falling down the stairs, Carlisle eventually landed on soft green grass. Looking up, he would be met with a strangely familiar scene before him. The flowing river, the overgrown trees and the birds chirping in the wind; He was at Montgomery River. The only thing that appeared out of place was the [url=https://shorthairstyles.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/186852976_808561940078550_148968923327238899_n.jpg]young blonde woman[/url] skipping from one rock to the other - and she was laughing at him. With a soft groan, Carlisle rose to his feet, his hand rising on instinct to check to see if it was broken. Thankfully not. Seeing the female laugh at him and seeing where he had ended up, a small look of confusion was plastered on his face. [color=00FFFF]"It's not that funny"[/color] Carlisle frustratingly quipped as he rose to his feet. [color=00FFFF]"So I know where I am. But who are you?"[/color] Carlsie asked, not sure if he wanted to actually hear the answer. At his frustration, the blonde laughed even harder, stopping to catch her breath as she nearly doubled over. [color=FFF388]”Forgive me,”[/color] she responded with a thick southern drawl. [color=FFF388]”It’s just - you’re exactly as she described.”[/color] Once she had regained her composure, the young woman continued to hop across the last few rocks so that she stood in front of Carlisle. Still having the high ground, she leaned over with one hand on her knee, the other hand reached out towards him in greeting. A mischievous glimmer in her eye, the blonde chuckled once more. [color=FFF388]”Cordelia Montgomery. The pleasure is all mine, really.”[/color] His body almost froze when she heard the name. Of all the people who would see him now, a [i]Montgomery[/i] was the last person he would have wanted. But still he had to be polite. He took her hand and shook it, not quite sure if that was the greeting she had envisioned. [color=00FFFF]"I would introduce myself but It seems you know who I am. Say. When was the last time you spoke to Lil? Not in the past couple of weeks? Last few hours maybe?"[/color] Now that the introductions were out of the way, Cordelia took a seat on the large rock beneath her, crossing her legs as she did so. Eyes narrowing as he questioned her, the young woman pursed her lips. [color=FFF388]”My granddaughter and I speak regularly - and when we don’t I keep an eye on her. Knowing things is sort of… how do you kids say it now-a-days… Ah, yes. It’s sort of ‘my thing’. I know a lot more than you think,”[/color] she retorted, looking him up and down. Arms now crossed across her chest, Cordelia began to rip into Carlisle. [color=FFF388]”I know that Lilith cares about you, and you care about her - even if those levels of caring may be different. I know she had a vision, and your rinky-dink dumbass ignored it. How you’re always begging her to clean up your messes, and the one time she can keep you out of actual trouble, you just disregarded her like she was trash. I know that you’re too busy acting like a stupid love sick puppy to actually harness your powers. And [i]I know[/i] that for some odd reason, you think you deserve the world - when you have done [i]nothing[/i] for [i]it[/i] in return.”[/color] Eyes as hard as the stone beneath her, Cordelia patted the spot beside her. [color=FFF388]”Now humble your damned self and come sit.”[/color] Carlisle was screwed. This interaction had gone in the complete opposite direction so quickly. He wanted to argue back. But the reputation of Cordelia Montgomery was one that he didn't want to test. So he simply composed himself and complied with her request, moving over to her and sitting on the spot next to her. [color=00FFFF]"I never expected her to bail me out of trouble. And if she was ever in trouble I would have done the same. It's just that she never really got into trouble. She was too good for that"[/color] Okay. So maybe Carlisle couldn't resist arguing back a bit. Rolling her eyes, Cordelia sighed. [color=FFF388]”My granddaughter is one of the most flawed human beings to ever grace the planet, Carlisle. I think that you, I, and a lot of others know that.”[/color] Now turning her attention to the water running on her other side, Cordelia took a moment before speaking again. [color=FFF388]”Us Montgomerys have never been too good for anything - especially Lilith. She wants to live life to the fullest - even if most of hers has been ugly. She was never ‘too good’ to get into trouble, you know? She just doesn’t want to bug you with her problems - never has, really. You might [i]think[/i] that you’re a burden, but Lilith knows that she is - and that’s why she’s never asked you for help. Not because she’s too good for it, but because by protecting you from herself, that’s the way that she shows that she cares.”[/color] [color=00FFFF]"Your granddaughter is amazing"[/color] For a moment his thoughts about Miles and the party washed away and he focused on just Lil as a person. [color=00FFFF]"I know she is strong headed. Doesn't want to open up or feel like she is putting on someone. I know she thinks she is doing that to be helpful and caring to me. But I am the reverse of that. I want to be there to help. A problem shared is a problem halved and all that. Lil means enough to me that I would gladly take on any challenge if it made her life easier."[/color] With a soft sigh, his brain snapped back to reality. And his tone changed somewhat, now more stern, but also restrained. [color=00FFFF]"But that matters little now. I set off a chain of events that most likely we won't be able to recover from. The irony being I wanted to help, but became a burden. And then pushed her away from me. I wonder if I hadn't kept getting myself on trouble, if the answer to my question would have been different from 'No Dice'"[/color] Frustrated and clearly at her wits end, Cordelia raised a hand and swiftly smacked Carlisle on the back of his head. [color=FFF388]”Stop fuckin’ whining,”[/color] she groaned. [color=FFF388]”There’s [i]literally [b]nothing[/b][/i] that you can do when it comes to how Lilith feels for Miles and vice versa. The two of them were [i]actually[/i] written in the stars. No matter how hard you, or Lilly, or Miles - or anyone else - try, they’ll always come back to each other. The Universe has always had great plans for Lilith - and she’s going to need her friend by her side.”[/color] [color=00FFFF]"Wow, okay, so I never had a chance from the start. She this is why divination magic was always so cool"[/color] Carlisle would yelp as he was hit around the back of head. [color=00FFFF]"Okay, okay, I get it. So more importantly, what is possibly one of the greatest Abjurers of all time doing here speaking to me in the Astral Plane?"[/color] His tone was one of genuine curiosity as to what was going on. Shrugging her shoulders, Cordelia was now munching on some strawberries that had appeared out of thin air. [color=FFF388]”You’re the one that fell into my space, dude. I can’t give you all of the answers, can I? Just stare into the water or something and tell me what you see.”[/color] Okay. That wasn't what he expected as a response. But he did as she said. He turned around, taking a moment to focus on the water. He wasn't quite sure what he was actually looking for. After a few minutes he shrugged his shoulders. [color=00FFFF]"I just see myself. Sad old myself[/color] Cordelia’s patience grew more thin with each passing second. With another huff, she turned her attention back on Carlisle. [color=FFF388]”That right there is your problem. You’re absolutely insufferable, ya know that?”[/color] As she spoke, her head tilted slightly to the side in observation and disappointment. [color=FFF388]”’Woe is me. I’m Carlisle. I don’t have a girlfriend. I’m so weak. I’ll never be a good leader,’”[/color] she mocked him. [color=FFF388]”Cut the shit, man! You’re an Aston for crying out loud!”[/color] [color=00FFFF]"Can you blame me though? My own mother spent my childhood telling me that I was useless. She spent more time trying to figure out how to turn me into a witch rather than training me. The people who taught me weren't exactly Abjurers."[/color] Carlisle would turn back to look at Cordelia [color=00FFFF]"I was always told that Warlocks were stronger than witches in their chosen field, but growing up, it always seemed like me and Lil were at the same level."[/color] [color=FFF388]On abjuration, yes,”[/color] Cordelia stated matter of factly. [color=FFF388]”I don’t blame you for your circumstances - but I do blame you for not rising from them and creating excuses for yourself.”[/color] [color=00FFFF]”I didn’t know what to do while growing up. And after college, I didn’t really figure out how to do anything useful. But I am guessing by your tone, you are about to change that. And it isn’t going to be easy, and you are going to enjoy it”[/color] Carlisle replied, standing up and taking a precautionary step backwards. Rubbing her brows with her thumb and ring finger, Cordelia did her best not to flip out on the young man before her. [color=FFF388]”I didn’t think it was possible to get a headache in death until I met you,”[/color] she grumbled. Standing up herself, the blonde stretched her arms over her head before looking at Carlisle once more. [color=FFF388]”The thing about Aston women is that they’ve always been bitches, you know? I’d say it’s shocking the way that your mother has treated you - but it’s not. Multiple generations of your family have done the same to their children, and it continues to roll down hill. That doesn’t mean you all get to wallow in your own shit though.”[/color] Cracking her knuckles, Cordelia held her hands out in front of her, palms facing upwards. Nearly no time had passed before a baseball sized orb had appeared in her hand - almost invisible, but still shimmering ever so slightly. [color=FFF388]”First things first,”[/color] she stated, her eyes flicking up to meet his. [color=FFF388]”Can you create a ward? Or at least a shield of some sort.”[/color] Hearing about how Aston women were always like his mother. That was something new. That oddly gave him some solace. [color=00FFFF]”Wards? No, I had never been taught anything about wards. Shields though: Well I do maintain the Tanner Barrier. Well. Did.”[/color] With that he cast shield on himself, a faint blue aura-sphere surrounded Carlisle as he eyed up her shimmering orb. Clearly frustrated once more, Cordelia's concentration broke as the orb in her own hands dissipated. [color=FFF388]”How can you be so full of self-loathing and arrogance at the same time? [i]Maintain[/i] is pushing it. The Tanner Wards only exist for as long as my bloodline does. You may have patched it - but not having Lilith help you was a serious mistake.”[/color] Crossing her arms again, Cordelia took a moment to think. [color=FFF388]”You know the basics, so I guess that’s something. Can you project your shield at all, or is it just a personal thing?”[/color] [color=00FFFF]”So, hang on. Even being a supposedly powerful Abjurer, I can’t make the barrier proper without the help of a Montgomery?”[/color] Carlisle asked, trying to ignore her comment about being self-loathing and arrogant at the same time. He focused for a moment and managed to project the shield, casting it so that it was protecting Cordelia instead. [color=00FFFF]”Yep. Nice and simple”[/color] He said with a smile. [color=FFF388]”I’m sure that you could make a barrier just fine - just not the one for Tanner. The Montgomerys have been on this land since the dawn of time. If you want proper protection for Tanner - you need a Montgomery.”[/color] Observing him once more, Cordelia didn’t look impressed. [color=FFF388]”How good is your control? Does it have to be a full body shield? Try focusing it into your hands - not touching you, just levitating. Like I did.”[/color] [color=00FFFF]”Of course I can do that”[/color] Calirlse focused on his shield and projected it infront of him, only being a meter tall and wide. Carlisle was quite proud of how well he was doing, but at that point the blue hued shield began to flicker as Carlisle was struggling to maintain control of his shield. [color=00FFFF]”Why is this happening? I never cast a shield on myself, it is always projected, why can’t I control it now?”[/color] Focusing on her breathing, Cordelia took a deep breath in before slowly exhaling. [color=FFF388]”Because you’re being cocky. Cocky and confident are two different things, and you lack confidence. Severely.”[/color] Hands now held behind her back, she did her best to give an encouraging nod his way. [color=FFF388]”Try again. Focus on believing in yourself - not one upping me. You could never do that.”[/color] [color=00FFFF]"Okay, here we go"[/color] Carlisle refocused and projected the shield around him like before. That wasn't hard. He was used to projecting his shield like that. He would then try and repeat the same move from before, moving the shield infront of him and just infront of him. He would be able to hold it, it would occasionally flicker, but it was alot more stable. He just hoped that she didn't try to attack it. Summoning a small flame in her hand, Cordelia tossed it forward at Carlisle’s shield - easily breaking through. [color=FFF388]”You really have to do better than that,”[/color] she grumbled. [color=FFF388]”Honestly - let me just spell it out for you. Learn how to project the shield. Put power behind it. Learn to grow the barrier and its power. Learn [i]your[/i] power. If you want to break the curse, learn what I said, and then figure out how to project the proactive barrier over yourself. It should copy the curse, and you should be able to dispel it. I don’t want to give you a play by play, but you really are a pain in my ass, and if you spend too much time here it’s going to give you literal brain damage.”[/color] It seemed that annoying Montgomery's was a special ability of his. The fact that Cordelia was able to easily break his shield so easily. He listened to her words, clearly she was trying to paraphrase as she probably wanted him out of her hair. [color=00FFFF]"Okay, I get the idea. I will work on it. I will become powerful. I will become the strongest Abjurer in the world. Sounds cheesy, but I will do it"[/color] Carlisle said with a chuckle. [color=00FFFF]"Abjuration warlocks are rare and Abjuration council warlocks, well, I think I have been the only one. So finding spellbooks to cater to that power, are impossible to find"[/color] Slowly blinking, Cordelia shook her head in disbelief. She knew Carlisle had potential - she had seen it and discussed it with Lilith. However in this current moment, Cordelia wanted to banish him to Tartarus. [color=FFF388]”For the love of the gods - talk to Lilith. She can help you and she has far more patience than I. Just because you’re a warlock doesn’t mean witch spells don’t apply to you. We all draw our power from the same place.”[/color] [color=00FFFF]"I know that"[/color] Carlisle said with a chuckle [color=00FFFF]"It's just warlocks have a higher concentration of magic in a single school, whereas, witches have slightly less power but can dip into multiple schools and mix them up."[/color] Carlisle sounded pretty smug with himself. Not intentionally, but he liked to show off that he knew things. [color=00FFFF]" Ima head back to the station before Charon sends out a search party or something. It was nice meeting you. I would say let's meet again, but that would mean I have to be dead again"[/color] [color=FFF388]”Why are you speaking to me as if I don’t know things?”[/color] she questioned, glaring daggers at him. [color=FFF388]”You’re being condescending and it’s another horrible trait that you carry from your lineage. You can regurgitate a textbook - that’s great. Stop being so conceited when you have [i]nothing[/i] to be proud of. The Universe brought you here so that I could teach you and you have done nothing but be an ass. Your lack of personality is more tragic than your lack of magical capability.”[/color] [color=00FFFF]"I wasn't trying to be condescending"[/color] Carlisle defended himself. He was going to start commenting about how actually condescending that Cordiela has been saying that the 'universe' was doing things. But he didn't exactly want to get himself in anymore shit. He might be in the Astral plane, but he was fairly sure that Cordelia could still end him permanently. [color=00FFFF]"Okay, I am listening. No sassy comments, no elitestism"[/color] Waving a hand dismissively, Cordelia jumped to the rock across from where Carlisle now stood by himself. [color=FFF388]”Hone your powers. Break the curse. Find your friends. Don’t be a douche. Now get out of here.”[/color] Carlisle would watch her and seeing how nimble she was. He took a moment to relax and focused on trying to really structure his shield properly. He pictured in his head that he was focusing on that stream of water from before, trying to see more than his own reflection. It wasn't easy, and Carlisle was wasting magical energy and wasn't regulating his magical pressure at all. But he was able to cast a much stronger version of his shield. The bubble surrounded him as the blue hue was much stronger. [color=00FFFF]"I am not going to lie, this feels nice, but weird. It feels like I am floating in water"[/color] Watching his display, the blonde rolled her eyes and summoned a gust of wind, breaking through Carlisle's shield once more and knocking him down. [color=FFF388]”We can literally do this all day,”[/color] she shrugged. [color=FFF388]”But you have places to be and I have better spirits to chat with.”[/color] Carlisle hit the ground and looked slightly dejected. He thought he had it that time. Getting back up he would nod to her and simply walk towards the exit. He stopped for a moment before turning back and looking back at Cordelia [color=00FFFF]"Thanks for taking the time to talk to me. I know I can be a pain at times, but I mean well. I just don't know how to communicate"[/color] He gave off a meek smile before turning back around and walking back up the steps to get back to the station. Arriving back at the station, Carlisle looked around. It seemed nothing had changed at all. He couldn't really get used to the fact no one was around. Charon was still sitting on the bench looking slightly pissed. Carlisle sauntered on over, looking slightly more confident in himself. [color=00FFFF]"Well joke is on you, I know a way back now."[/color] He said with a confident smile on his face. [color=CBC3E3]"That's cute and all, but do you actually know how to perform it? Cause if you can’t actually do it, then you are basically useless.”[/color] Charon commented non-chantly, crossing his legs as he leaned back on the bench, looking over at Carlisle. [color=00FFFF]”Well not exactly. But I have a rough idea on what to do!”[/color] Carlisle protested as he walked off towards the center of the platform. [color=00FFFF]”if you excuse me, I need to go and concentrate”[/color]. Reaching the center, Carlisle took a moment and inhaled, trying to relax. He closed his eyes trying to focus. He was trying to copy the hand movements that Cordelia has shown him, trying to focus on his physical body rather than his astral one. It took many attempts. Far too many attempts than Carisle would have liked to admit. By the end of it, he was panting heavily, body hunched over from the sheer amount of force he was trying to pressure through. Eventually however he was able to focus on his physical body and began to cast the de-cursify wards. Back in the physical realm Small symbols would start to form in a circle around Carlisle. Once they had full formed, there would a small flash of bright light form them, as Carlsile’s australia body got flung back towards his physical one. A second later, Carlisle was back. He lay on the basement floor, shivering, covered in sweat and his eyes, well, they looked like he hadn’t slept in weeks, as black rings and bags covered them. He felt so exhausted and weak. Also, why did his face hurt so much? He rubbed his face as he looked at his surroundings. Slowly climbing back to his feet, struggling to maintain balance, Carlisle began to walk towards the basement exit. He hated this place and was petrified of it. [/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent]