ReusableSword

Of Blood and Magic

Victor Astorio

The images flooded his mind, memories of himself from a time long past and again memories of her. The short girl with flowing white hair, icy blue eyes, and skin as white as the full moon. Her smile could always warm his cold heart and she loved her strawberry perfume. His old friend. His memory continued to drift while his body continued to fight; occasionally striking at one of the dummies strewn about the sand.

Then he felt it, it was faint but it was there. Almost like watching someone on the street from the back seat of a car as you pass them, making eye contact for only a moment and then the moment was gone. His mind did not stop for the strange prying sensation. No, it continued from watching the girl in a long white flowing dress as she danced in a field of midnight flowers to something dark. Shadows and smoke, laughter and screams. Her hand reaching towards him through flames and then darkness even he couldn’t see through.

“Ah, uh, hi, excuse me?” a voice from behind him timidly asked. “We have something to ask you, if you don’t mind that is?”

This voice pulled him from his meditation and brought him back to reality and the cold sand beneath his feet. For a moment, he stood still. A combat dummy stood in front of him and his back was to his audience. This dummy was meant to be struck and was a bit more sturdy then the others, built to act like a real person when it was struck. Eyes still black as the night sky the tall vampire made a sound akin to that of a growl and struck the dummy in the chest with a powerful kick sending it toppling across the arena.

Turning his head to his shoulder and glaring at the boy Victor finally turned. Breathing deeply with an intimidating body language. The darkness in his eyes slowly faded as the tall vampire composed himself and approached the boy. He was roughly five feet from him now while he looked him over and then the others in the crowd. “Why have you interrupted my meditation?” answering his question with a question wasn’t entirely necessary but he was still a little annoyed. That and the memory they pulled him from was not the best.

Of Blood and Magic

Victor Astorio

The tall vampire had no trouble walking through the crowds of mages and vampires alike, they were heading away from where he was heading after all. Walking towards the arena in autopilot, he was thinking about what had just transpired. Going over his actions and the actions of the others again and again.

Victor took the time to memorize their looks and reactions to how he acted and to what was said. He only wished he stayed around long enough to see Salem’s reaction to realizing the vampire he laid hands on was a noble. He knew he would still wait longer to tell the boy they were stuck with each other. Yet for some reason out of all of those mages, the one that stuck with him the most was that girl. Something about that girl looked like… her.

The vampire was quick to pull himself from his thoughts and his sudden realization, a ghost from his past that continued to haunt him. Getting a grip of his emotions and thoughts, he began looking around only to see the entrance to the arena and the few that still paced about. He needed to clear his thoughts and his mind of that memory that was better off buried. He knew this was just the place to do it.

Walking slowly and quietly, each step almost melding into the stone floor as he approached the arena itself. He didn’t want to draw attention to himself or have someone stop him before he got to the sand. Those that were around didn’t seem to pay any attention to him, a mage eating a sandwich and going over homework, a few instructors doing paperwork, and fewer still cleaning up the area. Seeing as how no one tried to stop him or approach him even, he took to taking off some of his clothes.

Untying his boots first, placing his socks inside them then taking off his jacket. Victor found himself pausing for a moment, just a moment of hesitation before pulling off the black turtleneck. He neatly placed his things on a nearby stone bench with his Astorio amulet on top of everything so no one would mess with anything.

Stepping out onto the dimly lit sand one could clearly see the extent of his scars and markings now. Every mark that tarnished his powerful frame, every mark across his back, his shoulders, down his arms, and along his chest, many still disappearing below his belt line. A scar on a human or a mage was one thing; a scar on a being with superior healing abilities was another. A scar for a vampire meant repeated injuries in the same place again and again until the healing ability was not able to keep up anymore. Some of these marks could be explained through training, some through bad luck maybe, but to one that knew what they were looking at would know it to be the result of prolonged torture.

Some scars looked to be made by a surgical instrument of some kind, most looked like they were caused by a bladed weapon, others from what could only be described as some sort of acid or flame perhaps, and a few that looked like exposure to sunlight. Still in the dim light of the arena, the large vampire picked up a hand full of sand and rubbed it between his hands. Closing his eyes and breathing deep, he took an aggressive stance and raised his fists. Opening his eyes he let his current mood take over and his eyes were flooded with darkness as he began to strike with punches and kicks at the air and at some unseen enemy.

Of Blood and Magic

Victor Astorio

Feeling the hand on his shoulder made him pull his attention momentarily towards the mage that demanded his attention. Salem would only be rewarded with a smile and a flash of red around the vampire’s pupils. Salem made little attempt to try and figure out who he was talking to and seemed to play right into his hands. A basic strategy to goad your opponent and he fell for it.

This mage would be much more trouble than he is worth it would seem. Now all that was left to test was his combat ability in the arena, “the cub must learn his role.” He whispered to himself. Victor found it strange, teaching others, and how it brought out his old trainer and the phrases the old man used to say, “To clench all the reckless rage into control.” He finished the quote while he watched the boy pass him and attempt to drag his friends out of the class room.

Then came the words of warning from Varis. Victor turned his head towards him with a smile. “Who me?” as he gestured to himself, “I, an Astorio noble, would never do such a thing. To even suggest such an act” his face looked shocked then he laughed. “No your right, I should go before I break someone. Apologies.” The tall vampire put his hands in his pockets and walked toward the door.

He did however take a moment to look towards Maxwell, “if you want to get some of that aggression out on some of us…” he paused for a moment and licked his lips, “monsters. Challenge me at the arena during self-defense.” Walking past Salem and the girl he glanced over at them, “and I’ll be seeing you later… Spellman.” Victor said with a wink and a smile towards both of them.

Somehow being strange and creepy like this always put him in a good mood, just like stalking a panicking victim through the dark foggy swamps of the south. This even reminded him of one of the songs he would sing while doing so just to torment those few law breakers even more. And so as he left the class room on his slow walk towards the arena with a smile on his face, Victor began to sing. Well aware that to any normal person he was acting… insane.

Lullaby of woe

“Wolves asleep amidst the trees
Bats all a swaying in the breeze
But one soul lies anxious wide awake
Fearing all manner of ghouls, hags and wraiths
For your dolly Polly sleep has flown
Don't dare let her tremble alone
For the witcher, heartless, cold
Paid in coin of gold
He comes he'll go leave naught behind
But heartache and woe
Deep, deep woe
Birds are silent for the night
Cows turned in as daylight dies
But one soul lies anxious wide awake
Fearing all manner of ghouls, hags and wraiths
My dear dolly Polly shut your eyes
Lie still, lie silent, utter no cries
As the witcher, brave and bold
Paid in coin of gold
He'll chop and slice you
Cut and dice you
Eat you up whole
Eat you whole.”

Ashley Serena - Lullaby of Woe

Of Blood and Magic

Victor Astorio

The boy before him seemed puzzled but wouldn’t back down. “Marvelous” he thought to himself. Watching the boys every movement and reaction. The girl wasn’t interesting any more, she seemed almost stuck in a puddle of her own making. The one in front of him at least had the heart to stand in front of him even if his heartbeat was escalating.

His smile never stopping as his gaze slowly shifted back to the one in front of him, he could hear another approaching them. “Don’t flatter yourself, you’re cute but you’re not that cute.” Again another thing to see if he could get under his skin, “you got balls kid, I’ll give you that, but you let that mouth of yours get you in too much trouble and this place will extinguish that flame.” He was also wondering how advice would go with this one.

“Is there a problem here?”

The voice calling toward them did not make Victor turn his gaze until Spellman was almost right next to them. Victor took little time to push the boy out of his way to get in between Salem and the girl. “Well hello there Salem Spellman, you are Salem Spellman correct? The hero of the night? the man of the hour? The one human with the guts or sheer stupidity to talk to the queen in such a way as you did the other night?” Victor was being incredibly animated for him, smiling and moving his arms as if introducing a hero to the stage. Victor had no problem making himself look like a fool in his experience it made others think him as a lesser person or threat then he was.

He was assuming about what was said but by the way Varis spoke of him, he knew it was not good. “Perhaps telling some half-truths would play better for this one. He does seem a bit more level headed compared to the other two” he thought. “You hear so many interesting things while working for the council. So what will you do? Family thinking you betrayed them, family business being investigated under suspicion of treason, and my personal favorite being, that your family may be barred from practicing magic ever again because of what You said.” He was well aware of what being investigated by the council meant, he also knew that like the Starag, family meant something to them.

“Choose your words carefully hero, all it takes is a well-placed rumor and your family dies thinking you betrayed them.” That was a bluff but Victor was wondering how much of their rights they knew about concerning council business. Giving the boy a smirk and a chance to think about his words the tall vampire turned to the petrified girl and stepped up to her.

Again, he stepped up closer than what would be acceptable in normal circumstances to the girl and lowered his head but this time it seemed almost with care as he got closer to her ear and whispered, “I understand I am scary, but if you let this fear of yours control you it will get you killed. Stand up to it and face it or let it consume you, those are your options. I’ll be waiting to see what you picked.” He smiled and stepped away from her, “I’m sure we will have a lot of fun with that… later.” This time he did not whisper he wanted the other two, especially Salem, to think he may have said something lewd towards her. Again, another thing to provoke them with.

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

Ardur The Mighty Hipixie

Safety? > almost safe /// Adventuring day 4 // Afternoon / Location - cave > Cave entrance

Ardur followed Asura’s lead and began to crawl on all fours to press himself closer to the ground. Noticing Steve pressing herself towards the ground as well and glancing over at him occasionally. The high pixie found this adorable but now was not the time to be cute. However, he was glad to figure out that Steve would still recognize him after an evolution. One less thing to worry about in the long run.

He could see and hear the same thing Asura could and the mere uneasiness of Mother Slime put him on alert as well. He still had no mana but at least his health and stamina seemed to be holding strong. The red lime seemed dead set on moving into the forest to the west to get away from everything happening here. Couldn’t blame him, even Ardur could sense things beyond their power were moving and happening.

Whispering to Asura, “Come on, let’s make like hokey sticks and get the puck out of here.” He was obviously waiting far too long to use that one by the smile on his face. Even with his comment and holding back a laugh, he continued to move around the small hill after the slime. Before they could move any quicker or farther, he could hear a familiar goblin yelling towards the other side of the clearing.

“That sounds like orchid. I don’t think she’s having a very good day but kind of sounds like Jason right now.” He whispered towards Asura. “Probly best to leave her be for now and just find a safe place to sleep because I am tired.” His trusty eight-legged companion brushed up against them seemingly starring at the other two. “Oh also before I forget, this little guy here is Steve I tamed her. Hey Mother Slime this one is not food she is a friend.” He hopped the slime understood him as he kept moving with the others.

It was not long before Orchid shouted a threat and threw a fireball into some nearby brush. It did not seem like she was aiming for them particularly but maybe a diversion. “Hey this seems like a good chance to run if you want to take it.” He wasn’t about to run off on his own, right now Asura was the closest thing to a friend or party member he had. At least he did not seem to bossy or selfish for the most part.

@Zeroth
@Kazemitsu

Ardur's character stats

Level: 5

Health: 100%
Mana: 00%
Stamina: 50%

Buffs:

Debuffs: Mana Burn,

Inventory:

Clothes: N/A

Weapons: N/A

Magic/Skills: Shield II, Lesser Flight III, Minor Heal III, Physical Conditioning I, Fire Resistance I, Taming I, Fireball I, Stronger II, Crafting I, Muffle I, Inspire I, Guidance I, Spell chant I, Use light equipment,

Kills for current level: 2x undead pixie

Other:

Of Blood and Magic

Victor Astorio

Victor payed little attention to the two vampires on the stage. All he did for the majority of that class was stare at his unknowing mage and listen to the lecture. It was a small test to see if the human listened to his instincts, as a predator was watching him. Small things that gave him a better understanding of how well others sensed the world around them.

He was broken out of his thoughts on how he would deal with this Spellman when the bell rang for lunch. Slowly the tall vampire put his black leather bound notebook and blue pen back in the interior pocket of his jacket. Taking his time to get out of his seat watching the others around him interact and move until only a few mages and vampires remained. Either trying to talk to the celebrity or waiting on someone who was talking to Varis.

Making his way to the double doors he stopped. Something spoken between two mages, a white haired girl and a small boy, caught his attention. The thing that caught his attention was what was said and the way it was said. Something about having no shame. Very deliberately, Victor turned and quietly walked up behind the boy until he was well within his personal space. The way the boy spoke about the Starag boy and how he knelt before Varis made him guess this one had a problem with them. Therefore, Victor figured he would prod this issue.

“He is in the proper position. Humans were always meant to be subservient and at least he knows who his master is.” Again, Victor pushed boundaries that would otherwise make him too close for comfort. He did this by moving his face closer to the boy’s. “So tell me, Slave, what makes you think you’re better than him? That you do not bow or kneel in the presence of nobility. Especially, in the presence of an Astorio.” He paused for a moment before removing his face from in front of the boys and standing up straight. “I’m sure you are aware of how…” he paused for a moment finding the words, “aggressive, we can be.”

Turning his attention to the white haired girl, Victor looked her over for a moment almost as if he was checking her out. “My, my aren’t you pretty.” Again trying to provoke another reaction with a big creepy smile. It was the fighter in him, always trying to get into people’s heads and finding out what made them upset or lose focus. He obviously was not afraid of any of them and his posture and body language made this overwhelmingly clear.

Of Blood and Magic

Victor Astorio

Victor walked quietly towards the next hall, the next building for studying treaty law. Sure, he knew enough about it to know what laws and rules were in place in the punishments for breaking them. However, he never really looked into the history of it or the bigger picture of things. After all, he was a headhunter not a lawyer, that subject was left to those who had more patience for the political world they thrived in.

The tall vampire got to the class early, watching as the others slowly made their way inside and to their seats. He did not move until he saw Salem enter the room. Victor watched the boy carful, watched how he looked to a few other mages while he found his seat. Finally, the tall vampire made his way to an empty seat near Salem. Victor had no problem sitting amongst a group of mages even if he could sit in the front row with the nobles he chose not to.

Pulling out a small notebook and a pen, Victor set to work taking notes he knew he was going to need as the vampire he spoke to earlier began his class. “Is this what it meant to be a Teachers Aid for this class? To basically teach the class himself?” He thought while Salem stood and asked a question. The question asked was simple and to the point. Even then, Victor still watched the mage and how he held himself while speaking in front of a crowd.

The other vampire that spoke seemed to be almost shaking in his boots just by asking a question. It was not unexpected for a new blood to lose confidence in front of a large group of their peers and was frankly enjoyable to watch the boy suffer for a moment. Varis spent little time answering both of their questions before continuing with a brief overview to the class.

Victor was sure to jot down notes and points of interest over the topics he otherwise had little interest or knowledge of before. This class was sure to be interesting and he could only wonder what the others in his argument group thought of the house they were tasked with. Then the sudden bang of the main doors behind him.

He did not turn to look like the others he simply figured it was an over dramatic vampire or overconfident human with a death wish. It was not until he started to notice the whispers of those around him that he looked up from his notes at all. Well he was right, an over dramatic vampire with an ‘I’m the most important person in this room’ air about him. The man introduced himself in front of everyone like they all had to know his name and his presence.

Just by how the others around him reacted, he could already tell this was going to be annoying. “So who’s this one supposed to be?” Victor asked allowed. He was not speaking to anyone directly but by the looks, those around him gave him he wondered what kind of response he would receive. Even if he was being honest, he did want to see the reaction of those around him.

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

Ardur The Mighty Hipixie

Monty python "Run away!" > Safety? /// Adventuring day 4 // Afternoon / Location - cave

Ardur looked at the slimy green herb on his arm and felt its soothing properties; quickly the Hipixie ate the herb and turned back to the sword as it spoke once again. “A hero? I am not worthy of it then? At least not yet.” His thoughts were quick and short as his attention went back to the wall of water between the three of them and the undead horde.

Looking to Asura for just a moment as they made their way toward the entrance. He listened dutifully to the slime, as he assessed the situation and gave a basic plan. Ardur interjected when he mentioned wanting to stay inside the cave. “I know you want to stay inside, but I do not believe that to be the best action right now. As far as Jason was concerned, the whole cave was his territory so we should not stay inside the cave if we want to rest for a long while. Who knows how long that spirit will keep the undead at bay.”

He was being cautious but was aware that the slime more than likely was not aware of the cease-fire with the goblins. “At the end of the other day, some of the other reborn and myself formed a truce or a cease fire with the goblins. One of them uhh Orchid I think her name was. She is like us and I think she was trying to move up the chain of command last I checked. That and Steve is waiting out there for me.”

He could see the opening of the cave now and continued to head for it. “I’m going to take the chance that the more level headed of our group haven’t pissed the goblins off yet and stay just outside the cave but still in one of the smaller outcroppings so I’m at least a little out of sight. If they are hostile again at least then we will be able to run into the forest instead of back into here. Better chances of survival that way.” He would stick to his words. Otherwise, Ardur just wants to get outside the cave and sleep. barley noticing the excited Steve or words being spoken outside.

@Zeroth
@Kazemitsu

Ardur's character stats

Level: 5

Health: 100%
Mana: 00%
Stamina: 50%

Buffs:

Debuffs: Mana Burn,

Inventory:

Clothes: N/A

Weapons: N/A

Magic/Skills: Shield II, Lesser Flight III, Minor Heal III, Physical Conditioning I, Fire Resistance I, Taming I, Fireball I, Stronger II, Crafting I, Muffle I, Inspire I, Guidance I, Spell chant I, Use light equipment,

Kills for current level: 2x undead pixie

Other:

From the weakest goblin to the Strongest god

Work issss busy

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

Ardur The Mighty Hipixie

well screw you too guy > Monty python "Run away!" /// Adventuring day 4 // Afternoon / Location - cave

This frame definitely could take more of a beating then his last one. However, he still wasn’t anywhere close to being a tank. Maybe a glass cannon but not a tank. The last few hits hurt and now he had to worry about not getting hit again and blood in his eye.

After stopping the head of the pixie he had just crushed to be sure that it was dead, Ardur lunged back to his friendly slimes. The situation was deteriorating quickly. Undead reinforcements were coming in quickly, wisps crackling with energy fluttered towards them from the ceiling, more undead seemed to be rising from the ground, and to top it all off another large slime with the same crystal structures in its body like Jason had was making its way toward them.

Ardur heard Asura call for them to fall back as they were all clearly outnumbered and being overwhelmed. The Hipixie hesitated to move for a moment. Trying to get a good grasp of what was coming for them and how many they would need to deal with. Then suddenly without warning the water from the nearby pool rose and flowed between them and the undead. The sudden influx of water was followed by a voice and then a sword floating past them. He barley noticed that the slime applied some healing herbs to him.

It told them to run while it distracted their pursuers. Even through his sore injuries and bleeding head wound the mighty Hipixie still tried to reach out for the sword in an attempt to take it with them as they fled. Not the most well thought out plan but he was suffering from a head injury and somethings seemed a little fuzzy. The need to run wasn’t one of those things.

Only attempting to grab the sword once, Ardur took off toward the entrance. Running and at the same time using his wings in an attempt to move just that much quicker along the ground toward the entrance and hopefully safety. He didn’t care about what was outside of the cave or how the goblins would react to them but it was better than dying in here like Jason.

@Zeroth
@Kazemitsu

Ardur's character stats

Level: 5

Health: 20%
Mana: 00%
Stamina: 50%

Buffs:

Debuffs: Mana Burn,

Inventory:

Clothes: N/A

Weapons: N/A

Magic/Skills: Shield II, Lesser Flight III, Minor Heal III, Physical Conditioning I, Fire Resistance I, Taming I, Fireball I, Stronger II, Crafting I, Muffle I, Inspire I, Guidance I, Spell chant I, Use light equipment,

Kills for current level: 2x undead pixie

Other: