No Right, No Wrong

[Deleted]

Jonathon stood once again in the fields of Fordeth in the middle of the night, this place had become his workplace in a sense, it was where he came to practice as he could usually be sure that no one would come anywhere near him, not many people travelled the roads or cut across the plains of Fordeth in the darkness of night. Those that did usually either had similar aims to Jonathon or sometimes even worse, but for now the inexperienced mage was just attempting to work on a basic shield spell.

The shield spell had come to him in the rain on the fourth, it had been fairly annoying that the rain was there and this particular shield was what he had come up with to counter the rain, the spell having worked first time which was quite unusual. It worked though which was important, very important in his mind as even if it was something that most experienced mages probably wouldn't have even cared about he was still very new to his limits, his power felt like an old friend thanks to the painful work of the academy, but using it he had not done much. He had probably worked on his power quite a lot in the academy if his results now were anything to go by, but his mind had taken all memories from that time and locked them away in an iron safe deep within his brain, sealing them from him lest they drive him completely insane. 

Jonathon went through the now familiar motion of drawing out his power, solidifying it and allowing it to manifest, hoping that it would come out alright.

---

Simple (30) Thaumaturgy I (5) Shielding I (5) Knowledge (15) Threshold:55

VvOPG5Y|

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The shield flared into existance with a slight amount of light, quickly dimming quite rapidly until it glowed weakly in front of Jonathon, a glowing square in front of him that was his shield, it was interesting that he could manage this so easily after only using it several times, yet with something like his Dark Arts he still struggled after so much practice. 

[Deleted]

Clomp, clomp.

Clomp, clomp.

The Thoroughbred's hooves tore through the ground underneath it. Though only a little way on her travels to Mardok territory, Guinevere was itching for a little time away from the El'lor siblings. She still felt horrible for yelling at the man...slightly sick even. He had just revealed a secret to her, and one that had helped her, a secret she shared. But the Lady had no way to show him, and no thought of how to apologize. She had managed to keep silent, but for how much longer could things be awkward? Meeting Gabriel again had just made it somewhat worse. Gabriel had acted far too familiar, and that had set her in a tissy. Guilt was throwing the half-elkagr into a state soon to burst.

Clomp, clomp.

Perhaps this ride through the rain was helping, as she had lied to poor Tom about what she was doing. About this time an hour ago, he would have found out his Lady did not need another drink. On account that she was missing.

Tom hopefully knew better than to alert Elise, or worse yet Cassius.

A flash of light then suddenly filtered across the plains, and the horse still yet new to her pranced nervously. During the daylight the light would have been nothing, but at this hour it was a beacon. Before the half-elkagr would not have noticed the man. Pulling the reigns to her horse, she stopped the creatures dancing and cantered toward the man. Would he be too busy to notice her? Guinevere was curious.

---

Guinevere Lyethe
|STR:20 V:20 AG:20 CH:20 ST:20 T:20 D:20 EN:20 P:20 K:20|
|400HP-80SM-240MP|
|Thought Grasp Negotiated|

Y5ytmWpEThought Grasp: Success
Who: No one in range.
Riding Check Riding, Simple, K/S 51/55 Threshold.Passed

(Ugh, rolls moved. Was 51.)
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[Deleted]

The shield was useful for sure, it would be something that he would most definitely have to start working on, but for now it really was not his main concern, he needed to strengthen his Dark Arts, those are what he would need to improve on to improve his power, they would be his main offensive force, his shielding would most definitely be used as his defensive force for obvious reasons though. 

Jonathon cut the supply to his shield, it was a waste of energy to try and keep it up why he practised his shadow manipulation, he would need to keep up all his strength as the more that he had left in him the more practice he could do and the better he would be able to perform. He really didn't need a replay of the last time he'd been practising where he'd ended up passing out in the grass in a highly vulnerable position, one that he did not at all feel comfortable with, he liked being in control and feeling secure not exhausted and lying in the grass. 

Jonathon whisked up the whisps of his power, they came naturally to him now even if he could only access the outer edges of his power he had enough to do some minor works with it. Pressing his power onto the dark how he had always done up until now, his success rate wasn't incredible but he was willing to carry on through success or failure should it mean that he would be able to advance his power and his proficiency or knowledge of the Dark Arts, it would be worth the screaming at failures if he could succeed.

---

Channelling II (10) Dark Arts II (10) Simple (30) Knowledge (15) Threshold: 65
cgvYfM_u

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The shadows bent to his will, heeding his calls and being forced into the exact form that he wanted, several tendrils of it rose from the ground and swirled together into one large tendril of darkness rising from the ground, he kept it relatively short, around six foot tall just incase anyone could see, a giant spire of darkness wasn't exactly normal. 

He enjoyed the feeling of wielding that power, of having it bent to his will and being in control of it, of feeling it flurry around him yet knowing he could stop it with but a thought. 

[Deleted]

As well trained a horse could be, it did not like the use of such magic. Maybe it was something the horse could sense without any sort of magical training, the creature started dancing around again throwing a leg out or two at a time in revolt of the evil magic. Guinevere pulled at the reigns of the creature again, trying to calm the beast with a few sort words. The half-breed did not expect it to go well, as the horse was still so knew to her. The red roan just wasn't familiar enough with his master yet.  The creature again managed to calm, but still whinnied at the man it was skiddishly approaching.

Guinevere took a moment longer to quite realize what happen spooked the horse before her. She felt something like magic, that was for sure but something that stood blacker than the sky, seemed more like a beacon to her. The Lady was afraid, but then intimately curious about how such a thing was summoned. Guin had only heard rumors of such arts, dark ones to be specific.  The mages who had taught her only spoke in whispers, and hushed tones about such things. Things illegal for even mages registered and under command of the King.

She stopped only feet from the man, would he again try? Or look in the direction of the squealing horse. Guinevere was yet too scared for words yet.

---

Guinevere Lyethe
|STR:20 V:20 AG:20 CH:20 ST:20 T:20 D:20 EN:20 P:20 K:20|
|400HP-80SM-240MP|
|Thought Grasp Negotiated|

zA|rEDx7Thought Grasp: Failure
Riding Check Riding, Simple, K/S 55 Threshold.
·

[Deleted]

He could hear a noise, or could he actually, was it just the flurry of darkness around him distorting his senses and warping them, he was unsure. But then he heard it again, Jonathon cut all tethers to the darkness and allowed it to simmer down around him, the dark power descending back to the same place he had drawn it from, wherever that may have been. 

It hadn't been a false thing, he had in fact heard something, that something infact being a woman on a horse, a rather large and admittedly good looking horse, the woman barely even factored into his views. What had factored into his views was the fact that this woman had seen him practising Dark Arts, something that even for someone such as him who served the sorceror king, was still illegal. She had seen him, he really should work on his perception, but at the current stage he stood at using his magic took up most if not all of his conversation so he hadn't been paying attention to the people around him. 

Jonathon turned to face the stranger, she was significantly higher up than him due to the fact that she was on a horse and he wasn't, but as far as he was concerned he still held the more power out of the two of them. Sure she had seen him using Dark Arts but he could if he wished kill her out here in the middle of these plains and no one would ever know, or at least he was fairly sure that he could give it a very good go if he wanted to.

Jonathon raised one eyebrow, although it was unlikely that she would notice considering the darkness of the night and the leftovers from the particular magics that he had just been practising.

"Fordeth is that way" Jonathon said, raising one arm and pointing it directly towards Fordeth, hoping that she'd take the hint and leave him, otherwise things could get nasty and he wasn't particularly willing to let them get nasty. 

[Deleted]

Guinevere raised an eyebrow at the man, well that was a bold statement to make. If she had to guess the man was used to some authority. Usually it was a "Hi! How are you!" even a "I'm sorry for spooking your horse." No this was a get away from me, and you saw nothing. It was defensive and made him look suspicious. It was almost guaranteed that Guin would know what he was up to.

"I'll consider that once I'm done admiring your magic."

The lady leaned forward on the horn of her saddle, trying to dismount gracefully from the beast.

"My teachers were right, that magic leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. Bitter, but exciting...perhaps from the illegal nature of the act."

The lady made the ground gracefully, lead of the horse still kept firmly in her fingers. Her grin was bright, the half breed was very interested.

---

77/80 SM

Tg7Xt6j7 Riding Check: Success
Thought Grasp: Success
Invalid




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[Deleted]

Jonathon watched with care, carefully weighing each of his own words as he listened to hers, so she must at least have some basic knowledge of magic to be able to determine the illegal nature of the particular magic that she had been performing when he arrived, and from her own admittance she'd had a teacher who'd had knowledge of magics. She knew what Dark Arts were at least to the degree where she could recognise the fact that he was performing magic based around them, it was interesting as she didn't seem particularly threatening to him, instead she  was quite calm in the face of the danger he could pose to her. 

She quite clearly believed that she had the upper hand in this situation as she had caught him in the way she had, yet it was her word against his and he was a registered sorceror of the SKC, what was she, a member of the common populace who'd stumbled onto something that she could just about comprehend. 

"And what type of magic would this kind that you are referring to be?" Jonathon's eyebrow arched once again as the half breed woman dismounted, so she was a half-elkagr in the same way that he was, interesting. 

He had been careless, he had allowed himself to be seen oh so easily and now he would have to get himself out of this situation in the best possible way that he could think of or at least perform damage control now to stop things getting any worse, on the inside he was absolutely fuming at himself for being so stupid yet on the outside he displayed nothing but a slight smirk. 

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SM: 20/24

[Deleted]

"I'm presuming dark by the way you are hiding yourself away in the night to practice. I could be wrong, but the circumstances don't bode well in your favor. "

Whether or not he could see, she flashed the man a teasing grin. Hoping to play this just right. Guinevere saw oppurtinties.

The Lady turned her back to the man, pulling a hobble from her saddle pack to hinder the beast from escape. Pretentious moves on her part, but she wasn't expecting to leave quickly. She took just enough time on hobbling the beast.

"How do you do it?" She asked, playing the curious card.

The half breed was rather curious, anyone with magic pulled that side from her. Well anyone that was not a person she had vested interest in. A stranger, but in never a friend would she ask such questions. Besides this was familiar, learning magic from strange people.

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76/80 SM

ujuw9lz2 Thought Grasp

[Deleted]

Jonathon had expected her to know what it was he'd been doing in the field, you didn't usually come away from the safety of a city in the middle of the night when all manner of things could be about unless you had something you really wanted to hide from the general populace, and although she appeared to have guessed he didn't think that she was completely sure of herself at this moment.

And then she asked him how you did it exactly, Jonathon's mouth dropped open for a few seconds as he tried to figure out why this supposedly average person had just asked him how exactly she could use the Dark Arts. Did she have the ability to perform magic? She must if she was asking about it, not many people were known for enjoying the theory on illegal magic, and he wasn't even sure if he could actually explain it, his magic seemed different from the way most mages went about their work. 

"If my magic is what you say it is then why would you want to know?" Jonathon replied, he was interested in this woman now, she was interested in his magic and seemed to have some power of her own, well at least he had a hunch on that as he had yet to see this for himself. 

Sure it was his job to bring in people such as her, rogue mages, but he had not yet fully ascertained whether or not she was a rogue mage, he'd have to let her go further in order to find that out, so for now he'd play along with her games and then once he was done with her fun he'd go and hand her in, if he was lucky he might get a reward even for handing her in to the Fordeth academy. 

---

19/24

[Deleted]

"Curiosity." The answer was quite simple. If it had been simple magic, she would have wandered by, or just watched without making a scene. Saying something about never seeing the wonders of magic, or something of that hype. Guinevere had a big problem, she hadn't yet been able to conjure up anything from thin air yet, passed simple little magics....and her annoying ability to accidentally shock people. It wasn't everyone, Cassius....all of the teachers she had had, wait was that tied to others with magic too?

The Lady could test that.

"You'll be fine in not yet exchanging names, I presume?" Guinevere offered out her hand to the strange man. He was probably going to feel a slight shock shaking her hand, Guinevere was just curious. About the name business, it wasn't like her natural red hair wasn't enough of a give away if they were to meet again. She was one of the rare few that had the hair naturally, and all the soullessness being ginger offered with it.

---

Guinevere Lyethe
|STR:20 V:20 AG:20 CH:20 ST:20 T:20 D:20 EN:20 P:20 K:20|
|400HP-75/80SM-240MP|
|Thought Grasp Negotiated|

YagUHoULThought Grasp: Failure

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Divination III! +3 Stat Points --Xynestro

[Deleted]

"Curiosity killed the cat" Jonathon said, his voice flat and directed at this woman. Both of them were having a conversation yet they refused to just come out and say it, both of them knew what this conversation was really about yet neither of them wanted to plainly state what this conversation was about and they both were just dancing around the topic, not properly broaching it although they both seemed to know the other's intention. Or at the very least he knew her intention as she had practically said it, or at least hinted at it very heavily.

"Suits me" He replied to the mutual agreement to not disclose their names to the other, this red-haired woman wouldn't exactly be hard to spot again if he ever saw her anyway, she didn't exactly blend into a crowd particularly well due to her half-elkagr status and her odd hair colouring, whether natural or dyed she still would stand out quite nicely should he need to find her again ever.

She stuck out her hand, Jonathon cautiously stuck out his, ready to pull it back in a second should he need to, he doubted that this woman would attack him considering what she was hinting at but one could never be completely sure.

The moment their hands touched Jonathon felt a shock travel into his hand and up his body, he quickly withdrew his hand, expecting a larger shock of some sort to follow, she had been stupid enough to attempt to attack him then the way it seemed, she was trying to shock him.

Jonathon took a swift step back, drawing out his power and commanding the darkness to rise and aid him, not making a single movement with his body so that it would be harder for her to realise what he was doing. 

---

Simple (30) Channelling II (10) Dark Arts II (10) Knowledge (15) Threshold:65
5IOEgDy1

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The darkness swirled on the floor around him, ready at his feet for him to do as he pleased, he could make it whip up at her hopefully before she could move, or he could pull it up in a defensive shield around him should the need arise.

"So you decide that the best way to broach this topic is by assaulting me, good idea" He said with a slight sneer in his voice. 

[Deleted]

"Honestly, I seem to shock people that have magic, or potential. I suppose it acts as a conductor to my magic." It had only helped to prove her theory just a little further. But Guinevere was not yet done explaining herself, her horse let out a whine again and the half-elkagr was on edge. "I apologize, as I cannot make magic present itself when I wish it to. I lack control of that element." That was good of her to reveal that much. Though, she did not need to mention that she was able to dispel it. With much more success than attempting to make something out of nothing. He didn't need to know everything, though she was curious to try.

Or perhaps trying could show she had some force.

"I have far better studied state matters, than I have ones of magic." Revealing this, rather than in weakness but as moving her own chess piece. These words were said with more thought than one would originally assume. Guinevere was fishing, trying to see what the man before her would bite at. Power, or promise of wealth was a good starting part for most.

Power was always in fashion. Always to be grasped at.

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Guinevere Lyethe

|STR:20 V:20 AG:20 CH:20 ST:20 T:20 D:20 EN:20 P:20 K:20|
|400HP-75/80SM-240MP|
|Thought Grasp Negotiated|

F4sHqh3V Thought Grasp: Failure

[Deleted]

"So you're untrained? Weak in your control of what you have and wishing to learn more? Merely a conductor to other people's power, possibly even a conduit to someone with the right form of training. You are a danger." Jonathon examined her more closely, so as he had heavily suspected she did have some form of magical ability, however weak and untrained it may be it existed. Now was the point when his job would call him to bring her in, dead or alive, rogue mages completely went against the men that he served, they took no quarter on that subject. 

Jonathon dispelled the shadows at his feet, she would be unable to hurt him, he was far enough away that he'd see if she tried to make any movement and he was confident that he could react to it before she could do any harm to him. 

State matters? Who was she exactly, dealing with state matters implied that she was in some form of position of power in which she would be called upon to make matters of state, was she merely an advisor to a noble or a noble in herself, this was something that he'd need to know, if he played this right he could get himself quite a powerful sponsor should she be someone important.

"State matters? An advisor to a minor noble by any chance? What would you be wanting magic for anyway" Jonathon said, deliberately trying to goad her into giving up more specific details about herself. 

[Deleted]

"An adviser?" She scoffed at the words. Now that was a funny thought. "No, my station is much higher." No attitude there, missy.

Her clothes spoke all to proudly about her station. Tailored just perfectly to the curves of her body, what even they were made out of spared no expense. The black leather riding breeches, gloves, and matching boots shone as if they were brand new. The crisp red riding jacket, with tails that hit below the back of her knee was embroidered with little black detailing. Even the white corset top barely poking out from under the jacket had cream accenting. Perhaps the only thing that did not shout noble was the very thin figure of the lady, when it came to parts not liked larger in a feminine figure. She was just as tall as the man speaking with her, but at least thirty pounds lighter than the man's trim frame.

Perhaps that could be some crazy fashion too.

"I wouldn't consider myself dangerous." The corner of her mouth flickering in a sensual smile.  The noble was slipping into her court persona, one that enjoyed in playing a game.

"I'm wanting more control, over myself. Perhaps even over others when needed." It was honest, she hated how the shock graced others. Sometimes it was just down right embarrassing, shocking an emissary as they came into Viktoria was always a complicated mishap, one she would have to make up for by lavishly showering the party with compliments. It was easily forgivable, and usually ended in better business in the end. But there was always one guest, usually a full Elkagr that would hold it against her.

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Guinevere Lyethe
|STR:20 V:20 AG:20 CH:20 ST:20 T:20 D:20 EN:20 P:20 K:20|
|400HP-74/80SM-240MP|
|Thought Grasp Negotiated|

pMZo8HAT Thought Grasp: Failure

[Deleted]

Ah so she wasn't simply an advisor, something more, her clothes hinted at a station higher than advisor but he was barely looking at them, it was the person that interested him not the clothes that she wore, it was more the station that she held if anything that would intrigue the inexperienced mage. Social hierachy and how the richer and more established people dressed wasn't exactly something that ranked high on the list of things an SKC mage would need to learn so quite simply he hadn't been taught all of that.

Jonathon tried to figure out this woman, she was becoming more complex every second and what had initially started out as a fairly straightforward conversation with a hidden meaning was now turning into a conversation with more different interpretations of how things were going than actual words that he could say to her. She intrigued him to say the least, he wanted to know more about her.

"I understand that want for control, control over yourself is paramount. Over others...it can be...necessary" Jonathon drew out the last bit slightly for added effect, if she wanted control then surely there were much easier ways for her to get it than the way that she currently tried.

It was a delicate dance they were now engaged in, one slip and one of them could end up in trouble.