"I'm afraid that it is very rare to find anything of any special value. All that we do is try to find out who lived, or died, on a site and what their lifestyles were like." Fautal took another sip of his tea and then said, "Why don't you tell me a bit of yourself. I hardly know what you do here and I've spent all this time talking of myself."
Xavius gave a very slight sigh. The conversation had as it would, inevitablly turned to him. He could of course ignore that fact and ask more of what he wanted to know. But that would upset Fautal, and for now he did not want that. <span style='color:red'> "Oh I'm simply a nobel who prefers the solitude of the swamp in general. I collect art and such as the art that is throughout my home. As to what I do, I study and research." </span>
That was interesting, a noble living out here in the back country of a swamp. Somehow things didn't add up. How could you get art out here without damaging it. Though one question was of interest to Fautal, "What do you study? I might ask," he said as he finished his cup of tea and set it down.
The question that Xavius knew would come was knocking at the door. He clasped his hands infront of him after moveing the tea cup aside. <span style='color:red'> "Generally I study the dark arts. They are a great part of my life." </span> Xavius knew he could not leave it at this. Fautal would practically leave immiediatley. Of course that didn't fit the scheduel so a slight twist of truth was in order. <span style='color:red'> "I am paid by some to teach the dark arts, those that manage to find me out are always welcome to learn under me. And of course there is very little food to be bought here, so I find them usefull on the hunt." </span> Xavius knew Fautal would still have much doubt about this, he had seen the corpse outside and would more then likley connect that as a method of study. Again Xavius put a mask upon his words. <span style='color:red'> "I assure you that whatever thing I have studied upon that has been alive desserved it. Either maddened animals or criminals. You know the usual rapeist or murderer." </span> Xavius puased and looked Fautal in the eye before finishing. <span style='color:red'> "And of course... torturers." </span>
That response shocked Fautal to say the least. In fact he was utterly appaled at him killing other 'dragons, even if they were deserving. That was the only thing that seperated normal people from criminals. The criminal would be the one to torture and kill. Fautal had to remind himself that this person wasn't normal. "Sir, I can't beleive that you'd study on something that was alive! Maddened animals are one thing, but other pendragons? You have lowered yourself to their level by doing that. They deserve a proper trial and to be dealt with according to the law. If all the citizens of Ramath-lehi took the law into their own hands then this place would no longer be a desirable place to live." Fautal then finished his tea and said, "Now if you'll excuse me. I'll take my leave." He then got up and started to the exit.
Xavius sighd and shook his head as he also began to rise. He was not done yet. He stepped into a shadow and walked infront of Fautal in the hall. He often did such things. Though he would hardly consider it teleportation. It was only good for a short distance. <span style='color:red'> "I am not done with this conversation sir." </span> He said coldly. OOC: again I apologize for the wait. I am usually much better.
<span style='color:red'> "No, your not." </span> Xavius said darkly. He raised one hand and a swirling mass of blackness formed in it. He widened his fingers and the energy blasted towards Fautal with enough force to send him flying back.
When Fautal heard what Xavius said it was only a second before the other arden raised his hand to send a blast his way. Fautal just barely managed to cross his arms in front of his face and chest before he was catapaulted several feet into the opposite wall which was made of solid rock. Fautal landed hard on the ground with a grunt. I can see that I am not getting out of here without a fight. Fautal thought as he got up. "I'm going to get out of here whether you like it or not," Fautal said. Then he used his darkness lore to create a wrist blade and he charged towards Xavius hoping to land a blow in his abdomen.
Xavius immiediatley flipped his cape and dematerialized into a more shadow like form. Quickly moving through Fautal he rematerialized. Raising his hand he sent another wave of black energy at Fautal's back. Each time he did this it caused a large amount of presure in that hand. An amount equal to the impact of Fautal hiting solid rock. It would fade and Xavius hadn't spent so many years practicing the dark arts to be weak to pain. He had a high resistance now. He pulled the blade from his cane. He would have this one. He would not lose. True darkness would triumph.
Fautal was again surprised at what Xavius did. He flew forward and hit another wall with equal force. He managed to shrug off the pain. He turned to see the other arden coming at him with a blade. Looks like I'm going to have to be more creative. He also noted that he should not go out in full force this was the time for strategy. He quickly thought up a plan to help himself. Though it would take an large amount of concentration to maintain it. He then did some hand gestures to create a sort of stoneskin around his body. The spell is limited only to the physical endurance that one would have with the amount of darkness there was in the area and was by no means impenetrable, but you'd still have to exhert a great amount of force to penetrate it. Along with that Fautal could not maintain it forever. Fautal then went foward to meet Xavius' blade. OOC: Man it's hard to make that stoneskin spell not overpowered.
OOC: Really sorry, didn't see it was page 3 Xavius stopped, it would be foolish to swing a blade at stone skin. He raised his own blade infront of him to protect himself. <span style='color:red'> "Clever Fautal, clever. But one thing you must realize is while stone is resiliant to physical force you will find it too is still ceseptable to destruction. Time leaves nothing untouched. Decay and errosion are natures worst nightmares." </span> Xavius said. All the while he said this Fautal was still heading towards him, and all the while a skin of his own spread across him. This one had the look of black smoke. It was simply evil, it caused a burning sensation on his skin but he ignored it. The skin was simply there to destroy. If Fautal was going to stay behind stone then Xavius would burn him out. After all, who would want to stay in molten rock. Granted the process would be slow and Xavius estimated Fautal would figure out his trick far before it reached such an extreme heat. Fautal was close. Xavius swung his blade, aiming for his advisaries blade. The best defense was an ofense.
When their blades met Fautal noted the darkness swirling around Xavius. "It seems that you know how to protect yourself as well," Fautal said then pushed forward and then jumped back. "Let's see how well you can handle this," Fautal said as he swung his hand in front of him sending three bolts of darkness towards Xavius. OOC: lol. no problem.
Xavius spread his hands out beside him and pulled them down, as though pulling himself up with the air. Imediatley six shadowy tendrils leapt from his back and pressed against the walls, raising him above the ground. The bolts shot past him, striking an unfortunate gaurd down the hall. The tendrils suspened him in the air, all the while swirling about like dark electricity. Xavius sneered down at Fautal and chuckled. <span style='color:red'> "How very simple of you. Come now Fautal, that was hardly even creative. You can do better then that." </span> As Xavius spoke, we swiped his blade in arc towards his advisery. A long dark and burning whip extended from the sword and hurled towards Fautal.
OOC: Yay! You're back. IC: "You're right! I can be more creative!" Fautal said. The then made a move that would probably surprise his opponant. He quickly dashed to the wall behind Xavius and jumped up it and pushed himself away from the rock face so that he came in flying towards his opponant. He had to make sure to protect himself from anything that would come his way so he created a temporary barrier that would shield him from these attacks. Fautal hoped to land on Xavius' back to deal some damage to the other arden.
OOC: haha oh ok. thanks for letting me know I was confused. I have edited my post to suit the actual situation. Enjoy! Fautal suddenly jolted under Xavius, causing the burning whip to crack harmlessly against the wall. A sudden force struck Xavius in the back and he knew it was Fautal. The tendrils in his back shortened and multiplied, in and began flapping in a pulsing manner acting now as wings. This was all that kept him from slamming into the ground, even as it was Xavius had to raise higher into the air again. With a furious cry, he grabbed the 'dragons wrist and spun around to face him. Xavius glared at the archeoligist and threw him to the ground. He doubted that the smokey skin that covered his form had done any permanent damage but the arden would feel a bruning where ever he touched Xavius. The firey shadow Xavius felt was no longer nessasry and it evaporated but the tendril like wings remained, slowly flaping. Xavius, still hovering well above his opponent, reached towards the arden with a claw like hand from above and a familiar pain shot through it. A thick black mist began to erupt out of his hand rapidly. falling to the ground. Red swirls danced in it like a mad tango. It started to flow, almost crawl, towards this miss user of the dark arts, along the ground and walls. The mist emited a hissing sound, but at the same time a screech that chilled the bone. <span style='color:red'> "The darkness is always hungry, nioti. Your existence will hardly be enough to feed this hunger." </span> he said darkly. <span style='color:red'> "But you will belong to the nothing this night." </span> He said rather mater-of-factly.
OOC: *slaps forehead* Maldrid wasn't supposed to be there. I accidentally typed in his name because of RPing elsewhere I use that name frequently. So I'm editing my post so that it is Fautal again. IC: After Fautal was thrown onto the ground his barrier faded. He was exhausted from the blow he had just recieved. Fautal was now indeed scared at how utterly useless he felt at the moment. He wondered if this was an effect of Xavius' dark magic or if it was his own emotions. Fautal saw Xavius coming down with some spell that would make him meet his end. He needed to find some way out to make sure that he'd survive another day to perhaps study darkness lore more, so he'd become even more powerful. No longer would he use it simply for self-defense he'd use it to find a way to defeat Xavius. His anger was welling up inside him. Fautal knew that this would give him an extra boost in order to at least escape and hide from Xavius. Suddenly a different being, another entity, had sensed Fautal's anger and his desire for power. It entered Fautal's mind and body and strengthened him, giving him a temporary boost of immense power. Fautal was very surprised at this sudden surge of energy. He now felt that he'd use it to his advantage. He sent a wave of energy that would hopefully push Xavius back and confuse him enough so that way he could make a run to the door. He was acting on pure instinct now and the will of whatever being now was in his mind helping him, yet also taking a toll on his body. For every action that he made he'd get fatigued at an accelerated rate. Fautal just hoped that he'd have enough energy for his escape.
Xavius laughed at the sprawled figure on the ground. The hunger crawled ever closer to Fautal, and soon he would be no more. Another soul to the Nothing. There would be no remains left, as though he were never in Xavius's fortress like house. Xavius ceased laughing however as a new pressence entered the equation. Now Fautal seemed to have more energy, but that was only a minor set back. Xavius stopped spraying out the hungry mist as his seemingly recharged oponent managed to fire a wave of energy his way. Xavius disipated his wings and dropped under the blast of energy. He glared at his enemy once more. This was enough, he WOULD be his, he WOULD be destroyed. The hall darkened and shadows crept up the walls like hordes of spiders, the mist grew into a more firey form but remained stationary. A good ten feet behind Fautal, Xavius pulled from the shadows another smokey black fire to block his path. Xavius's hands burned, but he ignored it. He parted the fire as he walked towards his opponent, and let it rejoin itself once he was through. He saluted with his blade which now dripped black energies. <span style='color:red'> "Make your move, archeologist." </span>
Most of what happened seemed almost dreamlike to him. It felt as if he had no control over his own body, and yet at the same time be able to manipulate everything to his will. He now recognized that there was a demon helping him through this. But no, it wasn't helping him for selfless reasons, it wanted power and it felt the best way in which to do this was through Fautal. Fautal didn't want this entity to completely overwhelm him, so he exherted an enormous amount of willpower to keep it in check. He was the master of his own body. Fautal heard what Xavius had said then, though only vaguely. Fautal wanted to defeat him so badly but he knew he couldn't do that now, so he'd do the next best thing and that was to damage Xavius' ego. To do that Fautal needed to elude Xavius' grasp and escape from here. This satisfied two of Fautal's needs he'd be able to live again and have more opportunities to kill Xavius. Using his new found power Fautal then cast a spell to temporarily blind Xavius as he then rushed towards the exit. The only problem with that way was that the exit was up a long hallway which was also narrow. He'd have difficulty trying to keep Xavius from hitting him with a spell of some sorts. Fautal thought that his best bet though. He proceeded through his plan.
Xavius was suprised when his vision left him, suprised but not terribly effected. Neither was he worried, he could feel the spell clouding his vision and could also feel it slowly fadeing, his vision would be back soon enough. Xavius called another wall of black flames in behind Fautal to block his escape. Then he let the shadows close in over them. Complete darkness shrouded them and he listened to it. It told him where Fautal and his new found energy was. As he concentrated on Fautal more he could feel a very dark pressence, a type of pressence he had not felt in the longest of times. <span style='color:red'> "So, a demon taking advantage of a fool" </span> Xavius practically breathed the words out as he turned his head to Fautals direction. He raised a hand and eight long swirling and entwineing objects flew towards Fautal. They moved like snakey spears, but soared towards their prey like black missiles.
