Closed To Kill a Glassbeak.

[Cyq]

My Words | Your Words | My Thoughts

35th of Fall, 514.

Rats and other small mammals could only placate the small clay hedgehog for so long. It was time for something a little more dangerous - although for this, he'd need a few things first. He had his walking stick at his side, and he'd managed a full night of rest. He had his Maledictors Kit slung over one shoulder, pressing against his spines, filled with all the various tools he'd likely need - picks, chisels, hand-vice, paints and paintbrushes, and of course a hunting knife. All he needed now was chalk - because he wasn't going to go out into the Unforgiving and try to track down an animal to use. So far those endeavours had proved utterly fruitless - the area was simply too large and difficult to cross. He could spend days, even seasons, attempting to hunt down a single bear to kill and he may not even find it at all. So, with a few extra days spent around the Divine's Gateway, learning the basics of procuring portals to summon objects from other worlds.. why not just use these portals to bring forth dangerous predators from other worlds to him?

The first, and likely the last place to stop by would be the Azure Market. He could find some pieces of chalk there, and then it'd be off into the Unforgiving in the hopes of finding someplace that was large and flat enough for him to be able to draw a Summoning circle over it. That'd likely be the hardest part to the entire thing, really - once he had the Glassbeak, he'd ram a spear through it's body and that'd be it. He'd taken on rats and other creatures, and he knew that they weren't actual predators - they weren't even close, really. But that didn't mean that he didn't have what it took to take down the larger creatures. None of them would be able to prevent a giant spear of rock from impaling them straight through the throat, or a boulder dropping down on them from above.

Soon, the hedgehog was wallowing across the length of the Surya Plaza, searching for that characteristic shade of blue that would lead him through and into the Azure. There were so many people wandering back and forth, though, it was near-impossible to actually see through their legs and find what he was looking for. At least they saw him, and made sure to walk around so to ensure that he wasn't stepped on. However, that left a bit of an awkward little circle surrounding the Pycon, which only made even more people aware of his presence as he walked through the square. He swore he could see odd little glances here and there, whispers and whatnot, and he picked up the pace just a fraction - his hobbling leaning even farther on the walking stick in the process.

Oh yes. I'd forgotten their opinions on us. How could he forget, for that matter. The last thing he really wanted was an investigation from the Shinya, or an interrogation. Especially when, out of all things, he was about to pretty much break every moral code on magic that this city upheld. Summoning a creature from another world for the sole purposes of butchering it using a personal magic learned from the Towers, and then maledicting it into powerful weapons using a world magic that wasn't really embraced openly by the people of Lhavit. Oh well.. if everything went smoothly today, they'd never know a thing about any of it.

[Shamus]

35th of Fall, 514 AV He laced his attempt at intruding into her mind with djed extracted deep from inside, pushing a single thought through her, "You really should give him a discount," he thought inside her head, shaking hands with his victim and piercing into her mind, eyes locked in hers to give passage to the flow of persuasion and djed. Her head gave a cock, turning ever so slightly at the peculiar thought that had ventured through her mind, in her own voice. "You owe it to him," He added in a sliver of generosity, letting it flow through his stare and rubbing his side to enunciate his next tactic, erecting a false memory. He weaved it in his mind, all the while holding his stare and wince of pain, as if the gentle touch of a handshake hurt him. The magic traveled into her, and he watched as her mouth opened to say something but then closed, thinking over the sudden bump into she thought she did yesterday. He winced, gingerly probing the area of imaginary pain, watching her expression morph from confusion to sympathy. His tactics were working, but that did not mean he was done, he had merely sowed the seeds of sympathy and corruption, if she realized what was happening she would become nearly immune to it and call him out, ruining any future business. "You should watch where your going next time missy," he said, pushing out more and more djed, only tasking it when it was nearly upon her. He let go of her hand and watching her scratch her head. "Sorry about that," she murmured, small face mirroring the face of an embarrassed child, cheeks blushing and glancing down to the product he had placed on her counter, a large pouch of dried lemonbalm, and two kinas next to it. He watched her hand move forward, slowly, as if she was reconsidering the discount, but then pushed back one of the kinas to him, offering a soft smile, "I will watch where I am walking next time, discount for your trouble." He mirrored her smile and began to search the shelves, staying close enough to her that she felt the effects of the sliver of relief he had added to her emotional pool, enforcing it with constant string of djed that he focused upon her, making sure to glimpse at her face every once in awhile to make sure she still felt she had done the right thing. He glanced at a pycon, tilting his head at the strange sight before returning to his efforts of searching the shelves, throwing small emotional pushes in one way or another through his charisma and muttering words, as if he were talking to himself. He tried to throw in a bit of fear towards the pycon, to see if it worked on the exotic creature, an experiment of sorts, pushing out a generous amount of djed and using his eyes to direct it right towards the pycon, ensuring a sliver of fear inside it.

[Cyq]

My Words | Your Words | My Thoughts

The crowds were even thicker as he found the available room squeezed down into a narrow alley, cropped at either side with stalls both elaborate and plain. He couldn't tell who was doing what, for the life of him - there were no stalls even low enough for such a thing. He could only wander blindly between the various ankles of passers-by in the hopes of miraculously finding what he was looking for. The faces were all unfamiliar, and the feet were uncaring - here, there were only bargains, and with so many eyes focused down on the wares set out on the tables, there were even fewer that bothered to look where their own feet were stepping. Nearly trodden on several times in barely a few feet of ground, he soon found a small clearing - but it wasn't even remotely close to where he wanted to be. That he only knew from small snippets of memory of where he'd come before - how far he'd often walked.

At first, there was no reason to pay attention to any of the merchants or their customers around him - many were shouting numbers and prices, flaunting wares, while others shook their heads and replied with more numbers and prices even lower. He was only there for chalk - he didn't need any of the supplies they talked about, and he had nothing to offer any of these merchants that they would accept. Then, an unmistakable feeling passed through him - a minor jolt, that sent shivers through the insides of his clay. For a brief moment, he looked down to the walking stick down at his side, before up at the surroundings. There was nothing to fear here.. nobody even bothered to address the small Pycon, let alone stop themselves from potentially crushing him to a little clay pancake underfoot. All, that was.. except one in particular. There was nothing really different about him, he didn't brandish a weapon, nor was he in any way particularly frightening.

There was only one way to see what was going on. His eyes were disconnected from his nexus, and instead inside his mind's eye, he called forth the eye he'd been taught to do. He could see everything about it.. the lashes, the lids, the subtle creases. The more he focused on it, the more detailed it became, the brighter and more vivid the pictures became, until.. it opened. All at once, its multi-hued iris nearly blinded the hedgehog as his eyes were suddenly reconnected and branded with new sight that worked in such clarity that he had to lean heavily on his walking stick for support. One day, he'd become more used to the jolt of switching between the view of the Aurist and his regular sight.. one day. For now, his gaze briefly swung around the various people that continued to haggle obliviously around him - he could read small things from their aura, little touches of information - before they locked back on this man..

This Shamus. Was that his name? Apparently so.. the flickering colours that wove around him in intricate patterns seemed to say so, over and over, but there were more things there. There were colours that he couldn't quite read, little tidbits that spoke in a tongue that sounded far too sophisticated in his ears. The more he focused down, the more he saw.. and there was something definitely strange about his aura, the way that it danced and swayed in such patterns. Some kind of magic, just like that of the Symnestran that had taught him. Something he'd never seen before, but it was there, most definitely. If he could have squinted, he would have, but it was already becoming tiring and he quickly closed off his nexus again and closed the inner eye. "What do you know..." The voice was somewhere between a whisper and a genuine question to the man, as the Pycon searched to regain himself. He'd likely spent a little too long searching through the details of his aura in those brief moments.

[Shamus]

35th of Fall, 514 AV He grinned, it had worked. Pycons could be manipulated, and hypnotized, suddenly Shamus had another burst of excitement, mirroring onto the woman behind him, who jumped up slightly, a transfer of weight from heels to the ball of her feet, as if she was ready to take off in a run. Shamus stopped dammed the stream of hypnotism that had been flowing towards her, reeling himself in, slowly diminishing his area of influence around him. His head whipped toward the pycon, who was leaning in his cane, clearly doing something important. He recognized the familiar face of concentration, the sudden jolt that moved through the pycon, auristics. He knows, Shamus panicked, for knowing of the corruption rendered hypnotism merely a nudge against a wall, ineffective and useless. His feet swiftly moved walking towards the clay hedgehog, unable to read the expressions of animals, making most of his tactics useless, for he couldn't know what the clay animal was thinking. Shamus tried his final tactic, glaring daggers of djed to create a false memory in which the pycon would hopefully be tricked into thinking he had seen something other than hypnotism, which would revive his advantage. A quick burst of senses slammed themselves into his victim, the sensation of auristics combined with a sight of riemancy at the same time, It was desperate and messy, accompanying his swift steps toward the pycon, trying to merge the vision of riemancy with a feeling of auristics to create a false memory with the goal of hiding his hypnotism. He had been foolish, using his art in the open where there were bound to be mages shopping. Another swift step and he was nearly on top of the pycon, collecting djed to blast toward him, as if it was an attack of some sort, but he only used the close proximity to deliver a thought into the head, "I will follow him." His pace slowed, walking towards a rather large gap in the crowds near an alley, only able to hope the pycon received his message.

[Cyq]

My Words | Your Words | My Thoughts

He wanted to know more. He took a step forwards, ready to confront the man and satiate his curiosity, when something akin to a carriage rolled over his would-be skull. It left his head reeling, and his weight pressing down into the walking stick more than his own two feet. What is this.. what is he doing? He knew of some magics - he'd been taught them, at the same time as Malediction, in order to assist his creations. However, this was something different.. this wasn't Reimancy, nor was it Auristics. Something nibbled at his head and told him that it most certainly was, and his thoughts soon became confused - it was, wasn't it? He didn't know, then he did. Whatever it was, when everything cleared, there was only one thought that really made sense inside his head, and he didn't know why it was there. It made perfect sense though, since the man had already begun walking away in the moments that the Pycon had spent wrestling with himself. I've got to follow him and see what this is all about.

His steps were tentative, nevertheless he followed the man down towards the gap. Was it the Pycons imagination, or was he purposefully being led towards somewhere? Everything was too well played-out. The man noticed him, then rounded and walked off again with this sudden barrage of thoughts suddenly filling his head. Were these Shamus' thoughts? He didn't know, he couldn't even speculate with everything that had already begun.

Thoughts of picking up chalk and going out had been briefly forgotten and placed on the back of his mind. He'd be damned if this man, whatever kind of magic he knew, was going to take away his opportunity to take down a Glassbeak though. "Stop!" Not a single head from those around him turned his way - his voice was more or less lost under the shouting and haggling of the Azure and the merchants that filled it. "Stop right there!" He stumbled a few steps forwards in an attempt to catch up and catch the man on the back of the ankle, grab for the bottom of his trousers or something close. He misjudged though, and his fingers barely brushed it - he had to catch himself just to stop from falling over, before he continued after the odd human.

What could he do to catch his attention? Well.. there was one thing. There was something about the man's aura, that he was sure he'd seen before.. at the Wizards Registry, nearby. They'd all been asked for their names, and he'd given one in particular. "Stop Shamus." If that even was his name.

[Shamus]

35th of Fall, 514 AV His ears prickled at the mention of his name, following the directions to allow the clay hedgehog to catch up. It would certainly be dangerous to be so small, evident through all the near stomps and feet hitting the pycon as he traveled the small distance to his leg. Shamus was scared, for he didn't know how much the pycon had revealed through his aura, but the call of his name made it clear that he had been found using magic, now it was a waiting game to see just what the pycon knew about his hypnotism, if anything. The golden irises flicked down to the wobbling hedgehog, wondering why he needed a cane instead of just changing to a better suited form. Whats the kit? he wondered, noticing the bag that the hedgehog was carrying with him. Some sort of magic toolkit? Shamus trued to calm his mind, slowly breathing and closing his eyes for a brief moment. He gathered his djed like a magnet gripping metal, forming a rather large stream of it on the tip of his tongue and storing some behind his eyes, ready to send it towards the clay figure. He had learned to not underestimate anything, for pycons could be powerful wizards with riemancy skills that could engulf him in a tornado of fire, so it was better to find out what the hedgehog was capable of before getting into a fight if that was what it came to to avoid revealing his magic art. He allowed the pycon to grip his leg before he began to travel back towards the alley, holding his passenger in tow. His feet hit the ground with as little force as possible, and he traveled slower then usual for the sake of both his rider and trying to focus on holding the djed back. They were nearly there, only a few feet between the pair and a gap in the commotion, where his pycon or possible adversary would be safe. What could he want? Shamus wondered, staring down at the clay hedgehog as he stopped in the gap, ready to stop being a personal taxi. "Now what is it?" It was even harder to hold back the djed while he spoke, and Shamus was barely able to do so as he sat to get to the same level as the pycon, ignoring the strange looks he was getting.

[Cyq]

My Words | Your Words | My Thoughts

The little journey to the alleys between the stalls gave the Pycon precious moments to actually think on the situation laid out before him. He'd seen this man.. he knew that he was doing something with magic. He knew that this man could apparently affect others, just as he'd been affected, and just as that woman had been when she'd followed his little movements. Best to be cautious. But this could prove valuable. Dangerous too. If this person could, through whatever he'd done, manipulate others then the hedgehog was just more potential prey. His only chance was to use everything that he had, and play the game. Make sure that this Shamus knew that he'd been caught in the act. Make sure that Shamus knew that he'd been caught, that the hedgehog knew something important. As long as he kept everything together, he'd be fine.

All too soon, they rounded the corner and it was time to reveal everything. "I know that you were using some kind of magic back there. You were using on that poor woman.. and you were using it on me." His grip, even after the man had drawn to a halt, didn't falter from his ankle. He kept gripping it, just as he kept gripping to what precious things he'd seen in the hopes of drawing out more information. "And I've got a special proposal for you. 'Cause I want your help for a few things." Oh, he had the perfect place to start, but he doubted that it'd be the end of his deals with Shamus. He could prove very useful in 'convincing' certain people to help him with little jobs here and there.

"First, I want to know just what this magic of yours is, and just what it can do." That was the most important thing. If he knew what it was, he could find more information on it.. and then, he could learn the ways to use it, as well as ways to stop other people from using it on him. "If you don't tell me, I'll just find out for myself, same way that I found out your name, Shamus.. and if you try to use that stuff on me again, I'll shove a spear of rock straight through your throat.. or I'll report you to the Shinya, for unlawful use of magic." Now that would be a devilish little piece of blackmail to use indeed. Auristics wasn't that bad.. but casually manipulating people in the middle of the street, especially using magic, was just plain evil. "Whichever one comes first."

Then came the important part. "Second, I want your help in something very important. I want you to meet me at the Amaranthine Gate in thirty chimes. You're going to come with me to the Unforgiving, and together, we're going to take care of some important business. Don't worry, it won't be too taxing.. just remember our deal." Once he'd listened in on everything he wanted to hear, everything he needed to hear, he finally released his hold on the back of Shamus' ankle and glanced quickly back out of the alley to make sure that nobody had heard what'd gone on. Now, that would have been very unfortunate. "I expect you to be there. After all.. we're helping each-other out here, aren't we. I'm keeping your secret, and once this is done, you're going to keep mine."

[Shamus]

35th of Fall, 514 AV He sighed, letting the air flow out gently. Shamus was both relieved and slightly scared of his fate from this point on, whether he would be killed or simply revealed for what he was, a hypnotist. It became evident through further thinking over the clay hedgehogs words that he was inexperienced with auristics, for he had never seen a hypnotist using his discipline. It was relieving but worrisome, for it confirmed the use of magic, which could very well signal the pycon's knowledge of other more intrusive or dangerous magics, or perhaps a gnosis that would render Shamus's magic petty circus tricks. A disturbing experience, not knowing, and without being able to read Cyq's expressions made it all the worse. A proposal? What sort of proposal...? A deal could be dangerous or rewarding, perhaps even exciting. So, the pycon wanted his ability? He must have never studied magic in a formal setting, for surely they would have taught of the manipulative art. Or maybe they wouldn't tell the students of it, for the danger it posed on both the victim and user. He listened to the threat, finding it slightly more compelling than having the pycon simply announce that he was using magic in the street, and nodding to show he would tell him the art and was listening. Shamus forced the djed he had stored that was ready for use back into his internal reservoir of his defining essence to make sure it didn't slip out towards the pycon, for if it did it may elicit his riemancy. So the task is outside the city? Strange, what sort of thing would be happening out there? The Unforgiving fit its name, it was unforgiving of arrogance of thinking you were safe. Very few ventured to the barren lands, those few who did not include Shamus, for he avoided them to the greatest extent possible. If it is not taxing then why would he need me? Shamus's mouth opened slightly, quietly speaking to avoid others from hearing, "it was simply hypnotism, nothing out of the ordinary. To my ability I can immobilize living things with a trance, elicit emotional responses, put memories into people's head, or even make them see or feel something." He was reluctant as he spoke, and left out the fact that he could force a thought into someones head, for he may need it later. As long as the pycon knew the effects, he would be practically immune to Shamus's manipulation, able to squash it with a mere thought once he knew of the foreign corruption. "No need to worry, I will be there. Just keep this between us, alright?" He turned to disappear back into the market to gather supplies for the trip, hoping to prepare for whatever materials the the task might call for. He took a step, and then another, nearly entering into the crowd, turning to glance back at the pycon.

[Cyq]

My Words | Your Words | My Thoughts

Things had gone better than they possibly could have through other means. Not only did he have an ally in taking down this Glassbeak, but a potential bridge to a new art of magic, and an accomplice. For now, he had a leash to hold in check.. and he knew now of just what magic the man was using, as well as what it was capable of. Elicit emotional responses. Put memories into their heads. This is perfect. The things that one could do with such magics at their disposal. The negotiations that could be struck, the deals made between so many other disciplines. He didn't even have to learn it himself, necessarily. As long as he had Shamus with him, and as long as Shamus didn't try anything stupid, then they'd both benefit vastly.

He could see that the man was eager to make an exit. In return, the hedgehog fixed a cold stare on him. "I'll keep this between us, as long as you do the same." The man was useful; incredibly useful. The Pycon would keep his eye on Shamus from now on, as much as was possible. What happened from here would be a game, where they were the players, every concentration the move of a piece working towards an ultimate end - which one of them would outdo the other first, and be forgotten and tossed aside like a soiled napkin. Half of the fun was in the game itself, and the thrill of the play, but the other half was in the victory. The Pycon had no intention of losing.

He could tell that the man was waiting for the Pycons approval, which only brought a slight smile to his lips as the hedgehog turned his back on the man and slid back into the crowds as well. He still had his own supplies to gather for the journey, of course. Not that he could actually find any; it soured his mood quite a bit to find, the farther and farther he moved through the marketplace that there seemed to be nowhere that held even a little bit of chalk. They tried to goad him with charcoal and other paints, but neither of these things were what he desired. In the end, he cut his journey short and decided that instead he'd just use the brushes that were included with the rest of the pack slung over his shoulder. In passing, he managed to find a small pot of black paint being sold for eight Jade Kina. The Pycon refused to pay anything less than five, considering the minuscule amount.. and after a while, the vendor agreed and took what little the Pycon had brought with him, while Cyq added the paints to his pack.

About twenty chimes later, he was waiting outside the Amaranthine Gates. Shinya walking along the edges and standing at their respective places were consistently glancing back to the Pycon over and over, but mercifully none of them chose that particular moment to step forwards and begin questioning him. He was as wary around them as they were around him - although for what reason they were worried about him, Cyq honestly couldn't tell. Perhaps they overestimated him.. he wasn't the product of some kind of powerful sorcery, after all. No wizard had created him in their laboratory and raised him in the arts of all things magical.

[Shamus]

35th of Fall, 514 AV A few quick steps allowed him to blend back into the market, and prepare for the event ahead, whatever it was. He doubted that lemonbalm would do much good un the situation, so he simply tossed it into his backpack and forgot about while he searched the stalls, eventually finding a rather interesting stall, one that carried more than the clothes, one that carried a few blades mixed in among other products. A smaller curved blade caught his eye immediately, one that may prove useful in the future. His eyes looked up to the shopkeeper, and he got the urge to manipulate him into giving him a discount, but decided against it to avoid the same outcome from moments ago. "I will take that," he said, pointing towards the curved blade of the kukri, taking out his coinpouch. The shopkeeper turned toward him, holding out a hand expectantly, "eight kinas. Nine for it with the sheathe." Shamus held out the desired amount, dropping it into the stall owner's hand and receiving both the kukri and leather sheathe, which he strapped under his shirt and inserted the blade into, keeping it hidden to avoid intimidating others. He nodded a quick thanks to the shopkeeper and moved on, perusing the other stalls absentmindedly while wondering what the pycon could have in mind. He noticed something that may come in handy in the near future, a sewing stall with both quilts and sewing materials. His feet brought him to the stall, only women looking at the things inside. "A spool of thread and two needles please." He placed a kina on the table, watching the owner of the stall take it and give him the requested sewing materials. He put them in his backpack, finally beginning the trek to the gates, where he would meet the pycon. His eyes laid upon the clay figure, and his body led him toward the pycon quickly. He stood over the pycon, looking down, lips opening to ask a simple one worded question, "ready?"