Natural Selection [Ignotus Everto]

[Nadea]

"You strike a good point, to some victims it might despair them, the thought of their body never being found. The loneliness of death..." she affirmed, if it were a different situation maybe they would have a good time conversing. "Aww yes...I figured you were the type" she repined . He was a sick man, maybe even more deranged than her. Nadea considered the chance of him outmatching her. But she said no more after that focusing on her escape. "I'm going to suffer..." She repeated the words he said."Didn't your mother tell you not to play with your food?" she asked laughing to herself almost hysterically. She had no idea what he was capable of, but she felt as though she never encountered someone like him before. His scream was piercing, and the green liquid rained on them. Strangely enough rather burning it just seeped through the back of her dress, however and did no real damage. She was more distracted by the white fluid...so strange.She was constantly surprised with this wizard, but before she knew it Nadea was thrown on her back. Wind stole away from her as she felt her back protest in agony. Everything fell into slow motion. Her eyes casted onto the front of her dress. It was ripped open almost completely down the middle.Ripped open...Truthfully no one had seen her body like this before. That truly scared her, terrified her even. She didn't care that her death would he slow but she'd be damned if he was going to touch her.She watched as the wildfire closed in on her...closed in on her back.Although she could hear clearly, she payed no heed to his words, they meant nothing to her because she was focusing on her breath. To top it all off the man placed the dagger on her chest and a hand around her throat.The maimed one to be exact and the sick white liquid slowly started dripping around her throat.It nearly coated his hand now. "My you are one for theatrics.." she whispered hoarsely due to lack of breath and his hand around her neck. She was barely regaining her ability to breathe and speak.He said something about maiming, although she was now focusing on a way to live. She knew she couldn't kill him, but she had to find someway to strike a deal with him. However for a moment another flash invaded her mind. Of him defiling her. Panic brought her heart to her chest, she thought she was going to be sick.Then it was gone again when the smell of smoke awakened her. She was brought back to her senses...again she saw visions of what was to come. She was suspicious that he may have something to do with it but was really at no position to accuse.When he forced her legs open with his own, she gasped audibly, eyes widened in disgust. Now Nadea was stubborn but it was about time to activate that fight or flight instinct. Or in Nadea's case, bargain.Her hands were free and up until this point wasn't making to much use of them . She mentally cursed herself for stupidity before patting his shoulder urgently. Not like she was striking but patting lightly to get his attention. " I don't want to interrupt...but I have a solution that will work for the better...for both of us that is" she wheezed slowly in a very practical matter. It seemed to get his attention if not hopefully puzzle him at least.She hoped he would respond quickly, before her back would be sizzled like bacon.

[Ignotus Everto]

The flames stopped. The enraged Reimancer's eyebrow twitched, his eyes still two smoldering coals. "Not so petching arrogant any more, are we?" he growled. Considering their current position, the word 'petching' was a little more charged than it would usually be. Of course, a little bit of magic never hurt to give it some extra potency. Apparently she had an idea. Ignotus had to admit, the girl had proved herself quite clever so far. She even succeeded in poisoning him.

At any rate, it would be better than her calling his bluff. Indeed, she could even be a useful little pet, possibly. His grip on her neck loosened slightly; just enough for her to talk unimpeded.

"Speak."

[Nadea]

To Nadea's relief, the fire stopped and in the nick of time too. Although the man portrayed to be under control it seemed he was hanging on just by a thread.She would have liked to say something snide and cruel but that would have ended in her terrible demise. Regrettably enough she shook her head slowly.His grip released lightly on her neck, giving her more breathing room. Before speaking she gasped for air and mitigated her frazzled nerves. "First off, I apologize for the maiming...I didn't know you would spray...white...elixir" Nadea tried to find the best scientific words to fit the situation. "Also I was wondering if you could consider, me maybe taking care of your little...decomposing problem." She quirked her brow beckoning interest. "I can get you a perfectly unscathed body, with little to no effort on your behalf"She kept eye contact with him hoping it would do her some good. " Whichever you want, whatever you want...in exchange for my life." A sick smile on her face stretched menacingly across.Nadea held her breath in hope that he would agree, her eyes bored into his own black endless pits. "Well...sound like a fair deal?" Her head quirked slightly in psuedo curiosity/anxiety.

[Ignotus Everto]

A smirk came across the undead's face as she spoke. She thought herself a little body snatcher, did she? She was interesting. A poisoner, with a callous disregard for human life, and a clever tongue? As long as she learned the pecking order, she could be very useful. Even pleasant to be around. And she seemed to enjoy eye contact. This was almost too good to be true. He came looking for a toy, and found something much, much nicer. Ignotus paused uncertainly for a moment, then finally pushed himself off the ground, the flames slowly dying out.

"Very well then. I'll leave the decision of what kind of body would be suitable to you. It's always nice to see what other people find attractive in the human form..." he said with another smirk, his eyes running over the tear in her dress. In reality, he didn't feel the slightest thing. Her burns were far more alluring than her curves, and the fright on her face was infinitely more attractive than any shapely legs. He pulled his cloak off and tossed it to her, the Res on the floor slowly starting to evaporate and fade. "Put it on." he ordered dispassionately, "We can't have you walking around town naked."

Underneath the black garment, he was wearing a simple, smart shirt. Cream colored with pinstripes, and an unassuming peach vest. His pants were similarly colored to the shirt, and just as plain. On an old belt was an older sheathe, where the dagger was already sliding back in. "I must say, your bravado impresses me." Ignotus said silkily, "But one small favor seems like such an uneven bargain for a life..." his tone was almost apologetic, but his eyes had a cold gleam to them. "You will get me my body. Then you'll come back here, and we'll talk." the trickle of ichor had slowed to a near standstill; having no heartbeat meant bleeding wasn't too much of a problem.

"And please don't try anything stupid, my dear." Ignotus said lazily, sitting down against the wall. "I'd hate to have you hunted down." He didn't really have the resources to find her if she chose to run, but she didn't have to know that. He simply tinged his words with authority, to detract what doubt he could from Nadea's mind, and sent her on her way.

[Nadea]

For a while the man stared at Nadea smirking, as though he was contemplating everything. The silence was so heavy, it felt as though it was weighing down on her chest almost. When he pushed himself off the ground it was almost a breath of fresh air, Nadea heaved a long exhale and scrambled up herself. However she didn't look at him, she watched the flames dissipate instead. "Very well then. I'll leave the decision of what kind of body would be suitable to you. It's always nice to see what other people find attractive in the human form..." he said, Nadea could practically feel his smirk it was so demented. She could feel his eyes on her as well, Nadea stood as still as possible, she'd rather he didn't wriggle anymore feelings out of her.She just continued to stare at the mysterious green goo and it's magic disappearing act. The sound of something dense hitting the floor brought Nadea's attention back to him. "Put it on." He droned as if he was almost bored "We can't have you walking around town naked." It confused her greatly, earlier he was ripping off her clothes and now he wanted her dressed? Not that Nadea could complain, almost mechanically she swept the cloak around her and fastened it matter of factly. She then picked up her hair pin from the floor and stared at it intrigued ,then placed her eyes on him. She wondered if this man's body fluid was worth much? However her attention was brought onto his apparel, very unlike him if she did say so herself. However she said no more about it, clucking her tongue before cleaning her pin off with the remnants of her dress. "I must say, your bravado impresses me." He commended Nadea "But one small favor seems like such an uneven bargain for a life..." he sounded almost sorry in a sort of sick way and it made Nadea's stomach turn. "You will get me my body. Then you'll come back here, and we'll talk." He ordered simply. In any other case she would have killed the man. However since he was undead, she could not say anything. Nadea merely watched him and his body language before nodding curtly. "Very well, I understand..." she trailed off for a minute before securing her hair affirmatively. It was apparent she'd keep her memento on her more often, it came in great use for her today."Although I cannot say that our tastes will be the same, I hope you aren't too displeased..." she said as afterthought. "And please don't try anything stupid, my dear." Nadea laughed hysterically at this before flicking her bangs out of her eyes. "Oh no I don't plan on it...you're far too interesting to just leave now...besides it seems I have met my match, to that I respect you far too much for me to run away like a coward..." she said very slowly, it was foreign for Nadea to compliment someone. It was true she oddly respected the man that had attacked her. No one had bested her before, or had her choose purposely to react on instinct . No Nadea usually had everything well thought out and today had been an anomaly. However there was no time to waste, she had things to do now. She just had to make one stop on her way into town first.Nadea then curstied before him almost mockingly before pivoting and walking briskly out the door. The walk back home was surprisingly short, Nadea found herself lost in thought of the night ahead of her. She didn't dwell on the past though,simply because it was far too fresh in her memory.The brisk step in her walk billowed her newly acquired cloak quite menacingly. She looked like some delightful black cloud, or black widow. When Nadea got to her small shack of a house she looked over her shoulder for safe measure. As she always did, she opened the door quickly and slipped inside. The small room revealed a floor covered in papers,bottles, vials and pots of herbs and plants cluttered growing on her little windowsill on the farthest wall,a barely used bed, and a large table piled with random things on it.Things such as a glove, a pocket watch, a doll and a writing quill. Nadea was certainly a pack rat she could not deny it. If you were to ask her of the baubles on her table, she would probably answer very simply. They were memento's of her past victims. She found it a good way to keep tally of who she killed and how. Nadea tip toed her way around the papers on the floor, careful to not botch her notes. They contained several things, victims, poison's she'd like to try and small journal entries here and there.There was a small chest in the far corner, rusty and shabby. However inside it carried delightful treasures. Nadea swiftly lifted the latch, burrowed and retrieved two small vials and a rag. One white powder, the other a cloudy liquid.She had made the liquid herself, but begrudgingly enough the powder was something purchased at high price.However it was being made of good use so she didn't care. Nadea then steered her way back towards the door and left. She was running out of time, she had to hasten her pace in case she missed the man. The man with the wheel barrow that is, for he sold cabbages from his farm by day and sold them at night. He was nice and friendly, he always gave Nadea's counterpart the mute barmaid free cabbage. It was greatly appreciated however Nadea was in need of him and his wheelbarrow. After catching sight of his hunched shoulders and wheel barrow, she swiftly dropped her cloak to the ground. Then started running his way and fast. Nadea clipped his shoulder before purposefully falling to the ground and sobbing in fetal position. Naturally the cabbage man took great interest in her dramatic entrance. Since it was dark he had to squint his dark eyes to trace the dark. When identifying said form and shape he gasped audibly. "Ho girl what has you so frightened ?" his gentle voice crooned sympathetically. Nadea did not answer at first, still sobbing hard. She liked long pauses, it gave dramatic effect. She also in the time had to pour the extract onto her cloth. Careful not to smell it she met him with very convincing glossy eyes.Her mouth agape as though she was at a loss. However the cabbage man could tell by state of her clothes of the situation. He immediately started to help her up and his lean outstretched arms gave her an opening in his defense. Nadea dived and struck hard. A firm hand clasped around his nose and mouth, although he struggled hard it was not for long.This was a sedative afterall .He passed out and became dead weight. Which was a real pain but Nadea was lucky they were near his wheel barrow.For she then dragged him and settled him on the cart.His face caught in the moonlight made Nadea stare long and hard at his features. He was a simple man, a gentle angular face with no remarkable traits. His hair was thick though, perhaps the wizard would like that. Neither too tall nor too bulky, the man was completely and absolutely average. Ironically enough, an average and unspectacular man made such a difference in the wizard and Nadea's life. With out much more dwelling on the man and what he could have been, Nadea wheeled him out of sight and into the darkness. Not without picking up her cloak first, her naked body would attract too much attention after all.She was lucky though, no one was on the streets tonight to see what she had done.Not that it would've mattered but killing witnesses was such a pain. It was half past the twenty third bell and the night was transcending to day soon, just like the magician was evolving into another man. She arrived at his house arms aching and brow sweating, it only added to her haggard appearance. Due to attitude and lack of free hands she kicked his door open and only wheeled the man a few feet in before dumping his body mechanically and cabbages followed suit. Rolling around on the floor. "There...still fresh and alive though..." she added before tossing him the powdered vial. "Give him a drink...with this as solute and you'll have yourself a vessel, bodysnatcher" She said drolly before shutting the door and grimacing. "I would have killed him for you, but you'd miss half the fun!" she said in a morbidly happy tone. ((- 10sm and 5gm for poison and sedative supplies))

[Ignotus Everto]

Ignotus waved Nadea wearily away as she complimented him. "Wonderful. Now please, I've got a hole in me."

When he was certain he was alone in the house, he put his hand on his opposing shoulder, leaned his head back against the wall, and closed his eyes. It wasn't often that Ignotus "slept", the lethargic state of hibernation that allowed him to regain ichor. The reason for that was simple; he rarely got injured. His paranoia usually kept him cut-free. That, and he'd often switch when his body did get damaged. Tonight, he was lucky enough to have a cadaver delivery service. So he decided to take a couple hours to recuperate.

When he opened his eyes again, the sound of cabbage and flesh rolling against the floor greeted him. "There...still fresh and alive though... "Give him a drink...with this as solute and you'll have yourself a vessel, bodysnatcher."

Ignotus smirked and took the vial from Nadea. "Body snatcher? Now that's not very nice... I don't snatch, anything. If anything, the bodies are Nuit snatchers."

"I would have killed him for you, but you'd miss half the fun!"
Ignotus laughed at that, "I think I just might like you." he chirped before gesturing the water. His hand still hurt him terribly, and he wouldn't be free of it until he had a new corpse. Happily, that didn't seem a long way away.

[Nadea]

The wizard's smirk brought one to Nadea's face."For some reason I have a hard time believing that, it might be the man passed out on the floor but..." she trailed off for comedic amusement. Now this was unusual it was rare if not never that someone had the same sick humor as she. Maybe this Nuit, as he called himself, would be a interesting specimen afterall. To observe that is, not to capture, if she recalled the man said something about bargaining more for her life. Which was odd because she felt the cabbage man had done enough, but she didn't mind keeping in the man's company if he was going to continue to be this amusing. "Hm...you think so? Well you're not so bad yourself..." Nadea trailed off again, she wasn't too sure what to call the Nuit. It was rare she had to ask for a name, after all no one ever bothered for hers and she was usually killing anyone worth acknowledgement. So this was a new experience for her. He gestured for water, ah what a miscalculation. How could Nadea for get the most important ingredient? The solvent was needed, and here she was short handed.Nadea nodded apologetically before stepping out again. "Why don't you take a look at him before he's up? I imagine our tastes are different...however I did make sure to get a full head of hair...for you that is.." She smirked nastily at him before leaving. Nadea's eyes scanned the streets drolly. She was lucky many people were homeless, because they left valuable items around for her to use. Such as a bowl, one off in the corner. It was dusty and had cobwebs in it, but it wasn't like it would matter, the blighter was going to be dead in a second. Nadea studied it for a second before walking almost jovially to the dock, they were lucky they were nearby. Humming softly as she scooped scummy water from the berth she studied the grayish liquid in the dish.How tragic for a man's last supper,which could not even be a meal in fact. It was a nasty dirty bowl of dock water, that was poisoned to top it all off. Nadea giggled softly at the thought of it before walking back to little shack. She was quiet and merely set the bowl carefully on the ground beside him. She didn't want to drip all over the floor after all.It was about time to proceed, she was keen to see how the Nuit would change over from his old body to this new one. She was actually hoping she could watch, it would be great data to collect afterall.

[Ignotus Everto]

Ignotus rolled his eyes. "I picked the bald head, I'll have you know." he said wryly.

He began preparing the soon to be dead farmer once she was gone. Pulling the cabbage man's clothes off save for his undergarments, Ignotus laid him flat on the floor. Lacking paint, he dipped two fingers in his wounds with a grimace, and got to work. Spidery runes adorned the tops of his feet and the backs of his hands, while fat glyphs went over his heart and navel. A single, intricate Focus went on his forehead. Getting them just right was important to Ignotus, and he was so absorbed in the task it was a couple chimes until he noticed Nadea had returned. Taking the bowl from her and adding the powdered poison, he stirred the mix for two ticks with his finger, then fed it to the man and laid a pair of digits on his neck to keep track of his pulse.

"Now would be a good time for you to get going, girl." he said, scowling. Switching meant standing stock still for several hours, then being in a stupor for weeks afterwards. He wasn't about to let anyone near him for the first part. The second couldn't be helped. "Although..." the wizard smiled faintly, "I do believe I never got your name." It would be nice to know who to look for after he was finished.

[Nadea]

Nadea found herself pouting when the old man asked her to leave.She absolutely hated when she didn't get her way.So the Nuit must've been hiding something...Very well then, she knew better than to cross him afterall.She didn't question him but nodded and in a very dry tone said. "As you wish..." Nadea found she rather liked pushing his buttons it was like flirting with death, who just so happened to have a sense of humor. She was about to leave when, oddly enough he asked for her name. Again the Nuit surprised her. She reflected his faint smile and traced her scar thoughtfully. "Nadea. My name is Nadea." She said in a very clipped tone.It wasn't particularly moving, nor meaningful. A name was just something you got at birth, that's the way Nadea saw it. Although she was curious to know his..."And yours? I can't go on calling you...Nuit or Old Man can I?" she probed. Head tilted familiarly in that ever so curious fashion.The least he could give her was a name after the night they had been through.

[Ignotus Everto]

The wizard rolled his eyes at Nadea's expression. "Don't give me that face, girl. You don't want to see a nude corpse, I'd think." Of course, he didn't have to be nude, but it was more expedient, and less risky than announcing his time of weakness to the girl. Getting an answer lightened his mood again, though. "Nadea. Now there's a nice name."
"And yours? I can't go on calling you...Nuit or Old Man can I?"

The cabbage man's heart slowed, then stopped beating altogether. It was time. The undead dipped his head in a short bow, cold eyes glinting in Leth's light.
"Call me Ignotus."