Until You Are Dead [Invite]

[Kieve Viho]

Not being able to catch his breath wasn't something that Kieve dealt with unless he did something particularly impressive with his skills, so feeling the air fighting against his panting was an interesting sensation. The young man wasn't sure if he ever had cast a magic that sapped his strength in such a way. Even fully healing his broken body didn't make him really feel weary, but a few of Llyr's weakest spells? Getting used to commanding the forbidden magic would be a bit of a trick it seemed, but Kieve wouldn't allow himself to be bested in the meantime. At the very least he was almost positive that the initial strike for each of his foes would serve him we---

A sudden turn of events. Kieve scowled, growled under his breath, and clenched his fists tight at his sides. Of course many people feared or hated the Elegies because of their life altering magic, but Kieve felt very strongly as if they didn't have any really helpful magic. There was something in the young man that had him believing that though the Elegies could warp the fabric of reality they still weren't exactly fighters. No one had ever heard of or seen one fighting in his research. Despite what he thought though it appeared that Astraea would be more of a problem than previously anticipated.

The thief could feel her determination as she threw up a spell just in time. 'Maybe I have heard nothing about Elegies being fighters, but defensive specialty? That would make more sense. Frustrating sense,' Kieve's thoughts poured forth with a horrifically distasteful abandon. Normally the young man would avoid thinking too deeply about his misconceptions, ignoring his incorrect nature as if he was perfectly correct all along. One of such status never worried for being wrong because he never could be. That was how Kieve chose to live and that was why it was so unsettling for him to find his own thoughts suddenly betraying his status. Later he would have to do something to make up for his oversight, but in the meantime he had a pesky pink haired witch to attend to.

Never once had Kieve seen such a barrier, let alone one of such strength and size. Anything with the power to defend against Llyr's magic was misplaces in Astraea's hands. While the Elegy was of high status she was not of high status mind. 'Perhaps there is something suited to my last magic holster after all. I was almost entirely convinced this forbidden magic was all I might require but...' His anger over his attack failing was replaced rather quickly by his usual sick smile. After disabling Astraea he would have to steal her magic just as he had stolen Llyr's. Then there would be no one to stand in his way. No one to challenge his strength.

Except Hemlocke? The man did proclaim he wished to stand against Kieve, but to see the way he reacted was somewhat surprising as well. As to why the gray haired man cared so much for Gale he still could not know, but he knew that his little kiss stunt was enough to ignite a flame in Hemlocke. With Astraea weakened and on her knees Kieve was almost certain that Hemlocke would rush to her side to assist her, but he instead just tossed her a potion and kept his focus on Kieve. That was particularly interesting to the young masked boy.

"One of your concoctions?" Kieve hissed once the gray haired man threw something. Immediately the young man pulled up his arm to cover his nose and mouth. Since he had started employing the older man with the broken smile he had learned much of his concoctions and that meant he knew he should avoid inhilation at all costs. So long as he kept his exposure to the minimum he should be able to avoid overwhelming effects. The strength with which Hemlocke threw his little flask and the pointed speech beforehand was something that must have been foreign to the man. As to how he could gather up all that courage so suddenly...

Kieve staggered back a little. If he could distance himself from the little smoking mess then--- It felt like the world swayed a little under his feet. "This was an interesting choice Hemlocke. I would think you had more at your disposal than the hallucination potions!" Kieve shouted through the smoke, realizing he could hardly so much as see his foes thanks to how dense it had become. Certainly the potion was taking some toll, but Kieve also knew just what it was that Hemlocke threw at him so it was a little easier to handle. The pricking sensation was focused in Kieve's chest area. When the boy looked down he ran his fingers over the 'cuts' and pulled back to see crimson. It appeared Hemlocke actually knew just what he was doing with such a potion.

Now was no time to surrender to the potions though, and Kieve knew that all too well. He could not use his spear since it was not on him, nor did he have full use of his body due to Hemlocke's attempts. All that Kieve could rely on was his stolen magic and that would have to be used very carefully. Now that he knew just how much it took to cast a base level forbidden magic spell he knew he could not go about throwing the magic here and there without careful consideration. The ability to slow down and think whilst in pain and bleeding was a luxury very few inexperienced fighters had.

Kieve was not just some inexperienced fighter though.

In a matter of seconds he had his plan set in stone in his mind. Applying it would be simple as soon as he drew his newly acquired magic to his hands. In the legends, Kieve had been told the spell he was about to cast was known as a Solar Flare. As to what the foolish residents of Symphony called it he did not know. With a determined grunt he threw his hands up and released the wave of magic in one sharp burst. At first the magic illuminated everything in painful detail, then it flickered and then it exploded in such a bright way that all who looked on would be temporarily blinded. Or at least that was what Kieve was hoping for since he was about to run through the smoke for a little one on one with Hemlocke.

Keeping low, the boy bolted as fast as he could. The hallucinogens were causing a considerable amount of discomfort, getting a little worse as he took more in during his rush over, but Kieve was going to cause some pain even if he had to endure some. Once he was close enough his twisted grin came over his face and he felt a light laugh escape his lips. "I wonder if you feel as if you can defeat me," Kieve uttered softly to Hemlocke before he swung his leg under the man in an attempt to make him fall back in a jolt.

[Astraea Selah]

No longer was there time to question, to doubt, or to plan. Astraea was beyond her capabilities to remain detached and that was perhaps the best thing that could have happened to her. Were the woman still capable of those things she would have spent far too long looking to Hemlocke with a distrusting stare, debating if she even should take the potion he offered to her and wasting their precious time. Instead, now exhausted and in a considerable about of pain, the woman grabbed the potion without a word and drank it with a grimace.

What time the woman didn't waste on doubt she seemed to waste on stealing glances towards Llyr. The entire encounter with him thus far had given her an odd sort of ache in her chest and she was unsure what it meant. After this fight was over, assuming they both lived, what would it be like speaking with him? Just thinking of it made it feel as if her throat would close up... but why? Astraea took a moment to scold herself for distractions on the battlefield.

Hissing and then a deadly sharp anger in Hemlocke's voice made the Elegy's soul shudder. Things had grown dire in the man's mind and suddenly his unsure nature, which she was sure she was detecting earlier, cleared. Those feelings were likely just being terribly overshadowed by a rage where it concerned Gale. Astraea still wanted to know what kind of connection the man had to the girl but there was still no time. Whatever Hemlocke had thrown it quickly created extensive foggy clouds and he warned against being near it.

It would have been natural to assume that for a few moments there would be peace. Just enough time to gather herself at least, she had assumed. Kieve was a relentless soul though and almost instantly Astraea could hear him shouting through the smog seeming to know what was being used against him. Unsettling to put it lightly. Perhaps the only thought she had left that she could cling to was that just because he knew the concoction it shouldn't be rendered useless... right?

Astraea hated when she could feel rock bottom getting further down than she had anticipated. "Hemlocke!" She cried out the instant that she caught a slight movement in the cloudiness. As the green-haired boy drew nearer to Hemlock, Astraea quickly tried to formulate some kind of plan. What magic she could use was very peculiar and did not always work how she wished it to, but it was all she had. The woman drew a deep breath when she caught Kieve going for the gray-haired man's legs and magic reacted easily to her anticipation and fear.

"Look out!" The Elegy cried desperately. The reason for that specific emotion was the 'tracking' magic that burst from her figure without any heed. It was a kind of emotional magic that she had been taught to never let free, but when it did it served as a warning. Astraea was not being the Elegy she needed to be and she had to get a handle on herself before she allowed her magic to get out of hand.

In the meantime her eyes followed the pink streams of magic. All she could do was hope desperately that they would not hit Hemlocke and he could get away from Kieve.

[/justify][/blockquote][/blockquote]