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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Oct 21, 2022 14:16:03 GMT -5
When he has a moment and Caedes is distracted with other conversations, Zarius slips away into the crowd. He weaves through the crowd and circles around to creep up behind a particular individual he had marked as his next target.[1] The charcoal-skinned tiefling strolls up behind this individual who might be mistaken for some dainty maiden in a princess dress. Zarius knew very well who they actually were though, recognizing their red skin, hair and shy golden eyes.
He steps up behind the red tiefling with a gin on his face as he lightly taps him on the shoulder. As he turns around, Zarius quickly steps to the other side and stands much too close for comfort.
“Well! If it is not the famed violinist, Cantio con Lumen.” His grin parts into the toothy grin at the bard. “The dress suits you.”
He glances about the room at the dancefloor which was filled with flurries of twirling skirts and shuffling shoes. An idea forms in his head and his toothy grin becomes a devious smirk.
“But you know, it would look much better out on the dance floor.”
Without waiting for Cantio to refuse, he takes the violinist’s delicate hand and leads him out amongst the other dancers. He isn’t rough but he certainly is insistent. Once they find a gap in the crowd of dizzying colors, he turns to face the red tiefling, briefly bowing before stepping in close and putting one hand on his corseted waist.
Surprisingly, the rough and tumble brawler actually knew his way around a dancefloor, taking the lead with confidence as they waltz to the music. He meant this mostly as a way to fluster to bard, always indulging himself in embarrassing the young man. But he would be lying if he said he hadn’t secretly wanted the chance to partake in the dance himself. It brought back fond memories which were few and far between in his life of violence, lies, and crime.
“So, what has the illustrious bard been up to? I was under the impression you would rather avoid Sol City and its upper class citizens, yet here you are.”
It was an honest question. Cantio didn't seem to like this sort of thing, but perhaps he was hoping that the anonymity of the costume ball would grant him freedom from his fame for a bit. Still, with the way the red tiefling had previously spoke of those of noble status, he doubted he would want to be surrounded by them even as a guest and not a performer. Additionally, there were plenty here who were glowing examples of the worst the upper class had to offer in regards to pretentiousness and snobbery. He hadn't forgotten of one's such appearance earlier that evening.
[1] Silent Step
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Post by Cantio von Lumen on Oct 21, 2022 17:38:05 GMT -5
Thus far, he’s managed to go without fully recognizing any of the party goers at the Black Harvest Ball… and not knowing most of the people here is a blissful kind of ignorance, allowing him time to mingle without pressure or concern. The nobles from Sol City are still a mild concern, but he does a good job of steering well clear of their cliques while he navigates amongst the crowd.
Unfortunately for him, all good things do come to an end.
His blissful ignorance ends with a light tap on his shoulder; it garners Cantio’s attention as he’s drifting quietly through pockets of mingling nobles, fully intending to partake in the bar for just a mild confidence boost before he goes about the evening. He blinks, turning to look over his shoulder with a lax patience, but no one’s there; he frowns, brows furrowing slightly as he turns— and nearly runs straight into Zarius when he moves again.
A startled gasp escapes him as he pulls back sharply, hand clasping over his mouth to silence the sound; it takes him a moment to recognize him— but how could he ever forget him after the last party he had to attend with him?
“Zarius!?” he regards in a hiss of a whisper, frowning at the tiefling as he lowers his hand from his mouth to his collarbone; the shock in his eyes is replaced with a mild embarrassment and skepticism. “You scared the daylight out of me!” He sways a step away from the charcoal tiefling to avoid the uncomfortable close range, skirts and cloak buffeting as he pulls back.
“What are you even doing here…” He trails off, eyes widening slightly at the suggestion of the dancefloor. “Wait, what? Absolutely n—”
Before he can object to the offer in full, Zarius grabs his hand; and thoroughly ignores the Song of Light’s immediate protests. His cloak sways, skirts swirling around the ankles of his boots as Zarius comes to a stop on the dancefloor; Cantio nearly bumps into him, catching himself on Zarius’ shoulders, and taking a pace back while the tiefling bows. He’s not opposed to dancing— in fact, he considered himself a good dancer once, but—
“Listen, I don’t really—-” Zarius steps closer despite the protest, hand resting on his waist as he leads into the waltz; and with that, Cantio finds himself pulled along into the motion of the colourful crowd. After a few clumsy steps to catch up to Zarius’ pace, he takes the tieflilng’s hand, and rests his opposite on his shoulder before falling into line with the steps.
He’s actually a bit surprised that Zarius can dance, but he’d rather not risk starting a scene in the middle of the dancefloor by bringing it up; Cantio, himself, has had far too many classes filled with… much less nostalgia. The bard looks mildly perturbed, but any annoyance on his face is just as equally made a mockery of by a deeper red flush beneath the blue mask. “Why do I keep running into you?” he sighs, the gentle tinkle of the golden trains on his horns drowned out by the classical music from the entertainers.
He finds himself defeated; caving to the moment as he so often finds himself doing, anyways. He allows muscle memory to take over, unresistant to the waltz. “I would.” he answers, skirts billowing as he spins, and falls back into the position of the dance without missing a beat. “But every now and then, the entertainment gets tired of being the entertainment; even the sun gets a break, so why can’t I have one?” he sighs, golden eyes quizzical and skeptical beneath the mask. “Not that I'm comparing myself to the sun, but... should I even ask why you’re here? Before you ask, I don’t want a hand in anything you might have planned tonight. I’m just here to try and have a good time as a guest, for once.”
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Oct 21, 2022 23:32:45 GMT -5
Zarius wears a smug smirk on his face the whole time he leads Cantio around the dance floor. He supports the bard, ensuring he does not trip or step on his own feet until he falls into rhythm.
It was amusing to watch his flustered expression resign to his fate. The bard knew all to well he couldn’t get away from the street brawler without causing a scene, and Zarius knew all to well that Cantio would rather put up with his antics than draw the attention of the surrounding nobility.
“Maybe our destinies are intertwined.” He says with false mysticism. “If you believe in such nonsense.” He laughs.
The truth was that it was a complete coincidence that they were both at another high society party in the same city as their very first encounter. He had no idea the bard would be present, but that was kind of the theme of the night. Many others were here he never would have expected to see. Most were pleasant surprises while others…weren’t worth mentioning.
He listens to Cantio’s explanation of why he chose to attend this curious event. His reasoning made sense and on some level the charcoal-skinned tiefling could relate.
One's work often gets in the way of actually enjoying things such as this. Like the bard, he has been to plenty of parties and social events, but most of the time he was there as either the face representing his family and their business, or as a spy hiding up above all the sparkling lights and casual conversation. It was nice being on the dancefloor and not being obligated to do anything. Still, being the work-a-holic he is, if he picked up a few new contacts and potential allies during the course of the evening that would be fine with him too.
Zairus smiles at the bard as they loop around the other pairs of dancers. “You can relax, sunshine. I was actually invited this time and I have no real plans for this evening. Like you, I am simply here to enjoy such a rare occasion.”
He steps back from Cantio and raises his arm to give the young man a twirl before returning to their original positions.
“Tell me, have you caught the eye of any handsome knights yet? I never seem to see you with anyone else. Surely you have some stalker fans who would have accompanied you here.”
He really couldn't help but tease. Even if he sympathized with Cantio wanting to just enjoy the party, at the end of the day he was still a jerk who enjoyed watching the bard’s face burn with embarrassment.
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Post by Cantio von Lumen on Oct 22, 2022 8:04:05 GMT -5
Cantio rolls his eyes as Zarius talks about their intertwined destinies in a tone he knows is sarcasm, “M’hm.” he hums, listening to the tiefling’s laugh ring above the music. “But, I believe the gods wouldn’t be so cruel as to intertwine you and I.” he tries to remain ultimately impartial or cold; but, although a hint of sarcasm bleeds into his tone, it still holds a nervous undertone.
After all, the last time he encountered Zarius at a party, it was a nightmare; for him, anyway. It was the kind of night one would rather forget, but the echoes of the past take form in Zarius; and, truthfully, it might not be so bad— they might even get along— if the tiefling wasn’t so keen on badgering him so thoroughly in every meeting. Cantio likes to think he’s quite tolerant; but Zarius in particular has a weird way of getting under his skin. The music fills the silence in the pause of their conversation, the notes and chords as lilting and melodic as the dancers themselves on the ballroom floor. The pair loop around other dancers, and Cantio has to admit he’s impressed with the dance prowess the tiefling has shown thus far— at least he hasn’t been stepped on, yet. Zarius speaks again over the music, and Cantio— purposefully not meeting his gaze as much as he can get away with— looks at him suspiciously from the corner of his eyes. “ Somehow, I have a hard time believing you’re not here with some kind of ulterior motive…” he admits. “ ...but I do hope that’s true.” Zarius steps back, and Cantio pulls back as well; the young man twirls, the layers of his dress billowing with the spin until he sways naturally back into Zarius’ arms. The next question that leaves the tiefling’s lips as Cantio draws back into their original positions, however, has him blinking in surprise. “ What?” Oh, if they weren’t on a dancefloor, he’d find some reason to walk away; but locked into a waltz as he is, a look of embarrassment crosses the bard’s face instead. He doesn’t want to draw attention to himself by walking away from his dance partner. “ I— wh— no, of course not. I do have friends I travel with on occasion, but… I came here to enjoy myself, without worrying about anyone else.” He avoids Zarius’ mischievous eyes, brows furrowing beneath his mask as he adds. “ ... And I don’t have stalker fans.” A moment of hesitation, and Cantio narrows his golden eyes thoughtfully. “ I mean, I really hope I don’t...”
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Post by Bellighul//Amilcar on Oct 22, 2022 11:38:24 GMT -5
A blue glove, adorned with golden threads and embroidery, seemed to cut between the chests of the two tieflings. The back of the glove pressing firmly against the chest of Zarius. The wearer was dressed in a peacock inspired masquarade, tall and noticeably strong even under his extravagant ornamentation. The Necromancer stood sentinel, just as Cantio finished his final sentence, his pallid face hidden behind the alabaster mask and the shadow of his large plumed cavelier hat. Though, his eyes betrayed the intent of costuming. Shuttered yet blazing, his irises glew like stoked coals. Leaving a faint radiance along their surrounding edges of the white mask. Bellighul's voice was sonorous and rich as he spoke, revealing his identity further rather easily.
"Song of Light, how you grace us with your presence." His manner of cadence being eerily melodious; a dark charm projected from his form.
He seemed to completely ignore Zarius for the moment, while remaining in contact withis chest. The string orchestra resonated within the ballroom floor, the sequence of the violins slow but building. The bass of cellos is moving and deep. They had begun a new piece shortly before, the ensemble playing a particular symphony known as 'The Sun King'. It was moving and rich, perfect for the waltz. He listened to the music briefly before uttering "I believe the crescendo is upon us, allow me the pleasure of a dance. You have honored this one quite enough; very kind of you to entertain a servant. Surely, a night he will remember." He moved his head to peer at Zarius with contempt and implied misremembering while satisfying his own grandiosity.
He spoke to Zarius harshly, as he cut in, his train of peacock feathers arcing upwards and intertwined Cantio's palm within his, twirling the Bard into his other arm as he rotated the two to the side and away a few steps. "I believe the hors d'oeuvres are in need of replacing, a barbaric eating contest has begun. Look into that, would you?" Beneath his mask lays a nefarious smirk.
As the pair spun deeper towards the center of the ballroom, Bellighul complimented. "Your dress is exquisite, was it tailored in Sol City? If so, I am quite surprised...they are rather backwards here, still wearing ruffs around their necks, half of them." His hand glided up towards the shoulder blade of Cantio, their clasped hand balancing the two as he dipped the Bard backward in a well timed dramatic half moon bend, twisting gracefully as they were brought back up.
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Post by Cantio von Lumen on Oct 23, 2022 0:44:18 GMT -5
Everything comes to a sudden halt. Cantio startles; his shoulders jump as a blue, embroidered glove cuts between their waltz. Cantio sways to a sudden unsteady stop, skirts billowing at his ankles; he quickly turns his gaze up towards the offender. A tall man in an alabaster mask and large, plumed hat rests the back of his glove against Zarius’ chest, separating the tieflings mid-step. Albeit dressed brilliantly; he is a tall, imposing figure. Cantio catches the way his eyes, ember-like, illuminate from behind the eyes of the mask; offering a faint halo of light that traces the outline of the mask’s eyes. He would be absolutely petrified of the figure if the voice that came from the man wasn’t a familiar one. Relief fills the Song of Light’s golden eyes as Bellighul’s familiar, dark cadence fills the air underneath the sound of the orchestra finishing their last piece, and readying the next. “Bellighul?” he greets, his voice pitched with a surprised delight; so much so, that he seems to neglect the tension in the air between the men completely. “I never would have expected to see you here!” He lets his hand fall from Zarius’ shoulder, turning to face the necromancer as he speaks again. “ I’d love to, but I… oh, no, he’s not a serv…” he trails off in defense of Zarius; finally catching onto the atmosphere sparking around them as Bellighul peers down at the tiefling. He offers Zarius a mildly quizzical look, but then the tiefling leaves his line of sight; as does Bellighul, replaced by the motion blur of a spinning room, instead. If it weren’t for Bellighul being a solid object, he might have fallen right in the middle of the dancefloor; but as it is, he manages to catch against the necromancer’s arm, one leg out, while maintaining some semblance of balance after the twirl.
Before he can fully readjust himself, he finds himself swept away into the center of the ballroom.
When the world finally stops spinning, and Cantio is able to stumble into the steps of the waltz— one hand clasped in Bellighul’s, and the other resting on his shoulder— he bubbles into a sheepish laugh. “Leave it to you to make such an entrance, Bellighul.” he compliments. “You never disappoint.” Although, he feels a bit bad for leaving Zarius behind; he probably shouldn’t, but the cut was quite sudden, and in the midst of a conversation… even though it was drifting into an unpleasant one… He makes an internal note to apologize later, if he can find the tiefling amongst the crowd. The Song of Light falls back as Bellighul dips him, skirts billowing as he pulls himself from an elegant sway, and twists back into position. He laughs sheepishly, “Thank you; and what a compliment coming from a man with your taste. I made it, actually—” He’s able to fall back into step quite easily, the conversation is a little easier. “—last time we spoke, I think I had mentioned I was looking into such a thing? You wouldn’t catch me dead in one of those ruffs.” He jokes, readjusting his loose hold on Bellighul's shoulder.
The jewelry training off his horns tinkling beneath the taper of the crescendo. “Oh, but— Bellighul, I never would’ve thought to see you here. You were invited, as well?”
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Oct 23, 2022 1:13:53 GMT -5
Zarius blinks as his dance with Cantio is brought to an abrupt halt by a gaudy blue glove and the equally gaudy individual it belonged to. His mood instantly sours at the appearance of the pompous peacock prick known to him as Bellighul of Zeinav. His eyes narrow and glares at the pasty-faced corpse. He resists slapping the man's hand away from him and instead firmly pushes it to the side.
"Have you been dead so long that you forgot your manners? We were clearly in the middle of a conversation."
Bellighul ignores him which just pisses him off even more. Few people could make the tiefling absolutely bristle with anger, and the Lord of Ghouls had the prestigious honor of sitting at the top of that list.
He frowns though when two masked men refer to each other with recognition. They knew each other? And the bard seemed at ease with him at that. That was shocking. Bellighul was a heinous individual with an equally despicable reputation, yet the timid red tiefling not only knew him but was on good terms with him? Zarius’ eyes narrowed suspiciously at Bellighul. He was a necromancer, ‘Exalted in the Dark’ as he so likes to boast. Surely this was the result of some sort of mind control spell.
Really, he just needed an excuse to hate the man more. This certainly was adding to Bellighul’s list of offenses against the tiefling.
Zarius watches them, glowering at Bellighul and his dumb mask the whole time. That hardly stopped him from whisking Cantio off across the room.
Did this man just...?
The nerve of that walking talking cadaver. The tiefling isn’t about to let this go without a metaphorical fight. He doesn't let them get too far away and strides up to the pair. He knew the necromancer could take some pretty solid hits from their previous encounter, so he only holds back a little when he hip checks Bellighul to the side when the Lord of Ghoul goes to spin the bard in time with the music.
The tiefling catches Cantio’s hand and keeps him from losing his balance, placing himself between the two.
"I am so sorry,” he hisses the apology with a sneer. “But you will have to check on that situation at the table yourself. Help yourself to a drink while you are at it, I am sure they have some fine dish water to satisfy your tastes."
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Post by Bellighul//Amilcar on Oct 23, 2022 11:59:44 GMT -5
"If anyone could make those infernal neck collars fashionable, it would be you...but I beg you to reconsider." He jested, the plumes of his hat swaying as they rocked to and fro. His attire shimmering in the floating lanterns, irredescent and metallic flakes upon an ocean of blue. He was the lead in the dance and with great finesse a final twirl of Cantio to end the 'Sun King' crescendo.
To be fair, he had made the mistake of forgetting about Zarius. The Necromancer's ego was less of a shield than a prison, he had thought the insult would be the end of it. He was wrong to underestimate the tenacity of the fiendish Tiefling.
"The invitation sat on my desk for some time before I decided. I despise this city and its people, preferring to wander through a Frost Gale winter than associate myself with its nobility. Yet, a colleague of mine sent me a letter and I was compelled. I am sure it will make for an exciting night for all." He was being intentionally vague and mysterious, another common trait that often charmed or annoyed his social connections. While the cadence had slowed, the pair in accordance, it compelled Bellighul into a series of steps and slides as the lead. The rotation within the center of the ballroom was marvelous, as other dancers did in harmony. Like soft waves on the sea which revolved in the tide. The first violinist began a piece, warm and mellow, that would ease the other strings slowly. The meastro, almost in a trance, directing them with dreamy motions. The Lord of Ghouls maintained his posture and eye contact, just as the music had become heightened, the pair prepared to spin. Thus he began to speak after a brief lapse in conversation, certainly for dramatic purposes."Tell me, Song of Light, I simply cannot bear the looming question, will you be playing this eve...."
Bellighul was nearly knocked to the floor as a hip crashed into his. His hands escaped Cantio and himself replaced by Zarius. His tall heels thundered across the room as he twisted his form to avoid falling over. Blindsided. Yet, with poise, he lifted his arm high and the other low in shallow angles. Bending at the knees slowly as he buckled, taking on the pose of a bullfighter in motion. The onlookers smiled behind masks, thinking it was merely a burst of creative dance. Yet, his scarlet eyes narrowed and burned with passion. The fury of the Dark Lord was one to behold. Yet, he was a gentleman, something his newfound nemesis was not burdened with.
Further, he was insulted by a reference to his comment prior.
Dish water? He internalized. Zarius had publicly defamed his sense of taste and refinement. To bloody him in a game of death was honorable, yet to insinuate he lacked class? The war of wits and grace was unavoidable.
Bellighul allowed Zarius the subtle victory but lamented not being able to speak to his friend. Cantio was one of the few who could tolerate his extravagance and entitlement. Yet, he merely believed all those who disliked him were boorish and banal. Zarius is certainly paramount in his mind.
The Necromancer stormed off to the table, his peacock feather trail bellowing behind him. Gripping an empty wine glass by the stem, dirtied by cosmetics, Bellighul presented it to the caterer carving a large roast.
__________________ __________
A moment later, Bellighul was upon them.
His large plumed hat in one hand and the wine glass in the other, he traversed behind Zarius and placed the large ornamented brim on his head harshly, puncturing it with the fighter's horns. However, it was but a ruse as he tossed the chalice's contents onto the side of Zarius' face; the drippings and juices of the roast.
Freeing his hands and allowing the glass to shatter on the floor, he swept Cantio into his large arms and across his chest. Carrying him in a spin away from the other Tiefling, balancing the Bard as he pressed him into the air with his mighty physique. Allowing Cantio to be weightless to the sound of the rising strings. The onlookers marveled as the Sorcerer and the Bards hair and attire rotated majestically.
Meanwhile he shouted to Zarius. "Tell me the tasting notes of that vintage, you cretinous man-child."
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Post by Cantio von Lumen on Oct 24, 2022 7:04:08 GMT -5
A pleasant smile crosses the tiefling’s lips as Bellighul jests, “ The compliment is more than enough to satisfy my ego without testing it out.” he returns with a chuckle. The jewelry trains hanging from his horns sway and jingle together as he steps in motion with the necromancer to the lilting notes of The Sun King; he takes it upon himself to fully embrace the dance with a dramatic twirl. He sways from Bellighul, skirts pooling and trailing around his ankles as he spins and dips; he pulls one leg out, balancing on the sole of one boot before he’s pulled back into his lead. Cantio rests his hand over Bellighul’s shoulder as he falls into line with his motion, golden gaze tilting to his alabaster mask as his voice resounds from behind it. Cantio smiles, but behind his masks, his brows furrow slightly; he’s never truly understood Bellighul’s disdain for his home… but likewise, the necromancer does not know he’s from Sol City. Or, he shouldn’t; but even with that being said, he can’t stand many of Sol City’s nobility, himself… despite being raised among them.
He wonders, distantly, if Bellighul would tolerate him less if he'd been honest about where he hailed from.
“They can be a haughty bunch sometimes, can’t they?” he remarks with an exasperated sigh; as the cadence slows, so do his steps. Bellighul takes the lead as the crescendo falls and Cantio graciously follows; the ghoul lord, even on a brightly lit dance floor, still holds such a mystery and elegance to each movement. The feathers of his train sway with each step he takes; and the sway of his movements are as easy and gentle as a fall’s breeze, despite his confidence in the motion. Cantio recognizes the song that the first chair begins to play. As Bellighul sways him to the side, he peeks over the man’s shoulder to watch the way the first violin sways with the tune. Didn’t his mother have a hand in writing this piece…? Cantio’s golden eyes switch back to Bellighul, the polite smile returning to his face as his deep cadence fills the air around them; but before he can finish, as the necromancer pushes him back for a spin— he loses his hand. A small flutter of anxiety catches Cantio mid-spin, but he’s grasped again before he can fall; and the bard falls back into… Eh? Cantio finds himself rescued in a familiar tiefling’s arms? “ ... Zarius?” he remarks in confusion, hand clasped in his; he looks past him to Bellighul, who seems to be… striking a pose, or…? Wait, what just happened, exactly? The red tiefling frowns, looking at Zarius with wide eyes as he blatantly insults the necromancer. “ Huh? Zarius…” he objects, glancing worriedly in Bellighul’s directions as the man storms away without comment, heels of his boots clicking on the floor. He frowns, looking back to the tiefling with furrowed brows beneath the mask. “ Was that totally necessary?” Yes, he is indeed, utterly clueless. “ But, I suppose he was…” For a brief moment, the tiefling steps to go after the necromancer, but the crowd on the dancefloor prevents him from doing so; and Zarius has already captured his hand. He also considers Bellighul’s words when he’d cut in earlier, and breathes a sigh; he pulls himself back towards the tiefling, troubled as he lays eyes on him. “ Listen, I’m sorry about Bellighul’s comments from earlier— he’s been a bit theatrical like that ever since I met him—but I don’t think he meant anything by what he said.” he apologizes on behalf of the Necromancer, tail flicking nervously as he follows whatever cues the tiefling is putting out. “ He just…” Cantio’s eyes flick upwards, over Zarius’ shoulder, brightening hopefully, when the familiar visage approaches. “ Oh, Bel—” He wanted to request a talk between the two gentlemen, hoping to sort out whatever weirdness is going on between them from what he presumes is just the dance— but before he can even utter the words, Bellighul jams his hat onto Zarius’ head. “ Wh—?” Cantio flinches backwards from a splash, releasing Zarius’ hands to cover himself from the aftermath as he pulls away. Even before he lowers his arms, Cantio just looks at Zarius, utterly dumbfounded; Bellighul is theatrical, sure, but isn’t this a bit much—? Before he can finish even a train of thought, his feet leave the floor. Still stunned, the tiefling clings around Bellighul’s neck and shoulders, utterly speechless as he’s swept away from his previous spot on the dancefloor.
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Oct 24, 2022 8:45:12 GMT -5
Zarius' keen senses pick up Bellighul's return.[1] He's not surprised the man came back. If death couldn't keep him six feet under, it certainly would take more than a little bump to his ego to make him crawl back into his grave.
He turns from Cantio to face the Lord of Ghouls only to have the hat shoved on his head and a slurry of grease liquid and fatty trimmings thrown in his face. The tiefling recoils and tears the hat free from his horns, throwing the accessory to the floor. His temper literally flares as a wisp of black smoke escapes from between his teeth.
The shattering of the glass upon the floor as Bellighul scoops Cantio off his feet draws the attention and murmurs of the crowd. Despite the disturbance, the music plays on uninterrupted. Zarius is not deterred by the onlookers. As a waiter hurriedly approaches with a broom in hand, Zarius snatches a hand towel draped over his arm and wipes his face before stepping across the floor, the broken glass cracking underneath his boots. He isn't about to let Bellighul take a single step further without paying the consequences for the unwanted protein cocktail.
His eyes glance down at the train of long feathers trailing from Bellighul's outfit. He tucks his hands into the pockets of his coat and with a hop and a skip, he lands squarely on the many layered eye-like patterns. He times his landing just as Bellighul takes a sweeping step forward and there is a loud ripping noise as a result of his clothing suddenly snagging under the tiefling's weight.
Ah, now that was music to the brawler's ears. His grin couldn't be any wider or self-indulgent.
"What a shame, your fanciful feathers seem to have caught beneath my boots. Your adorable attempt to overcompensate surely is a tripping hazard for your dance partner." The tiefling's tone oozes with sarcasm and thinly veiled concern.
He steps off the torn train and strides over to the tall pale man as Cantio's feet return to the floor. With a flick of his wrist he folds the dirtied towel he still had in his possession from the waiter and tucks it firmly in the front of Bellighul's vest, finishing with a pat and a smile at the dead man's burning gaze.
"The gala is far from over, if you wish to go change into something less obtrusive and gaudy, you can still spare all of us the tragic embarrassment of being within your presence."
With that, he places a hand on Cantio's back and attempts to lead him away from Bellighul and his oh so unfortunate fashion mishap.
[1] Fighters Senses
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Oct 24, 2022 15:11:30 GMT -5
The dancefloor was starting to heat up. First there was her slight drama with Baram, which was nothing compared to what transpired between another couple. She recognized a good drama when she saw it. Finally, after such a relenteless search - that even warranted a stop for a few drinks -, Kamille spotted - by accident - the princess! The red tiefling was gorgeous in his flowy dress and sparkling jewelry and beautiful red hair, but as it turns out... he was in distress. His handsome, smooth features were disraught, and to her surprise, when she managed to squint her eyes at his partners, between the elegant twists of the waltz, she recognized. To her shock, not one, but both of them. The voice, the hair, the costumes! Such perfection!
"Is everything alright, my Lady?"
Soon after she exchanged partners with Vasilia, she regretted it: the noblemen wasn’t nearly as good a dancer as Baram, and he kept trying to lead too aggressively, slightly out of beat with the music. For the first time she took a good look at his face. Ironically, he was dressed like a vampire.
"I'm deeply sorry, my Lord. But I'll need a favor from you. Can I lead for a moment?"
Baram wasn’t nearly as easy to convince as was the noblemen, who was bewitched by her smile and complied. While she danced and approached the drama, listening to the chaos of a glass breaking just adding to her sense of panic, she kept a whole conversation through the spell Message with her former rival.
I need your help, Baram.
Good. You can give me your signed copy of Ashes and St-
Nope. Not a chance.
Then no deal.
The conversation went back and forth for a moment, her sense of urgency just sweeling in a crescendo just like the music they danced to. Kamille heard the sound of cloth ripping, and knew there was no time to waste.
Fine! I'll give you my copy of Ashes and Stars if you do this thing for me...
You'll also owe me a favor.
She was regretting this deeply already. The exchange went on for a couple more moments, as Zarius lead Cantio away from Bellighul. Kamille and her partner approached the unsuspecting tieflings, while the lonely Phantom - begrudgingly - approached Bellighul. There was some hissing and barking as she saw it between the two fighting over the princess, but she couldn’t exactly make out their words, too focused on orchestrating that whole movement as she was, while still dancing and twisting to the waltz.
And then, when the crescendo was at its peak, the loudest of this piece, the Queen of Hearts twirled closer to the pair of tieflings: this time her calculations were perfect. As she lead the noblemen into a twist, too close to the other couple, she let go of him entirely, taking a quick step to the side to find the delicate hand of the princess, and yanking Cantio out of Zarius' grip as he also sent him into a spinning, briefly. The random noblemen dressed as a vampire widened his eyes when he saw himself face-to-face with an angry tiefling, very different from the half-elf lady he'd been dancing with. All the while, the princess was gone...
...as Kamille pulled Cantio away from that maddness, losing track of the melody of the waltz for a moment to lead him away. When she finally stopped, several steps away, more or less shielded by the other couples that danced around them, to embrace him in the elegant leading posture of the waltz, she put one hand to his waist and the other raised his other hand. A mischievous grin, ear to ear, was slapped across her flushed face as she dramatically declared:
"Finally, I found you, princess! It is I, a ghost from the past!"
All the while, the Phantom stepped up to Bellighul, standing before him as to block his sight from what was transpiring between the tieflings and Kamille.
"I'm sure this is enough for this evening, wouldn’t you agree, my Lord? Here, let me show you somewhere you can recover... I swear, Kamille picks the weirdest of friends...."
The last bit was probably meant to be said a bit lower than he intended - he probably thought he was drunk, or not entirely paying attention to all of his words. As noblemen were known to do.
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Post by Bellighul//Amilcar on Oct 27, 2022 11:32:18 GMT -5
As Cantio was lifted high in his arms, the Necromancer was content with his small victory. Public embarrassment was a bit low for his standards, he prided himself on his sense of class. However, the two had a fairly violent history. Wine certainly did not help the matter, which made the Lord of Ghouls seem admittedly petty. He was not one to care however, as he despised more than half of the gala attendants anyway. His abilities and beauty have merely bolstered his already sizable ego. Yet, as he slowly brought Cantio down, his strength in undeath was still fairly new to him. Before, he was a frail man who could barely hold a full basket of produce. Creaking bones and pained movements. Now, he truly felt alive, in a strange contradiction.
However, Zarius was not to be outdone. His vengeance is equally heinous; at least to fashion.
Bellighul moved forward to brace the Bard as they planted, only to feel his vest slam backwards into his chest. Causing him to jerk and shake Cantio before they could find their footing. A loud tearing sound filled the area, He looked around quickly, seeing several dancing couples cover mouths and eyes widen. Pivoting on his heels, he turned back to see Zarius smiling, feet beneath his train of feathers. Hues of irredescience and metallic blues and greens into shreds. Long wires nearly stripped of the intricate feathers half way down.
From behind is mask, his mouth was agape. He was silent for a moment, as Zarius stuffed his vest with a hand towel, smeared and stained with the roast juices and drippings, now solidified into fat. Bellighul was a talkative and often argumentative person, but he was stunned. This was more than revenge, this was criminal to the Necromancer. Zarius' words fell on deafened ears, he watched lips move but could only hear the snickering of a few attendants.
The sheer audacity.
Bellighul's hands tightened into fists, his gloves straining in their stitches as his muscles tensed beneath. His arms shook slightly. Eyes ablaze in fury. He was made a mockery of, but just not anywhere; in front of the social elite in Sol City. Bloodlust overtook him, a temporary madness. He swore retaliation. They would have come to blows had this been in the wilderness, streets or tavern. But, fighting would have them arrested and imprisoned surely. Another time.
Bellighul thus, bowed to Cantio naturally, whilst pulling the hand towel from his vest and slamming it at the feet of Zarius.
"You have won this day, you heinous.. venomous.. pitiful...."
Just then, Kamille entered the picture. Her nebulous eyes catching his. The flames inside instantly smothered. Yet, she did not approach him, instead it was Baram, dressed as a phantom. Fitting.
Baram lightly pressed his hand on the Necromancer's shoulder, easing him backwards in a non-aggressive manner. He shielded Bellighul's view from the two Tieflings and the Pyromancer. His words spoke true, it was far better to end it here before things progressed further and hinted at another motive. Yet, Bellighul had been made aware of Baram in his long discussions with Kamille. Zarius, he hated surely but Bellighul abhorred Baram with every fiber of his being. Thus, Kamille simply redirected Bellighul's ferocity at her former betrothed and jaded lover.
"My Lord...now I am insulted. You referred to me by a title of peerage from your lands. Zeinav is my homeland, I am Master of the Villa of Lost Souls. Merchant of the finest vintages of white wine in all of the desert Sultanate. I am Bellighul Bey. BEY. I find it weird that you found it necessary to touch me as well." He eased Baram's palm from his shoulder. Maintaining a dark stare at the fellow nobleman.
Baram retorted. "Bellighul is a title meaning Lord of Ghouls, no? So Lord seemed appropriate by translation. Thus, you are Lord Lord of Ghouls in Zeinavian then?" He was not wrong. Making the Vampire scoff at the question. Baram smirking as he guided the Necromancer towards the gardens, walking swiftly in front of him. There was tension though Baram was unaware of the source of it. Hoping to rid the man from his presence, Baram turned as Bellighul entered the gardens, but they were alone in the immediate area, thus he snatched Baram by the cravat and pulled him close. Speaking directly into his ear as the Sorcerer spoke.
"My true name...you will learn in time. If you know Zeinavian, you will surely know some of it's glorious history, as educated as you are. I suggest you look at the pages of 'The Reign of Ahriman'....you will find my name in its list of Sorcerer Kings. An entire chapter is dedicated to me further on. You will find the title Bellighul first used here. Then...you will shudder at the thought of this night; as your coyness nearly cost you your life. Remember, you stood before me and I spared you."
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Post by Cantio von Lumen on Oct 31, 2022 19:48:37 GMT -5
It takes him a minute to recover.
Cantio looks at Bellighul’s alabaster mask with wide eyes, “Bellighul?” he means for his voice to come out a little more demanding, but it sounds quite meek all things considered. “What was that!? What in the world is going on between you and—” His voice dies over the sound of ripping fabric. As his feet touch the ground, Bellighul jerks suddenly. Cantio clings to his arms with a wince; he half expects to go tumbling across the dancefloor; but luckily, Bellighul has more balance and grace than he would in the same scenario.
“Wuh—” Cantio looks over Bellighul’s shoulder once the man has steadied, brows furrowing at the sight of a charcoal tiefling with his boots stamped firmly over Bellighul’s train of feathers and fabrics. He can only gawk; but the horror doesn’t end there, because Zarius comes stomping up to shove a disgusting towel into the crevice of Bellighul’s eloquent vest. “Wh—”
All he can do is stumble under his own tongue; anxiety has been tightening his chest ever since their strange duel started to escalate, but his face starts to flush with the feeling. Zarius approaches him, placing a hand against his back to lead him away— but Cantio offers a helpless glance over his shoulder at Bellighul, trying to find the words to apologize profusely on behalf of Zarius.
But he just can’t.
He doesn’t even understand why they’re fighting!
Cantio swallows nervously as Zarius guides him away, golden eyes searching the dancefloor with an anxious desperation to escape whatever conflict is brewing between them both. Bellighul is upset, Zarius is upset— he’s upset. His throat is tightening, trying to cut off his airway, but he takes a deep breath in an attempt to control something that shouldn’t be happening— not when he’s wearing his mask.
—- but his anxiety is peaking with the crescendo of the music; he feels a bit blurry as he finds his voice.
“Zarius, what… what in the world is wrong with you two—!”
And then, someone grabbed his hand.
Swept away from the chaos and confusion, the damsel in distress tumbles into the clasp of someone who is neither Zarius nor Bellighul; his head is still spinning, and the sharp anxiety of being the unfortunate object in a tug-of-war between the two headstrong men still lingers in his throat and chest as he tries not to trip over his own boots. His new captor's outfit is a deep red, blurring between the motion of dancers as they stumble through them.
He can't quite tell who they are, or what they are; not until they stop.
Cantio staggers to a halt, his boots clunking heavily against the dancefloor. He uses the stranger's shoulders as a support; he feels their hand clasp his own, the other rests against his waist. He looks up, frantic; his heart in his chest, and his mind spinning— he feels like he's just a few seconds from having an ill-tempered outburst about how sick he is of being pulled about like a ragdoll, but then—-
shock silences him.
He finds himself looking into such familiar sapphire eyes; glittering deep like the night sky; and he knows who she is, before she even speaks. For just a moment, the past overlaps in the present.
"Finally, I found you, princess! It is I, a ghost from the past!"
"Kamille!?"
Her lovely flushed face, and her bright smile, almost instantly wipe away the anxiety and stress of his previous situation with his previous dance partners; the guilt he feels for leaving the two men to stew in whatever weird rivalry they're having is washed away.
He pulls Kamille into a hug as she sways them into the lead of the waltz, certainly interrupting the flow of her movements; but he pulls himself back a moment later, golden eyes bright.
He allows Kamille to continue leading their dance without complaint; resting his hand on her shoulder, and clasping his hand in hers as he looks down for a beat, trying to catch up to her motions. He looks back up to her after a moment, his face beneath the mask flushed, and a bright smile on his face. "My gods, how long has it been? You're as stunning as ever, Kamille! Truly, my knight in shining armour tonight—- how have you been? I can't believe you're here!"
(EXIT)
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Nov 1, 2022 17:38:50 GMT -5
Once his vision stops spinning, he comes face to face with the new vampire. He draws back in surprise and then looks around, seeing Bellighul being led off by someone he didn’t recognize and Kamille sashaying away with Cnatio. He exhales a sharp line of smoke and offers a bow to the man dressed as a vampire.
“My apologies, sir.” He says, keeping the hiss in his voice down as much as possible.
He turns on his heel to go after Kamille when a flutter of green in his periphery appears.
“Excuse me, Master Rha’Oriyn, but could I trouble you for a dance?”
His blood runs cold as he freezes in place then slowly turns to face this new contender. Before him stands a human woman of dark complexion and piercing green eyes. She is adorned in the skull of some fanged creature and an emerald cloak. Her hand extends out to him, awaiting his acceptance of her request.
The tiefling glances around, the whole spat between him and Bellighul had drawn a lot of attention. Unfortunately for him, if he wanted to turn those eyes off of him, he had few choices other than to fall back into the dance without any further drama. This woman was offering him an out, and her smug smile indicated that she was fully aware of that fact.
He straightens up and then bows to her. “Of course, it would be my pleasure.”[1]
Gently taking her hand, they step away from the servant cleaning up the mess of broken glass and ripped feathers. Slowly the dance resumes with whispers rippling through the crowd about the drama. Some are disappointed it ended so early, others wonder if it would happen again, and a few turned their noses up at the whole situation. Zarius ignored their comments and tensely led the woman across the dancefloor before placing a hand on her waist and falling into step with the music.
The green-eyed woman watches his movements closely and pulls herself in towards him, speaking in a quiet manner to dissuade any eavesdropping among the dancers. “That certainly was a display. I was under the impression that your family excelled in being discrete.”
He forces a pleasant smile, she had a lot of nerve to just bring up his family and their reputation so casually. “Sometimes putting on a show is necessary as a distraction.”
Her eyebrow raises. “Oh? And what exactly were you distracting the crowd from with all that drama?”
The tiefling pauses, considering his words carefully. “Nothing that need concern you.”
That answer would hardly do, she steps in closer and he feels her heel press down on the top of his foot intentionally. “You should watch your step, would be a shame to step on the wrong toes.” She whispers into his ear before stepping off and continuing the dance.
Though she hardly said anything nearly as bad as Bellighul had previously, the consequences attached to her words here were far worse than anything the Lord of Ghouls could ever threaten. Fighting between the Ashen Fathers never ended well.
He takes a measured breath and spins the woman out into a twirl before pulling her back in towards him. “I do not appreciate being threatened, Lady Abingdon.”
A coy smile crosses her lips. “It is not a threat, it is friendly advice. Wisdom from years you have yet to have. If I really wanted to threaten you here…well, I know of a very skilled butchery in town I would be more than happy to invite you to.”
Ah, now that was a much more obvious threat. Zarius glances about for anyone watching them in the dance and marks out a few costumed individuals keeping a keen eye. She had an escort here, clearly, and it would likely only take a subtle cue from their employer to get them over to her side.
“Tell, me how was it that you gained an invitation to this event, hm? Or are you merely using your father’s because he is too afraid to leave the safety of home?”
He looks at her with narrowed eyes. “That is none of your concern.”
She chuckles and shakes her head a bit in mild disbelief. “Come now, you’re not being very polite.”
“I do not intend to be polite to you.” He hisses under his breath.
A thoughtful look appears on her face, her smug smile mocking him to no end. “Shame. Seems the rumors of you just being a brute like your father are more than just hearsay.”
As the song comes to an end, Zarius steps back from the woman and bows once more. “Thank you for the dance, Lady Abingdon. I am afraid I have other matters to attend to now.”
She narrows her eyes at him, then curtsies in response. “It truly was a pleasure, Master Rha’Oriyn. Do enjoy the rest of your evening.”
Zarius quickly leaves the dancefloor, glancing over his shoulder as the woman engages in another dance with a different individual and spirals away into the flurry of dresses.
[1] Smooth Talking
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