Sorry, this has been so long coming. Critiques & comments welcome!
The dream scenery shifted. Sand and grit covered landscape, with the familiar darkness draped over it. Bassilius stood there, mace in hand. For some odd reason, he was just standing there, as if he were waiting for orders.
"You're in a wasteland, surrounded by bandits and monsters, and you're out of magic. For allies, you have an insane wizard who has also run out of magic and a six year old who won't even hold a knife." A young male voice said critically. "It's time for a better lesson in using a dagger."
"Who are you?" Phoenix demanded, looking for the source of the voice. Of course, the whole area graduated from shadowy to impenetrable darkness, but his voice wasn't far away.
"Here." He snapped his fingers, drawing her attention to the sudden movement. A dark haired, dark eyed boy sat cross legged on an angled rock, barely out of her reach. He was only a few inches taller than she, and almost as thin. His muscles were lean and supple. His leathers were black- not the stark, almost pulsing black of most black robes, but the sort of washed out gray black of the shadows themselves.
"No, who, not where." She stated firmly, backing away a step. She didn't trust his casual smile. People who wore armor the color of shadows were not known for being up front.
"You won't have heard of me." He said coyly. "I haven't been alive for over a thousand years...but I was a damned good assassin. Not like these amateurs you keep running into." He grinned. "Come on, you know you want to stab them." He flashed her a playful smile- and she suddenly wondered if he was some kind of mental mixture between Imoen and Montaron- she was dreaming, after all. But it was possible for a ghost to haunt a person's dreams...and he seemed to be admitting to that. What did he want?
"How do I know you aren't here to stab me?" She asked, scowling at him.
He laughed, as if it were all some kind of game to him. "Well, you're right to not trust me, I'm not exactly a trustworthy guy. But there are a few things I'm going to be straight with you about and this is one of them. I don't want you to die. You may think you've got a handle on it, and you have read a lot on the subject and let's face it, you're a necromancer, it's your bloody specialty...but it's not nearly as empowering as the books make it sound. Sure, you don't have a body to worry about eating and sleeping and all that but...you'd be amazed how quickly it becomes annoying, not having a body when you want one." He smiled ruefully.
"If you were such a great assassin, then why did you die so young?"
A look of annoyance flashed across his face. "Don't push it, kid." He snapped. "I'm trying to do you a favor!" He growled.
"Is it not a legitimate question?" She asked, crossing her arms grimly.
He sighed and ran his hand through his dark hair. "Oh, alright. I got too good." He smiled darkly as if daring her to disagree. "I got so good at killing people that I stopped taking them seriously as a threat. That was what really killed me, even though it was a mangy twit with a knife that did it." He growled. "So, about this dagger lesson-"
"But you still haven't answered who you are- what's your name?" Phoenix demanded.
He smirked. "Well, if you survive to have another dream, then I'll answer that question, but I refuse to answer it right now. In fact, here, have a Bassilius. I'll just be over here if you want to actually listen to me." He clapped his hands and Bassilius suddenly noticed her.
Bassilius walked towards her with a heavy mace- though this one didn't have Cyric's grinning skull but a different skull, one with a scroll in its mouth. Of course, if this ghost hadn't been alive for a thousand years and had influenced enough of her dream to call forth an image of Bassilius, he'd probably remade the mace with the old god of death's image instead. After all, Cyric was a relatively new god.
"What do you want from me?" Phoenix said, stepping to the side of the mace swing. "Ghosts always want something, or they wouldn't be ghosts."
"Later. Now look at the armor closer- anywhere that a joint needs to move is weak- because metal is not liquid- it's either flexible or strong, but rarely both."
Bhaal's Youngest: Chapter 70
Started by
Guest_Dadri_*
, Dec 22 2007 11:36 PM
10 replies to this topic
#4
Guest_Cel_*
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Posted 23 December 2007 - 03:09 PM
"Here." He snapped his fingers, drawing her attention to the sudden movement. A dark haired, dark eyed boy sat cross legged on an angled rock, barely out of her reach. He was only a few inches taller than she, and almost as thin. His muscles were lean and supple. His leathers were black- not the stark, almost pulsing black of most black robes, but the sort of washed out gray black of the shadows themselves.
Hello, Bhaal!
"You won't have heard of me." He said coyly. "I haven't been alive for over a thousand years...but I was a damned good assassin. Not like these amateurs you keep running into." He grinned. "Come on, you know you want to stab them." He flashed her a playful smile- and she suddenly wondered if he was some kind of mental mixture between Imoen and Montaron- she was dreaming, after all. But it was possible for a ghost to haunt a person's dreams...and he seemed to be admitting to that. What did he want?
God, he's creepy even like this!
He laughed, as if it were all some kind of game to him. "Well, you're right to not trust me, I'm not exactly a trustworthy guy. But there are a few things I'm going to be straight with you about and this is one of them. I don't want you to die. You may think you've got a handle on it, and you have read a lot on the subject and let's face it, you're a necromancer, it's your bloody specialty...but it's not nearly as empowering as the books make it sound. Sure, you don't have a body to worry about eating and sleeping and all that but...you'd be amazed how quickly it becomes annoying, not having a body when you want one." He smiled ruefully.
His own medicine come back to bite him, so to speak
He sighed and ran his hand through his dark hair. "Oh, alright. I got too good." He smiled darkly as if daring her to disagree. "I got so good at killing people that I stopped taking them seriously as a threat. That was what really killed me, even though it was a mangy twit with a knife that did it." He growled. "So, about this dagger lesson-"
I suppose that's true enough.
Bassilius walked towards her with a heavy mace- though this one didn't have Cyric's grinning skull but a different skull, one with a scroll in its mouth. Of course, if this ghost hadn't been alive for a thousand years and had influenced enough of her dream to call forth an image of Bassilius, he'd probably remade the mace with the old god of death's image instead. After all, Cyric was a relatively new god.
I like her reasoning in the middle of the dream.
"Later. Now look at the armor closer- anywhere that a joint needs to move is weak- because metal is not liquid- it's either flexible or strong, but rarely both."
A bit abrupt ending (it wasn't cut off, was it?) but I really enjoyed this chapter!
#5
Guest_Dadri_*
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Posted 23 December 2007 - 03:43 PM
Hello, Bhaal!
Shhhh! *whispers* He's being sneeeaaky!
God, he's creepy even like this!
*Grin* Oh, good, I would hate to think anyone thought less of him for pretending to be thirteen again.
His own medicine come back to bite him, so to speak
I would imagine that being a ghost really sucks for Bhaal.
I suppose that's true enough.
You'll note that he is telling the truth technically in all that he's saying, though he is saying it in a misleading way....
I like her reasoning in the middle of the dream.
Thanks.
A bit abrupt ending (it wasn't cut off, was it?) but I really enjoyed this chapter!
No it wasn't cut off, it was just a shorter chapter, I just wanted to show how he got the lesson started.
Thank you!
#6
Laufey
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Transcendant
Posted 23 December 2007 - 05:27 PM
"You're in a wasteland, surrounded by bandits and monsters, and you're out of magic. For allies, you have an insane wizard who has also run out of magic and a six year old who won't even hold a knife." A young male voice said critically. "It's time for a better lesson in using a dagger."
Oh, look, Daddy is here.
"No, who, not where." She stated firmly, backing away a step. She didn't trust his casual smile. People who wore armor the color of shadows were not known for being up front.
Vadrak Dekaras: Oh, now that is just prejudice. Can't a person have good taste in attire without being perceived as nefarious? On the other hand, in this particular case she is of course absolutely correct.
"If you were such a great assassin, then why did you die so young?"
A look of annoyance flashed across his face. "Don't push it, kid." He snapped. "I'm trying to do you a favor!" He growled.
Temper temper!
"What do you want from me?" Phoenix said, stepping to the side of the mace swing. "Ghosts always want something, or they wouldn't be ghosts."
She's being a clever girl again. I do like her.
Rogues do it from behind.
#7
Guest_Dadri_*
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Posted 24 December 2007 - 02:57 AM
Oh, look, Daddy is here.
Yeah, and you know with both of their personalities, they are just going to be fast friends! *Mischievous laughter*
Vadrak Dekaras: Oh, now that is just prejudice. Can't a person have good taste in attire without being perceived as nefarious? On the other hand, in this particular case she is of course absolutely correct.
Phoenix is not a trusting person. In fact, it would take her a while to even trust you, Vadrak.
Temper temper!
He's only reacting so badly because he didn't die so young but can't or it will screw up the picture he's trying to set up for her.
She's being a clever girl again. I do like her.
Cool. Daddy's going to have his hands full with her.
#10
Guest_Ananke_*
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Posted 01 January 2008 - 09:22 PM
Sorry for not commenting earlier. I've been a bit wrapped in my story.Sorry, this has been so long coming. Critiques & comments welcome!
Ooh. That's great. And nice to see an assassin who knows better than to wear black."Here." He snapped his fingers, drawing her attention to the sudden movement. A dark haired, dark eyed boy sat cross legged on an angled rock, barely out of her reach. He was only a few inches taller than she, and almost as thin. His muscles were lean and supple. His leathers were black- not the stark, almost pulsing black of most black robes, but the sort of washed out gray black of the shadows themselves.
"No, who, not where." She stated firmly, backing away a step. She didn't trust his casual smile. People who wore armor the color of shadows were not known for being up front.
They are a pair, aren't they? Like father, like child, as the dream goes.
"You won't have heard of me." He said coyly. "I haven't been alive for over a thousand years...but I was a damned good assassin. Not like these amateurs you keep running into." He grinned. "Come on, you know you want to stab them."
Why, 'them'?
Ooh. That 'guy' here sounds exactly like an adult talking to a child trying to get friendly with them and missing the point entirely. LOL.He laughed, as if it were all some kind of game to him. "Well, you're right to not trust me, I'm not exactly a trustworthy guy.
You may think you've got a handle on it, and you have read a lot on the subject and let's face it, you're a necromancer, it's your bloody specialty...but it's not nearly as empowering as the books make it sound. Sure, you don't have a body to worry about eating and sleeping and all that but...you'd be amazed how quickly it becomes annoying, not having a body when you want one." He smiled ruefully.
Er. I feel ashamed for even asking you about it, but... the non sequitur is intentional, I take it? That is, your Bhaal plainly doesn't know how to keep to a topic?
I love this! Everyone in stories is always so matter-of-fact... and he's just... dithering. It's great!That's why I admire the ancient Japanese weaponsmiths."Later. Now look at the armor closer- anywhere that a joint needs to move is weak- because metal is not liquid- it's either flexible or strong, but rarely both."
Do armour joints actually have metal in them, though? 
Criticism? Well... I can't offer any, I'm afraid. I was having too much fun with Phoenix's suspicion and Bhaal's losing temper with his kid. It was... very lifelike. Thank you, and... many good chapters in the coming year!
#11
Guest_Dadri_*
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Posted 02 January 2008 - 05:58 AM
Sorry for not commenting earlier. I've been a bit wrapped in my story.
Hey, it's ok! I'm glad there is more Siblings to read.
Ooh. That's great. And nice to see an assassin who knows better than to wear black.
Lol.
They are a pair, aren't they? Like father, like child, as the dream goes.
These two interacting with each other is the reason the story exists.
I'm sorry it took so many chapters to get the ball rolling. Why, 'them'?
He's refering to her being able to stab the assassins that are after her instead of having to use a limited resource such as magic to kill them.
Ooh. That 'guy' here sounds exactly like an adult talking to a child trying to get friendly with them and missing the point entirely. LOL.
I'm glad to see that's working.
Er. I feel ashamed for even asking you about it, but... the non sequitur is intentional, I take it? That is, your Bhaal plainly doesn't know how to keep to a topic? I love this! Everyone in stories is always so matter-of-fact... and he's just... dithering. It's great!
Yes, it was intentional.
That's why I admire the ancient Japanese weaponsmiths. Do armour joints actually have metal in them, though?
When there is, it's usually chainmail or a plate sewn or riveted to the leather underneath it.
Criticism? Well... I can't offer any, I'm afraid. I was having too much fun with Phoenix's suspicion and Bhaal's losing temper with his kid. It was... very lifelike. Thank you, and... many good chapters in the coming year!
Glad it was fun (and gave you enough suspension of disbelief to have fun with it! Yay!)
You too.
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