PM to join [Lakeshore] A Magic Moment (Venser)

[Verin Rush]

75th Day of Winter, 513AV The boat journey to the lakeshore was a long and tedious one, and Verin had had as little sleep as he could the night before so that he might sleep on the four bell journey, which, for most of it, he had done so. Despite being raised on the lake city, Verin was prone to sickness when he was on boats for too long. He didn’t think it was because of any fear of water, to the contrary, Verin loved his home, and didn’t mind the clean water. No, he imagined that his sickness came from the rocking of the boat over the currents. From what people had mockingly told him, Verin knew that he would fair much worse on the open seas, as the waves there were much, much worse. But the Rush brothers had never seen the sea, save in paintings done by artists. He also had no intention of ever going to sea, so he ignored the insulting remarks of those around him. When they hit the shore, however, Verin was first out of the boat, glad as he was to be on dry land. Already as he dreading the return journey, but he didn’t have to worry about that for at least another few bells. No doubt, his brother was just as apprehensive as he was, and a smirk appeared on his face as he remembered back to the beginning of the season, when Venser had returned home with a tale of an impromptu bath. Reaching out, he helped his brother to disembark also, knowing that his ribs were still causing him grief. Though neither could understand the other’s motives, they had entered into an uneasy truce to allow the other to do as he wished, as long as little harm was wrought. “Aren’t you glad that we came early now, brother?” He asked as both nodded their thanks to the boatman and turned towards the expansive land, “Leaving before dawn means that we still have many bells of light on land before we must brave the four bell journey back to Ravok.” He smiled at his logic as he patted his brother on the back, albeit gently, so as not to cause him unnecessary pain. Looking as Syna, who was still climbing in the sky, Verin estimated that it was only about ten or eleven bells into the day. If they were to return by the seventh or eighth past Noon, they had about four bells on shore to complete their task. “Anyway, we’re not doing anything overly exciting, it won’t take too long for us to get you what you need, just a few small rabbits…” he paused, thinking, and then his periwinkle eyes darted over to glance at his brother, slightly nervously, “That is… I hope you don’t intend for me to go up against anything larger, do you? I don’t have nearly enough control over Hypnotism to calm a predator…” He grinned apprehensively as he spoke; after the downfall of their father, Verin had often wondered what his brother thought of Verin’s magic. Or, more importantly, how strong it was. “Not that a predator would sit still and listen to me anyway.” The elder Rush glanced around, wondering where to look first; he had little knowledge of the wilderness, especially how to track animals to where they might be. “I’d just… I prefer this method of getting what you need. As opposed to you bashing up a tavern.” It was a twisting of the truth, and Verin still didn’t completely understand what had happened and why it had happened. But it had, and he had gotten over it. If his brother insisted on refining Malediction then, as the older brother, Verin was obligated to help him do so in ways that would not cause strife in the city.

[Venser Rush]

The boat ride was not something that he was unaccustomed to. Once before he had set out towards the shore, eager to escape the city of Ravok in search of the necessary elements to continue his work. The desire to Maledict was becoming overwhelming... Venser had, more than once, looked at the bodies of those in Ravok, envisioning them as nothing more as walking skeletons to be used. He could, if he looked closely enough in his mind's eye, even imagine the djed pooled in each bone, each organ, simply waiting to be tapped into by the Maledicter. It was Venser's passion, stemming from his youth and the belief that even the useless, the dead, can be redeemed and thereafter transformed by application in the celestial. It was his mission today, the Maledicter's brother even reaching out to him and accompanying him on his journey. Venser was pleasantly surprised, and even ecstatic to have his brother accompany him. It was a joy beyond all other to know that his brother was supporting him now, rather than looking down at him for causing trouble. He remembered his brother's conversation with him regarding the need to calm down, it was paramount due to the climate in Ravok. Things had been set in motion in the lake city, events that took place months before reverberating and creating a rather suspicious climate, even more so than usual. It didn't help that Venser's father had posthumously been disgraced by the mere accusation that he was a member of the Rising Dawn. Venser shook the thoughts from his mind, listening to his brother as he insisted on complimenting his own foresight of the situation. Yes, it was best to leave early on in the morning. Of course it was. Venser had the same idea the first time he had done this, though, of course, Verin did not know this. He was far too preoccupied with his own ventures. Spending a great deal of time apart from one another had become customary. Days, nights. More than once, Venser had gone several days without speaking to Verin, especially following the fight at the bar he'd had some time ago. It wasn't meant to happen, and this, more than anything, was why the two had decided to extend a hand to the other, to help each other. But, Verin was still too closed-minded, insisting that careful manipulation and words were enough to change something, to make an impact. It wasn't the case. Just as the older tried to influence the younger, he would do the same. Venser wasn't going to use Hypnotism to do it, though . Real life experience. Verin has carefully groomed his life-style to be weak. He won't last a day outside of Ravok if I don't help him. Venser knew that he was by no means an expert, either. He had no experience out in the wild, his knowledge of the wilderness lacking as severely as Verin's, but the man's drive was more physically geared. The Flux and his implementation of the punch daggers he had bought a year ago was, hopefully, enough to start. The Fluxist allowed a grin to materialize upon his features as he looked over to his brother, the two on their walk away from Lakeshore and towards the forest. "The bones of small prey spark little interest in the heart of a Maledicter, Verin. Unless, of course, you want me to make you a 'lucky' Rabbit's Foot. No, we need to find actual game. A deer, or a fox. A wolf, even." Venser was no longer looking at his brother as his crystalline gaze directed towards a clearing in the trees, eyes moving over the uneven terrain, along the surface of the trees. He saw nothing, but it didn't make sense for him to see anything in the first place. Animals were accustomed to vanishing in the forest, to disappearing so that predators did not catch them, those that were the killers vanishing so that they were not seen. In the distance, Venser caught sight of... "Ha," he began, his voice little more than a whisper, "It looks like you're a bit of a fortune teller, Verin. A rabbit." The critter was in the distance, looking directly at Venser and his brother, its brown coat striking to the twin, given that it was winter. Why's it brown? I thought all rabbits turned white in the winter. Venser knew nothing about rabbits, save that they had big ears and poofy coat. It was adorable, but Venser had other plans for the thing, "Looks like it's on you, Verin. These little bastards probably run faster than we do."

[Verin Rush]

The elder of the two brothers could not help but roll his eyes at the younger brother’s talk of Malediction. Verin was, of course, respectful of the magicks, but he didn’t retain half of the reverence (which bordered on pompousness) that his brother had. Verin, with other interests, took what he could and accepted that his lot was a slower path than the one Venser was rushing head-first into. He was concerned, obviously, for the little brother he had worked all his life to protect, but recent events have taught him that he was not in control of anyone’s life but his own, and he needed to take a step back from the micromanagement he wanted so desperately to instill in Venser’s life, if only to protect him from himself. That was not possible, though, and Verin had accepted the only option he had – to support his brother and make his life easier in any way he was capable of. But, “If the overgiving from trying to use Hypnotism on a wolf doesn’t kill me, then the wolf itself surely will when it sees us.” He warned his brother, “We’d be better of throwing stones at the beast and hoping one of them is a good enough throw to kill it.” He cast a sidelong glance at Venser, hoping that he caught the sarcasm, which was thinly disguised. “Last time you used teeth.. they’re small, so what’s wrong with a rabbit or hare? Or even a rat?” Shaking his head, he continues on, up a little incline. Reaching the clearing, he tapped his brothers arm and gestured for them to head over to the west edge, where there was a decent sized rock for them to rest against. Though the pair would not have to hide their forms, the creatures were more likely to come out into the open if the brothers were situated off to the side. “A deer would be good… those things just stare at you. And easy target, I think.” Verin laughed but it died out the instant Venser mentioned the rabbit. He looked over to his brother and then followed his gaze, quickly dropping to kneel on the ground. “Ah, yes, a rabbit. Shame it couldn’t have been a hare…” he thought, noting the colour of the creature, given the particular season. Hares had longer, and stronger, legs than rabbits. Verin didn’t really understand Malediction, but he imagined that the size and strength of the bones played a part… “Don’t… move…” Verin whispered up to his brother, as he reached forward an picked up a dried twig on the ground right in front of him, “I need it to be looking at me, not focused on you.” A chime or two passed as he watched the rabbit. In doing so, Verin consciously allows himself to relax, the silence of the forest allowing a marked change in the elder twin’s mindset. The rustle of the mostly leafless trees, and the whistle of the wind was one of the most calming influences on him. Carefully, never taking the eyes off of the rabbit, he snapped the twig in half, in one fluid motion. The sound was sharp, loud and quick enough that the rabbit knew exactly where the sound came from, and it looked over, hind legs sprung, as if ready to run. Its eyes were wide and the met Verin’s at which point, he began, “You know we won’t hurt you…” the words were a lie, but the creature wouldn’t realize that until it was too late. Again, his voice took on a soft, melodic quality; he wanted it to be as alluring as possible for the animal, as he needed every weapon in his arsenal to make it trust him. To his satisfaction, the rabbit’s stance noticeably relaxed and its legs went slack. Verin silently prayed that his brother would not move, even to draw a blade to kill it with, lest the rabbit’s attention and gaze leave Verin’s eyes. “Come here…” he murmured softly, periwinkle blue eyes boring down into the hazel orbs of the rabbit. The creature did begin to move, but the movement was hesitant, and slow. It occurred to Verin that Hypnotism was a difficult magic to use on an animal due to the nature of language, which was required, at least for the Suggestion Verin was trying to use. Nevertheless, he continued. “Closer…” he often uttered in nigh on sultry tones, “You’re safe, you’re fine.” The rabbit did not have far to travel, approximately ten feet, at most, but it still took a number of chimes. The final few feet, were, however, easiest – the constant Suggestion had clearly sunk in properly by that point and it approached Verin’s outstretched hand much faster. “That’s it… come closer, friend…” he said one final time before it was close enough. He ran his hand once along the back of the creature, causing it to finally break eye contact with him. It was just one, simple stroke, before he grasped the rabbit by the loose skin at the scruff of its neck. Lifting it into the air, Vein took a deep breath and secured his other hand around the animal’s head. Tightening both of his grips he held his breath as he twisted his hands in opposite directions, quickly. The neck stretched and there was a little resistance, at which point the rabbit squirmed in his grasp, emitting a high pitched sound. The sound of the spine snapping less than a tick later, caused Verin to close his eyes and wince as the body went limp in his hand; he did not relish the thought of killing for the sake of killing. But he saw purpose in what Venser wanted the death for… something about different effects on the magic should the origin be alive or dead…which was why he had agreed to help in the first place. “I don't need them to be faster to come to me, brother,” he muttered in a dull voice - a contrast to the melody he had spoken with before - as he made himself more comfortable and motioned for his brother to sit and do the same. The tiniest to twinges began in his head, but he ignored it for now. “They will think that they're safe enough to approach us. With any luck, we won't have to move at all.” Despite the logic behind the death, Verin still had a deeply ingrained love for animals and, when he opened his eyes, he blinked rapidly for a moment before turning to look at Venser. He’s always wanted a pet, or a small Kelvic which he could collar and leave in animal form, but his father had never agreed. “The hardest part of killing that rabbit,” the blond decided, “Was knowing that I couldn’t explain the reasons for the death to it.” In the moments where the creature had struggled, Verin believed that the animal knew what was about to happen, knew that there was nothing it could do to stop it, but didn’t know why. Whilst he had no qualms about lying to the rabbit and leading it dishonestly to its death, he wished he could have explained why such a betrayal was taking place. When it came to humans, he often took great satisfaction in outing himself to others, in letting them know and understand what he had done. He did not, however, hold the same malice for animals: “They could never understand.” His only parting gift to it had been that he had done it himself, and he had given it a quick death. Placing the rabbit on the ground, he finally said to his brother, “You wanted them dead, right?” OOCSorry for the massive reply - there was just lots to say! Also treading a really fine line between moral integrity and following Rhysol is going to become really difficult - must work some more on this..! If I'm struggling with expressing his motivations and feelings around animals, how hard will I find it around humans?!

[Venser Rush]

The talk of overgiving brought chills to the younger twin, which ran down his spine with an icy precision. Overgiving was a terrifying concept, to be sure. It was only a major problem for those that used their magic ignorantly, or answered to the glorious call of the Whispers, but it was problematic nonetheless. Every time Venser used the Flux, his body ached for days. It burned him, but the sensation of the magic flowing through him, his djed into the physical strength needed to transcend his own human understanding of strength was glorious. He imagined that there were other crafts capable of more 'incredible', supernatural things, but the Flux gave Venser what he truly needed, freedom. It freed him from the chains that bound him, gave him a chance to transcend the possibility of being enchained himself. And, if the worst came to worst, it gave him the opportunity to destroy himself if he was imprisoned anew, newly suppressed and enchained. Yes... I would rather die than be commandeered by hands other than Harameus' or my own. Freedom is key to open-ended introspection, and introspection is key to transcendence. Enslavement provides a narrow world-view, like the one that my father had forced on me.The memories never truly faded away. Verin's questions were understandable, seeing as he had never delved into the art of Malediction. Venser would likely have a mountain of elementary questions to unload upon his brother if the latter had the inclination to bring Venser along with him on his pursuit of poisoncraft. Venser knew about it, but seeing as it did not interest him and Verin never bothered to tell him about it in any detail, the engraver had released the point. It was a useful skill, to be sure, but to what end? What did Verin really want out of his life? Venser could not be sure, just as the other was unsure of Venser's own ambitions. The questions kept to his mind, but seeing the world progress before him, the rabbit's frantic stare at him, Venser decided that it was best to simply remain silent. Verin then relayed the redundant command for the younger brother to remain still, the man obeying it without question, curiosity arise instead as he noted the elder reaching for a twig. SNAP. It echoed through the forest, the rustle of the trees clearly dictating the flight of frightened birds, the weak scrapes and collective breath of the forest as one showed the moving tide that was nature in action. Verin had traded one rabbit for an entire forest... Perhaps it was for the best, though. Nature would certainly settle down in time, but the noise was a gamble. Predators were attracted to noise, weren't they? In his own mind, it seemed that only two possibilities existed. The noise would attract the wolves that Venser had spoken of earlier, but in plural, and the twins were ill-equipped to handle multiple savage beasts. The other, optimistic possibility was that the predators encountered scattering prey and were otherwise distracted. In any case, stealth was the need here, not brutal force. They had neither the knowledge to build traps or the skill with a weapon and combat to repel attackers, let alone kill them. But, again, Venser's warning to his brother was lost as he watched the elder continue on. Is this what Verin has done to me?He watched as Verin muttered his slow, melodic undertones, curious as to how the information was relayed to the rabbit, who, unless it was a Kelvic in disguise, likely did not understand Common. Despite his questions, the rabbit understood, moving towards the elder twin. When it was finally in his reach, Verin stroked its fur. Typical. Verin loves animals. Will he actually k- SNAP. For the second time, Venser heard the noise, though in this case it was quieter, not as emphasized. He watched as the rabbit's eyes went dead, closing as blood began to drip down the exposed bone and flesh of its vertebrae protruding from the rips in fur at the neck. For several moments, Venser was astonished, his eyes leaving the rabbit to look at his brother, who was perhaps more mortified by the action than he let on. Even the Maledictor had not had the gall to step up and snap an organism's neck with such... brutality. Respect flowed from the younger brother, both for the Component which would provide its bones for use by the Source, and for his brother, who had provided the kill for him. There was only one complaint, and the younger twin voiced it, hoping that his brother understood. "Your magic has quite the potential, Verin. That's incredible. You literally walked it into its own demise, and what could it do about it?" An exaggeration meant to fluff his brother's pride before Venser voiced his concern, sitting down beside his brother. "I only saw one problem. By snapping the thing's neck, you've rendered its spine unsuitable for Malediction at the best possible level for such a creature. To answer your earlier question, I used teeth because that was what was available. Sometimes in order to learn, one must make the best of their situation. But, by snapping the spine, we've crippled one of the most djed-rich areas of the body. I know that you do not like to study Nader-canoch, brother, but remember that 'djed' literally means 'spine.' Magic flows from the body from the astral pathways, which flow from the central nervous system." Venser ended his lecture there, looking to his brother as he said, "Still, though. That was incredible, Verin." The elder twin had set the standard for his magic, and now the younger needed his own opportunity to shine. "Would you like to learn how Malediction is done? I brought one of my picks with me today for the occasion. If not, we can rest for a bit, then go to find larger game." All the while, Venser's thoughts were not focused on the task ahead, but the loss of the vertabrae, and by extension, the crippling of the spinal column. There was little use for rabbit limbs, as he had dictated to Verin earlier. In truth, Venser was much more inclined to simply sacrifice the rabbit's carcass later, possibly use it as a distraction for a predator so that the brothers could kill it, instead, and use the far more valuable and utilizable bones of say, a wolf, or lynx. Venser wasn't sure what lived out in the forest, but certainly predators existed. And the brothers were going to find them. There was no doubt of this in his mind.

[Verin Rush]

The elder of the Rush twins was surprised, to say the least, when the other brother complimented his use of Hypnotism. After the events of their adolescence, he was surprised to find that Venser was not overly distrustful of Verin’s magic usage. He wondered whether, if he had been less caught up over what he had just done to the animal, he would have noticed said emotions in his brother’ tone. He smiles nonetheless at Venser’s kind words, glad for the mutual support they were showing at each other’s respective gifts and chosen paths. He listened to Venser’s explanation as he cast his gaze over the rabbit’s carcass, and a wave of sadness rolled over him again as he realized that the animal might have died in vain; without the spine intact, the animal was partially useless now, or, at least, a section of it was, and Venser wouldn’t be able to get ful use out of it. The elder made a mental note next time to cut the animal’s jugular and allow it to bleed out. The death might be a little slower, especially if he didn’t cut it properly, but continued Suggestion might ease the animal’s passing, and it would be of more use to his brother, given what Venser had just told him. Verin nodded finally and repeated his thoughts to the other, “I have my tamo daggers with me, and you no doubt have something similar… I won’t make the same mistake again.” It occurred to him that they could use the animal as bait, but, “I could not control whatever came to eat the rabbit… it isn’t worth the risk,” he decided definitively. Maybe, then, they could use the animal for their own sustenance. The brothers were not skilled at cooking their own meals, literally from scratch, but Verin had always been interested in learning, especially as they planned to travel one day. Mostly, he didn’t want to see the rabbit go to waste. Opening his mouth, he was about to voice this idea, when his brother continued to speak. His eyes widened just a little at the prospect of Venser being able to use the rabbit for what he had intended and he nodded vehemently at the idea, glad that Venser could use at least part of it. He would mention the cooking of the meat later, if they were able to skin it and clean the bones of flesh. He didn’t even know if Venser needed the flesh for his art. “I would be very interested in watching you, brother,” he replied in earnest, “I can’t say that Malediction has any particular interest for me personally, but your understanding of djed goes far deeper than mine, and maybe, with your knowledge, I can become more able in my own magics, rather than just dabbling, as I am currently.” It was only occurring to Verin now that he had given his twin much less credit than he deserved; Venser was actually being far more safe than Verin was, reading around his studies, rather than just experimenting. The two crafts were, of course, very different, and Hypnotism was a more experimental personal magic, but he was very glad to learn that his brother knew of more than he had initially suspected, rather than running blindly down a very dangerous road. “You’ve really thought about this craft, haven’t you, Venser?” He said, as a sublt way of apology that he was sure his brother would get. Verin’s pride didn’t often allow him to apologise in blunt terms, so sometimes his words left it to be inferred, and Venser had no doubt become adept at reading those cues.

[Venser Rush]

The younger of the Rush twins had not forgotten what his brother had done to him. He had been, in essence manipulated. It was shattering to his pride in the moment of discovery that his brother's involvement in their father's death was that of original installment of the idea. Venser's own hatred had never been sufficient to overwhelm his own self-doubt. The scars ran too deep, the fear of the father too great to overcome without the assistance of an outside source. Of course, the tools that he had used in order to carry out the act, desperation, hatred, his dagger and the implementation of the Flux, were of his own design. But fear was his greatest deterrent from actually having the fortitude to face the patriarch. His brother was the liberator that opened the path for Venser to carry out his own justice, but the very concept of being tied into dependence, even now, was crippling. It was no longer the case. The chains his father's oppression had ensnared him with were unlocked by his brother's Hypnotic trance, installing ideas of independence and superiority, but in the end, Venser was his own liberator. Where Verin unlocked the chains that bound me, I destroyed them. The Flux shattered any hopes that the past could haunt him. Delving into it, overwhelming his own haunted dreams, his own shattered pride... Venser was freed by it. The amusing thing about it was that the elder brother knew nothing about the breaking of those chains. Where some, including those that wrote books on the subject, thought that the magic was that of finding one's balance, Venser disagreed. The essence of the Flux was Transference. Verin had been his liberator, but the Flux took the role from him. Djed moved. It beat like the heart in Venser's very chest, it lived. And living things changed. Living things moved. Transference was at the very essence of this. Change and Exchange. Venser could hear his brother's words, a sort of reluctant apology in his words expressed in a slanted compliment. Of course Verin underestimated him. Verin thought that Venser's only investment of time was in the noble craft of Zapatl, but he was so, so wrong. The elder brother knew very little of the younger's pursuits, so very little for he was too afraid to know their impact. Fearful of Zapatl, dabbling in material he did not understand. Verin was being far more callous with his studies than Venser. It only makes sense. Verin took his education for granted. He helped me, but did not go further in his own pursuits. He chose the mundane path of a bartender, no less. Venser loved his brother dearly, but the waste of potential, the under-utilization of such a brilliant mind was deplorable. Perhaps Verin had gloried in his superiority over his brother when he had discovered the art of Hypnotism, and that stunted his development. Venser could not be sure. But, it mattered little, his brother had asked a question. "Of course I have, Verin. I'm sorry to burst your bubble of presumption, but I am not the sort to dive headfirst into the unknown. I study whatever it is that interests me. It is only natural. Magic is dangerous. It is volatile. It is Transcendent. One has to thoroughly study its use in order to survive it. But, in essence, it is like a muscle. Once the theory is understood, it simply takes practice and regular application in order to grow it." In his frenzied lecture, Venser had likely shared too much. The theory he had spoken of applied to the personal magics more than Venser's Zapatl. But, it didn't matter anymore. Perhaps Verin would follow the signs and discover the truth, "And Zapatl is no different. It requires study and the understanding of the theory, then application in the craft in order to become more util to the Legate." In the distance, there was a rustling of leaves, the faintest of sounds, akin to the movement of paws on the floor, could just be heard. Venser heard it, his crystalline gaze flickering about in search of the origin, but he had no means of knowing where to search. He looked back towards his brother, dismissing the sound as prey. He was wrong to do so.

[Verin Rush]

The elder of the Rush twins resisted the urge to sigh as Venser began a brief lecture on the safety of magic usage, and how he was being careful. Of course, it would be impossible for Verin to get an apology in without the opportunity presenting itself to create yet another rift between the brothers. Yes, Verin had made a mistake in his assumptions about Venser, but he had every right to be over-protective of his little brother, who had spent the best part of fourteen years at the wrong end of an abusive pair of hands. He had watched that frightened child grow into a murderer, which he was responsible for. Verin regretted his use of Hypnotism on his brother; use of such a craft on an already fractured mind had done little to alleviate the situation, even if it had seemed to. But he pushed such thoughts to the back of his mind, glad to finally understand how much work Venser had put into his learning of Malediction. Knowing that he knew of the risks was enough for Verin to condone his choices. Not that Venser would ever be at ease with the suggestion that Verin had to condone anything he did, but the elder could not help but feel responsible for his brother. He would make sure that the younger could eat, and had clothes to wear even when they were old and infirm. He couldn't help but feel that Venser was choosing his words carefully, as if he was trying to teach Verin something. It occurred to the elder, as he listened and took on board what was being said, that Venser disapproved of Verin, though he couldn't work out what the disapproval was aimed at, in particular... Verin couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face when he heard his brother talk about the volatile nature of the magic, "I see you picked an art that marched your own personality to a tee then, brother," he thought lightly - there was no way that Venser could argue that he was not the more capricious of the brothers., and the irony of him choosing to learn Malediction was not one which Verin missed. “So am I to understand that Malediction is practiced by... lecturing one's brother?” Verin teased lightly as he shifted on the ground. Part of the reason that Verin had agreed to come out to the lakeshore with Venser was in an effort to mend their relationship, which had suffered in a misunderstanding following a bar brawl that Venser had been involved in. Though he was interested and glad, he did not was a drawn out conversation with his brother regarding this matter, preferring to let it rest and have them move forward together. “If so, I don't know why I was ever so worried about you.” The jest was poorly formed, but it was lighthearted and made his point well enough for Venser to understand. At the sound of rustling in the thickly wooded area just away from them, Verin looked away from his brother, pale eyes wandering the overgrowth in search of the sound. It wasn't a quiet noise, one caused by the wind, nor did he imagine that any small animals would approach this area following the noise he had made in ensnaring the rabbit. Such thoughts meant that the new sound didn't bode well for Verin and he unsheathed the tamo daggers from each other in preparation. He would not likely cause much damage with such meek weapons, nor was he overly skilled in them. "I should consider taking up a bow..." he thought mildly as he glanced down to the small, light weapons in each hand, "Something more ranged, more powerful, more useful." It was the distraction, the looking down that was his mistake. His eyes shot up as the noise grew and he rose to his feet just in time to see a large, dark shape leap from its cover. “Venser, MOVE!” He screamed as he swung the blades wildly in an uncoordinated motion towards the pouncing animal.

[Venser Rush]

With this final expression of his frustrations towards his overbearing brother, Venser finally felt... at peace. The resentment that had built in the beginning of Winter, after the bar fight that had forced Venser into debilitating injuries for quite some time, had faded. Venser was able to envision a reality where the brothers co-existed again as a unit rather than the simple sum of two parts, which was what their relationship had become. Verin felt responsible for Vilkas Rush's death, he felt responsible for forcing murder into Venser's soul. He could see it in the haunted gaze he fixated upon his brother every time, with the overbearing worry that he imposed upon the younger brother. If it weren't suffocating, Venser would have allowed it, but Verin had begun to yell at his brother. To mock him and call him an idiot for something the elder neither knew the specifics to or could identify with. Venser was frustrated with it, but he finally allowed himself to let go, instead listening to his brother's sorry attempt at humour. A deep breath filled his lungs before bright laughter escaped him, a smirk pressed into his features as he stared at his brother. He shook his head before he responded, "No, it's not. Ha. I get to rambling when I am impassioned." Just like the elder, the younger did not apologize directly, leaving the words to speak their meaning. It wasn't until moments later, when Verin's own gaze flickered about in search of what had created the noise that Venser began to worry. His back was to any plausible danger, his eyes useless in the moment. He turned his body just as the elder screamed for him to move, but he was too late. Venser knew a wolf when he saw one, the pelts and meat for sale on occasion at the market. But, a dead wolf was nothing like the real thing. The Ravokian Black Wolf was a fearsome predator, its movements fast and fluid, instincts and evolution honing the beast into a murderous machine. Venser was in no way prepared as he was mauled by the thing, 120 pounds of fur, muscle and teeth lashing out at him. His body, already on the floor, flew back from the impact of a weight nearly equaling his crashing into it, the Legate groaning in pain, but he kept his wits about him. His left hand reached for the wolf's throat, gripping it so that the beast was unable to use its greatest assets against him, though paws riddled with claws lashed out at his arm. Scratches stained his skin with fresh blood, the man gritting his teeth in pain, though the wolf was slowly starting to tire as its oxygen supply waned. Venser's strength, however, was fading even faster. NO! The young man screamed the word out in his mind, a parallel forming in his mind as he realized how very similar this day was to the very first time he had killed using the Flux. He gripped the wolf's neck with even more force, just managing to keep its teeth from snapping at his face, lactic acid flooding the limb as he began to weaken. Concentrate... He needed to or he would surely die. The past faded from his mind, a weak verse murmured, "From this soul this power seeps..." The words were spoken loudly enough for Verin to hear if he were paying attention, the boy feeling the surge to the energy in his left leg. His right, as a result, became weaker, almost limp on the floor as the djed was pulled from it and into the other. The Astral Pathways flooded his musculature with the djed. Venser felt a glorious humming sensation in the limb, his mind utterly clear in the moment as the pain in his arm dulled. Venser still felt the crimson blood flowing down his arm, he felt the force of the wolf pressing forward, yet... he was separate from it. He took advantage of this, raising his left leg and crashing his foot into the wolf's body, letting go in the exact moment of impact. His kick, while not overly powerful on its own, was enough to force a human to recoil. When augmented by the Flux, the kick essentially doubling in impact force as the djed siphoned from right to left, sent the wolf flying from the Fluxist's body. The wolf crashed to the floor, a sickening snap audible on the impact as it crumpled to the floor with a pained cry, and Venser collapsed to the floor as well. His eyes were wide open as his lungs forced air in and out in rapid, adrenaline-driven breaths. Crystalline eyes stared into the sky as his arms reached for his punch daggers, fingers looping into the holes as he struggled to sit upright. "Brother... I think... you might need to kill it off. Or Hypnotise it. I need to focus for a bit." Venser could not feel his right leg at all, the Fluxist needed at least a chime in order to equalize the flow of his djed once again. He began the process, slowly coaxing the excess djed from his left leg, closing himself off from the world around him as he sought to do so without the djed spiking and injuring him.

[Verin Rush]

None of Verin’s wild slashes landed on the wolf; his aim was off due to surprise and fear. The tamo daggers were also just too small to be of any use. Maybe one had landed – Verin thought that he had felt a pull from one of them, friction when it met a concrete surface, rather than just flying through the air. But he couldn’t be sure, it happened too fast and the wolf hadn’t chosen him as his victim. Having initially moved towards the creature, Verin was knocked aside and fell to the ground, dropping the pair of daggers in order to cushion the blow of the fall. Pale blue orbs were wide and fearful as he screamed his brother’s name once again, this time out of terror, rather than warning. The predator was large, and likely hungry – no doubt it had smelled the blood still pouring from the dead rabbit and was looking for a meal. It had struck gold with two larger preys. But Venser, who had been just as unprepared as his brother, seemed capable of defending himself. Dimly, he heard his brother say something, but the words were lost on him as blood rushed to his head and the wind grew louder as his fear for his brother grew. He made to stand up, but , with one final kick from Venser, the battle between his brother and the beast was over before he could move to be of any use. There, the younger twin collapsed to the ground and whispered something that, again, Verin didn't catch - but he had an idea of what might have been said. The elder Rush brother stared at his brother for a long while without moving. The younger looked to be in pain, or perhaps just exhausted… but the fall had probably damaged his just-healed ribs again. As his eyes drifted over the other's body, he was glad to see that, though apparently in pain, he was moving normally, as to shift and look in Verin's direction. All save his leg, the one he had used to kick the wolf. Verin made no move to go to Venser, as recognition finally hit him. He had seen something similar only once before in his brother's limbs – the same day their father had died, though he had been so distraught that day that the unimportant details had quickly faded from his mind. “Magic?” He wasn't sure, but knowing his brother as he did, Verin suspected it. Though he hadn't expected his brother to keep it a secret. “It’s comforting to see that there are no secrets between us anymore, brother.” Verin whispered in a dangerously low voice as his gaze darkened perceptibly. But he didn't allow himself to linger on his suspicions, remembering the hungry animal mere feet away from the pair of them. His eyes flickered over to the beast Venser had just put to the ground and he noticed that it, too, was still breathing, and a low growl was reverberating from its throat. Verin stood, picking up one of his fallen blades as he did so, and, walking past his brother, knelt beside the large wolf. The black beast opened its eyes as Verin knelt in front of him and the growl grew more prominent – though injured, the wolf was still intent on its prey. “Stay still.” Verin ordered softly, staring into the creatures eyes. The effect was immediate and, though it continues to make a horrible, guttural sound, it didn’t attack Verin. Still maintaining eye contact, because he refused to give the wolf the chance of attacking him, Verin began to slow his breathing down, and try to clear his mind, which was still racing at the thought that not only was Venser practicing yet another branch of magic, but that he had also kept that fact from him. For years. “You did well, friend,” he whispered once he was ready. Again, Verin knew what he had to do: Venser hadn’t hurt the creature enough to offer it a mercy killing, but the wolf would have to die nonetheless. Briefly, he considered rendering the spine of the creature useless to Venser again, out of spite, but then the animal would die for no purpose, like the rabbit had. Though it had tried to kill them, Verin took no pleasure in what he was about to do; the wolf needed to eat in order to survive, but like the humans killed for food. It was the natural order and Verin didn’t resent the wolf for his choice in meal. But the wolf had lost. Obsidian eyes bored into his own as he continued to speak, “You killed your prey,” he murmured, his tone once again had a melodic quality to it. He didn’t know whether it would work, if the Hypnotism made the wolf understand, or if the words and magic just had a calming effect on it, but he continued anyway, “You ate it. You feel satisfied.” If the wolf had to die, Verin would at least make it comfortable in the moments before. He didn’t know if the words where having the desired effect, as they might have had on a human, but it made him feel better. The wolf deserved their respect, especially if his life was to end now. And Verin would be damned if he didn’t offer the wolf all he could before ending its life prematurely. “And now, you feel tired…” he whispered, “Sleep will claim you quickly.” The wolf blinked slowly once before his eyes closed. Carefully, Verin lifted the beast’s magnificent jaw and ignored the wolf’s stirring. The motion was quick and deep, as he sliced the sharp blade through the fur, skin and flesh of its neck. The death wasn’t immediate and the guttural sounds were terrible, but finally, one last, weak, growl came, and the wolf’s breathing stopped. Gently, he placed the jaw down on the ground and extricated his now blood-soaked hand and arm, and he shifted back, away from the creature so that the rest of his clothes would not be ruined by the flowing crimson fluid too. Resolutely, he said no more to his brother as he stared at the beast in front of him.

[Venser Rush]

Luckily, the younger of the Rush twins had fallen on his back, preventing further injuries to his ribs, though there was a soreness in the spine, the blood flow from the bite scarcely felt in the wake of larger problems. The wolf had yelped when it hit the trunk of the tree, the sound surely echoing through the rest of the forest, and where one wold existed, surely others did, as well. Venser was not one to know exactly how many were in a pack. The Rush twin had encountered the wolves in the past, but this was a much different scenario. He shook his head, ignoring his brother's snide comment, disregarding it for now. There were far more pressing matters to resolve, first. Venser's balance was restored within his body, the blonde considering himself fortunate that he had been given enough time to channel the Flux effectively. Of course, he had also learned how truly devastating the magic could be. Even in the wake of danger, there was a deterrent from gushing out all of his djed in order to combat a single opponent or perform a single motion.

It was no longer a matter of having the most power possible. Nor was it an issue of doing so in the quickest pace imaginable. To do so was to lend an ear to overgiving and allow the whispers to destroy him via their evil implantation. Not, for Venser, it was about efficiency. Driving the point home that the Flux was not a discipline meant to be wasted upon those who were idiotic. It was a discipline intended for combat, but a discipline was not uncouth or coarse in practice. The Flux was meant to be precise, the djed flowing through the body as a needle and thread through a quilt. The young man's thoughts pulsed through his mind just as his weaker leg twitched for the first time, the blonde able to move it in earnest after a number of moments, fists clenching as a bright grin materialized upon his features. He did it, and... correctly, he might add. I just have to make sure that I don't screw up in the future. Now, onward to Verin...

The Rush twin had not been paying attention to his elder's words, but he heard the tone in them, the content of the speech ringing through his head as it cleared, fingers curled into fists as he tested the extent of his control. Just as quickly as the grin set, it vanished, Venser deciding to reply to his brother after the wolf was finally finished off. They had to make haste, but by the lack of howls in the distance, and the general silence of the woods (with the exception of the odd scampering of whatever sort of creature lives in the place...) did not alert Venser to any imminent, looming threat. Perhaps, they were safe, for the moment.

As Venser approached his brother, watching the corpse on the floor with an extremely wary gaze, as if half-expecting the damned thing to rise and give one last bite, but Verin had made sure that it was properly gone. The young man decided to address his question before something else made the situation unsafe again, "Secrets, brother? I've kept only as much as you yourself have neglected to tell me. We live separate lives under the same roof, it seems. It's not a problem, really. We're just... two different people. But, if you insist on knowing every single detail of my life, then I only ask the same of you."

The young man's tone was polished, professional, even. A rather solid imitation of Verin's own words, if he were to react to such a question. In truth, that was the point of it all. Verin was a hypocrite in the standards that he believed that Venser should be held to. His magic was dangerous? Hypnotism was far more feared than Malediction. His secrets were there? Verin never told him where he went with his days, or who they were spent with. Venser was irresponsible? The elder brother's reckless actions had ended up manipulating Venser into killing his own father. Verin was by no means the 'bigger' person.

"Anyway, we should get going. There will be more wolves coming anytime. Hopefully we can slip by them unnoticed if we leave now." The Rush twin moved next to his brother so that they could pick up and carry the wolf together.


NoteI think we need to stop using the same template. Poor Absy is probably so confused all the time T.T