#mageinfernal

CONT. | @mageinfernal

 📜 ࣪ . ࿐ ˚ . SHE DIDN’T INTIMIDATE HIM. Her defiance merely poured fuel on his temper.

Lorroakan slapped her hand away once again, barely able to resist the urge to use shocking grasp on her, though blue arcane sparks still crackled between his fingers ; enough to leave a light sting of arcane electricity on her skin.

❝Lay another finger on me, devil, and you will leave this place with fewer limbs than you arrived with!❞

Oh, he was so close to reaching for his dagger and slitting her throat. Crude, yes, and unbecoming of a wizard with his reputation, but the streets had taught him that sometimes a dagger in the dark was more efficient than a fireball.

❝You forget your place and that you shouldn’t question your betters,❞ he spat through gritted teeth, then turned back to the barrels and the mercenaries idly chatting closest to them. ❝Those barrels contain smokepowder, in case that escaped your notice — which I rather suspect it did,❞ he added with a superior, condescending tilt to his voice.

Lorroakan had seen the residue. Barely noticeable unless one knew what to look for. But he had spotted it on barrels before, tucked in the underbellies of ships and the basements of smugglers hoarding illicit stock. The plan was simple ( not that he’d let Lyrazel in on it — she was meant to follow his lead, not ask questions ) : initiate diplomacy, and if things didn’t go his way, blow these fools to smithereens and Misty Step to safety. He also carried a scroll of Dimension Door, which could take Lyrazel with him… though frankly, his willingness to waste a valuable scroll on her was rapidly dwindling.

Yet he didn’t move, wheels turning in his mind as his hazel eyes wandered from the barrels, to the mercenaries, and the chest… then up the cliffside that vanished into shadow — at least to his human eyes. The sun had dipped below the horizon long ago.

Accounting for an ambush from above had indeed slipped past him ( not that he’d admit that ) ; a mistake he wouldn’t have made in his younger years, surely. But now, ego inflated with newly earned prestige, he had been so certain of himself, so convinced that his name alone would compel these mercenaries to cooperate.

Perhaps he’d been a little too confident ———

❝Why don’t you put those revolting claws to use?❞ Lorroakan turned back to the tiefling, his icy gaze raking over her with disdain. ❝Go on then. Climb up and scout the high ground.❞

This was no request, but a command.

⏾⋆.˚ "I love you."

Those words felt like music, as if a symphony had erupted in his heart. It felt like being wrapped up in a woolen blanket after spending a lifetime in the cold. It felt like coming home to the one person who mattered the most in this world.

Never did Bram think he would hear them from Lyrazel. He almost pinched himself to make sure that this moment was truly real— that she loved him just as much as he loved her.

But he wanted to keep touching her even more, to let this moment linger like the crackle of her magic when she casts a spell, or the warmth she leaves behind with her mere presence alone.

"Goin' soft on me, beautiful?" he teased gently. He couldn't help himself. It was all he could do to keep himself from breaking down. Now, the thought of being away from Lyrazel again felt like a sentence worse than death.

"For what it's worth, I love you too."

🤐 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 ⁀➴ @mageinfernal ⭑.ᐟ

⏾⋆.˚ DESPITE BRAM'S CRIMINAL background, one thing the man wasn't was materialistic.

He was a man of necessity, never buying anything simply as a want or desire for excess. Perhaps it was the complex of scarcity that had ingrained itself inside Bram since an early age. Or perhaps it was the resource guarding he had developed during his time on the streets— much like a stray dog would fighting for scraps.

Whatever it was, Bram cared not to splurge. Hells, even if he had holes in his socks, he would wear them until he got blisters in his boots.

Needless to say, Bram was surprised to find Lyrazel stitching up one of his favorite shirts. The garment had seen better days, certainly. Holes riddled the fabric in places that he couldn't really remember or explain how they got there.

"I didn't take you for a seamstress," he teased lightly. His expression softened after a moment, clearly touched by the gesture. "You don't have to do that, y'know. It's basically a rag now."

✱˚｡⋆ ↪ 𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄, 𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄, 𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 .

⏾⋆.˚ DEEP, molten amber eyes peered into hers, his expression so painfully tender that it softened his burned features. Bram's heart ached at the desperation lacing Lyrazel's voice. He didn't want to lose her either. Not when she had become as deeply intertwined in his life like ivy— in his heart.

"I'm here," he murmured. His hand came up to cup her cheek, his thumb caressing the apple of her cheekbone. "And I'm not going anywhere this time. I promise."

@mageinfernal

「ASK BOX ; ALWAYS OPEN 」 ⁀➴ @mageinfernal ⭑.ᐟ

⏾⋆.˚ IF BRAM HAD a tail, it'd certainly be wagging. He strode over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in the crook of her neck. "Yes, ma'am."

There was little to be found but dust, bones, and frayed books as Finn raided Jergal’s sanctum with the hopes of finding at least one valuable thing. After all, why would there others loitering outside? They were clearly here to raid the place too. Though Finn planned to get the valuables first. Anything he could pawn or trade for something he would need to get himself back to the coast.

Finn managed to give them the slip before taking a different entrance into the place, feeling very proud of his lock picking skills. However, he wasn't so fortunate with all the traps by the crypts. Thankfully, all he earned was singed leather and a resolve that this place had to contain something valuable. Why else place all the traps?

Yet, while perusing the bookshelves he heard a scuffle from the other side of the door. He was sure he even heard elements of spell casting. Curious as to what was happening, he pressed an ear against the wood and strained his hearing only to detect approaching footsteps.

Shit.

Likely there wasn't enough time to hide so he went for the next best route, a surprise attack.

With that, he swung open the door and kept out, surprised to see a tiefling and others in tow, none who were people he recognised from earlier, except the tiefling. He could have sworn she was aboard the Nautiloid too.

That made him hesitate and with that he skipped to a halt, blades raised regardless.

⏾⋆.˚ A LOW, PROTECTIVE growl of disapproval rumbled through Bram. He didn't care if he looked like a proper guard dog. No one talked to his little tiefling wizard like that.

Nevertheless, Bram held himself back. Lyrazel could handle herself, there was no doubt about that. Even so, if he needed to bark or bite, he would.