Omega19x (8:46:28 PM): Even horses needed to rest every now and then. And while they did so, Mahaado and Honda hiked down to the edge of a nearby river, and were drawn into conversation.
Omega19x (8:49:22 PM): Mahaado filled up a leather pouch with drinking water, and sat back against a tree. "My friend, I pray we will not be too late."
fai tiger (8:56:07 PM): "We'll get there when we get there I guess." Honda shrugged, then started quickly stripping off his armor and setting it on the riverbank. "I hope we get there in time too, and that we're prepared enough when we do. Think we will be?"
Omega19x (8:58:27 PM): "Despite what I know of the others' abilities within this realm and the training they have acquired, I still cannot be certain. Our magic may be powerful, but it will put us at a disadvantage against the Blood Elves. I have been pondering a spell to stop their heka draining ability, but I do not know if such a thing will even work. If it does not, my friend, it will likely be you who will turn the tide to our favor."
fai tiger (9:01:56 PM): "Great, nice to know I might get to be useful after all," Honda replied sarcastically. He shucked off the last of his leather armor before wading into the water.
fai tiger (9:02:16 PM): "And what do you know about people's abilities, out of curiosity?"
Omega19x (9:04:15 PM): "Friend Honda, you are never unuseful." Mahaado felt a slight bit hurt by the sarcasm. "You know that. Though as for their abilities, I know what my other self is capable of, including the new shadow creatures he now has spells to call forth. The good priestess' new talents lie in elemental magic, and some basic healing spells. This world seems to intensify an individual's heka, as it were."
fai tiger (9:13:50 PM): Honda sighed and quickly ducked under the surface of the water, then turned to face Mahaado as he came back up. "Yeah, I know you think I'm always useful somehow... but your otherself doesn't seem to agree. And please don't tell me I'm imagining that; you heard him in town sounding so sure his summoneds are going to have to bail me out, and you've gonna have noticed he hasn't treated Kisara or Isis like someone he'll have to do the same."
Omega19x (9:15:45 PM): "My other self can be very brash at times. Most times, actually. And his summoned creatures are in just as much danger of being drained as he is. He and I both are the weakest link in this mission when we reach a land populated by these Blood Elf creatures."
fai tiger (9:20:46 PM): "Oh," Honda replied softly, glancing away for a moment. "That's still no excuse for being rude to me and only me from what I've seen though," he protested, frowning deeply. "Still... does he know about the whole, uh, magic-draining thing?
Omega19x (9:21:58 PM): "I would be surprised if his trainers did not touch upon the subject. Though I will remind him of that problem when we rejoin the others at the camp."
Omega19x (9:22:58 PM): "And... my friend, I am sorry that he treated you rudely."
fai tiger (9:26:04 PM): Honda reluctantly got out of the water and came to sit near Mahaado. "I guess I just don't know how much to take as just the way he is, and how much to take as him being actually pissed at me for some reason."
Omega19x (9:27:50 PM): "It is all right. He speaks very harshly, but deep down, he does not mean most of what he says." Mahaado turned to his friend. "There is something bothering you about his warlock spells, is there not?"
fai tiger (9:33:36 PM): Honda smiled a little, looking up at the sky. "Wondered if you'd caught on to that," he murmured. "Mostly... I just want to know what it is that he'll be doing. Cuz saying the spells are for summoning demons... that might be okay for most people, but I think I really need to know more before I can say if I'm comfortable with the idea."
Omega19x (9:35:25 PM): "Ah." Mahaado nodded. "The spells are very similar to those we already use for summoning spirit ka or other shadow creatures."
fai tiger (9:41:33 PM): Honda looked over, wrapping his arms around one bent leg and resting his cheek against his knee. "That'd prolly be a bit more helpful if I had much clue about that sort of stuff either. Back in town, pretty much all I caught on the subject was 'demons', 'summon', and 'no you can't see this'."
Omega19x (9:43:42 PM): "A summoning spell of any kind works to bring a creature or a spirit under the command of a sorcerer. To do any sort of summoning spell, one needs a name and the proper invocations, as well as the energy to connect with and control the entity that is summoned. After all, if one's ka is damaged, so are they." Mahaado explained.
fai tiger (9:49:34 PM): "So in otherwords, it's better in some ways to go and demand the cooperation of someone other than your ka, provided you're not worried about them turning around and getting pissed at you for doing that?" Honda asked, then snickered a little to cover his lingering unease. "Okay, think that tells me a lot about him then."
Omega19x (9:53:34 PM): "If done correctly, that becomes a non-issue. Though many apprentices learn the hard way of what they can and cannot control." Mahaado noted. There was a long uneasy silent pause before continued again. "I am a master spirit sorcerer by trade, you do remember."
fai tiger (10:01:52 PM): "Hm?" Honda blinked a few times at Mahaado. "Oh, yeah..." he replied quietly, looking away again. "Guess that must have slipped my mind, I don't usually think about you being, er... like him... Don't worry, I can take a hint when to shut up." He got up and went to put on his leather again.
Omega19x (10:04:25 PM): "I... did not mean it in that manner." he looked down. Truth be told, he'd never really stopped to think about it from the spirit's perspective. Not in the way that he'd come to learn about his ka.
fai tiger (10:10:13 PM): Honda paused, watching Mahaado for a moment. "Then how did you mean it?" he asked, tone turning flat. "I didn't realize there was much other way to take that than something like 'insulting my otherself's methods is insulting mine, so stop or face the concequences'."
Omega19x (10:14:09 PM): "Is that truly what it sounds like?" Mahaado looked up, speaking softly. "Even as a spirit sorcerer, I would not turn such spells on you. Nor did I ever believe you thought I would."
fai tiger (10:23:29 PM): Honda rolled his eyes and went back to Mahaado. "Tch, I know you wouldn't," he answered, plopping down next to him. "But one, that's not really what I had in mind by 'face the consequences'. And two, I'm not always so sure about your otherself, there's been a few too many times that I've wondered, sorry to say. Hence being more than a little concerned about not knowing his warlock abilities here."
Omega19x (10:25:49 PM): "From what I can discern, you have little to fear. With the possible exception of the 'succubus.' I find that particular creature quite... disturbing."
fai tiger (10:30:41 PM): Honda raised an eyebrow, then nodded. "I've heard of those. If it's the same sort of creatures as I've known, I totally agree. They can get pretty tempermental, not to mention just plain weird."
Omega19x (10:32:23 PM): "It is not their temperment, per se, that I find in poor taste." Mahaado looked the other way.
fai tiger (10:36:19 PM): "Wha... oh, do the ones here go around nearly naked, flirting and making inappropriate suggestions too?" Honda asked, trying not to snicker at Mahaado's discomfort. "And more to the point, did you read that in his book or actually see one when I wasn't around?"
Omega19x (10:37:53 PM): "He is not the first to have such a creature mentioned in a spellbook..." Mahaado thought back. "Some masters at the training grounds were truly not the types to covet the solitude of a sage's path, if you understand my words."
fai tiger (10:41:51 PM): "Oh, okay then," Honda replied, still fighting to not laugh despite how amusing he found that idea. "I do hope they didn't suffer too much if they found out what happens when you piss off a succubus. On the bright side... er, well, I doubt you'll have to worry about Mado calling on the service of one between now and saving Delwyn."
Omega19x (10:42:28 PM): "Indeed. He has committed himself to Katsuya."

Omega19x (10:37:53 PM): "He is not the first to have such a creature mentioned in a spellbook..." Mahaado thought back. "Some masters at the training grounds were truly not the types to covet the solitude of a sage's path, if you understand my words."
Omega19x (7:24:12 PM): fai tiger (10:41:51 PM): "Oh, okay then," Honda replied, still fighting to not laugh despite how amusing he found that idea. "I do hope they didn't suffer too much if they found out what happens when you piss off a succubus. On the bright side... er, well, I doubt you'll have to worry about Mado calling on the service of one between now and saving Delwyn."
Omega19x (10:42:28 PM): "Indeed. He has committed himself to Katsuya."
fai tiger (7:27:58 PM): Okay, now Honda thought it was okay to laugh. "Hehe, most definitely," he replied through his laughter. "Which is something I totally don't understand, but whatever."
Omega19x (7:28:40 PM): "I suppose that is something not even a sage is meant to understand."
fai tiger (7:30:18 PM): Honda nodded, smirking. "Apparently so."
fai tiger (7:31:58 PM): "So... seriously though, is there anything else you think I need to know about warlock abilities, besides that he can but probably won't be summoning a succubus?"
Omega19x (7:36:19 PM): "Most of the warlock's spells center around destructive attacks, corruption, immolation, and the like. Most of the ones in the book the archmagi provided me center around fire and ice spells, as well as general arcane magic. Though I suspect both of us will be blending these spells with those we are already comfortable with. Spells unkown to the Blood Elves would be beneficial to use."
fai tiger (7:39:03 PM): Honda considered that and nodded. "Yeah, probably a good idea. Hopefully you'll be able to with the uh... magic-draining thing they use. You get told how severe to expect that to be?"
Omega19x (7:40:08 PM): "I know that it drained Kisara almost to the point of unconsciousness within a matter of minutes."
fai tiger (7:42:13 PM): "...Wow," Honda murmured, eyes going wide. "I know she hasn't had lots of magical training like you and Mado, but still, wow. Ya think she'll be okay this time around?"
Omega19x (7:44:51 PM): "They subdued her quickly and took Delwyn." he recalled. "She merely told me that one of them held out its hand. The next thing she knew, she had collapsed. I hope that some of the new powers here will offer her, if not protection, then a speedy recovery."
Omega19x (7:45:44 PM): "A spell to regenerate heka quickly, a reciprocating spell strong enough to recycle my power as they steal it - that may be the best hope we have."
fai tiger (7:49:45 PM): "Hm, yeah... good luck with that. There anything else we can do about that problem, stock up on healing potions or something?" Honda frowned in thought, it wasn't a topic he could honestly say he'd thought about much until now.
Omega19x (7:52:28 PM): "I do recall one of the human townspeople mentioning how many of the beverages here actually restored one's heka, or mana, as they call it. That could assist us. We must find a way to keep Maiden Kisara and the Good Priestess safe, as their abilities here as healers will be crucial." Mahaado replied, thinking as he spoke.
Omega19x (7:54:15 PM): "I honestly hope that my heka will be significantly higher to the point that my other self and I can serve as decoys, keeping them away from our healers, who could then support us, and draw them out while you utilize your newfound stealth abilities, especially your invisibility, to rescue Delwyn."
fai tiger (8:00:33 PM): Honda thought about that all for a few moments, then gave a small nod. "Yeah, sounds like a good plan I think. And they won't be trying to steal my energy... why, because I don't have the right type or something? I still get confused about what type of energies everyone has and what only some people have..."
Omega19x (8:01:39 PM): "I cannot be certain. Though the evidence so far points to their preference on draining spellcasters of their heka to increase their own. You are not a spellcaster."
fai tiger (8:03:17 PM): "Nope, I'm not. Obviously you and Mado are, do Kisara and Isis kinda count as them too you think?"
Omega19x (8:05:47 PM): "Kisara has a great amount of heka within her. That is for certain. The good priestess has not been trained either, though she too has strong spirit. I must admit, I do not believe in total certainty that you will be immune to their effects. I can only hope that their desire to feed on strong magical energy will be their downfall."
fai tiger (8:10:57 PM): "Er, okay... Yeah, I hope so too. Anything else we can try to add to our battle plan, besides getting some potions and hoping I don't get magic-targeted?"
Omega19x (8:11:59 PM): "I wish I knew more about what we are about to face."
fai tiger (8:16:16 PM): Honda shrugged. "That would be nice, yeah... No clue who you could ask for more information though, we've had trouble just finding people who know seemingly basic things like where to look. And you've got to know a hell of a lot more than me; you had a chance to read the historical stuff about how they got like they did, didn't you?"
Omega19x (8:16:51 PM): "You would be astonished at how little is actually written about the Blood Elves."
fai tiger (8:27:03 PM): "Eh, a little is more than none though. Guess if I'd realized how hard it was to learn about them, I'd have maybe tried to get more info about them from that woman we got directions from in the tavern. Maybe, I didn't really like talking to her for some reason..."
Omega19x (8:32:29 PM): "We can likely assume that given this feared ability to drain heka, they will likely be powerful spellcasters in their own right. They may have many powerful spells at their disposal, and abilities to resist many of ours."
fai tiger (8:35:40 PM): "Hm, yeah, that would make sense," Honda had to agree. "Guess we just have to hope for the best, and prepare for the worst if we can... whatever that is."
Omega19x (8:37:23 PM): "Yes. I will try to shield us as best I can. But should that be breached, we must be able to rely on ways to restore heka. Endurance will be our greatest challenge. We must get in quickly, rescue Delwyn, and then escape."
fai tiger (8:39:45 PM): Honda took a deep breath before nodding. "I'll do my best to help with that."
Omega19x (8:40:28 PM): "let me know instantly if they use such a draining attack on you, and if it works or does not work."
fai tiger (8:43:04 PM): "Er, sure, I definitely will," Honda replied, trying not to sound too worried. "Dumb question, but how will I know if they try? Would I just somehow sense that they're taking my energy or trying to or whatever?"
Omega19x (8:44:46 PM): Mahaado tried to think of a sign that would be easier for Honda to relate to than sensing the flow of one's heka. "The maiden Kisara mentioned that they rose a hand at her first, before casting the spell. Watch for that move."
fai tiger (8:52:47 PM): "Uh, right, sure. I'll look for that, while I'm busy avoiding being spotted or whatever I end up doing."
Omega19x (9:05:04 PM): "Wish us luck, my friend. We are going to need it."
fai tiger (9:06:33 PM): "Definitely," Honda replied quietly.
Omega19x (9:06:47 PM): And that was all that needed to be said.