Rue picked up her fallen arrows as she listened to the conversation around her. It seemed the others thought Grayell had just performed blood magic, too. However, their reactions were quite different from hers.
"So what if he's a blood mage?" she demanded as she began walking up the tunnel with the rest of them. "It saved us, didn't it? What does it matter if he sucked all the blood out of that ghoul? He didn't do it to any of you, did he? No, and I doubt he's going to. So if I were you, I'd stop preoccupying my thoughts with concerns of Grayell's morals and focus on healing our injuries and moving onward. Is anybody else injured, besides Grayell?"
Inwardly, she rolled her eyes at the reactions of her partners. She personally didn't see the harm in being a blood mage. Blood was just another form of magic, right?
Alec [M:118:6:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=412&page=1#1242]"I see," said the blind man to the deaf lady.[0:Wandering the stacks.][1:Present and accounted for.]
Chuckling, Alec glances at Rue. "No, I'm not injured, and nor do I have a problem with blood magic. Especially in this case, as it was used to my benefit. When it's used to my detriment, or the detriment of the reputation of magic - directly or indirectly - then I've got a problem with it." He waves a hand, flippantly. "Or the detriment, usually meaning death, of innocents.
Come in under the shadow of this red rock, and I will show you something different from either your shadow at morning, striding behind you, or your shadow at evening, rising to meet you. I shall show you fear in a handful of dust.
Says the guy killing with magic. You might want to consider the killer themselves and not the means.
Grayell growled that sentence out, the last thing he needed was a pack of holier-than-thou magic idiots condemning him. Blast all magic he thought, his steel hadn't a mind of it's owned and a sword alone had never corrupted it's user.
Alec [M:118:6:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=412&page=1#1242]"I see," said the blind man to the deaf lady.[0:Wandering the stacks.][1:Present and accounted for.]
"I've used magic to kill no one yet," he laughs. "And beside that, what I have killed has been in self-defense." Shrugging, still chuckling, he continues "And anyone who is killing innocents, or attempting to kill me, or besmirching the reputation of the magical community needs to be killed outright themselves."
Come in under the shadow of this red rock, and I will show you something different from either your shadow at morning, striding behind you, or your shadow at evening, rising to meet you. I shall show you fear in a handful of dust.
Oh ladida, the magic community is it? Gee what an exclusive club that must be. Self defense and all that jazz, my how noble of you.
Grayell spat and waved a hand as if to shoo a fly. His opinion of Alec was being tested at this time and tensions were high. Now was not the time for an argument.
Grayell continued down the passageway, they had more important things to be concerned with.
Rue began to argue back at Alec but realized there was no point. He could believe whatever he wanted to believe about blood magic, as long as he didn't cry about it the next time Grayell used it.
"Grayell?" she called. "Um, all blood magic arguments aside, someone really needs to heal your back. Simeon or I could do it if you would just stand still for ten seconds."
He was walking fine but if another band of ghouls attacked them, she didn't know how well he would be able to fight.
Grayell stopped. He didn't turn immediately but instead stood there, his frame cast dark by his torch. After a moment he looked sideways and managed a slight smile.
Rue walked up behind Grayell and gingerly placed her palms against the cuts on his back. Murmuring a few words, a soft blue light escaped from her hands and penetrated the gashes left by the ghoul. The blood cleared away and wounds slowly closed up, leaving Grayell's back a little red, but that would fade in a few minutes.
Simeon was impressed by Rue's healing abilities. It wasn't often one met a healer as skilled as she. Simeon didn't speak, but instead followed, allowing silence to settle throughout the corridor.
Grayell stopped for a moment. His eyes were wild, his first reaction was to snap at her. He wasn't a damn blood mage. But his writhing conflict within himself was not at all the girl's fault.
It took a moment but he looked at her with a smile. He then winked and turned back to head down the tunnel.
Nah. You're too cute to waste.
Alec [M:118:6:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=412&page=1#1242]"I see," said the blind man to the deaf lady.[0:Wandering the stacks.][1:Present and accounted for.]
"Ah, gallows humor." Stuffing hands in pockets, Alec follows the little party. "The best. Anyone got anymore horrendously morbid jokes they'd like to share?"
Come in under the shadow of this red rock, and I will show you something different from either your shadow at morning, striding behind you, or your shadow at evening, rising to meet you. I shall show you fear in a handful of dust.
The hallway seemed to stretch for an extensive amount of time. Every now and again the group could hear scuffling and scratching as if something or more than something was trying to run from the incoming light. The ever feeling presence of something watching them never eased from the adventurer's thoughts. The hall soon opened up into a large circular room, sarcophagi lined the walls. In the rear of the room a large marble chair sat, a statue of someone once sat there, it was now defaced. A lithe silhouette sat in this stone chair, soft clapping could be heard.
Well done would be heroes, I was curious to know if I was to see your shining faces.
Simeon was thoroughly confused. This mysterious being seemed to know about them but was far too amused to be a friendly force. "Please, tell us your name so that we may know who addresses us."