The explosion had shocked him slightly. It only took a couple of heartbeats for Perry to get a grip on what had happened and why. He grinned broadly as he turned to a crowd that was now whooping with delight. He flourished in his bows to them, eyes looking up toward a familiar face near the front.
"Well well. Ladies and Gentlemen. It seems like there may be a special surprise for you all to draw the show to a close! It seems like I've a friendly fire spirit out there watching over me, and I believe, if we all wish really hard, we might see something special when I loose this next arrow."
He produced another arrow, one he'd had in his quiver for quite some time and not found anyone to help him use it, one of several actually. It didn't have a standard head, instead there was cloth ball at the tip, secured tightly. Archers sometimes used such arrows for close combat training, but this one wasn't filled with sand or cork, it was filled with metal filings.
The sun was low enough that the sky had begun to darken some. It wasn't ideal, but he wasn't going to pass up this chance. He just hoped that she could pick up on it. The arrow was sent skyward, almost vertically.
Dominic [M:123:1420:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=382&page=1#14144][b]Let me tell you a story...[/b][0:No encore today][1:You have my attention]
Dom had jumped at the detonations, not having expected them in the slightest. For all his training at honing his other senses he had absolutely no nouse for magic of any kind and the wash of heat and sound startled him. He was, however, a consumate showman and barely missed a beat with the drum.
He picked up a rolling, rapid tempo, his poetry having ended just before the bang. He couldn't see what was about to happen, but he could almost taste the excitement in the air. The crowd had gone hushed, and he knew that he was probably the only person in the field with their head craned and their eyes skyward.
It'd be a field day for a decent pickpocket, hah, field day. He grinned.
Love, like Hope, has too few letters for a word so powerful.
Ely [M:164:1653:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=394&page=1#14814][b]A soul on fire...[/b][0:Snuffed][1:Flame On!]
The spark that leaped to follow the streaking arrow from Perry's campfire was not large enough to be visible, even in the waning light. It did not need to be huge or flashy to set the cloth on fire. Ely had long since learned what Perry had told the crowd earlier. Misdirection was a wonderful thing. The audience was watching his arrow; not her, or the fire.
Perry was an expert at mixing up the right amount of different metals into each little bag, too. The spark Ely had thrown after the arrow hit the cloth and the arrowhead exploded into a wild flash of red, blue, yellow, green, and orange lights that went streaking away in all different direction. It riveted the crowd she was still using to hide among.
Ely's mouth was twisted up in a satisfied grin. It did not even cause her the amount of fatigue that had come with the other display. Perry's show had taught her a lot about control.
Catgirl Extraordinaire
“Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.”
Kiga whistled aloud then and rocked back on his heels, eyes skyward, hands clapping. It was a thrilling spectacle, something that would have to look entirely brilliant at night time. He wondered what kind of magic had made that happen - was the archer a mage? It certainly had to take some focus to make all of that happen.
He almost wondered if he might be able to do that same thing and what good it might do him. What use it might have....
But he found himself picturing himself and a certain someone sitting on the hill at night and watching such pretty things in the night sky. That would be what caused him to suddenly wonder and he looked about the crowd. He couldn't mistake her for just anyone and quite quickly, he spotted her.
Kiga stole his way through the people and then stopped right beside her.
Perry had a few more of those arrows left. He couldn't ignite them with hot enough fire without pyromancy, but he'd not thrown them away. They were sort of a lucky charm. And that had whetted the crowd's appetite. They were paying for an archery display, but the idea of fireworks was obviously new to them and he could get a whole new round of coinage with a second display, properly situated at night and choreographed.
He wheeled back to the crowd "Well! The spirit of the fire seems pleased with the offering! What say you that I convene with it and ask if it will aid in my next performance?" The crowd whooped, as they always did. People liked fire and explosions, if they felt safe enough from them. And if the bard decided to help out too they could put on a serious show.
"Look to your walls and keep an ear out at the tavern, folks! As soon as it is ready, prepare yourself for a display of fireworking the likes of which you've never seen!" This beat guard duty on a caravan through the foothills any day.
Dominic [M:123:1420:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=382&page=1#14144][b]Let me tell you a story...[/b][0:No encore today][1:You have my attention]
The second detonation he was ready for, accompanying it with a flourish of drumbeats. Oh if the archer could set off explosions at will, well, that was one hell of a percussion backing for a song. Maybe if Chaz figured out that amplification gizmo it'd make a show that was louder, flashier and more spectacular than any that had come before.
Grayell might or might not approve of putting Wistvale even more brightly on the map, as a centre for eye-popping, ear splitting, jaw dropping spectacle. But visitors in a good mood spend money.
He ambled over to where his staff was propped in the corner of the field, retreading the path he'd taken to the site. After that he picked his way over to his partner in showmanship and smiled.
"Seems they liked the show. I'm going to assume you were pretty good. So what's this about fire spirits? You've just got a bit of pyromancy up your sleeve, dontcha?"
Love, like Hope, has too few letters for a word so powerful.
Ely [M:164:1653:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=394&page=1#14814][b]A soul on fire...[/b][0:Snuffed][1:Flame On!]
Ely's bright emerald eyes widened, closed, and opened again to look at Kiga. She had been so caught up in directing the spark, and watching the subsequent explosions she had missed him moving through the crowd.
What the hell, Ely! You used to be better at this. She thought the cloak had covered her well enough, too. Apparently she was wrong. She flushed, looked down and her trapped tail whisked wildly beneath the material.
"Um... thanks?"
Kiga had tried to stop her from using her magick before. Ely scanned the crowed quickly to see if she could spot the blue woman whose cigar she'd destroyed that same night. She had not seen her earlier, but that did not mean she couldn't have joined the crowd in the interim.
Ely was suppose to remain invisible. Perry would collect no extra coin if the crowd knew he was backed by a mage. Once that was discovered his feats of archery would be called into question, too.
Catgirl Extraordinaire
“Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.”
He had one hand behind his back, the other waving in a friendly if nervous manner to the group.
Hello! I assume you're with the performers, anyway. You know what they say about assuming. I'm probably wrong. But hello! That was, uhh... He searched for a word, watching the rest of the cloud.
A fascinating pyrotechnics display. I happen to be a bit of a, uh....firebug myself. I had hoped that I could ask out of professional curiosity your technique? If I'm prying, I'll just excuse myself; gods know I wouldn't want to take the mystery out of it. He didn't say anything out loud about magic. He knew "local" folk could be touchy about that sort of thing.
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
Kiga saw Ely was somewhat nervous and then was rudely interrupted before he could so much as back pedal. He turned about to see Loreburn, whom he still didn't know but had ran into that day with Marlena... Alec's lacky. Almost annoyingly pleasant in the rudest manner.
He knew Ely was accomplished with her fire magic. She wasn't the sneakiest person, not the type to hide from him; someone trained in hiding and had spent quite a lot of time committing every nuance of her appearance to memory... well it was easy to put it together. But this guy? He was just clutching at straws and had all the potential to ruin everything. Kiga wasn't so reserved with his own magic, but he had two things pressing him presently.
Ely wasn't likely wanting to be found out.
And Ely could have a temper with people she considered rude.
Kiga glared at Loreburn then, expressionless except for the cold look in his eyes as he stepped closer to Loreburn.
"That's one hell of an accusation. I think you should apologize to the lady for interrupting and be about your business."
Perry clapped Dom on the shoulder, looping an arm around the blind man and grinning "Oh that was superb my friend. You'll get your share, absolutely. Head over and take a rest and I'll go gather the funds." He left the bard, striding toward the crowd.
"Okay folks! One gold piece apeice! And don't forget to tell your friends that there'll be fireworking at the next show, if the spirits are willing." He beamed, holding out a burlap sack as people gratefully tossed gold, or the equivalent in silver and copper, into the bag. A gold piece might have seemed sort of steep for essentially a street show, but people seemed impressed enough to chuck the cash in. He added "Pay for yourself bring a child for free. The kiddies love a good show!"
He left the people he recognized to last, two of them at least. He ambled up to Ely, Kiga and the guy in the big hat he didn't recognize. "Tithe for the fire spirits? I think they did rather excellent work today, and completely unexpected I might add. And since the last time they aided me it seems they've become even stronger and more subtle." He laughed, the coin bag jangling.
Ely [M:164:1653:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=394&page=1#14814][b]A soul on fire...[/b][0:Snuffed][1:Flame On!]
Ely kept her mouth shut which for her was quite a feat. She regained her regular aplomb, too, when Kiga deflected the stranger's comments. She smiled to Perry instead and fished a gold coin out of her belt. She dropped one for her and one for Kiga into the open sack. Then, and only then did she trust herself to speak, at least to Perry not the impertinent stranger.
"An amazing display archer. I've not seen anything quite like it before."
Those statements were true enough. Perry had definitely gotten more expansive since the time when they had just plunked arrows into flaming targets, or shot them up into the air like comets. She took a closer look at him, too, while he stood there beside them. He had lost weight, and while he had never been anything but lean there were hollow spaces under his cheeks and eyes.
This flustered him. He didn't seem to recognize Kiga, and visibly shrank from his aggression.
I-I am sure I don't know what you mean, sir. Accusation? I merely was curious about the chemicals or compounds used in--
He stopped himself, looking from one person to the other, and then gave up. It wasn't worth making a bad impression. So he tipped his hat and gave a short bow.
Of course, it was entirely out of line to pry. I did not mean to insult, ma'am. Sometimes my curiosity gets the best of us. Please take....this as an apology. He put ten coins into Percival's hand.
A tithe. For the, uh...fire spirits. Good day, ma'am. Sirs.
And so he left.
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
Kiga watched Loreburn go and relaxed a little. Crisis averted and he wagered the mage had no idea of the ear lashing he'd just saved him from. He chuckled lightly, smiling to himself before he turned back around. It was the archer.
"Oh hey, that show was fantastic! You're really talented with a bow, no doubt about it."
He was a little over-enthusiastic for his usual self, if only a little. He rarely met someone of such skill, or at least someone who flaunted it with such flair.
Perry grinned, checking back over his shoulder to see if the bard was still about. "Well, yeah. Fireworks are best watched at night. It's only if I can get the assistance I need. And maybe Dominic would be willing to provide some more musical backing once again." He allowed himself a small measure of smug satisfaction that his skills were being recognized.
"Well, I'm good because I've been able to shoot almost as long as I've been able to walk, and I do it every day. You've probably got something that you're really good at too." He gestured toward the other young man, smiling. He felt a little pang though.
He was looking at Ely with eyes that were unmistakably affectionate, and that made his stomach sink a little. It had been years, and really only for fun, but he supposed that the past was the past. Best not let on.
Kiga only shook his head, he wasn't one to boast about his potential. It served no purpose and whilst the archer seemed friendly enough and certainly skilled, Kiga simply didn't know him to tell him otherwise. Nope, best he played it off.
"Nah, not so much. Nothing as spectacular as that. I'm just a regular Joe, really."