Humble Pie


 * Approach to Light's Watch


 * Light's Watch has been the traditional home of a branch of the Mikin family, namely that from which Varal Mikin is directly descended. His uncle, Astell Mikin, was a sickly lord and his sister, Alela, did not help matters with her indiscretions. When Varal was around 8 years old, Astell died, leaving the keep with no real heirs besides Alela and Varal, neither of whom were to be allowed to inherit the keep. Thus, Light's Watch was allowed to fall into disrepair, the valuables taken by other members of the family.


 * Nearly two decades have passed, and Varal has been repatriated into the Mikin family and declared Lord Captain of the Ducal Guard of Light's Reach. He has been allowed to reclaim his ancestral keep despite his tainted bloodline, and has modified it to better suit his position, turning it effectively into a fortress.
 * A dusty road winds southwest toward the township of Light's Reach.

Varal leads Fettier to the winding path to Light's Watch. He gives the archers on the battlements a wave, and informs them of what is about to happen. "Well, Mistress Lake, I doubt you ever expected to come here... but, welcome to my humble abode."

"Never expected it at all, Milord," Kallyn replies lightly, examining the keep, "Nice place. Although, I wonder: Is every aspect of your life so militant or is that merely the part you allow to be public? Merely curious." She sets about cracking her knuckles and rolling her wrists, closing her eyes and taking a deep, calming breath. The corner of the redhead's mouth curves upwards, and when her eyes open again it is revealed that the smokey shift has kicked up to a vicious sort of speed around that unidentified something in their depths. "Ready when you are. Shall we start with lightning or fireballs? And will you be attacking me at all?"

Varal stretches out as well. "I will not give you the life story, Mistress Lake. Celeste can do that, if you're curious. But, I am a product and a tool of the Mikin family. After literally decades, militant is comfortable to me. Granted, you obviously have not seen Wedgecrest Falls." He removes his baldric and tosses it aside. "If you want to practice brawling or bladework after tossing some spells, perhaps I will attack. For now, you are safe. Fireballs to start, perhaps?"

"Assuming I don't block first," Kallyn notes lightly. A sigh, and then she raises her right hand before her, palm up. With a small grunt of concentration from the girl, flames leap to her command, forming into a fist-sized ball of raging elemental magefire. Her eyes go to Varal, and she grins, "Catch!" And the ball is thrown at the Count. Her aim leaves a bit to be desired, but it does make in his general direction! And with things that explode, missing sometimes still counts.

Missing can sometimes count, but it at least has to be in the vicinity. Varal manages to be no where near the fireball with contemptuous ease. It makes it look like it was not close, even if that was the fact. He clucks at Kallyn, then shrugs. "Well, moving out the way works for fireballs. I have no skill with shields...so..." He moves towards his baldric, and pulls out his longsword. "In that case, we will try lightning, yes?"

"As you wish," Kallyn replies lightly, sighing at that poor display, "I really need to work on my aim..." And then a soft crackling arises from her hands. She watches them almost lovingly as the sound increases in volume to a near-deafening height, and chaotic blue-white sparks of electricity spring to life. They arc between her fingers, up her arms, through the space between her hands. Some of the sparks even manage to travel across her chest while others arc to the ground at her feet. She raises her arms up slowly, out to her sides, eyes locked on her target. And then that glimmer in her eye's depths gains definition. It is malice... corruptive, evil, and pure. This mage is in the process of falling to the Shadow. Her arms come together before her and she directs the crackling arcane energies at the Count with every intention of doing him harm.

Varal doesn't seem ready for the lightning, and it hits him full in the chest. His leather armor and cloak sizzle, filling the air with the scent of burnt flesh. With a grunt, he drops to a knee and stays there for a moment. Heaving a breath, he rises. Rage is in his eyes, but he does not attack the mage. "Again," he hisses.

The redhead's grin grows at the Count's pain, and she maintains the lightning about her person in preparation for the next strike. "Whatever you say, Milord," Kallyn replies, her voice dangerously low and her tone a near-purr as she directs the next volley of lightning at the man before her.

The Mikin is struck again by the lightning, his sword moving sluggishly. All of a sudden, his wolf appears betwixt him and Kallyn, a silent growl directed at the mage - held back only by her master. "Easy, Aelavel, easy..."

The burnt smell only grows worse. His sword wavers a moment, and he takes a deep breath before moving into a ready stance again. His sword is at ready. "I think I see now. One last time."

"I warned you not to underestimate my power, Varal..."

Unconcerned by Varal's condition, the mage girl eyes that wolf warily, her stance straightening as if making sure she will be ready to run should she be attacked. Kallyn does as she is asked, definitely taking far too much pleasure from the nobleman's pain. The lightning continues to crackle about her person and she attacks Varal with it one more time, the malicious gleam in her eyes dancing with the reflection of her arcane power.

The reaction of those around Varal speaks louder than anything else. The wolf takes a couple of steps forward, and bows on the battlements of creak as they're drawn. The Mikin nearly collapses as a third time the lightning strikes him, forking around the obsidian of his blade. He cries out softly, falling to his knees a third time. He raises a hand, stalling his men. "I think," he says softly, "that you ought to leave, Kallyn."

The crackling subsides, and the redhead is breathing slightly more heavily than is natural from the exertion of calling forth Shadow. She blinks, as if coming to her senses, and smokey eyes widen as that malicious gleam disappears entirely. She takes a step back, staring at Varal as if he were a ghost, shocked, horrified. "I...," she stammers, tears coming to her eyes as she takes another step back and looks down to her hands. The mage girl shakes as the full realization of what she has done sinks in, and while she seems to have the urge to help the Count, she at least has sense enough not to go running forward with all of this animosity directed at her. "L-light save me...," she wimpers, another step back, the tears beginning to fall from her eyes in rapid streams, "I'm so s-sorry, Varal, I... Light, I..."

Varal clutches his chest as he rises. He is exceptionally slow as he does so. "You proved your point, I...I think. It is best that you leave," he states, a bit of disgrace and humility creeping into his tone. "Before something rash happens." Towards the end, a rage begins to sneak in, and the Mikin - while in pain - still seems to be functional. "Please," he pleads, at odds with himself.

Still shaking, the redhead seems unable to tear her eyes from the Count as her feet continue to occasionally bring her away from the scene. The longer the horrified Kallyn stares, the more clear it becomes that she is not afraid of Varal's retribution at all. It is her own actions that have terrified the girl so, that she actually tried (and succeeded) to hurt this man standing before her. She continues stammering her apology, and cannot seem to move any faster than her slow backpedal.

Varal closes his eyes for a couple of seconds, then forces himself to stand tall. Teeth gritted, he moves over to his baldric, and, with exaggerated care slides his sword back into it. Twitching slightly, he moves towards in the interior of his keep, painstakingly slow. No faster than Kallyn's backpedal.

After a while, Kallyn seems to pull herself together enough to turn away, and takes off at a run along the road away from the keep. Where she's running to? Anywhere but here.

Return to Season 7 (2008)