maskormenacelogs | find some kind of glow

[ The coppery smell of blood is overwhelming enough at close range for Gil to hold his breath, making a face as he pulls his arm up to breathe through the coat's sleeve. He gazes at the motionless bodies, careful not to make any sudden movements in case Hawke's last strike didn't manage to do the trick. However, when he slides away from the dead dogs, noticing the lack of twitching or their bodies rising with breath, he relaxes and shifts his focus onto Hawke. ]

What a mess...

[ He grips his shoulder, both of them heaving up and down as he takes deep breaths. ]

Are you alright?

Am I? What about you? You look worse off than I am.

[ Talk about not answering the question, though she's not entirely wrong, even managing a grin as if that might prove it. Hawke's been through enough fights to walk this one off, regardless of how she's still trying to catch her breath. Speaking of breaths, she drags in a long, deep one and looks around them, letting it back out again in a low whistle. ]

...I don't suppose we should be thinking about vanishing before anyone shows up to see what was going on in here, should we?

Edited (words) 2015-04-07 01:54 (UTC)

I'll be fine.

[ He feels exhausted, but it's nothing he can't endure. In fact, it's a welcome change in lieu of having his skin torn open or having something sharp stab him near vital organs. ]

... how long before the ice melts?

[ He realizes it's in the way. Maybe they can duck under it? ]

Not too long. We can probably kick it over by now.

[ Saying that, she pushes herself up off of the trash can she'd taken to leaning on and steps over to the closest pile of ice spikes. Being near the dead abomination doesn't seem to bother her much, beyond her giving it a wary look (but it stays dead), then taking an armored boot to one of the thinner spikes.

It shatters easily enough. ]

There. No problem.

[ He isn't expecting it to be so simple, but he's grateful either way. Gil edges toward the opening, stepping over any lifeless bodies and avoiding any blood that's stained the pavement; there's only so many times he can come home tracking blood before Kenzi probably ties him to a chair. ]

How did you do all that?

[ There's a second or two where she wonders if they should do anything with the bodies. Like, not leave them or... something, but honestly? She feels pretty much done with this right now. Instead, she'll keep walking, stopping again only once she reaches the end of the alley.

At his question, she glances back. ]

How did I do what? [ Pretend like she did nothing at all! Only, no, that won't work. She obviously did a lot there, so a real answer comes on the tail of that. ] Oh, all of that. That was all magic.

[ He gets the feeling that wasn't even a full display of her magical powers. He doesn't understand much about magic, even after all this time, but he's certainly impressed by how much control she had over it.

Asides from slipping into one another. Maybe it's just a downside to using ice-based magic. ]

What... are you? A magician?

Shorten that up and you've got it. I'm a mage.

[ And now that they're beyond the ice, it's time to try and casually meander back down the street, just in case any "cops" or various other authorities start poking around. ]

What about you? You certainly weren't knocking those things back with your own fists.

A "mage"?

[ It's unfamiliar to him and he wonders what could possibly be the difference between a magician and mage before he recalls Loki's magic is likely different than say, Zatanna's magic. ]

I'm just a human. That power wasn't exactly mine; it belongs to a creature I contracted a long time ago.

A mage.

[ It's like an echo-- oh, but wait. A creature? Contracts? Okay, here's where she slows down to give him quite the side-eye. ]

But... not a demon, right?

[ Gil's been following her closely, but the second he receives that look from her he has to inch away out of reflex and flinch. ]

No, it's nothing like a demon. It comes from another dimension where I'm from... a world between the worlds.

But it's not dangerous.

[ For as long as it contractor doesn't use its powers for something else. ]

Right.

[ Nothing like a demon. Right. Sure. ]

It isn't somewhere you go when you dream, is it? Full of strange creatures that may or may not be spirits, offering all sorts of power to virtually anyone on your side of reality that they can get to?

[ He runs a hand through his hair, a soft sigh escaping him as he tries to find the words for it. It's never been easy explaining the Abyss to someone who isn't familiar with it or the concept. ]

It's not that kind of realm, but it is a place where chains contract with humans to stabilize their existence in the real world.

[ Among other things, but she doesn't need to know the whole truth. ]

Contracting a chain isn't as simple as it sounds either; oftentimes there are requirements the chain has. If you don't meet those, the chain can reject a contract.

[ Cool story, still sounds like demons. Gilbert doesn't look like an abomination, either, but she's made that mistake before and her mind reels away from that thought immediately. Easier to take his word on it; different worlds, different versions of the Fade, it's probably fine.

The train of thought leaves her looking troubled and she even stops walking, looking away, checking their surroundings. ]

It still sounds like a different version of the Fade, but I'll take your word on it. [ For now. ] Ah, now, where was I... right. I'm still hopelessly lost in this city.

[ He's curious now, but he'll refrain from asking her a horde of questions when they've narrowly escaped mutant dogs. He's lucky Hawke is capable of fighting without weapons, but he's learned his lesson: he's not leaving home without his revolvers ever again. ]

You're not still trying to get to a forest are you? Are you living in Heropa?

A forest? No, no, that was just for the dogs. I'm here from De Chima.

Do you know where the military base is here?

See, if I knew where it was, I wouldn't be lost. I know I started out from there, but I got a little turned around trying to ditch our recently deceased friends.

Right.

[ In retrospect, not a smart question. He steps out of the alleyway, turning in the direction which they had come from. ]

I can lead you there.

There or to the nearest bar, either is very much appreciated.

[ Because who doesn't want to go drinking after fighting horrible monsters, right? ]

I'm Hawke, by the way. I don't think I managed to get that in there between killing abominations.

[ That's when he does a double-take, stumbling in his steps for a moment. ]

Gil―

You want to go drinking after that?

[ Drink to forget, Gil, drink to forget. ]

Maybe? I don't see why I shouldn't celebrate not being eaten by ugly dog monsters.

Shouldn't you be concerned about getting out of here in case more of them show up?

Possibly, but then I'm letting them drive out of one whole city.

It's just for today.

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