Chaos is known as the being that never became a star. It is everywhere and yet nowhere at the same time.
Neither good nor evil, the ultimate expression of nothingness. The antithesis of the cosmos, creation itself.
Although Chaos claims to be the very state of existence from which the first entities appeared, it cannot form into the entity it wants most.
So it has been cursed to stay in the form of a dark and shapeless void. Floating between existence and nonexistence.
Longingly watching as stars are constantly born and lives are lived. The seeds of malice had been planted, flourished and transformed Chaos into the purest form of evil.
The mysterious magician was at a loss for words for all but a moment, her claim of a tour and demo being news to him and the slip of paper she retrieved from her clothing seemed to reinforce the truth to her words. Although he could not read it from the distance he was at, one could assume the accompanying sheet of paper would most likely confirm the girl's statement; she didn't appear to be someone of deceptive nature so far and he could hardly imagine a girl lying about such a thing. So, for that matter, the only real possibility left was...that she happened to be truthful with him and it was he in fact who owed her a showing around. A moment or two of silence passed by before the golden eyes of Cassian blinked slowly, only for his body to sit straight in his cross-legged position. [break][break]
"Oh, is that so? How interesting." Cassian responded calmly, his arms unfolding and moving out to his sides. "Then it is my duty to provide what you are requesting."[break][break]
Levitating, the sorcerer's body lifted higher from the podium, empty air between him and the cushion while a small, ever-present smile remained across his mouth; his figure floated forward in mid-air, motioning away from the podium before his legs extended out. Descending in the air, one foot pressed down into the ground first before the other joined it, the magician's arms folding behind his lower back as he stood upright, those cold eyes of his fixated upon the dark-haired girl in an emotionless yet acknowledging way.[break][break]
Dipping his blue-haired head with a bend of his back, he bowed partially before the girl with one arm behind his back, the other graced along his midsection. "A pleasure to meet you, young dame." He started, hollow gaze glancing up. "Cassian is my name." Straightening up, his hands folded along his lower back, returning there as he stood politely. [break][break]
"And what is it you wish to see?" The magician continued with an inquiry, tilting his snowy-faced head with slitted eyes staring at her patiently. "Performing tricks, throwing knives and doing acrobatics are no hard task for me." The mage finished with a subtle tone of confidence and assurance, now giving the girl the time to introduce herself and state her desires if she so wished to.[break][break]
A dozen or so playing cards hovered in mid-air around the white-faced magician, slowly turning and rotating one by one, drifting around his figure in a controlled motion as he levitated above a cushioned platform inside of his tent. With his eyes gently shut, his arms sat crossed in a somewhat nonchalant manner, although the cause was mainly for them to not get in the way of his floating cards. Their pace quickened as they spun around his frame, fluttering around in elegant spins and swapping positions with one another in majestic manner, like that of a dance - the meditative practice of keeping his magical ability sharp and proficient. Through the sounds settling around in the distance outside of his tent to the aroma of food that breezed around the area of his tent courtesy of the circus cook around the corner, nothing made his closed eyelids open until the sudden and unexpected steps that could be heard approaching the outside of his abode. A visitor? [break][break]
Cassian's golden eyes appeared into view as his eyelids lifted up, the playing cards neatly slipping back into the deck attached to the side of his hip, blue-haired head raising in slight curiosity as to who would impose themselves in his space. A neutral expression remained upon his face, a unsettling look of unrivaled calmness in his eyes as they were trained upon the entrance into his tent. It was rather spacious inside for a one-man tent and harbored many magical props inside - real or fake you would not know - and the magician remained atop his podium at the very end of the tent, legs crossed in his white attire.[break][break]
Surprisingly, a young girl of what he suspected to be teenage years popped her head in rather meekly with a soft voice signalling a greeting toward the mysterious mage, his head cocking to the right slightly with his hues locking onto her. Unfortunately, someone had not done their part and Cassian was uninformed to the fact that he would be having a visitor today - and that he would be in charge of their stay. Needless to say, he still remained unaware. [break][break]
"And hello to you, young miss; what is it?" The magician responded, still levitating several inches above the podium at which he resided. "I must say, I was not expecting a visit." Cassian rhymed, wondering what may be the reason for her arrival since he had not been gifted with the knowledge of his own duty right now.[break][break]
Following his catacomb partner while inspecting the pages, he kept a watchful glance around him and ahead, ensuring that nothing would be making any attempts on himself or Julius; also checking for small traps of any sort that could really bring a damper on their night. In between the scanning that came from his golden eyes, the slitted eyelids flickered upward as Cassian was addressed with a question, one that he did not exactly understand the true meaning of. The statement before it was believable; Cassian did not sense at the time that the prosecutor was feigning ignorance to him about true magic and he seemed sincere enough in his confession here. But an Io? Person? Item? Location? [break][break]
With his blue-haired head raising up slightly to direct his inquiring eyes at Julius now, his neutral expression remained unchanged, a simple shake of his head in response to the question, showing that he was not familiar with the words that were spoken. [break][break]
Flicking along a few more pages, it seemed more and more clear with each passing topic and every lasting word; no dice. The book, while located in a place of interest, did not seem to contain the answers they were seeking. It happened instead to be all ways of preserving the dead, keeping them stored correctly, so on and so forth, yet no subtle hints of magic or foul play, no suggestion of necromancy or resurrection and no hocus-pocus phrase to read out loud while surrounded by floor markings and black candles. In short, the duo did not find their goal in the first strike.[break][break]
Snapping the book shut, he continued to walk with it in hand, waiting for the next stand or ledge that would be suitable to place it down upon as the two of them moved through the eerie tunnel of the catacombs. Cassian's head cocked as he looked at Julius, his motion making it clear that he wanted to hear more of this Io which had been brought to his attention. [break][break]
Not having to wait much longer after his own arrival, golden hues caught the appearance of the dark-haired male underneath the dark blue sky as a slight breeze pushed itself around through the eerie air of the cemetery entrance. A nod of acknowledgement came from Cassian in return to the nod from Julius, before a courteous half-bow and an extension of his arm toward the entrance suggested that the prosecutor may enter first. As he did so, the magician wasted no time and placed step after step in advancement himself, entering the catacombs without a word between the both of them. They knew what they were there for and this was no situation for extended small talk outside of their objective; curiosity of Halloween night took precedence. Talking would be done inside the home of the New Paris' deceased while they searched for answers. [break][break]
Almost surprisingly, the scene inside was well-lit, old structures and bones being the decor style of this catacomb - as one would expect of the catacombs in any city. Steady pace allowed Cassian to glance around freely without fear of missing anything important - and also allowed him to scan the area around him for any sign of sudden attack. While he may not have been as cautious around skeletons in the past, Halloween night certainly changed that; now he had come to expect them to provide their own style of danger in certain environments. If it were the work of a being that possessed the magical powers of a necromancer, then surely this would be the hottest spot for their source of power? The method and the culprit were still a mystery; it could have even been the work of Chaos itself for all they knew so far. [break][break]
"Long enough to know it can be like the weather." The magician stated as he walked, slitted eyes inspecting the tombs and stray bones around him, searching for any type of special markings or recognizable items. "Influential, unpredictable and it can appear wherever." Standing still, with one hand coming around from his lower back to now rest at his chin, his other hand stayed behind in its original position, Cassian's head turning side to side as he glanced around.[break][break]
Spotting a book nestled in the corner among a few more, Cassian approached it, bending over to swipe the spine of it in his grasp, standing upright with his pale, white digits spreading open the pages in order to find some insight into whatever this book were. Would it be important? Useless? Revealing? Mystifying? Looking intently down onto the pages, the magician scanned the words to sense the importance of it. [break][break]
"Magic has been in my life for years; performance and real." Cassian idly added as he read the book, a tone of indifference in his voice, perhaps due to his split attention. "Though, my opportunity to explore true magic has not been as limitless as I'd like; although you seem to now know that sorcery is no myth, I feel." He finished with a rather amused voice, flicking another page as he fell back into silence.[break][break]
A few nights had passed since the madness at Palais-Bourbon, the skeletal nightmare which gripped the tower's proximity with a bony fist now but a memory filled with hazardous moments and many shattered bones. Of course, none of those shattered bones belonged to the magician, nor did any of those bones belong to the man he was meeting with, one 'Julius Vesper' as he were called. Technically, the prosecutor did sustain an injury during the undead march, although he more than proved his worth in the conflict and probably wasn't feeling too hindered by the strike he took. After all, the bold prosecutor had the audacity to take it one step further and decide to visit the catacombs. And who else did he request the company of? None other than pale-faced sorcerer accursed with a rhyming tongue. [break][break]
Cassian had to admit that it were a surprise when one of the carnival troupe members approached him a night or two ago, informing him that a message had been passed to the "clown-magician" through a flyer-boy into the circus' group and finally to the man in question himself. The magician still had the prosecutor's business card from Halloween night; his name and his role in this city were known to him now, although the true essence of his magic and how he had came to acquire it still harbored much mystery. And now, this man who once spoke of magic like fantasy, requested his presence in the catacombs - a place of possible danger due to current events with the intention of seeking magical clarity for the ghoulish event that occurred. How times could change![break][break]
With the location and time settled in the message delivered to him, it had seemed that the sorcerer had the choice of simply ignoring such a request or truly turning up to provide support. While Cassian certainly acted on his own impulses and followed whatever path he deemed most interesting...he could not deny that this inquiry into the underground cemetery of sorts would most definitely be a curious matter; especially if they did happen to find out more regarding the recent Halloween events. Or, one step higher, lingering magic below in the depths of the catacombs that had more to tell than either expected. Although, they could turn up and find nothing but closed caskets, frail bones and an abundance of darkness. Either way, Cassian agreed with the message; it deserved exploring.[break][break]
Standing outside one of the entrances into the catacombs, the night sky was a dark blue; a natural light of certain tint filling the atmosphere as the day fought to preserve its light in any way it could. Cassian could be seen in a similar outfit to the one he had met the prosecutor in in both their previous encounters; a mixture of a jester and a magician, clad in white with a stark white complexion all over. Star on one cheek; teardrops upon the other. [break][break]
Without a word or even the sound of his breath, he stood with his back to a wall in a position which allowed him to see all oncoming visitors just in case someone attempted to ambush him in these parts. Hands behind his lower back, the magician simply stood patiently, golden eyes set ahead in the anticipation of Julius' arrival. [break][break]
Across the last couple of minutes or so came the equally magnificent, equally mysterious downfall of the regal skeleton lord, the combined efforts of the magical misfits holding off the maniacal malevolence of the bony boss just long enough for a frightening show of power to arrive and ruthlessly eliminate him once and for all. Through the grueling effort, the power of their magic and all of the close calls in-between, their activity in this moment of madness managed to both limit the destruction of the area and ensure their own survival while indirectly securing the safety of countless others in the process. While it was not the night out anyone had expected, Cassian certainly took a few things away from this night as the bunch of temporary heroes stood around in the aftermath of the Halloween pandemonium. [break][break]
For one, the scope of magical users within New Paris certainly expanded upon this night; Cassian's golden hues had picked up multiple types of magic being projected in the final battle, used with both deadly effect and skilled proficiency. While it could be argued that the body's fight-or-flight mechanic kicked in and allowed them to break past their limits and fight with invigorated sense, the fact could not be ignored; they had magic and they, for the most part, knew how to use it. An interesting development, although it only drew a slightly widened gaze and a curious hum beneath the magician's breath at the most upon witnessing. Perhaps the most surprising being the golden light of some kind that the dark-haired male brought forth; memory recollected the fact that this soul didn't believe in magic. Perhaps he was playing a trick of his own upon the sorcerer at the time? Perhaps this ability came to him at some point in time after? Either way, the scope of magic widened. Even a young woman arrived into the fray with some type of item that allowed her to dispatch skeletons back to useless, old bones with formidable strength; and of course one of the most fierce displays of magical potency came from the raven-haired girl who vanquished countless adversaries with crescent-appearing strikes. She also didn't return his juggling ball when he silently requested it, although he forgave her for the heat of the moment probably made her glance over that moment. She did seem terribly focused before starting an anti-bone rampage at that point in time. [break][break]
As far as the magician could tell from his perceptions, the finishing blow did not come from anyone within their group; a strange development yet one that could not be explored at this time. There were no trace, no responsibility taken and the atmosphere felt heavy with relief and success among the victors, yet also a tone of confusion concerning the blast at the end. Wherever it came from, it annihilated the regal bone-lord and that was that. [break][break] Glancing side to side, Cassian kept a neutral face with his cold gaze scanning around for any last signs of conflict or danger, before assuming that there were no more mayhem to be had. His golden stare lingered on the select individuals that projected magic for a few seconds, taking mental notes inside his blue-haired head, a look that was probably discomforting if anyone caught his pupils honing in on them as he done so. Cassian would remember these ones who demonstrated power. As for the photographer, he certainly charged in at the time like he had magical powers of his own but...never displayed any; he just seemed very headstrong or very impulsive. Maybe both.[break][break]
Saying nothing, the magician slipped his hands behind his lower back, deciding to stick around for a few moments to witness any last order of business in case it were of interest to him - or if he were addressed. Otherwise, he would soon depart without a word and only a nod.[break][break] tl;dr: Too much to cover so went from after boss' defeat cause it's done! Hanging around in the aftermath, looking at the people who used magic and taking mental notes of what he witnessed before just staring off elsewhere and standing there, deciding the right time to walk away. ADMIN [break][break]
A magnificent crackle in the sky of malicious intent boomed vibrantly with a flash, lightning storming down violently upon a location in the near distance, a tone of ghoulish triumph scattering among the dark night above. It had seemed that the night of the dead was not over just yet and a final turn was laying in wait before this horrific occurrence could be pinned down and smothered for good. At the moment the sky lit up in all of its terrifying glory, it sounded as if a voice had announced itself; was that the sound which belonged to the orchestrator of this event? [break][break]
Slowly, Cassian's golden hues rolled up to glance up at the sky, his paper-white expression holding neutrality as his gaze emitted dark curiosity; while this turn of events was dire, it had certainly caught his attention overall. As those around him began to converse and interact, the magician simply scanned the area around, clutching the juggling ball in his hand behind his lower back after a controlled, levitating card subtly retrieved and returned it to his grasp. Unfortunately, his cards - while sharp - were not the type to slice through bone; and while the throwing ball was a gifted projectile when wielded by his own hand, a more versatile approach was needed. As his makeshift group began to take action and make requests of one another, the blue-haired sorcerer bent over to lift a shortsword from the floor. A brief stare came over the pile of bones it once belonged to; it wouldn't be needing it anymore.[break][break]
Holding the shortsword by the hilt, the magician spun it around once, then flipped it upside down only to swivel the handle upright once more, his head cocking to lock onto an exchanged look with the spirited girl in his presence. It had seemed she acknowledged him as someone she - at least for now - could count on in this deepening event of madness. The dark-haired man had taken it upon himself to charge into the fray of fresh skeletons, aiming in the direction of which the lightning struck down, the path of undead acting as some type of indicator that the true end to this Halloween chaos could be found past the bony defenses of the walking corpses. As she began to follow the man he had met before, Cassian turned to face the direction of their new goal, his back to the photographer and the violet-haired female with him. Without so much as looking back, Cassian moved forward.[break][break]
A walk turned into a pace, a pace turned into a jog and then that jog became a quick sprint as the pale magician gathered speed; a red, solid ball in hand behind his back and a sharp shortsword extended out to his side, neither a smile nor a frown upon his face, the only notable feature on his expression being the calm concentration in his eyes. They almost looked lifeless - or at least cold - however his movements were anything but. [break][break] A swift leap caused him to pounce high into the air, jumping over the dark-haired girl and the other male, several meters high into the air due to his magical prowess. It almost had seemed like he was floating for a moment or two, before he came stomping down upon a standing skeleton's head, driving its skull down to the ground and shattering it upon impact, rolling off from the fall only to sweep up and pivot, lashing the sword across the air to cleave a second foe's head from its skeletal shoulders. A quick spin of the wrist let the blade turn, remnants of old bone drifting down from the metal, specs of death littering the floor while Cassian stood firm and upright. An impressive duo of kills came from the girl near to the same time period.[break][break]
A sharp glance to the man saw that some skeletons had noticed their approach and began making their way toward him, although he had ample time to act. Peering in the other direction, the girl had another skeleton hobbling in her path now, bony soles clicking across the concrete; she had launched her sword away and tossed her shield which may have made this oncoming undead to her more of a complication than normal. Cassian whipped his arm out from behind his back, turning and pivoting before hurling the solid, red ball through the air; it swept through the air like a portable rocket before crunching through the side of the skeleton's dome and caving into it as it were a couple of meters from the girl. Of course, he assumed she would have been fine without his interference, although there were no need to take such risks at this moment. The skeleton crumbled down to the ground from the impact, its bones intact except from the smashed skull at the peak of its fallen body, a red ball rolling out from the broken head upon the collapse.[break][break]
Cassian pointed from his position at the red ball upon the floor, then turned his stare at the woman. His hand gestured forward in the pointed motion again at the baseball-sized sphere, before his palm and digits turned into that of an open palm, a small smile on his face.[break][break]
He wanted the ball back.[break][break] tl;dr: Followed the other two into the fray, leaped over them and landed on a skeleton's head, then cut another one's head off. Turned and saw some skeletons coming toward Julius, although he still has time to plan and react. Turned to look at Yvette, saw that a skeleton was closing in after she'd threw her sword and shield - launched the solid ball at that skeleton's head to eliminate it, then gestured for her to throw the ball back to him. Three skeletons eliminated, fifteen left. ADMIN [break][break]
For this spot I'm seeking a female character that is somewhat elegant and intelligent with a strong goal of some kind. She can be part of the circus or not, it doesn't matter too much, and would have had some form of important history with Cassian. She'd be like his "lady" and he her "knight" in a kind of way, where he holds her in high regard and watches over her, ensuring no one hassles her when she is going to suspect areas or partaking in dangerous events. Think a bodyguard/companion style vibe! It would not need to be romantic, more so that Cassian likes to have direction and aids her in her own conquests while he attempts to attain his own goals on the side - this would be because she'd have helped him out greatly in the past or something else equally notable; I do have a rather dark idea for this, so do ask if you are interested! As for her dynamic with Cassian, she'd obviously know from experience about how he is in terms of personality and demeanor since they'd have shared much time together, from his tranquil silences at times to his rather brutal approach to worrisome threats against her/himself. He'd be a lethal protector of sorts, where he wants to see her succeed and would ensure no one attempts to make it otherwise; she can view him as a dear friend/guardian or eventually go down a more romantic route with it after a lot of development. I have no preference for either, so no pressure for your choice! Her moral code does not have to be pure nor does she need to be an angel; so feel free to approach this with a selfish or anti-hero vibe too! PM or discord me to discuss if you're interested!
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[attr="class","church"]THE PERFORMERS
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If you want to be part of the circus like Cassian, then please join! He doesn't run the show or anything and tends to come and go as he desires, so I imagine any character you create can be the same. If anyone would like to become the ringmaster or leader of the circus, by all means, go for it, come up with something to your own liking! Cassian isn't a leader type normally, so whichever direction you want the circus to originate from and go towards, make it your own! As for other performers, you can come up with whatever you want and do whatever you like; please make it a character for yourselves though! I feel bad if people make stuff specifically for me. You'd be surprised at what you can come up with for characters like that and they're a fun route to down in RP when you find a chance. Be it magician, acrobat, animal-tamer, freak-show, daredevil or whatever, I'd love to see what you come up with.
While initial moments may have indicated that the blue-haired photographer was relatively ordinary after he so politely showed concern for the magician's safety, the more this fellow talked the more it came rather clear that he was quite dramatic in his own sense. Cassian showed no response to the excitable reactions his temporary partner in this mess showed, nor did he give much thought to the words and speculation which stumbled from his talkative companion's mouth. If anything, it was quite amusing. After all, Cassian could not exactly complain about someone not being completely ordinary, could he? [break][break]
Leaving the cameraman to indulge in his short but sweet diversion where he gathered himself a lance of sorts after scuffling with a bony foe, what caught his attention more was the sharp sword pointed in his direction by a rather frightened woman. Violet-haired and obviously in distress, she seemed to be accompanying the dark-haired male that Cassian seemed to recognize. While the idea of someone's lover had thrown some expected distraction into the collision of individuals, the magician paid no attention to any of it, simply being in place with his eyes observing the duo opposite him and the bone-lancer.[break][break]
Clown? Frowning slightly, Cassian's blue head tilted back a little in subtle offense to the words spoken by the lady, before moving back into its original position just as brief as the initial movement were. [break][break]
Upon the turn of the man with the baseball bat, the sorcerer's belief that it were the man he once met turned out to be true. Although, perhaps the obstructed view and chaotic nature of the scene at the time made him mistake something or another for magic used by this very same man. After all, he was wielding a baseball bat; if he did utilize a spell of some kind, why would he need the bat? Or did the bat come with the ability? Unsure, Cassian chose not to address it; the idea of magic to the man who didn't seem to believe in it may have been twisted in a different direction after he'd been involved in a horrific show of dark power such as tonight. Skeletons moving at their own whims would be one way to start believing in the mystical, that's for sure. [break][break] Not long after that, the sight of a spirited, raven-haired girl showed up with clear concern for the people the blue-haired duo had come across. They were acquainted in some way or another, be it from before this event or due to this frightful occasion itself. And she was...barefoot? That had to be uncomfortable, golden orbs that were Cassian's eyes merely spectating over the unfolding scene between everyone. Of course, he was very aware of the fact that skeletons - the last in the vicinity as far as their positioning were concerned - still approached from the rear. [break][break]
Before Cassian had decided to welcome their skeletal guests himself, the baseball bat wielding man lunged past in impressive fashion, dispatching one of the bony foes with a well-timed swing, clattering down one of the remaining four. Hands behind his lower back with a glance over his shoulder at the last of the ghouls, Cassian grunted beneath his breath lowly, turning on his heel and thrusting his arm out in a firm throwing motion, launching the red juggling ball in his hand towards the throat of another skeleton. The ball smashed through the bones connecting up to the head, shattering the connection which caused the skull to fly off as the body limply collapsed upon itself.[break][break]
The magician's other hand gracefully came out to skillfully propel a playing card toward the third skeleton, the card dashing through the air and sharply slotting into the forehead of the bony enemy, making its head bounce backward slightly and leaving it stunned from the crisp precision; open to an attack from whoever wished to follow up on this ragtag-group combo. At the same time, a playing card hovered down through the air, levitating through the air before scooping low across the concrete to slip underneath the sturdy juggling ball several meters or so away, floating upward and beginning to deliver the item back to Cassian as he used a version of his magic to retrieve the makeshift weapon. It would go by unnoticed, unless someone notably perceptive looked out for a stray playing card moving around the side of the attacks placed upon the skeletons.[break][break] tl;dr: Took note of the people around him, as well as Yvette's entrance. Threw a juggling ball through one skeleton's neck to defeat it, then threw a playing card against the forehead of another to stun it, leaving it open for someone else to come in and finish it off. Then low-key controlled a different card in his position with magic to make it fly over to the fallen juggling ball, sweep up under it and begin floating it back toward Cassian so he may retrieve it in a moment. ADMIN [break][break]
Black sky beautifully filled the cold scene high above, the remnants of Old Paris lit expertly underneath the street lights in this district known as Louvre, an area not blessed with the dashing, new touch that the rest of Paris had been gifted. It had its charm for certain. It was not the nicest of areas, nor did it harbor an exceptionally classy kind of "old" feel to it...however, it felt honest. It felt true. If felt like the history of real people lingered along the pavements, inside the walls and throughout the buildings; and right now it felt like it were hiding a dark, malicious force that insisted upon the demise of a mysterious magician.[break][break]
Cassian did not commit any crimes during this passing day yet if he were to - for whatever reason - be questioned by authorities regarding the explanation of his current location, it would have not been the most convincing reason, even though it were true. The blue-haired vessel enjoyed taking long walks; enjoying the exploration of a stroll while he contemplated thoughts, magic and other such things. However, the fact that he had no good reason to be the target of any ordinary being did not hold in his favor this time - after all the threat felt...inhuman. And for all the suggestion that a pale, painted man of phlegmatic disposition may have been the true scary sight to randomly bump into through the night, it were the said mage himself who felt evil eyes upon his form.[break][break]
It was a feeling; a feeling that could be wrong. Although, even the darker, venomous side of his existence - his vessel spirit - tingled with the expectancy of violent delight. Could it be, oh, could it be Chaos? Here to extend its figurative hand, wrap its envious digits around its adversary and squeeze until life was no longer sensed? [break][break]
Unknown to him as he strolled calmly down in the direction of the dark street's end, right around the corner on the next road was another man facing a similar feeling; although their predicaments and positions were still hidden knowledge to one another, blocked by a corner and a line of buildings. Hands behind his lower back as he walked, Cassian's golden hues glanced around, not so much as a quiver in his body. Slowly, his hands came out bearing a deck of cards as he started to shuffle them confidently and gracefully in his painted hands, a stark white set of clothes that resembled a combination of a magician and a jester, star painted on one cheek and tear drops upon the other. [break][break]
Neutral expression plastered across his face, the magician neither smiled nor frowned, aloof gaze looking both wary but tranquil. [break][break]
Sat silently as the man's companion showed up, Cassian kept that faint, courteous smile upon his features while golden eyes observed the exchange between the two, understanding that they must have came together. And for whatever reason, they split up - intentional or not - which lead to the very meeting that had just taken place between the inquirer and the mystical one. [break][break]
Abruptly, the dark-haired male was lured away by his friend, Cassian's blue head raising up to nonchalantly watch him fade away back into the carnival. Slowly, his hands came close together, hovering over the cards to fluidly make them sweep together, one on top of the other, arranging them back into a singular deck upon the table without having to physically touch them. Throwing knives? Yes, the man that did that was very good; although Cassian was even better at throwing knives than the circus' specialist. Unexpected, perhaps, although the mage possessed photographic reflexes and a frighteningly competent mind, acquisition of many skills of no issue to his nature. [break][break]
Suddenly, a child in the near distance jumped and yelled to his mother, asking if he could go and speak to the "clown-magician" that was seated alone, a deck of cards atop a smooth, wooden table. Looking at the magician, the woman pointed at her child in polite inquiry as to his availability. With a welcoming, soft nod, Cassian's hand gestured to the table, inviting the two to approach.[break][break]
And just like that, the carnival's night continued. [break][break]
At first, the question did not seem very personal at all. A question revolving around magic at a carnival; a question posed to a man in make-up and unorthodox attire; a question to a man who had just performed a card trick. How personal could something in a situation like this be? Although, the more one thought about it, the more one realized just how personal it could be considered. To ask the essence of what a man's trade is to him - someone who by appearance had dedicated his whole essence to the art. Of course, the natural impulse cursed upon him by his vessel spirit is the true reason as to why Cassian appears and speaks as he does; yet that was most certainly not common knowledge to hand out. The magician thought about denying a response for a moment, however the fellow seemed genuinely interested. Silence lingered for a moment, the blue-haired man raising his head slightly. The possibility of the man not truly understanding his mentality could be strong, however it did not bother Cassian.[break][break]
"Magic is..." Cassian muttered, his golden hues sweeping over the sea of cards across the table, pale fingertips brushing along the tops of the cards, stroking along them in an almost affectionate way and flipping them all over to be face down, until his gaze darkly flickered up to the man across him for a mere moment. "...power." The magician stated, nails tapping against the top of playing cards littered on the surface, randomly and idly mixing them up among one another. "To affect the world around you, be it sweet or sour." He added suggestively; for magic could bring both good and bad. Power gave you the choice to decide what fate you imposed upon others. It were unclear whether or not Cassian referenced the idea of true magic or simple tricks; however he did not expect his temporary conversation partner to understand the real depth of such mystical context. Most of Paris - most of the world even - did not believe real magic to exist after all.[break][break]
Slowly, the hand extended spread into that of an open palm, fingers slightly bent as if they were about to grab something. The hand began to raise above from the table, the cards sitting still as statues on the table. "For I wish to take my magic to its very peak." Cassian informed as a singular card on the table began to quiver atop the playing card bed. Suddenly, the card dashed upward through the air like that of a bullet, the magician catching the card between his index and middle finger, only to slowly raise his wrist and present the face of the card to his spectator without looking at it himself; the king of diamonds. "And become a king of sorcery, so to speak." He finished, slowly letting the playing card release from his grasp to sway down through the air like a descending leaf until it settled upon the rest of them.[break][break]
In the distance, a man of similar age to the one Cassian spoke to moved through the crowd, approaching from behind to the dark-haired male. The new stranger's eyes were upon Cassian's inquirer like he knew him. A friend? An acquaintance? [break][break]
tag: julius vesper [break] notes: we could end this nice little thread in the next post or two? seems like a nice way for julius to leave with curiosity in his mind about the small, final trick/words from cassian? would be a nice moment to reflect upon when they see each other in the event thread. let me know!
Haha yeah, I'm not a fan of random "bump into each other and chat" threads so that works out fine. I like the idea of them both being the target of wanton chaotic danger. I think it can work well because with the both of them being in close proximity to one another at the time, two vessels like that being in the same destination could definitely give a type of energy indication to any chaos agents on the prowl who'd be like "hang on, there's TWO magical beings over this way" which definitely gives them a reason to dig up some trouble for Cassian and Marius. And then once things start kicking off and they find themselves both fighting the same ambush, their interactions will naturally switch on from there.
In terms of Marius, it's definitely an interesting one. I'm not so sure how it'd turn out with both of them together in the same room, especially since Cassian will generally not speak unless he feels he needs to or has motivation to. I think if they met each other randomly without much to go by, they will probably not have much to say to one another and unless some type of scuffle breaks out, they'll both be on their way. If they had to team up with one another for whatever reason, that'd also be a curious sight since it's kind of like fire and ice (personality-wise, that is). With this ice being particularly dark and brutal when pressed and Marius' fire seeming to be rough and formidably skilled in combat too. Whatever they'd be teaming up against would be in serious trouble, that's a given. Cassian's dynamic would probably be quite different to what Marius is used to, so I think whatever situation they meet in could determine the resulting path of the future relationship. What type of work/activities/schemes is Marius currently/planned to be involved in that may give their paths a crossing?
As far as Alec goes, I like what he's about though with the magician being how he is, he probably would pay no mind to him and view him as nothing more than a civilian/spectator. I'm not sure Cassian would go out of his way to change his mind about anything unless it were incredibly important, though if Alec ever doubted the world around him and freaked out over finally accepting the existence of magic...then he may offer the stranger a helping word or two on the subject of the mystical, should he find a reason to ask him.
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