It took every single drop of willpower for Killian not to maul Damien right in the street. The gall. How could a single person outside of Cromwell be so single minded and irrational that they would threaten and display intent to harm when being approached by college officials? How could a single person be so dense as to claim they mean no harm while simultaneously summoning a storm and crackling with intent to kill? And if not kill, then harm. Was alluding to the leveling of a peaceful city not violent and delusional?
Did Damien even understand what garbage was coming out of his mouth? Did Damien even understand the position he was in? Did he understand how alarming his claims were? Killian was certain that he wasn't. That the parasitic relationship that Belial had was what made Damien respond so poorly to the situation. That had to be it. Reasonable considering these displays.
Killian stared at what he assumed was Belial's face. Directly into the shining orbs behind the bone mask. Belial, though intimidating, was the least reasonable of the two. A spirit elemental with a temper to match. So far, the only experiences Killian had with elementals were amicable. He had little experience, but he knew they were intensely magical beings, purely made of magical force. Not to be taken lightly.
"I do not infer that you are a pet. Again, insulting my intelligence is not going to help you. Are you not a creature? Perhaps more magically based, but a creature nevertheless. Similarly to how I, too, am a creature."
His voice was not inflecting malevolence or even indifference anymore. Though monotone and uninteresting, Killian spoke with respect. No belittling, no condescension, nothing of the sort. He spoke with authority, but not arrogance.
He really did have a difficult job. But he did put his hands down as soon as Damien had done has he requested. Once the weapon was down, proper negotiation could start.
With a minute narrowing of the eyes, he tuned Mangus into the situation. Her mental response was one of surprise, but Killian didn't flinch at the sudden loud voice in his head.
"Oh my," Magnus said. "You've got a bit of a bruiser on your hands. What happened?"
Killian filtered the whole conversation to Magnus, who hummed with concern.
"So that was what the sudden storm was."
"Yes."
"Have you de-escalated?"
"To the best of my ability. He is irrational. I want to get him to the college but he is aggressive and violent with simple questions and has little regard for civilized conversation. He is a danger to the city."
"I can see that. Invite him to the college."
"He'll deny me."
"Do it, anyway. And if he refuses, he can sleep in the streets. I'm sending James to spread the word about the threat to the inns."
"And if he rampages?"
Magnus hummed. "Let me worry about that. But make sure Cromwell doesn't cross their path. I'm interested in the elemental. It's been a long time since I've seen one constructed of spirit magic."
Killian blinked and sighed. Magnus couldn't have been serious right now. She was making him out to look like an idiot and Killian did not appreciate it. She was going to undermine him and prove Damien's point and the idea of being seen as acting in the wrong boiled his blood. But, he would do as he was told. Because of course he would.
No matter how benign Damien thought he was being, he was out of his damn mind, and Killian would personally drive him out of the city if it came down to it. He was not afraid. Damien was more of a threat than anything else, and Killian was not going to just lay down. Not for some arrogant fool who thought he could just walk into a city and do whatever he wanted. Laws were laws, and they had to be followed.
Damien at least appeared civilized. Whether he was a people-person or not.
As soon as Damien's back was turned, Killian sank into the shadows. He'd stalk unseen and unnoticed until Magnus arrived. He'd remain silent and weigh the risks as he continued. And if he had to, he would immediately appear before Jek's desk and make his request, no matter how it looked from a political stance.
Magnus, the poor woman, was not that far away. As soon as Killian had clued her in, she was on guard. Non-intimidating as she usually was, dressed in a silly looking pointed hat and an official looking cloak. She carried a bag with her containing all sorts of magical items for capture just in case Damien wanted to display again. Graham could thank her later for her service.
That, and she would have to have a serious discussion about a more informed and magical police force when she could. Something a little more immediate than Master Tinks's fanatic ramblings. Though she did have to admit that it was pretty spot on for the elf. Usually his ramblings were a result of not talking to anyone for weeks on end.
Killian led her to Damien and Belial, but she kept her distance. She didn't really stand out. And she was a much more stealthy stalker. She did like to window shop sometimes after all. And James was a fast courier. In the few places she had passed, there were signs of her distributed runes. Wards against all elemental magics. Low level, but it would buy enough time for more assertive action if Damien did go on a rampage.
He would find no hospitality in any of the inns. Magnus was an efficient worker and had already received permission from Graham to give this order despite some of the innkeepers feeling a bit on edge. The description of the person in question was unmistakable and they worried that refusal would result in lost property or worse.
Killian remained hidden, following Damien like a shadow, though not so close as to actually be in Damien's shadow.
"Magnus," Killian whispered. "Do you have experience with spirit elementals?"
"Not as much as I would like."
"What are you planning?"
"Conversation."
"Are you going to make me look like a fool for doing my job?"
"I wouldn't dream of it, Killian. You did not overstep any boundaries. He's irrational. But I deal with Cromwell a lot more than you. I can reason with the unreasonable to a certain extent. If that doesn't work, we can try to contain them at the college. And if THAT doesn't work, then we drive them out. Fair?"
"I want to gather a sample of the spirit elemental," Killian replied lowly. "I want to study the properties. Especially because something like this doesn't happen that often."
"And you want to make a ward to repel them."
"That too," Killian admitted. "But not just that."
Magnus finally caught up with the two of them. Oh, stunning. She'd never seen anything quite like that. Poor elf looked tired as all hell. No wonder. He was probably cranky. Unacceptably cranky, but at least she knew how to approach. Killian made a divisive sound in her head and she did her best to pap him on the nose mentally.
It was negotiation time.
"Excuse me! Damien?" Magnus asked. "And Belial, yes? Do you mind if I interrupt for a moment? I've heard that my Deputy has been giving you a bit of trouble. Can we talk? I promise not to take up too much of your time, you look exhausted."
Another divisive sound in the back of her mind, but she closed the connection with Killian, and the sphinx remained in the shadows, passing into Magnus's without a second thought. Typical that she would start like this. How annoying.
Did Damien even understand what garbage was coming out of his mouth? Did Damien even understand the position he was in? Did he understand how alarming his claims were? Killian was certain that he wasn't. That the parasitic relationship that Belial had was what made Damien respond so poorly to the situation. That had to be it. Reasonable considering these displays.
Killian stared at what he assumed was Belial's face. Directly into the shining orbs behind the bone mask. Belial, though intimidating, was the least reasonable of the two. A spirit elemental with a temper to match. So far, the only experiences Killian had with elementals were amicable. He had little experience, but he knew they were intensely magical beings, purely made of magical force. Not to be taken lightly.
"I do not infer that you are a pet. Again, insulting my intelligence is not going to help you. Are you not a creature? Perhaps more magically based, but a creature nevertheless. Similarly to how I, too, am a creature."
His voice was not inflecting malevolence or even indifference anymore. Though monotone and uninteresting, Killian spoke with respect. No belittling, no condescension, nothing of the sort. He spoke with authority, but not arrogance.
He really did have a difficult job. But he did put his hands down as soon as Damien had done has he requested. Once the weapon was down, proper negotiation could start.
With a minute narrowing of the eyes, he tuned Mangus into the situation. Her mental response was one of surprise, but Killian didn't flinch at the sudden loud voice in his head.
"Oh my," Magnus said. "You've got a bit of a bruiser on your hands. What happened?"
Killian filtered the whole conversation to Magnus, who hummed with concern.
"So that was what the sudden storm was."
"Yes."
"Have you de-escalated?"
"To the best of my ability. He is irrational. I want to get him to the college but he is aggressive and violent with simple questions and has little regard for civilized conversation. He is a danger to the city."
"I can see that. Invite him to the college."
"He'll deny me."
"Do it, anyway. And if he refuses, he can sleep in the streets. I'm sending James to spread the word about the threat to the inns."
"And if he rampages?"
Magnus hummed. "Let me worry about that. But make sure Cromwell doesn't cross their path. I'm interested in the elemental. It's been a long time since I've seen one constructed of spirit magic."
Killian blinked and sighed. Magnus couldn't have been serious right now. She was making him out to look like an idiot and Killian did not appreciate it. She was going to undermine him and prove Damien's point and the idea of being seen as acting in the wrong boiled his blood. But, he would do as he was told. Because of course he would.
No matter how benign Damien thought he was being, he was out of his damn mind, and Killian would personally drive him out of the city if it came down to it. He was not afraid. Damien was more of a threat than anything else, and Killian was not going to just lay down. Not for some arrogant fool who thought he could just walk into a city and do whatever he wanted. Laws were laws, and they had to be followed.
Damien at least appeared civilized. Whether he was a people-person or not.
As soon as Damien's back was turned, Killian sank into the shadows. He'd stalk unseen and unnoticed until Magnus arrived. He'd remain silent and weigh the risks as he continued. And if he had to, he would immediately appear before Jek's desk and make his request, no matter how it looked from a political stance.
Magnus, the poor woman, was not that far away. As soon as Killian had clued her in, she was on guard. Non-intimidating as she usually was, dressed in a silly looking pointed hat and an official looking cloak. She carried a bag with her containing all sorts of magical items for capture just in case Damien wanted to display again. Graham could thank her later for her service.
That, and she would have to have a serious discussion about a more informed and magical police force when she could. Something a little more immediate than Master Tinks's fanatic ramblings. Though she did have to admit that it was pretty spot on for the elf. Usually his ramblings were a result of not talking to anyone for weeks on end.
Killian led her to Damien and Belial, but she kept her distance. She didn't really stand out. And she was a much more stealthy stalker. She did like to window shop sometimes after all. And James was a fast courier. In the few places she had passed, there were signs of her distributed runes. Wards against all elemental magics. Low level, but it would buy enough time for more assertive action if Damien did go on a rampage.
He would find no hospitality in any of the inns. Magnus was an efficient worker and had already received permission from Graham to give this order despite some of the innkeepers feeling a bit on edge. The description of the person in question was unmistakable and they worried that refusal would result in lost property or worse.
Killian remained hidden, following Damien like a shadow, though not so close as to actually be in Damien's shadow.
"Magnus," Killian whispered. "Do you have experience with spirit elementals?"
"Not as much as I would like."
"What are you planning?"
"Conversation."
"Are you going to make me look like a fool for doing my job?"
"I wouldn't dream of it, Killian. You did not overstep any boundaries. He's irrational. But I deal with Cromwell a lot more than you. I can reason with the unreasonable to a certain extent. If that doesn't work, we can try to contain them at the college. And if THAT doesn't work, then we drive them out. Fair?"
"I want to gather a sample of the spirit elemental," Killian replied lowly. "I want to study the properties. Especially because something like this doesn't happen that often."
"And you want to make a ward to repel them."
"That too," Killian admitted. "But not just that."
Magnus finally caught up with the two of them. Oh, stunning. She'd never seen anything quite like that. Poor elf looked tired as all hell. No wonder. He was probably cranky. Unacceptably cranky, but at least she knew how to approach. Killian made a divisive sound in her head and she did her best to pap him on the nose mentally.
It was negotiation time.
"Excuse me! Damien?" Magnus asked. "And Belial, yes? Do you mind if I interrupt for a moment? I've heard that my Deputy has been giving you a bit of trouble. Can we talk? I promise not to take up too much of your time, you look exhausted."
Another divisive sound in the back of her mind, but she closed the connection with Killian, and the sphinx remained in the shadows, passing into Magnus's without a second thought. Typical that she would start like this. How annoying.
