pullmeoutalive | RO > call me out; a forever open RP post, version 2

[ He leads the way out of the shop, heading towards the store. ]

May I ask what you've been writing about, or would that ruin the surprise?

It's a detective novel, but that's all I'm saying. I'd hate to spoil you.

[ He huffs out a laugh, arching an eyebrow. ]

I've always found the personality of the detective more compelling than the crime, in any case. Jaded and cynical? Pithy and clever? Is he man who's seen too much, or a man who who has no clue into what sort of trouble he's gotten himself?

For me, a story is only as good as its villain. [ Self-aware? Warren? Nah.

As they walk, one end of the strap of "Lucas'" laptop bag suddenly snaps off- a quick little spell on Warren's part- and he swears, barely managing to catch the laptop as it swings free. He moves off of the sidewalk and into the doorway of an old building (a FOR LEASE sign displayed prominently in the window). He holds out his coffee cup to Dorian ] Hold this a second, would you?

[ He takes the cup, moving to join him. ]

Bit of bad luck. Anything broken?

Laptop's fine, I think.

[ He fishes around in his bag for a second, under the guise of double-checking, then several things happen in quick succession:

First, the door to the building swings suddenly inward, revealing an expanse of pitch blackness. It is, in fact, a portal like the ones Charlie uses, leading to somewhere very, very dark.

Next, Warren abandons the laptop altogether. The Destroyer activates his Enhancements, plants a hand in Dorian's back and shoves him through the portal with more force than is probably strictly necessary.

A scant second later, the portal vanishes, leaving Dorian alone in the dark. Warren shuts the door, tucks his bag under his arm, and meanders off, calm as you please, to his own portal that he's set up some ways away.

In the meantime, Dorian will find himself in a small prison cell in the dark. It's cold, and there's nothing in the cell by way of furniture. Calling for his magic will get him only the barest of a flicker- whatever it is that the shifters use in their handcuffs seems to be built into the bars. There is no cell phone reception.

It's about fifteen minutes before the lights flicker on, revealing a large, plain room. Bare cement walls and bare cement floors. A couple of chairs and a small table sit just outside the cell, and beyond that, a flight of stairs.

Warren makes his way down. Any hint of friendliness is gone from his face, and he doesn't seem especially concerned when he asks, ] Comfortable?

[ Of course, is what he thinks in those spare moments. Of course this would happen.

Dorian detests the cold, detests being held prisoner even more. Bad enough it's happened once in his life -- his father's estate, kept under lock and key and guard in what used to be his own home. But at least in Minrathous, he had such basic things as light.

But what he hates above all is being cut off from his magic. That, too, was a familiar feeling, as though his connection to the Fade had been walled off, leaving only the barest crack. That alone was enough to nearly drive him to panic, when he tried to summon flame and could only call forth enough to light a match, when summoning electricity could only bring forth a spark.

He swallows down the panic bubbling in his throat, takes some solace in the fact that he is not dead, when he could have just as easily been shoved into a pit of spikes as he was a portal. When he realizes escape is not in the cards, Dorian navigates himself to a wall, slides down to the floor, and waits.

By the time Warren finally arrives (fifteen minutes feels almost an eternity to him), Dorian is still on the floor, though the mask he wears now is one of boredom. And to Dorian's credit, he only blinks and squints a little when the lights come on, revealing the room beyond. ]

A bit of a draught, actually. You should see to it.

Do you know-- [ and his tone matches his expression -- dry, unimpressed. ] --you could have simply asked if you wanted my company?

I would have, but you and I both know that wouldn’t have worked, considering the way you and the Maxwell wizard carry on.

[ Dorian bristles at that, both hands clenching into fists. ]

And what, exactly, do you mean by that?

All I mean is it would have saved me the trouble of shoving you into my basement.

[ he moves to sit in one of the chairs, leaning back to look Dorian over ] You know you've caused quite the stir in our little community.

Have I?

[ He asks it flatly, disinterested. ]

Is it the good looks? The caliber of my intelligence? A level of excellence never before seen or met, I must imagine.

Ah. So it's going to be like that.

Maybe you are intelligent, but you're definitely not subtle. Heating up your coffee in the middle of a crowded cafe with just a wave of you hand? Come on now.

Most other wizards dismiss the stories about you as just that- stories, but I know by now not to disregard anyone Jacob Randall keeps around. One way or another, I'm going to find out what makes you tick.

[ ... Ah. ]

Are there stories, now? [ Wryly. Humor to mask that plummeting sensation of dread. ]

I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about. I'm remarkable, surely, but not in the way you seem to expect.

If that turns out to be the case, then I'll just kill you and be done with it. No great loss to me one way or another.

[ He lets out a quick, barked out laugh. ]

"Be special or die," is that it? And I thought my parents had unrealistic expectations. That's a great deal of pressure to put on one person, don't you think?

Are you nervous? I guess you must be, since this bravado was nowhere to be found when we spoke earlier.

[ Warren raises a hand and etches out a mark in the air with his magic, black lines flowing from his fingertips. When he's done, whatever is blocking Dorian's magic vanishes. ]

Go ahead. Show me how special or not special you are.

[ And just like that, his connection to the Fade reestablishes itself, snaps back into place like the string of a bow once pulled taut -- and for a moment, he nearly heeds Warren's instruction, nearly coats himself in ice and flame and hurls himself bodily at the wizard.

The bars blocking his way, however, pose a problem.

So instead he waves a hand dismissively, head tilting to one side. ]

Say I did happen to show you something remarkable, my dear Lucas, what then? Do I stay here like your little pet? A puppet to your whims?

"Dorian, be a darling and do that thing again, would you? You know how it entertains me."

[ Warren doesn't bother to correct Dorian on his name- better that he doesn't know for the moment anyway. ]

Nothing so trivial. I either figure out how to use you abilities myself, or I figure out how to make you use them for me.

[ He makes a scoffing noise. ]

And how would you expect to do that? Ask nicely? Ply me with sweets and pastries?

Just so you're aware, you're off to a terrible start. You've quite a hole out of which to dig yourself.

[ Warren simply scoffs. He’s content being underestimated- it usually works out in his favor.

Once more, the wizard raises a hand to cast. This time his motions are quick and angry and well-practiced, and a wave of force slams into Dorian like an oncoming car.

He’ll have to fight back eventually. ]

[ a pained gasp escapes him, and his head rocks back against the cell's wall.

Well. That had hurt..

It's not the most painful thing he's experienced, however, and if that's the best the wizard can muster, Dorian thinks he could take it. He can hold out against this for a while. If he reveals his magic, he's not sure what consequences he might face. The man before him is mad enough to do something remarkably stupid, he knows at least that much, but the specifics elude Dorian. Better to keep his magic to himself for now.

And surely-- surely Charlie must be suspicious by now, yes? Worried something had happened when he doesn't arrive at the store. It's a blind hope, considering he could literally be anywhere in the world, but he clings to it as surely as a drowning man would a length of rope. ]

I don't know what you want from me. [ Whenever he manages a breath again, he grits the words out between clenched teeth. His arms are wrapped around his middle protectively. ] I've already told you -- I'm not capable of whatever it is you think I am.

We’ll see about that.

[ He does it again, harder this time, sending Dorian back into the wall. He doesn’t want to resort to breaking bones just yet. ]

Stop.

[ gasped out. sharp. Arms tightening around himself as if that could ward off the ache. ]

I'm telling you, I'm not-- I can't do what you want me to.

[ A shrug. ]

Then you die.

[ Into the wall one more time? Yup. ]

Do you know where we are? We’re half a world away from Colorado. No one’s going to come for you. You want out? Fight back.

[ His head cracks against the wall that time -- not hard enough for any lasting damage, but for a moment, he sees stars. His breath leaves him in a rush, and it takes a few seconds for him to regain it. ]

Fight back? [ said between breaths, and his lips curl in a small, sardonic smile. ] And put a stop to your prattling? It's been so long since I've been properly threatened. I'd hate to interrupt.

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