Forsooth, to Slay the Beast! (IC)

[GranspearZX]

"You what me to what?"

Theoretically, he could probably do it. Then again, he could 'theoretically' do a lot of things; in practice, nothing ever turned out quite like it was supposed to for him. At least in other cases, his forays into magical experimentation had only ruined a shirt or something. This was something entirely different, and someone's life literally depended on it. It was readily apparent on Arc's face that he wasn't entirely comfortable with that. Knowing the theory and putting it into practice were two very, VERY different things.

"I can't... I mean, I really can't. Throwing together a ritual for this sort of thing is... tricky." The amount of magical power involved was staggering; just performing the necessary ritual on one person was taxing, but three people, reversing both a mental and physical transformation... it was well beyond his comfort level and skill. He knew he'd never be able to handle the magical backlash that would create, even with Rene's help. And finding help was out of the question, not miles away from civilization--and at least four or five miles away from his car. Part of him wished he'd asked for Equinox's or even Nick's numbers; they'd certainly know how to fix this.

"Wait a second."

Something clicked, and he waited for the beast he was holding to slip into unconsciousness before putting him down with the other two. He shifted back to his human form... and reached into his bag for a pair of silver-rimmed glasses. The oddest thing about them was that they were just rims--they didn't have any lenses. "Thought these might come in handy." He slipped the glasses on and stared at the three intently, moving closer to them and turning one of them over onto its front.

"Holy crap. This looks like... my Beast Rune. A crude, crappy version of it, but the magic's the same. How the hell is that even possible? Mine's not infectious..."

Marcus frowned, both fascinated and a little bit horrified at the prospect. He knew his magic was similar, but not this similar.

[Supercape]

"So, the Beast Rune again?" muttered Rene. "Apparently quite crude, quite crude. These poor souls have been completely overcome by its power, they cannot harness it. Driven mad by it, maybe. "

"I respect your privacy, Monsieur, but perhaps you could tell me more about the Beast Rune? Now would seem an... appropriate time? If there is anything more to be told..."

[GranspearZX]

Even now, Arcturus seemed reluctant. He frowned, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb.

"...okay. The Beast Rune is a very, VERY primal form of lycanthropy. A sort of curse that's passed from person to person. It's not something you cure, it's something you survive. At least, that's the way I read it...

"It's one of those primal forces of the world you can't really explain, through science or magic. I guess the best way to describe it would be... an elemental force, I guess. Only this particular force is that inner beast in everyone. It forces you to really examine yourself and who you are. And if you can't... it throws everything out of balance and usually you'll end up like that."

He motions to the three unconscious werewolves. "Lycanthropy is... an offshoot of that. People have tried to replicate the Beast Rune for centuries, according to my mother's notes. So I guess I shouldn't be too surprised at seeing it first-hand... The one I have? I guess you could call it the 'True' Beast Rune... Far as I know, there can really only be one." He offers the glasses to Rene, so that he can see it for himself. It would give him a good look at Marcus's rune as well--both were disturbingly similar, though Marcus seemed to have an unusual synchronization with his compared to the other two. There was a distinct and rhythmic flow in the magic around Marcus's Beast Rune; the werewolves' seemed erratic and random, spreading throughout the body like... well, a disease.

"This had to have come from somewhere... someone infected these three. I want to know who." He gripped his staff as he started to stand back up, pausing for a moment and lowering his voice. "...did you hear that?"

[Supercape]

"no?" replied Rene.

There was the faintest cracking of twigs, and a far of rumbling of some speech that was beyond Rene's old ears but not those of Marcus.

"Something in the forest? more of the same?" Rene's face hardened, and he drew out his Magic Brush. "Something hunting us, perhaps?"

He started painting in mid-air. It was, as usual hard to say what exactly happened, although Marcus' affinity to the arcane made it more comprehensible to him than most. It was a blur, a wisp, a sensation, an impression.

And then, two perfect copies of Marcus and Rene sat, in silence, in the forest, idly waiting buy, stretching, and looking around.

"Not bad" muttered Rene. "Not my best work but its good enough, and tricky to do, actually. Come, if something hunts us, perhaps this will serve as a decoy. It iz only a painting, so makes no noise, and has no smell, but still..."

[GranspearZX]

"Better than I could manage..." He couldn't actually SEE the illusions until he took off his hastily put together glasses. There really was no telling when that enchantment would fail, but he at least had it if he needed it. He nodded, clearly impressed, but he still kept his voice down.

"...we should move." He glanced in the direction the sound had come from, picking up his staff to move in the opposite direction for somewhere to hide. The thought crossed his mind to climb a tree in his bear form, but he wasn't about to leave Rene by himself...

[Supercape]

Rene nodded in agreement. He wasn't normally built for such frantic physical activity, but he was still in good shape for a venerable man. With a few long strides, he quickly moved to behind the fallen tree, and ticked some bushes and branches over himself to complete the makeshift camouflage.

As an afterthought, he (somewhat reluctantly) whipped off his beret, so only his eyes and white hair popped out. It didn't look too bad - it wouldn't fool anyone making a dedicated search, but there was a huge distraction in obvious sight.

He took a look at his picnic hamper and hoped the wine and pate wouldn't suffer from any collateral damage.

[GranspearZX]

Marcus climbed the tree nearest Rene, more concerned with keeping an eye on him than whatever seemed to be coming their way. He still had his glasses on, but they weren't quite as effective while he was perched on the thick tree branch, ready to jump down at any given moment. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder just what sort of beast was infecting people... It could have just been a freakish coincidence--there were, after all at least three different types of werewolves that he'd heard of.

All he could do for now was watch and wait.

[Supercape]

Rene watched intently, fully expecting another manbeast to come crashing in, possibly the progenitor of the transformation...

He couldn't have been more wrong. He had seem some frankly bizzare situations in over two centuries of life, but this had to be one the strangest.

INto the clearing came a fully armoured medieval knight, in dirty steel full plate mail, shield, and sword, with a helm that covered only half his face. An alert, blue eyed and fanatical gaze shone forth from the steel helmet as the man crashed forth and took only a second to take in the situation.

"Verily, another innocent to be slain! My duty if clear, by the holy powerth that bindeth me!"

With a yell he jumped forward and took a swing at the illusionary Marcus.

"Forsooth! To slay the Beast!"

[GranspearZX]

...are you kidding?!

There were no words for the amount of ridiculousness Marcus was seeing. Then again, he was a practiced and proven cynic; everything was weird in some manner or another. This was an entirely new level of strange, and it definitely caught the young mystic off guard. He might've laughed if the knight hadn't just skewered his illusory double. Of course, that raised even more questions.

Why is he after me anyway? I didn't do anything! Not yet anyway. He paused for a minute in thought, grimacing at the possibility that this misguided knight was after the Beast Rune's current incarnation. That... would be a problem.

I guess you'll just have to kick his butt, now won't you? The Beast Rune buzzed in the back of his mind, its opinion on the matter echoing faintly in his ear. It wasn't exactly an unusual occurrence, especially not lately. Unfortunately, the fact that he and the magic of the rune were so synchronized forced him to admit that it might have a valid point...

Still, he wasn't going to blow his cover. If he was lucky, the knight would just go away...

[Supercape]

The Knight's blade swished through the illusionary Marcus with, predictably, no effect.

"Yegad! What witchraft if this?" exclaimed the armoured warrior. He stopped and gave a few experimental thrusts at the illusion with the same effect.

"A spell of tomfoolery, methinks! To avert me from my quest!"

Whatever was happening, Rene decided staying hidden under the fallen tree was not going to be of much help. He stood up slowly so as not to alarm the Knight.

"I bid ye welcome, Sir, and ask of ye from whence ye has come?"

His olde Englishe was not that good. He dimly recalled reading some Chaucer and Shakespeare years ago in London.

[GranspearZX]

...okay, now that's just uncalled for.

Marcus narrowed his eyes a bit. Sure it was just an illusion, but the repeated stabbing didn't exactly make the knight any more endearing. See? Just jump down there and dropkick this idiot into next week! His right eye twitched a little bit but he remained exactly where he was, trying to will the Beast Rune into shutting up long enough to let him think.

What's there to think about?

We can't just go around beating people up.

And why the hell not?

Marcus bit his bottom lip, gripping his staff more and more tightly in his right hand. He was just a few seconds away from just skull-bashing the knight before any explanation could be had. At least he hadn't touched Rene, but that wasn't certain to last... especially not with the Beast Rune goading him.

[Supercape]

The Armoured Knight turned to Rene and spoke in a confident voice "I am here on a moft noble Quest, venerable peasant..."

"Hold on, my good Sir, I am no peasa..." started Rene, but was cut short.

"To slay the cursed Beast, who has plauged our lands with his tooth and bloody claw for two score moons. It is said..." he whispered in a hushed tone, his eyes darting left and right "that his power comes from dark and evil magic. A rune of the beast!" he waggled his eyebrows.

"I am Sir Thomas Bellowforth, of the Bellowforth Family. A line of noble blood. And I have undertaken to rid our lands of the Beast. My life has been sworn to protect and serve the peasants, from threats both earthly and diabolical..."

Rene couldn't helped but Waggle his eyebrows back. THe man was clearly used to the sound of his own voice, but there was no denying his conviction, and he rather suspected, competence.

[GranspearZX]

"Did you just call me evil?!"

The question came AFTER he leapt out of the tree, magic swirling around his form as he shifted in mid-air. If there was ever a way to push his buttons, that was certainly it, reminding him of exactly why he never mentioned his father in his explanation to Rene about what the Beast Rune was capable of doing to someone who was 'out of balance', as he put it. He dove right on top of the knight, aiming to swat him with a backhand in the face.

[Supercape]

GM

"The Beast! if is come!" yelled Thomas, bringing his Sword and Shield to bear, but all too slowly. Arcturus crashed into him, sending the Knight sprawling. To be fair, he rolled as well as he could after the weight of the beast had landed on him, and ended on his knees in a combat position born from decades of practice, but he was clearly shaking the cobwebs from his head.

"Wha... beast... you... new...?"

[GranspearZX]

"Not so righteous now, huh?!" Arc charged forward, too enraged to think all that clearly. He was more in control than his growling and glowing eyes might have suggested, though, and rather than pounce on top of the knight, he tried to swing his leg outward to kick the sword out of the knight's hand.

[Supercape]

The Knight was no fool, and clearly a veteran. He pulled his sword back, and the kick only met the hard steel of his shield. He shook his head once again, and moved his feet.

Rene did not like the way this was going.

"I am not sure this..." he started, but decided against further talking. He was talking to two men in full battle lust. Instead, he closed his eyes and a subtle impression of slumber drifted towards the armoured warrior. Like a hazy afternoon in a landscape picture. After all, Marcus was his friend, even if he did look full of battle rage right now.

[GranspearZX]

"OW!" Arcturus hopped back on one foot, scowling as he kicked the knight's shield instead. The other words that came out of Arc's fanged muzzle certainly weren't fit for any 16-year old. He lunged at the knight, trying to grab him--mostly to keep that sword from poking him. There was also the impression that he might rip the armor right off the guy; that wasn't entirely out of the question yet.

[Supercape]

GM

Sir Thomas and Arcturus ended up in a dirty brawl. Whilst Sir Thomas was a more experienced fighter, a veteran of many a brawl - and not just fancy swordsmanship, but brawling too, Marcus was heavier and stronger. Limbs and steel entwined and tumbled, but the Bear had the upper hand.

"You won't get the better of me, I have slain four score of your kin and more - you will be no different, you haven't half the skill or strength of the others!" roared Sir Thomas, as he clumsily pummeled Arcturus with the hilt of his sword whilst rolling around in the embrace of the bear.

[Supercape]

Rene's wisp of somnolence curled back to embrace Sir Thomas, even as another impression snarled from Rene's mind through the air like a lazy afternoon and hit him in the head.

He shook his head again.

"Witchcraft! What witchcraft if this? I haf faced worth! and nothing shall impede me in my most valiant quest!" he roared, rattling his armour as he shook.

Rene sighed. For all his talk, the man had the heart of a lion to match.

[GranspearZX]

"Shut up!" Arcturus tried to pin the knight to the ground, bringing his full weight to bear--no pun intended. He wasn't trying to completely crush the guy, though, and made sure to hold back JUST enough not to break anything. He was a surprisingly competent wrestler, though, and in the midst of their struggle he tried to grab the knight's wrist, jarring the sword loose from his grip. "We're gonna have a conversation. And you're gonna listen, or so help me, I'm gonna tear your arms off and beat you with 'em! The fact that I haven't done it yet oughta tell you something."

Not that he would really do such a thing, but the impression that he actually might was very much established. He was very much aware that if he hadn't transformed, the knight just might've actually been a lot more of a handful.

"So let's start with why you're trying to kill a total stranger, huh, Sir Fussybritches? And don't give me that sanctimonious 'valiant quest' nonsense either," he said, shaking a balled up fist at the end of the knight's nose.

[Supercape]

GM

"Sir Thomas" replied the Knight, looking Marcus straight in the eye, and then at his sword several feet away. He edged towards it but soon saw that Marcus was circling to cut him off from his weapon. He cast around for a club or a makeshift weapon...

"I am trying to kill a beast that has ravaged our fair lands for many moons. A beast that shows no mercy, killing womenfolk and children, and lifestock too. A beast that is more than tooth and claw, but forged from sorcery too. And it seems, a beast who has a tounge!"

[GranspearZX]

"You'd think that me not rearranging your face would count as mercy."

Arcturus was no diplomat. He was trying, but that generally didn't mean as much when he was as worked up as he was. He narrowed his eyes, clawed fingers twitching a bit as Thomas edged towards that sword. "I'd lay you out before you got halfway there, tin man."

He could tell the knight wasn't lying. Of course, he could also tell that the knight had never even seen him before, which made the attack on his illusion that much more irritating. He took a deep, calming breath--in his case, it wasn't as effective as it might've been in his human form. Still, he didn't take another swing at Thomas. That was definitely a start.

"So why don't you tell me why you think I'm this 'beast' thing you're after. 'Cause clearly I'm not it. And if you call me evil or accuse me of harmin' women and kids one more time, I'm gonna hang you by your ankles from that tree and leave you to the REAL wild animals."

[Supercape]

Rene closed in, laying a hand on Marcus to refrain the ursine hero from tearing off the head of the Knight. Not that he thought Marcus would - but he had a nagging suspicion about the beast rune, especially at the moment.

"Oui, sir Knight. Perhaps you are mistaken in your quarry?" he added, scrutinising the warrior.

There was a glare in reply, but also doubt in the eyes. "It is true, you are not... quite... what I had expected. But I sense something of the dark arts in you nonetheless, beast. But, I concede, you are not the... quarry... I hunt, now I look at you. No, my quarry is more unnatural than you, from the stories and shadows that hint at its appearance. "

[GranspearZX]

Rene was about all that kept Arcturus from flying off the handle again. Most people wouldn't have even approached him in that state. Still, Arcturus backed off, still giving the knight a notably disapproving glare.

"Arcturus. That's my name. Not 'beast', tinman. ...er. Thomas. Whatever."

It was hard to look non-threatening, and Arc was still irritated. Still, he let Rene do the talking for the moment, eyeballing Sir Thomas the entire time.

[Supercape]

Rene shuffled over to the Knight.

"As you can see, Sir Thomas, I am but a helpless old man, but I may know a thing or two about ze lands around us. Pray tell, from where do you come, and what is the year of our Lord?"

"I come from Merryport-on-sea, from the fair English Isles!" replied the Knight proudly "in the year of our Lord 1320, although it is a queer question to ask!".

Rene nodded. "You have travelled far indeed then. It is a testament to both ze beast and its hunter!" he bowed at the Knight.

He gestured to Marcus "my companion here, is not such a beast as you hunt. Indeed, I suspect we would also be concerned that another beast is roaming our... er.... lands"