un: Black Prince; text

[blackscales]

The dragon Irenia is no longer under Rathakku's control. Do refrain from shooting her, she's not the most cheerful soul but I don't think we can blame her in this moment.

She cannot linger too long close to the undead lord or she risks him breaking the protections I've given her, but she will offer us what assistance she can.

Comments

un: absterge

[downswing]

Can the creature be trusted?

[blackscales]

Our goals align. We share a common foe, and she has no wish to be subjected to Rathakku's control once more.

[downswing]

Yet was, for months.

[blackscales]

You think she desired to be controlled?

[downswing]

I question her lingering loyalties.

Not only men are capable of subterfuge.

[blackscales]

Watch her as you please. Either time will allow her to prove herself, or your fears will come to pass.

[downswing]

I do not doubt your instincts.

un: slothbaby

[cosplayqueen]

Oh wow did you rescue her??? That's awesome. :) I know everything kind of sucks right now so kudos to you!!

[blackscales]

I find things are rarely... cheerful on this journey, but this is at least one success.

[cosplayqueen]

Heck yeah, it is! Seriously let's be happy about it.

un: yiling laozu

[weifinder]

Thanks for letting everyone know!

[blackscales]

I thought it best one of us mentioned it before someone jumped to the wrong conclusions.

[weifinder]

Better not to have us waste energy, it's true!

un: nah. text.

[growlies]

I'm glad you all managed to free her.

Hope she stays that way for her sake and for ours. She's one helluva powerhouse.

[blackscales]

I cannot block Rathakku's control entirely, but I an weaken it enough. So long as she doesn't test her limits, it should keep her from being overwhelmed. She can fly nearby, but not linger.

Given her considerable size and strength, it is certainly to both our benefits that she stays free.

[growlies]

I must be really fucking cynical, because I thought there was no way in Hell (pun intended) that this would even be possible. Must have been wild to pull off.

Kind of nice to have a win for once though, right?

[blackscales]

I couldn't be certain how... friendly she would be, once free of it, but luckily enough I do have experience with... outside influences controlling a person.

[growlies]

I think generally having that kind of experience is... shitty, shitty thing to have to live with. I obviously have too, but.

Think it was definitely lucky here. You could use it to keep her free.

un: man's greatest treasure

[reparo]

You freed the dragon?

[blackscales]

That is correct.

[ Truly, what did you expect Hermione. ]

[reparo]

Incredible - must feel good after Serthica, not to see one in chains.

[blackscales]

It would be better were she not undead already, and... limited because of that. Her freedom is not as complete as I would like.

[reparo]

Reviving a dead being is not the kind of magic I could recommend - that's how Dark Lords are formed, Wrathion. But it's a feat that she is free of Rathakku's influence, for whatever good it will do us.

At the very least, I hope she stops attacking your tower?

[blackscales]

I wasn't suggesting reviving her, but staying undead is not always... peaceful.

[ So, yes, he did in fact consider if she should just be killed to free her that way. ]

She has refrained from attacking us, even assisted against her former master where she can. I believe Irenia is safest keeping her distance from Rathakku so as not to test the limits of our spells but... so far, everything is holding.

1/2

[reparo]

Ah - so you're suggesting freeing her in the other sense of the word too.

[reparo]

How did you do it? How was she freed of his influence and control?

Private;

[blackscales]

[ This explanation may inspire... additional questions from anyone who remembers the situation (or, even, who just asks for details later) so he's just going to... private this. ]

Do you recall in Kai-Waihu, when you brought me charms to resist the Beastmaster's control?

Private;

[reparo]

[ And he is well within his rights to slap that filter on, which Hermione was leaving at his discretion - and is going to keep on. ]

I do - don't tell me they were the same sort of charms.

Private;

[blackscales]

I studied the concept --

[ Hermione's voice immediately echoes in his mind telling him not to touch them after she went to the effort of fetching them -- ]

-- on some additional pieces I was given at the time. Given the large quantities of spare time I had alone, it felt in my best interest to understand what was protecting me. After some work, I was able to replicate the spell to some degree, something that wouldn't fade and require recharging at a shrine but wasn't quite full proof. It slows the influence, but doesn't block it entirely. Enough to allow the victim time to get away.

Using what I learned there, I tried to replicate it again with Rathakku's magic as the source we wanted to block.

Private; 1/2

[reparo]

[ The response is with a delay, as she's computing all this, but it comes. ]

That's brilliant. Why didn't I think to question the charms further?

Private;

[reparo]

I'm glad you were able to use that time alone for this, for all that you were displeased with being forced to hide.

Private;

[blackscales]

It's something I have experience with.

[ Which bit? Being alone? Trying to reverse engineer mind control magic?

Who knows! A mysterious statement obviously nobody will press him on it's all fine. ]

Private;

[reparo]

Which part?

Private;

[blackscales]

[ Wow, Hermione! You can't just ask someone --

Never mind, you totally can. ]

Most of this, as it happens. Large swathes of my family were taken under the thrall of creature to use in its armies. Some of them brought back after they had already died.

private;

[reparo]

Oh - Wrathion
I'm so sorry.

private;

[blackscales]

[ ... He's not sure anyone has ever said that to him before.

It makes him feel something... complicated.

Which means he should absolutely immediately stop thinking about it! ]

It's all in the past, now.

private;

[reparo]

It doesn't stop it from being a terrible thing to have happened to you. But I know feelings are complicated things to have right now, with everything happening around us so we don't need to linger.

I can just congratulate you on the job with Irenia, if it makes you feel better.

private;

[blackscales]

[ Okay but did you need to call him out while offering to not linger on it? ]

It was a joint effort.

[ Wrathion admitting he didn't do the whole thing alone: surely a sign of desperation. ]

private;

[reparo]

[He's sharing credit? Whoa - it must really have been bad, then. She stares at her talisman for a moment, hesitating about whether or not so send the message that follows. Physical contact has never come hard to her when in the presence of her friends, but offering it in writing is a whole other story. A vulnerable one.]

When we meet in person again, you are getting the world's longest hug.

private;

[blackscales]

[ But how do you know it will be the world's longest... ]

Quite the promise.

private;

[reparo]

Hold me to it.