|
|
Post by Maleficent on Feb 7, 2011 16:11:46 GMT -5
Maleficent arched an eyebrow as she adjusted the new clothing she had adopted to blend in to this strange new world. She had to admit, she missed the long cloak and cowl that she normally wore, but at least now she could move around without having a person walking on her cloak. Still...She eyed the business suit that she currently wore with distaste.
How mortals could stand to be dressed like this, she had no idea. If she could, Maleficent would wander around in her usual clothing, but that was not possible. Adjusting her hair, which was starting to come loose from the tight bun she had pinned it up in, she continued walking, her shoes clicking on the cement.
The one thing she had to admit was that mortals had managed quite well without magic of their own. Thinking of that, she tightened her grip on the cane that she had transfigured her staff into. She didn't care about the looks that carrying a cane around got her, there was no way that Maleficent was going to leave her staff behind. While mortals had managed without magic, Maleficent could not. She did not trust mortals enough to leave her only protection behind.
She paused a little as she sensed a new source of magic. mortal magic. Arching an eyebrow, she turned towards the source and stood debating if she should investigate.
|
|
|
|
Post by Maxim Horvath on Feb 7, 2011 16:38:30 GMT -5
The source of that mortal magic was the powerful sorcerer Maxim Horvath, leaving the apartment building that he had made his home in. As always, Horvath was dressed impeccably- and expensively, in a black suit and white shirt with creases so crisp one could almost use them as razors. In one hand he carried an ebony cane topped with silver, a blue gemstone set into its handle.
Years of practice had given him a knack for noticing when people were watching him, so Horvath was perfectly aware that he had an observer. His dark eyes flicked across the crowds of people, and in a moment he picked out the source- a tall woman with a faintly greenish cast to her pale skin. He arched an eyebrow at her. There was magic around her...
|
|
|
|
Post by Maleficent on Feb 7, 2011 16:42:52 GMT -5
Ah...so this was the source of the mortal magic. Arching a black eyebrow, she bowed her head slightly with a slight smirk. He radiated power, and age. Much older than normal mortals, but that could easily be due to the magic. She'd seen sorcerers grow to be quite old, after all. With both her hands resting on the faintly-glowing green orb on top of her cane, she continued examining Horvath.
"Good day," she greeted. "And whom do I have the honor of addressing."
|
|
|
|
Post by Maxim Horvath on Feb 7, 2011 16:54:26 GMT -5
Horvath's own face remained impassive. Until he learned more about this woman he wasn't going to react and give her potential leverage.
"Maxim Horvath," he replied coolly. He resettled his hand on the knob of his cane to cover the blue gem. "You?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Maleficent on Feb 7, 2011 17:04:23 GMT -5
Smirking every so slightly, Maleficent lifted her cane so that he could see the glowing orb at its top and bowed mockingly. Ah, how she did enjoy having these moments of being able to toy with mortals. Not nearly as satisfying as fighting or killing the more arrogant among them, but still very amusing.
"Why...Surely you have heard of me. I am Maleficent, the Mistress of all Evil."
If he had not heard of her, then more's the pity. But it would not be surprising. She had tried to keep a low profile for the last century or so, to prevent more of her kind finding her.
|
|
|
|
Post by Maxim Horvath on Feb 7, 2011 17:12:22 GMT -5
Maleficent. Oh yes, he'd heard of her, a lesser Faerie who'd been one for causing mischief back in the late Middle Ages. She'd been put down by a mortal prince aided by a trio of nature Faeries. Just another trumped up villainess with an overly inflated opinion of herself, though in fairness, she packed enough of a magical punch to be a serious problem for your average mortal sorcerer.
Maxim Horvath was no average mortal sorcerer. He was the student of Merlin and Morgana, after all, with thirteen centuries of experience under his belt. There were only four people he'd come off second-best to- Balthazar Blake, Merlin, Morgana le Fey, and Robin Goodfellow, the Puck herself. While Dave and Anna Stutler might outclass him in raw power, his experience meant that he could still smack them around as needed. Hell, he'd even managed to give Goodfellow a pause. Maleficent was nowhere the Puck's equal.
So he felt quite confident in doing what he proceeded to do.
He looked at Maleficent, raised an eyebrow, and hid a yawn.
"Is that all? Very well. Good day."
|
|
|
|
Post by Maleficent on Feb 7, 2011 17:17:18 GMT -5
Maleficent felt raw anger coursing through her. He dared to speak to her in such a manner? Her fingers tightened their hold on her cane, which began lengthening into a full staff. She could not transform into her dragon shape here, but were they anywhere else, she would have certainly done so. Gritting her teeth in fury, she arched an eyebrow, attempting to remain seemingly calm.
"You must have a very high opinion of yourself to think that you may simply walk away after such a grave insult," she said, keeping her voice as steady as possible, though there was a mild tremor of anger.
|
|
|
|
Post by Maxim Horvath on Feb 7, 2011 17:22:11 GMT -5
Horvath turned slightly as if to leave, tightening his grip on his cane in preparation for throwing up a shield if Maleficent decided to attack. His face bore no expression apart from the faintest of smirks. Silly faerie.
"Not so much a high opinion of myself as a low opinion of you, my dear Maleficent," he replied mildly. He opened up his magical senses fully in anticipation of a magical strike. Flippant he might be, willing to go unprotected he was not.
|
|
|
|
Post by Maleficent on Feb 7, 2011 17:27:51 GMT -5
He certainly had courage. Maleficent had to give him that much. Still, this insult could not be forgiven or forgotten. Not that simply. With her face set into a condescending smile, she laughed coldly and took a step closer to him.
"How quaint," she purred. "I hide away for one hundred years, and already your sorcerers are getting far too conceited. It seems that I will have to change that in the near future, does it not?"
Hot anger still pumped through her, but she was not about to let that show. If anything, her experience with Philip and the three good fairies had taught her to not always be the one to strike first. Still, old habits would die hard.
|
|
|
|
Post by Maxim Horvath on Feb 7, 2011 17:36:06 GMT -5
He flapped his free hand lazily. Faeries. Half of them were all posture and no substance. Rather like some sorcerers he had once known. He'd killed them, of course.
Horvath started walking down the street, away from Maleficent. "Yes, I suppose you shall. Good luck with that."
|
|
|
|
Post by Maleficent on Feb 7, 2011 17:41:46 GMT -5
A bold move. Maleficent hated it when she was thanked for her insults. They were calculated to sting and make the recipients angry. With this mortal, they just seemed to roll off of him like water off a duck's back. It was infuriating, demeaning, and also a little intriguing. Oh, she didn't find him attractive. No mortal man was up to her standards, after all, but he did have the potential to be amusing. Rather like her dear raven, who had suffered too much damage after being turned to stone for Maleficent to keep him with her.
She missed her pet. This man had the same potential to become such to her, if he was not careful.
"You find me amusing, do you?" she demanded, her voice still polite but icy cold and filled with warning.
|
|
|
|
Post by Maxim Horvath on Feb 7, 2011 17:48:14 GMT -5
Horvath turned to glance at the faerie woman, smirking broadly. "Oh, quite," he replied. "Because you, my dear Maleficent, are nothing. You were defeated by three little nature sprites and a mortal boy. I was trained by Merlin and Morgana le Fey. I have faced down the Puck herself, Oberon's own changeling. Compared to them, you are a joke."
|
|
|
|
Post by Maleficent on Feb 7, 2011 17:52:16 GMT -5
Maleficent had to laugh at this. Throwing her head back with a cackle, she clutched at her stomach. Oh...the things these mortals said! Smirking at the man before her, Maleficent allowed her staff to shrink to its cane form with a sneer.
"Ah...but clearly, I am not defeated. I am still very much alive, after all, am I not?" She reached forward and lightly trailed a cold finger over the lapel of his jacket. "I am much stronger than you think. Not even the Puck has managed to force my return to the courts of Oberon."
|
|
|
|
Post by Maxim Horvath on Feb 7, 2011 17:58:33 GMT -5
He smirked back in her face. "You know why?" he asked. "Because you're very low on their list of their priorities to bother with. They have more important matters to pay attention to."
Horvath didn't so much as twitch at her icy touch or in the face of her laughter. In truth, he was rather enjoying the banter. What was the point in bantering with someone who genuinely was no threat? Maleficent at least had a few teeth to back up her taunts. Not enough to be really dangerous to him, but a few.
|
|
|
|
Post by Maleficent on Feb 7, 2011 18:05:41 GMT -5
"Now there you are mistaken," she said with a slight sneer. "They have tried before, but I have eluded those self-righteous fools."
And she had. Oh, all the times when the other fae would try to "welcome her back into the fold" or whatever rubbish they were spouting at that point in time...they never succeeded. She was never satisfied in the courts of the fae; not after the taste of freedom she had while mistress of the Forbidden Mountain. No...she would never go back to that pompous court.
"Now...what am I to do with you?" she continued musing, her fingers resting on his shoulder.
|
|
