Mountainous Estate

'So you're content to sit here? What about when you're finally out, and all of your human friends have rotted? There won't be anything left for you, from your mortal life anyway. You'll just have your brother, now and forever. Everyone else will die. You'll have little to live for.'

He tapped his knee, thinking.

'I don't want to help you and brother, and i'd love to say i'm here for the greater good, or whatever, but i'm not. You being here is not productive in any sense, it wastes your time, and Crouch's. Not all of us are immortal.'

Lukas knew if she didn't want to be freed, he would just leave her be. Personally he couldn't imagine being imprisoned, it was why he'd defected from most of his kind. He lived for freedom.

'I already have little to live for.'

'Then why are you fighting so hard against your brother? If he's the little you have, why throw that away?'

'Because I am not like him! And I cannot be like him." I sigh. "You will never understand, Lukas."

He tapped his fingers on his sides again, considering. 'What if you could be like him, for a while?'

'I don't want to be a monster'

'The effect would be temporary.' He pointed out, murmuring. 'You say I don't understand, but you aren't even willing to understand your brother. You both see the other person as the monster.'

'I do understand him. He hates everyone and everything. '

'If you really believed that, you would've given up on him a long time ago. Why would you try to appeal to someone if you think they hate everything? There are things he clearly doesn't hate.' He pointed out flatly.

Crouch sat up in his chair, his intrigue being piqued by the last statement. Could he actually do that?

Crouch knew it was foolish to underestimate Lukas's power but even he didn't imagine Lukas had that sort of capacity.

'I don't give up on him bbecause I can't! He's my brother, and I live him. Even like this.'

'Then why not give this a shot? Personality switches, for a day or two... illusion magic is my specialty, after all.' He answered with a thin smile, wondering what her decision would be.

'You have nothing to lose.'

At last it was time for Crouch to intervene.

"Wait just a moment. A day is more than enough time to derail my ambitions if I were to have her personality!"

I raise my head. If crouch didn't want to do it...'ffine.' I say. 'DDo it'

'If you had each other's personalities, you would lose nothing, for she would hold your ambitions, your desires, and you would have hers.'

'However..' He paused, considering. 'You have other people - proxies - which could cover your force for the day. What about the white haired girl?' He didn't want to mention Donia's name in front of River.

'I need blood from both of you.' He bared his teeth in a cruel smile, revealing his canines. 'Who's first?'

There was a certain logic to that, and having her personality could give Crouch greater insights to how to break his sister into his greatest accomplice.

Not to mention the prospect did tickle his fancy.

"I suppose I'll be the gentleman..." He held out his hand, "Just ensure that I'm locked up before you do."

'Oh, you must misunderstand me.' He clarified. 'You would only switch personalities, not bodies. You would still be Crouch, but more as if... your circumstances had been different. An alternative you: one that's exactly like River.'

He used his fingernail to slice the vampire's wrist swiftly, drawing only a couple of beads of blood before he let the wound reseal itself. He brought his fingers to his lips, nose crinkling at the taste.

immortal blood has no life to it. Gross.

But he needed the essence of a person to commit an act like this. The moral implications of this were severe, but luckily for Lukas, nogitsune weren't whipped into following kitsune values.

I hold out my own arm, ignoring the part of my brain that was saynig this was a bad idea

He repeated his motions, bringing his fingertips back to his lips. The sacrifices had been made and a person had been thrown into a volcano, and all Lukas needed to do now is transfer their essences into the other person.

'Oh yeah, gonna need you to hold hands.' He remembered as he sat himself cross legged on the floor, shutting his eyes and beginning to meditate. 

'Here's what'll happen. Through physical contact, you'll both start to feel weightless, empty even. Then the other person's personality will settle in, like you've been re-burdened with everything you've learned. Keep hold of each other whilst this is happening, or the effects might be... permanent.'

His whole body began to tremor as he channeled his power, calling on ancient magic which he had never summoned before now. This would be greatly taxing for him, but since the illusion was temporary, it wouldn't immobilize him.

'Am I aloud out of this cell first?'

OOC Oh please, pushing someone in a volcano is so last year! Snake pits are all the rage nowadays!  

IC

Crouch thought it out. If River was out of the cell, she could cause great catastrophe on his behalf and ruin her own reputation. But since it wasn't permanent, it would also mean losing his chances at converting her fully.

But then again, the insights into her he would gain could facilitate the process of doing so in the long run. It was a risk, but the payoff would be considerable if he was successful.

"Lukas, could you open River's cell when she's converted?"

ooc Lukas, always behind on the times

ic 'Not a problem. You might want to start physical contact now, i'm gonna start the spell.' 

Breathing in deeply, he felt his power settle in his stomach, beginning to grow. Long, fiery tendrils of his magic began to reach towards them both, looking for their targets. His whole being seemed to radiate with his energy.

I hold out my hand to Crouch, not taking my eyes of Lukas

He reached out and held onto his sister's hand, feeling an odd sensation in him. Fright over what he would see, but also excitement.

His magic surged forward, blistering heat encompassing the trio. Although unaffected by this, he briefly wondered if the pair of siblings would feel uncomfortable by the overwhelming energy. Air heavy with magic, he waited for his spell to take hold of them. 


'any minute now..'