Work Assessment

[Maleficent]

Maleficent met Perthmail's cocky grin with a magnanimous smile of her own, her head tipping slightly in greeting, "Why, you are what brings me, Perthmail. May I come in?"

The question was pointless, Perthmail had no choice in the matter of her entering or not. It was merely for the sake appearances. No one would dare deny Maleficent, especially not over such a small request. She swept inside wordlessly with a rustle of her robes and looked about Perthmail's chambers with mild curiosity. A person's space said a lot about them. A careful observer could learn a lot about someone. Were they chaotic? Were they neat and fastidious? Did they have many items about? What was important to them? Yes, some one could learn a lot if they paid attention.

"I have just come here after visiting Thomas," she didn't feel like playing games or beating about the bush, "And now I'm here to speak to you about the matter of his escape. It's an unfortunate event that needs addressing, you see."

Maleficent clasped her hands behind her back and shook her head almost sadly, as if she truly was apologetic for the conversation to come. In a way, she was. Maleficent truly didn't take pleasure in the punishment of her underlings. It wasn't some rush of power, or a sadistic streak of pleasure. No, she was more frustrated that she needed to discipline her minions. She'd much rather that they be competent and serve her well. Punishing her enemies, however, was an entirely different story...

"I blame myself," this was also not entirely untrue, "The chain of failed delegation starts with me. I thought I could trust you with the simple task of keeping track of one foolish boy."

Maleficent clicked her in a soft tutting sound, her head shaking in disappointment of the events, "I've learned my lesson, and now I need to make sure you learn yours, Perthmail. But there's no need to make a grand show of it. We'll keep your little lapse under wraps, hm? Just between you, those involved, and I."

[Perthmail]

Perhaps if he had been in a better mood he would not have taken this as he did. He felt like he was being tutted at like a child and for him, that was something that made his blood boil. Outwardly he looked completely obedient, ready to take whatever she doled out on him. He even seemed to intently listen to every word that Maleficent spoke, but inwardly he felt some ancient dark part of him bubble in anger. Something inside of him that begun to tick with ideas. He had joined this army of his own free will sure, but under the idea that this was to better things not to-

He would not focus on that. This was not the time, nor the place. His arms rested by his sides, icy hues meeting the dark gaze of the fae. "I won't argue what you think, or where you place the blame. I messed up, and I know how I did. I also figured I would not come out of this unscathed, so if you see fit to punish me then do so." Perhaps he was jumping the gun, but some part of him knew it was the truth.

"I'd rather not dally on the technicalities. If you don't mind, ma'am. I know your busy, and I don't want to keep you busy longer than needed." Despite how he felt, he would still give her respect. Best not to get his head ripped off now.

[Maleficent]

"Straight to the point, hmm?" Maleficent nodded approvingly, "I can respect that."

Maleficent raised her hand, palm up, as if offering it to Perthmail. Then she whipped it closed in a tight fist, nails biting into her palm. Green flames burst forth to circle around Perthmail like snakes, whipping at his clothes and hair, but not burning them.

Maleficent spoke deeply, eyes darkening as she did so, "As the embers cling to dying flame, may these cling onto your back. May the burn of this shame remind you of your transgressions. May the proximity to the boy, Thomas, fan these flames higher in his presence. The sun shall rise, and the sun shall fall 3 times before this curse shall lift from your back."

The fires flared over Perthmail's back, finally summoning their heat and searing away at his shirt and then his very flesh. When the flames extinguished they left a dark emerald mark upon his skin, that shifted in iridescent tones in the light. Maleficent examined her work with a critical eye. In this form the burn would be light, perhaps a terrible case of sun burn. Maleficent crooked her finger towards herself, a small beckoning, and the mark glowed a dull red, like heated iron. Here the burn would be fiercer, growing stronger as Thomas grew closer to Perthmail. Maleficent nodded approvingly and the red faded away back to the dull green.

[Perthmail]

Perhaps he had originally been too eager to get this punishment out of the way. That realization had come far too late though. It was not the flames that bothered him, their mystical wonder was something that Perthmail had since time and time before though from different users. It was not that which shook him to his core, it was the pain. Sure, the pain from the mark was intense, it gritting onto the flesh of his back and clung like the tattoo on his arm but it wasn't that made him grimace. His own magical essence resisted against the foreign magic that dared to make it's mark on his skin. It was enraged, angered by this development and resists. The dark magical essence bled out into the visible eye. Quick to start creeping up Perthmail's forearms and turning them stark black.

His nails turned to claws and the blackness of his sclera began to drip out through his veins across the skin of his forehead and cheek. His fist tightened, nails bit into the flesh of his palm as he endured the conflict inside of him. The darkness could easily force the magic out, and he knew it but that would only make things more severe so he had to stay it's violent reaction despite how difficult it was. Heavy breaths left the demon mage as his clawed hand gripped at his shirt, letting Maleficent finish her temporary mark.

Once it settled and the pain dulled into some bearable on her side it was only then that the demon's essence relaxed if only a small degree. He turned to gaze at her, each huff as heavy as the next. It seemed she was satisfied with her work. He shook his head, a low rumbling demonic growl bubbled out of his chest and echoed. As if Perthmail was keeping something much more powerful at bay. "Haven't had a reaction like that in a while." He grumbled, his gaze turned to his pitch black dark forearms an annoyed but also unnerved expression crossing his features. "I think it may be wise if I skip training today until this," He gestured to himself. "subsides."

[Maleficent]

As Perthmail's magic reacted violently to her own, Maleficent's amused and aloof mask dropped. Her attention was immediately grabbed by the demon mage. Maleficent's eyes moved rapidly to take in as much detail as they could. Studying this strange magic, and it's strength. She would have to amend her previous estimations of Perthmail's own strengths. A part of her couldn't help but smile in excitement.

As Perthmail seemed to regain control over himself, so too did Maleficent, returning to her previous casual smiles. Mentally she knocked Perthmail's name up a few notches in her list of interesting people. She'd have to mention this to Crow and see what he would be able to learn about Perthmail's magicks.

"I think that is a fair decision," Maleficent nodded her head imperiously to Perthamail, "Gather your strength. You'll need it in the coming days.

[Perthmail]

While regaining his breath had been easy enough the feeling of his nervous on edge stuck to him like glue. Every spark his essence that pulsed through his body was like lightning strike that burned down to his finger tips. Outwardly he seemed fine, but internally he was struggling with a battle that he thought he had put in the past. This appearance of his made him feel sick to his stomach, memories surfacing of a time too dark for him to want to remember. He could still feel the swaying of the boat underfoot. The sound of the Capitan's voice barking orders at him even as the ship was burning. So many dark memories that he did not what to recollect.

"I think that is a fair decision, gather your strength. You'll need it in the coming days."

Her voice cut through the noise of his internal battle if just for a moment. His gaze kept locked on her before he breathed out sharply. "Understood." Was all that he uttered as she left just a quickly as she had appeared. Once she was gone he found himself on the floor unsure if he had sat down himself or his legs finally refused to support himself anymore. Clawed fingers intertwined in the roots of his hair and dug into his skull. His eyes fell shut as the torrent of the sea bubbled in the back of his skull. He could hear screaming, of the Captain's crew and his own screams and then silence.

He could never forget. He would never forget it.

End Thread