The fog of Darkmoon Island was thick, casting Javinth's shop and the walkways into dreary shadows of faded reality. The normal theme of creeping gloom put on for atmosphere was all too true that day. Potential customers shied in and out of the fog, footsteps echoing against buildings he couldn't see. Noises came from all around he couldn't pinpoint.
In anyone else it may have made them anxious, paranoid, wondering about every new figure silhouette he glimpsed flickering through the air.
For Javinth however, he could only think, 'Someone is certainly feeling overdramatic. I can't remember the last time someone put in so much effort to be so unimpressive.'
'Patience,' Zof laughed, soft in his head and oddly pleased. 'Our visitor is putting on a show. Let them have their fun.'
Javinth rolled his eyes and turned a page, sketching out an idle idea for a new idea while Harbinger floated around his stall, poking at his inks questioningly. "Don't knock those over, 'Binger."
The multi tentacled, highly magical mind stealing void being from beneath the waves swiveled around and did its very best to look sheepish, tentacles tying around themselves as if to say, 'No, I wasn't touching anything, really!' which Javinth allowed with an inclined head and a small smile.
He continued flicking his pencil across the paper, the scratching sound of the lead unnaturally loud, the creak of his chair splintering the empty wasteland of the Faire. 'VERY dramatic.'
Zof didn't answer him, the blade's attention arrested by something - someone - else. He didn't look up until he finished his sketch, ignoring the faint tetchiness from the blade as his attention refused to waver. When he did glance up, his visitor didn't appear angry or even impatient from where he leaned against the corner of the stall. Instead, he was being studied intently by a blood elf who hardly looked terrible imposing at first glance. Broad shoulders, average height, and extremely dark red hair that was so perfectly messy it was obviously a product of vanity.
The only thing arresting about him was the color of his eyes, not something Javinth would generally have noticed - except they were, at first glance, black. A few moments of study and he realized they were in fact an extremely dark purple… with the faint glitter of what could have been stars in them. He blinked, cutting off the all consuming force of them and watched his visitor more shrewdly, noting his new smirk. "Interesting effect."
"Mmm-hmm. But not one you were taken in by for more than a moment," his visitor returned, stepping forward. "Funny. Eyes tend to be one of my specialties."
"Strange, I thought Yogg-Saron was more fond of teeth?" Javinth retorted, smile pleasant.
"Is. He is fond of them." Hands were splayed across the desk in front of him, the expression he was given only more considering. "You know who I am?"
"Only who you're attached to. It's easy to see, when you've known enough of different sects and cults. Our gods can be possessive of their tools - they leave marks. And don't tend to encourage much in the way of cross-contamination, as it were." Javinth raised an eyebrow in obvious inquiry.
"Well. Our Gods are locked up and appreciate all efforts on their behalf. I think Yogg-Saron would forgive me getting a little contaminated by you." His visitor smirked at him, the illusion on his face too perfectly handsome.
"It wouldn't be the first time they worked together," Javinth threw out, watching the other intently. There was only the briefest flicker - frustrating. He couldn't tell if he knew what he was surprised by his knowledge of it, or ignorant entirely. And his talents only showed him there was honest surprise, not what it was about without digging deeper. "You have me at a disadvantage, I'm afraid. You know me, but you are…?"
"Corandes." He flicked a glance over the stall, the inks, the floating squid. "...No one thinks anything of this and your… pet?"
"It's the Darkmoon Faire. They expect to see weird. Part of the charm." He flicked an eye over all the designs he had from the fantastically whimsical to the dark flickers of what was hidden in the deep. "And for the rest… there are worse designs for temporary tattoos or body paint."
"Better things they could use to change themselves," Corandes observed.
Javinth tilted his head back at him, curious. "Like the illusion covering your scars?"
He wasn't expecting the way Corandes' expression froze. They weren't that terrible looking, really, he couldn't imagine why the man hadn't healed them long ago with the void's powers raging through him. Considering his vanity - Javinth paused, his confusion turning to clarity as he leaned closer. He ignored the way the other jerked back, because he could feel that. "Are those Light-infused?"
"Yes," Corandes snarled, shoving backward. "Some stupid priestess bitch gave them to me before I was strong enough to get rid of them. By the time I was - "
"You were stuck," Javinth breathed, standing to reach out. He ignored the way Corandes tensed up as his fingers came near. He brushed the scars with just the very pads of hins fingers, humming at the tingle of energy off of them. Something about it was… faintly familiar. Specks of it came away as he retracted his hand and he inspected them with furrowed brow. "Very strong, she is."
"Was. Long dead. How - How is that not hurting you?" Corandes asked suspiciously.
"Oh, it is a little but… Light and Void are just two sides of the same coin. If you can use one…" The sparkles turned dark, midnight black that sucked in the light around them. "Then it isn't so hard to use the other."
'Excellent. You've got him impressed.' Zof sounded immensely satisfied and Javinth glanced up to see Corandes didn't look tense anymore, or lackadaisically arrogant with his own power. His eyes were narrowed, everything about him focused, observing, cataloging.
Good. Zof was obviously wanting them to have an alliance and Javinth would have murdered him before daring to treat with someone without basic comprehension about both their natures. "You came here for a purpose, I believe?"
"Yes," Corandes said, words clipped as he sat down. "You're known for being a deft touch with spreading power… even if your follow through is lacking."
"Once they have the Void, either they'll listen… or they won't." Javinth shrugged. "I leave others to break potential allies. I prefer mine to want to come to me."
"Different philosophies, but not so incompatible. You aren't going to interfere in someone else doing the forcing from power you helped put there?" Corandes, asked, testing.
Sitting back down, Javinth let the black sparks sink into his skin, not missing the way Corandes' eyes followed them. "No - I happen to think its not useful in the long run but its none of my business. I assume you want my help bringing a few people to see the benefits of power?"
"People might not even be the right word." Corandes grinned, stars in his eyes sparkling among the dark void. "What do you know about phoenixes?"
