|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 8:08 pm
He left the club alone, which was not unusual. Archer had scanned the possibilities of people around him for potential interests, found none, and had deduced the evening to be a waste. It annoyed him; there should have been something to pique his curiosity, to keep him occupied, and yet all he'd found was too many drunken idiots stumbling about.
He stopped about a block away from the club, the music still pounding dully through the air. Archer reached into his pocket and pulled from it a pack of cigarettes, tugging one free. He stuck it between his teeth, clicked his lighter, and inhaled a deep breath of smoke before exhaling, letting it curl like silver vapor in front of him in the chill air.
Maybe he'd go get a drink elsewhere, but if the bars were just as pathetically disappointing as the club, he could call it a night and go home.
With a snort of disgust, Archer stuck his supplies back into his pocket and kept walking.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 1:31 pm
He had been following the man for approximately a week now, keeping back to the shadows that hid his tall, lean frame from prying eyes or following him inconspicuously in civilian garb that sometimes felt more like a second skin than the one he was wearing. It had been an interesting request, brought to him by a pale haired woman who was but a babe in the ranks of the negaverse, to look into the man called Archer.
Considering he was not the general who recruited Marcasite, he was surprised that she had come to him instead of Xenotime. Still, he accepted her request easily, opting to scout the man before he made the formal offer.
From what he could tell, and the way the other man moved, Labyrinthite saw potential in the dark haired man. Potential he'd once seen in himself when he'd been young and naive. So, when Archer slipped from the club the general followed unpowered, until there was a pause and he shifted forms seamlessly, chaos rippling through his veins like it belong there.
"Archer," he called, voice deep and cold. "May I have a word?"
He stepped forward, pushed the hood of his cloak back so his face was shown, unshadowed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 1:38 pm
His name in an unfamiliar tone of voice made his steps slow, and then stop. Archer turned around, cigarette held loosely between his teeth, dark hair waving out behind him in the light breeze.
He didn't move at first. There was a man there, almost as tall as he was, dressed rather strangely, shadows draping around his body, though his face was clear. Archer surveyed it silently, gaze sweeping over the curious figure, brows drawing together.
"Who are you?" he asked, exhaling a breath of smoke that gusted out coolly.
"How do you know my name?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 2:04 pm
Despite himself, Labyrinthite let his mouth stretch open and expose the whites of his teeth, sharp canines glistening under the dim streetlight in a Cheshire-like fashion. He stepped forward with confidence, body held straight and his shoulders square so that he looked the height he was-- perhaps even taller. "My name is General Labyrinthite, I believe we share a mutual acquaintance."
Whiskey eyes traveled across the man's face, taking in the confusion before they drifted across the rest of his frame.
"I believe she calls herself Marce?" He only vaguely recalled her telling him that she'd introduced herself with a nickname instead of her proper title. "White hair, blue eyes...quirky?" He thrust his left hand forward, the gloved one, in an offering of a greeting.
"She asked me to evaluate you, see if you were worth our time."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 5:15 pm
Archer Wren did not do afraid; but all the same, he kept the distance between them deliberately, that smile oddly reminiscent of ones he often made himself. He surveyed the man with a look of mingled interest and flat suspicion, the cigarette burning slowly.
His head tilted curiously, and then realization dawned, Archer's brows raising.
"Ah, yes," he said, and reached out, grasping Labyrinthite's hand without hesitation. "Marce. She had quite a lot of ideas in her head. I found them rather...interesting."
The cigarette went back between his teeth, Archer taking a slow drag of it before turning his head to exhale the smoke away from the general's face. When he looked back at him, there was a gleam of something like hunger in his eyes, flashing quick in the darkness.
"She said that you guys could give me more."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 2:42 pm
Archer had every right to be wary of the cloaked stranger steadily approaching him in the middle of the night on an empty, lonesome road where anything could happen. Especially when the man opposite was one General Labyrinthite who did things in his own way of his own accord. He was erratic and dangerous, a lethal combination.
But that combination made him good at his job.
"She is an interesting woman, full of character," Labyrinthite stated, dark brows arching when he caught the gleam of hunger in his companion's eyes.
"I took it upon myself to look into you," the general says slowly, coming to a halt a few feet away. "And I've decided that you have an enormous amount of potential. I like your demeanor; you are cold and calculating, hungry and composed. You would make a nice addition."
Marcasite had chosen wisely in his opinion.
In many ways, Archer reminded Labyrinthite of himself. "I could give you more, if you're interested, but first...would you like a demonstration of what we are capable of? Marce lacks most of our...tricks."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 5:21 pm
He wasn't entirely certain of the full of character part, but Archer couldn't deny that Marce had, in fact, been quite interesting. Her ideas, after all, had brought this man to him, and the promise of power and strength, which Archer was always a fan of.
A dark brow rose.
"You've been watching me?" Archer asked, taking another drag, but then he smiled, slow and steady. He didn't mind the breach in decorum, or that common sense would most likely have sent warning bells to anyone else. But Archer, as he liked to remember, was not like anyone else.
There was a moment's silence as Archer considered, and then gave a nod.
"I'm interested," he said. "What sort of demonstration?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 10:54 am
Labyrinthite was about to ask if Archer was bothered by the knowledge, but then he smiled and the general found himself more interested in the individual than before. The responsible was abnormal and that was what made him fascinating.
The general would greatly enjoying checking up on this one.
"It's better if I just show you." He slid forward, hands grasping at the front of Archer's clothing with that shark-tooth grin up close. He blinked and they had moved, shifted places-- moved from the street to the top of a building down the road. He released the man, stepped back and cocked his head. "That, is teleportation which you would acquire as you moved through the ranks."
His gloved hand still hovered in the air, despite the other one falling back to his side, and then he reached, pushed past the chest and into the hidden space where the starseed resided. Carefully his fingers closed around the precious gem and he squeezed slightly, so that a sharp pain would shoot through his companion. "You'll be able to reach and touch otherwise inaccessible places. That pain you're feeling? It's because I'm touching your starseed."
He let go and pulled his arm free.
"You will be better, faster, stronger. You'll be able to drop from heights like these with ease, then scale them in return with little effort. The more you progress the stronger, more capable you become." He inhaled sharply, extending his arm to his side as he called his weapon from subspace. The bone-scythe materialized in his hand, the weight of the blade careening downward until it thunked against the concrete. "You will receive a toy of a weapon in the beginning but then it will morph into something lethal." He hefted the blade up so the base of the staff rested against the rooftop. "how long do you think it would take me to cut you up with this."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 2:22 pm
Archer had tilted his head, dark eyes alight with curiosity, cigarette held loosely between his fingers at his side. He'd been waiting for something - maybe some sort of sleight of hand or some other such thing, and waited patiently for the demonstration.
But whatever he'd been expecting, it was not what happened.
Suddenly they were atop a building, the wind rustling through their hair - and though Archer showed hardly a reaction to this, only a slight intake a breath - it was the sinking of Labyrinthite's hand into his chest without a sound that made Archer's eyes fly open.
He stared down at what he could see of his wrist, a hand automatically rising to seize it, Archer's cigarette long having blown out and dropped. Labyrinthite's fingers were shifting, and he could feel it - he let out a hiss of pain, a very pale, very slight flush on his face -
- and then it was gone. Archer staggered forward onto his knees, his chest heaving, and straightened, pressing his palm against the spot where the general's hand had lain. For a moment he stayed there, his hands pressing against the top, Labyrinthite's words washing over him. His gaze flickered to the weapon, and when Archer raised his head, there was a distinctly hungry look in his eyes.
He got to his feet, staring at the weapon.
"Probably not very long," he said, and the words came out a little too eager, the chill air seeping into his veins. "But that would depend on getting to me first, I suppose."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 3:02 pm
The reaction was what he'd expected, everyone attempted to pull his hand out of their chest and like the others, Archer failed to even budge his arm. Still, there was something satisfying about watching the younger man fall to his knees with his chest heaving. He, Labyrinthite supposed, took it better than the others but he hadn't pushed any chaos forward.
That would come later, if Archer could survive his tests-- the games he decided to implement in a split second decision.
"Those were my thoughts exactly," he cooed, grip adjusting until the scythe pointed downward once more, the curve of the blade pointing to his companion. "Now, I suggest you run, before I cut you up."
An easy threat, with weight to follow through carrying behind it. It didn't matter if Labyrinthite intended to harm his recruit, he was for all intents and purposes coming off like he was. He wanted to test the man's adaptability, his ability to think on his feet and avoid danger. If he did well, Labyrinthite would corrupt him immediately.
If he did poorly, perhaps he would write him off as a loss cause.
(Labyrinthite wanted him to do well.)
The general's stance shifted and the weapon was swung, a high arc that, while dangerous, was too low and slow-- easy for even civilian to dodge if they moved quick enough.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 3:18 pm
Archer had expected to just be handed what he wanted - that was how it worked, that was how life went. He wanted something, he went for it, and he got it, because it was simply how life was meant to go. Archer was not the sort to dawdle or beat around the bush.
But this - this -
Archer had only a moment to comprehend what was happening. The enormous scythe was shifting, and Labyrinthte was moving, a gleam in his eyes, and there was little doubt as to his meaning.
With a hiss and a snarl, Archer dived, skirting away from the swing of the weapon and skidding a little on the concrete. He twisted around behind the general, taking several steps back with his hands outstretched in front of him, not quite in a gesture of placation, but bracing for impact.
He said nothing, but there was a gleam in his eyes, adrenaline rushing through his veins.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 9:19 am
Archer escaped and for that, there was a grunt of approval from the general. Getting behind him was clever, but would not save Archer if death or injury was something he wanted to inflicted, and so he turned, cloak billowing behind him dramatically. Whiskey eyes evaluated brunet and he clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.
"I thought I told you to run or do you think you stand a chance against me?" A curious thought that was quickly brushed aside as he advanced, scythe dragging behind him with a chiiiink. It was cute, really, to see the way Archer braced himself as if he could predict the way he would move.
There were few things about General Labyrinthite that were predictable.
He banished his weapon, preferring to deal with this one hands-on, weaponless. He slipped forward, impossibly fast, moved to hit Archer hard in the sternum with an open palm. "Prove your worth."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 11:21 am
He let out a laugh that wasn't humorous at all.
"Perhaps not," said Archer, his eyes flickering towards the scythe that was behind the general now, dragging across the pavement. "But running away - running is for cowards, and that is the least of what I am. I don't just turn tail that easily."
The hand came out of nowhere - the man was fast - and Archer staggered, hissing. He twisted up and grabbed for Labrinthite's arms, not to punch him, but to hold him, his leg bending and shifting up in an attempt at kneeing him in the stomach.
"I am worth it," Archer half snarled.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:37 pm
"When it is an order, you should do as you're told," he countered, expression slipping into a blank mask as Archer grabbed at him. "And knowing when to cut your losses is a strength. It is the balance that you must find if you are to thrive." These were lessons he wished he'd learned earlier, when he had been fresh-faced and foolish.
The knee connected but Labyrinthite hardly budged, no hiss or grunt leaving his lips even as he bent forward slightly.
"Tell me--" Labyrinthite ordered, fingers curling to the fabric of his target's shirt. "Why are you worth it?" His other hand went for the face, gripped at his jaw and pressed the thumb harshly into his cheek. "Prove it to me."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 2:00 pm
His lip curled in an expression of fleeting irritation, but it was gone in a matter of seconds, barely noticeable. If he had to play nice to get what he wanted, then he was certainly capable of that. What Labyrinthite was offering him was more important than arguing semantics, and Archer gave a tight nod.
A hand was in his shirt, yanking him forward. Archer staggered, and then his face was gripped painfully hard, the general's fingers digging into his skin; but like Labyrinthite, the only sign of pain was a brief flash across Archer's eyes, his own hand rising and gripping his wrist.
"Because I want it." Archer hissed out, and his tone left little doubt as to the truth of these words. "Because I don't care for the mundane trivialities that life has given me, I want more, I want power and you're the one who can give it to me."
His eyes were wide, an expression of pure hunger on Archer's face.
'Because I can give you what you want," he breathed, and kicked out savagely at the general's leg.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
