|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2017 1:12 pm
Sometimes lessons were hard to learn. Sometimes even when you did learn them, you forgot what you learned when something better came up. Such was the case with Tobias, who was once again walking alone. At night. It wasn’t really bothering him tonight though, he felt much more awake and alert and…well.
He was trying not to be so freaked out.
Perhaps what was helping him the most, though he would never admit it, was the fact he had the scarf that that purple guy had wrapped his leg up with. It was tying his hair back into a short ponytail and it just…made him feel good. Like some sort of talisman against whatever went bump in the night.
And speaking of things going bump. There was the sound of something behind him, and the teal haired male drew in a breath, fear suddenly flooding through his veins. “s**t.” The word was spoken softly, and Tobias sped up just slightly. He hated this. He hated being afraid and just…just wanted some way to stop it from happening.
As though something heard his wish, a bright light appeared in front of him and something appeared out of it. He couldn’t quite make out what it was, the light had been so bright and now there were little spots in front of his eyes, but he reached out for whatever it was.
Because that was the natural thing to do…maybe not the safest…but hey. Stranger things had happened, yeah?
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:40 pm
Ashanite enjoyed trailing civilians to look for recruits. It practically qualified as a pastime - something he did solely to fill the hours, on days when he didn’t feel like chasing down Order and trying to recruit from that side or chasing down civilians for the purpose of energy draining. Tonight, he’d picked somewhat at random, but anyone brave enough to walk this late was probably a good choice for the Negaverse.
And if he wasn’t scooped up by them, he might get scooped up by Order instead. Ashanite wrinkled his nose. That was an unpleasant thought. No one deserved to struggle with that.
He’d chosen to follow at a distance, keeping to shadows and staying unseen, so he could observe. It worked well, except that there was a bright light and oh, no no no, that could not be allowed to happen.
This would not be the first officer Ashanite had plucked from the clutches of Order. He might not even be the last. But every single one was a victory.
He teleported directly behind him and slid his hand in, gripping the poor man’s starseed.
“I’m sorry about this,” he said, “but trust me, you’ll thank me later.”
Corruptions felt like breathing, now. Breathe in, push the Chaos, breathe out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:41 pm
Tobias was about to close his hand around the object when the pain came. He wasn’t sure what it was, honestly he thought it was a heart attack…pain right in his chest…was he about to die tonight? Was this strange light he was seeing some sort of…death tunnel? That happened, right? You saw light before you died…
There was a voice though. Someone apologizing…but whatever else was said was drowned out by the cry that Tobias himself let out, his vision going dark for a second, the object in front of him flickering for a moment and then vanishing back into the nothingness from which it had come.
And finally the pain stopped. Mercifully the pain stopped. Breathing heavily, Tobias turned his head to look at whoever had spoken, and his dangling sleeve bumped his leg, causing him to glance down at his outfit. “What…what the actual <******** had changed clothes. He had changed clothes…and there was…there was something behind him. Something…someone? “Who’s there? Show yourself!” It was hard to sound brave when you had just…died?
Was he dead?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:42 pm
Ashanite waited for the transformation to finish, and then withdrew his hand and shook it, briefly. He walked around, so that his new recruit could see him, resting his hands on his hips and considering what he’d created. His new recruit was definitely handsome, which was always a plus, and in contrast to most of those he’d made into officers, also appeared to not be a high school student.
“Take a breath,” he offered. “You aren’t in any danger. I realize that likely rings false, right now, but you aren’t.” Not anymore, at least. If he’d Awakened as a Page...well. Ashanite was well aware of all the dangers that came with that.
“I can explain everything, and I will, but only once you’re calm enough to listen.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:42 pm
Andalusite stared blankly at the shirtless male before him and nodded slowly, confused, but very much liking the view. “What…the hell just happened to me?” He belatedly realized that the male’s voice was the same he had heard before the pain had struck, and when that connection was made, a rush of fear flooded his system, causing the hair on the back of his neck to stand on end.
“All right…so I’m not in any danger…I’m calm enough to listen, so tell me what’s going on.” He paused for a moment and gave a gruff little. “Please.”
There was something different about him, besides the clothes. He felt…almost a tingle. A strength that was there now…and he liked the feeling. It was as though…something had happened. It felt good, whatever it was. “Who are you? …And what did you do to me?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:43 pm
Ashanite considered his words carefully. Forcible introductions to the Negaverse like this one were always the most delicate - when he had some time to work on someone beforehand, it was much easier, but, well, you played the hand you were dealt, as it were.
“So. Let’s start with the basics. Magic is real. All the gang warfare in this city is magically motivated.” Ashanite said. “There are several factions in this war. You...would have Awakened as a Knight, but I brought you into the Negaverse instead.” Best to be honest about exactly what had happened. “I was a Knight, once. It was terrifying, and lonely. There is no one to guide you or help you, and you’re prey for every nasty thing that lurks in the dark.”
Including, were Ashanite to be more honest, him.
“My name is General Ashanite. You are now a Lieutenant of the Negaverse. It’s as military as the titles would imply, but there’s some...flexibility.” He paused, and considered if there was anything else he could think of. “Questions?” He asked, when nothing came to mind.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:47 pm
He stared at his new…self proclaimed General for a few, long seconds, mouth hanging open in a mixture of confusion and amusement. Finally Andalusite nodded slowly and crossed his arms over his chest, kind of liking how the long sleeves felt as they knocked against his body. Interesting. Magic was real? So…
“So you say that magic is real…does that mean monsters are real? A few weeks ago I was attacked by this…mutant pig looking thing. It nearly took a chunk out of my leg…but some kid in purple kicked the crap out of it and helped me get home…do you think that had something to do with it? Was the monster part of these gang wars?”
It would have made a lot of sense…but that would have meant that purple boy was magic too…which…honestly wouldn’t have surprised him at this point. “What do you mean by flexibility? And what do you mean by I would have Awakened as a knight? Is that what was going on? With the light and the whatever it was I was about to grab? So…you came along and whisked that away from me, hm?”
The lieutenant frowned slightly. “What’s the difference? What if I would have wanted to be a knight?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:47 pm
Ashanite didn’t bother hiding the amusement that wrote itself across his face at Andalusite’s blatant confusion. It was, frankly, pretty damn funny. But he sobered right up when the Lieutenant started asking questions - that, certainly, was no laughing matter.
“Yes, monsters are real.” He said. “They’re creations of the Negaverse, called youma. Some officers have their own, but many are allowed to run feral. They occasionally attack people, unfortunately.” Best to be honest, lest he found out some other way. “It’s unfortunate that happened to you, but I can say that it won’t again. Youma will, for the most part, obey an officer’s commands, and they certainly don’t attack us.”
He exhaled. Here was the hard part. “You’ll be expected to obey superior officers, but barking orders isn’t exactly a common thing. You’re not going to have someone leaning over your shoulder - you’ll be given goals, and how you accomplish them is mostly up to you. At least, that’s how it will be if you stay serving under me.” He ran a hand over his bangs. “And yes. That would have been your...weapon.” He said “weapon” with a sort of mocking disgust.
“The difference is, as an officer you will actually be able to fight. You won’t be given a bloody pomegranate and told to fight people with weapons like this.” He called up his staff, and gestured his free hand towards it. “As an officer, you will eventually gain the ability to teleport, and right now you have the capability to drain energy and, if necessary, to reach into someone’s chest and extract their starseed, which is something of a physical manifestation of the soul.” A bitter smile traced across his face. “As a Knight, you would have had none of that. You would have some sad little artifact and, eventually, some half-useless magic, to defend against all the Negaverse can bring to bear.”
Ashanite shrugged.
“I think the advantages are clear.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:49 pm
“Huh.” Andalusite nodded slowly and his eyes ran over the bladed staff that his General had made appear out of nowhere. “So…where is my super cool weapon? And…you said that your name is Ashanite? I’m Tobias…I guess. But, and no offense, General. But is Ashanite even a real name?” He reached up, shoving his bangs out of his eyes.
It all felt…so strange…but the things this guy was saying…they were exciting too. He had always figured that he was meant to do something amazing, and perhaps this was it.
“Do you…know why I was about to be knighted? That’s pretty good luck for me that you were able to stop it. Thanks.” Teleporting? Now that was something he really wanted to know more about, though wasn’t quite sure how to ask about that. Ashanite had made it seem like it wasn’t something that was going to happen anytime soon.
“Perhaps you should invite me to dinner, General…and we can discuss all of this in greater detail? The questions seemed to be piling up like popcorn, he thought of one to ask, and suddenly there were two more, and then more, and more. This would take time to get them all out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:50 pm
“It’ll be a bit less...dramatic, to start,” Ashanite said. “To find out what it is, just think about calling it to your hand, and it will appear.” A slightly amused grin flitted across his face. “It’s not my real name, no. And you shouldn't use yours in this form either. Keeping your real identity secret is paramount.” He considered, for a moment. “...Andalusite.” He said. “I think that sounds like a fitting alias. Do you?”
It would do, Ashanite hoped. Picking out names for Lieutenants was always sort of an interesting process.
“The whys of Knighthood are a bit...complex,” Ashanite said, “but it means you have a powerful potential in your soul, and you were ready to awaken into it, for one reason or another. For me, it was because I was in mortal peril. For you, it could have been anything - my presence might even have been what made the universe decide it was time, since a civilian is...no offense intended, but easy prey for a Negaverse General.”
The offer was clear enough, and frankly, Ashanite was happy to abide. He let go of the form of the Negaverse General, replaced with Damian Howe.
“I’d love to take you to dinner and answer as many questions as I can,” he said. “My name is Damian. If you want to go back to being Tobias,” (he felt a twinge of half-remembered feeling, saying that name) “just think about it and it will happen.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:51 pm
“Andalusite…kind of a mouthful, but I could get used to it….” The new lieutenant nodded at the instructions and tried to call whatever his weapon was, and…well. Darn if he wasn’t right. A…boomerang appeared in his hand and…huh.
But…he had just said that it would be less dramatic so…perhaps this was…well. This was kind of a joke compared to Ashanite’s double ended staff…but he was only a lieutenant…better things would come. And he would be able to ask all the questions that he wanted at dinner, and if he was lucky…his new General would be buying the dinner too.
He thought about being Tobias again, and gave a half sigh of relief as the new duds melted away. “How…interesting.” With a shrug, he looked towards the man who had just been his General and laughed softly. “You’ve got a lot of questions to answer, because I have a lot of questions to ask so…I’m ready if you are, Damian.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
