I was staring out the window wistfully wondering where the magic girl had gone (its funny I've done this since but the magic was more metaphorical than real). The sun was partially coming through the clouds and the people down below didn't seem to really be doing anything important, I was content to just sit there until my door flew open and a crazed Hanlon entered. I'd never really seen the man look anything but mildly smug, or super annoyed, but here he was wild eyed crazy and immediately I knew shit was up.
"What have you done?" It was said very dramatically and I could only think of Morley or maybe the magic girl, or well there were so many ors.
"You'll have to be more specific, but if its the Morley thing you said no..." He grabbed me and I could feel he was lit up with magic in a way that was really scary, almost as scary as his eyes and demeanor.
"No you idiot, what did you do to me? What ritual or stupidity have you involved yourself in now?"
"Nothing? Nothing that would have harmed you or done anything to you." He gave me an appraising eye and then sniffed the air. He stomped around my office for a moment and then returned to glare at me and then softened up a bit.
"No it wasn't you after all, I figured it had to have been, but from what I can feel here it couldn't have been you, you were otherwise detained." And then he left, out the door I actually saw him go. It was weird usually he would just disappear, but this time he physically removed himself. And that was just the start of the weird behavior from Hanlon, turns out everyone in my life was going through changes, even Hanlon. While superior being that I am, remained the same!
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Monday, June 29, 2015
Probably Not Coming Back
I didn't say anything for a bit, my "daughter" was standing by the window looking out across the town. She was seeing without seeing I could see, probably rating the world deciding on what to do. I know I've looked out that same window and thought similar thoughts, though usually my mind goes to "Should I get one type of food or another?" I was pleased to not be shot, though slightly worried on what exactly pure magic does to heal you, like was at risk now for some new corruption? I have no idea. Then again hundreds of years of being magical I still understand very little about magic (I've tried to study but you know not exactly a really easy subject to study).
"This world is broken." It was a declarative statement, pretty definitive too.
"But think of all the nice things here." There aren't many/any nice things, but you know you have to stand up for the world if only because I live there. She looked at me like I told her farts smell nice.
"I had long suspected this place was corrupted. The presence of magic in your beings ruins that magic. But I had no idea the cruelty you people routinely inflict on each other, and how your cruelty has shaped this world into the awful it has become, perhaps I ignored it, perhaps I looked past it, but no longer, I can not exist in this place while it remains this way."
"Where would you go?"
"Away." And then she was gone. I didn't know where a being of pure magic goes, or what she would find where she went, but a small part of me hoped she was happier. I guess that part was probably a remnant of that magic she used to heal me, for a time I felt a longing to the stars I've never had before, in a way it was nice. All the same I at least didn't have to answer any awkward police questions about two people horribly murdered by a woman who looked like my daughter, which was also nice.
I would have probably coasted on that feeling of missing the stars if Hanlon hadn't barged into my place wondering what in the gods name I'd done. You know that's such an open question most of the time...
"This world is broken." It was a declarative statement, pretty definitive too.
"But think of all the nice things here." There aren't many/any nice things, but you know you have to stand up for the world if only because I live there. She looked at me like I told her farts smell nice.
"I had long suspected this place was corrupted. The presence of magic in your beings ruins that magic. But I had no idea the cruelty you people routinely inflict on each other, and how your cruelty has shaped this world into the awful it has become, perhaps I ignored it, perhaps I looked past it, but no longer, I can not exist in this place while it remains this way."
"Where would you go?"
"Away." And then she was gone. I didn't know where a being of pure magic goes, or what she would find where she went, but a small part of me hoped she was happier. I guess that part was probably a remnant of that magic she used to heal me, for a time I felt a longing to the stars I've never had before, in a way it was nice. All the same I at least didn't have to answer any awkward police questions about two people horribly murdered by a woman who looked like my daughter, which was also nice.
I would have probably coasted on that feeling of missing the stars if Hanlon hadn't barged into my place wondering what in the gods name I'd done. You know that's such an open question most of the time...
Friday, June 26, 2015
Maybe You Should Go
"Parasites." My magic child was not very pleased with the muggers who accosted us. Me I find it hilarious because seriously muggers at mid day? Come on! At least wait until night, or you know don't and get like a job and try not to rob people.
"Keep your daughter in check man or we'll have to turn this mugging into a murder." They had pistols of some sort, and both looked to be on a drug of some kind (skin complexion was all damaged and they had a bit of a tweak to how they were talking).
"Hold on guys maybe you shouldn't..." The gunshot ripped through my lower body, I could feel it hit right above my pelvis and blow a hole out just near my back, the pain was excruciating. The muggers had flipped to murderers pretty quickly I'll admit. The one shot wasn't enough they opened up on me and the magic child, now for me the first hit put me on the ground immediately and therefore saved me from the volley of fire that was coming, for my "daughter" the bullets kept hitting her and she didn't flinch, the impacts weren't registered, none of her was actually real so its not like they could rip through flesh that wasn't there. And here's the thing, while the magic child knew she was invulnerable to their bullets, she also knew they didn't know she was and they were trying to kill her (like stabbing a blob of something, you probably didn't hurt the blob, but it knew you tried). I would have been worried about an overreaction if I wasn't currently bleeding and worried one of their other shots would hit me in a place that could not be survived.
"Parasites was being generous." The first mugger had his face cleaved off, I didn't see by what, just one minute he was firing his weapon, the next half his skull hit the ground, but he was alive for all of it. Like somehow the magic had kept him alive to suffer as she killed him (something even I tend not to do, and I thought I was a bad person). His friend tried to run and got impaled to a wall and then set on fire.
I was amazed no one came, but apparently during our walk we had stepped into the "no one cares about horrific violence" part of town. The man without a face actually did the smart thing and put a bullet through his brain to stop the pain. His pinned and on fire friend and had thrown his gun down when he fled so he was not so lucky. I passed out from pain, but the screams from him as he died was a not too pleasant welcome to dreamy land.
When I awoke I was in my bed, the bullet wound was gone, as if it had never been. I knew the power of this creatures magic so I knew it was her, but still I was worried. She had made mention of unmaking humankind and now she saw the dregs of it I was worried I'd just woken up as the last human on the planet, thank the gods I wasn't, well it kind of would have been nice to be alone, but you know necromancy needing a person probably best I wasn't.
What? I always think of me...
"Keep your daughter in check man or we'll have to turn this mugging into a murder." They had pistols of some sort, and both looked to be on a drug of some kind (skin complexion was all damaged and they had a bit of a tweak to how they were talking).
"Hold on guys maybe you shouldn't..." The gunshot ripped through my lower body, I could feel it hit right above my pelvis and blow a hole out just near my back, the pain was excruciating. The muggers had flipped to murderers pretty quickly I'll admit. The one shot wasn't enough they opened up on me and the magic child, now for me the first hit put me on the ground immediately and therefore saved me from the volley of fire that was coming, for my "daughter" the bullets kept hitting her and she didn't flinch, the impacts weren't registered, none of her was actually real so its not like they could rip through flesh that wasn't there. And here's the thing, while the magic child knew she was invulnerable to their bullets, she also knew they didn't know she was and they were trying to kill her (like stabbing a blob of something, you probably didn't hurt the blob, but it knew you tried). I would have been worried about an overreaction if I wasn't currently bleeding and worried one of their other shots would hit me in a place that could not be survived.
"Parasites was being generous." The first mugger had his face cleaved off, I didn't see by what, just one minute he was firing his weapon, the next half his skull hit the ground, but he was alive for all of it. Like somehow the magic had kept him alive to suffer as she killed him (something even I tend not to do, and I thought I was a bad person). His friend tried to run and got impaled to a wall and then set on fire.
I was amazed no one came, but apparently during our walk we had stepped into the "no one cares about horrific violence" part of town. The man without a face actually did the smart thing and put a bullet through his brain to stop the pain. His pinned and on fire friend and had thrown his gun down when he fled so he was not so lucky. I passed out from pain, but the screams from him as he died was a not too pleasant welcome to dreamy land.
When I awoke I was in my bed, the bullet wound was gone, as if it had never been. I knew the power of this creatures magic so I knew it was her, but still I was worried. She had made mention of unmaking humankind and now she saw the dregs of it I was worried I'd just woken up as the last human on the planet, thank the gods I wasn't, well it kind of would have been nice to be alone, but you know necromancy needing a person probably best I wasn't.
What? I always think of me...
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Danger Around Every Corner
"You live in this city?" We were walking around the merchant areas (shopping district now, I still think of them as merchant areas, I'm old fashioned), things were fairly decent with foot traffic, lots of people walking here and there, it seemed a good place to show the magic one.
"More or less, I've spent some time in prison, I've spent some time traveling, but I usually wind up here, one reason or another I'm drawn to this spot." People were giving me weird glances, I guess because my reputation in town was not really great and walking around with a woman who looked like my daughter wasn't doing me any favors. She looked at me strangely, I could feel her eyes piercing me, and then she was done and went back to looking at the crowd.
"Good gods your life is one horrible thing after another, I'm amazed you keep going."
"Didn't you already know that from before?"
"No, I read you quickly picked up on the necromancy, your touch of darkness and connection to godly creatures, but I hadn't picked up on all the awful things you were a part of, or had done to you. I've seen creatures close to you level of torment and they were broken twisted things, that you have managed to keep your humanity is mostly to be lauded if not feared."
"Thank you."
"Though this city is awful, the energy here is filled with terrible things. It would be good for everyone here to just be dead, they are all suffering." I stopped her for a moment, I didn't like that particular line of dialogue.
"Yeah you're not killing everyone here." She looked at me for a moment and then smiled.
"You creatures are so easily scared, I mention wiping out a city and you react like it was something within my power or I was willing to do it."
"I can't count how many times this city has been under threat of extermination."
"17 as best you can recall." My "daughter" was creepy as all get out, but at least the creature was entertaining itself. At my expense mind you, but I would bound for this to happen after all the bad things I'd been involved with recently including curing Morley. We turned a corner and ran into some muggers which was bad for them, extremely bad for them. I'll get into that tomorrow, I burned my had on the stove and typing on this type writer is hard today, sort of, look it was the back of my hand, but still burnt hand!
"More or less, I've spent some time in prison, I've spent some time traveling, but I usually wind up here, one reason or another I'm drawn to this spot." People were giving me weird glances, I guess because my reputation in town was not really great and walking around with a woman who looked like my daughter wasn't doing me any favors. She looked at me strangely, I could feel her eyes piercing me, and then she was done and went back to looking at the crowd.
"Good gods your life is one horrible thing after another, I'm amazed you keep going."
"Didn't you already know that from before?"
"No, I read you quickly picked up on the necromancy, your touch of darkness and connection to godly creatures, but I hadn't picked up on all the awful things you were a part of, or had done to you. I've seen creatures close to you level of torment and they were broken twisted things, that you have managed to keep your humanity is mostly to be lauded if not feared."
"Thank you."
"Though this city is awful, the energy here is filled with terrible things. It would be good for everyone here to just be dead, they are all suffering." I stopped her for a moment, I didn't like that particular line of dialogue.
"Yeah you're not killing everyone here." She looked at me for a moment and then smiled.
"You creatures are so easily scared, I mention wiping out a city and you react like it was something within my power or I was willing to do it."
"I can't count how many times this city has been under threat of extermination."
"17 as best you can recall." My "daughter" was creepy as all get out, but at least the creature was entertaining itself. At my expense mind you, but I would bound for this to happen after all the bad things I'd been involved with recently including curing Morley. We turned a corner and ran into some muggers which was bad for them, extremely bad for them. I'll get into that tomorrow, I burned my had on the stove and typing on this type writer is hard today, sort of, look it was the back of my hand, but still burnt hand!
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
The Worst Child
"How did you?" The answer seemed obvious, but I had to ask just because you never know maybe she infected my magical ability, though to be fair calling it a her was just short hand, it was an it, it had no sexual organs that I was aware of.
"The vial I handed you, it was my essence, when you took it from the island and your friend ingested it I was freed." I didn't like that somehow Morley ingesting that fluid freed this creature, it seemed like that too would cause issues down the road I didn't anticipate.
"And now you're here with me because?"
"I need a guide to this world and from your interactions with it you seem like the best bet, on top of that I let you live I have to see if that was a mistake or not." I did not like the implication I'd be shepherding this child around, even less so that it could kill me.
"Well if you want me to show you around I can, but you'll have be a little less child, people will talk if they see me suddenly with a child." The creature changed immediately into a younger woman, though I think as if to taunt me, she took on some of my facial features and skin color it was clear she was attempting to look like my own child. I did notice she retained female traits, I guess it did identify as a she (I'd make a joke about the random nature of women, but I already just did so uhh yeah).
"Come Trezlan, show me this world so that I can finally see the thing I was kept from." That line made me afraid again what I had unleashed on the world, but you know it was interesting getting to be the guide to a powerful magical creature all the while hoping I wasn't about to get blown up. Which thankfully I wasn't, or I should say no one was, but you know maybe I should have just left it at the I so as to leave a hook for you to keep reading the next entry to see if someone else did, but cats out of the explosion bag no one got blown up. Notice how I said blown up didn't say no one else got killed... And now I've gotcha!
"The vial I handed you, it was my essence, when you took it from the island and your friend ingested it I was freed." I didn't like that somehow Morley ingesting that fluid freed this creature, it seemed like that too would cause issues down the road I didn't anticipate.
"And now you're here with me because?"
"I need a guide to this world and from your interactions with it you seem like the best bet, on top of that I let you live I have to see if that was a mistake or not." I did not like the implication I'd be shepherding this child around, even less so that it could kill me.
"Well if you want me to show you around I can, but you'll have be a little less child, people will talk if they see me suddenly with a child." The creature changed immediately into a younger woman, though I think as if to taunt me, she took on some of my facial features and skin color it was clear she was attempting to look like my own child. I did notice she retained female traits, I guess it did identify as a she (I'd make a joke about the random nature of women, but I already just did so uhh yeah).
"Come Trezlan, show me this world so that I can finally see the thing I was kept from." That line made me afraid again what I had unleashed on the world, but you know it was interesting getting to be the guide to a powerful magical creature all the while hoping I wasn't about to get blown up. Which thankfully I wasn't, or I should say no one was, but you know maybe I should have just left it at the I so as to leave a hook for you to keep reading the next entry to see if someone else did, but cats out of the explosion bag no one got blown up. Notice how I said blown up didn't say no one else got killed... And now I've gotcha!
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
And Everyone is Cured!
"So you're saying a child of pure magic gave you this cure to give to me and that it will fix me, and it will not kill me because you personally want to do that?" I was back home, Morley was waiting for me though he was wearing all kinds of layers and a mask to hide the fact he was rotting (I saw parts of his face had literally fallen off). We were in the back of his expensive car he was looking suspiciously at the vial I had given him.
"Morley I had to kill several people to get here, please just take that shit and get better so I can kill you later." Several burning horrific deaths and waiting for a boat to kill other people. I actually offered the sick and dying the option of staying and dying on the island, most of them chose not to, some did though, I'm sure the magical creature abided them. Thankfully the guys on the boat were much more reasonable about letting us on seeing as I threatened to kill all of them if they did not.
"Well when you put it like that." He drank the vial and he seemed to be fine, I mean he was still Morley, but he looked fine to me, mostly I can't tell Morley is a douche most of the time, but the rot cleared up.
"So we're done I'm done we won't be seeing each other anymore?"
"Until you fail to kill me, sure we're done." He opened the door to his car and I got out a free man. I was happy, sad I'd helped Morley but happy I was done with him! Thank the gods it was over, I whistled on my way home having dealt with another shitty scenario. I collapsed into my chair and waited for the next one.
"So this is what the rest of the world has become? Interesting." Of course, of course the gods damned child of magic or whatever it was had tagged along in the stupid vial and what I'd actually done is not necessarily cure Morley as infect myself with a creature that took mirth in murder and would not die. So basically I brought myself home. The joys of being Trezlan.
"Morley I had to kill several people to get here, please just take that shit and get better so I can kill you later." Several burning horrific deaths and waiting for a boat to kill other people. I actually offered the sick and dying the option of staying and dying on the island, most of them chose not to, some did though, I'm sure the magical creature abided them. Thankfully the guys on the boat were much more reasonable about letting us on seeing as I threatened to kill all of them if they did not.
"Well when you put it like that." He drank the vial and he seemed to be fine, I mean he was still Morley, but he looked fine to me, mostly I can't tell Morley is a douche most of the time, but the rot cleared up.
"So we're done I'm done we won't be seeing each other anymore?"
"Until you fail to kill me, sure we're done." He opened the door to his car and I got out a free man. I was happy, sad I'd helped Morley but happy I was done with him! Thank the gods it was over, I whistled on my way home having dealt with another shitty scenario. I collapsed into my chair and waited for the next one.
"So this is what the rest of the world has become? Interesting." Of course, of course the gods damned child of magic or whatever it was had tagged along in the stupid vial and what I'd actually done is not necessarily cure Morley as infect myself with a creature that took mirth in murder and would not die. So basically I brought myself home. The joys of being Trezlan.
Monday, June 22, 2015
The Limits of My Perception
"What happened to the people that dug this hole?" I wondered if the people up above would send someone after me while I talked with the little girl, apparently it wasn't their policy to do so until I'd been gone for over a few hours, how this policy came to be I have no idea.
"I sent them on to the afterlife, their wounds and illnesses were to much for their frail bodies, it was cruel to let them live." It seemed like decent logic if you were a crazy power mad being who lived in the earth (ok that was insulting and I don't mean that, mostly...).
"Is it cruel to let me live as well?" The creature gave me a smile, I could see behind her teeth she had no esophagus it was all just a black hole.
"Is what you are doing truly living? A creature who survives on the life essence of others and has lived hundreds of years? I think at this point you are merely surving, living has long since left your form." It was a fair assessment, I could feel a chill in the air I hadn't noticed before I worried for a moment if the creature considered my survival a pain it could resolve.
"Well I like to think I survive with a smile." The creature changed from little girl to a blob for a second and then she became Morley ever revolting inch of him.
"Or do you survive to kill this creature? This Morley? A noble goal to destroy something that you feel a connection to, its why I exist you see." She changed back to the little girl, "Your knowledge of gods and magic is limited, its limited by you and the ones you interact with, but what you are not aware of is that before man and gods and all the rest there simply was just magic, it existed in this place alive and powerful. I'm a remnant of that magic. Your gods seek to tame magic, you and yours like you have a connection to it, but I simply am. I am neither alive or dead, neither a creature nor a nothing. I simply am. And when your broken forms approach me under the earth I release them because they can not understand me, in fact the only reason I chose to speak with you is because of your connection to the power and your connection the gods, you can at least percieve the lack of your knowledge."
"Thanks?"
"You're welcome, as to your purpose I can gift you something that will cure the Morley creature, I could even give you something that would end him, I assume you'd prefer the cure, because as much as you'd love to see it die you want to be the reason for that death and not something I gave you, also just now you were worried he'd survive and be strengthed by my attempt to kill him, and you wouldn't be wrong in that belief." The creature produced the "cure" as it were a vile of black liquid magic it formed from nothing.
"Is there anything you'd like me to do about the men up above?"
"That is up to you, Trezlan Lorentino, I don't mind ending the suffering of the creatures up above, but this incessant digging bothers me. I'd prefer for the sick and dying to go die somewhere else their suffering tires me." And with that the creature was gone. So I had my cure, but I was stuck on an island with an army of jerks, so you know a normal thursday.
"I sent them on to the afterlife, their wounds and illnesses were to much for their frail bodies, it was cruel to let them live." It seemed like decent logic if you were a crazy power mad being who lived in the earth (ok that was insulting and I don't mean that, mostly...).
"Is it cruel to let me live as well?" The creature gave me a smile, I could see behind her teeth she had no esophagus it was all just a black hole.
"Is what you are doing truly living? A creature who survives on the life essence of others and has lived hundreds of years? I think at this point you are merely surving, living has long since left your form." It was a fair assessment, I could feel a chill in the air I hadn't noticed before I worried for a moment if the creature considered my survival a pain it could resolve.
"Well I like to think I survive with a smile." The creature changed from little girl to a blob for a second and then she became Morley ever revolting inch of him.
"Or do you survive to kill this creature? This Morley? A noble goal to destroy something that you feel a connection to, its why I exist you see." She changed back to the little girl, "Your knowledge of gods and magic is limited, its limited by you and the ones you interact with, but what you are not aware of is that before man and gods and all the rest there simply was just magic, it existed in this place alive and powerful. I'm a remnant of that magic. Your gods seek to tame magic, you and yours like you have a connection to it, but I simply am. I am neither alive or dead, neither a creature nor a nothing. I simply am. And when your broken forms approach me under the earth I release them because they can not understand me, in fact the only reason I chose to speak with you is because of your connection to the power and your connection the gods, you can at least percieve the lack of your knowledge."
"Thanks?"
"You're welcome, as to your purpose I can gift you something that will cure the Morley creature, I could even give you something that would end him, I assume you'd prefer the cure, because as much as you'd love to see it die you want to be the reason for that death and not something I gave you, also just now you were worried he'd survive and be strengthed by my attempt to kill him, and you wouldn't be wrong in that belief." The creature produced the "cure" as it were a vile of black liquid magic it formed from nothing.
"Is there anything you'd like me to do about the men up above?"
"That is up to you, Trezlan Lorentino, I don't mind ending the suffering of the creatures up above, but this incessant digging bothers me. I'd prefer for the sick and dying to go die somewhere else their suffering tires me." And with that the creature was gone. So I had my cure, but I was stuck on an island with an army of jerks, so you know a normal thursday.
Friday, June 19, 2015
Well This Seems Normal, Normally Terrible
"If I said no would that be an answer you'd accept?" I was being lead from the nice chained up basement to a dark hole that smelled pretty foul (could have been the scent of the damned from the digging but I figured it wasn't). There were five of them all armed though it didn't matter as I've proven time and time again I am the most dangerous person... IN THE WORLD!!! Anyway bragging aside I was kind of curious but not super curious what was down in the hole. I assumed whoever had dug it up had been wiped out by it, so I knew it was extremely dangerous, what I had no idea of was how dangerous or even what it was.
"Get in the hole or we'll bury you in it." The answer no would have sufficed, but no straight to the threats of violence. So I descended into the pit, they were nice enough to give me a torch, but that was it for any kind of make shift weaponry. The whole wasn't stable, the support beams to hold up the compacted earth were improperly constructed (I hadn't done a lot of excavation honestly but even I could tell one good kick could collapse that tunnel no problem). The smell got worse as I went, I could see finger nail marks from where someone or something had been drug back deeper into the pit. The guards stayed at the mouth of thole as I walked in deeper with each step I felt worse and worse at the prospect of what was down there. I came to the end of the pit and found nothing. I looked around, but didn't see anything at all so I felt relieved and turned around and came face to face with a little girl who was not there when I first came in.
"Did they send you after me?" I hadn't seen children, but it's not like these heartless bastards would feel anything about enslaving a child. The child looked at me weirdly for a moment, tilting her head to the side, almost literally in this case she leaned over to the side. Clearly normal child behavior.
"You're not ill."
"Well that's a relief I've had the sniffles for like a week and I was worried." The child did not get my joke, instead it looked on with even more piercing eyes. I was distinctly aware at this point this probably was not a child.
"You are swarming with magic of death though, imbued with it," Suddenly the child got a bright look on her face, "A necromancer, I thought your kind were killed off."
"I'm one of a kind." Definitely not a little child.
"I'm sure you like to think so Mr. Lorentino." I liked that she called me Mr, not so fond of knowing my name with out me saying it.
"You're not a little girl are you?"
"I choose this form because I find it upsets people less than just taking on what I feel like, a mix between a cat and a monkey is my favorite."
"I appreciate that, Cat Monkeys are terrifying." The child chuckled.
"No Mr. Lorentino I'm terrifying." And the child wasn't exactly wrong, though again she wasn't really a child. I'll get into that naturally, or maybe I won't! Maybe I'll just jump ahead! I like to do that!
"Get in the hole or we'll bury you in it." The answer no would have sufficed, but no straight to the threats of violence. So I descended into the pit, they were nice enough to give me a torch, but that was it for any kind of make shift weaponry. The whole wasn't stable, the support beams to hold up the compacted earth were improperly constructed (I hadn't done a lot of excavation honestly but even I could tell one good kick could collapse that tunnel no problem). The smell got worse as I went, I could see finger nail marks from where someone or something had been drug back deeper into the pit. The guards stayed at the mouth of thole as I walked in deeper with each step I felt worse and worse at the prospect of what was down there. I came to the end of the pit and found nothing. I looked around, but didn't see anything at all so I felt relieved and turned around and came face to face with a little girl who was not there when I first came in.
"Did they send you after me?" I hadn't seen children, but it's not like these heartless bastards would feel anything about enslaving a child. The child looked at me weirdly for a moment, tilting her head to the side, almost literally in this case she leaned over to the side. Clearly normal child behavior.
"You're not ill."
"Well that's a relief I've had the sniffles for like a week and I was worried." The child did not get my joke, instead it looked on with even more piercing eyes. I was distinctly aware at this point this probably was not a child.
"You are swarming with magic of death though, imbued with it," Suddenly the child got a bright look on her face, "A necromancer, I thought your kind were killed off."
"I'm one of a kind." Definitely not a little child.
"I'm sure you like to think so Mr. Lorentino." I liked that she called me Mr, not so fond of knowing my name with out me saying it.
"You're not a little girl are you?"
"I choose this form because I find it upsets people less than just taking on what I feel like, a mix between a cat and a monkey is my favorite."
"I appreciate that, Cat Monkeys are terrifying." The child chuckled.
"No Mr. Lorentino I'm terrifying." And the child wasn't exactly wrong, though again she wasn't really a child. I'll get into that naturally, or maybe I won't! Maybe I'll just jump ahead! I like to do that!
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Best Vacation Never
"So what are they even digging for?" Hanging around chained to a wall because I just wanted to run away seemed excessive. The other dudes down there looked mostly well as they were acquaintances of the sick who had figured out this was some kind of sick work camp and tried to leave and failed like I had. Well I hadn't really tried, these guys had and from the wounds they bore they suffered for it.
"They are digging for the spring of life." It was an older man, he had a beard that was getting mid chest length showing he'd been there a while or he liked looking older than he was.
"That seems ridiculous." Digging for a spring makes kind of sense, but then it doesn't make any sense doing it on a frigging island, which should have been a clue to me this wasn't a natural spring at all. Or in theory it wasn't a natural spring, it wasn't like they had dug up anything other than misery in the six month's they'd been running this scam on the infirm.
"I think they are actually digging for something else." A younger man with a shorter beard who had a mark across his chest from some ugly weapon spoke up. There was some rumble amongst the five of us as people talked over each other trying to say what they were actually doing.
"Quiet gods one at a time." I swear people just naturally want to argue even over things that are directly in their face. And that's my gods damned job.
"Something is buried on this island, and whenever someone gets close to digging it up something bad gets them, its why they are using our loved ones because they are sick and dying anyway." It was a great plan I'll admit. For a moment I recalled my recent foray into treasure hunting and wondered if I had anything to do with this island (thankfully no).
"Well I'm glad I'm chained up down here then." They all scoffed for a moment and then the old man spoke.
"You think they don't have us do something? Son we're the men they send in to check out what's left after someone digs something up."
"Oh well shit that's not good." I was quickly discovering this was the worst trip ever.
"They are digging for the spring of life." It was an older man, he had a beard that was getting mid chest length showing he'd been there a while or he liked looking older than he was.
"That seems ridiculous." Digging for a spring makes kind of sense, but then it doesn't make any sense doing it on a frigging island, which should have been a clue to me this wasn't a natural spring at all. Or in theory it wasn't a natural spring, it wasn't like they had dug up anything other than misery in the six month's they'd been running this scam on the infirm.
"I think they are actually digging for something else." A younger man with a shorter beard who had a mark across his chest from some ugly weapon spoke up. There was some rumble amongst the five of us as people talked over each other trying to say what they were actually doing.
"Quiet gods one at a time." I swear people just naturally want to argue even over things that are directly in their face. And that's my gods damned job.
"Something is buried on this island, and whenever someone gets close to digging it up something bad gets them, its why they are using our loved ones because they are sick and dying anyway." It was a great plan I'll admit. For a moment I recalled my recent foray into treasure hunting and wondered if I had anything to do with this island (thankfully no).
"Well I'm glad I'm chained up down here then." They all scoffed for a moment and then the old man spoke.
"You think they don't have us do something? Son we're the men they send in to check out what's left after someone digs something up."
"Oh well shit that's not good." I was quickly discovering this was the worst trip ever.
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Feeling A Lot Better Bye
My room was a hovel. The Director of the place had made a grand speech about how everyone will be feeling better in no time, and then I was tossed into a hovel with a bunch of other miscreants. After the money I'd spent on the trip I felt very upset that the accomodations were terrible. On top of that they expected everyone to dig! To dig! How in the gods name does feeling better involve digging? I dunno, but according to this director clown digging would make us feel better! I was starting to feel this whole getting better clinic wasn't actually a thing, and there wasn't an actual healing spring or anything (which was close to the truth but not exactly the truth). I couldn't get over how awful things were though, like I got we were stuck on an island and they had armed men so we couldn't really go anywhere, but you would have thought they would have hid that we aren't actually at a healing clinic and instead had wound up at a shitty work camp. I mean sure they still called it a healing resort, but it was clearly a damned work camp. The men I was with were mostly dying anyway, so I could see they would at least have nothing left and therefore would be decent workers until they died, but I had a lot to live for and I had lied to get there and so this was total bullshit!
I attempted to leave and I was locked up in the basement over it. And I wasn't even alone! There were several other sick people down there. I'm telling you the idea we were going to get better chained to a wall was intriguing so I played it out. Also I can't swim that far and the boat had left, so killing everyone and waiting wasn't exactly a brilliant idea. Not my worst one mind, you but definitely not smart.
I attempted to leave and I was locked up in the basement over it. And I wasn't even alone! There were several other sick people down there. I'm telling you the idea we were going to get better chained to a wall was intriguing so I played it out. Also I can't swim that far and the boat had left, so killing everyone and waiting wasn't exactly a brilliant idea. Not my worst one mind, you but definitely not smart.
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
On The Way To Healing
The ship smelled, it was the most obvious thing about it other than the cheap nature of it (you would think a ship setting sail for a magical healing spring would have better conditions, you would think deadly wrong). But the smell was ever present. It was on the bodies of the dying, it was in every room and central location, and even on the deck it smelled like death and decay. As a person not actually dying it was almost unbearable.
I admit I should have clued in this was not the boat for me on the smell alone, but the fact that there didn't seem to be disproportionate number of men with guns should have been clue number two. I mean they were in theory they said "They are there to protect the physically weak." But these guys didn't look like they protected anything but a bottom line (hired mercenaries are entirely different from people that while armed are there to help you, its in the eyes which for these guys was all I could see over their medical masks). So much like seeing a train wreck about to happen I could tell shit was about to go wrong when we got to the Island.
I do have to say at least my seasickness has abided over the centuries. I hardly throw up anymore, perhaps its the new steam ships. Perhaps its all the various trips on the ocean I've made, but the only time I vomitted on this trip was when the smell got to be too overwhelming. Eventually we pulled into port where more armed men met us and we were introduced to the "Director" of the healing spring. It felt weird there would be a director, but I had paid enough money to be there, so I figured at least someone was directing things and that made me feel slightly better. Until of course bad things happened, because of course bad things happened.
I admit I should have clued in this was not the boat for me on the smell alone, but the fact that there didn't seem to be disproportionate number of men with guns should have been clue number two. I mean they were in theory they said "They are there to protect the physically weak." But these guys didn't look like they protected anything but a bottom line (hired mercenaries are entirely different from people that while armed are there to help you, its in the eyes which for these guys was all I could see over their medical masks). So much like seeing a train wreck about to happen I could tell shit was about to go wrong when we got to the Island.
I do have to say at least my seasickness has abided over the centuries. I hardly throw up anymore, perhaps its the new steam ships. Perhaps its all the various trips on the ocean I've made, but the only time I vomitted on this trip was when the smell got to be too overwhelming. Eventually we pulled into port where more armed men met us and we were introduced to the "Director" of the healing spring. It felt weird there would be a director, but I had paid enough money to be there, so I figured at least someone was directing things and that made me feel slightly better. Until of course bad things happened, because of course bad things happened.
Monday, June 15, 2015
Dr. Doubtful
Doctors are skeptical people. They replaced healers who were the opposite. Like in the old times if you got hurt a healer was already working out some wonky bullshit remedy before you even finished talking. Now the doctor hears your story looks at you with an appraising eye and then starts asking you rude questions, especially when you're asking for a friend. Like the doctor immediately assumed I had the Rot! And worse so he assumed it was associated with my genitals! THE NERVE OF THE MAN!
"So your 'friend' has a disease that is causing his skin to rot off?" The way he said this implied he thought of course my friend was me.
"Well I wouldn't say friend more like person I want to kill but not like this." I have an overshare problem.
"Right have you had a pyshiatric evaluation as of late Mr. Lorentino?"
"No I don't believe in this modern mind quackery." Ok I probably don't come across as a sane person to normal people, but you know what screw normals!
"Right, well based on what you've told me no there is no disease that causes a flesh rot, I've heard of poisons and venoms that do, but absent that you can't suddenly have your flesh rot."
"Are you sure?"
"You're questioning my expertise as a doctor something I went to school for and continue to do every day?"
"Point taken." Not really but his tone and look told me the point should be taken and I should move on.
"Well then we're done see the receptionist on the way out to pay for the treatment and good luck on your flesh rot."
"It's not me!" It wasn't me gods damn it! This became a pattern with each quackier and less reasonable person I visited they all assumed I was the one having the problem! I swear does know one in this world help out an enemy? This got so bad I actually wound up on a boat to a small island (shut up I know this shit never works out for me, and this was no different) to a "healing" spring to see if I could get some of the water to fix Morley. Again several times I questioned why I was the one doing all this when I've longed for Morley to die for years and here I was presented with that opportunity and I was trying to prevent it. Because I'm an idiot!
"So your 'friend' has a disease that is causing his skin to rot off?" The way he said this implied he thought of course my friend was me.
"Well I wouldn't say friend more like person I want to kill but not like this." I have an overshare problem.
"Right have you had a pyshiatric evaluation as of late Mr. Lorentino?"
"No I don't believe in this modern mind quackery." Ok I probably don't come across as a sane person to normal people, but you know what screw normals!
"Right, well based on what you've told me no there is no disease that causes a flesh rot, I've heard of poisons and venoms that do, but absent that you can't suddenly have your flesh rot."
"Are you sure?"
"You're questioning my expertise as a doctor something I went to school for and continue to do every day?"
"Point taken." Not really but his tone and look told me the point should be taken and I should move on.
"Well then we're done see the receptionist on the way out to pay for the treatment and good luck on your flesh rot."
"It's not me!" It wasn't me gods damn it! This became a pattern with each quackier and less reasonable person I visited they all assumed I was the one having the problem! I swear does know one in this world help out an enemy? This got so bad I actually wound up on a boat to a small island (shut up I know this shit never works out for me, and this was no different) to a "healing" spring to see if I could get some of the water to fix Morley. Again several times I questioned why I was the one doing all this when I've longed for Morley to die for years and here I was presented with that opportunity and I was trying to prevent it. Because I'm an idiot!
Friday, June 12, 2015
I Care Only In That Not Caring Way
Getting a hold of Hanlon was easier than I expected. I mean its always kind of easy when he wants to be found (or torment me, or get me to do things). But when I need his help he seems to disappear faster than you can say "Imaginary person I created and I might be suffering from a delusion about". But again this time he was waiting for me back at my office, it was extremely nice of him to just be ready for me to ask for his assistance. Freakishly so.
"Nope." That was his first word to me, I hadn't even asked a question, or thought of a question to ask, he just started off with nope.
"You didn't even let me ask my question, what are you doing here anyway?" It just seemed strange for him to be there, and answering no without even hearing the question.
"I'm here to tell you no, I thought that was clear."
"No to what?"
"No I didn't give Morley the Rot." I couldn't even hide the look on my face, it was complete astonishment.
"Do I want to know how you know that already? I literally just saw him recently." I mean I was still naked from my burning for god sake!
"You don't." And then he was gone. Like Hanlon showed up, told me he didn't do it, and then left. Truly a Hanlon sort of thing to do, made all the worse by him being a complete dick to me (ok he wasn't an actual dick, but it felt dickish, I felt dicked.) This at least told me unfortunately Morley may be right it is a symptom of our necromancy, and Hanlon didn't actually cause it, or he wouldn't help me even if he did (I wouldn't put it past him). I did of course still have to check myself about helping someone I literally wanted to see die, but my fear of it being a disease we both could get or, gods help me something Morley gave me in the brief time I saw him. And so I trudged on to an actual doctor because I figured that was a good choice with a magical disease (it was not). Read on!
"Nope." That was his first word to me, I hadn't even asked a question, or thought of a question to ask, he just started off with nope.
"You didn't even let me ask my question, what are you doing here anyway?" It just seemed strange for him to be there, and answering no without even hearing the question.
"I'm here to tell you no, I thought that was clear."
"No to what?"
"No I didn't give Morley the Rot." I couldn't even hide the look on my face, it was complete astonishment.
"Do I want to know how you know that already? I literally just saw him recently." I mean I was still naked from my burning for god sake!
"You don't." And then he was gone. Like Hanlon showed up, told me he didn't do it, and then left. Truly a Hanlon sort of thing to do, made all the worse by him being a complete dick to me (ok he wasn't an actual dick, but it felt dickish, I felt dicked.) This at least told me unfortunately Morley may be right it is a symptom of our necromancy, and Hanlon didn't actually cause it, or he wouldn't help me even if he did (I wouldn't put it past him). I did of course still have to check myself about helping someone I literally wanted to see die, but my fear of it being a disease we both could get or, gods help me something Morley gave me in the brief time I saw him. And so I trudged on to an actual doctor because I figured that was a good choice with a magical disease (it was not). Read on!
Thursday, June 11, 2015
The Rot
Morley's condition was bad. His skin was rotting. The smell was the first thing I noticed other than the sight of it, whatever was going on caused it to smell like week old fish. About half his body was covered in the Rot (his name for it, no need to call it something else because it was just literally his flesh rotting). I felt good that he had this problem, because Morley is a terrible person and literally rotting was a fitting punishment. I did not feel good in that he was telling me I would be next to have the disease! He couldn't even tell me how he got it in the first place, just said he needed my help finding a cure, and by that he meant he needed me to ask Hanlon if Hanlon gave it to him.
See that's the thing, Morley lead off with saying it was a result of necromancy, but what he really wanted me to know is if this was somehow something Hanlon had done to him and that's the real reason he needed me because for whatever reason I'm one of the only people Hanlon actually confides in/talks to. Which is a lot of power, but a lot of great responsibility (and shitty life decisions as Hanlon seems to almost kill me with his crap more than half the time!) I recall the last time Morley and Hanlon locked horns it came out the worse for me, so I wasn't exactly readily happy to help Morley, but if Hanlon had cursed the stupid jerk it would at least put my mind to rest!
This all meant though that I had to seek out Hanlon and I really didn't want to. On top of having to talk to Chandler about all the burning (still had to resolve that little thing apparently the cops aren't fond of flaming mens blowing things up and burning their way through the streets). It's like the old saying goes, when it rains the gutters back up... Wait that's not, you know what never mind! Next entry next entry away!
See that's the thing, Morley lead off with saying it was a result of necromancy, but what he really wanted me to know is if this was somehow something Hanlon had done to him and that's the real reason he needed me because for whatever reason I'm one of the only people Hanlon actually confides in/talks to. Which is a lot of power, but a lot of great responsibility (and shitty life decisions as Hanlon seems to almost kill me with his crap more than half the time!) I recall the last time Morley and Hanlon locked horns it came out the worse for me, so I wasn't exactly readily happy to help Morley, but if Hanlon had cursed the stupid jerk it would at least put my mind to rest!
This all meant though that I had to seek out Hanlon and I really didn't want to. On top of having to talk to Chandler about all the burning (still had to resolve that little thing apparently the cops aren't fond of flaming mens blowing things up and burning their way through the streets). It's like the old saying goes, when it rains the gutters back up... Wait that's not, you know what never mind! Next entry next entry away!
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Curiosity Is my Worst Trait Aside From Murder
"I should kill you where you stand." I really should have killed him, not that I could have probably, Morley always has a back up plan. Its like we are complete opposites int hat regard, he always has a follow up, I don't even have a starter plan to back up!
"You could try, you'd fail, but you could try." Morley was by himself, which was odd for him, it made me wonder for a moment if I was hallucinating. It wouldn't be the first, or last time I know. He was dressed in his usual formal all black, though I did notice his skin color was all bad, like he'd always been a pale guy but there was a rot to the white now, it looked like he'd developed some kind of disease.
"You look terrible Morley."
"Well I admit I don't look like you naked as the day you were born sitting on a beach smelling of recently burned flesh, yes, but I am in a lot better places than you'll ever be in your life." I have to appreciate that Morley just can't say hello, he has to insult to start off. I mean I do it too, but I don't look like an asshole like Morley does.
"What do you want and how did you find me?"
"I followed the destruction, and I need you to look into something for me."
"You're a dick, see I looked into it no need for me any longer." See I did that thing where I assumed what he wanted to know was he was an asshole and I decided to speed it up and just tell him he was.
"If only I didn't need you I'd kill you where you stand."
"Oh you must be in real trouble if you forgo the death threat for my help, and why Morley should I help you?"
"Because as you note how I look this could very much happen to you, apparently our benefactor didn't exactly explain the dangers of necromancy, and unless what's happening to me can become reversed you and I both do not have forever to live as we surmise." Color me intrigued, which angered me because I should have killed Morley, or failing that walked away. I did neither. Well I eventually walked away because I was cold and public nudity is a thing (I know right? You would think I was doing a service for everyone, no apparently that's against the law! SCREW YOUR LAWS!!!), but I was terrified of dying, and Morley was making it seem like that could happen to me. Which was a complete lie, but I didn't know it at the time, because Morley is a bastard who will die alone someday BUT NOT ANYTIME SOON DUE TO ME GODS DAMN IT!!
"You could try, you'd fail, but you could try." Morley was by himself, which was odd for him, it made me wonder for a moment if I was hallucinating. It wouldn't be the first, or last time I know. He was dressed in his usual formal all black, though I did notice his skin color was all bad, like he'd always been a pale guy but there was a rot to the white now, it looked like he'd developed some kind of disease.
"You look terrible Morley."
"Well I admit I don't look like you naked as the day you were born sitting on a beach smelling of recently burned flesh, yes, but I am in a lot better places than you'll ever be in your life." I have to appreciate that Morley just can't say hello, he has to insult to start off. I mean I do it too, but I don't look like an asshole like Morley does.
"What do you want and how did you find me?"
"I followed the destruction, and I need you to look into something for me."
"You're a dick, see I looked into it no need for me any longer." See I did that thing where I assumed what he wanted to know was he was an asshole and I decided to speed it up and just tell him he was.
"If only I didn't need you I'd kill you where you stand."
"Oh you must be in real trouble if you forgo the death threat for my help, and why Morley should I help you?"
"Because as you note how I look this could very much happen to you, apparently our benefactor didn't exactly explain the dangers of necromancy, and unless what's happening to me can become reversed you and I both do not have forever to live as we surmise." Color me intrigued, which angered me because I should have killed Morley, or failing that walked away. I did neither. Well I eventually walked away because I was cold and public nudity is a thing (I know right? You would think I was doing a service for everyone, no apparently that's against the law! SCREW YOUR LAWS!!!), but I was terrified of dying, and Morley was making it seem like that could happen to me. Which was a complete lie, but I didn't know it at the time, because Morley is a bastard who will die alone someday BUT NOT ANYTIME SOON DUE TO ME GODS DAMN IT!!
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Burn With the Burning
Fire, fire was everywhere. The entire warehouse serene and business like in the moment exploded with fire and destruction. People were running screaming everywhere, some on fire, some just running from the smoke and flames, others trying to steal things in the mayhem. But mayhem and fire was everywhere. I was among the wreckage burning with glee I hadn't felt since I'd given in to corruption. The men with guns had run away, Ned ran with them, thankfully he was apprehended while fleeing the fire (the police were alerted when suddenly a building went up in flames, he was later convicted on not properly paying his property taxes you have to love a good tax conviction).
All of that didn't matter to me though, I was burning. I was using the flame from the fire to fan other flames and causing destruction wide spread across the entire warehouse. I had become one with the flame, letting it into myself and bathing in it (not literally but I came pretty close). I couldn't help myself, I guess because for so long I'd let myself simply exist as a necromancer, as someone who kept things in check, I had freed myself and in that I destroyed. I destroyed everything. Chandler would later complain I made it harder to go after Ned because I destroyed all the evidence but to hear those complaints I had to stop burning and I didn't do that for a time.
I actually left the warehouse partially enclosed in flame and just walked off down the street. No one would come near the burning man as he just strolled around watching the world through my world of flame. I probably came close to corrupting myself, but I exhalted in the flame. When I finally extinguished it was near the river. I sat there naked as the day is long just relaxing in the post fire serenity of it, like sex only without the messyness.
"I always hate that when I think I've got you, you do something like this and survive." Morley ruined my moment of serenity, because that's what he does he ruins things. He's a ruiner. I know I say this after I literally burned an entire building down because I was moderately mad. Look I'm a hypocrite you know this!
All of that didn't matter to me though, I was burning. I was using the flame from the fire to fan other flames and causing destruction wide spread across the entire warehouse. I had become one with the flame, letting it into myself and bathing in it (not literally but I came pretty close). I couldn't help myself, I guess because for so long I'd let myself simply exist as a necromancer, as someone who kept things in check, I had freed myself and in that I destroyed. I destroyed everything. Chandler would later complain I made it harder to go after Ned because I destroyed all the evidence but to hear those complaints I had to stop burning and I didn't do that for a time.
I actually left the warehouse partially enclosed in flame and just walked off down the street. No one would come near the burning man as he just strolled around watching the world through my world of flame. I probably came close to corrupting myself, but I exhalted in the flame. When I finally extinguished it was near the river. I sat there naked as the day is long just relaxing in the post fire serenity of it, like sex only without the messyness.
"I always hate that when I think I've got you, you do something like this and survive." Morley ruined my moment of serenity, because that's what he does he ruins things. He's a ruiner. I know I say this after I literally burned an entire building down because I was moderately mad. Look I'm a hypocrite you know this!
Monday, June 8, 2015
The Man Behind The Man
We moved beyond the room of runes deeper into the underground complex Ned used to store and ship out dangerous magical artifacts (this is where people who aren't magical make so many mistakes, like they can't tell one from another so they'll have something rather benign next to something that could kill them instantly and have no clue). Ned was moving fairly fast I had to walk briskly to keep up. We arrived at his real office and he left two men outside. The inside of it was also covered in anti magical runes, he also had some weird electrical devices set up I later found out canceled out recording equipment.
"So your making a play on Morley eh?" Ned was talking that conspiracy whisper people like to make when no one else is around.
"Several times he's tried on my life, I can trace most moments of misery in it to that man, its about time I give him some in return." Like I've always said the best lies are truths. Wait that, nevermind keep going.
"And you want me to risk my operation to help you take him down?" Ned didn't seem like the kind of guy who would care about what I did with what I acquired.
"I don't see how you helping me locate something of mine anyways would put you in danger."
"Looking for anything associated with Morley would be dangerous." He was balancing something on his hand, it looked like a human bone of some kind, but I couldn't make out what it was.
"Well then we're done here, if you aren't going to help I'm out." At this point I was wondering what exactly Chandler wanted me to find other than this warehouse. It was kind of out of the way, but not exactly hidden, I have to admit I hadn't gotten very many good instructions on what to do here.
"Hold on, hold on we're negotiating."
"We are?"
"You're a businessman you know how this goes I tell you no, you ask what I can do and we go back and forth on this." This seemed a little too confesionary and I was right it totally was.
"So what can you do for me Ned? And what will it cost?" He smiled and put the bone down.
"Let me show you what I got Trezlan, and then we can talk about cost." He hustled me out of his office and past a bunch of dangerous stuff into a backroom with no exist and a lot of men with guns. "What I got is you, and what I'm going to get is a lot of money from Morley."
"Well aren't you a peach Ned." He clamped the shackles on me and then all kinds of awful things broke loose. And by that I mean I blew some shit up, because it had been a while and sometimes you just have to blow something up, especially if that something think they can turn you into someone awful.
"So your making a play on Morley eh?" Ned was talking that conspiracy whisper people like to make when no one else is around.
"Several times he's tried on my life, I can trace most moments of misery in it to that man, its about time I give him some in return." Like I've always said the best lies are truths. Wait that, nevermind keep going.
"And you want me to risk my operation to help you take him down?" Ned didn't seem like the kind of guy who would care about what I did with what I acquired.
"I don't see how you helping me locate something of mine anyways would put you in danger."
"Looking for anything associated with Morley would be dangerous." He was balancing something on his hand, it looked like a human bone of some kind, but I couldn't make out what it was.
"Well then we're done here, if you aren't going to help I'm out." At this point I was wondering what exactly Chandler wanted me to find other than this warehouse. It was kind of out of the way, but not exactly hidden, I have to admit I hadn't gotten very many good instructions on what to do here.
"Hold on, hold on we're negotiating."
"We are?"
"You're a businessman you know how this goes I tell you no, you ask what I can do and we go back and forth on this." This seemed a little too confesionary and I was right it totally was.
"So what can you do for me Ned? And what will it cost?" He smiled and put the bone down.
"Let me show you what I got Trezlan, and then we can talk about cost." He hustled me out of his office and past a bunch of dangerous stuff into a backroom with no exist and a lot of men with guns. "What I got is you, and what I'm going to get is a lot of money from Morley."
"Well aren't you a peach Ned." He clamped the shackles on me and then all kinds of awful things broke loose. And by that I mean I blew some shit up, because it had been a while and sometimes you just have to blow something up, especially if that something think they can turn you into someone awful.
Friday, June 5, 2015
If You Know Me You Know This is a Bad idea
"Sit." There were guns all around and the room was covered in anti magical runes, it was one of those threats without a threat. There were two chairs mine and the man across from me. He was in a nice suit and smelled faintly of woman's perfume which had won him the nick name in the underworld of Nancy Ned, though Ned was not one to actually be a polite guy Chandler showed me the list of dead people attributed to him.
"I'm just glad to have a meeting with you Ned, its Ned right?" Being polite is always important when meeting someone of a higher criminal class than yourself, there are rules to these things very large lengthy hidden rules.
"Ned is fine, and you claim to be Trezlan Lorentino, the fifth one I've dealt with, though I'll admit the previous ones were all white, coming in as a dark skinned man brave, stupid, but brave." I was patently insulted that my legend had apparently changed my skin color. Just like apparently my very red hair has become white or black depending on the story. Now seeing as I'm a person who spread rumors of myself this annoys me that someone was counter spreading rumors.
"I assure you I'm the real deal, I've been out of circulation for a while, but I've gotten back into things and I'm in the market for something I lost along the way."
"And that's why you have wormed your way into my organization, hoping to get something you lost? Or are you working for Detective Chandler?" I heard the hammer hit back behind my head, I knew that the jig as it were, was probably up. I was cool as the other side of the pillow, I was the king of not losing your cool. It's why I didn't like immediately light the room on fire and kill everyone in attendance. I certainly did not start stammering and over explaining in a panic because while I thought I could use magic I certainly did not want to test it against all the runes in the room.
"I want to kill Morley!" I basically went with the truth among all truths. I figure if they knew who I was, they'd know who Morley was and they'd know I was legit, even if I was not. Ned gave me a stare for a bit and the nodded at the guy behind me and I heard the release of the hammer and put the pistol away.
"And how do you know Morley?"
"How do you think? He's my gods damned enemy man has tried to kill me several times as of late, I think its about time I return the favor." Ned seemed to chew over my honesty for a moment.
"People have seen you with Chandler..."
"I was playing him to get to you to kill Morley, its been decades since I've been in the business, you think I knew who to get a hold of?"
"Fair enough, if you're screwing with me Lorentino I'll cut you up into little pieces." I nodded at him.
"Ned I wouldn't lie to you, I only lie to people I know." This was of course a lie. And Ned knew that, but what he didn't know is what I knew so he let me play along before dropping the hammer as it were. Ned was a nice guy like that.
"I'm just glad to have a meeting with you Ned, its Ned right?" Being polite is always important when meeting someone of a higher criminal class than yourself, there are rules to these things very large lengthy hidden rules.
"Ned is fine, and you claim to be Trezlan Lorentino, the fifth one I've dealt with, though I'll admit the previous ones were all white, coming in as a dark skinned man brave, stupid, but brave." I was patently insulted that my legend had apparently changed my skin color. Just like apparently my very red hair has become white or black depending on the story. Now seeing as I'm a person who spread rumors of myself this annoys me that someone was counter spreading rumors.
"I assure you I'm the real deal, I've been out of circulation for a while, but I've gotten back into things and I'm in the market for something I lost along the way."
"And that's why you have wormed your way into my organization, hoping to get something you lost? Or are you working for Detective Chandler?" I heard the hammer hit back behind my head, I knew that the jig as it were, was probably up. I was cool as the other side of the pillow, I was the king of not losing your cool. It's why I didn't like immediately light the room on fire and kill everyone in attendance. I certainly did not start stammering and over explaining in a panic because while I thought I could use magic I certainly did not want to test it against all the runes in the room.
"I want to kill Morley!" I basically went with the truth among all truths. I figure if they knew who I was, they'd know who Morley was and they'd know I was legit, even if I was not. Ned gave me a stare for a bit and the nodded at the guy behind me and I heard the release of the hammer and put the pistol away.
"And how do you know Morley?"
"How do you think? He's my gods damned enemy man has tried to kill me several times as of late, I think its about time I return the favor." Ned seemed to chew over my honesty for a moment.
"People have seen you with Chandler..."
"I was playing him to get to you to kill Morley, its been decades since I've been in the business, you think I knew who to get a hold of?"
"Fair enough, if you're screwing with me Lorentino I'll cut you up into little pieces." I nodded at him.
"Ned I wouldn't lie to you, I only lie to people I know." This was of course a lie. And Ned knew that, but what he didn't know is what I knew so he let me play along before dropping the hammer as it were. Ned was a nice guy like that.
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Sliming My Way Up The Chain
Unlike when I was able to effortlessly take over the Pavarossi criminal empire (because it was turned over to me...) getting my way into the magical smugglers was extremely difficult. Like I thought I'd just drop my name show my extensive knowledge on all things magical and be in like something thats extremely easy to be in with, but no they immediately suspected I was a liar, charlatan or worse fraudster! Criminals! How dare they question the great Trezlan Lorentino! Apparently in my absences there have been several Trezlan Lorentino's who have emerged to claim my throne (which seems weird because the only thing I really have is that people are constantly trying to kill me, probably why those Trezlan's never hang around very long they get dead and fast). So I basically had to work low level deals for not that magical things to try and get an in with the people who ran things. Which took months. I swear the things I did for Chandler I'd never do for anyone else. And all this time Chandler was chomping on my ass to get better info and to go higher up the chain.
I swear "doing someone a favor" usually means putting yourself out so some jerk can act entitled about getting your help. And that's my role in life gods damn it! For as often as I am accused of this kind of behavior I'm more often at the whims of a person like Chandler, than doing it to anyone else! Especially since Nidget died/isn't dead/I have no idea anymore! I need a new shorty side kick, if only those back to life spells actually work. Wait I have an idea... nevermind uhh magic smuggling yeah it was a pain in the ass, but eventually I got to the man in charge and then was immediately betrayed, because nothing is ever easy!
I swear "doing someone a favor" usually means putting yourself out so some jerk can act entitled about getting your help. And that's my role in life gods damn it! For as often as I am accused of this kind of behavior I'm more often at the whims of a person like Chandler, than doing it to anyone else! Especially since Nidget died/isn't dead/I have no idea anymore! I need a new shorty side kick, if only those back to life spells actually work. Wait I have an idea... nevermind uhh magic smuggling yeah it was a pain in the ass, but eventually I got to the man in charge and then was immediately betrayed, because nothing is ever easy!
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Undercover? No I'll Stay Above Them
There were police all over, taking samples, talking to each other, talking to Chandler, talking to me. The death of someone in a policeman's apartment apparently drags out an entire army of people all with a specific job. I didn't all know what those jobs were, but I was of course still kind of drunk while they were asking all these questions that implied I did something bad (Chandler was the guy who shot him!) apparently he was some low level bad guy from some lower crime family (organized crime why do you keep coming up in my life? Its like it goes in cycles sometimes you eat a lot of one type of food, sometimes you keep running into organized crime). If he hadn't specifically wanted to kill Chandler I would have suspected someone followed me home (I didn't exactly slink my way back, just hitch hiked). It was a rough couple hours as I sat there and answered questions and demonstrated where everyone was and what they said, by the time it was all said and done I wasn't even drunk anymore which sucked because I liked the drunk feeling, but the tired put upon thing that replaced it was no fun substitute. Eventually everyone found their way out of Chandler's apartment so it was just me and him and the outline of a body with dried blood.
"I thought you were in the magic division of your department?" It was the first thing I had to ask, because I was confused how someone working with magical people could run into the mob.
"Well I haven't always worked for the magic division, and crazily enough magic is involved in a lot of organized crime, a fact which you obviously are probably well aware of." I wasn't actually, but that's more I hadn't dealt in illicit magical stuff for a long time, a fact that shamed me how out of touch I'd become with it.
"Well I have been out of town for a while." Chandler who has also sobered up (killing a man tends to do that to you) gave me a sour look, and then he started smiling in a way that was disconcerting.
"You know you could just be what I need to deal with these assholes."
"Someone who doesn't know them at all? I fail to see," And then it dawned on me, "Nope not going to happen Chandler."
"You'd be perfect, your name is probably already known to these clowns and they'd never suspect someone as arrested as you are with working for us."
"Or they'd suspect it right away based on how often I'm arrested! But I'm not a snitch unless it benefits me, and this would not at all benefit me." Chandler just kept on smiling and I knew I was screwed and sure enough three days later I was standing in front of a cellar door with my hat in my hand and I knew I'd been screwed by some policeman juju. Stupid liking people it makes you do things you totally hate to do!
"I thought you were in the magic division of your department?" It was the first thing I had to ask, because I was confused how someone working with magical people could run into the mob.
"Well I haven't always worked for the magic division, and crazily enough magic is involved in a lot of organized crime, a fact which you obviously are probably well aware of." I wasn't actually, but that's more I hadn't dealt in illicit magical stuff for a long time, a fact that shamed me how out of touch I'd become with it.
"Well I have been out of town for a while." Chandler who has also sobered up (killing a man tends to do that to you) gave me a sour look, and then he started smiling in a way that was disconcerting.
"You know you could just be what I need to deal with these assholes."
"Someone who doesn't know them at all? I fail to see," And then it dawned on me, "Nope not going to happen Chandler."
"You'd be perfect, your name is probably already known to these clowns and they'd never suspect someone as arrested as you are with working for us."
"Or they'd suspect it right away based on how often I'm arrested! But I'm not a snitch unless it benefits me, and this would not at all benefit me." Chandler just kept on smiling and I knew I was screwed and sure enough three days later I was standing in front of a cellar door with my hat in my hand and I knew I'd been screwed by some policeman juju. Stupid liking people it makes you do things you totally hate to do!
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Everyone Has Enemies
Detective Chandler can't handle his liquor at all. Like I'm a practiced drinker after centuries of drinking all kinds of horrible things, but Chandler clearly didn't have nearly my amount of experience or ability at handling the amounts of drinking we'd done. He ended up leaning on me so much on the way back to his apartment I was basically carrying him the whole way. I didn't mind because I was drunk myself and thus more open to physical contact even if from another man (look sometimes when your drunk sexuality becomes more fluid... we didn't sleep with each other or anything I'm just saying if something like that happens it doesn't mean anything, ok I've said too much). Chandler was so drunk and incapable I had to find the correct key to open his apartment door (thank the gods he only had 3 keys on the ring, if he pulled out a janitor ring we'd have been there till he sobered). I got him into his sparse apartment laid him to bed and slinked out (I left his clothes on, but seeing as he's a grown man he can take them off himself I'm not some kind of pervert.). I was slinking out of his apartment because I was drunk and feeling funny when I heard the click of a hammer.
"Sit down." I figured for a brief moment that Chandler had some how sobered up, got his gun and was now threatening me before I turned around and saw a completely different person just standing there like an asshole. Since I was still very drunk I'll admit I didn't exactly put the right kind of movement to sitting down. I held my hands up with a goofy grin and then collapsed on to one of the few chairs in the room like a goof.
"You got me officer, I was trying to help a fellow man to bed." Again fairly drunk not exactly judging the situation rationally.
"Chandler in there?" I looked into the room and back at the gunman and shrugged. I mean he had to have seen me and Chandler walk in, he had to have seen me come out, so who else would be in the room.
"Probably? I mean he gave me his keys, its got to be his place probably." He reared back with his pistol like he was going to strike me with it, and then thought better on it seeing as how drunk I was (I handled my liquor better than Chandler but I was still excessively drunk, and I'm an asshole so you know twofer).
"Stay where you are." Now I was drunk, but I could tell this guy probably wanted to harm if not kill Chandler, and while I was kind of not super useful right now I had to do something. So I stumbled after the gunman who looked at me like a parent does a small stupid child. I mean I wasn't even able to get to my feet, I just kind of fell on the floor near him and for my trouble and he kicked me in the face. Which seemed like a gross over compensation for my drunken stumbling, how did he not know I wasn't just trying to go to the bathroom? I ask you this knowing full well I intended on trying to stop him from hurting Chandler. As I was trying to get to my feet I heard a gun shot, shockingly it was Chandler, apparently he wasn't as drunk as I thought. The man who had hit me collapsed on the floor his last breaths spent looking into my eyes.
"Should you like call this in or something?" I didn't want to have to testify to something in my state, but I was pretty sure you can't just shoot someone even if they intended on killing you.
"Give me a minute I'm way too drunk and if I call it in like this I'll lose my job." So throw out what I said about him not being too drunk. Still he was a damn good drunk shot, which is something he should have been lauded for, but modern authorities frown on this kind of thing I guess. So silly.
"Sit down." I figured for a brief moment that Chandler had some how sobered up, got his gun and was now threatening me before I turned around and saw a completely different person just standing there like an asshole. Since I was still very drunk I'll admit I didn't exactly put the right kind of movement to sitting down. I held my hands up with a goofy grin and then collapsed on to one of the few chairs in the room like a goof.
"You got me officer, I was trying to help a fellow man to bed." Again fairly drunk not exactly judging the situation rationally.
"Chandler in there?" I looked into the room and back at the gunman and shrugged. I mean he had to have seen me and Chandler walk in, he had to have seen me come out, so who else would be in the room.
"Probably? I mean he gave me his keys, its got to be his place probably." He reared back with his pistol like he was going to strike me with it, and then thought better on it seeing as how drunk I was (I handled my liquor better than Chandler but I was still excessively drunk, and I'm an asshole so you know twofer).
"Stay where you are." Now I was drunk, but I could tell this guy probably wanted to harm if not kill Chandler, and while I was kind of not super useful right now I had to do something. So I stumbled after the gunman who looked at me like a parent does a small stupid child. I mean I wasn't even able to get to my feet, I just kind of fell on the floor near him and for my trouble and he kicked me in the face. Which seemed like a gross over compensation for my drunken stumbling, how did he not know I wasn't just trying to go to the bathroom? I ask you this knowing full well I intended on trying to stop him from hurting Chandler. As I was trying to get to my feet I heard a gun shot, shockingly it was Chandler, apparently he wasn't as drunk as I thought. The man who had hit me collapsed on the floor his last breaths spent looking into my eyes.
"Should you like call this in or something?" I didn't want to have to testify to something in my state, but I was pretty sure you can't just shoot someone even if they intended on killing you.
"Give me a minute I'm way too drunk and if I call it in like this I'll lose my job." So throw out what I said about him not being too drunk. Still he was a damn good drunk shot, which is something he should have been lauded for, but modern authorities frown on this kind of thing I guess. So silly.
Monday, June 1, 2015
And There Are Times I miss Home?
When I got home (rode the bus it was a nerve wracking experience that I'll not want to repeat here, it just solidified my desire to never have children) there was a fire, two separate bank robberies, and a hostage situation (it stemmed from one of the bank robberies). So many awful things happened at a time I started to question why I came home at all. I mean I'm not a police officer or really an anything, but so many bad things going on that I wasn't involved in made me worry that eventually those bad things would involve me! It was so bad I invited Detective Chandler out for drinks so I could complain about things... Well I wanted to complain but he got there first the selfish jerk didn't he know I only asked him out so I could complain? What the hell Chandler!
"It's like every day something stupider happens, and you weren't even in town so I couldn't blame you for it at all." I admit in the short time I'd known the man he already had the dislike for me of a seasoned vet, in a way it was nice also insulting because come on!
"Yeah that's, that's not good, aside from the fact you assume I would be involved in every crime, that's insulting I do a lot of not bad things too!" Not many mind you, but enough to balance the scales ordinarily. We weren't at Valryms who was still in recovery, it was some policeman's bar where I felt completely out of place.
"I like how you said not bad things, it was like you were hedging your bets on recent activity."
"About that..."
"I don't want to know about what you may or may not have been involved in, you weren't in town and that's good enough for me." Chandler was a pal like this, he had this "I don't know what you did, I'd prefer not to, so don't tell me." It was nice from an authority figure. Therod used to just suspect me in everything and constantly threaten to murder me. I assume it was the loss of killing people authority that prompted this new kinder gentler police. Or maybe Chandler was just a nicer guy. Nah it was the can't kill people without paperwork.
"So shit sucks all over huh?"
"Real bad man, real bad." And at that we clanked glasses and drank in silence for the rest of the night. Like men, men who are avoiding their real problems to have completely new ones invented by alcohol. Gods I love being home!
"It's like every day something stupider happens, and you weren't even in town so I couldn't blame you for it at all." I admit in the short time I'd known the man he already had the dislike for me of a seasoned vet, in a way it was nice also insulting because come on!
"Yeah that's, that's not good, aside from the fact you assume I would be involved in every crime, that's insulting I do a lot of not bad things too!" Not many mind you, but enough to balance the scales ordinarily. We weren't at Valryms who was still in recovery, it was some policeman's bar where I felt completely out of place.
"I like how you said not bad things, it was like you were hedging your bets on recent activity."
"About that..."
"I don't want to know about what you may or may not have been involved in, you weren't in town and that's good enough for me." Chandler was a pal like this, he had this "I don't know what you did, I'd prefer not to, so don't tell me." It was nice from an authority figure. Therod used to just suspect me in everything and constantly threaten to murder me. I assume it was the loss of killing people authority that prompted this new kinder gentler police. Or maybe Chandler was just a nicer guy. Nah it was the can't kill people without paperwork.
"So shit sucks all over huh?"
"Real bad man, real bad." And at that we clanked glasses and drank in silence for the rest of the night. Like men, men who are avoiding their real problems to have completely new ones invented by alcohol. Gods I love being home!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)