Barnes at one point in his life had been an accountant. Just a normal person doing his normal person duties hoping to get a promotion, but never expecting it like all the other people above him tended to do. He would have been content to just keep doing that until his death if not for the quirk of chance that lead him to being possessed. It wasn't even an evil spirit that took him over, just a lonely one. Barnes could relate to the creature, he himself lived a solitary life, no spouse, no children, not even a pet. His parents died when he was a young man and he had no real friends. He made a bond with the creature, and instead of the possession being a one sided affair they worked with each other, and through this he found he found with the spirits help he could relieve others of their possession which were not beneficial.
Barnes still lead a mostly solitary life, but he at least felt better about helping people. Even if it meant helping someone like Trezlan Lorentino a name his spirit recognized from when he was alive (which had been hundreds of years before Barnes's birth). But he was not a picky guy, he didn't choose his cases or who he helped, he just helped because that was who Barnes was. Which meant at times helping some awful people like Lorentino. Barnes made his peace with it being that he was helping his son who suffered more by extension.
He also did so as a favor to the god of Death, so it was a two for one deal even if he didn't know how he'd ever ask for death's help in the future. It was the crazy life Mr. Barnes found himself in.
Friday, December 18, 2015
Thursday, December 17, 2015
The Curt Mr. Barnes
"I don't have a lot of time Mr. Lorentino, I'd appreciate if your respect that." Trezlan didn't even say hell, he just opened the door and Barnes came inside. He had on a crisp black suit with white shirt and black tie, he looked more like an accountant than a possession expert. He handed Trezlan a satchel that smelled awfully and then looked around the fairly boring looking main room.
"Where is the boy?"
"Downstairs, I've tried a lot..."
"Less talk more showing me the problem." They descended down to where Rolando was. He was chewing meat Trezlan had tossed into the room and fled fearing the creature would break loose.
"So leeches, necromancy, a variety of rituals I'd rather not get into, tried calling three separate gods, and when all else failed therapy, nothing worked." The therapy was for Trezlan, he just thought he'd list it in case it helped.
"Do you have the artifact?" Trezlan wondered where Barnes got his information, Hanlon might have told him, but he seemed to just know.
"It was absorbed when he touched it."
"Explains why everything else failed, ok well give me a moment and then I'll do what I can do. If you have somewhere else to be, be there."
"I'm not leaving my son."
"Oh please sentimentality is beyond you, and don't even levy a threat against my person, you called me for help you get my help, now make yourself somewhere else I have work to do." Trezlan reluctantly agreed and Barnes opened the cell door and stood staring at the creature that had been Rolando Lorentino.
"Aren't you a pretty one." It was the last thing he said to the creature, and then the battle was on.
"Where is the boy?"
"Downstairs, I've tried a lot..."
"Less talk more showing me the problem." They descended down to where Rolando was. He was chewing meat Trezlan had tossed into the room and fled fearing the creature would break loose.
"So leeches, necromancy, a variety of rituals I'd rather not get into, tried calling three separate gods, and when all else failed therapy, nothing worked." The therapy was for Trezlan, he just thought he'd list it in case it helped.
"Do you have the artifact?" Trezlan wondered where Barnes got his information, Hanlon might have told him, but he seemed to just know.
"It was absorbed when he touched it."
"Explains why everything else failed, ok well give me a moment and then I'll do what I can do. If you have somewhere else to be, be there."
"I'm not leaving my son."
"Oh please sentimentality is beyond you, and don't even levy a threat against my person, you called me for help you get my help, now make yourself somewhere else I have work to do." Trezlan reluctantly agreed and Barnes opened the cell door and stood staring at the creature that had been Rolando Lorentino.
"Aren't you a pretty one." It was the last thing he said to the creature, and then the battle was on.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
It Would Almost Be Hilarious
"What took you so long?" Trezlan was waiting for Hanlon, he had been waiting all morning, not like he had any real conscious way of calling Hanlon, but he did his usual floundering and expected the god to show up. But now here he was hours late and the man just strolled in like Trezlan hadn't been waiting for him. It was enough to make Trezlan think the god didn't care anymore.
"I had other business, no don't ask it was sad and yet funny and completely not related to anything with you. Let me guess this is about your son?"
"Of course its about my son, I've exhaused my list of things to do and now I need your help."
"Your list of things being kill him kill him slowly or kill someone else so that he can live?"
"That's patently insulting there are plenty of things I do that don't involve death like uhhh shit, look are you going to help me or just bother me here?"
"Well Trezlan I'm a death god, what do you want me to do? Kill him? What he's inflicted with is beyond my realm, but before you throw a damned fit like a child without food I already asked around and I have a guy, now you won't like him, I don't like him, but he's the best at this kind of thing. So you'll have to deal."
Trezlan was going to say something in return, but Hanlon was gone, in his place was a crisp business card that was white with bold type face on it. It was weird for someone to still use a printed business card, but I guess when you work for Gods you are expected to be weird. The card just had his name and a number, nothing else. His name didn't even stand out, Ray Barnes. But if Hanlon said he was the best, well then Trezlan was screwed.
"Barnes." Voice was clipped, not a syllable too long, only voice, no visual.
"This is Trezla..."
"Lorentino, possession, expect me within the hour." And the line went dead, Trezlan was barely into his thought process for asking for help and Barnes was already on the way, he was confused passed the point of even knowing what to do.
"I had other business, no don't ask it was sad and yet funny and completely not related to anything with you. Let me guess this is about your son?"
"Of course its about my son, I've exhaused my list of things to do and now I need your help."
"Your list of things being kill him kill him slowly or kill someone else so that he can live?"
"That's patently insulting there are plenty of things I do that don't involve death like uhhh shit, look are you going to help me or just bother me here?"
"Well Trezlan I'm a death god, what do you want me to do? Kill him? What he's inflicted with is beyond my realm, but before you throw a damned fit like a child without food I already asked around and I have a guy, now you won't like him, I don't like him, but he's the best at this kind of thing. So you'll have to deal."
Trezlan was going to say something in return, but Hanlon was gone, in his place was a crisp business card that was white with bold type face on it. It was weird for someone to still use a printed business card, but I guess when you work for Gods you are expected to be weird. The card just had his name and a number, nothing else. His name didn't even stand out, Ray Barnes. But if Hanlon said he was the best, well then Trezlan was screwed.
"Barnes." Voice was clipped, not a syllable too long, only voice, no visual.
"This is Trezla..."
"Lorentino, possession, expect me within the hour." And the line went dead, Trezlan was barely into his thought process for asking for help and Barnes was already on the way, he was confused passed the point of even knowing what to do.
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
After Exhausting All Others
"And now you come to me." Hanlon smiled at Valrym, he loved that the little godling had come. It was a delight to see someone else brought low, especially someone who openly despised him. Valrym had attempted to kill Trezlan for years, he had failed for years and now he came to Hanlon as Hanlon always knew he would.
"He's insane, even for your whatever, he's lost it, he turned his son into a monster or something now? I don't even know, the man has always been on the edge, but now he jumped off straight into crazy town. It was probably when you let him use that ship of yours, too much power and you should have known that. You have to destroy him, at the very least for the galaxy." Hanlon almost wanted to have this conversation in one of his godly places, just to taunt the godling about power he would never have again. Alas the creature wouldn't agree to that so he was meeting him in a shady restaurant.
"And you think that's something I care about or haven't already accounted for? Dear Valrym if anyone should be destroyed its you. You who are full of lies and betrayal, you who has clung on to this world despite adding nothing to it. You who is tainted with necromancy yet do not worship at death. No I will not destroy Trezlan, he amuses me, you on the other hand do not, do not contact me again, and before you think about it, I'm pretty sure the Fire God would destroy you all the same without the polite conversation." Valrym felt suddenly very angry, and yet Hanlon held all the cards, and Valrym knew that, he was burning with shame and rage.
"You and he will ruin this existence."
"I doubt that, we're done I'll cover the check I know things are tough for you." Valrym got up and hurried away. He had one more card to play though he really didn't want to rely on another necromancer, but Morley was his only hope to bring sanity to the world, and Valrym really wanted that sanity even if it cost him what little he had left for ethics.
"He's insane, even for your whatever, he's lost it, he turned his son into a monster or something now? I don't even know, the man has always been on the edge, but now he jumped off straight into crazy town. It was probably when you let him use that ship of yours, too much power and you should have known that. You have to destroy him, at the very least for the galaxy." Hanlon almost wanted to have this conversation in one of his godly places, just to taunt the godling about power he would never have again. Alas the creature wouldn't agree to that so he was meeting him in a shady restaurant.
"And you think that's something I care about or haven't already accounted for? Dear Valrym if anyone should be destroyed its you. You who are full of lies and betrayal, you who has clung on to this world despite adding nothing to it. You who is tainted with necromancy yet do not worship at death. No I will not destroy Trezlan, he amuses me, you on the other hand do not, do not contact me again, and before you think about it, I'm pretty sure the Fire God would destroy you all the same without the polite conversation." Valrym felt suddenly very angry, and yet Hanlon held all the cards, and Valrym knew that, he was burning with shame and rage.
"You and he will ruin this existence."
"I doubt that, we're done I'll cover the check I know things are tough for you." Valrym got up and hurried away. He had one more card to play though he really didn't want to rely on another necromancer, but Morley was his only hope to bring sanity to the world, and Valrym really wanted that sanity even if it cost him what little he had left for ethics.
Monday, December 14, 2015
I know you Will
"General, I have to wonder what you're doing here?" Brubaker had managed to get an audience with a low level corporate diplomat. It was the best he'd been able to manage since separating himself from Lorentino. Even with the sight he saw no way of going back to the empire, he would have to wait and see, hopefully a later vision would show him more clarity.
"You need an analyst I need a job."
"Yes I got that from your application, but I'm confused as to how or why you think your skill applies to what we need." Brubaker smiled, he'd seen this conversation play out so many ways, it was hard to keep track if he was actually doing it now or its another vision.
"I have the sight, its why I fled the empire and why I'm no longer a general. Your rivals feel they can see the future, I can actually do it." Brubaker had seen like in most things, honesty was the be policy dealing with this low level exec. Who was soon to become director.
"And for this you'll expect?"
"Moderate compensation, a simple analysts pay, I'm not asking for control or anything outlandish, I just need money and your company will benefit from what I can see. As it has in several visions director." The other man's smile already sealed the deal. In a month his company was making more money than it had in several years of opening, designing new research they hadn't dreamed of. And Brubaker would be comfortable.
"Sounds like we have a deal General Brubaker."
"Please just Brubaker I left being a General behind." The for now was what he said in his mind, but no need for this low level corper to know that, eventually Brubaker would need something better, but being the man behind the man had its benefits he'd seen them, also its dangers he'd seen those as well. But like most things he'd get to them in time, he had a lot of it available to him now.
"You need an analyst I need a job."
"Yes I got that from your application, but I'm confused as to how or why you think your skill applies to what we need." Brubaker smiled, he'd seen this conversation play out so many ways, it was hard to keep track if he was actually doing it now or its another vision.
"I have the sight, its why I fled the empire and why I'm no longer a general. Your rivals feel they can see the future, I can actually do it." Brubaker had seen like in most things, honesty was the be policy dealing with this low level exec. Who was soon to become director.
"And for this you'll expect?"
"Moderate compensation, a simple analysts pay, I'm not asking for control or anything outlandish, I just need money and your company will benefit from what I can see. As it has in several visions director." The other man's smile already sealed the deal. In a month his company was making more money than it had in several years of opening, designing new research they hadn't dreamed of. And Brubaker would be comfortable.
"Sounds like we have a deal General Brubaker."
"Please just Brubaker I left being a General behind." The for now was what he said in his mind, but no need for this low level corper to know that, eventually Brubaker would need something better, but being the man behind the man had its benefits he'd seen them, also its dangers he'd seen those as well. But like most things he'd get to them in time, he had a lot of it available to him now.
Friday, December 11, 2015
Merc Work Sucks
"This is what we do all day?" Therod had been with the Sun Stars, a name she felt was at least redudant, for two weeks and she was bored. Her application was a physical grueling test of combat and endurance. Her actual job was standing around watching over corporate assets as a glorified security guard. The only endurance was not passing out while waiting for something or anything to do.
"Its a shit job but the pay is good." Carut was the only other person working with her. He was a giant of a man with an unnaturally white skin, some kind of planetary condition that had nothing to do with not seeing sunlight as he didn't seem to get sun burned no matter how long he was in the sun from what Therod had seen.
"Is the pay good? I have no idea, I was in Imperial government for too long, I have no idea how things operate in the corporate sector." Carut chuckled.
"Now see this is like an ethical problem, you basically admitted you have no idea of the value of money here, and you're basically daring me to not take advantage of that."
"Do realize even though you are bigger than me I can crush your testicles."
"Fair enough, the money here is better than you'd expect at most merc jobs, and we don't really do that morally shitty work, just a lot of boring guarding of things."
"Could be worse."
"Don't say that, don't ever say that, I said that and those bio monsters attacked and we lost like half our group, just say 'it's another day in paradise' nothing shitty ever comes from that."
"Ok, just another day in paradise." Therod shifted her weight and wished she bought more supportive shoes with her first paycheck since leaving the military. Carut leaned back on the packing container and they kept waiting, for what neither one was really sure.
"Its a shit job but the pay is good." Carut was the only other person working with her. He was a giant of a man with an unnaturally white skin, some kind of planetary condition that had nothing to do with not seeing sunlight as he didn't seem to get sun burned no matter how long he was in the sun from what Therod had seen.
"Is the pay good? I have no idea, I was in Imperial government for too long, I have no idea how things operate in the corporate sector." Carut chuckled.
"Now see this is like an ethical problem, you basically admitted you have no idea of the value of money here, and you're basically daring me to not take advantage of that."
"Do realize even though you are bigger than me I can crush your testicles."
"Fair enough, the money here is better than you'd expect at most merc jobs, and we don't really do that morally shitty work, just a lot of boring guarding of things."
"Could be worse."
"Don't say that, don't ever say that, I said that and those bio monsters attacked and we lost like half our group, just say 'it's another day in paradise' nothing shitty ever comes from that."
"Ok, just another day in paradise." Therod shifted her weight and wished she bought more supportive shoes with her first paycheck since leaving the military. Carut leaned back on the packing container and they kept waiting, for what neither one was really sure.
Thursday, December 10, 2015
We're All At Fault
"Rolando I know you blame me for this but really you have to admit this is partially your fault. Sure I was the one who sought the object out. And yes I did reach in there and grab it despite you warning me we should wait, and yes I maybe didn't fully read the warnings in the ancient language as they had been written, these things might seem like its my fault, but that's not entirely fair because you were also there and could have stopped me maybe so you know I think were also equally at fault. I mean no one said you couldn't read the texts, I don't remember saying that. Sure you'd have to learn the language that's been dead before you were born by a couple hundred years but we had some downtime on this thing so you know you could partially also be at fault for what happened just saying." Rolando was chained up with several different rune inscribed chains. His body mass had swollen by at least 5 times and he had huge claws extending out of his forearms. The creature didn't really speak so much as foam at the mouth and lunge at Trezlan, but Trezlan could tell Rolando was still in there he just had to figure out a way to reach his son.
Made worse was Valrym had been missing for a bit and Trezlan couldn't rely on the earthen godlings no doubt caustic wisdom. So Trezlan didn't know how he was going to fix Rolando, but he figured he would, he had to, because he had to explain to his son how this was actually his fault.
Made worse was Valrym had been missing for a bit and Trezlan couldn't rely on the earthen godlings no doubt caustic wisdom. So Trezlan didn't know how he was going to fix Rolando, but he figured he would, he had to, because he had to explain to his son how this was actually his fault.
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