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.
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