--donation bonus (day #7, post 3/5)--
Hector roared down the highway. Traffic was a bit heavier than before but still nowhere near as uncomfortable as the city. After a while, he remembered another question.
‘Desmond’s ability,’ said Hector. ‘Didn’t you say you’d explain?’
‘Ah, yes. Desmond’s ability falls under the category of transfiguration. I think the big guy’s did, too.’
‘Which means...?’
‘Transfiguration abilities allow the user to replace body parts with a particular element. In Desmond’s case, I would guess that element was sodium.’
‘Sodium? That doesn’t explode... does it?’
‘When mixed with water, it does.’
‘Oh. So he was using... hmm.’
‘Technically, it’s not the sodium itself that’s responsible. Heat from the chemical reaction ignites the hydrogen that is expelled as a result.’
‘I... okay.’
‘Sodium and water can explode quite violently, but even so, Desmond’s explosions seemed more powerful. I assume he was also employing a soul-strengthening technique to give them an extra punch.’
‘Soul-strengthening... That sounds... useful.’
‘It’s basically just enhancing physical qualities through the application of mental force. It’s something you can only do when your imaginary power grows stronger.’
‘I’m guessing it’s not as easy as that first step was.’
‘It’s not easy or hard, actually. And unlike your iron ability, it can’t grow in sudden bursts through mental stress. Imaginary power is based upon the manipulation of your soul.’
‘So, what? More meditation, then?’
‘No. After the first step is taken, the only way to increase your imaginary power is time.’
‘Wha?’
‘See, I have control of your soul. In order for you to manipulate it, too, you and I have to spend more time together. Gradually, your soul and mine will become more synchronized.’
‘You mean, like... through the power of friendship or some shit?’
Garovel laughed. ‘No. Friendship doesn’t really factor in, unfortunately. It’s just a kind of natural osmosis that happens over time.’
A dark serial novel. Set in a modern fantasy world called Eleg. Mature language. Updates every night at midnight PST by ~400 words.
As long as Hector has the power of friendship, HE WILL DEMOLISH EVERYTHING IN HIS PATH, WHOLE CONTINENTS FLAMING IN HIS WAKE.
ReplyDeleteThat would actually be pretty cool. XD
Albeit a little insane, i have to agree. though i see him helping not hurting.
DeleteThe power of friendship is pretty hardcore.
DeleteWell, you know what they say.
DeleteFriendship is imaginary.
XD
Please. No sodium. Too weak.
ReplyDeleteGo for potassium, rubidium, or even cesium.
Them make the big booms!
From what I've read, that's actually a misconception. While those elements are more "reactive" than sodium, they don't create bigger explosions because they react TOO quickly. The hydrogen doesn't have as much time to ignite, and thus, the explosions are disappointingly weak.
DeleteI'm not totally sure on the explosive potential of the elements, but as you go down the periodic table, they should become less and less reactive (I'll spare you the chemistry). However, once you get low enough, to elements such as cesium, their explosions would actually be nuclear.
DeleteEven if you don't want one guy's ability to be cesium in the mean time, it could be a really nasty power later on down the line when someone can effectively detonate a dirty bomb in an area and leave radioactive fallout behind so no humans can live in that area for decades. The nuclear elements might make for good leader abilities when they finally make their debuts.
RD
Interesting. I'm reading a mixture of that. Some of the videos I checked seemed to show potassium as more powerful than sodium.
ReplyDeleteOf course, these explosions happen in water, while in your story, they are happening in air.
Then again, if you really want a nasty bang, just convert all that body mass into something radioactive (if possible). Now to look up the critical mass of various elements...
I know there was at least one tv show that purported to test this very thing, but it was later revealed that they faked the explosions, presumably because they were more interested in blowing shit up than actually teaching their viewers something. I don't remember what the show was called, though.
DeleteAnd haha. Reading up on elements has been half the fun of writing this. Let me know if you find anything particularly cool, yeah?
If you're looking for something in particular, you can ask. Mercury can be really fun. Short term poison, long term insanity.
DeleteRD
But....friendship is magic...
ReplyDeleteObligatory jokes aside, if a genuine bond of trust were required, Abolish would be in a lot of trouble.
Ok so servants have three different categories of abilities? First, the Imaginary Power, which cant be used against things that are supernatural. Next, Materialization, which will be unique to every servant. Last is Soul-Strengthening, which can be used to boost Materialization. Am I getting this right?
ReplyDeleteAlso, Hector will be able to do the impossible with bis Nakama by his side lol
Cesium isn't fissile (won't sustain a chain reaction). Neither is its big brother francium, although that's radioactive. Heck, almost nothing is fissile; the only elements I know of with fissile isotopes are uranium, plutonium, curium and californium.
ReplyDeleteAnd in fact the bigger Group 1 elements are more reactive, since they lave a lower effective nuclear charge and are already predisposed to be electron donors. It's the ones on the right side of the periodic table, the chalcogens and halogens, that get less reactive as they get heavier
I love how this is a totally alternate universe, but earthly physics still totally apply. Oh sodium!
ReplyDeleteright you are reshri, right you are
ReplyDeleteYoda O.O
ReplyDelete