Thankfully, Axiolis was there to ask the question that Zeff couldn’t. ‘Parson, what are you saying?’
Parson abruptly stopped flying. “I’m saying... well, I’m sure you’ve been wondering, right? Why all of this suddenly happened to you and your family? Why it seemed like the Vanguard just betrayed you out of nowhere? What I’m saying is... it was me. I fabricated the entire incident with Gema’s apparent treason and subsequent disappearance. I mean, she’s good, but there’s no way she could’ve avoided the Vanguard this whole time without a bit of help from someone with clout, right?”
Zeff shut his eyes. He focused on the old well as he listened. Focused on his anger and hatred and everything wrong with the world. Focused on what he needed.
“Well, Zeff? Do you understand what I’m saying? I set this all in motion. Oh, but perhaps you’re still wondering why? Like I said earlier, there are multiple reasons, really, but the primary reason is because you have wicked blood in you. And even though I don’t have a problem letting you live--because I know you’re a good guy--I still can’t really take that same risk with your children. They could become real problems when they get older, see? So I have to make sure they die before that happens--preferably without being labeled a child killer, myself. For the greater good, you--”
But by now, Zeff had stopped hearing him. And for the third time that day, he felt it. The response. Fiercer, perhaps, than ever in his life. The old well was gone. It had exploded, and now a volcano of steam and water resided there in its place.
A wave of power and clarity coursed through him, urging him onward, telling him to do something impossible.
The air currents held him fast, even more so than before, preventing the slightest movements of his arms and legs and neck and back, preventing even his lungs from contracting.
But he could still move his face. He could still blink. So that’s where he poured his concentration.
A huge volume of water materialized. But it was all packed into a single point. He didn’t press his soul into it, but he did press as much velocity into it as he could possibly muster. And for the direction in which the water would move, Zeff chose all of them. Three hundred and sixty degrees.
The result, just as he’d imagined, was an explosion.
A dark serial novel. Set in a modern fantasy world called Eleg. Mature language. Updates every night at midnight PST by ~400 words.
Hmm I was wondering if the "demon blood" comment from Parson was just a figure of speech or clue. Well now we get confirmation. But what does this "Demon Blood/Wicked Blood" actually mean?
ReplyDeleteIt his 3rd emergence wasn't enough Zeff can still go with the fourth one.
ReplyDeleteI doubt he has a fourth one in him if "the old well was gone." Of course, for all we know, this one could have been like 4 or 5 "normal" emergance-es worth of... emergence. That sentence got away from me.
ReplyDeleteAnywho, the reason I wanted to post was actually in hopes of asking if there was going to be some progress on the abilities page. Not that it isn't very well done already, but Mr. Frost did say that he would add a section for the Pan-(various) things at some point, and I was really hoping that Forma, Moc, and Rozum are enough for him to want to add it. I keep forgetting what exactly Rozum is. It blends powers, but only for certain base power types, and only to certain other powers, annnnnnd I don't recall the specifics. And I don't have any idea what Moc is, I must have missed it, or don't remember, or it was only mentioned and never explained.
But seriously. Love this story. If I was wealthy, I would found a publishing company just so I could get you on my payroll to crank this out while living a life of comfort. Sadly, I'm a starving college kid.
Parson was just playing with them.
ReplyDeletePage 853 http://thezombieknight.blogspot.com/2014/10/page-853.html?m=1
ReplyDelete"‘By using a hyper-state. Which is a whole different conversation, really, but the short of it is that integration and mutation users have a hyper-state called “pan-wzrost” which lets them learn to use new materials.’
‘Hyper-states again... eesh. How many are there, anyway?’
‘Four. Pan-rozum, -forma, -moc, and -wzrost. Rozum is the most difficult to use; wzrost is the easiest; forma and moc are about the same.’"
Also--
"‘Materialization can only use pan-forma and pan-rozum. But yes, they’re both quite impossible for us, currently. I can save the explanation for later. Though, I do get the feeling we’ll be seeing them in action fairly soon. I’d bet anything that Asad can at least use pan-forma.’"
Page 854 http://thezombieknight.blogspot.com/2014/10/page-854.html?m=1
"‘The hyper-states aren’t so difficult to remember, though. Forma goes with the mass abilities; moc goes with the wave abilities; and wzrost goes with the mixture abilities. Oh, and rozum goes with them all.’"
I'm under the impression that Parson is saying these things in order to ensure Zeff has emergence. We know that Parson has a habit of playing the idiot but coming out on top in the long run, and Zeff even said that Parson isn't one to brag. So we can assume that Parson has an ulterior motive. Something that requires Zeff to under go yet another emergence.
ReplyDeleteWater vapour is water too.
ReplyDelete"a volcano of steam and liquid water" would've sounded a bit goofy.
ReplyDeletePan-moc hasn't really been explained yet. Rozum and forma have, and wzrost sorta has.
ReplyDeleteI'LL PUT UP THE EXPLAINY-SUMMARY-BITS WHEN I FEEL LIKE IT. SOON-ISH. I do like the cut of your jib, though, sir. Your enthusiasm for wanting to understand stuff is appreciated.
Yeaaaah Parson's definitely antagonizing him, going for this exact reaction. Perhaps it's an Elroy thing, being able to Emerge with a thought?
ReplyDeleteI started re-reading it again a couple days ago. Just to find those. Only made it to like 799 before today.
ReplyDeleteI'm assuming I saved you the trouble then
ReplyDeletepreferably without being a labeled a child killer
ReplyDeleteExtra 'a' here
I DID IT. I CAUGHT ONE FIRST
ReplyDeleteFUCKING YES
MY LIFE IS COMPLETE
In general, pan-rozum makes you an elemental embodiment of your power. You no longer wield your ability you are your ability.
ReplyDeleteI think it's more of a Zeff thing. Remember when Garovel said that emergence is all based around deep personal psychology? I think Zeff is the type to bottle up his emotions, servant or not, but as a servant he actually has a use for said bottled emotions.
ReplyDeleteGot it, thank you.
ReplyDeleteHaha.
ReplyDeleteI'm probably nitpicking here, but if a large amount of water is concentrated into a single point, wouldn't the volume actually be quite small?
ReplyDelete