“I’m talking about fun,” said Ibai. “Being an aberration is all about enjoying yourself.”
Reever was indignant. “I know that! I am having fun!”
“No, you aren’t. Don’t you see? This is just some boring mission. Abolish has tricked you in order to take advantage of your power.”
“Nuh-uh! Sneaking around and surprising people is super fun!”
“Sneaking? Sure. Waiting around for orders? No. Which is exactly what you were doing just now. Waiting for Hahl Saqqaf to show up so you could ambush them, right? How dull!”
“Well... that’s true, but... it wasn’t so bad... And the pay off would’ve been--”
“Tch. You poor thing. They’ve really sunken their claws into you, haven’t they?” He let Reever go. “Let your Uncle Ibai teach you a few things.”
Reever turned to face him. “What things?”
“Well, for example, this mission: where’s the fun in slaughtering your opponents before they even realize what’s happened? We aberrations thrive on chaos. Literally, our power in a fight depends on our capacity to enjoy ourselves therein. So tell me, how are we meant to enjoy anything if the battle ends before it even begins?”
“Ah, well... I suppose you have a point.”
“Of course I do. That’s why we can’t just ambush the Rainlords like this. We have to reveal everyone’s presence and let the fight really get rolling.”
Reever pursed his lips and squinted. “Hmm. But what about our comrades?”
“Eh, they’ll be fine.”
“You think?”
“Sure! Caster will take care of them.”
“I don’t know. These Rainlords seem pretty dangerous.”
“That’s why it’ll be great! Who ever enjoyed a fight with a weak opponent, huh? No one, that’s who!”
“I’m still not sure...”
“Alright. Fair enough. Clearly, we require a third opinion here. We should ask one of our brothers.”
Reever nodded. “Good idea. One second. Let me see who’s closest.”
A dark serial novel. Set in a modern fantasy world called Eleg. Mature language. Updates every day at noon PST by ~400 words.
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Friday, July 10, 2015
Page 1056
With a fresh hallway all to themselves, Ibai kept his shadow out to swarm around Reever. He didn’t use it to actually hold him down, knowing Reever could probably tear right through it. Instead, he used it only for intimidation--a cluster of brown spears all pointed at Reever’s head.
“I’m gonna need you to release your power now,” said Ibai. “Let only the two of us remain invisible.”
“Er--I’m really not supposed to do that.”
Ibai pushed the spears closer. “Please? I’d like to talk to you, but you need to do that first. Privacy, you see.”
“Aha. Okay. Fine.” Reever waved a hand. “Done.”
Ibai used another teleport to check the man’s work. Indeed, he was able to see the souls of the Abolishers suspended in the ethereal void above them now. In a new room again, Ibai relaxed his shadow somewhat. “Thank you.”
Reever shifted slightly, still held fast with Ibai’s arm, but didn’t struggle any more than that. “Would you mind letting me go now?”
“In a minute. Ask me a question.”
“What?”
“Ask me a question,” Ibai repeated. “I’m sure you have one in mind. A very pressing one, hmm? Go on. Ask away.”
Reever took a moment. “What’s your favorite color?”
Ibai brought the spears back, closer than ever before now, making Reever tense up. “Come on,” said Ibai. “That’s not the one.”
“Why are you doing this?” Reever asked.
“There you go. That’s the right question.” He pulled the spears back another time. “I’m doing this because your time in Abolish has clearly caused you to forget what being an aberration is all about. Assuming they even let you learn it in the first place.”
“What are you talking about?” said Reever.
“I’m gonna need you to release your power now,” said Ibai. “Let only the two of us remain invisible.”
“Er--I’m really not supposed to do that.”
Ibai pushed the spears closer. “Please? I’d like to talk to you, but you need to do that first. Privacy, you see.”
“Aha. Okay. Fine.” Reever waved a hand. “Done.”
Ibai used another teleport to check the man’s work. Indeed, he was able to see the souls of the Abolishers suspended in the ethereal void above them now. In a new room again, Ibai relaxed his shadow somewhat. “Thank you.”
Reever shifted slightly, still held fast with Ibai’s arm, but didn’t struggle any more than that. “Would you mind letting me go now?”
“In a minute. Ask me a question.”
“What?”
“Ask me a question,” Ibai repeated. “I’m sure you have one in mind. A very pressing one, hmm? Go on. Ask away.”
Reever took a moment. “What’s your favorite color?”
Ibai brought the spears back, closer than ever before now, making Reever tense up. “Come on,” said Ibai. “That’s not the one.”
“Why are you doing this?” Reever asked.
“There you go. That’s the right question.” He pulled the spears back another time. “I’m doing this because your time in Abolish has clearly caused you to forget what being an aberration is all about. Assuming they even let you learn it in the first place.”
“What are you talking about?” said Reever.
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Page 1055
“Hmm,” mused Ibai, stroking his bare chin.
“It seems you have a choice to make,” said Caster. “Would you like to stay here with us and attack your captors? Or would you like to go meet Ivan?”
Indeed, there was a choice to be made, though it was not as Caster described. Unfortunately, however, Caster hadn’t identified which of the reapers here was his own. The one nearest him could’ve just as easily belonged to Ted or Arnold, and if Ibai chose incorrectly, it would quite likely mean his death. And he didn’t really feel like dying right now.
The preferred target, therefore, was perhaps Reever. Ibai gave him a friendly look as he thought about it, and then said, “Actually, at the moment, I’m most curious to meet these other aberrations you mentioned. Despite my age, I’ve not met many of our kind, you see.”
“Oh, of course,” said Reever. “I’ll be sure to introduce you to all of them after the mission is over.”
Ibai frowned. “You can’t introduce me now? I’m a bit anxious. What if they die during the fight?”
“That is not possible,” said Caster. “The mission takes precedence, and it would be imprudent to interrupt the others.”
“I see,” said Ibai. He nodded as he threw another look around the room. “Well, then...” His gaze landed back on Caster, who merely returned an unwavering stare.
The little man was still sizing him up, it seemed. Was he figuring it out? No, probably just being vigilant.
Regardless, Ibai only saw one course of action left to him. He wasn’t going to be able to kill Caster or Reever by himself. But they didn’t know that.
Ibai teleported behind Reever and wrapped an arm around him. “We’ll be back,” he lied as he blinked away with the other aberration in tow.
“It seems you have a choice to make,” said Caster. “Would you like to stay here with us and attack your captors? Or would you like to go meet Ivan?”
Indeed, there was a choice to be made, though it was not as Caster described. Unfortunately, however, Caster hadn’t identified which of the reapers here was his own. The one nearest him could’ve just as easily belonged to Ted or Arnold, and if Ibai chose incorrectly, it would quite likely mean his death. And he didn’t really feel like dying right now.
The preferred target, therefore, was perhaps Reever. Ibai gave him a friendly look as he thought about it, and then said, “Actually, at the moment, I’m most curious to meet these other aberrations you mentioned. Despite my age, I’ve not met many of our kind, you see.”
“Oh, of course,” said Reever. “I’ll be sure to introduce you to all of them after the mission is over.”
Ibai frowned. “You can’t introduce me now? I’m a bit anxious. What if they die during the fight?”
“That is not possible,” said Caster. “The mission takes precedence, and it would be imprudent to interrupt the others.”
“I see,” said Ibai. He nodded as he threw another look around the room. “Well, then...” His gaze landed back on Caster, who merely returned an unwavering stare.
The little man was still sizing him up, it seemed. Was he figuring it out? No, probably just being vigilant.
Regardless, Ibai only saw one course of action left to him. He wasn’t going to be able to kill Caster or Reever by himself. But they didn’t know that.
Ibai teleported behind Reever and wrapped an arm around him. “We’ll be back,” he lied as he blinked away with the other aberration in tow.
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