Darkness Redux

[Thor.]

Kristine turned from the Ellis to Vince. She hadn’t really noticed Vince was there when she sat down. She supposed making small talk with one Chosen was just as good as making small talk with another. He said he was a soldier which prompted her to speak out.

“Forgive me but you really don’t seem the type. Is there some kind of conscription where you come from?” Even in conversation he was timid. She frowned at herself for being critical. Leftovers from living in hard times she supposed, she used to be such a bitch. Nothing indicated THAT’S changed she thought, amused.

 

[Candy Man]

Karde crossed his arms as he took more of a look around. "As of yet, I don't view it as anything malicious. In my experience, kidnappings are usually followed by rope and shouting in the basements of strobe operas. Regardless of not knowing where I am, this is not kidnapping. This is more like a summons, though i'm not in the mood for show and tell."

His heart softened at the sight of the scared girl sitting, visible slightly on his face.

 

[Mr. Crowley]

Vince flinched a little when Kristine began to talk to him.

"Well you're halfway right." He said," I'm not soldier material. My dad's a high ranking general of the Werviane army. My brother was a real respected soldier as well. So I kinda had to join. . . .even if I'm not a fighter."

Vince sighed again as memories flooded into his brain. If only I was more like my brother he thought to himself, He's the one who would be better suited for this stuff.

 

[Thor.]

Alemn nodded thoughtfully. It was fair point, whatever a strobe opera was, the man was not stupid, which made him both a more powerful ally and a more dangerous enemy. And from the look of it he was from somewhere that had quite a bit more access to working technology than his home. He had made a good choice. Of course attack was never really an option he was outnumbered and he doubted that the “powers that be” as the woman put it would give him enough power to be a danger before they trusted him. Still somewhere in the back of his mind a scared urchin clutching a rusty pipe whispered that trust led to betrayal.

"You don't plan to turn them down do you? Will they even let you?" He was more musing aloud, but keeping in mind his vow to his teacher he trusted the man beside him with the thoughts.

~~

Kristine immediately regretted her tone. Vince was clearly on edge enough as it was without being told that he didn't look like he could possibly fight for a living. It was time, she decided, to give him a little pep talk. After all it was her job to keep this team from self-destructing. He could tell he was feeling ill suited for the task. And she could hardly blame him, living in the shadow of his hero brother.

"Listen. If you weren't right for this job you wouldn't be doing it. The Good doesn't make mistakes." That in and of itself was not entirely true. She had seen many Chosen that would have been better left alone. Better for themselves and the worlds they were sworn to protect. "But fighting...the ability to take a life or even just harm others. It's not really what this is about. Lots of people make that mistake. We're here to protect worlds from terrible fates. You've been Chosen, out of everyone in every world, to do this job. Don't be so down on yourself." Kristine was shocked by herself for a moment. Thinking about the past, how hurt and violent she was. When did all of this change?

 

[Candy Man]

Karde laughed. "No, I don't think they would. Though I have no intention to turn them down." He uncrossed his arms, still keeping his eye on those trying to console the girl.

He turned back to Alemn. "Besides, the price on my head has gotten far too high to go back, at least for the time being."

 

[Mr. Crowley]

Vince was surprised at the sudden change of tone. He smiled a little and shrugged.

"Thanks, I guess I'll try not to let you guys down." he said. Her pep talk really had made Vince feel a little better. He even snickered to himself a little. I'm going to help beat the bad guys. . . .with my living chair attack he thought. He knew that he could probably do more with his newfound power, but the idea was funny. Maybe I won't even have to fight he thought These guys look tough enough. Maybe I can be like support or something. He reached down to feel for his gun. He had it with him. He let out a sigh of relief. At least I remembered to bring my gun.

 

[Thor.]

Karde was distracted. As they spoke his eyes constantly returned to the woman in the corner. Alemn had tried his best to ignore the shaking crying girl. Emotions were not his strong suit, there was nothing he could do about their situation and, besides, the slender man in the suit was more than enough comfort he was sure. Karde was friendly, but something in his last sentence stuck out to Alemn.

“You were a criminal then?” Alemn had no qualms with criminals, he had seen what the streets were like and knew that often there was not a choice. Perhaps his world was the only world with starvation and violence, but he doubted it.

~~

Kristine was relieved that Vince felt somewhat better. She felt she should do what she could to make life easier on them. After all, she was tearing them from their homes, giving them weapons they had no idea how to control and throwing them to wolves. Not for the first time she wondered at the morality of what had become her job. The Chosen were necessary. Saints were immortals, they were imbued with the essence of the Good and as such it was difficult (though not impossible) for them to travel worlds. Sebastian, of course, managed to be the exception to this rule. Something about his ever shifting nature no doubt, but he passed just as easily as the Chosen. Still, essential as they were, the Chosen always were a moral grey area. She needed a drink. She conjured a bottle of Sylnn from her home world and sipped at it idly.

 

[Candy Man]

Karde smirked at Alemn's question. He'd been chased down all his life, with ever-increasing severity. Peace waxed and waned with the politics of authority. A bounty wasn't so much a label of crime as of danger.

From what Karde and seen in the city, and from what he knew, he could be considered a very dangerous man."Hardly. In fact i'm far from it. But in Keswell, being strong is threat enough to those up above."

 

[Thor.]

Strange that he should come from a land that sounds as brutal as mine, yet be so trusting. Alemn once again was forced to re-evaluate Karde in his mind. Though the underground city were Alemn had been a poor child was hardly perfect he had never heard of assassination for such small reasons. Then again he had been young and poor and preoccupied with food. His teacher would have liked Karde, Alemn found him somewhat hard to trust. Levity often hides much darker intentions. Information was key.

“You were a Guardian then? A man of the law?” he asked with what he hoped was an air of casuality. He cursed himself for listening to his teacher and learning to speak to others when he was not on the Surface.

 

[Candy Man]

Karde mulled this over. "Hm. Never much put thought about the law. More about the right thing, Living by a code. I'd been on my own for a very long time, I had to learn what to do myself." It was clear this man was from a place very different from his own. Perhaps those in power were less disconnected from their people, or perhaps less intrusive. Karde would never have met a man like this in Keswell, his attire unfortunately not enough of a clue.

He grinned widely. "Guardian is a word i like the sound of however."

 

[Drollive]

Sebastian had not expected to have a pacifist in the new recruits. This was going to be harder than he thought. “Well, Lori, I was unaware of your…disposition. Unfortunately, though, we will be fighting the Evil, and if you want to make it through this, you’re going to do something to protect yourself. I’m here to protect you all, but you will have to defend yourselves when I’m gone. I don’t mean to be rude, but we are urgently needed.”

~~~
Poor girl...

We don't have time for this. Every second we wait, the darkness grows.

I know, but...
~~~

Sebastian stopped listening and stood up. "I'll give you time to think and get to know your fellow Chosen. I have others to attend to. Excuse me."

 

[Stavvy]

Ellis is wasn't ignoring the two talking to him, the trance-like state he was in prevented him from really responding to the attempts at conversation. He looked up slightly at the two, the woman who was near him in the conjured chair and the man across the table outstretching his hand. With a slight gesture he sheathed his blade in a somewhat obscured sheath on his wrist. He reached out to grasp the man's hand, glove met skin. "Ellis" he spoke in a solid, calm voice.

He recalled what Kristine had said. "My trust is earned in actions, not merely happenstance nor words. In time, I may learn to trust these people, for now I'll keep an eye on them. Better to do that than to wind up with a knife against your throat."

 

[Thor.]

Memories danced in Alemn’s head. Guardians were the sworn protectors of the people of Hel. And for the rich and the privileged they were heroes. But unfortunately the poor were not worthy of such attentions. And even more unfortunately “keeping the peace” often meant keeping unsightly beggars and thieves from bother the rich and privileged. He supplied those weapons now that had so often chased him out of the Cerberus Quarter. Used to. He remember the well of emotions as he crafted the shining armor and fanged helmets of the guardian corps. Thoughts best abandoned.

“You might not have liked them so much had you met them.” Alemn said softly, without much thought. “So you were…” Alemn did not think there was a word for what he was. “A hero? I can't imagine you would survive very long in Hel Karde."

~~

"My you are a cheerful one aren't you?" Kristine's eyes twinkled. So much of her old friends in this one. "I can promise you that the sooner you learn to trust the better El." Her condescending familiarity slightly less playful than she intended. "I've seen people die with attitude." She chugged the drink bitterly.

"Thirsty?" She asked both of them as she tossed the bottle behind her and it disappeared.

 

[Candy Man]

"A hero is what I hope to be, Alemn." Karde always knew, as he was, he was nothing like a hero. As he was, he was..... good.

And it doesn't matter what trouble I get into, you'd be surprised what I'll go through and be still alive." He always considered Fortune to be on his side, getting him out of any scraps because he was meant for something greater. Being a Chosen must finally be the proof of that.

 

[<3]

“Well, Lori, I was unaware of your…disposition. Unfortunately, though, we will be fighting the Evil, and if you want to make it through this, you’re going to do something to protect yourself. I’m here to protect you all, but you will have to defend yourselves when I’m gone. I don’t mean to be rude, but we are urgently needed.” The man left politely to speak with the others.

Lori, somewhat, understood what he was saying. She had seen the type of damage the Darkness could, and can, cause, though she wouldn't harm anyone or anything, no matter how evil it was. That's when the thought hit her, she shot up from her position in her chair and found herself standing several feet away on wobbly feet less than a second once she had the thought. Her eyes shot wide open as she patted down her messy hair from the rush of air. "Whoa..."

She glanced down at her shaking hands, slowly recovering from the fast movement. Lori didn't quite understand what had happened, however, she imagined this thing she had just done streamed from the powers she was supposedly given. It felt... nice. She smiled at herself, proud; maybe she could fight against the Darkness, not violently, but, in a defense type of way. Lori gazed around at the others in the room, they looked strong, but she could help them without getting directly involved. At least, she hoped her new found powers would allow it.

Lori took another deep breath in, summoning the courage her adopted parents had so fiercely tried to instill in her and lightly strolled over to Kristen to introduce herself. She sat with two others, one looked intimidating, the other seemed nice, she would attempt to get to know them at least. With the manners she grew up with, she approached them, outstretched her arm and confidently spoke. "Hello, my name is Lori." She didn't mind who responded first, in fact, she'd preferred no one responded at all, and the two in charge realized how imperfect she is for this job. Chosen or not, the Good can not always be right with who they choose.

 

[Thor.]

Alemn spun to face the girl as she shot up from her chair, adrenaline pulsed and he wrapped himself in shadow. Instincts kicked in his body tensed and he fell into a roughly defensive stance. However as he finally took in the supposed threat he realized that she seemed as startled as he was. Just slightly embarrassed, he released the shadow and turned his thoughts back to Karde. He wanted to be a hero. A childish dream. Yet…admirable. Trying his best to pretend nothing had happened he turned back to Karde.

“What kind of ‘good deeds’ do you do then?”

~~

Kristine turned. The girl was visibly nervous. It was actually kind of cute. Shaky as she might be at least she was trying. And that was so much more than some others were doing. She stood as the girl offered her hand and offered her own in return. “Lori…” the girl really was too adorable, but she had a soft spot for innocence. “Kristine. I hope you enjoyed your talk with Sebastian. He’s the Saint, that’s what we call ourselves, that will be accompanying you Chosen to the many different worlds.” She smiled.

 

[<3]

Lori was grateful for Kristine's kindness and smiled nervously as she replied. They shook hands, it was odd to get so close to a stranger not from her world, however, she was determined to finish what had been started, even if it frightened her. "Could you explain what happened just before? I hope you know; but one moment I was sitting down, the next I was up so quickly. Is it because of the power I was given?" She brushed her dress down, begging she looked presentably enough to be in the Saint's presence.

 

[Candy Man]

Karde smiled at the young girl when she stood. Not bothering to turn back to Alemn, he started to count on his fingers. "Nothing too much out of my way, to be honest. Ran into a burning building once... Spent weeks trying to shut down the forced trafficking ring. Finally a dozen score people out of a riverside warehouse, few men, some old women, buncha young girls."

He stroked his clean shaven chin and looked back. "Honestly I wish i could do more,but there's a lot i can't really do. It's a dangerous world, no matter who you are. I spend most of my time training for heroics. Haven't really done anything on my own."

 

[Thor.]

Kristine understood the girls confusion. She remembered her first time accidently using her powers. It could be very frightening . Of course the first time Kristine used her powers it had been so much for violent. Hell, SHE had been so much more violent. She thought about what to say for a moment, again overwhelmed by the innocence this girl displayed. Finally she decided just to be straightforward.
“Yes that would be the powers you were given kicking in.” The role of caretaker seemed much easier when she was dealing with less hostility and more confusion “ Don’t worry about control. It comes with time.” Kristine’s polite comforting smile broke into an open genuine one as the girl self consciously smoothed out the dress she was wearing. “And I am perfectly willing to support you if you need it.”
~~
Alemn was slightly amused as Karde listed off his selfless acts as though they were nothing. He could, of course, be lying but the main seem guileless. Not dumb, just…in some way incapable of a very deep degree of deceit. He found a begrudging respect growing for the man as he continued to speak with him. His teacher really would have found him fascinating.
“Well you’re a better man than any of the so called heroes of my people. They only solve the problems of the rich. In my childhood I had the misfortune of often BEING one of those problems.”

 

[Mr. Crowley]

"I'm Vince, its nice to meet you," said Vince to the newcomer, Lori. Well she seems nice and Ellis seems. . . .well. . .not nice he thought to himself. There were many different personalities in the room. Vince took a deep breath. He decided that it might make things a little more comfortable for everyone if he just calmed down. He then turned to Ellis.

"I'll try not to give you any reason to cut my throat." said Vince with a nervous laugh. Vince didn't have many friends back in the army. Most of them looked down on cowards and he wasn't very good at talking to people. Maybe these people could be friends he thought. Of course it was still too early to consider something like this.