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Post by nightreflection on Mar 19, 2011 10:03:42 GMT -5
Well, I thought it was time to offer up my own meager fanfic offering. Noticed it was missing a rating. Should be T. Although it will make you a very messed up T as it has some persuasive arguments. Just think about it before you go on a mass slaughter rampage willya huh? Sorry, just violence, none of the other stuff.
Rather than flaunt it all at once I'll give myself time to adjust it by posting one bit at a time. Before we get started, I am not a psychopath, sociopath, or any other sort of criminally insane person. I did put a bit of my heart into this (you thought it was red ink? HA!), but I am not the kind of person who has, or is about to run around with a chainsaw getting vengeance, or plot and scheme to bring someone to ruin. Many of the ideas and concepts in this book are my beliefs and feelings, but they have been exaggerated for effect. Also, this isn't a religious text. You don't have to agree with everything. Enjoy it or bin it, but please don't get too worked up over it. It's just a story.
The story is based very loosely on the universe of Charby the Vampirate, but I make no apologies for errors and omissions, CTV is Amy's story, not mine and I'm not psychic. Although I have taken some liberties *smackwrist*.
I apologise for the crudeness of it. It's my first attempt. It started out as a few pages of fanfic and grew exponentially. I would have liked to bulk it out with a little more dialogue and intermediate happenings. Tying the themes throughout the story would have been nice too. Currently most show up in 'blobs' and then vanish. Finally, the world seems to evolve little outside of the story. I would have fixed all these, but I ran low on enthusiasm. The monster was simply taking too long. So here it is in all its gory.
Finally (I hope), I have a good imagination(I hope), but not much discipline, so there is practically nothing relating to myth and lore here other than what I mooched from CTV, the rest is all in my head. Sorry for those of you looking to test your knowledge.
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Post by nightreflection on Mar 19, 2011 10:06:03 GMT -5
Part 1 (No fancy names, sorry) Oren looked down at his laptop with a sigh. It was a sweltering afternoon and the humidity didn't help much. The background was filled with the sounds of senior management jesting and playing the fool. It was clear from the outset that he'd been invited solely to do all the work others would take credit for, He'd just hoped he'd have had at least a little time to himself in this isolated paradise. He shifted his weight and adjusted the heavy cable that ran back to the refurbished colonial estate. Then with a sigh looked down again and tried to make sense of the spreadsheet before him. Thinking was like wading through waist-deep water in this humidity. You had to concentrate just to concentrate. The figures slowly started to take on a life of their own, dancing and weaving in and out of his daydreams. He snapped his attention back again and slowly plodded along. The figures began to dance again and he sat motionless as the caress of the sounds and the heat began to embrace him. He felt like a viper swaying to the harmony of charmer. A voice softly drifted in on the wings of the dreamscape and gently touched the man in the middle of it. 'Silly humans' the voice whispered softly. 'They will make fine sport, but let us not forget our purpose' a slightly hoarser voice responded. Oh great, a bunch of wierdos. he thought. It didn't matter, there were electric fences to keep out the 'wildlife'. Although from what he'd seen it was more of a challenge for freaks their size. Anyway, Mr Carlow had been boasting how he could take down an elephant with his Browning Buck, and he took it everywhere to show off. ' ...and since we didn't need his mind, just his ability we allowed...' The talk went on and on. It's randomness laced with threads glimpsed from time to time. As the sun slowly surrendered it's blaze to the shadows the voices held Oren's interest and he sat motionless as the heady afternoon air thickened. They left, interrupted by some important event and he went back to fitting square pegs into round holes and making forecasts adhere to 'acceptable parameters' A few hours later he was handing his twisted and mangled figures to his manager and the next day, after applauding the chairman's lengthy speech on how god-like and fantastic his abilities were, and how lucky they were to be in the company that would, very soon be leading the industry, they set off home. Oh well, at least the food had been good. ----- The streets were full of garish touristy shops as he trudged home. A bleak office for a bleak job with his bleak life with a bleak future. Nobody knew him since the 'team building exercise', he was just another face, another number. Just another body to do jobs nobody cared about. His jumbled flat. Papers, games, gadgets...ideas, successes, failures strewn about it grew with a life all its own. A kraken that resisted all attempts to tame it. What he would give for a store room. But that took money, and money was what he did not have. He slung his bag down and sat alone in the dark until he got bored of being miserable. He got up and made dinner. He had nothing else to do. He'd tried to adopt a 'balanced lifestyle' but the plate had broken and left him with nothing. Now his evenings were spent in numb indifference flitting from has-been game to disappointing release to mediocre rerun. The conversation from the woods joined a host of other triggers and wove a fantasy deep and colourful upon his bed. It sprouted and oozed until it faded into the cacophony of slumber. He awoke, cowering in his bed. Desperate to avoid the day before him. Like a painful dagger he wrenched sleep from his soul and began his morning routine. Robotically performed, each act brought him closer to the finely cast minion ready to sell his soul once more for a handful of copper. He sped down the sidewalk, weaving between people but never noticing them. A nod here a greeting there. It was all so plastic. And there he was. Quite unexpectedly he rounded a corner and amongst the crowd was a red-eyed boy with spiky hair. His heart leapt, but he put it down, it was merely coincidence. Although the red eyes would have been hard to mistake. He would be late for work but he decided to entertain the vain hope held in his heart. He examined the 'must haves' for this fall while the child passed, happily wandering in the hubbub of the rush hour. Carefully he picked his way through the oblivious crowd, keeping as much distance as he could. He swallowed as the child disappeared near a dim gap between the Sugar Emporium and Candie's Local Specialities. Well, it had been a good life. He rounded the corner with his heart in his mouth just in time to see a shape shrinking and writhing. It turned into a liquorice rat. The detail emerged from the blob and it scampered off under a wall. He was ten minutes late for work, but got away with a few sneers and a scolding. He sat down to work but his mind was in the clouds and his heart racing. A gamble, but finally a chance to break these chains, even death was preferable to this. He slowly reigned in his wild emotions and got back to paying for the mistakes, oversights and downright negligence of the rest of the company. Spent and tired he dragged his sorry carcass home. He thought about what he would do. It was probably true, all of it. He just hoped he ended up as little more than a TV dinner, but even then, it wasn't so bad a fate compared to feeding his bleeding heart to sharks for lunch.
*** It only gets worse folks. ref3-2.5
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Post by nightreflection on Mar 19, 2011 13:57:23 GMT -5
Not much of an Intro I suppose, so here's part two: Part 2Over the next few weeks he spent his evenings pacing the city. Following the protection of the street lights but looking down every dark alley. He found the boy a few times, but never alone. He often seemed to travel through the park. So he set up in cafés and bars until one dark evening he saw him walking past alone. He placed a generous tip on the table and swiftly but quietly followed. He was oblivious as he passed he angular shadows of 'The Porkhouse'. The child noticed and slid into a shadow. His heart pounded so heavily that he could barely hear anything else. This was it. He stepped into the darkness and bowed on one knee. Likely a highly inappropriate gesture, but he had already accepted that this may be the last thing he ever did. Something swished in the darkness over his head and he waited for the inevitable follow up. 'Geez, what's your problem?' came a voice from the wall next to him. 'I'm sorry.. I'm sorry.. I just couldn't keep myself. Feed if you must but please, let me speak first.' 'Yeah yeah, what's this about? It had better be good or it's sure gonna be delicious.' He looked up. The boy in before him was grinning hungrily and even in the darkness the gleam showed that he was no human. 'I know you are the chosen one, and I know the elites don't like you, but then I'm guessing you know they are using you.' 'You'd better have a bit more than reminiscing if you want to avoid a dinner date.' the child said licking his lips. 'I was in the forest when I heard two people talking. Their names were Nikodemus and Osbert. I will tell you what I overheard in exchange for a promise.' 'How about I promise not to gut you right now?' Oren laughed weakly. A promise from a demon? But it was all he could have. 'Not that I would mind as much as you expect, but then you wouldn't have your answers now, would you?' 'Hmph, I could just read your mind' 'I could not possibly cover every detail while I am sat here. But since you are reading minds, why don't you give it a go?' And with that Oren opened his heart and with the full misery of his pointless existence before him thought his proposal. It wasn't anything special really, there were people a lot worse off, but that didn't make his situation any better. He would just serve and in exchange, when the chosen one learned the secret, he would serve him as an elite. Charby struggled with the thought. It was so petty and pitiful that he wanted to end him right there, but he had to give him credit, Oren had counted the cost. He wasn't just some romantic sap wanting to spend the rest of his unlife in comfort.'Okay okay, just shut up already.' Slowly and methodically Oren related all that he had heard that night. He gave the chosen one a slip of paper with his details. He was cold and weak by the time he had finished. 'It's not much, but what I have is yours, drop by any time.' As he stumbled home his exhilaration was replaced by fear. 'What had he gotten himself into?' But a part of him was happy. At least there would be change. ----- He spent the next evening getting a few things, but the flat remained eerily quiet. Day passed after day and then one Friday he arrived home to find his bed in use. He pulled out a mattress and joined the land of slumber. He woke up to a pair of blood red saucer-eyes and screamed like a girl. Charby pounded the floor in hysterics. 'So, what you got to eat minion?' he said grinning hungrily. Oren smiled softly, 'Just bachelor junk. I thought I'd wait to know what you like before I go all-out' 'What's with this fridge, it's tiny and there's nothing in it. What kind of a minion are you? Where's the chicken?' 'Ahh, chicken. Very well, I'll get some in, in the meantime I've got this tin, it's actually quite good stuff, especially on toast'. Charby grumbled but reluctantly agreed to try it, he was starving after all and he didn't have a lot of minions, so he'd rather not eat him. Yet. 'This isn't half bad' he said about five minutes later. 'I'm glad you approve' I'll get a few more, but I'll also get a freezer. I'm not the richest of minions, but I will do what I can to make life easier. One small request if I may.' 'Don't get cocky minion.' 'It's not that. I know you'll probably kill me eventually anyway. If you do, please, make sure my manager is next.' Charby looked up from his food and grinned maliciously. They spent the next hour talking about what they normally did. Oren was surprisingly not shaken by the gory details of Charby's life. They agreed that Oren would put a box with exactly 1037 beads in it near the door and windows as well as a few other precautions. To keep the competition out. Charby left with a smile and a wave and Oren set about ordering a freezer and a chicken recipe book. The next Monday he was a model employee. He knew he'd get his revenge, all he had to do was wait. Their pettiness and double standards would one-day kill them. Everyone thought he was such a nice person. ----- There was a crack as the businessman went down. These were his favourite victims. Charby pulled a straw from his cloak and jabbed it into the neck. 'A bit hard, but you're getting the hang of it' he grinned before sucking with gusto. Two policemen rounded the corner. Oren was petrified. He didn't do impromptu performances. 'Hey! What's going on here.' Oren gave a the stare veal-in-the making gives headlights. After a few seconds of fumbling the torchlights light up. 'What the! Let go of him. I said let go of him now.' There was a twang as the warning shot bounced off a trash can and dug into the plaster behind them. A stray spark trickled through his frozen nerves and he started thinking. He planned for a second, then in a fluid motion, grabbed Sir Hurtsalot and introduced the front of the lead policeman to the rearguard of consciousness. He followed the policeman down then suddenly shoved him towards the second. He merely flipped over, but it bought him a few seconds. The bat bounced lightly off him, but it had the desired effect. By the time he recovered from the surprise a hand was around his neck and he was falling backwards. He tried to bring the gun around and discovered where the other arm had gone. Master finished feeding and then peeled back an eyelid and told them all very interesting stories. Charby watched as Oren dragged them behind rubbish bin, making sure to give the victim a few bruises in the process. As he began walking home a police car slowly pulled alongside. 'Excuse me sir, please stop while I ask you a few questions.' There was a thump as Charby dropped off the roof and crept out of the wall's shadow. 'Good evening officers' He said at the policemen staring horrified at his blood-spattered cloak. 'It's a nice night, but you really don't need to investigate every can a cat knocks over'. Their eyes glazed over and they went back to patrolling. It was a regular thing. He never left before making sure things were covered up. It made life a lot easier for Oren, and he appreciated it. ----- After a few months Master began to lose interest and Oren had room to breathe. He was asked to help a friend out and sure enough, later that evening he answered the door to a boy. He looked a bit pale and there was also an eerie air him. 'Hi, I'm here with the chicken.' 'Sure, come on in.' He thought it strange for a second that the kid was so trusting before he caught himself. 'Hexavier?' remembering Charby's description of him. Which was greeted by a toothy grin. 'You want something before you jet off?' *** ref5-2-1
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Post by nightreflection on Mar 22, 2011 16:51:26 GMT -5
Part 3 He fetched a soda and some cookies. Fortunately Charby had tipped him off what to stock up on should any of the menagerie drop by. 'Wow, this place isn't half bad.' 'Well, it is a bit small, but it seems to accommodate us. I have a few spare mattresses if you ever need to stay over.' 'I don't usually need to, but I couldn't get in anyway.' Oren blinked. Of course 'I'll give a key to Master for you the next time he's in.' Hexavier took his glasses off and revealed two large unnatural eyes. Nothing freaked him any more. He took a deep breath. 'I was wondering, if you had time, if you could drop off a beginner's magic book or a few recipes. Anything to help with clean-up, but don't go too far out of the way.' 'Fixing messes isn't really my style, but my sister will hand over a few secrets if you do a few of her chores'. 'I'll have to ask Master again, I haven't raised the topic before.' 'Don't worry, there are enough demons to raze hell in there already, I'm sure Menu won't notice another. Just watch your back, it gets quite heated at times.' 'Oh I wouldn't dare stay overnight, and I am fully aware that I am food for half of them.' but if he could get his foot on the magic ladder it would be worth the risk. They chatted for half an hour and then went about their business. And so here he was, walking through some forgotten path in the woods. The sun trickled throught he leaves, but he caught himself praying that he wouldn't end up lunch regardless. Charby had been very eager to show off his 'minion'. He slowly approached the door and knocked quietly. Then he knocked. Then he almost took the door off it's hinges. It seemed getting attention was going to be a hassle here. The weremutt answered the door. 'Hey dinner's here boys!' Oren's face went pale for a moment before Menu broke out in laughter. 'Hey Charby! You sure know how to pick 'em!' Oren breathed a sigh of relief and walked in. Nothing shocked him any more but the sight before his eyes made him pause. Not just demons, but all children and all different types. Of course Charby had mentioned many of them by name, but Oren hadn't realised what a slice of the demon world this was. 'Hey Oren, just in time, Crispo just spilt soda all over the kitchen floor, mop's propped up against the pantry.' It seems Charby was wasting no time, but even if he wasn't a minion, he'd just be watching TV and playing games.. pretty much like everyone in the living room. Nevertheless, not every human could say they'd seen what he'd seen. ----- 'So Master, did that hit the spot?' he peeled back the eyelids of the victim and cast a short amnesia spell. 'Hee hee, you sure are getting good at picking them.' he chuckled as he leant back against the wall, the straw in his mouth. Charby had taken to hanging around a bit, more for the company than him being needed any more. He cast Wight's Curse and the signs of the struggle faded into the past. Strange spell to use as ghosts usually cast it on the living, but the police had hassles placing evidence that was two weeks older than the assault. The streets weren't garish like they used to be, they felt more superficial, transient. Passing like lost spectators as the pair joked and punned their way home, a faint light in the dullness of life. How his life had changed. Just a few months ago he had had no purpose. Who'd have thought that his new master would demand less of his soul than his old. Which brought him to his next topic. 'Master, may I ask a favour?' 'Hehe, you know you can always ask minion.' 'Very well. It would be a bit of an inconvenience, but a position has become available at work.' 'Yes, sure I can slaughter all the competition for you.' He rolled his eyes and put his hand over them. 'I was hoping to be a bit more subtle Master.' 'Awww, why'd you have to spoil my fun.' 'Well, there is something in it. If I get extra money I can move to a bigger house, and load it with more stuff.' 'You know I'm kidding, of course I'll do it for you, but why don't I just bring you some extra? We get plenty you know.' 'Yes, but if I was EARNING the money I wouldn't have the tax man asking how I could afford everything. Again.' 'You really take this too seriously don't you?' Charby said as they climbed the steps. The door had a clove of garlic and several other religious and traditional measures that he knew didn't work on any of the cabin residents. Paranoia was a pretty good cover. A neighbour had once said that he wasn't right in the head. He'd broken down in maniacal laughter. So the next day Oren ambushed his manager on the steps. 'Sir, I was wondering if I should apply for the supervisor roll, tell me, what kind of person are you looking for?' 'Oh, hi Oren. To be honest, we're looking more for someone good with customers and who pays attention to detail.' He was lying. Of course. But to the little child sitting on the handrail licking candy he told a completely different story. They reached the bottom of the steps and went their separate ways. A minute later a little kid dropped out of the trees and walked next to him. 'Bug candy? Seriously?' Charby laughed, happy it had the desired effect. 'The usual then. Someone to keep calls off his back, get their nose brown and preferably a hot babe' Oren's face went blank, he blinked slowly and the start of a tear welled in the corner of his eye. 'Aww, come on now, it's not that hopeless' 'It's not that master,' he said sitting down on someone's brick wall. He put his head in his hands and held it there for a few seconds. 'I believed that that was a possibility, something that occurred on occasion. I had no idea it was that brazen' He swallowed his melancholy and stood up, 'But thanks to you I now know for sure.' His face now resolute he harboured no more pity. Once he had believed in the goodness of all men, now he wasn't sure if innocent until proven guilty was a good idea any more. How he longed to be free. 'One more thing Oren'. 'Ah yes sire, how about this alley? It looks quite quiet.' They walked into the alley and Charby extracted his straw, and then his 'payment'. It hurt like hell, but not as bad as he though it would. He downed some sugar water and they walked home. Over the next few weeks he displayed plastic smiles and showed everything that was really wanted from him. Mye even taught him a charm spell, although he used it only a little – he didn't want his manager actually 'liking' him. He hit all the right notes in the interview and with Charby aiding in their decision and the new salary he could really keep up with the Joneses. He 'convinced' the mortgage lenders that he had been saving for some time and bought an old house nearer the park. It was falling apart. Hex reinforced it with magic making it cozy, but still looking within his means. He threw briers in the garden and with a little fertilizer and magic it was a real 'spook house', much to the delight of the cabin residents. However, frequent visits by the ever suspicious police meant they couldn't do more than a quick stay over. Most of his neighbours simply thought of him as eccentric. So he could get away with murder. A thought that had amused him. It wouldn't be the first time someone had called Charby a girl, and his deposit was made on payments from Soylent. He knew he was human, but he'd given up that part of his identity long ago. Demons treated him far better. They would, he could always be a meal in a pinch. ----- 'It does come off?' said Oren's landlord worriedly. 'It's all tassels.' 'I see..' he was freaked out. The guy had seemed the normal messy-but-plain bachelor when he'd signed up. 'What happened?' 'Oh, I had an 'experience', maybe it was nothing, but it freaked me out nevertheless.' He gingerly rustled the pungent door open. The inside was even freakier. 'Interesing, very.. feng shui.' he struggled. The inside was even wierder. Everything was clean and simple, a bit japanese. There were several freezers. Locked, he noticed. And two extra beds. He daren't open the cupboards, he dreaded finding a skeleton, quite literally, in the closet. 'I hope you're not running a bunkhouse.' Oren let out a good-natured laugh. 'No, some of my work mates overdo it a bit on a night out, so they crash here.' 'I'll be honest with you Oren, I don't like it. This isn't some public offering, you can't just have people over whenever you want.' 'I know sir. Don't worry, I'm being careful.' Ooh the arrogance, he'd show Oren a thing or too alright. This was his flat. His. Not Oren's. Oren watched him go. 'I wonder if we'll have to 'convince' him he seemed to say to no-one in particular.' 'Nah, his hands are tied, I read him like a book.' 'I'm just glad he didn't ask to see what was in the locked fridge.' ***Someone voted? Wow. (It wasn't me, I promise ). Ref 7-e
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Post by nightreflection on Mar 25, 2011 14:17:07 GMT -5
Part 4 Oren found he could use the cabin as a fence. Countless consignments of human goods flowed through Crispo, Tony and Daray. In exchange they received freebies and Oren got his hands on cold hard demon coinage. He was a loyal minion, not a brainless one. He didn't need it yet, but he knew he or master would need it eventually. Slowly his eyes had opened, slowly they continued to open. His world became filled with the night and the woods, and the day and the city began to fade. He learned of the races of the woods, their part in the whole, and the complex relations between them. Then one day it hit him. Three Petrucci's, all became elites, there must be something Adria knew. They set up a meeting with Adria not far from the cabin.
The 'appropriated' police speaker crackled to life. 'So Adria, I was hoping you could tell me how to pick which shape the staff turns me into.' Charby was following the script, well, they had agreed on it.. 'I don't know much, but I can tell you what little I know. But then you have to uphold your end of the bargain.' She was holding back. Of course she was holding back. 'Fine, fine, here it is, but I want my answers before I hand it over.' Charby slid the huge axe out from behind him. Adria's eyes narrowed. 'Very well, you have a deal.' and then proceeded to tell the biggest load of tripe he'd ever heard. Details of unspecifics and definite possibilities, this one should have been a politician. The discussion went on and the subject turned to Zerlocke. With a calmness of an expert liar Charby held her hands in his and asked her how she did it, how she made three elites in a row. 'I've thought about it a lot, but I honestly don't know,' she laughed, 'I guess I was just lucky'. He conversation rambled on a few more minutes and Charby handed the axe over. If it all went as planned a desperate Zerlocke would ambush her on the way home. She would get away with the axe, of course.
'So sire, did you get it?' Now elites have difficulty getting a clean read on each other's mind, but it seems hex can 'loan' his touch out to people for a few minutes, if they aren't to far away. It took some exotic ingredients, but if this worked... Charby gave a look of disgust. 'The things I saw in that woman's mind would put even Menu off his food.' He paused a moment recalling things 'I'm sorry Oren, the only way to be sure would require torturing you for a whole day, we'll have to keep looking.' he said sadly. 'You forget who you're talking to Master. This is acceptable, only I am sorry for the effort required on your part. Now let's hope Zerlocke gets his axe back. It cost a fortune in reagents and took a whole rack of blood bags to keep them happy.'
A week later a shriek echoed through the woods as Adria discovered Dirona Inathe Aiden missing. It took a lot of doing, but Zerlocke was able to summon it, even from miles away. But then, they already knew this, they had tested it, and the little time delay left Adria none the wiser, and with no-one to fume at.
-----
'I can't do this Oren. I know I promised, but I didn't think you were serious. I agreed for the info, but I never meant to do it. You have no idea what you are asking for.' 'I am a vampire, I suck blood for a living, I can't control myself. Everything I've ever loved, everything I've ever touched has been torn from me, often by my own hands. You don't want me to do this.'
'Master. You made a promise. And I will hold you to your word.' 'You say I don't know what I am asking and that is true. But. I have seen enough.' 'You say you are a slave to your teeth, but you are free. No rules, no boundaries. Every day I sit behind a desk. I sell my soul for a handful of life. Were I to work for another, the rules would be the same. My own dreams would be prison to that of my lord. How is this any different?' 'Do not mistake me master, I have counted the cost. This life holds no more pleasure for me. I keep telling myself “tomorrow will be better.” but I know I'm lying. And even if I achieve all I ever wanted in this life, I have sacrificed my dreams, and what is left is a pale shadow of my old hopes.' 'I know I am just a minion, but with you I have purpose. No-one has ever returned my generosity. Strange that one who owes me nothing, a demon at that, should be so kind.'
Charby grabbed him by the collar, 'Fine, but on one condition, just ONE' he yelled. 'Give me ONE benefit, just ONE that is worth suffering for, for an eternity. And none of that sappy crap out of a movie theatre.'
Oren was crying now. Wet eyes filled with the pain of rejection, shame and loneliness he looked up and in a voice a clear as a summer's day said 'You can give me the one thing I thought beyond all asking. You can give me the knowledge of the world. The hand of eternity. You can give me the key to every dream I've ever had.'
Charby dropped him in surprise and turned around 'I'm sorry Oren. You've lost it. I am powerful, but I'm no genie. I have no idea what you are going on about.'
Like a ray of moonlight a quiet clear voice behind him said. 'You can give me time.'
Charby lowered his head, knew he had lost.
*** You can comment/suggest/insult here if you want, it's not sacred. Or anti-sacred for that matter. Oren gets to scheming, get used to it.
ref 9--
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Post by nightreflection on Mar 28, 2011 16:11:29 GMT -5
Part 5It was late evening. The sun had just set and two bats flittered along the skyline. Joyfully weaving in and out of the chimneys and TV antennae they swooped to the up-side of town. One of them seemed to lose it's balance and smacked into a telephone pole. If you listened carefully you could swear the bat hanging from the cable above was laughing. The sensation of flight was bewitching. The familiar became strange echoes, shapes on the blackness of his senses. Sometimes the sensation took him and he lost himself. This was one of such times. He pulled himself together and off they went again, their merry dance unnoticed in the clear night sky. The lead bat approached the first house but kept on flying. 'Where is he going?' Charby wondered. He didn't swing off towards the real upper-crust but kept amateurishly following the road. They finally swooped down on a high-class estate, but nothing like the beach or lake front mansions. Charby watched from the window as Oren slid through the air vents. He was new but he was creative. Oren slowly misted into the room and congealed just as the couple were about to change for the night. The effect was devastating and they both screamed. In the time it took Charby to poof into the room Oren had cast a spell locking the door in place, but they both stood there terrified as the vampires gave them a toothy grin. Oren's was a little more sinister. 'Good evening Mr Cartwright. I trust I find you in good health? It'd spoil my meal horribly if you weren't.' The girl screamed and Mr Cartwright backed off as Oren looked at him hungrily. 'Who... who are you?' Stuttered Mr Cartwright. 'I wouldn't expect you to know.' He smiled gently and then suddenly his teeth were at the Mr Cartwright's neck. He tried to call for help but Oren's hand coved his mouth. Charby was laughing at the look on the victim's face as Oren pierced his cartoid. The two neat holes released a blossom of nectar and he instinctively bit down releasing a torrent of bliss. He barely heard his master cheering him on and the screams of the mistress faded into the background as his trance deepened. As he drank of the fountains of the deep the deep spoke back. Of murder and betrayal, greed and corruption. And the guilt in his heart melted. The deeps began to run dry and he began to chew. Oblivious to his master finally getting around to his dinner. He finished his meal and looked around as the haze of his trance slowly lifted. Sire had finished already, but then he was good at this. He was sitting on the edge of the bed grinning like a cheshire cat. 'I didn't think you had it in you, but you sure made it fun to watch.' 'What... What is the time master.' 'Oh it didn't take you that long, but the second hour got a bit boring. Who was that?' 'One of the bastards that sucked me dry. A director. I saw more than I could have ever hoped for. It is strangely liberating, even if they are the answers you never wanted.' 'Let's go scare some kids.' 'As you wish Sire, but first, a parting gift.' He kicked the door in, emptied the girl's lighter on the bed and sparked it.' As they flew away the room burst into flames. By the time the cavalry arrived there would be nothing left to save, and the police would have burnt clues to the impossible. He could not remember ever being so happy. It started to rain. Charby dashed inside but Oren just stood in the garden. His dim reflection danced on the cold dark surface. He lifted his eyes to the black heavens as the floodgates opened. Icy water pelted his cold skin, penetrated his clothes, sapped his warmth, cleansed his fears. Like dust the water washed his cares away. He dropped to his knees, arms at his side, head back to the heavens. It was over. It was finally over. The pettiness of survival, the animal ducking and weaving to get ahead, all washed away in the rain. He stood up as the last dregs flowed towards the street. He stood up and walked into the warmth. *** Apologies in advance for any continuity errors. I'm adapting the story as I go. Kick me if you spot one and I will fix, although I should be pretty safe at this point. Apologies also for the spelling/grammar errors. I was going to shove this through Word at work but I can't stand the place lately. Ref 11--
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Post by nightreflection on Mar 30, 2011 15:27:54 GMT -5
Well, since the Duck is still betroubled I thought I'd give you something to claw your eyes out over in the meantime. Part 6 A few days later and he had mastered projecting a human form. His vacation over he went back to work with blood on his mind. The pettiness did not fail to entertain and the double-standards were applied liberally. He read their minds ruthlessly and discovered they were every but as selfish as expected. They lied to themselves, but even then, deep down they knew they were lying, and they hurt. They were victims of business, society. His eyes opened and he saw it, the cycle of humankind, the chain of sorrow, spiked with pain, passing sorrow on from person to person. He knew the director he'd killed would be replaced by one just as ruthless, but he made a decision. Just this once, in this little town, for a little time, he would sow a little justice, and grant opportunity for the oppressed. And he held his head in his hands. And he wept. And in his heart he thanked whatever gods there may be for the gift of time, and cast aside one more skin of his humanity. He would leave them be for now. Except for a little hypnotism to make his life easier.
On the way home he found Charby at the other end of an alley with a hunter in front of him. Knowing that Charby would have fled, he could only assume the hunter had an edge on him, so he gracefully leapt and struck the hunter senseless. Or he would have if he hadn't dodged. And countered. A few seconds later he was very painfully staked to the wall and Charby was laughing his head off. 'I take it you are acquainted with this one sire.' he said with a grimace. 'SIRE! What! Come on Charby I thought we had a deal? And this guy is an elite too. Man, Blaine is going to kill me.' 'Come on Vic, it's not like I haven't been good. It's been over three hundred years and I've never made a proper minion. Cut me some slack here.' 'Look, it all fun to you, but just how many innocent people is this one going to kill, and worse, how many are going to wake up with fangs the next evening?' 'You know what your problem is? You're never willing to compromise. You want it your way or the highway, well allow me to beat some sense into you.' 'I'm sorry Charby. I didn't realise he was your friend.' 'No need to apologise it's about time I administered an 'education'.' 'Well, in that case.' Victor turned to see what had hit him and as the light faded he saw a few torn limbs fading into energy and returning from the wall to Oren. 'Straw sire?' 'Not this one Oren, we can't kill him, or even weaken him. He has a job to do.' 'How about just enough to humiliate him.' Charby grinned widely and produced two. 'Fancy a sip?'
Victor woke in an alley a few minutes later and caressed his head. It hurt. So did his neck. 'CHARBY!!!' 'What have you done! Get over here now.' 'No need to be so loud Viccy came the cheeky reply.' Victor quickly rummaged in the dumpster until he found a broken blush mirror. 'Woo, digging in the trash. I should take a photo for Hector.' With a panicked look Victor tilted the mirror. 'Noooo!' he cried with a wail heartbroken enough to bring a butcher to tears. There, right over his jugular was a neat little bite mark. Charby was laughing uncontrollably at this point. 'How could you?' Charby doubled over as Victor looked on with the despair of betrayal. He checked his teeth and ears. A short-lived ray of hope flickered and died in his eyes. 'How.. How long?' he said resignedly. Charby paused his mirth just long enough 'Ohhohohoho, it's too much' he said wiping a tear from his eye. 'Tell him Oren. Hahahahaha. Wohohoho, Wahaha, etc.' With the smirk that had become his trademark expression Oren calmly spoke, with pauses to give his master time to laugh it up. 'We didn't bite you, we just stuck the straws in at the right distance to give you the impression.' Victor dropped to his knees in relief. 'Of course, if you want, we can always fix that.' 'No, no please stop it. I've had enough for one night.' His breathing started returning to normal. 'By the way, you eat too much salt.' Charby was on his hands and knees pounding the floor at this point. After a few minutes Charby happily took a gasp of air, wiped his eyes and simmered down to mild chuckling. Victor was still kneeling exhaustedly with his hands at his side and a drawn face. 'Just remember hunter, you may be my sire's friend, but don't forget he pulls the strings here. Although, for the record, I have no intent of of casting my plague into the wind.'
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Oren was walking for a change. The forest greeted him with its nightly chorus. He passed the objectionable silence of trees. Who cared what the world thought? Hands reached out of the darkness. He tried to struggle, but to no avail. He tried to go rat, but his energy was being unbalanced. 'You're not getting away without a proper welcome.' came a sadistically sweet voice from behind him. He yelled for sire but no-one heard him. After a minute a rock was shoved in his mouth. It was too big to dislodge without his hands and he was dragged off. He felt so helpless. It had been going so well a few minutes earlier. How quickly things could change.
*** Ref 12 (-2)
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Post by nightreflection on Mar 31, 2011 14:07:10 GMT -5
Well, the Duck is still being de-feathered, so I'll burn ye eyes summat hor'ble
Part 7
Somewhere on the journey a sack had been tied over his head. His despair deepened with every step. Lead through the dark like a donkey. He had thought himself invincible, but what now?
Eventually the brush gave way to stone and civil aromas filled the air. He was forced to his knees and light blinded his dark eyes. After a minute his arms were freed. 'Welcome brother.' He didn't say anything, one wrong word and it would get worse. 'Come now, we're not all that bad. Did you really have to be so rough Adria? Now he's scared of us.' Oren groggily got to his feet. Slowly the light faded. The room was full of elites. He still said nothing. 'Come now, you must be famished.' They lead a little girl into the room. She'd obviously been crying. She was innocent and they were so cruel. What would he do? What could he do? Very plainly he said 'No.' A pleading voice said 'But you must eat, only the best for our brother.' It was a trick, they were trying to humiliate him but make themselves look benevolent. It was a standard interrogation technique designed to make you their £^%! Silence. 'Oh very well then, we'll just have to have her ourselves.' She deserved better. He looked into her eyes and they glazed over. Suddenly he was at her neck. With tears in his eyes he devoured her innocent life. A placating voice spoke, 'There you see, it wasn't that hard was it? Now that you're well fed we've got a b...' Oh no you don't #£%&*! he thought. You want me, you get the whole package. 'Please, stop that, it's so uncivilised.' But he didn't stop. 'Oh, I can't watch, please, someone.' A burly elite grabbed him and tore the remains of the corpse from him. Oren gave him a very dangerous look. He'd rattled them. Perhaps it would pay off later.
They set him to work doing 'important things' – cleaning toilets and washing floors. They promised that if he worked hard he would be promoted and if he kissed a.... pleased his superiors he would learn more about the elites. He hated them. He would rather die. This is not what he gave up his life for he thought. Fire burned through his veins and hatred consumed his thoughts. He wondered how sire was doing. Did he even miss him?
Two days later he was outside sweeping dirt. He was a broken man. He knew he was being watched. They were just teasing him with freedom. He rested his head on the broom an pondered, looking for an opening. He noticed a pile of rubble behind him. Well, here goes he thought. He wandered over to the grass. No doubt they were watching him closely now. He took a deep breath and transformed. It seemed to take an eternity and he could hear on the edge of his senses his guards closing in. Quickly he darted over the last foot of dirt into the tall grass.
This is where it gets tricky he thought. Quickly he doubled back and dashed through the shrubs. He would be more visible, but there would be less disturbance to the foliage. The rubble loomed infront of him as the cry for assistance went out. He snuck in brained himself on a rock. It didn't work, he was still conscious. All he could do now was to lay low and empty his mind in the hopes they could not hear him. The noise faded into a buzz around him as he began to think blank. He'd never learned to meditate, but he was making do. Slowly his thoughts quietened. Breathe in, breathe out. Hopefully he would be confused with an animal. The sounds died down.
He waited for daylight and left with other vermin. He copied their single-mindedness. Must go to tree. Must go to tree. He got to the tree without incident and bolted through the forest. A clear patch of ground. Oh well, he must pass. His heart was in his mouth as he followed another scavenger across. He made it. No wonder they had felt confident letting him out. If he'd ran right then he would have been caught.
He scurried on for what seemed like an eternity and then clawed his way up a tree. He went bat. He knew they'd be looking for bats, but he hoped staying low and the extra speed would make up for it. Eventually he found something he recognised.
It was evening when he approached the cabin. His heart felt like it was going to explode again. Surely it would be watched, nevertheless, waiting would be worse. He swallowed and flew at it full speed. He didn't stop for the door but hit it mid-transformation. Tony opened the door 'Hecks what happened to youse?' Oren got to his knees and through himself through the door. He sat there for a moment with his knees on his chest. 'Long story Tony.' he said. Tony started to walk out. He quickly got up an followed. Any moment now he expected a window to burst open and a fanged, clawed elite to burst through the window.
He sat cross legged before the couch and explained what happened to Charby. His eyes were filled with tears and terror as he begged 'Please sire, please, don't let them take me again.' 'Hey, don't sweat it, I just thought you were doing a runner. I'll check in next time you disappear for a few days. I thought it was strange that I couldn't find you or a note saying when you'd be back, but I don't own you.' He resisted the obvious joke. Sire was a good person Oren thought. He'd felt so helpless. He hated asking for help, but he could see in his sire's eyes, nothing would get between them. He was his minion, but sire really cared for him. It was so comforting to know.
He slept the night. That was a Sunday, so, no rest for the wicked he had to go to work. The elites made one more showing. He was nervous, but they left him dejectedly after he told them Charby now knew where they lived and if Oren disappeared, half the forest would find out.
Oh this wasn't over. Not by a long shot. He would learn magic, he would learn to defend himself. And he would get his revenge. He wouldn't go looking for it, but he would bide his time. The time would come, and so would the opportunity. Sure it would be wasted in that sense, but for revenge it would be worth it.
*** Ref 14 --
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Post by nightreflection on Apr 3, 2011 13:30:14 GMT -5
Suppose I'd better add more before I'm stoned. (sound of crickets) Part 8'It's a big step, going it alone, but it must be wonderful being your own boss' Old bat didn't have a clue what she was talking about as usual. 'Mark my words, you'll be begging for your job in a few months.' It was just fear tactics. He still cried inside at the heartlessness of people. 'Don't worry,' he said calmly, 'I have an ace up my sleeve.' 'Or three, or fifty,' he thought. 'We're going to miss you so much.' He didn't even need to read her mind to see the plastic in that. He smiled and thought 'you will too when you have to do my work.' He pondered whether brainwashing the other departments to make his office misery personified was a bit overboard. 'I'll do it tomorrow' he smirked as he thought their unspoken motto. 'Stay in touch.' This one was genuine. Amazing how quickly people got lonely when they weren't able to play dictator any more. He had real friends now. His master would risk his life for him, and the feeling was mutual. A 'Krazy Gamerz-r-Uz' voucher, and a box of chocolates. Such a slice of his past life. He kept the voucher for Zeno and chucked the choccies as some bum on the way home. He hadn't played games since he'd discovered magic. He found Hexavier's lessons fascinating. He didn't mind the pain and he got such a rush when he mastered something new. A thorny bush grabbed at him as he stepped behind it but he 'poofed' through his front door from there. Muddy paw prints led from the doggie door to the fridge so he restocked it from the freezer. He pulled a tattered shopping list out of a squeaky drawer and pinned it to the cork board. He still struggled to explain what happened to all the food. Most of his neighbours simply blamed him for 'Feedin' them critters. 's why the farest are trouble – thar comes for foods.' He walked upstairs to the bedroom and vanished through the boards at the back. He wasn't paranoid, just prepared. That morning he woke up and moused down far below the floorboards to a secret room he'd dug out, grabbed a pouch of demon coinage and scampered back out. He stepped outside raised his wings and flapped his way over to the cabin. He was patient with some things, not travelling. That and he loved flying. Mannick had been sick on the couch (Best not ask what was on animal channel). Menu had dragged some bloody hunt across the carpet. Although he'd more than likely scavenged it. Did he ever stop? He'd just cleaned out the ghost house. Foomy had spilled soda – that wasn't the bit of the soda that worried him. When he was done Mannick handed him some eggs which he scrambled as Mye did the bacon and Foomy showed off doing the toast. Everyone sat down for breakfast and complained how the toast tasted of soda. All in all it took a few hours (even with magic there were some things there was no quick fix for). They were making a pilgrimage to the Magic shop today. He'd wanted to while he was mortal, but it was just too dangerous. He sat in the overgrowth outside the house in the lotus and closed his eyes. He didn't do meditation, but he'd found more pockets of peace since he'd died. He had all the time in the world now. His silence was broken by someone knocking on his forehead. He squinted out of lefty and a face with yellow eyes and horns emerged from the blur. He threw a mischievous smile, slowly stood up and stretched with a fangy yawn. And of they trotted in silence, Zeno and Mye leaning against each other, no-one in any particular hurry. It was a beautiful day. The sun flickered through the leaves. A few creatures rustled past behind the thick shrubbery, but other than that they journeyed in peace. A few hours later the magic shop emerged from the forest and they stepped inside. Mye darted off like a kid on candy while Zeno sat bored on a waiting chair. Oren just stood at the door. He wasn't completely awestruck, but he was enjoying the feeling. After a minute he lazily walked over to the counter, smiled cheekily and asked: 'One magic for dummies please.' The shopkeeper snickered and waved his tail in amusement as he headed to the back of the store and dug around. Obviously a veteran's shop. He emerged from the shadows a few minutes later with dust on his shoulders and an old, but unsullied book in his hands. Oren opened it and ran his fingers over the runes and then calmly, as if it had been perfectly planned said 'and one runes for dummies too please'. Which got a laugh out of Zeno. 'What size?' asked the shopkeeper. 'Well, uh, I'm a beginner. Doesn't that mean small?' The shopkeeper sighed. 'Ok, how much have you got?' Well, he had Mye to check the prices. He put the bag on the desk. He opened the bag and suddenly the tail quickly curled around his neck. It was almost twelve. With a big grin he asked, 'Can I interest you in some reagents?' The shopkeeper walked over to his 'you can't afford this, but I'm showing it off anyway' display and brought a huge volume on runes. Very dusty on top, but also in pristine condition. Oren carefully set it down and opened it. The small descriptive text he'd expected from a dictionary wasn't there, but the runes seemed to glow unnaturally. He ran his finger down the page and as he touched them he suddenly understood what each rune meant. He bought a few charms for sire and his friends so as not to offend the storekeeper and took the seat next to Zeno. He opened his rune book and started learning. After a few seconds he realised the first page was an index and the volume covered almost every magic language imaginable. He also noticed Zeno looking intently over his shoulder. It seemed he could read the luminescent runes much faster, and without touching them. Reality blurred as the book swallowed his consciousness and he absorbed rune after rune, taking his time so he would not forget, until he was woken with a slap. Blinking back to reality it looked like he wasn't the only one who'd got it. 'For crying out loud you two, it's only been two hours! It's not like I bought the whole shop or something.' Oren quietly closed his book, put it next to 'Darke Majiks, Step of the firste.' and left through the courteously opened door. The forest was quiet in the pressing heat of the afternoon and their journey was once again, unhindered. They had a good laugh over the charms, and Hex nearly hurt himself laughing over the books, but it was all good fun. He waved goodbye and took his prizes home. In the secret room where he slept he opened his prize. The runes lured him in and the pages turned one after the other. Eventually his endurance wore thin and he lay down his head. The cock crowed on the edge of ebbing consciousness and then he was alone. He woke and took his bleary eyed carcass down for breakfast. He grabbed something cold from the fridge. Hex must've restocked it. Shoved it down his throat and went back to his books. He lost track of time. A few meals later he was yanked back to reality. 'MINION!!!' 'Minion, I'm hungry!' He rolled his eyes and teetered downstairs. '#*!?& what got a hold of you? Oh, that would be me, har har har'. 'I'm glad to see you too sire' he said calmly. Sire had a way of brining him back to reality, which was good. He was a bit of a daydreamer. 'Come on, let's get you some food then. Word of warning sire, books are very dangerous.' Charby laughed, 'My minion is finally getting an education.' It turned out to be late evening so they visited a gang they'd spotted a few days before. The place was rough so there was no need to clean up and the infighting after their leader had gone would give the rest of the city a little peace for a while. He'd almost snorted blood as Charby shared the neck with him. They ate quickly and were gone before the rest of the gang figured out what was happening and arrived to a blood spattered floor covered in bones licked clean. They hung out on the bridge and discussed babes and runes before Charby left for the cabin. Oren finished the book later that night and decided to leave magic for a few days. There were things that needed to be done. He stocked the shop and put up the signs. The 'general store' was in business. It allowed him to secret away a variety of goods to the demon market, and in turn he could boast 'wares sold nowhere else in Kelwood', or in the whole world for that matter. He also snatched a little money from the miserable lords of the business world. He would get over his resentment, but not before he got his revenge. He never took it all, just enough to shake them up. He wanted them to live in fear like their employees did every day, but as a general rule, he didn't feed off them after the late Mr Cartwright. *** Ref 16--
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Post by nightreflection on Apr 5, 2011 14:34:59 GMT -5
Part IX (what? it's classy. Don't expect more 'kay.)
A week had passed since the store opened and while it was fun, he longed for his book. He had interviewed a number of 'shop assistants'. His next vict.. ahem, potential employee was a little goth boy. 'So Zeke, you've just turned working age and you've never had a job before, not even lawn mowing?' The kid squirmed awkwardly. 'Yes sir, but it's just minding a shop, it can't be that hard.' 'I suppose not, and what do you have over the other applicants'. 'Oh I'm just awesome sir. I'm totally reliable and never make mistakes. I'm also really dedicated.' 'Did you know, you can tell a lot from a person's eyes Zeke. Look into my eyes Zeke...'
Zeke made a very good employee. He was indeed dedicated and would run the shop even without supervision. Not a penny went missing. Oren paid him good. He still felt sorry for the boy. It would also make it look like motivation. They had a few burglaries but strangely enough the loot would surface a few days later without fail, usually after the new owner had met a tragic end. Word soon got around.
With everything running like clockwork, well, almost, he went back to his little room. He lay on his stomach with the book in front of his elbows. The dim light of a flickering candle was enough for his new eyes. The spine cracked as he opened the tome. The letters seemed to absorb the light. He soon discovered that understanding magic and conjuring your own spells was a lot harder than copying Hex or Mye's tried-and-tested recipes. He turned in an hour later with a headache.
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Oren sat in Cafes des Sol Tropicale, outside in the chill, clear moonlight night. He sipped a refreshing punch and sat back breathing in the atmosphere. It was almost closing time. So peaceful. He quietly reflected on his first encounter with magic for beginners. It was going to take a while, but there was no hurry. The waiter behind him began turning the lights off inside. Oren took one last deep draught, slapped the change on the table and wandered off home.
He made chicken kiev – without the garlic. Sire had wanted a late night snack as Mye was out again and nobody else could/would cook. 'Heyhey! How's my minion doing tonight.' he said as he burst through the door. 'Wiped out and going to bed, enjoy your meal.' 'Aww, come on. We haven't had any decent sire-minion time since you got that book. I'm going to ban you from magic if this keeps up.' 'Whatever you want sire, just do it in the morning.' He poofed to his room and was asleep within a few seconds.
He woke to sire banging a spoon on a pan. 'Wakey wakey sleepy head.Hehahahaha' He laboriously sat up and everything slowly swam into focus. 'Chicken curry for breakfast milord?' Charby grinned and chuckled. 'Thanks for freezing some.' 'Could you please get a higher proportion of it in your mouth?' he sighed looking at the floor. 'Aww, relax, I'll clean it up if you want. But we need to do something. You can't spend the rest of your unlife reading books.' 'I am aware of that sire, bear with me, I've just started learning magic and I hit a speedbump last night on my first read of real magic.' 'Look Oren, this is serious. I've seen how magic consumes people. Hex spends most of his time in his lab, it takes over.' 'I know. I know I need to limit my exposure. It just took me a bit by surprise as I hadn't experienced it before.' 'I know this sounds selfish Oren, but you're the most real minion I've ever had. I know I treat you like dirt sometimes, but I really miss your company. Please don't let this absorb you.' 'I suppose I'd better do something about it.' he sighed. 'I'll sit down and have a good think about it.' 'Great.' said Charby licking his fingers and then vanishing, leaving a dirty plate, spoon and floor to clean up.
Charby had been in early and the sun was still sleeping. He'd been having second thoughts about letting his work 'team' get off scot free. He tottered over to Tara's home and peeked through the window. She was grooming in the mirror. She fussed and faffed not noticing the tiny mouse under her bed. For an hour she laboriously slaved to remove the lines of age and still let out a sigh of disappointment at the finished result. Oren smiled a mousey-buck-tooth grin. He would have his revenge. Slowly the years would claim their beauty, their health, their minds, their dignity. They would spend all they had trying to fight it, but alas, they would lose, and the grave would open its ultimate maw. And they would be gone. No-one would remember them. No-one would care. A few years and they would be nothing. All their ambition, their hard work. Everything they had ever achieved. Dust. Oren waited quietly for her to leave and then got up. He felt like walking, but was challenged on the way out by yappy little Mr Snuggles. Oh well, almost scot free. He'd been a little peckish, it was the kitchen and the blood would wipe off the tiles.
*** Ref 18--
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Post by nightreflection on Apr 7, 2011 15:20:01 GMT -5
Part X It took a few days, but once he was over the first few pages it got less difficult. Despite the complexity the magic drew him in once again and he found himself having to set three alarms to make sure he didn't spend the whole day in its curious embrace.
He paid a visit to the shop to see how Zeke was doing. He was dressed in his usual goth finery, but he seemed to have an edge of class to him. Oren was glad he didn't need to ask if the commission was legit. 'Zeke, how's my man?' Strange how Zeke had never even questioned Oren's lack of involvement, maybe it was youth. It was one thing he hadn't had to brainwash into him. 'Hey Oren, we're doing swell. I've started staying open an extra hour for the people going home. We're making a killing.' 'I used to do that myself. Now Zeke, don' overdo it. I know you care about the shop, and about the commission, but you can't enjoy it when you're dead or in hospital.' 'Don't worry I got it all covered. By the way, do you think we could sell these?' He reached for a jar of candies but it slipped and went all over the floor. 'Don't, just give me a few minutes alone.' 'I'm sorry sir' he said. He even looked tearful. Poor sap, he couldn't understand. 'It's not that Zeke, but I need to be alone, now!' Zeke quickly fled into the stock room, Oren had looked positively psycho. It didn't get better. Oren had a plan for this situation, but he reserved subtlety for important plans. This was not. He gathered all the candy he could find, took a deep breath. And incinerated the lot.
It felt like someone had poured lava on his head. He could barely contain his rage. He screamed and shrieked, pounding at the floor. He came to his senses five minutes later. It probably would have been faster to count them. He looked at the shattered glass again. Maybe if he estimated the volume 'Shrieeeeeek!' He poured some gravel in the holes he'd punched in the cement floor and covered them with a cheap rug. He would fix that proper later tonight. He swept up the glass and then went into the next room. Zeke was cowering next to the fertilizer. 'S..S..Sorry s..sir' he said. Oren smiled and put his hand around the trembling kid. 'It's not your fault Zeke, I just freak out over spills. A but too much OCD. Try and keep them away from me.' 'I think the candies will sell very well, just make sure everything granular is sealed up properly.' 'Yes sir', he seemed to buy it without hypnotism. Ah the naivety of youth. 'Oh and, don't move the rug, I'll clean the mess I left under there after you're done.'
He had a few hours to burn before Zeke closed up shop so he went for a walk down his favourite shady part of town. He was starting to thirst, and he liked to keep his list of options open. His vampears heard a scuffle in an abandoned factory. 'Sorry sir, looks like you'll have to come with us.' 'But he tried to stab me!' 'Sorry sir, but you hit him first and it's your word versus his.' 'Ahh, Mr Johnson, so nice to see you.' 'Huh, who are you? And how did you get in here? This is police business.' 'Yes officer, I know it is. I happen to know a bit of law myself. I like to help myself to, I mean help this gentleman.' ' 's no good, heartless Johnston knows all the loopholes, you'll just dig your own pit.' 'Well, why don't you three come over here and I will run this by you.' They all sauntered over while a forlorn man stood next to him on the edge of despair and eyes brimming with tears. To not only be attacked, but arrested for it too. It was enough to turn the straightest man evil. 'Good gentlemen, now, just so that you get the message, look me straight in the eyes.' 'You heard something but when you got here there was nothing. Resume your patrol. You will forget the last half hour and void all thought until I call.' He turned to the unfortunate victim. 'Get out of here. This never happened. If it ever does, I will make it un-happen.' The victim broke into a panicky run and nearly tripped several times on the way out.' 'Now Mr Johnson, how about we go for a walk. It's a bit early, but I'd like to talk about dinner.' Months later the factory was declared an archaeological dig site when they discovered the bones of a two thousand year old man who had been the victim of a horrific mauling.
-----
'Wow, I come to visit and not only is my minion in, he hasn't got his head stuck in a book for the first time in weeks.' 'Aww.. is da widdwe booky wooky to much competition fow da bwig bwad wampire?' 'Hmph' he wasn't going to bite. He gave a good-natured smile. 'Good morning sire. It's a nice day. We should step out for a snack this evening. It's been awhile. The police are getting suspicious about me not acting suspicious.' He grinned widely. 'Anyway, I finished the book and I've been practising. Hence this... interesting concoction.' He held up a glass of sludgy green liquid and squinted at it. 'I hope that's not going in my lunch.' Oren smiled, 'Well actually..' 'But on a more serious note, it looks like I'm going to need somewhere to 'spell'. I can understand the beginning of Hex and Mye's work but Mye always adds complex ingredients or chants and Hex's never do what you expect the spell to do. They weave and twist. I need to study more.' 'Aww.. don't say that. I just got you back . I don't want to lose you so soon.' 'I think I need a place to stay. Somewhere where I can be myself without the neighbours complaining about every scream and wail. I'd save so much time if I didn't have to pacify them.' 'Ok, whatever, but if that's how you're going to be I want you to hang around the cabin more.' 'I think that can be arranged. I imagine whatever I do will need Hex and Mye's help anyway.' He 'poofed' down to the secret chamber and came back up with the demon coinage. He had to keep it in a chest now. 'Ooh, snazzy dresser are we? What's all that for?' he grinned cheekily. 'Fancy some pocket money sire? I thought not. It's not that hard to replace. This should get me the next book and maybe something else. Building a house is not easy and I don't exactly want to advertise to the whole woods.'
*** Ref 19 2--
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Post by nightreflection on Apr 10, 2011 3:49:32 GMT -5
Well, either I have four people bored enough to actually read this, or one person who's both bored and completely crackers. Cover your eyes, here it is: I hope Amy doesn't mind the liberties I took with her shopkeeper too much. Part XIThe runes around him slowly grew brighter. No. That wasn't it. The rest of the room was fading. It became a numbing greyness until finally his spirit lifted off his body. Everything was hazy, but he managed to make out what was where. He slowly moved out of the bedroom, through the wall, over the garden. It wasn't long before he found a suitable victim. She hadn't killed anyone yet, but she was getting the goods together, and her aura betrayed her completely. Yes. Aura. Everyone had one, it was so obvious, they were so easy to see. He swam into the young woman. He looked around. Back in reality, although everything looked a little taller and he was nicer smelling. Slowly he walked his sleeping victim over to the little overgrown house at the end of the street. He would lock her to the stairs before returning. It was then that he noticed his shadow was, well, his, not the girl's, like it should be. Curious. Unfortunately at that point he got to the door. That wasn't the unfortunate part. Sire was standing in it grinning. 'Hello hunnybun, are you lost or could you not resist my charms? Rwar!' 'Sire, it's me, I'm playing with possession.' Sire laughed, 'Woohoo, you brought me lunch, and I get to bite my minion again.' 'No sire I'm not sure. Uh..' He felt his grip on the girl slowly fade with her life. Soon he was standing over her body as sire drained the last of it. He descended the stairs a few minutes later, rubbing his neck. 'Dang it sire that was weird.' 'Heeheehee!' ----- He unfurled the map in his pocket. 'This will do nicely he thought. Rocky and sparser than the rest of the forest like the survey said. No one and nothing of note lived here. Not enough cover, nothing worth collecting. Especially with the jagged outcroppings. He put an x on the map. There was one road a mile away. It would look like a private retreat. He rolled the map back up and walked off. It was a nice day and even though he wasn't well known, most denizens knew better than to mess with an elite. ----- 'Good morning honoured sir.' came a sarcastic sneer from behind him. He froze. And then slowly turned. It's not like he was weak, he just panicked easily. He didn't to real-time. A weather beaten misfit of various species tilted a crude obsidian blade towards him suggestively. 'Now drop the jingly jingly or I'll be sellin' ya entrails too.' He couldn't move, it was so frustrating, but he was panicked. His attacker lunged and scoured a gash in his cheek. 'Warning shot!' it said gleefully. The sharp jab of pain seemed to release his body and he spun and grabbed the blade-hand. The creature wrestled free, but rather than run off the creature completely freaked out. He grabbed a claw and blocked a webbed foot. He spun the creature around Before it realised it was in an arm-lock the tussle was over. The flavour of blood never got old. It was like your first steak, over and over and over and over again. Fangs sank deeply into the flesh seeking more but the meat tasted a little off, so he left it at that. The remains smouldered behind him as the trees passed him in silent fear. He may only have simple magic, but it still went a long way. The magic shop emerged from the shadows again. He was sure it was enchanted. It never seemed to be in quite the same place. The door creaked a warm greeting as he took his last breath of fresh air and ventured into the dusty, but cosy interior. 'I'm guessing you've finished the Firste.' followed by a deep purring and that curious tail gesture again. 'Yes, but I am also looking for something else a bit more specific.' 'I set the book aside in the hopes you would, purrr, come back.' and with that he drew a tome from the stack behind him. 'Now, rrrrrr, what is it you had in mind?' 'I need to store magic. So I can let it go all at once.' 'rrrrrrrrrrr, ahhrrrrr, you need a rrrrr, sacred orb, rrrrr. They'rrrrrre not cheap rrrrr.' The tip of his tail was around his neck but the rest was dancing wildly. Oren put a slightly bigger pouch on the table than what he had offered last time. If Mye was right, he couldn't overcharge – it was an unhealthy thing to do to customers who were, obviously, spellcasters. The cat peeked in the bag excitedly and suddenly his expression went blank and his tail stood up. Very slowly, he reached down and embraced the pouch, nursing it up to his chin. The purring started again as his tail flicked it's way to the back of the shop. He emerged a few minutes later. The money pouch was gone and instead there was a curious stone. 'Judging by your aura, this will let your store enough energy to cast ten times as much as normal. But you will have to fill it ten times first.' The purring had gone. 'I need more'. The tail and purring went wild, he expected the shopkeeper yo choke at any second. 'Unless, rrrrrrrrrr, you want, rrr, rrr, to store your whole life's magic, it doesn't, rrr, cost much to increase the amount to, rrrr, a lot more. rrrrr. Most magic battles are overrrr by skill not power, rrrr. 'I need at least three months.' The kitty went very quiet, his tail stopped dancing, but still scarfed around his neck. 'I'm sorry, you will need and extra sack and a half to sell something like that.' He froze and his eyes followed as Oren slowly put one pouch, and then another on the table. As Oren let go of the last one the storekeeper fell over backwards. Oren was still looking on not knowing quite what to do when he stood up. 'Ahhh.' The storekeeper yawned and stretched. 'It's been a while.' He left the pouches and took the orb back in a businesslike manner. 'I have something if you're willing to spend all that.' He emerged from the shadows at the back of the shop. Strange how Oren could never focus on the back of the shop. The shopkeeper was nursing a pouch with some sort of orb in it. 'Petrified dragon's heart in an Amethyst geode. Will store six months. Is this acceptable sir?' Oren nodded, 'That should be fine'. 'Just as long as I don't tell Crispo. They don't make dragon hearts that small, and they don't usually petrify themselves.' he thought. He hoped they had used a shrink spell as he opened the pouch. It didn't look like much, but he could feel it absorb and return his power. He would have to take the cat's word about the six months, but lying wasn't good for business. He placed the pouch in his pocket and left with 'Steppe of the Seconde' under his arm. He could have sworn he heard the lock click as he left. He looked back after ten paces and the shop wasn't there. He smiled to himself. *** Ref 21-
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Post by nightreflection on Apr 12, 2011 15:25:38 GMT -5
Part XII Crispo was already having second thoughts. The forest sounds surrounded them as they sat across from each other. Oren meditated filling the orb with energy. It was the fastest way to fill the orb, although not the smartest way to raise energy in a fight. Crispo had his hands on the ground. He wasn't quite sure what he was doing but it seemed to fill some gap in his psyche. It was still difficult to stay focussed for a whole hour though. Oren's watch yelled that time was up and in the half second it took him to get up Crispo was gone. He sauntered off to he front door and let himself in. 'Sho, wheresha candy' he said with a sandwich half in his mouth. He still thought that it was absence from food, not meditating that made him hungry. He pulled out a Crunchie Crack and was greeted by the usual low blows. 'Hey Crispo, I see you did a lot better than butter.' Oren never quite got Charby's jokes about butter. 'Hey look, I've been trying to figure out this meditation thing, and I don't quite get it dude, I mean, am I learning anything. It doesn't look like it.' 'Ok, if you want to know you should be able to about now. Try meditating, but make a ball with your hands.' Crispo sat and focussed. An eye opened 'This had better work toothy.' Slowly Crispo sank deeper and deeper despite the best efforts of the crew. It had taken a good few weeks to get this far but slowly a slip of green ether appeared between his hands. There was a 'whooooa' but Crispo kept on and it increased to a strange emerald glow, like a glass tube with a light shone down it. 'Hear me Crispo. I am going to count to three, then I want you to open your eyes slowly without losing concentration.' It wasn't hypnosis, but he needed a focus to pull this one off. On the count of three Crispo opened his eyes. The glow slowly dimmed. His eyes went wide. He waited until it had faded completely. 'Cool.' 'What? That's it? Dude, I just saw that, it was completely freaky and all you've got is 'cool'?' 'No, Foomy, I also got candy.' and he was lead away by an excited gang.
'I take it from that look that there's a chicken in the fridge.' Charby grinned cheekily. 'You could save a lot of face if you trained him inside you know.' He leaned over and consiprationally whispered an explanation in sire's ear. They could use telepathy but this way they annoyed the house mates more. He walked through and found Mye, who had already begun doing a sauce for the bird. 'You know that's what minions are for?' he said gently taking the spoon from her and nudging her out of the way. She gave him a quick hug and kiss and walked out to deal with Crunchie Crack that had just taken up residence in the carpet. A few minutes later, and with the help of magic some southern-fried chicken – hold the lemon and garlic, and some steaks for those who were sick of chicken, were simmering away in two giant pans. Charby was hanging onto his shoulder hungrily. Oren had gotten quite good after the first 100 recipes, so this kind of reaction wasn't rare.
They laid the virtual feast before the salivating masses. While they gorged themselves, getting half of it on the floor in the process, Mye served up a portion for Hex and took it down. Oren served up a portion for himself and Mye and followed a minute later. 'How are my favourite voodoo masters today?' He asked as he pulled up a piece of dusty basement floor. 'Great, although I could use your help for an experiment'. 'Thanks, I'll pass. I don't really fancy donating one of my organs again.' 'I'll make it worth your while. They do grow back after all.' 'Hex, read my lips... N....O...' 'So what's this about?' 'I'm going to be doing some building work soon and I need a few custom spells. I'll even throw in a library. I'm guessing you haven't had anywhere safe to store books yet.' He looked at the watermark left by the playful little horrors earlier, and that was only the start. Hex glanced at Mye who nodded vigourously. 'Ok were in, there's just one more thing.' He picked up his 'work' knife and looked at Oren's chest. 'You just want to hear me scream like a baby don't you?' 'Honestly, the things I do for you lot.' he sighed. 'Well you'd better call sire, he wouldn't want to miss it.' He headed back up to the dinner table.
*** Ah yes, the sweet smell of taking liberties. I do so try to avoid them but it was either a few talents added to the list or I'd have to avoid using any of the crew. Thanks for reading peeps. Ref 22 -e
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Post by nightreflection on Apr 16, 2011 3:22:54 GMT -5
So, where were we again, ah yes ;D Chapter XIII'Ooh, my minion is headlining it I see.' Charby was perched on the edge of his seat with his head in a newspaper. 'Let me see, let me see.' Crispo's curiosity was insatiable if it didn't concern him. A mottled assembly of heads pressed in behind Charby for a glimpse. Oren stopped scrubbing a rather stubborn plate that just wasn't listening to magic. 'What does it say then.' ''Entrepreneur invests in heritage.' It's about you buying a piece of forest.' 'I bets Sammick don't likes dat.' Tony Piped up. 'It's a human deed, besides, you can't do anything with it, it's protected forest.' Charby injected. 'So how are you going to build your new house on it?' Menu asked 'They tore down the last place that did that. There was still pizza in their fridge though.' he said trying to talk through Foomy's previously unguarded, now extinct dinner. 'Oh, I don't think he intends for anyone to find out.' Charby interrupted again. 'That's going to need quite some magic if you're going to pull it off, let me guess, camouflage or an image dome?' asked Zeno. Charby answered, 'Simpler than that my dear friend, he's just going to build it in one night.' There was a collective exclamation of admiration, commonly referred to as 'Whoah'. 'Sire, could you please stop giving my plans away. How am I meant to have any secrets if you're going to broadcast them to the world.' 'No can do, besides, everyone in town is talking about you now.' 'It's not like it cost much, heck you can't even have a barbecue without the rangers shoving a rifle up your nostrils, although I doubt they would go so far out, the nearest road is a good few miles away. It's not exactly 'prime location'. You been practising O tri-horned one?' 'Yeah, I did the three-hour stint like you told me to' 'Proof' Begrudgingly Crispo reached into his pocket and drew out an isometric watery green gem. Azelea's eyes grew very wide. 'Yours if you help me' he said pocketing the gem. 'But I liked that, and I worked so hard for it' 'Quit whining, it's not like you can't make another.' 'But it took months' 'Don't worry, you still have a while to go if you want your pay. Besides, what were you going to do with it? Wear it around your neck like a girl?' ----- 'And I'd like to thank our honoured guest tonight, Mr Redford.' There was a round of applause. He'd been bullied into this after showing he had a soft spot by buying some forest. Amazing how helping people ended up getting him punished. He was hoping for an opening to teach them a lesson, but hadn't managed to find anything yet. There was a pause as they expected him to take the stand and spend a few minutes promoting his business and saying how good it was to be charitable and some other bull. He smirked as Mrs Crank stepped off the stage a bit ruffled by his lack of response while some representative from the department of health stood up and talked about the lack of proper nutrition and went on to talk about chicken nuggets. After showing them in detail how the cheap nuggets they used for school meals were made from rooster chicks he dared people in the audience to taste his fresh batch of nuggets. Oren smiled. Well, if it's good enough for sire. He ascended the stage and, to the horror of everyone except a few delighted kids, grabbed a handful of chicks and crunched down loudly on them. Mrs Crank and the representative stared on in disbelief as he gently wiped the blood from his lips with a napkin and quietly left by the nearest exit. They wouldn't be asking for his help again. The chicks reminded him he hadn't fed in a while. He supposed it was as good a time as any and headed off to the docks. Always a good sauce of entertainment after dark. He waltzed over to the nearest phone booth and tipped Blaine off that they may need a big gun tonight. Although he wasn't sure it would help. Some idiot had been drinking too much and was threatening his wife. Bullied frightened little thing. She'd be better off without him. A little hypnosis and she thought he'd fallen off the pier in his drunkenness. He made a note to hire her for the day shift. She would work well, she needed the work, and they had just lost a few labourers to those that 'clean the cup on the outside'. He drove to the park he and his dinner walked deep into the woods. He'd taste a bit spicy, but he'd have to do. Two hours later Oren stopped. He hoped this was far enough. He'd probably need this sooner rather than later, so now better than later, while he remembered. They'd been followed, but pretty soon those looking to steal his meal would be running for their lives. He kicked the semi-hypnotised sailor in the jaw while he was talking. 'Wha' ye do tha' fer?' he yelled trying not to use his bleeding tounge. The moon was almost new, but it was enough. His senses tingled with blood. The scent and the sound. It called to him. He denied it. The result was like taking a bone away from a stray. The dog lunged with a horrid growl that spelt doom for the owner. Again he resisted. He felt the power flowing into him, filling his body. It demanded blood. He felt it pressing his waist , trying to expand. Suddenly it took on a more vicious form and took on a life of it's own. The dog's teeth were growing, he could feel it within him. It tried to lunge with it's new teeth, hoping they would fill the gap between it and it's murderous desire, but he pulled back hard on the reign. He watched as his animal, frustrated at being spurned pulled harder at the chain of his consciousness. Slowly it weakened as the beast grew. Huge fangs and massive claws towered over his victim. And then it was over. One bite and the sweet nectar slid down his throat. The red sliver of moon went black. He woke deep in the forest after, what he found out after the event, was two days later. The hunters had found his tracks, but thankfully, not him. It took a lot of practice, but he learnt to change at will without any further stimuli. Although control over the massive form was always limited, and a sure loss when there was blood on the wind. ***I like annoying Crispo for some reason. Mind you, I like annoying everyone. ref 24-
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Post by nightreflection on Apr 19, 2011 15:08:35 GMT -5
What? There's more of this c***? You have no idea. MWAHAHAHA! Chapter XIV He finished chewing the last bone clean and tossed it in the bin. As he walked out of the alley his keen eyes caught sight of someone sprawled on the ground in the next alley. It wasn't unusual, but there was something off. As he drew closer he realised it was a child. Charby was right. He cared about his food too much. He got closer and heard his breathing and couldn't smell any blood. Something was amiss. He was wearing typical boy wear, so what was he doing out cold in an alley? He stepped over to examine. Still finding nothing wrong he thought he'd take a sip just to make sure he was healthy. Tears welled in his eyes. The blossom in his mouth had a faint acrid hint. Someone had drugged the boy. His eyes went cold and he spent the next five minutes casting a cure spell. Very tricky with his small bag of generic ingredients. He woke the boy up. 'Hey boy, what's your name?' 'Huh? Who are you?' He asked groggily. 'Your worst nightmare if you don't start talking. Who sold you fix?' 'I don't know what you're talking about.' He held the child's chin and looked into his eyes. There was so much pain and betrayal. 'If that's how you want to play'. He dropped his disguise. He shouldn't really do this, but it's not like Charby didn't walk around red-eyed all the time anyway. People just assumed Albanism. 'Now listen child, and if you tell anyone this you will wish you were dead.' He was wide awake now. 'Yes... yes sir.' 'Go home and don't touch the stuff again. And you will tell me who sold this to you, or so help me I will beat it out of you.' He was inexperienced at this stuff. Perhaps he should have started mind reading. 'I.. i.. it was Large, Large from Burning Beach. Please sir, don't make me, it will hurt bad if I don't get it.' Oren smiled trying very hard not to cry. 'I promise, that hurting won't come now. Now go on home, quickly, Large won't be bothering you any more, but stay away from the shady parts of town from now on ok.' 'Yes sir.' He said, still shocked, and ran off home as fast as his legs would carry him. He'd been out before, he should be fine.
Burning Beach huh? They worked the part of the beach that shut down at night, the low-cost touristy area. Only a few desperate workers were around after dark. Poor kid must've returned to re-ride one of the attractions when they bullied him and addicted him. He'd already eaten so he made a few flights over town. He didn't find sire like he'd hoped, but he did find Menu who was always up for a scrap and a meal. He caught up with Large trying to bust open an arcade. There was no money inside and the owners had reinforced everything, so he was wasting his time. Oren was not in a good mood and was going to forgo the subtlety on this one. Large was a bit too big for any form of subtlety. 'Ah Large, you've selling to kids haven't you?' 'Huh? I dunno what you're talking about. You wanna make something of it?' The kid had been telling the truth, good to know. 'Jerky sounds good.' 'Huh?' 'Who's your supplier?' The thought association was all he needed. 'Ain't nobody messes with Large mister, now you find out the hard way.' His crew started closing in menacingly, weapons drawn. Oren grabbed his dog by the scruff of the neck and slung him over the encroaching foes. Most kept their eyes on the dog. Menu erupted into a ball of claw and fang. The gang members fled, dogs had a horrid effect on the psyche. Later many of the gang members could've swore they herd it say 'C'mere delicious' as it tussled with their leader. Menu sat on his meal a bit disappointed. 'There's lots of it, but I was hoping for a bit more of a fight.' 'Sorry. Anyway, you'd better carry it to the beach, they will be back to investigate.'
He followed the trail of slightly less depraved minds until he found the importer. There would be no point he thought. After the grim satisfaction he'd just be replaced, so he resigned himself to a more profitable approach. He could do nothing now, but an idea was starting to form in his mind.
*** Don't feed the... dang! too late. ref 25-
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Post by nightreflection on Apr 25, 2011 10:46:05 GMT -5
Thanks for the honest vote. I would promise to work hard at improving, but tbh, I've got to write a lot more if I want to get decent writing experience under my belt. Although feel free to mention anything specific you'd like improved. Part XV The night air was crisp. The moon was almost full and exposed the bare few rocky acres he had bought. Behind him trailed the most ragtag bunch of demons ever gathered. 'Are we there yet?' moaned Menu who had been bored for the last hour. 'Yes and no, we're on my property now, but we have a few more minutes to where I want to set up camp.' Menu's claws scraped the stone underfoot. It couldn't have been fun for him, but he was a werewolf. It would heal quickly. They made their way to a point quite far up, but almost at the side. 'Whaccha doin'?' piped up the fuzzball as he sat down and rubbed his feet. 'Drawing a circle with rope. Stay in it.' Menu muttered something under his breath and moved to another rock. Oren moved just out of the circle and cast a quick spell to clear the area. He got a chicken he'd brought with. 'Sorry Mr Cluckers, for you the tour is over.' he used the blood to draw a circle and a rune. 'Hold on to this for me will you.' 'Hey that's mine!' came the complaint from Charby. 'Oh for cryin' out loud, just cut it in half already!' He really didn't need this the next part was very difficult. 'And please, unless you like a hundred tons of granite on your head, SHUT UP!' You could hear the crickets. Pity they wouldn't be around for much longer. Slowly he, Hex and Mye began their chant. He placed the sacred orb, which wasn't really, on the ground and drew an octagram with chicken blood. Charby relieved him of the second chicken. He stood above the orb and concentrated. Like a sci-fi movie a huge cube of rock lifted out the ground with soil and rock rolling off it. It was greeted by a collective gasp of 'Woah' as it slid down the hill flattening everything in its path. Menu was quick to follow. A smaller slab got thrown down after it from a slightly rockier crest further uphill, and then a few mottled rods followed out of the first hole, their minerals glistening in the moonlight. Menu did not seem to mind dodging, he was getting one heck of a meal. Even in the moonlight you could see his chin was no-longer white as he ducked and jumped over the blocks of rock. That was one month of meditation he thought glumly. He had hoped he would have a little to spare, but it looked like he was bang on target. Now for the hard part. From the second hole he carved and lifted huge slabs for the floor and sides. He carefully placed them in the first, cutting gaps for walls to plug into, but leaving the doors for later. Hex and Mye strained as the octagon glowed a strange purple. It had been about an hour by the time he laid the roof on. Foomy fired the ceiling to turn it into rough glass to help seal it. They'd collected plenty of wood to boost him, but he didn't seem to need it. Finally he placed a layer of rocks and soil on the structure. All that was exposed was a tiny trap door. He broke up the giant blocks and filled the second hole with rocks but also flattened the area so the soil he put on top would hold. Exhausted, Mye and Hex lay down and the magic runes faded. Also worn he grabbed the orb and sat down. They sat down and relaxed until Menu's ears pricked up. 'Down boy' Oren whispered. The look he got was priceless but everyone caught on an it got very quiet. The voices got louder and soon they heard Tony's voice. 'I's sure its heres' 'You better not be fibbin' you. Remember who's got the gun.' A few more minutes and all hell broke loose. Five gang members who thought they were taking some dealer to his hidden stash found themselves being very...tasty. Charby's shout of glee rang out 'You throw the best parties ever minion!' To be honest, he'd been a bit worried that he'd been losing Oren, but it was things like this that reminded him he was in his heart of hearts, a truly evil monster. Crispo cracked open the dinner crate which contained the 'tree food', as dubbed by the howler, and a variety of spices which went surprisingly well with gangster-on-the-spit, courtesy of Foomy, although they shied away from the one he cooked without wood. An hour later and the moon was high as midnight approached. The landscape was barren with the odd bit of twisted, broken foliage showing. Mye and Hex drew a quick rune in the dirt and then Oren took up position again 'Azelea?' he said 'Time to earn your pay.' 'I'm not your hussy.' she pouted as she grabbed a small bag. Soon fairydust and seeds were falling. The sky began to grow dark as Oren began to chant. His voice seemed to swing from one unintelligible form to another until it was completely dark. Azelea had finished a while ago and a soft drizzle began to fall. Sweat was showing on Oren's head. His chest felt like someone was pulling all his organs apart, but he wasn't going to give up after coming this far. Crispo didn't need telling, he drew on his training and started meditating. Soon the ground was covered in green-dragon energy and it started sprouting. He stretched his hand towards the orb and from everywhere the rustle of growth sounded. Combined with Fairy magic the result was incredible and the demons soon found themselves running around to avoid becoming zen with the foliage. The rain was a hearty shower now. Suddenly there was a huge roar as Oren went into monster form. It was the only way his body could maintain the spell. The chant now sounded like a guttural roar, terrifying and hellish. Crispo's body began to glow green as he tapped more and more of the orb and soon the demonic chant was mingled with the thunder and lightning of a torrential downpour. Menu was looking like a drowned rat, and not very impressed. Suddenly the downpour stopped. Stars started to poke out of the clouds and Crispo stopped glowing. Foomy had escaped by hiding under Hex, and then a tree. He was handing out free drying to everyone except Menu. Oren lay on his face in front of the empty orb, although Crispo seemed to have been rejuvenated by the process if anything. The woods around them were now thick, with patches of brambles and thorns and absolutely every wicked plant an obsessed vampire, a vengeful fairy and a crafty witch could come up with. Menu walked up to the patch of grass where Oren lay. 'You could have told me about the rain you know!' 'Your part – build me a shack.' Without standing he pointed to the block of stone that was the entrance and collapsed again. Tony and Foomy had already built the frame. but there was a hammer, nails, and a lot of logs waiting. Grumpily the drowned-rat grabbed the hammer in his clumsy claw and built the most rickety looking shack they could imagine. Although it could have been worse. He hit so hard that it turned out quite stable, if not a bit draughty and not with the longest life expectancy. Somewhere during the proceedings Oren passed out. He woke that evening. Everyone had cleared off except Charby. 'That was quite impressive Oren. What are you going to do with it?' 'Home,' he said, still coming to his senses, 'I need a home.' 'Ooo, are you going to build me one too?' He looked at Charby with a weary smirk, 'Sure sire, as soon as you can figure out what to do with one.' 'Thanks for watching over me. Did you enjoy the festivities?' 'Ahaww yea! Roasted? I mean, who'd have ever thought that. And to think, you had such a clean mind once, harharhar.' Oren smiled. He slowly walked over to the shack and aged it. Crispo would show up later and grow a few vines, and some lichen and moss on it and then they were almost done. He cut the trap door panel out with magic. A repair enchantment once Crispo had done his thing and the shack would be forever about to fall apart. Not good enough for man nor beast. Just as well Crispo could fly, he shuddered to think what had been in the bag he'd given Azelea. *** Okay, I admit, I got a bit carried away with this one , but I found it hard to work in variation. I suppose if I got of my butt I could have a hunter get suspicious or do a paragraph or two from Menu's viewpoint over 'when is the food gonna get here?' ref 27-
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Post by nightreflection on Apr 28, 2011 13:21:00 GMT -5
Part XVI
There was a snap as the last last stone shelf snapped into place. This was going to be Hex and Mye's promised library. A criss-cross of stone circles was mounted near the end of the room for the portal. He pulled out a scrap of paper and set about carving the runes Hex had asked for. It was tedious, but at least it didn't take much energy. He'd never had problems with energy before this, and he hoped to never again afterwards. He pushed the extra stone out of the room. 'Done' he gasped. He walked down the blank corridors and poofed through the entrance. It was currently sealed to stop unwanted guests. A few tiny air holes were the only way through. He flew the good few miles to Kellwood and picked up his order.
Good job he had supernatural strength he thought as he dragged his makeshift wagon through the forest. Charby would have called him a mule he mused. When he was safely in the forest he let the power flow into him and grew into the huge beast form. He should be okay, it was a bit too early for hunters. It was easier this way, just as long as some food didn't pass by.
He was back in normal shape by the time he got to the cabin. There was a scuffle he could hear from twelve feet away. Someone knocked someone over, and shortly after that the someone revealed themselves to be Crispo, who ran up grinning. 'Tell me it's in there, oh please, oh please.' 'Calm down, you're going to snap a neuron at this rate.' 'Hey did you bring my stuff?' Menu was rapidly gaining on them' 'You stay away, there's sensitive tech in there.' A scuffle broke out. He carefully unloaded the wagon, making sure to separate the goods properly. 'It's unloaded, you can stop strangling each other now.' The scuffle continued for a while with various cursing and scratching until Crispo managed to break free. Menu's disappointment was short lived as he espied his package on the porch. He wasn't sure what was more disturbing. Crispo lovingly caressing a computer of Menu going completely feral on a box of food. Was Menu going to be like this all this month? He almost regretted the deal, but he couldn't leave one of the key residents out of the deal. He guessed Crispo wouldn't be doing any more meditating. He sighed and poofed past Crispo who was being excessively careful brining his payment in. In the basement there was a block of stone where he'd left it. He slowly carved it into another portal stone. As he hammered the last rune home the portal began to hum. The hum slowly died as the portal lit up and then dimmed into the shape of the black background of the library. There were no books yet, but at least they now had a place for all of them. Foomy came downstairs to watch. He was also getting fed as part of his payment, but he'd have to secret him away at some stage or Menu would take it all as 'rent'. 'Hey Foomy, can you give me a hand here.' 'Sure old guy, what you want?' He grabbed him by the hair and tossed him through the portal. 'Hey wha? Lemme go I'm not your test crash dummy.' But by the time he could start any nonsense he was already flying towards the portal. It was working perfectly, Foomy didn't get ported. It would only work for Mye and Hex. And now the matter of catching up with sire. Before Foomy roasted his butt. On the way out he passed Azelea and threw the gem at her. 'If you make your garden in the middle of that deathtrap you won't get many visitors.' Azelea caught it with two hands and gazed deeply into it. Her eyes glittered greedily from the crude facets. She would bury it and it would let her grow plants quickly, creating her own fairy paradise in a few days.
*** Yay back to sane lengths. ref 28-
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Post by nightreflection on May 1, 2011 3:09:42 GMT -5
Part XVII He caught up with Charby chatting up girls in the park. When would he get the idea that the extra attention of child form was offset by girls not seeing him as a date. So he played along and they chatted about girls and Charby's history with them until a strange kid in pyjamas came along. 'Tony!' Oren called happily 'Hey youse' Tony grinned and shuffled over. 'Catch' Oren tossed him fine silver amulet with an opal charm. 'Hey, ifs I wanted de girl stuffs I's wearing a dress.' he said squinting at it. 'It's supposed to boost your brain power.' 'Whatevers' He hadn't known what to get the love-forlorn sap, so he got him a necklace that supposedly boosted mind powers. He didn't know how it worked, but the shopkeep hadn't lead him astray yet. 'Tell you what, why don't we drop by The Chickenhouse on the way back and I'll get you both a bumper pack.' 'Also, I may need you to sneak some food past Menu or Foomy will never get his share.'
'Hey, would you guys mind if I tagged along? You look like you're really interesting.' Charby and Tony erupted with laughter. 'I don't mind doing all the boring bits, I just really need a friend right now.' Oren put his hand on the kid's shoulder. 'Kid, you really want to find another group.' he chuckled imagining how long he'd last. Probably till dinner. 'Look, I'll square with you. I don't want to be a nobody. You guys seem to always be busy with something. Mr Redford is rich and I was hoping if I could hang with you, I'd learn how...' his voice trailed off. 'What's your name kid?' 'Jonathan Cottle sir.' Oren brought his head closer to the ambitious little teen. 'Well young master Cottle, this path is very expensive. You are young, and so you're not desperate enough anyway. Take my advice and seek another.' The left him standing there, head hung low. But it was better this way.
-----
'Hey Cris, want anything from town?' Hex was on his usual run. 'If you're going past the GameBusters they've got the new H-class dynamic controller with hyper-chip technology.' What a geek Hex thought. 'I thought they were out yesterday.' 'Ya, they got them in at about ten this morning.' 'Huh?' came Zeno's comment, 'How'd you know that? We don't have a phone here.' 'Umm.. err..' The weremutt raised an eyebrow without stopping his intent analysis of the shopping channel 'Crispo, have you been holding out on us?' he asked calmly, but with a hint of danger in his voice. 'No, uh, I heard it from a friend.' He was wincing sheepishly. This gave him Menu's full attention. He uttered no words but his eyes said 'Oh no, you don't get away that easy.' 'Well, uh, the stuff Oren taught me...' 'Yeees...' 'It kinda lets me talk to plants.. and animals.. And while they aren't interested in tech, crows will watch anything for you if you tell them there's something shiny involved.' 'So you could say, get them to tell us where the food is hiding.' Menu smiled slyly. 'Umm.. It takes an hour to get set up, and they aren't always in a talkative mood.' 'It's alright Cris, I've got all day.' Menu said in a caring voice, wagging his tail. And so Cris finally got to earn his keep, and much to his disappointment, had to sacrifice a whole hour of games each day. Everyone thought it was funny, except the handful that weren't doing anything yet. The occurrence had very distressing implications for future trends. *** ref 29 -e
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Post by nightreflection on May 3, 2011 15:35:06 GMT -5
Part XVIIIThe wind rushed past the speeding truck In the back Oren silently watched the speeding landscape. He was getting quite a reputation as a troublemaker. No one pinned anything on him, but it seemed to follow him. He had arranged for several extremely expensive, custom relics to be delivered. These were way beyond what he could afford so he had is favourite victims request them for him. Everybody was looking for hackers hahaha. he thought to himself. Of course, the goods that they did not order never arrived. About here should do. He cast a slow sleep spell, unloaded the fine silks, locked up again and carried them off. This was the last one. Plenty of goods had gone missing this way. The town was in talks over added security measures, but he was done and it would be months before anything materialised. He raised his hands and chanted the portal spell. He heard the response team's sirens arriving far behind him. They deployed quickly and were scattering in a search pattern as he finished. There was a burst of static and he was gone. He hung the linen like old-fashioned drapes above the bed and waited. 'Knocking sire? That's not like you. Besides, it's a vampire door. You're meant to 'poof' in.' and with a puff his master appeared before him. Charby had begun to worry about his minion but as he stepped through the door his jaw dropped. The expansive room was decorated with extravagant silk, linen and velvet. The floor was polished agate and topaz in charby-shaped tiles, too big to be natural. The walls were a detailed work of the same colours with splashes of crimson and gold and the roof was an oily mix alternating between the two, depending on the viewpoint. Two orbs flooded the room with moonlight and the room had the faint smell of enchantment of repair spells. Oren had had to be careful where he placed them or they would end up 'repairing' everything that wasn't in the room when they were cast. Charby gasped. 'I thought I was losing you and then this. This is just fantastic.' 'Of course, my whole house is at your disposal, but I thought I should make at least one room for when you're in. There was a dead portal ring in the corner that Charby assumed would be his way in later. He flopped down on the bed and went to sleep. It had been a long day. He got bored of the solitary after a month and went back to sleeping in the cabin, even though he sometimes got woken up. But it was nice to know there was refuge just the other side of the portal in his room when things got out of hand. The underground castle was a quiet refuge. The flora was hostile except for the faint rocky path to the windswept shack, and Azelea's isolated garden. Oren just hoped no mappers came by. The shape of the land was nothing like it used to be. ----- Oren was sitting on a weathered bench on main street. He didn't do it often, but many of the stuck-ups had commented that it was 'behaviour unbecoming of his stature.' (It made them look 'common') so he made a point of doing it every now and then. The reason the infrequency didn't take long to show its ugly face. The plotting and scheming, revenge and downright spitefulness of the passers by made him sick. But it was a useful of information. Not just for money and blood, but it showed him how other people really think. A black rolls royce with one of said stuck ups was being driven past at this very moment to a 'charity' event. It was open to all. It's just not many knew about it, in fact, hardly anyone knew about it. Companies would donate items to charity, which charity would auction to raise funds. It was a big scam to get luxury items on the cheap. People also got mentioned in the Kellwood Daily for how much they 'donated' to charity. It was such a gyp. This time it wasn't a range of luxury surplus. The local car dealer had offered up a rather snazzy 4x4. They'd show it off and never use it he mused, and he was guessing it had already been pre-sold to one of the bidders in exchange for some other sort of financial favour. He grinned evilly. It started in fifteen minutes, buy he could easily beat a royce in this traffic. He turned a lot of heads as he showed up in jeans and jacket. They wave of repugnance directed at him almost made him wince. Hex plonked himself down next to him. 'Oh, hello, what are you doing here?' 'Saw you drop in, it's usually entertaining.' Everyone turned to face him. He could have sworn he heard a collective hiss. You just didn't talk at these things. 'Rawr' he responded waving a weak cat's paw. They were so shameless. Charity or cause did not even cross their minds as they mentally drooled over the deal they were getting on something they'd never use. Pictures of them daring the wilds on a hunting safari, or adorning magazine covers laid sensually back against the vehicle filled their heads. He was feeling physically ill by the time the bidding started. The auctioneer worked up a frenzy, but it had little effect on the seasoned audience. Well, they were pickled with greed. That would have made him hungry if he wasn't feeling so sick. Their thoughts collectively breathed a sigh of relief as they heard 'going twice'. And then hearts stopped as he quickly raised his number. 'Aand we have a new bidder!' He pushed Mr Danes all the way to his limit. A pathetic tenth of the value. Mr Danes quickly looked around to see who he was bidding against. Oren could see the hate in his eyes. It made him smile on the inside. Of course, looking at him was a bad mistake. 'Going to go all the way Mr Danes?' it wasn't that kind of a suggestion. He finally managed to break free of the hypnosis at half the value, but Oren was feeling spiteful. 'Sold to Mr Redford!' He would donate the other half of the price on the quiet. Hex got up and left at this point while Oren went forward to sign the paperwork. Which he did quickly, then headed for the toilet, and vomited. He sadly flew over the city. He knew he didn't have to care anymore, but he felt the plight of the homeless, the jobless, the defenceless. The rejected, humiliated, abused, bullied, scorned. He fell onto a rooftop in tears. Tears never lasted long for him, but he wept almost an hour. He composed himself and dropped down to street level. A well-to-do walked past. 'Hard times Mr Redford? About time you talentless mooch.' That clinched it. This town was always going to be filled with scum, but it was about to get a lot easier for the good guys to breathe. Oh, he was such a hypocrite. *** Here ya goes. More eye-gouging horribleness. Sorry for the lack of response in other areas. My recent posts page is being notty! ref 31-
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Post by nightreflection on May 7, 2011 10:10:37 GMT -5
Part XIX
He laid his offerings at the feet of the portal wizard. An enchanted skull, a pile of piping and a jar of high-school grade sulphur. 'Your offering is worthy of consideration, it lacks but one thing. I require a bough of ash.' 'But there is no enchanted ash in Kellwood, where am I meant to get it?' 'Come on Oren, I really need it for one of my experiments and it can't be that hard to find.' 'Give me a break Hex, you know I've looked everywhere, why don't you just ask for the Golden Tresses of Sif?' 'I happen to like my hair as it is thank you very much! Besides, enough of us get mistaken for girls as it is.' Hex eyed him suspiciously 'This isn't for one of your 'parties' is it?' 'You could say that, I was planning a little, something. You want in?' 'You get me in and I get you your portal.' 'Sure, just don't tell Charby, I'd like to surprise him.'
-----
It was a quiet starry night. There was no moon and the crickets chirped in the old castle ruins. Another car pulled up outside the huge doorway. The light and sound from inside welcomed the guests as they disembarked one by one from their Ferraris, Aston Martins and Rolls Royces. The ball had promised to be one of the 'must attend' white tie functions of the summer. Most of the guests were impressed with their undisclosed location. These were the cream of society, and they were even more impressed by the exclusivity. They had taken every opportunity to rub their invitation in the face of their well-to-do piers who were not invited. Apparently the castle renovations were incomplete and they weren't able to invite all the guests they wanted this year. Yet strangely there were no bouncers at the doors.
The doors were impressive in their own right. Two massive smooth granite pillars framed a stone arch wide enough to drive a bus through. Massive antique iron doors were swung inwards welcoming them and huge demonic stone heads kept watch from the top of the pillars. No-one noticed the little boy standing behind the left pillar with a strange glowing pendant.
After an hour all the guests were present and a shadowy figure emerged from the door. 'Hex, they're all in we can close the doors now.' 'I'm still having second thoughts about this. I mean throwing a party to get acquainted, but isn't this a bit much.' 'So Mye really didn't tell you anything. Oh you are in for a treat. I'm so glad she listened to me' They closed the heavy doors behind them and moved into the busy dining room. Delicious smells filled the room promising an evening to remember. In the corner a pale black-haired child played a skilful guitar tune. A dog sat on it's haunches next to him. A rather strange theme for an upscale event but nevertheless, attractive. Gothic stone heads adorned the otherwise smooth walls of the massive room. There was a murmur as Oren ascended a small stage to start the proceedings. A wave of comments ran through the crowd. No-one knew he had enough money to buy and renovate the old castle, and the whole mystery host thing had been a bit overplayed. There would certainly be questions tomorrow. Many of the guests had complained to their two waiters, they assumed there would be more when the food arrived, and that there was no reception for their phones. The waiters kindly explained that the ancient walls were too thick, and that there would be time later to make calls once the host had made his speech. Which, as it turned out, was very short. 'Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to my humble abode. I'm sure you have many questions, but I promise, there will be a time to answer them. Just before we begin, there is one last thing I would like to do.' And with that he stepped over to the wall, tugged a cord and massive velvet drapes with gold trim gave way to reveal an organ. The pipes were an exquisite red-gold. He sat down and took a deep breath. As his vampiric dexterity made light of the Toccata in Fuge in D-minor there was a scream. The dog had grabbed Mr Karic and snapped his neck. They looked on in horror to see that one of the waiters had grown red eyes and was at the neck of Mrs Verne. The guitar player had pulled out a massive scythe and was rapidly approaching the table and a pale child with pink eyes emerged from the kitchen with a glowing necklace. The necklace glowed as Hex handed out justice.
'To me Mr Gearing, let's get the doors open.' Several people had tried to get to Oren, but there was a magic barrier. One grabbed a main-course knife from the table and somehow made it into the kitchen. There were several cauldrons bubbling with delicious flavoured water. It had all been a hoax. There were no exits, only another pale, pink eyed zombie. The view did not last long before a bolt of lightning ripped him apart. Hex emerged from the doorway. Vengeance would get a workout tonight.
As the last notes of the Toccata faded from the pipes Oren spun on his seat and dived. 'Ah, Mrs Pannete, I've always wondered what makes you tick.' 'They're getting the doors open yelled Charby' 'fnoft ff pfobfm' Oren said with his teeth deep in neck. The doors squeaked open like nails on a chalkboard as several men managed to move the heavy iron. Charby was about to follow when there was a wail of despair, he broke down in an uncontrollable fit of laughter. Behind the doors, right behind them, not even enough space for a chair, was a wall. It took half an hour to finish them off. Sometimes they were laughing so hard that they couldn't eat. Charby and Hex helped find everyone who'd been bitten and threw them all on a pile for burning. The rest were put aside. Menu had gotten tomato sauce from somewhere and was applying it liberally. All in all it had worked quite well. Mye had roasted some for her, Hex and Zeno, and there would be plenty for the house, plus quite a few extra Soylent would be glad to part with coinage for. Zeno's scythe had snapped half way through. Ain't nothing like the real thing... Hadn't slowed him down much though. He didn't feel like figuring out which had and hadn't been bitten of the rest of the mass. 'Please could you wait in the kitchen, not you sire.' 'What did you have in mind?' Oren could see he was impressed. 'Stuff Soylent' Oren closed his eyes for a second. He turned the key and felt the rush. 'Ohhh.' said Charby. Soon two huge monsters engulfed the hall. They devoured everything that was left. Including the silverware. That would be painful in the morning.
***I enjoyed channeling writing that part. ref 33-
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Post by nightreflection on May 9, 2011 14:31:07 GMT -5
Part XX Blaine sat at his desk with his head in a hand. It was inconceivable. Over half of his funding. Gone overnight. How could this have happened? He lowered a pen to the desk, the glow of the computer accentuated his features. How? This was not the sort of thing he fought, this was his worst nightmare. It had all been very suspicious, but there had been none of the usual warnings. No mass of disappearances where they were gathering, no new players or changes in habits. It had all been so sudden. The police had concluded nothing but he had seen the crime scene. He'd never seen such a huge portal. Tracks went in, but not out the other side. Whatever he was dealing with, it had never come close to this. This was new, ingenious. Nothing in textbooks could prepare him for this. What was he to do, and what was to become of the hunters now that their funding had been slashed? He'd have to let some of them go. His misery was interrupted by a knock on the door. 'Who is it?' 'Victor sir, you wanted me?' 'Come in Victor.' 'Shut the door behind you.' He could tell by the look on his boss's face that this was bad. 'Last night, while we were out hunting, the high and mighty of Kellwood were attending a party.' 'Oh no, there wasn't an incident!' 'I don't know.' He'd never seen his boss so broken. 'They vanished.' 'Wait, you mean as in deserted house vanished? We could sweep..' A raised hand stopped him. 'No, I mean as in vanished vanished.' 'You know the iron castle ruins?' Victor nodded. 'Someone built a new entrance. Footprints go in the front... and don't come out the back.' 'The party staff? Please tell me not one of our sponsors.' 'What party staff? They're still all missing, half of our funding and most of Kellwood's money, gone.' Victor went pale. 'But.. I.. ' 'Did you bump into anything strange last night, anything at all?' 'No sir,' He was angry and frustrated, 'The usual suspects, no one missing, no one extra.' 'Well, let me know if you find anything, for now we're combing the area for traces. Get some sleep and, unless you have some leads, get out there and help.' He quietly closed the door, barely noticing the people around him. He left and walked downtown. He wracked his brain, but no matter how hard he tried he could not find anything misplaced from last night. His best bet was probably to wait for Charby to show up and quiz him. He'd probably have a handle on it. Who would do such a thing. Charby has always been a kill to feed type, Menu hardly ever. His face went pale and anger rose in him like a tide. 'Oh no no no no No No No NO!' People looked at him but he broke into a run. He's always been 'my minion this' and 'my minion that'. he thought. He's the only one with the gall to try something. And not leaving any trace is his style. He arrived at the house ten minutes later. 'OREN!' He banged on the door. 'ORE-hen' His voice was hoarse and he cracked half way through. He fell against the door weeping. There was a puff of smoke and a sleepy Oren caught him as the door opened and dragged him inside. Vic grabbed Oren by the collar and shoved him against the wall, 'WHY!' Oren adjusted his shirt and was about to reply when Vic refreshed his grip 'Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now?' he shouted hoarsely. 'First, you can't.' came the calm reply. 'I can #$?&*!ing make you wish I had.' he shouted again. 'Again, you can't.' Oren was talking very quietly, wistfully even. 'So I'm a monster am I?' Victor let him go. 'Some tea, you must be tired by now.' He slowly walked to the kitchen. Victor wanted to stake him so bad, but he knew Oren wasn't going to dodge the question. Oren made the tea in silence and set it in front of Victor on the kitchen table. Victor's eye's followed him maliciously. 'You want to see a monster. Fine, I'll show you a monster. Name one person who attended the party.' Victor looked him dead in the eyes and said 'Mrs Rosella Jenkins'. 'Ah, the sweet Rosella Jenkins, saviour of the black-tailed swan and patron of St Esteen's children's hospital. Give me a second, I have something that might interest you.' Oren walked into the hallway and back a minute later. He was carrying a thick leather-bound folder. Victor opened it. On the front page was Rosella Jenkins, she'd even signed her own picture. What kind of sick psychopath was this? Sign your own death warrant? He gingerly opened the folder oblivious to Oren making himself some tea. The first page referenced several court cases from the seventies regarding embezzlement. Nothing was ever proved, but it was pretty obvious from reading the notes, if they were to be believed. He turned a page and there was a copy of her supposed recent bank statement. Two items were ringed. They were foreign payments. There was also a line under her payment to St Esteen's. Curious, it was a county court order, not a donation. He went through page after sordid page. The binder painted a different picture of Rosella. One of a convicted criminal, a thief, someone who broke child-labour laws for her own gain, and eventually, even stooped to murder, and then sold it all as political spin for even more money. 'Keep it.' He put the binder on the table. 'No, check it out, I insist.' Over the next few days Victor gleaned what he could without breaking the law, much. The folder was incredibly accurate. He took the damning documents back to Oren. 'I see, so tell me. What did the others do?' knowing the demonic penchant for playing judge, jury and executioner often paying a lung for an eye. Oren gently led him into the hall. He raised his hand towards a wall, closed his eyes and chanted. He opened them and a slice of the wall fell into the passage. Victor stepped in. Even in the dim light he could make out self after shelf of binders. This hadn't been random. It hadn't been impulsive. It hadn't even been a general sweep. It had been thoroughly researched. He didn't know which chilled him more. He read some of the binders. Not all of the study subjects were at the party, but all who were had one thing in common. To hell with Blaine and the hunters, if this was what their sponsors were like they didn't deserve to operate. Oren mused as Victor stormed out. It had been so clean. All the police found was an archway and a ruin, untouched for centuries where people swore they had dropped their employers off the night before. The remains were melted down with fire then acid. What was left was compacted by magic and dumped way beyond the continental shelf. Even if someone ever found it, it would only be thought of as waste. There would be no bodies, no ransom, no trace. He smiled to himself, Victor defeated it was time for the second part of his diabolic plan. Oh how he would be shooting him full of holes if only he knew. But that was tact, you broke them one layer at a time. *** By the number of replies we have a new reader - that or someone with a really bad internet connection Anyway, thanks for reading the lot of you. Hopefully the eye ops won't be too expensive I will mention again that comments are welcome. ref 35-
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Post by nightreflection on May 11, 2011 13:37:03 GMT -5
Part XXI It didn't take long for the lawyers to get involved. Disappearances usually waited years to be turned into deaths, but they leveraged the mass vanishing and had it declared immediately. They greedily moved in on the young heirs. They were the kind of soulless monsters Quixoto would have turned if he was the minion type. He sat opposite young master Gearing, heir to a more modest slice of fortune than his peers. The poor child had been crying. Strange, no guilt. The boy was awash with feelings of sorrow, rage and frustration. He felt that the only one he could trust was Mr Sank. Mr Sank sat next to him, his cold eyes betraying nothing. Humans couldn't hypnotise, but if ever there was a case for them, this was it. The boy felt his only hope was the shark, that he was the only one he could trust at this point. Fortunately for him, Mr Sank's poker face, as good as it was, might as well have been a Bosco mask. The man was seething with greed. He didn't hate his charge, but saw him more as Charby saw food. He'd drop sire a hint later he thought as he shuddered. Mr Sank was holding out until an application by one of his 'special interests' who would suck the fund dry and give him a payout. But that wasn't going to happen. Oren made a simple case. In a year he'd taken a humble general store and made enough to pay off his mortgage. He laid bare his heart about a 'top secret' niche he'd found in the market, and how the money would be used to unlock it. He played into the traditional business model to give the illusion of stability and 'suggested' that there would be plenty to go around. He could barely contain himself as he left. The sheer irony of the child trusting his father's murderer with his money. He found a quiet rooftop and broke down in laughter. He wasn't as much a monster as them. He'd met lawyers before this incident. They weren't all soulless, but to get the jobs that paid, that took a little something extra, or less as the case may be. He would take good care of master Gearing's fortune. Mr Sank would be late one day. Like Mr Gearing, but only when things had quietened down a bit. ----- His first investment was an old factory on the edge of town which even got a nod from Mr Sank. Land was always a good investment. It had been abandoned due to it being 'haunted', something he had no trouble convincing Mr Sank was mere superstition. When the building inspectors visited they found it in surprisingly good nick. They'd better have, he'd spent all night exhausting himself over it. The food processing machinery he imported drew a frown from the shark - food was a tough business. But the fears were soon relieved as he began using local produce and selling with a fresh edge. Restaurants and upper-cut caterers snapped it up like hot bread. This was all a show, there wasn't enough business to keep the factory going, although he did manage to turn a small profit after adding peasant feed to the production line. What really made money was the 'extra activity'. In the few weeks it took the machinery to arrive he made a few alterations to the building. A set of secret rooms unlocked by magic and such. The final shouts of joy faded down the road as the day ended. The factory was quiet. No-one had stayed behind as he was getting 'professionals' in to clean up. He shoved a crate into a corner. Tonight's production would be a little more.. exotic. He was about to pick up the wrapping machine when a voice rang out from the other end. 'Sir, is everything all right sir?' 'What's the problem Jenkins?' 'I just heard a lot of noise and I thought everyone had gone home, that's all.' 'Ah, Jenkins. I suppose now is better than later.' 'What sir? Please, don't look at me like that, it creeps me out. Oh my...' 'Surprised?' He smiled slightly. 'Oh please no..' Oren laughed, 'Relax Jenkins, if I wanted to have you for dinner I wouldn't be taking my time.' 'Now here's the deal. You, my dear sir, are a very lucky man, you are about to get a pay rise. I could hypnotise you, but it would be tricky, as you will find out later. You may decide to leave your job after this, but understand,' his expression became deadly serious, 'no matter who asks, nothing happens in this factory at night'. 'Y, yes sir.' 'Good, well in that case, pretty soon the night shift is not going to arrive. Steel yourself. If I give you a shock now you might end up with a heart attack when the moon shows its face.' and with that he lifted the packer and moved it a few paces over. Jenkins just stood there slackjawed. 'Go on, get back to your post.' He looked over his shoulder several times to make sure he hadn't been seeing things. The gaggle of demons bundled into the factory. It wasn't going to be fun, but these were the real bottom rung. They were better off here than in the forest, but he wasn't so sure if they would take, or if they would end up expanding the forest instead.. As mentioned, night time production consisted of slightly more... exotic.. goods. It wasn't as bad as he'd imagined, they behaved pretty good. Two free meals and a few coins and they were tame as kittens. Although the huge scotodino he'd hired as a bouncer did help. He had some of the cleaner demons steam the place up and in the morning no-one would be any wiser. Jenkins and the morning shift worker, Rogers, seemed to get over their fear pretty quickly when they realised they could make a lot of money getting human stuff for the work force. He grabbed a sample of the last production run before sealing it away. A few merchants from the demon market had promised to drop by on the second night, but he had another market in mind as well. He took flight. The buildings felt so familiar. Just a year ago they had felt strange, but the sensation of blind flight remained bewitching. His heart still soared as he weaved between the buildings, past gaps and under cables. A little further and the huge hulk of high rise residential squeaked back at him. The smell of cheap TV dinners, fries and boiled cabbage assailed his nostrils. These were the the dregs of Kelwood, between the stench of the docks and the fumes of the industrial area lived those who worked for minimum wage, or less. Long boring hours in a thanklessly monotonous bleak factory. And those were the lucky ones. Like all poor areas it spawned the desperate, the gangs, the chemically happy. And it was here he was headed. A squalid building squatted on the landscape. Junk slouched up against the filthy blotch. Burnt cars, needles and the occasional bullet mark told the story. Inside it was barricaded like a fort. Crooked policemen were the only thing between this building and a major drugs bust. How he longed to charge in the front door, slaughtering everything that moved. He would have no guilt. But no, his plan called for stealth. It was so tempting to flaunt it, he wondered how long before pride ruled him. He hoped never. He landed on the roof and scampered through a lost tile. He could hear the depravity and desperation. The stench was almost as foul as the building. Sometimes in the shower he felt the strange desire to tear his skull cap off an wash his mind. He was getting a similar feeling now. He was fashionably early, heaven knows what the place would have been like later. The don had locked himself in for the night, but that wouldn't help him much Oren thought as he assumed his real form. He locked the door with magic, and a closet, just to make things look real. He sauntered over to the bed with a happy grin on his face and grabbed the sleeping baron by the collar. He used pyjamas fancy that. 'Wakeywakey Mr Powers.' he shook him like a ragdoll. 'Whu ah! Guaards!' Oren tossed him against the wall. There was a loud crack. 'Not the smartest move dare I say?' he said measuredly, 'Besides, they're all asleep' 'What do you want?' He'd been expecting what are you, but he should have guessed a mob leader was more to the point. 'Some of your dealers have been selling to kids.' 'Heyhey, I didn't tell them to do that, so you're a copper right?' 'I know you don't care, and while I really want to decorate this room with your entrails, I'm willing to make you an offer..' 'Anything you say right?' the don said nervously. Oren pretended not to notice as he reached for the drawer. 'It's a simple arrangement really.' There was a deafening bang as the '45 rang out. The ammo was nasty and ripped a huge hole in him. On second thoughts, he was thirsty, decorating would have to wait. The safe house was waking up just as he finished his meal. There was nothing for it, he'd lost his cool. He removed the seal and left. This was one the cops wouldn't get involved in. *** Wow, I put that all in as one piece, oh well Thanks again for reading. Ref 37-
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Post by nightreflection on May 15, 2011 6:45:11 GMT -5
Part XXII
He was starting to use the house less and less. But he still needed it to keep up appearances. He'd have to get Hex to do another portal. He instinctively winced and put his hand to his torso at the thought. He'd still need signs of life, and since the cabin residents would either not fit in the human neighbourhood, or had already settled in, he'd either need to find another demon or show a human his darker side. And that about settled it, he really couldn't be bothered with tiptoeing around demon psyche. He could negotiate something, but it was really too much like hard work. He knew what he had to do. Things were moving too fast. What happened to 'all the time in the world' he mused. Oh well, suck it up soldier. He thought and put his head down.
He woke, spent and hour studying and then crawled out of the house. He checked on the factory and then thought he'd help with lunch at the cabin. He was a minion after all, and if he didn't help out it would soon be demanded. 'Hey, the minion returns!' Sire's greeting helped calm him. In spite of being constantly referred to as minion, it felt good to be acknowledged, and he knew his master was toying with him. There'd been plenty of times he'd proven he cared. He was greeted by a chorus of hi's, hello's, hiya's and a howdy fangface. Everyone was always glad to see him (the food tasted better when two were cooking). He bowed politely and got to helping clean the place. It was something that reminded him who he was. It was too easy to get a god complex and as he'd seen plenty of times before, that was a good way to get yourself dead in this game. That done he hung around and they talked. He showed them all a picture of the 'potential' new resident and there was the usual snarkiness. As dinner sizzled on the grill he was summoned. Charby wanted him to show them around the castle. Although that was an off word as it was all underground. They sat down for a dinner of grilled chicken, pork, veg and massacre leftovers. Someone had dyed the pork blue just to freak Menu out. It worked, they actually had to drag him kicking and screaming to prove it wasn't his. Unfortunately there was more entertainment to come. Hex had decided that it would be a nice for him to pay for the portal in advance. He just wished half the house didn't have to watch. It hurt like hell, it always did, but it was worth it in the long run. He hung around until the sun was setting and did one last round of cleaning. It wasn't really much effort with magic. After the dust settled he headed off to his The Relic Shoppe.
Poor Zeke, it had been what? A week since he'd last seen him. It was becoming less and less and he couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. 'Good afternoon Mr Redford,' Zeke greeted him enthusiasticaly 'Good afternoon Zeke,' he said in a comforting voice, 'I'm sorry I haven't been around much. I need to speak to you after work, can you stay till about ten tonight. I'm sorry, but I really need to do this quietly' Zeke hung his head, 'Yes sir.' Perhaps he'd overdone the hypnosis. 'It's not something you did wrong Zeke, but you'll see when I get here.' 'Yes sir.' 'That perked him up' he thought. They talked and discussed the store and ideas, he let Zeke go on a bit about his personal life. He'd have to cancel a movie tonight, but Oren knew it would be worth his while. The sun had set long before Oren left. The others had a head start. Oren didn't have his own portal yet and he had been putting it off for painful reasons. He preferred flying.
It was almost eight when he got there. He flapped over the others. Just enough time to round up Charby, Hex and Mye. 'Have a nice trip?' taunted Hex. No-one had a reply, but the looks he got said books worth. Zeno and Crispo stood up stiffly. They'd flown so they'd got there earlier. Azelea arrived as they were about to start, heavily laden with perfumes. 'Heck Az, what are you growing in that garden? Are you trying to kill us?' I could have been anyone, but it was Menu. They filed in and Oren closed the trap door. 'Youse sees a long corridor wits doors along boat sides.' 'Seriously dude, he's right, this is so like that.' 'Second last door on the left, the rest are traps' the last part was said with a raised voice as some of them had already begun peeking behind doors.
They clattered, scraped and banged down the steps into another corridor. There were still traps all the way through it. They weren't all genius, but he'd hoped to get more time one day. It didn't look like it though. He demonstrated a few, but 'forgot' to tell them it would be really easy for him to rewire the whole castle. After a few rooms waiting for a use they came to the hall. The drapes had been taken away and the moon orb lit a huge red-gold organ. 'Ooh, I remember this room, this was fun' said Zeno. 'Guys, you have got to see this. Show them the doors Oren'. Oren opened two fancy wooden doors to reveal a short ante room with a huge arch at the end of it. The metal doors made everyone cringe as he forced them open. Azelea was puzzeled why they didn't go anywhere. Daray, who'd heard the story, inspected the wall and put his hand on it, to see if there was anything magical about it. Crispo was trying to translate the runes on the arch and Mannick was staring at the stone heads trying to make out what kind of creature they were.
They left the room behind and moved into the huge kitchen. There was no fridge – the shelves were magical. A repair spell replaced some of the basics. He didn't get much of a say as everybody helped themselves although it was agreed that there was no point in doing this regularly as it was such a walk. It was about this time that everyone started begging him to do them a portal. Fortunately Charby wasn't in a sharing mood either. They passed through Hex and Mye's library and Crispo and Daray wasted five minutes fruitlessly trying to figure out the portal runes. The furnace at the bottom of the castle was next. It had been cleaned out and they were disappointed that there were no traces of the last party left. They also couldn't stop Foomy from walking in it. There was no fuel, just a magic slab. With nowhere to go it got hot very quickly, so no-one else got any further than the door. They got to Oren's 'room'. Charby had been bugging him about this for ages but he'd always asked at the wrong time. There was a barren library on the left and drawers and chests of various sizes on the right. Oren had obviously planned to be around for a while. In the middle of the room was a dead portal ring with no runes. He'd get around to it soon he kept telling himself. In the wall between the books was another door that lead to a big, empty room. There was a small podium in the middle for a few items and various scrape and burn marks on the wall. 'Not a bad test room.' said Hex. The door between the chests on the right lead to enchanted drawers, a giant cauldron, various work surfaces and a variety of magical trinkets for potions and spells. 'It's all so grey.' commented Azelea again. Well, it was all made of stone. The last room was his bedroom. It was a small room with a solid stone crimson floor, wall and ceiling. Crimson, gold and black decorated the room. There was a simple bed with a bed side drawer one side and book shelves on the other side. Charby had kind of expected more. The colours came as no surprise, but his room was at least eight times as big. He yanked Zeno back by the collar for trying to look in the drawers (Although his diary was actually in a secret compartment in the wall). 'And that's it, more or less. If you want to see the real deal you'll need to come back in a few years when I have more junk.' 'Hey, what about my room?' 'Well, sire, I wasn't sure you wanted to let them see it, but since you do, lead the way. He had to cut the door open since he'd made it vampire only. Almost everyone who saw Charby's room gasped. 'Wow, you lucky devil' grinned Menu. 'I bet the girls like it too.' nudged Zeno. 'Impressive' observed Hex 'Wow, it's your colours' blurted Fay. The looks she got were priceless. He gave them ten minutes before Charby caught Azelea trying to grab one of the light orbs. They were done so booted them out pretty quickly. He quickly 're-vamped' his room doors and flew back to town.
*** Suppose it was about time I posted something. Ref 40s
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Post by nightreflection on May 19, 2011 13:59:15 GMT -5
Part XXIII It was nearing ten as he slipped through the door. He turned the sign closed and locked it. 'I didn't mean you had to keep the shop open the whole time.' he smiled. 'Hi sir.' Zeke said tiredly. 'Come, I don't want to be in the shop front for this.' 'Err.. I'd rather.' 'Sorry Zeke, it's important, I promise.' 'Well, ok, grudgingly.' 'Tea?' (coffee was too mainstream for a goth, he was surprised he didn't just drink water. He didn't know any other goth groups that complained) They sat, relaxed, opposite each other. Oren gave it a minute for the cares of the day to calm. He sighed. 'Right, this is going to catch you completely off guard, but promise me you won't run screaming down the street.' 'Trust me Mr Redford, I would have done that long ago if there was something like that.' 'No, this is definitely worse.' he sighed 'You may hate me afterwards.' 'Whatever' He looked directly at Zeke. 'Do you remember what you said in your interview?' 'A bit yes.' 'Think back. If someone gave you the same speech now, would you hire them?' He squirmed uneasily. He didn't like where this was going. Oren saw he had answered it in his eyes, no reading needed here. 'Think back to before I hired you. What kind of employee would you have expected yourself to turn out as? Look at your friends if you're not sure.' None of them had been able to hold a job down for longer than a few months. They expected too much and didn't want to work. 'Where are you going with this?' he said with a curiously hollow voice. Oren sighed again. 'What made you turn out the way you did? Did you commit to working hard? Decide you really liked the job? What was the turning point?' 'I.. I don't know.' He put his hands against his head. 'It hurts, aaah, I can't figure it out.' 'Easy Zeke, calm down and don't worry about it.' He sighed again, well, it was now or never. 'Would you believe me if I said I hypnotised you?' He didn't get the response he expected. 'Oh, so that's it.' Zeke was being a bit distant. 'I'm sorry, but I needed someone who I could trust, and I'm not a people person.' 'So you forced me to like you?' 'No, not that much. I forced you to honest.' 'Well, that's not so bad, but I still lie at home.' 'It was only for business.' Zeke looked at the floor, lost in thought. 'So where do we go from here?' Zeke had grown up so fast. 'You're done with that already? Wow. I'm giving you three options.' ' First, and probably what you will take, I can remove the hypnotism, but I will be getting a manager. You won't be forced to work as hard, although you will get less overtime.' 'Second, I can make you manager, but then the brainwash stays.' 'So before I go on, I need you to choose. Feel free to sleep on it a few days.' 'It's alright sir, I'm staying. I've learnt a lot while I've been here, but that's not why. I've had people come in here late at night asking if there's work going. People who have it good, who've been in the job for years. I look in the paper and at everyone I know. This is a damn good job, and the honesty just makes it easier if anything.' Oren raised his eyebrows in surprise. He gave it a minute to sink in and poured more tea. 'Well then, there is one more thing, but this is going to seriously rock your world. Let me know if you're ready for a heart attack.' 'You go on an on about this, don't worry, I can handle it.' 'Ok Zeke, look at me.' Zeke sighed, 'You're going to hypnot...' His eyes were wide and he froze in mid sentence. 'Damn, that's some serious hypnosis.' 'It's not hypnosis Zeke, this is the real me. You want proof, name it.' 'Err.. no, thanks. Is that it?' Oren could see he was a bit shaken. 'If you want, you can do some personal work for me but, since I'm not a person, it's going to get very freaky very quickly. There will also be a little risk, you will have to be careful, but I will make it worth it' Zeke looked at him again. He pricked his hand on a fang. It FELT real. He'd have to have a good think. 'Well then, take the day off, I'll shop sit for once in my life. It is my shop after all, I should at least do some work besides fund it. Let me know sometime this week. Sorry for the short notice.'
Zeke took the day off but was back with an answer in the evening. He had asked his friend Reg for an original idea. There were many, but he figured some sort of Houdini trick would be fitting. He and Reg showed up wearing blindfolds and asked Oren to get into a storage closet. They made sure he was in and then Reg left with the keys. As soon as the footsteps faded he heard a voice behind him. 'Not a bad test. Hold my hand.' The hand shrunk and soon it was a tiny paw. Zeke took the blindfold off to reveal a rat. 'Are you sure it's me?' the rat said. 'Put me in something.' A few seconds later Oren grew out of an empty box of lightbulbs. 'Let me know if you're still interested' 'That's ok sir, I'll do it.' 'Planned ahead? I see you moved your business skills into your life too.' 'But if I find out it's hypnosis you're so going down Mr Redford' 'Please, call me Oren.' 'I'd like you to stay in my house. I don't use it anymore. It comes with a string of tasks. Speaking of which, I'll leave it to you to find someone to help out at the store. I don't care who, for obvious reasons, but I insist you pay them fairly like I do you.' 'I know you'll pay me well, but I would like to know how much so I can plan things.' 'I don't need the store any more, so it's main purpose in life is going to be to run the house. Keep things ticking over and you can have the rest of the profit.' Zeke's jaw dropped. 'Yes it is a lot, and if the harvest ever fails, let me know and I will top it up.'
They chatted as they left the dark windows of 'The Relic Shoppe.' He smirked, he could show them a relic or two. It wasn't a bad deal. No amount of money would be adequate but there would be other benefits.
***Enjoyed this bit too ref 41p-
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Post by nightreflection on May 22, 2011 12:45:36 GMT -5
Part XXIV 'This is the place. It's a bit run down, but you can mod it to suit yourself. Just make sure you don't hinder it's purpose.' 'This place is huge, but I thought it would be a bit bigger inside.' 'There are lots of secret rooms. Most you won't physically be able to get into, although I will make a second bedroom incase one of the horde can't make it home for some reason.' 'Horde?' 'Yes, horde. Your main customer will be a puppy. Menu will arrive, leave muddy pawprints all over the floor, clean out the fridge and disappear. Your main expense will be keeping it stocked.' 'The garden stays busy although as long as they can get in unseen I don't really care what you do with it. Except no lemon or garlic. Most of us are kid size so it's not much of a problem. You will also have to learn how to cook. Don't worry, they aren't too fussy as long as you don't get the ingredients wrong. You'll get the idea pretty soon.' There were a lot of rooms Oren just hadn't used, so it was, in fact, still quit spacey. 'Umm sir? Is it ok that we're being followed?' He sighed, 'What by this time'. 'Magpie sir.' 'Crispo, you know you can't be seen around town so stop wasting your time.' The magpie seemed to lose interest and started behaving like a bird again.' 'So who is Crispo?' 'Geek, half-dragon. Like I said, you won't see him, you will most likely be bumping into Charby, Zeno, Hexavier and Mye, if you see any others then keep out of the way as something's up. If they want anything they'll post it on the board.' There was a moment of silence. 'Any questions?' 'Somehow I don't think they would help any.' 'Good, the keys are under the couch, I'll be by tomorrow to help with anything that needs fixing. Hopefully you will have a name by then. You can move in any time you want, but the sooner the better. Try not to get too extravagant. Things tend to break around demons. Later, gotta fly.' Zeke was still not quite used to it as Oren shrunk into a bat and flew off. He pinched himself, flopped down in a chair and sat there, shell shocked for half an hour. He got up, reached under the couch and pulled out the keys. He looked at them vacantly. They were dusty. Not used in months. Both sets of originals. Obviously they never used the door. He set his alarm, flopped down again and switched on the TV. He woke early, trapsed back home, cleaned up headed off to work. Life was going to be interesting from now on.
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Oren flitted through the night sky, high above the forest he waited for the sharp echo of the outcrop near his home. He didn't stop for the door but just 'poofed' in and kept on flying to the next door. He spent some of the night chipping runes into the portal axis until it glowed to life and then turned in. He woke late and spent an hour studying before using the portal and calling in to check the factory hadn't burnt down overnight. He hadn't brainwashed any of his factory employees, but he would have to do something about management. Mr Potts had already helped himself to some of the finished product. He set a meeting while he finished fobbing off people trying to bury him in admin so he wouldn't notice their mistakes. Now he knew why the undead didn't mess with mortals, it was becoming so tedious, but he would see this through and see how it went before he give up on it.
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A sombre figure stood at the docks. A grey trenchcoat with a raised hood. Two huge brown suitcases straddled the figure in the twilight. Behind there was a clink as the crew hooked the 'no entry' chain in place. She was the last to disembark. The air smelt turbid. It had a foulness to it, but the stench carried something warped. What did it mean? A neutral face flickered through the hood as the figure gracefully but quickly strode across the docks to a waiting cab. The massive suitcases flew deftly into the trunk and the vehicle zoomed off.
Elizabeth Mauriello observed her new home. It was a stately affair. Father had sent familiar trappings to make her feel at home. The trenchcoat flew onto the hangar revealing a silver breastplate and an odd assortment of armaments. She set about settling in and setting up wards.
-----
The nice quiet walk in the forest ended as he approached the hubbub of the demon market. As he entered petrifying gazes followed him. The factory had generated much controversy on the demon side. It was seen as for the weak and a threat to their traditions, and their markets. He bought a few odds and ends, some for Hex and Mye, and left. He'd rather not damage the goods by hanging around. Unfortunately someone had taken things a bit too seriously. The forest opened into a clearing and half way across a huge scotodino blocked his path. 'You make brother weak, now you pay.' He lunged at Oren who dodged and quickly ran to a tree to hide is shopping. A rushed ward spell was the best he could do before the beast grabbed him. A puff of smoke and he was half way across the clearing. That was it, all used up. The monster turned and charged him. There was rage in its eyes. He remembered sire's lessons. The movements were quick and clever, but they lost their edge to the berserker rage, and he was able to dodge. 'Frustrating, isn't it?' There was a roar as the beast drove his fist through an oak Oren had been standing infront of a moment before. His fear lost, Oren had some fun blocking and painfully tapping nerves. After half an hour the scotodino collapsed in a gasping mass of flesh and stench. 'You... you...' He could see that it would attack as soon as it got its breath back. Well, he thought, this could solve a problem. Oren smiled wickedly. 'How would you like a job?'
It stopped the demon in his tracks. Rage swapped places with surprise and excitement. Oh yes, it's always a different story when you've got a personal stake involved. The demon looked at him blankly, confused. 'You're right, my workers are lazy. I need someone to beat the *% out of them when they step out of line. You will do nicely, I'll even let you tear me apart. This time.' Now he wasn't a very bright one, and didn't quite understand everything, but he knew a good deal with it, so he accepted. It didn't take long for him to tear Oren to pieces, but his elation soon turned to shock as Oren's body turned to mist and reassembled within seconds. It was all planned of course. He would now know not to mess with Oren just because he was smaller. It was amazing how the prospect of safe work and a stable income could sway the biggest prejudice. He grimaced glumly. They knew that. That's how they controlled the masses. At least his carrot was what it seemed to be.
*** Bits and pieces Umm.. yeah. Ref 43-
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Post by nightreflection on May 25, 2011 15:02:09 GMT -5
Part XXV He was tired and fed up. So he decided to drop in on sire. A little hunt would cheer him up. As he trudged through the cabin door he heard the familiar laughter. Never a dull moment here he smiled. 'Hey Oren! How's high society these days.' it was Foomy taking the mick. 'Boring, although they don't taste half bad.' A chuckle approached from the kitchen and two red eyes peeped around the doorpost. Sire waved and went back to what he was doing. They sat and chatted a while. After an hour or so Charby finished his turn at the game and turned his attention towards his minion. 'Tired of the mortal life already?' 'I know, it's happening faster than I thought.' 'Want to pop out for a snack?' 'You know, without fail you know just how and when to cheer me up Charby.' 'Ok, listen up horde. I have an announcement.' Everything went quiet. His announcements had a reputation for being worth hearing. 'I'm not spending much time in my house since I got.' he was interrupted. 'Aww, come on Mr Redford, please can you keep it. Pleeeease.' Menu begged. 'Stop interrupting me before I'm finished. You know the little goth who runs the store?' 'The one we's is not allowed to knockovers, ya?.' said Tony 'He's going to be looking after it now. And no, you may not scare the life out of him, but he is expecting to see you freaks.' He left a very sour looking room of demons behind and struck out into the forest with sire. There was a tour boat that regularly took the naïve into the forest. They couldn't understand it, but no matter how high the railing was, people kept falling over the edge never to be seen again. This wasn't anything mystic, it was a regular choice of people fleeing the law. They would be declared dead, live a few years in the woods and then sneak back into society. So far it had worked very well. None of the escapees had ever been arrested. Sure enough the shifty looking man on the back of the boat jumped ship half way back. There was usually one every few weeks. They terrified the life out of him, and then sucked the life out of him. It was so good to share. Oren yawned as he lay back against a tree. 'Thanks Charby, I really needed that. I guess I owe you dinner huh?' it sounded cruel, but Oren was faintly smiling on the edge of consciousness. Charby grinned. 'Somewhere fancy, 'kay?' The afternoon sun trickled through the leaves as they dozed for a spell. It was a quiet little place they'd fed in. They closed their eyes and when they opened them a bird was proclaiming that evening had started. They walked into town and headed for Charby's favourite eatery. A family steakhouse. Not as pricey as he could have chosen, but the real upper-crust places usually used garlic, wouldn't alter their recipe at all thanks to an unscrupulous critic, and never served decent portions. On the way they passed the 'Relic Shoppe' . It looked like Zeke had already dragged the next poor victim in. 'Hi sir, this is Kerry. She's between jobs, so she can start tomorrow, and I've seen her work, she has a lot of talent.' The girl sitting next to him was dressed all prim and proper. It wasn't just for the interview, after reading enough minds you could make short work of body language. She was selfish and would do as little as possible for as much as possible. The careful use of makeup and colours showed intelligence and common sense. How he'd gotten hold of her so soon he'd never know but Zeke had hit the nail on the head. As usual. 'Pleased to meet you.' The voice was proper but not overdone. 'This must be Charby.' Zeke said after a few seconds of thought. Charby grinned. 'Tea sir?' 'Got any cookies?' 'Ah, coming right up.' Zeke disappeared into the back room. 'Interesting,' Oren mused, 'he hasn't lost his identity. He still wears goth to work, but there's a level of subtlety.' 'So my dear, what do you have to bring to the job, and what are you looking for?' 'Well, I'm very creative with what I do. As for what I want, a competitive salary is all I ask.' The little trickster had already started eyeing up his inventory. Zeke brought the cookies in at this point, neatly on a plate. 'Actually, I'm more than happy to offer you money comparable to what Zeke was on, however, it's a small shop and there is a lot of responsibility. Can I trust you?' 'Oh certainly, yes.' she was so excited at the prospect of unlimited access to his inventory. 'Very well, just one thing, this is very important, so please look at me so I know I've got your attention.' She gave him a glassy look. Zeke was standing behind her with a big grin on his face. He remembered this line now. 'The only thing I need from you is that you earn your wage by working hard to do what's best for the shop, but above that, you must act ethically.' he paused it wasn't a order, it was a 'suggestion', Zeke was grinning from ear to ear now. 'Other than that there are no restrictions, you can take tea whenever you want, time off whenever you want, as long as the shop keeps turning over, that's fine by me.' Charby snorted and cookie flew out of his nose. Those words would have been a death knell coming from any other employer. 'I understand sir.' she was a little more focussed than before. Her eyes still roamed the shelves, but not possessively like before. 'Very well, then, I will leave you to discuss the details with Zeke, the sooner you start the sooner you start earning. Zeke, is there a spare packet of cookies? Charby seems to have taken a liking to them. Heavens, it's barely been a minute!' 'I like this place.' Charby said sweeping the crumbs onto the plate. He grabbed the cookies and they were gone, him and Oren that is, the 'Oaty Crunch' lasted about ten minutes. The dinner wasn't anything spectacular, but they enjoyed themselves before crawling home. ***Another soul fall under the devil's sway, muhahaha. Ok, reality check. Wha? is that a game of some sort? ref 45-
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Post by nightreflection on Jun 2, 2011 16:37:00 GMT -5
Part XXVI Elizabeth was frustrated. She'd spent the last night looking for trouble, but found nothing. She'd spent her few waking day hours looking for historic sites. She ventured into the forest in search of lost castles and temples. Finally she found something, but the handful of corpses she'd managed to round up wouldn't do anything to impress her family. If she was to earn her title she would need to prove their oracle about Kellwood right. It was here, she could feel it. It was deep and ran thick with blackest evil, but something felt disturbed about it. Not as in a waking evil, this was already bubbling out over everything, but as if someone had been mixing the mud with the water. This night she headed to the industrial side. She noticed three girls walking through the park. They were armed. She'd seen the town's hunters before. Perhaps following them would lead to the excitement. She had struck gold. This whole area was thick with the vile creatures. Spawn after spawn fell before her. It was not quite what she was looking for, but things were looking up. She came across a figure standing calmly with its back to her. Quietly she snuck up and then with blades drawn leapt with the cry 'Wrath of light.' The target rolled and she found herself facing a normal man. 'Do you greet all your victims this way Miss...' he gestured for her to complete. 'You may call me Elizabeth Mauriello, and what, praytell, are you doing in this cesspool?' 'Why, I used to be a hunter.' came the reply, 'But I'm retired now. Although I can still do enough to protect myself. Ahh.. Nostalgia.' 'Pity, if you were younger I could have taught you. The Mauriello family has hunted these vile cretins for centuries.' pride oozed out of her like a tasteless poison. 'So, you think you're something do you? Let's see what you've got.' There was a thud as an obsidian dagger landed in the tree beside her. She opened with a classic manoeuvre as taught by her family. He exploited a known flaw and she countered. The sequence rapidly escalated beyond her knowledge until she had to step back. She opened with the same again, determined to change the sequence at the third response, but he hooked her blade and it landed in a branch above them. He was looking at her without interest. This was wrong. She was a Mauriello, trained from birth. Taught mystic arts and superior fighting skills. He reached past her and drew the blade from the tree. 'You are very good for a beginner, but you overestimate your skills. The local hunters have much more experience, however, if you want I can share my knowledge with you. I will be in the park tomorrow at noon if you want to prove yourself to me.' 'Hmph. We shall see who needs to prove to whom. That much I assure you.' 'A word of warning my dear. Kellwood is not your average hunting ground. Be careful.' He waved his hand dismissively as he walked away. ----- The next day Charby decided to put Zeke's cooking skills to the test, so Oren had to show Kerry the shop. She was a perfect compliment to Zeke. Zeke was good at organising, but a bit blunt with customers. Kerry had started adding some aesthetics and managed to hook the business of people who were really just looking for an excuse to talk. She was a little brighter than Zeke and was a bit curious as to why she suddenly cared, but it didn't seem to interfere with her performance. Zeke arrived about lunch time and took over. Kerry would be doing most of the shop watching in a few weeks while Zeke did management and looked after the house. Ironic, he'd come from a company where management involved doing as little as possible, and started one that had a hard working management. All it required was a little brainwashing. Thank goodness he'd never had any faith in humanity to lose. A few hours later he was in a meeting in the factory. Such a contrast. 'Please gentlemen, lock the door.' This was usually a good sign for managers, but he was being a bit too polite. He could see the worry on their faces 'There is none that is good, not one.' he thought with a sigh. 'It has come to my attention that the management of this company are taking unfair advantage of their rights and privileges.' 'Now wait a minute there.' came a very indignant reply. 'Silence Mr Dean, you may talk when I am done.' This offended the whole board who thought they had the right to voice their opinion any time, anywhere. And that didn't just apply to work. His voice became dangerously soft and quiet. It was the portent to many of impending doom 'I am aware that this, while not acceptable is standard practise in other businesses. Fortunately,' he paused. For the first time ever the room had no idea where he was going with this. 'I have another option open to me.' They were sharks when he hired them. Theirs was the narrow road. Because he hated them. 'You should know that contrary to the press, there is a night shift, one which you will now be responsible for managing too.' They looked worried. They had always assumed, although corrupt themselves, that Oren would never lie to them. 'This shift is worked by demons,' The looks he got assumed he'd completely lost it, 'and the production is significantly less, shall we say, by the book.' 'You will be paid triple what you currently are, however, if you ever $£%*! with me again.' He had their attention. There was shocked silence. They weren't looking at a human. 'You are free to leave knowing this, but if you relay what I have told you or if you mess with me again.' there was a splintering sound as he grabbed the ten foot mahogany desk, lifted it over their heads, threw it against the wall, and walked out, tearing the locked door off its hinges and flinging it half way across the room in one vicious movement. The stunned silence at his back assured him of their future co-operation. They wouldn't leave. They were being paid too much and they were greedy. He would have to make an example of one of them when the impact wore off. They would get the message after that.. It was a pity he couldn't put Zeke in charge, but a teenager running a factory was just a bit too much attention. ***Long time no post. I'm sorry, I couldn't resist any longer I'm progressing very slowly due to another videogame addiction.. story of my life. Don't worry, I'll get bored and wonder what I ever saw in the pointless thing in a week or two. I've just realised one of the things I've been missing to make the story flow a bit better, but it will be a long time before it starts to kick in. Oh well, live and learn, I'm just a bit slow at it. Miss Mauriello was weakly inspired by the Castlevania Belmonts, but we have a 'special' surprise planned for her ladyship. ;D Ref 46-
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Post by nightreflection on Jun 7, 2011 14:38:13 GMT -5
Part XXVII
He just managed to make it to the park in time for noon. Elizabeth was fashionably late. She would need an attitude adjustment if she was to survive here. She approached the sunny patch he'd chosen. 'So just how do you intend to test me?' She was glad he wasn't a vampire. She'd been nagged by the feeling all day, but now she could dismiss it. The aura coming off him was evil, but nothing she'd ever felt before. It was probably why he was retired now. He tossed her a blunt wooden dagger. It was an unfamiliar weapon. She also did not know her opponent. He seemed to be happy with the same weapon. His stance betrayed his lack of combat experience. This would be easy. She flipped the blade in her grasp. To her surprise he dodged, but did not follow through. For the next ten minutes she cut and thrust, but could not land a hit. She was so tempted to invoice holy magics, but that was against the code. She used an ancient feint, lunge-hook technique. She was unsteady with this one ,but she managed to pull it off. It bounced harmlessly off his blade.
Her opponent tossed his weapon into a tree where it clattered to the ground. 'Impressive Miss Mauriello. You have more talent and training than anyone have ever met. You really do have the potential to outdo anyone I know.' 'What did you expect.' 'But you lack experience. I will show you what I know, but, I am not liked by the local hunters, so you will have to deny my involvement.'
She wanted to tell him no, but if she did not learn it was clear she would return home in disgrace.
'As you wish' 'I need to make one final consultation. I will contact you tomorrow.' he walked over to a bench and began reading. She quietly put the wooden dagger on the ground and walked away.
'So what do you think sire?' 'She could be a problem later on.' 'I don't mean like that.' 'Ohhh you sau..' 'Not like that either!' Charby gave him a puzzled look. Oren smiled evilly. 'I mean as an ally.' Charby cracked into a raucous laugh. 'You're serious aren't you?' 'Just watch me.'
*** ref 47-
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Post by nightreflection on Jun 11, 2011 2:23:13 GMT -5
Part XXVIIIThe safehouse lay before him like a drunk in a gutter. Its broken windows and boarded up doors lying about its true purpose. It had been a week since he'd last been here. The new don wouldn't be dumb enough to use the same building, but it would be a good place to start. Strangely enough, this proved to be the case. The new don had not only used the same building, but set up in his father's room too. Descending to the room he overheard the chatter on the minds of sleepy guards. They'd figured it was an inside job. That the late Mr Powers had crossed the wrong person. The room was the same except the closet had been changed. The same gun was even in the same drawer. A little magic and it was full of blanks. He was feeling a little less sympathetic than last time as he hauled the new don out of bed and threw him back against the wall. He fell onto his bed face first and his eyes went wide with shock as he saw Oren. 'Wha.. Who are you..' 'A week ago your father had a tragic accident.' Oren looked at his fingers with a bored expression. He sat up and reached for the gun drawer. He had less subtlety than his father. He pointed the gun and laughed evilly, 'I'm not like the old man.' 'The blood on the closet was mine.' 'So?' he snickered, relishing the thought of pulling the trigger. 'Do I look like someone who lost half a lung last week?' 'Nice try, but I'm not falling for it.' 'Very well then.' 'Hey, Hey!' Oren picked up the iron bed and bent it in half. Mr Powers junior cowered in the corner waving the gun at him desperately. 'I have your attention. Good.' The don flinched as Oren grabbed something from his pocket. Oren tossed it at him. He nervously examined the tiny tube of blue liquid. He was shaking uncontrollably. 'It will cure the physical need for drugs. You are now going to sell it.' The don stopped shaking as fear was replaced by despair. Even if he didn't sell it, someone would. He was looking at the death of his empire. 'There are a few conditions.' Oren grabbed him by the collar and looked into his eyes. 'You are going to stop selling drugs. Your posse don't play along and you take care of 'em.' The don's eyes narrowed. 'Or else I will.' they opened wide. As a bonus I'm willing to let you trade a few other goods. He tossed his sample bag on the banged up mattress. There was a banging on the door. 'Oh I wouldn't count on it Mr Powers' 'The price of the cure is two hundred and fifty dollars.' 'How much does it cost?' 'That is how much it costs. I don't care how much you sell it for.' The don's eyes lit up. 'Of course, if you want to keep this trade, you will have to remove drug dealers from Kellwood, even those not in your own organisation.' The don was looking at the vial now and frowning. 'One last thing. If there's anyone you hate so much that you'd gladly die if it would take them with you, just tell them who your source is.' 'Tralaa' Oren said as he waved his hand dismissively half way through a turn. He uttered something at the door and vanished in a puff of smoke. Moments later an axe finally made it through the door and connected with the closet. *** More eye-gougey goodness Ref 48-
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Post by nightreflection on Jun 14, 2011 14:54:47 GMT -5
Part XXIXThe demon hunters' headquarters were surprisingly normal for a business.. Blaine VanJulian had intended to be out this evening but some businessman had decided he needed an urgent talk. He'd had loads of these the thought as he looked at the latest report. He really needed to be out there boosting their reputation at this time. The future looked very bleak. Oren Redford. That was some shooting star he thought. He'd been a clerk a little over two years ago. He'd quit and now he'd just opened up a factory with the trust fund of one of the poor orphans. He was surrounded by rumour and suspicion, but the facts showed him as an honest hard working man. Early observation was that the factory was doing very well indeed. Weston escorted the man in. He was tall, but not particularly next to Weston. He was a bit pale in the face but nothing untoward. Blaine needn't have dressed up. Oren still wore his business suit, but the tie was gone and the jacket had been switched for something more comfortable. He was clearly not one to stand on ceremony unless he had to. 'Pleased to meet you Mr Redford, please take a seat.' His hands were cold. 'I'm sorry to do this to you, but please can you make it quick, we've lost a lot of our funding recently and I need to get out there and show some results.' 'Actually, that is what I came to talk about Mr Vanjulian.' he said taking a seat. 'You don't get where I am in this town without running into a few creatures of the dark.' Relief flooded into Blaine's face. Even if it wasn't much, it was better than another person whining and threatening. 'I have recently made arrangements to reduce the amount of drugs on sale. It's a very underhanded deal and I don't know half of what is going on with it, but I have added a few precautions to make sure it succeeds.' 'That will certainly reduce the 'pink elephant' sightings, but why are you telling me?' 'I plan to funnel some of the profits, yes, I don't do anything for nothing, of this venture to yourselves.' Blaine was starting to get the picture 'And the catch is.' 'The catch is, if your hunters see anyone dealing drugs, they are to tell me. They don't need to interfere themselves, just tell me, I will take care of the rest.' 'That's it? Wow, there should be no problems there.' 'Well, that's not quite it,' here we go though Blaine, 'I may have more specific requirements from the hunters in future, but those will be discussed as and when.' Blaine didn't like signing a blank cheque, but he had no choice. He wasn't sure why he was worried, it would probably be occasional guard jobs inspired by paranoia. It at this point Victor walked in, 'Blaine, do you have any hunting pre.. Holy *£#@$&!' He picked Oren up by the collar and pushed him against the wall 'What are you doing here!' he yelled. 'Victor! Calm down now!' Blaine shouted. 'Do you know who he is?' Oren was unphased despite having his head hit rather hard. 'Victor, please, I don't know what he's done, but I can't afford to lose him, he's offered to sponsor us.' Victor dropped Oren and froze. He did not know what to say. How could a vampire be a patron of the hunters? 'Ah....Ah.... Aaaargh!' Victor grabbed his forhead. The frustration was too much to bear. He looked hopelessly at Oren. Checkmated he hung his shoulders and left. He didn't know what to say. Oren enjoyed doing that to him, and his sire enjoyed watching. 'Don't worry, he'll get over it. An unfortunate misunderstanding. I can't blame him really. He probably won't tell you, but it is his story to tell.' Oren was good at lying by now. 'I'm sorry, the hunters aren't usually like this.' 'Oh, I'm quite aware of it. I recognise quite a few of them. I've seen them around town, except for Victor. I didn't know he was a hunter before today. Thank you for your time Mr Blaine, please, let me know if there's anything I can do to help. No guarantees, but I will try.' Perhaps he was laying it on too thick. He didn't quite have his people skills down to pat yet. *** Ooh I loved this bit *rubs hands* ;D Thanks for reading, I think it gets better, but that's my opinion. Ref 49-
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