Achronum

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: Shi’Ar Bartender Setup -> Mutant Underground Table
Skills: Kickboxing

He was glad he followed that nagging voice that had since gone silent. Immediately, Veil and Spark Plug's identity snapped together in his mind and he didn't even flinch as Veil forced a transformation on him. "Thanks." James tore the sweater off and tossed it on the ground carelessly as his skin finished changing. He smirked at the way the metal flexed as he closed his fist. Callie's storm certainly added an exciting element to the mix and with his new form, he should be able to harness that power directly and fix himself up while leaving his victims paralyzed. He waved farewell to Veil and Spark Plug, heading back in the direction he came.

As he headed back the way he came, following after Moneta, he recognized one of the people from the table on the way. A lanky man in a pink dress was running his way. It shouldn't take too long to break him, a few punches from his metal hands enough to crack his skull and break his chest probably. But a flash of lightning and a crack of thunder gave him a better idea. It'd be too easy just to kill him. Why couldn't he please the Goddess and have some fun with her prey?

James wore a manic grin as he faked a punch and instead ducked behind the man, getting him in a choke hold. James held his arm up to grab the lightning but the bastard was slipper than he thought, scooting out of his grip as a bolt of lightning flew wide and slammed into the ground nearby.

"It's fun when you struggle. Makes it more satisfying when I finally tear out your throat!" James cackled as he lunged.

roll

1 Kickboxing roll to hit Casper

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

---

Clarissa’s confidence was never a charade and she was quickly proved correct as the Professors’ experience brought a shield up against a barrage that would have caught the rest of them unaware and unprepared. She moved past the moment―no need to dwell on a situation dealt with―and she eyed their enemies critically as Professor Malathice cleared the fog momentarily. It wasn’t a pretty sight, the enemy neatly tucked out of range of most of their forces, but Clarissa wouldn’t dwell on the sharp disadvantage they found themselves at. There were still villagers who needed help and any wavering of their conviction could spell their deaths.

"The Goddess has placed us here together, Kellen. Keep your faith in us as you would her, and we will not fail you." Clarissa offered Kellen before returning to consider their situation.

The mages and pegusi were firmly out of her magic’s reach at the moment so they were deprioritized, a threat to keep in mind and be ready to react to but nothing more, and instead focused on the foot soldiers taking shots at them from the frontlines. Kayden moved first and, despite her fears, quickly dispatched one without overextending himself. She was glad to see he wasn't foolhardy enough to charge off into the fog; hopefully, that would translate into a visible battlefield.

Albrecht stepped forward to deal with the next enemy and Clarissa kept her healing runes in the forefront of her mind. However, it seemed unnecessary as the newcomer handled his opponent with a skill and experience that Clarissa found herself admiring. Perhaps he'd been a willing sparring partner, though he clearly outclassed her in skill. A thought for another time when magic wasn't flying at their archers and they weren't fighting halfway to blind.

Clarissa cast around for their unit, and realized quickly they were down someone. A dull recognition of him saying something and then slipping away flashed in front of her eyes and she swore under her breath. Of all the people she was concerned about, he was as low on the list as she could imagine. How dare this excuse of a man complain about being here and then wander off to disappear or die while they scrambled to keep themselves in position and protected? Goddess help him. Ruldoph was getting a stern lecture when she got her hands on him.

"Does anyone have eyes on Rudolph?" She asked, straining to see into the mist but she couldn't find him with just a quick scan. She couldn't afford anything more with the pressing danger of swords at their throats and she turned to face the nearest silhouette in the fog, the frustration at their missing mage redirected towards a more convenient target.

"Repent your ways in the name of the Goddess. There is still hope for your soul. Lower your blade and stand aside. Allow us to save those you've captured and put in harm's way, offer yourself to judgement, and you may find mercy at the Goddess's feet." Clarissa demanded, the runes of Nosferatu glowing golden in front of her. "Or stand your ground so I may render judgement on your flesh and send your blackened soul to burn."

She took the bandits silence as answer enough and sent her spell flying in a blaze of holy indignation. They stumbled as her spell burst up, the flash of pain pulling a yelp from them, but she clicked her tongue in irritation and snatched the lingering magic in the air, weaving it into another pulse, and sent him flying back into the fog.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: Mutant Underground Table -> Shi’Ar Bartender Setup
Skills: N/A

His concerns seeped away as Selene put on an amazing performance, unbothered as the world seemed to slip away with them. The weight of Casper on his lap, the sound of the others at the table, the rest of the mutants here celebrating and mourning in equal measure― none of it mattered except the woman singing on stage. This would normally alarm him but the feeling was quelled beneath a heavy blanket of apathy and when Selene’s performance ended…

James jolted back to awareness as the world spun before his eyes. He was staring at the sky, absolute pandemonium around him, and he frankly had no idea how he’d gotten there. The dull pain along his back suggested he’d been shoved but by who he didn’t know. There was the faint sense of pressure on his lips, the fading warmth of a body lingering still on his legs, and the shadow of concern and fear that vanished in the face of a more pressing issue: James had no idea where he was. This wasn’t where he was a minute ago. He couldn’t exactly remember where that was and in fact he couldn’t seem to recall much at the moment, but he did recall something important: Everyone here had to die.

James took a step towards a strange mushroom table where a group of strangers were arming themselves. He paused as he prepared to lunge for them. Something in the back of his head was bothering him, some voice begging him to stop. James clicked his tongue at it and shook it off, taking another step before the voice came back, telling him about allies. He remembered there were friendly people nearby, he wasn’t alone in this. It made sense, the voice in the back of his head reasoned. James wasn’t meant to take on a large group of enemies. His strengths lay in his resistance, stamina, and support. He should find them so he would be more effective, the voice reasoned.

James struggled to make a decision, eyeing the strangers in front of him. Now that he was considering it, James wanted nothing more than to tear them all to bits, fling their organs around like rags dolls, and gouge out their eyes with his fingers. It took everything he had to bring himself to heel. The voice, trick or not, was right. Allies would make it far easier to slaughter them all. James turned and ignored the table for now, heading off for the drinking area where the voice whispered his allies were, memorizing the faces of everyone around the table.

He’d make a game of killing them.

Held roll

Reactive Adaptation if attacked

The Shattering of Aegis

The Soft Haven Bounty House - First floor

_{14th of the Full Autumn Moon, 1698 P.A.
Late morning - Cloudy Skies}

_{@Hero@Trainerblue192@Obscene Symphony@Scribe of Thoth@McMolly}

Vivian had watched the cloak exchange impassively, the faintest downward tick at the corner of her mouth revealing what she thought of the situation, but otherwise dutifully guided him upstairs where the lord of the house waited.

Once the pair disappeared upstairs, Aleka continued back to his desk and pulled out another heavy book. A shiny, purple cloth bookmark kept a page and Aleka turned to the page, his finger gliding down the page as he reviewed the contents. “For those of you pursuing mercenary work, there is a job listing that would prove an excellent opportunity to evaluate your skills. Cerric, the Buckman escort is tomorrow. At the price Mr. Buckman paid, I was going to send Ms. Krystal but I was unaware of Ms. Silventras’s plans for her. Are you available to evaluate?”

Cerric rubbed his chin. “A ten day round trip? I don’t like it but I suppose I’ll have to. Which means…” He clapped his hands together and beamed at the group. “You all get the pleasure of getting to know me, and I you, even more intimately. Nothing like traveling through the dirt and dark to bring strangers closer together!” Aleka ignored that comment and continued to address everyone.

“Very well. Dorn Buckman owns the wealthiest Red Fern farm in the greater Soft Haven area and takes great pride in personally delivering his product. How health has been declining lately and while he is being treated, he is on bed rest for the foreseeable future. His daughter will be going in his stead and just past 16 summers, he is concerned. A number of aggressive animal attacks have been reported over the past few weeks and although the Duke’s men have yet to find anything concrete, people are still being injured in broad daylight.” Aleka explained. “The job is simply to escort their wagons through the woods until they can join the large caravan coming from further east on the way to Wilree. His daughter, Esvelee Buckman, will be setting out tomorrow at first light from Soft Haven’s north gate. We need to keep her and the three additional employees safe until they reach the caravan with their product intact.”

“And if you are all as excellent as I think you are, you’ll earn a lovely 3 silver right off the bat. Mr. Buckman’s concern translated into a pretty piece for our coffers and we passed those profits right onto our mercenaries.” Cerric chimed it. “Of course, if I have to do all the work and save the job single handedly, then you make nothing and we run you out of town!”

Aleka stared at Cerric for several long moments, breaking the silence with a sigh. “We will not run you out of town but you will not be employed, Cerric is correct on that much. Once the job is completed and you return, we will discuss your performance and your status with the Guild. It is five days to the main road and five days back so please prepare for a ten day journey. If you have any additional questions, I am available for the rest of the day as well.”

---

The Soft Haven Bounty House - Third Floor

_{14th of the Full Autumn Moon, 1698 P.A.
Late morning - Cloudy Skies}

_{@Obscene Symphony}

Vivian led Kyreth up the stairs, not acknowledging his question. The stairs split the house in half, the left side of the second floor a series of eight doors and the right side a large open area with tables and chairs scattered about in front of a long bar that held a number of glasses and bottles behind it. A few people were scattered about and a dwarven man in the same colors as Vivian went about the tables, delivering drinks and pastries. Even from the staircase, the windows offered a pleasant view of the gardens below, the waters, and forest beyond.

The third floor was far more subdued, a few pieces of art depicting strange symbols and unusual looking people hung on the walls. The left only had two doors, one at each end of the hall, and the right had three doors. Each door had a name carved into them: Aeowyn Silventria, Cerric Liadon, and Lord Malcer Mystralath. Vivian paused at the top of the stairs and finally turned to look at Kyreth. “Upon entering my Lord’s chamber, you will keep your mouth shut, your hands firmly in your pockets, and your eyes fixed on your feet unless ordered otherwise. The fact that the Lord is calling a Tainted to his private office is surprising enough; we don’t need your kind’s sticky fingers making a mess of things. And understand if the Lord suggests that you offered even the tiniest hint of disrespect, I will have you dragged down to the lake and tossed in so Mr. Liadon’s pet can have its way with you.” Vivian threatened coldly, clearly displeased with this, but knocked on the door anyway in a specific fashion and opened the office for Kyreth to enter.

Lord Mystralath’s office was adorned with dark reds and purples, gold accents catching in the light. A long red rug with black and gold wove throughout paved a path to the desk on the other end, flanked by three bookshelves on each side. Although a window overlooked the property, curtains were drawn and instead the room was illuminated by a number of globes mounted on the walls. Like the ones of the bridge, there didn’t seem to be any way to light the wicks inside them and yet fire burned in them, smokeless. A heavy safe took up the space left of the desk and on the other was a drink cart, adorned with a number of crystal and glass bottles and cups. Comparatively, the desk itself was modest, just large enough to work on with a reasonable amount of storage space. Aleka’s book sat open.

More importantly, Lord Mystralath sat behind the desk watching the door intently. Clothes of vibrant blue and green covered him from head to toe, various pieces of silver jewelry set with sapphires pinning it all in place. A feather protruded from his left temple and his hands were encased in soft leather gloves. His face was covered in a white porcelain mask with the mouth twisted up in a soft smile. With every miniscule movement, cloth whispered and metal clinked in the otherwise silent chamber.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: The Carousel
Skills: N/A

While Jack’s response left him wondering what answers he’d been looking for, the revelation of his death cleared that up real quick. The man had died and not a single one of them had noticed. Although, how could they? James had been half mad with developing his abilities, Sunshine was doing her best to find something else to focus on… it hadn’t been much of a stretch to think Jack was just processing everyone’s comatose state, wondering if they’d wake up and how long they’d be waiting. James never would have thought he was dealing with something even heavier.

“Shit man, that sucks. I’m sorry you went through it but I’m glad you’re still here at least.” James offered after Casper. Jack seems to feel better about it after the journey he took to find his answers but Casper was probably going to do that thing where he buried his feelings under whatever distraction he could get his hands on.

The hair on the back of his neck stood up at Selene's, and then Reeva's, announcement. He didn't trust Selene as far as he could throw her and all this talk about final nights, blood and moons, and now a performance of a Sandersons sisters song made him very nervous. He glanced up, checking to see if the moon was out, and hoped she didn't considered them enemies.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: The Carousel
Skills: N/A

How interesting.

James eyed Jack for a moment after his interaction with Selene. This was probably the most social James had seen him since he’d awoken from the cryostasis and with Selene of all people. James had tried to connect with him back when he’d first stumbled out, when it was just the three members of the MU awake, but he’d been closed off and distant as he shouldered whatever demons hounded him. All of them had their issues and unfortunately, it’d just pushed them further apart when they should have been supporting each other. However, Jack was a little more like his old self in this moment and normally, he’d be happy for Jack that he’d found something that help but when that help is Selene, it’s a whole different story.

“When did you and Selene become so friendly? You’re a hard man to find most days.” James asked Jack, desperate for a distraction from current conversation. Casper’s adorable waffle related antics aside, the conversation at the table made him regret requesting water and not something that would black out everything that just assaulted his ears. Honestly, Selene mostly just annoyed him with her easy dismissals of anything that required half a drop of empathy but hearing her talk like this made him want to slam his forehead into the table as hard as possible. Maybe a concussion would make dealing with her easier.

The Shattering of Aegis

The Soft Haven Bounty House

_{14th of the Full Autumn Moon, 1698 P.A.
Late morning - Cloudy Skies}

_{@Hero@Trainerblue192@Obscene Symphony@Scribe of Thoth@McMolly}

Cerric fiddled with his rings as he considered the question. “That is less clear cut than you wish it to be. As simply as possible, you may report any illegal requests you stumble across and technically, I should encourage you to do so but you’ll have to weigh your ethics against your coin purse. A job unfinished is a job unpaid; though, I suppose discussing how contracts are paid out may make the weight of this discussion easier to consider.”

“When a job is sent in for the House to list, there is a fair degree of negotiating involved. The listing fee is based on how skilled an individual needs to be to handle the situation at hand and takes into account what we know about current events in the area. Once we’ve settled on our listing fee, we negotiate pay. This takes into account the general wealth of the individual or group listing the job, travel time, the kind of needed supplies, the level of risk involved, and the list goes on. Afterwards, they pay the House and they determine what token is necessarily as proof of completion. This can range from something as archaic as the head of a bandit leader you hunted down to a letter with a specific seal on it. Upon returning with the token, we release the funds to you!” Cerric explained delightly. “Of course, the obvious flaw in this system is us trusting you not to produce a counterfeit but we believe you’ll do right by us as long as we do right by you. Of course, I have no qualms retrieving my coin off your waterlogged corpse should you prove otherwise.”

“We have no way to monitor you at a distance. The decisions you make cannot be controlled by us with any accuracy. It may take us months to hear the truth of your exploits. We expect you to complete your jobs with minimal issues. If you become a liability, we remove you from the House. ” Aleka once again spoke before Cerric could continue. “No token, no payment. Do what you will with that information. This all applies to mercenary jobs, of course. Payment for contract jobs falls on the shoulders of the employer. No tokens are necessary as you will not report back to us until the contract is complete, if you do not find permanent employment with the contract issuer.”

The doors to the Bounty House creaked open again, accompanied by the heavy footfalls and jangling of plate mail. Standing just under 6 feet, an older human woman with streaks of silver in her blond hair, heavy crows feet at her eyes, and deep set laughter lines strode in through the door, helmet tucked under one arm and a simple sack slung across the other shoulder. A blade hung at her side, the scabbard simple and well scuffed, with the symbol of Zunbil emblazoned on the pommel.

“Good morning everyone. It’s nice to see so many new faces. I hope we can get along.” The woman greeted them, before turning her attention to Aeka. “I’ll just take a second then. I’ll leave the token on your desk once I climb out of this armor. Normal arraignment for the funds, please.” The woman continued past the group and up the stairs with a curious glance at the boy whose hair writhed and the blue haired girl but otherwise disappeared upstairs as quietly as someone encased in metal could. The faint sound of a door closing could be heard and then the downstairs was quiet once more.

“Marta was one of the first to join the House. You may find some guidance from her, Mr. Luca, should you want some practical instruction from a fellow creation genisian. I’d even recommend her to you, Ms. Storyborn. She may not have the exact guidance you are looking for but I believe you may find her wealth of experience helpful.” Aleka offered in lieu of a proper explanation. “Back to the matter at hand, however, I believe it is time those interested in mercenary work follow me back to my desk where we can determine your future at the House. Anyone interested in contract work, please follow Cerric to his office.”

“Though you do not seem the type to care for one, I will offer you a mentor as well, Mr. Ceolfric. The alchemist in town, Agitha Hawthorne, is also a mental animas aetherborn. I would seek her out once we are done here if you are interested in further developing your skills. There are a number of interesting tales about her that I’m sure Ms. Storyborn could regale you with should you care to hear. Now if you will follow me-” Aleka paused as Vivian returned from upstairs and stopped one step above the floor. She did not offer a curtsy but instead stared over the gathering before her attention landed on Kyreth.

“Kyreth Bertasson, your presence is requested in Lord Mystralath’s study immediately. If you would please follow me, we do not want to keep the Lord waiting.”

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: The Carousel
Skills: N/A

James found himself content as the conversation moved around him, happy to listen and watch. Waverly’s face on the steps of the Hellfire manor tonight hadn’t ruined his mood tonight but as he sat listening to the remaining members of the Mutant Underground talk and drink in peace, minus the ever looming doom that seemed to swirl around Selene like a bad odor, he couldn’t help but consider the scars at the table, the spots where still others should be sitting and celebrating. Waverly, lost at the hands of an interdimensional mutant. Sapphire, sacrificed so that those she cared about could live in the face of certain death. Cayden, killed in the process of securing a cure. Leighton, Magik, Luna… James never felt the weight of those losses more than he did now, seeing their faces in gaps between people, where they should have been teasing, arguing, laughing all the same as they usually did.

James turned his attention away from the phantoms of the dead and returned to the now, where Selene was making everything decidedly less enjoyable to everyone but Casper and Harry. Selene was a dangerous thing, wrapped up in whatever pretty wrapping suited her fancy, like a time bomb hidden in a cartoon present. It didn’t help that she was a powerful sorcesses, wizard, vampire thingy? James would have to ask Max about titles and labels at some point but the fact of the matter was, James didn’t know shit about magic and Selene’s inherent need for chaos rivaled Max’s, making it difficult for him to predict what her goals were for this place when she treated the island like a dollhouse for her to play with however she found fun at the moment.

“We’ll find you a few zip ties if that happens.” James promised Selene, wholly uninterested in even entertaining the idea of her losing clothes.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: The Carousel
Skills: N/A

James had a few curt replies to Casper's off-handed check in but he instead chose to curl his arms a little tighter around Casper. James wasn't under any illusions- sharing was not caring unless someone also wanted to share James's knife in their guts. But that was for another time, not while the group was supposed to be relaxing and enjoying the party. He satisfied himself by gently knocking his head against Casper's back before turning his attention to Veil at the question.

"Would you mind grabbing water for Casper and me? It's been a long night." He asked Spark Plug at the offer, entirely unwillingly to move until Casper decided he'd had enough cuddling for a while. Thankfully, there was a show unfolding right in front of them as Selene made a beeline for her apparent daughter. Dinner, Dancing, drinks, and a show. Anytime Selene was involved, James knew it was going to turn into a shit show.

The Shattering of Aegis

The Soft Haven Bounty House

_{14th of the Full Autumn Moon, 1698 P.A.
Late morning - Cloudy Skies}

_{@Hero@Trainerblue192@Obscene Symphony@Scribe of Thoth@McMolly}

Aleka offered Ermes a slow blink and a long moment before he finally committed quill to paper. “Ermes de Luca, Creation Genasian, fisher turned delivery boy, some skill with a blade, and an unhealthy amount of paranoia.” Aleka noted as he dried the ink and handed off the book to Vivian, who accepted it with another brief curtsey and swept quickly upstairs. Aleka carefully arraigned everything neatly on his desk before standing.

“If I may have your attention everyone, it is time we discuss the Bounty House, how it operates, the steps to be formally accepted, and what expectations will be placed upon you when you enter into our employ. Please feel free to take a seat as the length of our conversation is determined by your ability to grasp the subject matter.” Aleka explained as he made his way across the room to the fire place. “First and foremost, let us discuss the purpose of the Bounty House. This organization is meant to create a marketplace for employers and laborers to more easily find prosperous relationships in an era where a significant number of the active workforce has been relocated to Dranir. Employers or contract holders list job requests for a small fee with us and we, in turn, offer these jobs to those who we believe are mostly likely to successfully complete the job to the client’s satisfaction.”

“The Bounty House doesn’t turn down a job listing so long as they can pay the fee. As such, job requests vary wildly in their description. The Bounty House, for the sake of ease, assigns these to two categories: Contract or Mercenary. Contract jobs are those that are either recurring seasonally, permanently, or for some reason will last for longer than a phase of a single moon. Apprenticeships, farmhands, and other physical laboring jobs usually fall into this category. These don’t necessarily pay well but they are consistent and usually include some degree of housing and education built into the contract as they are more lenient in accepting those who aren’t well versed in the trade. More importantly, these are the safer options for job requests.” Aleka glanced around the room, settling on Kyreth as he spoke before moving on.

“Mercenary jobs are short term, goal oriented jobs that end once an objective is completed. Caravan guards, deliveries, bandit hunting, and other such goal driven jobs fall into this category. These jobs are usually more dangerous than contract jobs and they only pay once the job is complete. Of course, this means a greater pay off at the end but it means supplies, travel, and lodging are typically on your own coin.” Aleka explained in his flat, monotone voice, barely moving an inch as he spoke. “It is important for you to understand that the success of this Bounty House rests on the success of those in its employ, of you all gathered here. As such, what is available for you is heavily curated by myself and the other administration of the House and I will have no issue denying you access to any job that I believe that you will fail at. The more successful you are in your jobs, the more we will trust you to handle, the greater the rewards you will reap.”

“Gods above, Aleka! You’re boring me to tears! Put some enthusiasm into this. It sounds like you’re reciting straight from a book.” Cerric interrupted, shooing Aleka away from his spot and taking his place. “Apologies everyone but I was about to fall asleep and I’m one of the administration! Where were we… Right!” Cerric continued with a snap of his fingers. “I have no doubt that a number of you are interested in mercenary jobs. We don’t find fresh inspiration digging up the dirt, don’t expand our aetheric finesse sweating in front of a forge, or other mundane activities. Heroes are forged at the ends of blades, infamy and fame fought for, won, and lost over the corpses of our enemies, and it is the pounding of the blood and the sweat in your eyes that carry tales, build renown, and rake in gold. It is adversity that builds strength, character, skill, and fortune but you have to live to see that happen.”

“Those interested in Contract jobs, we get to have a nice conversation about what you’re looking for, where your interest and skills may best suit you for success, and other such easy topics right from the comfort of my own office, full of tea and biscuits, and sweets.” Cerric sighed happily before a sharp smirk wormed its way across his face. “Those interested in fame and fortune get to go through a little test. We’ll accompany you on a safer job, watch how you handle it, and evaluate whether or not you should even be permitted to accept those jobs, let alone more dangerous, better paying ones. We’ll pay you of course; we don’t expect you to work for free after all, but your performance determines your future so be sure to be on your best behavior.” Cerric paused briefly, water rolling between his fingers as he twirled a conjured orb absently.

“Before Cerric continues, I’d like to take this moment to open the floor to questions.” Aleka interrupted as Cerric opened his mouth to speak again. He gave Aleka a disgruntled look but shut his mouth rather than protesting. “Once you’ve satisfied your curiosity, we’ll discuss what you are interested in, some of the finer details of each request type, and your pending acceptance into the House.”