The First Age

Connecting? Her eyes grew round with sudden realisation of what that might be, and then everything made a rational sort of sense. Why he'd been staring in the first place, if the aura he saw around her constantly leeched at those in the vicinity. She must stick out like a rainbow in constant flux, which sounded kind of pretty if probably disturbing for him since they apparently weren't supposed to do that.

"No," she admitted. "It's just like breathing, I can't control it. It must've scared my parents, but at least they gave me to someone who was willing to help. I learned ways to cope." These days she understood that what her parents had actually done was dispose of her to a man whose job it had been to rid them of the problem, though since her uncle never had she chose not to dwell on that dark beginning. The loss panged in her chest even now. She missed him a lot.

As they paused by the doors the duplicity stung again, a little sharper now the skin contact deepened her sense of him. Friendly as Tobias was, he was also a stranger; she tried her best to skate across only the surface of his emotions, but there was a war within. One her nerves tried hard to ignore since it was already too late to turn back. More eager questions lined her tongue, but they swallowed back down when he pushed open the door.

She peered from almost behind his shoulder at the sheer opulence within, enough to rival the grandeur Damien chose to surround himself with. Far more than Asha was either accustomed or comfortable with; she barely had enough credits to her name to purchase the coffee she'd had downstairs. Her grip on Tobias tightened lest he think it okay to let go as the woman presumed to be Rowan greeted them. 

Her arms flung wide, her smile bright, and the emotions rolled off in strong agreement. Asha could feel it plucking a shy smile to her lips, drowning out the ball of true wariness she felt in the situation. The man with her buzzed in a carefree way that might have been easy to latch onto and smother her genuine reaction. But the attention of both in that moment was almost like drowning, and though pleasant as those emotions were -- certainly nothing to be fearful of -- she could feel herself panicking under the press of them. "Please don't let go yet," she whispered quietly into Tobias's shoulder. At least not until she'd had time to adjust.

Asha clung even more to his hand. The mistress of the place was exuberant and extravagant. If there was money here, he was holding the wrong hand. But there was no way he was letting go, especially since she asked him not to. Xander had no idea where this protective streak came from. But she would have whatever she needed. Xander had a feeling it had to do with whatever she had to cope with. If she had his aura while touching him, did she always do that with everyone around her. It could explain why her aura was a muddled mess.

Rowan greeted them with open arms and Xander hoped she didn't do the hug kiss thing on the cheeks. He wasn't really in the mood to be close. Though he was just thinking if he wanted money... He was all sorts of over the place. It was unusual to be thrown so much. First the park with the magic, maybe it was all the snakes and specials around. Everything changed when they were around. That had to be it.

Xander lead Asha around to a couch and sat down, never letting go of her hand. She'd have to release his, even if it got awkward. He remembered coping when he was a kid, it was hell and his teacher was worse. "Coffee is good for us, I think." He smiled at Rowan and the man who threw fire too. There wasn't much darkness in him at the moment, no anger. That was good, though he was pretty sure that those things could change quickly. "So what is it you think we have much to discuss?" He asked not beating around the bush. Tobias should pick paper but he didn't. He just held the girl's hand.

First she ordered a feast from her servant or whatever. Girlie thought a lot about herself, he could tell. Then Mik was hit with a hail of words and questions. Buzz or no, it would have been damn tough to keep track of everything. He took her offer and rolled himself a nice one. Knowing her, it was good shit. After a couple puff he sat back. Yeah, very good. So...lets see. Where was he sposed to start anyway? Jeeze.

"I've met a couple." Yeah, Scarface and Oriena. "They weren't the types to join anything, from what I saw. No covens or naked dancing channelers that I heard of." The thought was not without its charms though. "But I have heard rumors about a, well, not exactly a strip club. Anyway, lotsa girls there. I know one of the dancers." Ahh, the beautiful Tatyana. Reminded him he need to see her again. "She told me there are a lot of girls there now who, well, they don't exactly fit in with the kind of women hired in those places. Not eye candy servers. Not dancers or anything. But there have been a few occurrences that I think could be the power." He shrugged.

"And there have been couple on the news. Theo Andlain. And this prick Bas." He couldn't keep his loathing out of his voice. Yeah he knew Bas. Asshole. Gopnik who got in good with Mordvinov years ago and suddenly thought his shit didn't stink. ""Dude went off on a cop in a market. Brought the entire force down on himself. Don't know what happened to him though. That's about it."

He was gonna answer more about fire when the door opened and The Dude and the Librarian walked in hand in hand. Mik smirked but it wasn't a big deal. Positions reversed, he'd a done the same. You gotta lock that down, ya know? A sweet smile appeared on the girl's face as they walked in. Mik gave him a grin and favored her with a friendly smile. Yeah, up close she was a real looker. There was something different about her, though. She seemed to be, well not exactly leaning. But she gripped the guy's hand something fierce like she was scared or something.

Mik relaxed and leaned back all friendly like and said "Name's Mik.". Rowan seemed to be a real hostess. Mik wanted the two to feel safe. Safe lips were open lips. And he had to admit. The luna or lama or whatever it was Rowan was using had plucked him out of the crowd- and that song out of his mind. So if she said these two were interesting...well that's what they were.

A knock sounded at the door and Gareth entered silently with a long rolling service cart, a crisp length of white linen fabric covered its contents. The smells of gumbo, beignets, coffee, and other delectable fragrances permeated the air. The cart rolled to a stop in front of the television and Gareth moved to clear away the clutter on the coffee table. Within moments the roses, spellbooks, and candles had been removed. A large tray of beignets, pastries, scones, and other baked goods was placed at the center of the table. A porcelain carafe of steaming coffee was placed next to the tray and four cups with saucers followed it; small plates, cloth napkins, cream, and sugar off to the side.

                 Gareth poured a cup for both the man and the woman, setting them before the pair. He spoke softly to them both, “Madame, Monsieur? I do have a fully stocked bar on the cart. If you require anything harder please say the word,” he then turned to the rest of the gathering, “Tonight we are serving chicken gumbo over wild rice, crawfish etouffee, fried catfish with hushpuppies, seafood jambalaya, cornbread dressing, candied sweet potatoes, and cauliflower cheese grits.”

                With a flourish, Gareth whipped the fabric from the cart. The smells in the room intensified and a barrage of steam lifted from the glistening dishes. Mountains of food rose from porcelain plates that crowded the entire surface of the cart. “Please let me know if anyone would like anything from the buffet.”

                “Thank you very much, Gareth,” Rowan purred. The servant handed her a new glass of red wine and lit the joint at her lips. “That will be all, Gareth.” He left the room just as silently as he came in, closing the door behind him.

Rowan took a deep pull and went on after Mikhail introduced himself, “And I am Rowan Finnegan. Proprietess of this establishment. Welcome. I couldn’t help but notice that the two of you are different. So are we. I feel… something from you.” She pointed to the man across from her. “I get the sense you can see into the future as well… and tell things about people… Correct me if I’m wrong? I share that talent, although it’s not always the easiest gift to use…”

                Rooting around under the table again, Rowan procured a set of tarot cards from beneath. She lay them out on the table, “If anyone is interested? I do give free readings to my guests.” She turned to the woman, “I can’t put a finger on you, my dear. But I know you’ve got your own gifts. Think of this place as a safe house for those that are different. A meeting grounds if you will… The world is changing and so is the human race. Why not come together and experience it together? There is so much we can all learn from each other.”

                Rowan gave them all a deep, warm smile. She did not forget what Mik had been saying before the others had come in. But now was not the time, not yet at least. She wanted to find out more about them all. She’d ask after the other names and places later…

Xander's stomach rumbled as the food revealed it self. But he didn't reach for anything yet. Asha was still holding his hand and he'd keep holding hers until she let go. He wondered if that would ever happen. He still didn't understand, but that didn't matter right then.

The guy offered his name and Xander offered up in his dutchman's guise. "Tobias." Sometimes he had to think hard which person he was, but he was never Xander. And today was no different even if he was sorely out of his element and doing things he normally didn't.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Xander shook his head. "Future, past, present, I don't know what any of it is. I don't know what you do. Or why you think I'm special. Just an ordinary drifter working job to job trying to make the next journey. And your brand of magic can't teach me anything, you lot are a confusing bunch of sobs."

Xander knew there were things that were dangerous out there. And she flaunted her gifts like they were calling cards. Xander gave her a worried grin. "What do we need to be safe from?" He knew the snakes were dangerous. Asha was connected to them somehow - maybe she'd have insights.

Tobias didn't let go.

Asha followed behind him, eyes wide. She felt threadbare amongst the opulence, and way out of her depth. Rich food laid out enough to feed the starving, dishes she didn't even understand, and the smell curled hunger through her stomach. When she'd travelled with her uncle, food had often been an integral part of the communities they passed through. Asha liked to cook, but she saw it through communal eyes. This meal felt sterile, Rowan's servant -- servant -- even leaning in to light the tip of her joint before he filtered himself out from their company.

It felt wrong.

Yet the welcome was genuine, warm -- if wholly extravagant. It should have soothed her; she could feel the tug of it relaxing her body, urging her to smile, even as the anchor of Tobias kept her grounded. His energy wasn't the steadiest in the room, though, for he warred within, pulled in different directions. Asha should have let go, but she didn't. A little entranced. Fractures that had been buried deep lurched more toward the surface. Like he split in half, then shimmered into multitudes. There was a blank pause before he seemed to remember his name.

In fact the only certain thing about him was the touch itself. The grip of a stranger's hand should have been awkward by now. So why was it the only thing he felt sure of?

Guilt widened her eyes at the realisation of her predicament. People with secrets generally reacted the worst, and this man had secrets. Layers upon layers spiralled down to his core. He would think it a gross violation once he knew, surely, even if in that moment it had stopped her drowning. She leaned in to whisper, only half aware of the humming conversation around her. "I'm sorry," she murmured. A blush captured her cheeks. "I should have told you what it did first."

Asha slipped her fingers free, twined her hands guiltily in her lap. She'd lost the tail of the conversation by now, could feel the pulse of embarrassment like a beacon calling shame. Her sense of Tobias dulled, her gift stretching, seeking a balance with a little too much urgency to find it quickly. For a moment she swirled lost in curiosity and ambition and attraction, aware she'd been too deep to let go so quickly. Her hands squeezed tight, and she blinked a few times.

"Oh. Oh, Asha. My name is Asha." She frowned a little, unsure what she'd missed, but sure she should at least offer her name. Her gaze caught on the cards.

The weed was good, enough that Mik relaxed even more, feeling as if he were sinking into the cushions. Idly, he pulled the lighter from his jacket pocket and just held it. The light of the power flickered over his shoulder and after a moment, he seized it.

It was as if he were jacked into the world. The women's voices were like the feel of cool silk on his skin, the man's an icy chill. This was so wierd. Like his wires were crossed.

The smells of the food made him see colors, dark, almost black shades of reds for the spicy bowl of stew, yellow bright as the sun for the dessert looking things, and every color in between for all the other dishes laid out.

He wondered what tasting them would do. Not that he was hungry at the moment.

And anyway, the guy was acting all paranoid. Mik couldn't place his accent, though there was a lilt to it. "Look, I don't know that I'd like to be part of a club of people like us." He gave Rowan a smile to show her he meant no insult. She had tricks he wanted to learn very much. "Joining's not really my thing. But Rowan here has skills. And if she says you both are special then you are."

He grinned at them and then floated his drink to his hands and took a sip. "Can't hurt to learn from each other. Maybe be useful to each other."

Truth was, he had no clue what Doll saw in the Mook and the Librarian- Tobias and Asha. But he was curious. The Lady had brought him to this place tonight for a reason. Mik needed his wits so she didn't get him killed. Oh, she'd love that, laughing from the behind the curtain of the universe. What a bitch. But he loved her for it.

Rowan was not wrong about Tobias. Tonight was the first night that she had discovered this… method… of discovering those that were different. She couldn’t really be sure that it was correct, but there was a part of her that was screaming over Tobias and Asha. They were special, maybe not Channelers, but they both had more ‘gifts’ than the average human. Rowan was positive of that.

                With a smirk, Rowan went on, “Of course, Tobias. Whatever you say.” She picked the deck up and started shuffling furiously as Mikhail jumped back into the conversation.

                “Mik, darling, if you prefer to remain solitary, that is your business, of course. I’d just love it if you stayed, but I cannot force a man to my bidding,” Could she? Rowan filed that bit away for later investigation. Her magic could kill a man, why couldn’t it enslave one to her will? That would be morally reprehensible, of course; but still,, it was a fine mind exercise to puzzle out. She went on, “I am glad that you agree with me, though. No commitment is required here, aside from silence. This room is soundproof and I made it a point to send Gareth away so that we may speak freely. I know that I am nothing more than a stranger to you both, so please, ask me anything so that I may put you at ease. I mean no harm to either of you. Tobias, Asha, you both have my word that no harm will befall you in my café so long as I live and breathe… I don’t think either of you can Channel… No. I would have picked up on that, at least from you Asha. No. There’s something else… Perhaps neither of you know what it is yet…”

                Rowan’s hands moved like lightning as she shuffled the cards. Before selecting a few, she went on, “What do we have to fear? I don’t know, my dear. I have heard tales of this… ‘Atharim’,” Rowan spit that last word like it was mucus on her tongue, “I have been touching magic since I was 18 years of age and I am now passed 30. I have yet to deal with anyone that has sought to harm me, but this Ascension man has spoken at length about the assassins he has had to deal with. If that is true, then they may go after anyone that is different. Why stop at Channelers? Why? We don’t know that they won’t. So, it is in our best interest to find each other as fast as possible. There is strength in numbers, my dear children, don’t you ever forget that.”

                With a click of her tongue, Rowan threw 6 tarot cards out on to the table. Three landed in front of Tobias, and three more in front of Asha. The cards were facedown. With a flick of her wrist, all six cards flipped over by an unseen hand.

                Tobias was given Judgement, The Tower, and The Wheel of Fortune. Asha was given The Hanged Man, The Lovers, and The High Priestess.

                Turning first to Tobias, Rowan spoke smoothly, “Judgement… Reflection, reckoning, awakening… Awakening? Heh… The Tower… Sudden upheaval, broken pride, disaster… Never a good card. Let us hope that is in your past. Have you just moved here, Tobias? The Wheel of Fortune, Change, cycles, inevitable loss… Change? Again, this reinforces my gut feeling about you two… Do any of these resonate with you?” Rowan had the gift of Prophecy, but that didn’t mean she could decipher all of her readings. Most of the time with the cards it was a gut feeling, something pushing Rowan towards certain interpretations, but she couldn’t be sure without the other person’s acknowledgment or confirmation. She went on with Tobias, “Awakening… Upheaval… Change… Are you sure you have not experienced anything unusual in your life? Save meeting me of course. Perhaps we should go back down to the Séance Room. There are a plethora of divination tools scattered about down there. Why it wouldn’t surprise me if you had the gift of Prophecy yourself. Have you ever tried? You may use my cards if you wish…”

                Without waiting for a reply, Rowan turned to the unaware Asha, “Hello, yes, my dear, hello. Are you well?” Again without waiting for a reply, Rowan went on, “The Hanged Man, sacrifice, release, martyrdom… The Lovers, partnership, duality, union… The High Priestess, intuitive, unconscious, inner voice… My dear… You are special… What are you hiding, hm? The High Priestess never lies… And The Lovers? There must be someone very special at home, or you have just met him… or her? Be on the lookout, my dear. It seems that love is in your future, or at the very least a partner in crime… And the Hanged Man? Hmmm…. Sacrifice is never easy… You’re either giving something away or denying yourself of something… again, I ask, what is it? The cards do not lie. You are both very special whether or not either of you have realized it yet.”

                Rowan tapped a finger to her lip in consideration, “I do realize all of this must be very invasive. If I have overstepped my bounds, please accept my most humble apologies… I just have this feeling… The two of you are meant for great things, magic or no.”

Xander listened as Rowan spoke. And she spoke a lot. Cards few across the table. She was such a show boat. He wondered if she made any money at the tricks she did. He believed she thought she saw the future. Who was he to say that her tricks weren't partially true. She wielded the same magic though that Mik did. Though his was less bluster and more something else.

But oddly enough it was Asha's hand he tried to fathom. What she'd meant, why was she sorry. He didn't exactly understand, but when he looked at her his aura no longer reflected back through her. But the bright blue from before was gone too, it was just a muddled bits and bobs of things and the images from the snakes still loomed around her.

Rowan spoke of the Atharim and he caught a flash of recognition in Asha's aura. Was that what they called themselves? He'd heard of them from the Ascendancy's speech but never once before had he had a name for them. "For someone who's afraid of these Atharim you sure are aweful showy about your powers." She didn't look afraid of them. But she should be. He saw their paths. He'd seen the destruction they reaped. There was nothing but death surrounding them. And Xander wanted nothing to do with them.

Xander grabbed the cards and flipped them back over. He didn't care for his fortune to be read he smirked at her. "You think your cards speak truths. Let me see what I can find." He moved to the edge of his seat and put his hand on Asha's knee, it was not an advance, more a comfort that he wasn't going anywhere. She was small and mousey and there was just some need to protect her. He didn't know why but it was there.

Xander looked at Rowan with a grin. "You have a strong familial connection. But I could know that from your little display and ending routine of looking for your brother. You have a richness to you, obviously from the grandeur of this place. You've been doing this a while, you believe what you say. It's not an act for you." Xander looked harder, and he smiled. "You could be a healer, a teacher of these things if you weren't so showy, you rely on making other's believe instead of letting them make that judgement for themselves."

Xander reached out much like he'd done with Asha to touch her aura but he snatched his hand back. He was giving away too much. Fuck! He'd gotten wrapped up in the aura, talking too fucking much. He smirked as he sat back against the back of the chair. "The green is dark and bright and you but you muddy it with your arrogance. I see other things, though not clearly enough to tell you about them." Xander realized he was leaving Mik out of the conversation. He could turn his attention on him. But what was the point, he wasn't really trying to hide the fact of what he was. These were freaks just like him, and Asha was already aware of his talents as it were. Though he had a thousand questions for her. But he wasn't about to ask them here in their company.

He heard her strong, clear voice soar above the music. She reached out and looked upon world without any barriers as she welcomed them to her cafe. He didn't look up at her face. He just wished to know what she saw.

Lih stared out across the crowd, past the handsome dark eyed man who had watched him and Costa with interest, past the flamboyant dancers on stage, through the dark trees toward the moonlit rooftops.

This city was vast, perhaps the biggest he'd ever seen. Its complexity filled the world up from horizon to horizon. In this place, less than a lifetime ago, a great strand of fate had been decided. It had seemed a loss to society at the time, but it had simply been a necessary cost; the birthing pain of a new age. It allowed the Ascendancy to rise and take the throne... it had set a great course for destiny.

Now it seemed a second strand of fate was going to be decided in Moscow--strange things were happening. Such as the recent public coming out and open knowledge of channelers...

A strand of fate he clutched in his hands which slithered in-and-out his dreams, to him it seemed to make the first age pale in comparison...

Lih laughed at his own self-aggrandized idea and turned gratefully to his partner Costa, "job's done. Come on, let's go for a smoke."