05-02-2020, 12:40 AM
Nikolai stood when Nox entered the room. Instinct kept him wary of the other man’s presence, but only because he was a channeler and a skilled Atharim hunter. He would never forgive himself the fear stricken in his own heart when the sanctuary of the Datsan was interrupted by such a force. He took it out on the boy, that was obvious, but again, to this day, Nikolai believed the hesitation was more than deserved. He threatened to kill Nox over it, but only because the Atharim tried so diligently to kill him first.
“Nox,” he said and extended a hand to shake. A smile accompanied the greeting, slim and contained as it was. The younger man was the charmer, and Nikolai was more than capable of smoozing the most tense of powerful people, but that wasn’t the intent in the moment. He was being genuinely polite. It was probably going to come as a shock. Few people saw the hand of gentility from Nikolai Brandon.
Nox didn’t need to pose his request before the flicker of wrongness flashed Nik’s expression. Something was off that he could not determine, and it had nothing to do with an obvious wound sustained. “Are you okay?” he asked. It was several more moments before he granted Nox’s request in releasing the power of the universe.
“Your work with Domovoi is noticed, Nox. I want you to know that. I was not Atharim for very long, but what I saw was enough to instill the requisite respect for what lurks in the dark. When your message was reported, I could not allow it to pass without further inspection. None but one who has been initiated can truly appreciate the danger, which meant it had to be me who debriefed you. Tell me what happened. I have a people to protect, since it seems the Atharim wanes following Armande’s death. Whatever the man was, he was an effective Regus. I see that now. I'd kill him in a heart beat, but I see it.”
For some reason, his tongue loosened unlike it hadn’t before. Nox was some sort of comrade simply by his heritage, something that had nothing to do with western culture. Nik was truly attracted to the Atharim once upon a time. He truly believed in their cause, and once upon a time, was terrified by the potential. In the end, he wasn’t a warrior. Not in the same way that Nox was. He was destined for something greater, obviously. Nox would never defer, but Nik recognized the stubborn American blood. He’d not hold it against him. The boy saved his life. Twice.
“Nox,” he said and extended a hand to shake. A smile accompanied the greeting, slim and contained as it was. The younger man was the charmer, and Nikolai was more than capable of smoozing the most tense of powerful people, but that wasn’t the intent in the moment. He was being genuinely polite. It was probably going to come as a shock. Few people saw the hand of gentility from Nikolai Brandon.
Nox didn’t need to pose his request before the flicker of wrongness flashed Nik’s expression. Something was off that he could not determine, and it had nothing to do with an obvious wound sustained. “Are you okay?” he asked. It was several more moments before he granted Nox’s request in releasing the power of the universe.
“Your work with Domovoi is noticed, Nox. I want you to know that. I was not Atharim for very long, but what I saw was enough to instill the requisite respect for what lurks in the dark. When your message was reported, I could not allow it to pass without further inspection. None but one who has been initiated can truly appreciate the danger, which meant it had to be me who debriefed you. Tell me what happened. I have a people to protect, since it seems the Atharim wanes following Armande’s death. Whatever the man was, he was an effective Regus. I see that now. I'd kill him in a heart beat, but I see it.”
For some reason, his tongue loosened unlike it hadn’t before. Nox was some sort of comrade simply by his heritage, something that had nothing to do with western culture. Nik was truly attracted to the Atharim once upon a time. He truly believed in their cause, and once upon a time, was terrified by the potential. In the end, he wasn’t a warrior. Not in the same way that Nox was. He was destined for something greater, obviously. Nox would never defer, but Nik recognized the stubborn American blood. He’d not hold it against him. The boy saved his life. Twice.