Which is More Dangerous

[Cain Belasis]

((So I ended up not taking my computer to Scotland with me. Updates for the next few days will be short and ugly as they're typed on my phone.))

Cain did his best to ignore the creepy humming coming from Dane. The man was already unnerving enough without the addition of his (admittedly objectively nice) musical talents. It was beyond strange to see a man go from gleeful murder to carefree song in less than an hour. The redhead was grateful when Nox broke the silence.

"I've been able to use magic for a few months now." Cain noticed that his companion had some sort of high tech map of the tunnels. Now that would be useful. "The first time I noticed was... well, explosive." He chuckled darkly at his morbid pun. "I got the Sickness back home in England. A few days later this woman came for me, said she was with some organization dedicated to killing people like me, that one of us was supposed to destroy the world or some shite."

He trailed off for a moment, remembering how scared of dying he'd been. "I was still weak physically, and desperate. Next thing I knew, I'd blown up my bedroom. That one bloke, the terrorist, was on the news saying he could teach people about magic. Reckoned that Moscow was the only place I'd learn what I was, you know? I left home right away, got in town about a week ago. A few hours ago I didn't even know I could do more than make fire."

Cain could finally recognize signs of humanity. From here he could probably make his way to the little dead end tunnel he'd been calling home. He decided not to mention that though. It was always good to keep a few secrets, and besides, Nox seemed to have it all in hand. "How about you? Been doing magic for long?"

[Nox]

Nox listened to Cain's story. He frowned when he heard about the Atharim attack. "I'm sorry the Atharim came after you."


Nox didn't pause to let the information sink in. "I've had my gift for two or so years. My sister showed signs a year before I did, though her's were subtle - healing, fatigue reduction, beneficial stuff. Mine was explosive as well. Aurora was cornered by an Oni and in my haste a fireball shot from my hands. We secluded ourselves for a year learning to use our gift as we hid from those we had called friends who would now hunt us. Then we started hunting monsters with our powers on the down low until we came to Moscow several months back. Which is a whole other story that doesn't need to be told now."
Nox hoped that his story was enough to distract Cain from the obvious conclusion - he was Atharim. Technically he should be trying to kill Cain and Dane and himself as Dane had so observantly said in Mexico.

Nox looked back at Dane. "You care to share your story?"
He didn't expect the man to. He was more secrets than anything.

According to the HUD in two turns they would find an exit into the Market. It was a good as place as any to come out at if he remembered correctly. Not too populated but just enough they won't look out of place when they do step into the real world.

[Cain Belasis]

((Haha poor, oblivious Cain. Such an innocent guy.))

Cain furrowed his brow at the word: atharim. It sounded familiar; he could have sworn that he heard the other man mention it previously, but couldn't remember the context. It sounded like it was the name of the group that hunted down magicians. He'd have to remember it in the future then. The redhead listened to Nox's story, making impressed noises in the appropriate places (hunted down a demon? Nice).

There was an awkward moment where the other man asked Dane if he wanted to share his story. The two of them looked expectantly in his direction, only for the man to either ignore them or be completely oblivious. Dane wasn't even lookin at them, and instead just continued to hum and smile faintly. Cain didn't want to know what he was thinking about that made him so happy.

Cain coughed, feeling awkward, before soldiering on. "So healing, huh? Is that something that we can do or is it just your sister's power?" Soon enough the group would be outside f the tunnels. The redhead wondered where they'd go from there.

[Nox]

Honestly Nox didn't know if a man could heal. "Our powers are different. She had to surrender to hers, while I have to conquer and control mine. Trying to do the opposite is futile. We can't see each other's threads, like you and I can see each others. So she could never teach me how to heal."
Not that Nox really had the desire to learn, he couldn't heal himself with it - yet another limitation of the power he held.

"We managed to create our own version of fireballs and such, so in theory healing for a man is possible if he knows how. I do not. I've not met anyone with the ability to heal. Though I suspect it's very similar to the way Dane manipulates a body without leaving a mark on them."
Nox hadn't watched Dane close enough to pick up his trick, but it was different enough that he had noticed. He had had other things on his mind. "There is a very fine line between killing and healing with our power. What one can do you can always do the opposite. I have... I had a friend who can mimic a heart attack in a person. You could easily restart a heart in the same fashion. Equal and opposite - just like science."


"It is the very reason that the Atharim hunt us. The gods of old manipulated mankind and would have lead to the downfall of mankind if the Atharim had not eradicated them. We remained intact over the millennium to fight the creations of the gods that remained after their destructive reign - the monsters hidden from the world above by the Atharim. It is our job to keep humanity safe. However stupid some of the beliefs are - it is a noble cause."


They rounded the last corner of the tunnels and light streamed through the entrance. Nox blinked back from the light and stopped near the edge of the last shadow before the entrance. He looked to Dane and asked, "Do you want me to contact you when I have suitable prey? It won't be nearly as fun knowing where the quarry is but I don't think you enjoy the hunt just the fun in the end."
As a second thought Nox added, "Do you want me to tell Aria you are back in town, or shall I let her find out when she next checks the status of your whereabouts?"
Nox knew Aria would check on him - she always knew where Dane was, where his credit was last used, when he used his identification, she was tracking him - it wasn't for nefarious reasons but an obsession. And he'd brought her obsession home to play.

Edited by Nox, Jul 27 2016, 08:16 AM.

[Cain Belasis]

Cain nodded along with interest as Nox explained the differences between men and women's magic. It all seemed a bit dodgy to the redhead. Why should such a trivial thing like gender (or was it biological sex? What would happen with a trans magician?) could affect magic on such a fundamental level. Then again, maybe it wasn't magic itself, but just an oddity of Nox's sister. Cain would try to figure it out if he met a female magician.

It was also interesting hearing about the Atharim. Ancient gods were magicians, like Zeus and Hera? It would make sense. If someone had powers like theirs in the ancient world, they could easily be revered as Gods. Plus, Cain had to admit that if the world was full of monsters like the ones in the tunnels, it was a rather noble purpose, fighting them off. Even so, it was beyond immoral to go around murdering humans on the assumption that they might one day do evil.

Actually... He'd been so distracted that he hadn't paid attention to Nox's pronouns, but eventually they started sinking in: "we", "our". Nox was talking like... well like he was one of them. The sudden jolt of fear had Cain seizing control of his magic reflexively. He knew it was irrational; if the other man had wanted him dead, then he would've been way before now. That knowledge kept him from doing anything, but it wasn't enough to make him let go. He was walking around with murderers, who also conveniently were part of an organization that was supposed to kill him. Cain couldn't afford to be careless.

"Wait... You're a part of these Atharim?" He thought the 'why should I trust you' could go unspoken. As Cain waited for the response, he hoped that his situation hadn't just gone from bad to worse.

[Dane Gregory]

Dane didn't care about their pretty little stories. It was like enduring tales of magical puberty. Who came into their powers how? Pish posh.

He stopped humming after that.

Neither did he care to describe his first time. He recalled it clearly, of course. Eventually putting two and two together as to when it occurred. Dark alley after a night at the theatre. Guns. A man in a sweater. Falling against a dumpster. Crying. And fear. So much fear.

"I don't want to talk about it."

Thankfully the topic shifted. He found himself thinking of Aria. Sweet, deadly Aria. "Does she still live in the same place by the bookstore?" He had never been invited inside of course. But that didn't mean he had never been there. But he liked the idea of her tracking him down. Finding him. Thinking about him. Wanting to see him.

"Never mind. Yes. Tell her I am here. Tell her I want her to find me." Thoughts of Aria lifted his mood again.

Talk of the Atharim didn't bother him. He was already aware of Nox's affiliation. It was why he came today. Neither had the Atharim ever bothered him, unlike apparently they had Cain.

Funny how right they were about gods of old terrorizing people. Yet they executed naïve blokes like Cain and left Mockingbird alone.

Cain asked the question directly, but Dane answered. "Yes he's one of them. But I already asked if he was going to kill himself and he said no." He shrugged.

The tunnels were turning filthy. And what was that wretched smell?

[Nox]

The fact that Dane answered the way he did about his own story made Nox wonder what had happened to him. Something triggered him - something triggers everyone. Whether it was innocent or horrible - something always triggered their first event and fear was a great trigger. Nox had to wonder what made Dane tick.

Nox was glad Dane decided to let Aria find him. But he did add. "She doesn't live there anymore. I don't know where we are living at present."
He would have to stop by Aria's to change the locks for Asha. It would not be good for Dane to visit Asha. No that would be very bad. Very very very bad.

The tell-tale sign of a man wielding the power threatened Nox and Dane. It could only be one of them as Dane had answered he already knew what Nox did for a living. He could hardly stop the smile the spread across his lips as Dane recalled their prior conversation. It seemed to be something the both remembered. Though Nox was certain he hadn't said just no. He gave examples of how he could end his life if he had chosen to do so - none of which appealed to Nox - he liked breathing.

Instead Nox chose to highlight another feature of their power. "You are afraid of me now. Fear is how you grasp your power. Handy when you are afraid, but not so much when you aren't in a life threatening position."


Nox sighed when the smell started to grow thick in the tunnel. He was glad fresh air was in sight but he leaned back against the tunnel wall and smiled at Cain. "If I wanted you dead, I wouldn't have waited till we got to the surface. I could have let Dane use your body as a toy. I'm sure he'd love to have you. I am Atharim. I am a reborn god. You are and Dane is. My sister was and nearly everyone I've met since coming to Moscow has been except Aria. I have killed none of our kind. I do not intend to. So either drop the power and we discuss this like adults, or you can try me."
To prove that he was still dangerous Nox pulled his power into him. He felt whole again. He felt the power coursing through his veins trying to overpower him. The pain in his arm was amplified, the tiredness in his bones was strengthened. He could fight for a short while, but it wasn't worth the pain or the struggle. Nox picked up a broken bottle as he dropped the power. There were things he could still do in a weakened state with his power. Glass powder and pebbles were awesome weapons if you used them right.

Nox's wallet buzzed again in his pocket. He didn't look at it - there were more important and more dangerous things to consider. "I think we all need a drink."

[Cain Belasis]

Cain had to give Dane a point, Nox didn't seem like the kind to commit suicide for the sake of his organization's principles. However, Cain was playing a game for which he didn't know the rules. It was hard enough having to figure out his magic and surviving on the streets. He didn't also want to have to try and decide if Nox was telling the truth or whether he had to watch for a metaphorical dagger in the darkness.

Cain also didn't like that Nox had identified his weakness so easily. He could already guess that it wasn't the same for the other two men. They didn't seem to need an emotion to access their abilities. But then again, maybe he just wasn't as clever as Nox and hadn't figured theirs out yet. Of course he knew that Nox could've killed him if he wanted to, and that he didn't stand a chance against one of them, let alone both of them. Cain didn't know exactly how, but for some reason he could just tell that the man's magic was stronger than his.

The redhead's temper spiked when Nox implied he was acting childishly. "You're asking me to trust that you're telling the truth, to trust that you're not going to kill me just because you haven't killed me yet. But I've seen how fast your morals change from never killing a human to only killing them when it's convenient," Cain spat. Shite. He knew better than this; even if Nox didn't have good intentions, provoking him would hardly make things better. He squeezed his eyes shut, forcing the anger away. Cain'd had it beaten into him that there were some fights you couldn't win, and that sometimes retreat was the best option.

Taking a deep breath, Cain let go of his grip on his magic. It felt almost physically painful to do so, but it was what was necessary. There was no way he was going to win that fight. And he still didn't completely trust that Nox wouldn't turn against him at some point, but it didn't make a difference. He still needed someone to teach him about his abilities, and for right now at least he didn't have any evidence that Nox was being anything other than truthful. Christ but he hated feeling so powerless.

"Sorry," he muttered eventually. "Yeah I could use that drink, mate." Finally he turned to Dane. If someone had told him half an hour ago that he'd be turning to Dane for reassurance, he'd have called them crazy, but... "You said Nox is one of 'them'. Does that mean you're not Atharim?" He'd assumed that the two were comrades, but if not it added credence to Nox's claims that he didn't kill reborn gods.

[Dane Gregory]

Nox paused to take a break. Good god man. Apparently he was so injured he needed a rest. That scratch must be a tough one.

With a sigh, and wishing they could either just leave completely or go back, he watched Cain stand up to Nox. He had a good point. It was wise not to trust Nox, or anyone really. People were liars.

But Cain had a question for Dane. He shook his head no. "Definitely not. I hadn't even heard of them - although maybe Aria said something, I can't remember - but I haven't heard of them until the Ascendancy talked about them on TV a couple days ago. Wait. Did you not see that? I guess not if you're homeless, you probably don't have an active Wallet account.

You missed a lot." He pulled his own Wallet from a pocket and offered to share the video with Cain.

[Cain Belasis]

Cautiously, Cain accepted the wallet and played the video. He'd seen news that Ascendancy confirmed the existence of magic, and that he wa magical himself. That was the kind of thing that made it around the world instantly, even the depths of the Underground. However he'd never seen the full interview afterwards. Cain didn't have access to anything but fragments of news stories. He couldn't loiter around pubs and electronics stores for too long before the shop keeps came out to sweep the metaphorical rubbish away.

His eyebrows rose as their leader spoke of the Atharim as a terrorist group that was targeting magical humans. He was even more shocked when he got to the end and heard that the man was offering them sanctuary from the organization. This potentially changed things dramatically. Cain had been operating on the assumption that he had to deal with his problems on his own, but so long as Ascendancy was genuinely making them a good faith offer of protection, it seemed he had a powerful ally. If Dane truly wasn't Atharim, then Nox likely was also telling the truth about not being a threat to magicians. And if they were lying, then it wouldn't make sense for them to show him that he had another way out.

It was horribly hypocritical of him to attack them with one breath and then ask for advice with the next, but he wasn't exactly rolling in allies here. "Alright I believe you. Are you two going to do what he said and register with the CCD?"