Last Stop

[Nox]

Dane took his wallet from him and took a closer look. He looked like he was clearly looking for something. He took the device back when handed to him moments later. Nox couldn't discern whether or not he actually found the information he was looking for, he wished for Aria's talent. He didn't want it all the time - only when it was important.

Nox nodded when Dane asked if he was one of them. He didn't really want to voice the accusation or agreement. It was an irony really. One of the elite hunters who was one of the hunted. There were a few others with in their ranks, but even that knowledge was limited. Who knew better than the Atharim what revealing yourself could do.

"So. Since you're one of them. Shouldn't you kill yourself?


Nox couldn't help but laugh. It wasn't funny but he laughed anyway. "I suppose that's the theory. But what fun is that."
Nox held up the beer. "I could drink myself to death like my father."
His humor had turned dark. He did not want to be anything like his father. Not even in jest, but here he'd said it plain and clear and the darkness didn't seep it. Nox supposed that was good at least - one step forward.

"I suppose I could die fighting monsters. Walk into some nest and let them have at me. I hear there are chupakabra's back in Mexico City. Though they might be less inclined to kill me and instead turn me into one of them. Wouldn't that be interesting."
Nox made a mental note to explore the topic with Aria. That could be something fucked up.

"But really. I rather value my life as it stands. They can try to kill me. They have to go through Aria first and that's if I even let them close."



Edited by Nox, Jun 27 2016, 03:27 PM.

[Dane Gregory]

He laughed, but Dane didn't understand the humor. By all regards, if an Atharim believed a god should be dead, and was themselves a god, they should die.

Such thoughts were lost to the distraction of discussing monsters. Monsters? He spoke of them like he was describing a hunting safari in Africa. A pack here. A den there. And he wanted to kill them? It seemed highly dangerous for all the wrong reasons.

He was on the verge of tuning his companion out again, until one word pricked his ears. One name. Aria.

Could it be coincidence?
"I once met someone named Aria also. Unusual name."

His eyes narrowed.

[Nox]

Nox sighed and drank the last of his beer and turned from the water to look at his companion raising the sunglasses to rest on top of his head. "I know. That's why I know who you are... now."


There was sadness in his voice. "You met her in a graveyard. You grabbed her arm. The first person to do that since she'd come into her powers. You changed her life in so many ways."
Nox shook his head. "I don't know whether to thank you or kill you."
Nox didn't want to think about what they did together, or the state in which he'd found Aria - hell bent on killing herself. They'd saved each other in the end, but now he sat with the beginning of her downfall contemplating getting drunk so he didn't have to think about it.

Nox turned to the bar and waved for another beer. "I have no intentions of doing anything right now. While I know what you are capable of in more ways than one, you've done nothing to me at the moment or been anything but the gentleman you pretend to be. I'd rather pretend this shit didn't happen for a while. We can play cat and mouse later - figure out which one is better I don't care - but later."


His beer arrived and he opened it without the power. The last thing he wanted was for Dane to think he was threatening him. He didn't want to fight Dane now - probably ever. "Besides if I hurt you Aria would kill me."

[Dane Gregory]

Admittedly, he thought of Aria often. Not so much her specifically, but the circumstances around knowing her. Those images were on his mind nearly minute by minute. Replaying them over and over.

"Why does Aria care what happens to me? I don't care what happens to her. Except I'd be disappointed I suppose if she was dead." That loss was the exact reason he didn't act on the thoughts permeating his mind. Best to redirect his imagination elsewhere, those of his hands circling other throats. His body laying against other cold chests.

"Don't worry though. I won't do anything to determine which of us is better." A sly smile touched his lips as he drank the refreshed mojito. He already knew the answer to that.

"I would like to know who you are exactly. Call it curiosity."

[Nox]

It was going to be difficult to get past the fact that this was the man that made Aria fall. Nox turned back towards the water and stared out at it. "Aria doesn't so much as care about you as she's obsessed with you. First kiss, First touch, well not exactly her first kiss."
Nox sighed wanting to change the topic. And Dane did just that.

Nox didn't like the smile that sat on Dane's face but he grinned anyway. Any chance he got to talk about himself was always a good day. "What exactly do you want to know? What makes me a curiosity?"
Nox let out a small laugh, "Short of the obvious."


Nox grabbed the power just out of reach and it curled around his fingers like a coiled snake. He smiled as he sent another gust of wind through the people on the beach. He stood up. "I can do better than tell you who I am. Let me show you."
If it was a girl sitting next to him he would have offered Dane his hand to pull him along. Instead he hoped the power called to him. "But not here. Someplace with less people to watch. I don't want all my secrets revealed today."


Nox didn't really care if Dane followed or not. He started walking down the beach away from people. There was bound to be some hidden cove somewhere. Though this wasn't exactly the type of company he'd usually take to someplace like that. But the power called to him - he wanted to play. It had been a while since he'd used the power with another like him. And that made Nox feel the stab of grief more as he pulled down the last of the beer he had taken with him.


Edited by Nox, Jun 30 2016, 08:02 AM.

[Dane Gregory]

Obsessed.

The word pricked his skin with pleasure. Aria was obsessed with him. He almost shuddered, as though her icy fingers tickled his ribs at that very moment.

Nox didn't elaborate. He left the bar and steered his way to the beach while the scent of power (and beer) wafted in his wake like a dare.

Dane's mouth split into a wide, happy smile. Of course he followed.

As they searched for somewhere secluded, they didn't chat. Dane considered that this was the sort of lure he had used on his victims many times in the past. Was Nox trying to isolate him in order to attack him? Or did he have other things in mind? If he knew about Aria, he knew Dane's preferences slanted more feminine (or lifeless). It couldn't be that.

So he maintained a sense of excited caution as they found cover about half a mile down the beach.

[Nox]

Nox wished for Aria's power to know if there were any stragglers near by but he supposed it didn't matter. The cat was out of the bag about magic if they saw spectacles upon the sea they'd have so much more to talk about. Though he hoped there were none other than Dane to see he didn't want to be running from the Atharim this soon. He knew it was inevitable in the long run, but it didn't have to happen now - or soon.

They found a secluded alcove away from civilization. Not that there had been much near them at the resort, but this was empty. The sand was hot and and the water was perfectly blue - a perfect paradise.

"What do you know of the power you wield?"
Nox asked idly. It wasn't important, not really. Nox wove three flaming balls in front of him. They hung in a perfect line while he held their weaves. With a second weave Nox tried to erect a wall of sand in front of him. His first attempt fizzled and the weave spluttered in front of him and he frowned. The second attempt was much better. The wall of sand stood blocking their perfect view.

Nox actively held both weaves in front of him and started juggling the three orbs of fire. He threw one fireball at the wall of sand, then the next and finally the last. He watched as the first one splattered against the wall of sand sending sand flying. The second collapsed the wall of sand completely leaving the third to sail completely into the water beyond. Nox watched as steam wafted into the sky where it landed.

He wondered where Dane's inclinations lie with the power. Nox wanted to absorb as much information about their power as possible. And he'd share what he learned but Nox didn't think Dane was much the student type. But they could enjoy toying with the power.

[Dane Gregory]

What did any of them know about this power they shared? Next to nothing Dane guessed. He knew he could manipulate it. He could set little traps of power knotted up that when sprung would collapse in glorious explosions.

He didn't tell Nox of course. "I know enough to make it useful." He watched flatly while Nox hurled fire and wrenched sand. It was showy and the challenge was on for Dane.

He gathered his bearings. He wanted to do something to prove himself yet not give away his best tricks. He stepped into the shade of the tree line stretching branches over the sand and stared at the water, contemplating doing something about the waves. When a weight landed on his shoulder in a great thud.

He leeched to one side with a great yelp, swatting at his arm and hot footing away. The weight fell to the sand and the black line of something with a tail skittered off. The power pent up in him escaped like a broken dam, spewing upward - around - down at the sand - aimed toward the bushes and the hint of where whatever leathery creature that had been.

It all erupted in flames as Dane ran away toward the safety of clear sand and wet surf.

[Nox]

Nox felt the presence as Dane grabbed at the power. He was trusting this man with his life. He knew the danger Dane Gregory posed but that didn't stop the lure of the power with in. Nox hungered to learn what he could. He could have only wished for more time to watch Ascendancy - the first of their kind. Really he should have know that - it was in the Atharim records. They knew who he as - what he was for a great many years. No one really able to kill the man. Men had gotten close - but none stood in same room and could understand the power he wielded.

Nox sighed but was brought out of his thoughts when Dane yelped. Nox spun on his heals to see Dane moving quickly away and something skittering away to hide under a nearby bush.

Nox chuckled as he watched Dane doing his own form of skittering away from the offending thing and the now blazing fire behind him. The creature's dying sounds felt like nails on a chalk board. "Well that was entertaining. What do you call that?"
Nox snickered.

The horrible sounds died down and then off completely and Nox wrapped the burning flames in water, air and earth and put the fire out. He seemed to be making a habit of putting out fires. A pang of sadness washed over Nox as he remembered his sister doing so for many many months while they learned about their powers. It was a long time ago, yet it was only a few years at most. How your perspective changes when you go through pain after pain.

Nox walked over to the pile of burnt bush and the remains of the beastie that had alienated his friend. Nox picked it up by its tail and held it up towards Dane. "This the foul beast that assaulted you?"
Nox idle wondered if the natives ate such creatures - charred or otherwise.

[Dane Gregory]

By the look darkening Dane's face he wanted to curse, but good manners kept him from spouting crass expletives. His nose curled upon examination of the creature Nox held aloft. Tendrils of flame sparked across his imagination, willing the rodent to be transformed to ash and out of his mind forever. But to do so would endanger Nox, and he decided he did not want to kill the man at this point in time. Not enough to act on it anyway.

"I miss Moscow. I never thought I'd say that. Let's get away from the treeline and go back to the sand. Although there are crabs.." He added that last as after thought and examined the sand around himself thoroughly. Perhaps sandals were a poor choice of footwear.

"Vile work yours must be." His tone began to normalize. "Monsters of the deep, creatures of nightmares. Tell me, are you a killer of humans also? How do you decide what is man and what is monster? Surely it's not based on appearances alone? These monsters in human bodies, I'd like to see one if possible."

It might stave off the desire to kill. Redirecting focus onto beings that were universally acceptable to hunt, torture and slay. No more than killing animals. If the rodent wasn't already dead, Dane would have killed it slower and listened to the squeals.