Achronum

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: Jack and Casper (and James)’s room
Skills: N/A

---

---

James watched with fond exasperation as Casper rolled off the bed and onto the floor with a heavy thud, the concern washed away when he popped up demanding to be hailed as Caesar. James was too busy chuckling to stop him from popping open the door but honestly, what did they expect pushing him out of bed before he was ready? James definitely did not take a moment to admire his boyfriend shirtless despite Veil mentioning his lack of clothes. He definitely and immediately went to convince Casper to shut the door and put real clothes on but he may have paused for Waverly to calm down. His irritation at her for bothering them on an easy morning was gone as he watched her try and calm herself.

James frowned at the idea of Jack chloroforming anyone really. Maybe if he was on a job if he had to but one of his… Oh fuck. What if the M-pox hallucinations were doing something to him? Maybe made him think Sunshine was in danger or something. James wasn’t really sure if the M-pox could do that but considering it was just discovered over the past week and a half or so, it could turn into anything. Of course, the real concern here wasn’t what Jack was going to do with Sunshine but rather what Sunshine was going to do to Jack. Their relationship was mending but Sunshine’s default processing emotion was anger and it very quickly turned into violence. James wasn’t sure how getting another illness on top of m-pox would affect Jack’s recovery.

“Babes, wanna get some clothes on and then eat with me? See if we can get you a little more energy after yesterday.” James said, pulling his boyfriend away from the door and pushing him towards his stuff. “Give us a moment and we’ll be right out.” He said to everyone as he shut the door and turned his attention on Casper, stepping away from the door and speaking softly. “Hey, can Ben confirm or deny any of that? I just want to make sure she didn’t pick up m-pox and it was some hallucination or something. And please, no channeling. I don’t think I can handle you on the brink of death twice in two days.”

Of Blood and Magic

“I serve the Princess. Turn around and complete your exam.” Was all the man said as he put himself between the grove and the pair. His stoic expression didn’t change the entire time but he stared unwavering at Lilie the entire time he spoke.

Interacting with: @Hero @Bert Macklin

Deleted

Khaemtir stood quietly for a moment after everyone left. It was a struggle to process but it seemed… he’d been left behind on this one. It was an unusual position for him. Intentionally or not, Khaemtir wasn’t blind to the fact that his energy usually swept people up in his stride and struggled to match pace with him. Other than with his family, he couldn’t think of a recent time where he hadn’t stayed in the center of the conversation, easily filling in awkward silences and unintentional pauses like it was his job, and it was jarring to be on the other end of the situation. An unwelcome sinking feeling filled his chest and he couldn’t stop the scowl that crossed his face. He hadn’t even had a moment to ask about the magic. That was probably the most disappointing part of this whole thing.

‘Oh yes. Keep your silence, she said. It’ll be fine, she said.’ Khaemtir shot mockingly at his tutelary along with his petulant glare.

‘It was not my intention to upset you, little Khaem. I apologize for my poor judgement on the matter.’ Udjebten sent back soothingly. ‘We’ve learned a valuable lesson from this; I’ll be sure to keep it in mind as we move on.’ Khaemtir clicked his tongue disapprovingly, a habit he’d unconsciously picked up from his mother, and carded a hand through his hair. He took a deep breath, forced himself to relax a little, and his smile returned. Not quite as bright and easy as before, the uncomfortable feeling clawing at his throat ensuring that, but much better than a scowl nonetheless. He still had fun planned later today after all so his mood brightened considerably.

“Well, we should be off. We have to find Radaam before he slips out of my clutches!” Khaemtir beamed, heading off in the direction his fellow Novitate ran off in.

“I expect you to play nicely with him, little Khae.” Udjebten said sternly as she fell in stride with him. Khaemtir laughed at that.

“When don’t I?”

Deleted

@Dead Cruiser I added Khaem's to his CS! I added Aura as a section at the bottom of it.

Of Blood and Magic

_{Time: 3:36 am - The Forest}

Lilie/Ben

The cat turned tiger loped off into the forest, leading the pair through dense undergrowth. The tiger flowed through the spaces and openings with ease. Following it would result in more than a few scratches. Whatever it was looking for seemed deeper still and it pushed on after a few stops as it sniffed and pawed at the ground.

The cat didn’t slow down until it reached a grove of trees that were evenly spaced apart. No light penetrated their boughs but the way through them was crystal clear. It was faint but in the center, a small, dilapidated hut rested in the middle. The tiger approached the grove cautiously, pausing after every step to sniff the air and would step carefully after doing so. The whispers grew louder and the tiger hesitated for a moment before…

A crack of thunder, a flash of light, and the cat was gone in a burst of multicolored light. A man wearing a simple black robe under a heavy leather belt and a breastplate stared at the pair blankly. Lightning danced across his fingers and the staff that laid on the ground where the tiger once stood turned into electricity and arc’d back to him, turning into its normal shape once more.

“Turn back now or forfeit your grade.” The man demanded.

Maddie/Amaris

“The colors make sense which means if we agree that the Sinnenodel is the enemy, that would make her the blue chip.” She paced the blue chip on Lady Sinnenodel’s face. She considered the rest of it. She still couldn’t connect the pieces of the first part so instead she figured she’d focus on the last part.

“No longer bound by blade and blood… Physical restraints and a sense of duty? Threats and obligation?” Maddie thought out loud. “While the daughter’s brood turns her kin to ash… Normally I’d hesitate to consider vampires without a direct biological link but the fact that they say brood rather than offspring makes me think it may be related to a turned vampire rather than a pure one. And of all the faces on this table that leaves us with the Princess and the four nobles and the only one I know that is a mother figure of sorts is Princess Ryner. But she’s known for being nonviolent.” Maddie frowned. “And if it was her well… the daughter in the first line would be the Queen but her face isn’t on here.”

---

---

_{Time: 4:49 am - Study Room 6}

Everyone went quiet at the admission. The group eyed him with a mix of surprise, suspicion, and fear on Hilda’s part. After a few awkward moments, Lilith cleared her throat loudly and stared at everyone with reproach. “Well shit. You’re signing up for a whole fuck ton of trouble aren’t you, Firefly?” Diego laughed and the moment passed, tension dissolving away like it hadn’t been there.

“Language.” Lilith muttered, Diego rolling his eyes and laughing again.

“Yeah no kidding. They’re kind of the terrors of the school.” Alex added, putting down the instrument and leaning forward. “I mean the things they can do are pretty cool but starting is rough. What made you decide Mental, if you don’t mind me asking.”

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: Jack and Casper (and James)’s room
Skills: N/A

---

---

Despite the nightmare of yesterday, James slept like a rock. He’d barely had enough time to curl around Casper before he passed out into a blissfully empty sleep. No dreams, no nightmares, just a long comfortable silence while he spent the night with his boyfriend in his arms. He woke to Casper cuddling up behind him and his body heat seeping into his back pleasantly. James normally woke up early to run and work out before everyone got moving but he thought it was only fair that he slept in. He yawned, pressing back into Casper a little as he stretched and took the opportunity to tangle their legs together a little more. Honestly, all he wanted to do was soak in Casper’s presence and refuse to acknowledge the day but if Casper was hungry, James could consider getting up. He had thrown up a lot the previous day.

“If we have waffles, yeah.” James agreed, sleep making Casper’s conversation with Ben slip in one ear and out the other. He protested with a tired grumble when Casper threw his pillow, rolling around in Casper’s arms so they were facing and giving him a sleepy smile before kissing him. Now that he was waking up, James was very interested in showing Casper exactly how happy he was that he was back in his body and alive before breakfast but of course something had to bother them.

He shot up when Waverly banged open the door and started shrieking about Jack, irritation and concern bubbling in him in equal measure as he glanced over at Jack’s empty bed. The last vestiges of sleep disappeared and, taking a page out of Casper’s book, tossed his own pillow at the door. “He’s not fucking here so shut the god damned door!” James snapped, the combination of the interruption of his fantastic morning and the lack of coffee making him grumpy. He looked over and his boyfriend and slumped onto his chest.

“We should probably be responsible adults and figure out why Waverly wants your brother’s head on a spike.” James grumbled, taking a few more moments to cuddle with him before pushing himself out of bed to get changed. He stretched and yawned again once he was on his feet, pulling on a fresh change of clothes. James looked at Casper all cute and cozy in bed and smiled. “Actually, why don’t you stay in bed and I can bring you some food? You’ve got to feel rough still after yesterday.”

Deleted

Well, that was far easier than Khaemtir thought it would be. He was certain Kho would have made him work a little more for it but it seemed he misjudged him. It wasn’t for him to judge and he’d take the easy route every time. “Seriously? It’s like the stars demanded our friendship! Of course we’ll come over. Annoying siblings is my specialty. Just let me know if there is anything else we can do to add to the fun.” Khaemtir babbled immediately, almost putting an arm around Kho―they were friends now so he could be affectionate, right? Probably not but where’s the fun in that?―when a familiar voice cut through his thoughts.

‘Stand up straight and still your tongue, little Khae. You have company.” Udjebten’s voice was sharp and direct in his mind as the tone drove him to attention reflexively. His mother had him on a string, even through his tutelary.

‘Who is important enough that you’re...oh. Khaemtir’s brain shut up as soon as the man―Magister Khalopis, Udjebten supplied silently when she realized he was far more focused on the shimmering heat than his introduction―approached them. He was a little dazed at the display of magic. It was probably little more than an evening trick than serious magic to him but Khaemtir couldn’t help but admire it. No wonder the little girl was dazzled by the Sorcerer; he was and he must have been about twice her age. Khaemtir wanted to ask so badly and his mouth would have taken off again as he looked on in child-like wonder, vibrarity with excitement, when his killjoy of a tutelary stomped hard on his toes.

‘You are a vile, awful creature.’ Khaemtir grumbled petulantly to Udjebten.

‘Wait your turn, little Khaem. You can pester the Magister once he’s made an introduction.’ Udjebten responded with a stern look from all three eyes.

_{Interacting with: @Scribe of Thoth}

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: Mutant Underground: Outside Room 6
Skills: N/A

---

---

“Oh, I’m sorry! I must have misunderstood. Use this room as long as you want; no one will bother you if you just need to be alone.” James reassured her, leaving to give her whatever privacy she was looking for. He wasn’t really worried about her taking anything from there. It wasn’t like it would be difficult to track her down if she did. James wondered if she was a new addition to the group or just someone they were moving through. He was sure Veil would introduce everyone once everything settled down so he’d just have to wait. They had to help this doctor find a cure, people still needed patching up, and Casper was eerily unresponsive.

“Thanks for this. I have a feeling everyone’s going to need a touch up today.” James thanked Echo as he picked up the stuff once the door shut behind him. He cracked open the caffeine and took a long swig. “Everyone pulled the short stick, huh? What happened on your end?” James asked. He still wasn’t sure how to feel about Echo. He was definitely flashier than most of them and it wasn’t a type of person he had a lot of interaction with but Echo was nice in his own way, even if half the things he said made James feel like he was failing to live up to some weird standard Echo had in his head. James would admit. The mutant underground’s coffee quality had definitely improved with him and honestly, that was enough to put him on the good list in James book.

But James sighed as he considered where he’d find his friend. It seemed both groups had been through hell and back―a steadily growing occurrence, James noted―and Cayden was normally the first to volunteer his services in these times. He wasn’t in medical and he didn’t hear him downstairs so maybe, for once, someone was putting their mental health first and foremost. Cayden often joined him up top when he was stargazing to settle his head or just forget the world was a fucking mess, Cayden’s explanations more often than not trailing into a grand retelling of stories he’d grown up with, so maybe he was seeking solace somewhere there. James knew Sunshine’s habit of seeking solace outside had rubbed off on him; maybe Cayden needed a second to catch his breath.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: Mutant Underground: Medical -> Room 6
Skills: Accelerated Healing Factor

---

---

“Thanks, I think? I don’t know what Kid Flash looks like.” James admitted. He ignored most of Sapphire’s remarks, easily tuning out her abrasive commentary that was borderline emotional abuse, but frowned when she mentioned she got hit by a car. If it had been anyone but Sapphire, he would have expected them to lead with that since he could make that pain go away within seconds but the opportunity for theatrics always took priority with her. “I’m glad you’re doing well enough to move around then but if you’re in any pain, just sit down and let me know and I’ll take the edge off at least.” James offered just as she went to set Waverly's arm, rushing over immediately.

“Okay, I’ve got you. Let’s get you fixed up.” James spoke softly, gently putting his hands on her other arm and closing his eyes. As awful as bullet wounds were, they were actually pretty easy to heal. Most of the time they were small and compact. A broke arm on the other hand was a hell of a workout. James felt himself sync up with her, concentrating as he pushed the bone and muscle to mend. It was slow going. Much slower than he’d like but at least the pain would ebb away quick enough. If it was a simpler injury, he would have been satisfied with that but a broken arm took forever to heal in normal people and they never seemed to have the luxury of time here.

So he pushed it every time it seemed like it was slowing down. Bringing someone back from the brink of death, or trying in Magick’s case, made him feel like he’d run a marathon twice over without a break but he refused to let up. He sighed when he finally stepped back and double checked to make sure her arm was actually whole again. “Looks like it’s all set. Let me know if you still hurt at all.” James instructed wearily, giving her a smile and a thumbs up before his attention once again snapping away to Jack.

“You think so? He tried to use his powers right when we got back. He mentioned a headache before that so I thought it was like when I pass out when I overuse my healing.” James said, coming over next to Jack and Casper. James was really hoping that was what it was because if it had to do with spirits, Casper was their only ghost whisperer. But if anyone would know that something was off about Casper, it was Jack so now James was really worried. “Shit, I didn’t think of that. I hope not because the only two people I can think of to help are all wrapped up in their own personal hell. Where the fuck is that Asgardian witch when you need her?” James sighed, rubbing at his temples.

“You said someone was waiting in my room?” James asked Negasonic after a second. James didn’t know who this Barbie was but if they were waiting in his room specifically, they must need some sort of top off. Maybe he’d run into Cayden along the way and he could help make sure Casper was okay. “I’ll go check on them then. Jack, I’ll see if Cayden can help with this at all. I’m not really sure the limit to his abilities but better than nothing.” James said, jogging lightly out of medical. He rubbed Luna’s back sympathetically and continued on. He’d get her into bed soon too but Jack had hi focused on Casper 100% now. James opened the door to his and Cayden’s room, looking around for his roommate but tilting his head curiously when he found someone entirely new.

“Hey there, I’m James. Negasoic mentioned you were waiting in here.” James introduced himself, stepping into the room and letting the door shut behind him. Clearly if she needed something and didn’t want to come to medical, she wanted privacy so he could give her that. “Did you have an injury I needed to fix up or were you waiting for Cayden?”

Deleted

“I don’t doubt you’re correct Kho but curiosity killed the cat and all that.” Khaemtir replied, laughing at the adorable way Novitiate Bekenamun established his comfort zone immediately. “I’ll likely ask anyways. I’m quite interested in the minds of our Masters and understanding their decision making would give us a brief glimpse into that, don’t you think? And seeing the mind of a Master may help us adjust to handle something none of us know anything about yet!” Khaemtir explained excitedly. He couldn’t wait to delve into the pyramids and finally see what he’d been preparing for basically their entire schooling at this point. It was a little terrifying, trudging into something that they’d only ever heard the faintest whisper about, but it was also equally exciting.

But he wasn’t going to waste time thinking about what was set in stone when he had fun to have!

“Lucky for you, fortune favors the bold Kho. Master Dagon called Radaam, Ishara, and me to the Cult of the Crows. We may have just met a bit ago but his directness and honesty is so charming, I couldn’t help but befriend him! We all agreed that a friendship would benefit our studies anyways so it worked out perfectly! We wouldn’t want our favorite prodigy to feel left out after all.” Khaemtir beamed, his excitement bubbling up again. “So I’ve opened my doors to both of them after the festivities end barring we disappear with our Master immediately, of course! I’m just not sure what to expect.” He snapped and turned to Radaam.

“Speaking of which, we must have our families meet today even if something forces us to reschedule. Make sure you remind me after this.” Khaemtir insisted. “It’ll be a headache otherwise. Our families will have to have dinner and then an evening of entertainment before you’d be permitted in alone. It would take forever to get the family together again.” Side note taken care of, he turned back to Kho.

“I hope we’ll be friends moving forward as well! I can only imagine our studies will be far more pleasant with others to learn with!”

_{Interacting with: @Obscene Symphony @Scribe of Thoth}