Achronum

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: Midway between Shi'Ar Bar and the Underground table
Skills: N/A

James frowned. Something buzzed in his ears, the sound of… people talking? People screaming? James shook his head, trying to focus on the noise but he couldn't make anything out. It was far away, he could tell, but where exactly it was, he had no idea. Maybe Luna and Max were doing something and it backfired or had consequences they hadn't considered. He grumbled to himself and pushed off the bed, upset that his morning with the love of his life was being ruined by mind fuckery.

It was always mind fuckery.

The house shuddered and shook and James caught himself on a wall as he stumbled. He whipped around to find Casper but the bed was empty. Something heavy filled his chest, dread thick and viscous, and reached into his lungs and crawled up throat, bitter like bile. He could barely breathe as he struggled to scream, to call out, to do anything. A chunk of the ceiling collapsed, taking a chunk of the floor down to the first floor. James clutched his head as he struggled to breath. Where was everyone? What was happening? Why did everything hurt? He stumbled and the building collapsed…

James screamed as he woke, scrambling to his knees and taking deep, heaving breaths. There was ground beneath him, familiar but out of place. There was blood on his hands but from where… His memory was hazy, struggling to piece together the bizarre occurances. How did he get here? Where was here? Who attacked them? It hit him like a ton of bricks. The party, Selene, suddenly conscious in his own body but trapped, fighting…

Casper.

"Casper." James whispered in horror, as he vividly remembered whose blood was on his hands. "Casper?! Casper?!" He spotted his corpse on the ground, unnaturally still. He remembered screaming, clawing, fighting himself to no avail. He remembered how his body lunged, knocking Casper to the ground. He remembered how easy it was to kill him, how he crumpled like paper with just. One. Hit.

James scrambled on hands and knees to Casper's corpse, horrified at what he saw. He felt bile rising in the back of his throat as tears burned his eyes and his breaths grew shorter and shorter as the memories of everything slammed into full force. He couldn't hear anything, couldn't see anything, everything was too much, all of it was too much, too much, too much, too…

He buried his face in Casper's chest and screamed.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: Midway between Shi'Ar Bar and the Underground table
Skills: Reactive Adaptability

James rubbed his forehead where he’d bumped into the door frame coming in. He stood aside, waving off Cayden’s concern as he passed by for his morning run and wished him a good morning.Normally they jogged together but James was in the mood for an easy morning. He’d only gotten up for the bathroom but he had the sudden urge to watch the sunrise. He let the door shut behind him, thinking of leaving the door unlocked but deciding against it. Someone would just have to let Cayden back in once he returned.

The sound of fighting rang from the room they’d transitioned into a training room and he leaned against the door frame just to watch. Sunshine and Magik sparred but it seemed more like flirting, if the playful banter and pulled blows were anything to go by. He caught Sunshine’s eye and quirk a brow with a smile and she just rolled her eyes at him, flipping him the bird while Magik set up for the next demonstration. He made a mental note to give her the talk soon, adding it to his next ending to do-list. His attention moved to Callie and Waves. Usually only armed with a rebar, Waves had gone to Callie for some more formal hand-to-hand combat training and Callie was always more than happy to oblige when someone on the team needed advice or help. He watched for a few more moments, noting a few pieces of equipment that needed some maintenance, before shoving off the door frame and drifting to the dining room and kitchen.

Veil and Harry spoke in low tones in the kitchen, the occasional laugh breaking the siblings’ conversation as Harry prepped breakfast like he usually did. Sapphire was wandering into the dining room with a pile of utensils and the plates they’d managed to swipe on their last supply run and placed it all in a pile in the center of the table for everyone to grab their own stuff. James wished her a good morning and headed back for the stairs, his help not needed there at the moment.

Max and Luna were discussing something that sounded vaguely magical and mindfucking related but it died out quickly in favor as they exchanged greetings on the stairs. The three of them chatted and a strange pang of nostalgia shot through him, quickly waved off in favor of the conversation. It wasn’t anything exciting, just how everyone slept and plans for the day and ideas for what they needed to help stabilize their new headquarters (and no Max, decorative tapestries were not necessary even if they were free), but he felt like he missed it for some strange reason. He was reluctant to end the conversation but he had something to do so he bid his farewell, wished Luna a safe trip, and took the stairs two at a time on his way to his and Casper’s room.

He crossed paths with Jack, who was just closing his door. Jack looked better, better rested ad sure of himself, than he had in recent days. They paused as well, the conversation not flowing as easily as it did with his previous conversation partners but he still made the effort. Jack was important to Casper and that meant he was important to James, even beyond how much he cared for everyone here. But Jack and James both had business to attend to so instead of delving into deeper conversation, they went their separate ways.

He hummed softly as he cracked open their door and slipped into the semi-darkness of the room. Casper was half under the covers, mouth open and drool running out of the corner of his mouth, and hair wild across his face and pillow. Still, he looked like an angel straight out of James' dreams. He let out a breathy, fond noise and gently pushed his boyfriend's hair out of his face, wiped the drool away, and pressed a kiss to his forehead. People said a lot of things about Casper, about his past and his behavior, and he knew some people-cough, Max, cough-didn't see why James was so infatuated with him.

But they didn't really look at Casper. James couldn't deny he had a colorful past and he was erratic and eccentric but none of those were bad things. They made Casper unique and interesting and beautiful, coupled with a heart of absolute gold. James wouldn’t lie and claim he saw past everything. He’d thought the guy flirting with him was cute so he took the chance, one that paid off way better than he expected. They balanced each other well, Casper’s chaotic and boundless energy pushing James to grow and James' steady nature keeping Casper more grounded than he once had been.

He chuckled quietly as Casper babbled some dream nonsense and fidgeted in his sleep. James settled on the bed next to him, soothing his hand up and down Casper’s back. He was going to marry this man one day. He wasn’t sure when or how he’d do it but Casper deserved the stars and the moon and every damn thing James could offer him. It wasn’t much now but James had hope that one day, things would be better. He’d show the world how much he loved the beautiful, loving, crazy man who James had given his whole heart to.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: Midway between Shi'Ar Bar and the Underground table
Skills: Omega Level Healing, Kickboxing

James' knees buckled as the lightning hit him, every nerve on fire as he struggled to get his swimming vision to focus. His hearing was little more than a dull hum in the background and his skin, where he wasn't numb, felt like he'd pressed several hot pokers to it. The wounds started to heal immediately, burns fading into nothing, but soreness radiated through every muscle as he slowly recovered. It'd been a hard hit and it left him weak-he couldn't even move from where he knelt.

Slowly, his hearing keyed back in, his vision settled, but he couldn't move. He studied the scene in front of him with mild confusion. Casper was on ground, Sapphire's spirit and Jack were here, the table had vanished, and the weather was out if control. Fighting could be hear elsewhere and James tried to turn his head but the damage done by the lightning strike was too much for his healing at the moment.

Why was their fighting? The last thing James remembered was Casper sitting in his lap while he chatted with Selene. Max, Veil, and Callie were coming back with drinks but after that it was all hazy. Shit, did someone slip then some weird alien alcohol that didn't go well with human physiology? He could see someone pulling a horrible prank like that and as soon as he recovered, he was going to have a stern talking to with whoever thought drugging him was a fun prank idea.

Then James stood.

Normally, this would be a good thing, a great thing even. However, James was not trying to stand and yet here he was, ignoring the screaming muscle pain in favor of scowling at the blue apparition. His gaze dropped down to where Casper lay, clearly terrified and hurt, and James panicked as he tried to move, to speak, to do anything. Nothing happened. No one responded. James realized whatever was happening, he was made a prisoner in his own body. Someone else-

Fucking Selene. The hazy memories came back slowly, the fog parting to reveal Slene's performance and his last glance up at the moon. If he got out of this, he was chopping her to pieces, separating them, and fuckong burying or sinking them or whatever other bullshit immortals needed to be dealt with.

"Maybe if you were more than a worn out rubber band, you'd realize I want him alive a little longer. No wonder your daughter barely tolerates you. I'd hate sharing blood with you too." James heard himself say to Jack before turning to Sapphire. "And while I'm sure you're just dying to remind everyone how much of a bitch you are, save it. You've served your purpose just showing up. James tried to curse out Selene, beg with himself, scream out for help but it didn't matter what he did. He caught the dragon as the not-him looked up at Max's creation, terrifying in its majesty and danger, but the recognition was far away. James was a prisoner in his own body, one that wanted to kill everyone he loved, and he couldn't do shit about it.

As miserable as James was, it seemed the enchantment controlling him didn't know or didn't care about how James felt. Instead, he was more concerned with the tight, itchy feeling skittering across his skin, overshadowing the quickly fading soreness. It felt uncomfortably tight and for a moment, James could have sworn his skin would split.

Then it did and internally, James was horrified and disgusted. Not-him couldn't move fast enough, the dry, tight, itchy feeling maddening as he tore at his face, rolling layer after layer of skin down his cheeks and neck and shoulders. He tore it out in patches from under his clothes, through the holes left by the lightning strike, with the faintest glimmer of ooze on the freshh, new skin beneath. Both James and not-James needed a moment to recover after that but it wasn't long before the enchantment overrode his needs and drove him to bloodlust again.

James screamed and railed as his body went for Casper again, vulnerable and defenseless. It was obvious he didn't want to kill him-after all, an unlimited supply of mutant souls seemed like the greatest gift of all from the Goddess-but the shaky, unsettling aftermath left James's control lacking and what was meant to be a stunning blow turned into a crushed skull. James watched in horror as the blood of his beloved dripped off his fingers.

"Not what I wanted but it isn't every day you she'd your skin, I suppose." James heard himself say followed by a shrug. The voice was distant and tears pricked at his body's eyes as he wept, his devastation equal parts fury and sorrow. When he broke free of this shit, Selene wouldn't get the chance to die. He'd torture her for all eternity before he was satisfied. "At least, he can rejoice in his contriubution to the Goddess. We finally found something his pathetic ass was good for."

The Shattering of Aegis

The Soft Haven Bounty House - First floor

_{14th of the Full Autumn Moon, 1698 P.A.
Noon - Clear Skies}

_{@Hero@Trainerblue192@Obscene Symphony@Scribe of Thoth@McMolly}

“Don’t worry. Mr. Liadon will vouch for you.” Cerric laughed, ruffling his hand through Ermes’ hair. He paused, blinked at his hand in Ermes’ hair, and then doubled down, ruffling with both hands. “It’s so soft! Honestly, I was expecting my hand to just pass through but it’s just so soft!”

“Yes, Mr. Liadon will be enough to vouch for you.” Aleka continued, unbothered by Cerric’s display of child-like wonder at Ermes’ abnormality. “If you have concerns about Mr. Liadon’s honestly, then I will maintain the token already negotiated. Either way, I am confident that if you fail, you’ll likely flee as one of the area’s most influential people will have a nasty grudge against you.” As he spoke, Aleka continued to write in the new tome, adding names beneath the job record as well as the promised earnings so that upon completion.

“While you are in town, I would also recommend you consider what you would like to happen to your belongings should you be accepted and die. Standard policy states that if we recover your belongings, they are property of the House unless otherwise stated so please submit letters of intent or a will and we will follow them in the event of your death.” Aleka continued, still scribbling in his book. “We will not contact anyone unless that is noted as well. If you need assistance writing, please do not hesitate to ask after your acceptance.”

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: Shi’Ar Bartender Setup -> Mutant Underground Table
Skills: Kickboxing

He was glad he followed that nagging voice that had since gone silent. Immediately, Veil and Spark Plug's identity snapped together in his mind and he didn't even flinch as Veil forced a transformation on him. "Thanks." James tore the sweater off and tossed it on the ground carelessly as his skin finished changing. He smirked at the way the metal flexed as he closed his fist. Callie's storm certainly added an exciting element to the mix and with his new form, he should be able to harness that power directly and fix himself up while leaving his victims paralyzed. He waved farewell to Veil and Spark Plug, heading back in the direction he came.

As he headed back the way he came, following after Moneta, he recognized one of the people from the table on the way. A lanky man in a pink dress was running his way. It shouldn't take too long to break him, a few punches from his metal hands enough to crack his skull and break his chest probably. But a flash of lightning and a crack of thunder gave him a better idea. It'd be too easy just to kill him. Why couldn't he please the Goddess and have some fun with her prey?

James wore a manic grin as he faked a punch and instead ducked behind the man, getting him in a choke hold. James held his arm up to grab the lightning but the bastard was slipper than he thought, scooting out of his grip as a bolt of lightning flew wide and slammed into the ground nearby.

"It's fun when you struggle. Makes it more satisfying when I finally tear out your throat!" James cackled as he lunged.

roll

1 Kickboxing roll to hit Casper

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

---

Clarissa’s confidence was never a charade and she was quickly proved correct as the Professors’ experience brought a shield up against a barrage that would have caught the rest of them unaware and unprepared. She moved past the moment―no need to dwell on a situation dealt with―and she eyed their enemies critically as Professor Malathice cleared the fog momentarily. It wasn’t a pretty sight, the enemy neatly tucked out of range of most of their forces, but Clarissa wouldn’t dwell on the sharp disadvantage they found themselves at. There were still villagers who needed help and any wavering of their conviction could spell their deaths.

"The Goddess has placed us here together, Kellen. Keep your faith in us as you would her, and we will not fail you." Clarissa offered Kellen before returning to consider their situation.

The mages and pegusi were firmly out of her magic’s reach at the moment so they were deprioritized, a threat to keep in mind and be ready to react to but nothing more, and instead focused on the foot soldiers taking shots at them from the frontlines. Kayden moved first and, despite her fears, quickly dispatched one without overextending himself. She was glad to see he wasn't foolhardy enough to charge off into the fog; hopefully, that would translate into a visible battlefield.

Albrecht stepped forward to deal with the next enemy and Clarissa kept her healing runes in the forefront of her mind. However, it seemed unnecessary as the newcomer handled his opponent with a skill and experience that Clarissa found herself admiring. Perhaps he'd been a willing sparring partner, though he clearly outclassed her in skill. A thought for another time when magic wasn't flying at their archers and they weren't fighting halfway to blind.

Clarissa cast around for their unit, and realized quickly they were down someone. A dull recognition of him saying something and then slipping away flashed in front of her eyes and she swore under her breath. Of all the people she was concerned about, he was as low on the list as she could imagine. How dare this excuse of a man complain about being here and then wander off to disappear or die while they scrambled to keep themselves in position and protected? Goddess help him. Ruldoph was getting a stern lecture when she got her hands on him.

"Does anyone have eyes on Rudolph?" She asked, straining to see into the mist but she couldn't find him with just a quick scan. She couldn't afford anything more with the pressing danger of swords at their throats and she turned to face the nearest silhouette in the fog, the frustration at their missing mage redirected towards a more convenient target.

"Repent your ways in the name of the Goddess. There is still hope for your soul. Lower your blade and stand aside. Allow us to save those you've captured and put in harm's way, offer yourself to judgement, and you may find mercy at the Goddess's feet." Clarissa demanded, the runes of Nosferatu glowing golden in front of her. "Or stand your ground so I may render judgement on your flesh and send your blackened soul to burn."

She took the bandits silence as answer enough and sent her spell flying in a blaze of holy indignation. They stumbled as her spell burst up, the flash of pain pulling a yelp from them, but she clicked her tongue in irritation and snatched the lingering magic in the air, weaving it into another pulse, and sent him flying back into the fog.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: Mutant Underground Table -> Shi’Ar Bartender Setup
Skills: N/A

His concerns seeped away as Selene put on an amazing performance, unbothered as the world seemed to slip away with them. The weight of Casper on his lap, the sound of the others at the table, the rest of the mutants here celebrating and mourning in equal measure― none of it mattered except the woman singing on stage. This would normally alarm him but the feeling was quelled beneath a heavy blanket of apathy and when Selene’s performance ended…

James jolted back to awareness as the world spun before his eyes. He was staring at the sky, absolute pandemonium around him, and he frankly had no idea how he’d gotten there. The dull pain along his back suggested he’d been shoved but by who he didn’t know. There was the faint sense of pressure on his lips, the fading warmth of a body lingering still on his legs, and the shadow of concern and fear that vanished in the face of a more pressing issue: James had no idea where he was. This wasn’t where he was a minute ago. He couldn’t exactly remember where that was and in fact he couldn’t seem to recall much at the moment, but he did recall something important: Everyone here had to die.

James took a step towards a strange mushroom table where a group of strangers were arming themselves. He paused as he prepared to lunge for them. Something in the back of his head was bothering him, some voice begging him to stop. James clicked his tongue at it and shook it off, taking another step before the voice came back, telling him about allies. He remembered there were friendly people nearby, he wasn’t alone in this. It made sense, the voice in the back of his head reasoned. James wasn’t meant to take on a large group of enemies. His strengths lay in his resistance, stamina, and support. He should find them so he would be more effective, the voice reasoned.

James struggled to make a decision, eyeing the strangers in front of him. Now that he was considering it, James wanted nothing more than to tear them all to bits, fling their organs around like rags dolls, and gouge out their eyes with his fingers. It took everything he had to bring himself to heel. The voice, trick or not, was right. Allies would make it far easier to slaughter them all. James turned and ignored the table for now, heading off for the drinking area where the voice whispered his allies were, memorizing the faces of everyone around the table.

He’d make a game of killing them.

Held roll

Reactive Adaptation if attacked

The Shattering of Aegis

The Soft Haven Bounty House - First floor

_{14th of the Full Autumn Moon, 1698 P.A.
Late morning - Cloudy Skies}

_{@Hero@Trainerblue192@Obscene Symphony@Scribe of Thoth@McMolly}

Vivian had watched the cloak exchange impassively, the faintest downward tick at the corner of her mouth revealing what she thought of the situation, but otherwise dutifully guided him upstairs where the lord of the house waited.

Once the pair disappeared upstairs, Aleka continued back to his desk and pulled out another heavy book. A shiny, purple cloth bookmark kept a page and Aleka turned to the page, his finger gliding down the page as he reviewed the contents. “For those of you pursuing mercenary work, there is a job listing that would prove an excellent opportunity to evaluate your skills. Cerric, the Buckman escort is tomorrow. At the price Mr. Buckman paid, I was going to send Ms. Krystal but I was unaware of Ms. Silventras’s plans for her. Are you available to evaluate?”

Cerric rubbed his chin. “A ten day round trip? I don’t like it but I suppose I’ll have to. Which means…” He clapped his hands together and beamed at the group. “You all get the pleasure of getting to know me, and I you, even more intimately. Nothing like traveling through the dirt and dark to bring strangers closer together!” Aleka ignored that comment and continued to address everyone.

“Very well. Dorn Buckman owns the wealthiest Red Fern farm in the greater Soft Haven area and takes great pride in personally delivering his product. How health has been declining lately and while he is being treated, he is on bed rest for the foreseeable future. His daughter will be going in his stead and just past 16 summers, he is concerned. A number of aggressive animal attacks have been reported over the past few weeks and although the Duke’s men have yet to find anything concrete, people are still being injured in broad daylight.” Aleka explained. “The job is simply to escort their wagons through the woods until they can join the large caravan coming from further east on the way to Wilree. His daughter, Esvelee Buckman, will be setting out tomorrow at first light from Soft Haven’s north gate. We need to keep her and the three additional employees safe until they reach the caravan with their product intact.”

“And if you are all as excellent as I think you are, you’ll earn a lovely 3 silver right off the bat. Mr. Buckman’s concern translated into a pretty piece for our coffers and we passed those profits right onto our mercenaries.” Cerric chimed it. “Of course, if I have to do all the work and save the job single handedly, then you make nothing and we run you out of town!”

Aleka stared at Cerric for several long moments, breaking the silence with a sigh. “We will not run you out of town but you will not be employed, Cerric is correct on that much. Once the job is completed and you return, we will discuss your performance and your status with the Guild. It is five days to the main road and five days back so please prepare for a ten day journey. If you have any additional questions, I am available for the rest of the day as well.”

---

The Soft Haven Bounty House - Third Floor

_{14th of the Full Autumn Moon, 1698 P.A.
Late morning - Cloudy Skies}

_{@Obscene Symphony}

Vivian led Kyreth up the stairs, not acknowledging his question. The stairs split the house in half, the left side of the second floor a series of eight doors and the right side a large open area with tables and chairs scattered about in front of a long bar that held a number of glasses and bottles behind it. A few people were scattered about and a dwarven man in the same colors as Vivian went about the tables, delivering drinks and pastries. Even from the staircase, the windows offered a pleasant view of the gardens below, the waters, and forest beyond.

The third floor was far more subdued, a few pieces of art depicting strange symbols and unusual looking people hung on the walls. The left only had two doors, one at each end of the hall, and the right had three doors. Each door had a name carved into them: Aeowyn Silventria, Cerric Liadon, and Lord Malcer Mystralath. Vivian paused at the top of the stairs and finally turned to look at Kyreth. “Upon entering my Lord’s chamber, you will keep your mouth shut, your hands firmly in your pockets, and your eyes fixed on your feet unless ordered otherwise. The fact that the Lord is calling a Tainted to his private office is surprising enough; we don’t need your kind’s sticky fingers making a mess of things. And understand if the Lord suggests that you offered even the tiniest hint of disrespect, I will have you dragged down to the lake and tossed in so Mr. Liadon’s pet can have its way with you.” Vivian threatened coldly, clearly displeased with this, but knocked on the door anyway in a specific fashion and opened the office for Kyreth to enter.

Lord Mystralath’s office was adorned with dark reds and purples, gold accents catching in the light. A long red rug with black and gold wove throughout paved a path to the desk on the other end, flanked by three bookshelves on each side. Although a window overlooked the property, curtains were drawn and instead the room was illuminated by a number of globes mounted on the walls. Like the ones of the bridge, there didn’t seem to be any way to light the wicks inside them and yet fire burned in them, smokeless. A heavy safe took up the space left of the desk and on the other was a drink cart, adorned with a number of crystal and glass bottles and cups. Comparatively, the desk itself was modest, just large enough to work on with a reasonable amount of storage space. Aleka’s book sat open.

More importantly, Lord Mystralath sat behind the desk watching the door intently. Clothes of vibrant blue and green covered him from head to toe, various pieces of silver jewelry set with sapphires pinning it all in place. A feather protruded from his left temple and his hands were encased in soft leather gloves. His face was covered in a white porcelain mask with the mouth twisted up in a soft smile. With every miniscule movement, cloth whispered and metal clinked in the otherwise silent chamber.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: The Carousel
Skills: N/A

While Jack’s response left him wondering what answers he’d been looking for, the revelation of his death cleared that up real quick. The man had died and not a single one of them had noticed. Although, how could they? James had been half mad with developing his abilities, Sunshine was doing her best to find something else to focus on… it hadn’t been much of a stretch to think Jack was just processing everyone’s comatose state, wondering if they’d wake up and how long they’d be waiting. James never would have thought he was dealing with something even heavier.

“Shit man, that sucks. I’m sorry you went through it but I’m glad you’re still here at least.” James offered after Casper. Jack seems to feel better about it after the journey he took to find his answers but Casper was probably going to do that thing where he buried his feelings under whatever distraction he could get his hands on.

The hair on the back of his neck stood up at Selene's, and then Reeva's, announcement. He didn't trust Selene as far as he could throw her and all this talk about final nights, blood and moons, and now a performance of a Sandersons sisters song made him very nervous. He glanced up, checking to see if the moon was out, and hoped she didn't considered them enemies.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

---

Location: The Carousel
Skills: N/A

How interesting.

James eyed Jack for a moment after his interaction with Selene. This was probably the most social James had seen him since he’d awoken from the cryostasis and with Selene of all people. James had tried to connect with him back when he’d first stumbled out, when it was just the three members of the MU awake, but he’d been closed off and distant as he shouldered whatever demons hounded him. All of them had their issues and unfortunately, it’d just pushed them further apart when they should have been supporting each other. However, Jack was a little more like his old self in this moment and normally, he’d be happy for Jack that he’d found something that help but when that help is Selene, it’s a whole different story.

“When did you and Selene become so friendly? You’re a hard man to find most days.” James asked Jack, desperate for a distraction from current conversation. Casper’s adorable waffle related antics aside, the conversation at the table made him regret requesting water and not something that would black out everything that just assaulted his ears. Honestly, Selene mostly just annoyed him with her easy dismissals of anything that required half a drop of empathy but hearing her talk like this made him want to slam his forehead into the table as hard as possible. Maybe a concussion would make dealing with her easier.