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Got the Grimoire, Chapter 30
🕑 Added 2025-01-27 08:32:47 +0000 UTCChapter 30
Despite my knee jerk reaction being to deny the incident as being my fault: This one was entirely on me.
As I might have mentioned, it was a productive night, even if we didn’t run into any ABB. I received a bit of a gift from the Grimoire as the night was nearing it’s end, something I thought of as a consolation prize.
Prime Reagent (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic, 200cp): Aethyr is the Prime Reagent, which reacts to all substances and may alter all substances through interaction with them. Aethyr, of course, is Magic, and a Gold Wizard’s experiments with it are never done. Like any other Gold Wizard, your fine control over magic is incredible - you are able to introduce merely the tiniest amounts of Aethyric power to a substance, simply to see if the substance will react consistently to it. What is more, you are able to do so in the manner necessary for experimentation, in precisely the same amount and precisely the same way each and every time. There will surely be other uses for your ability to wield magic so subtly, but you will always find this fine control helpful in the laboratory.
1300cp-200cp= 1100cp
More control and something that would help me improve all the gear of my team as well? Sign me right up.
I was so enamoured with my new power, occasionally summoning small motes of raw Aethyr, that I never noticed our tail. After several hours of patrol and stopping what crime we could, I finally decided to call it. I felt exhausted from patrolling all day with the Protectorate and then that evening with Arachne. If I felt that way, I was sure that she was flagging.
“Let’s get a bite to eat, yeah? My treat,” I offered.
Arachne gave me a tired nod and we made our way to a 24/7 diner. I covered us in an illusion to make us look like a couple of night shift security guards. “Coffee for me,” I ordered once we had seated ourselves in a booth overlooking the street.
“Tea,” Taylor said.
“You got it,” the far too energetic waitress chirped before scampering off to grab what we’d requested.
“Are we in the clear?” Taylor asked.
“We just look like a couple of security guards right now,” I confirmed.
“Good.” She stripped off her mask, rubbing at her eyes while she pulled out a back-up pair of glasses. “I need to make some adjustments to that. Not too comfortable to wear for hours at a time.”
I almost offered to cast a spell on it, but refrained. Couldn’t let her rely on me for everything. “Any ideas on how to do that?”
“I’m thinking of using a different kind of silk for the interior lining. It shouldn’t weaken it too much and if I’m being shot or stabbed in the head, I’m probably in a pretty bad position anyway, one tiny layer of silk won’t change much.”
“Probably not,” I agreed. “How long will that take you?”
“Not too long, I just need to get back home and have my spiders begin their work. They automate when I’m not directly in charge, carrying out my last orders to the best of their abilities,” she explained.
“Quite useful.”
“Yeah, trying to tell my dad why a horde of spiders suddenly appeared in the house would have been awkward, not to mention dangerous for him.” She scowled suddenly. “Not that he’s ever home to begin with.”
“He works a lot?” I asked, tone sympathetic.
“It’s practically all he does, other than just sit on the couch when he’s home,” she said bitterly. “He’s… Things have been tough, ever since Mom died. But it’s like he forgets I even exist sometimes. Like he forgets that I lost her too and now it feels like I-” She cut herself off and shot me an embarrassed look. “Sorry, I shouldn’t complain about my home life to you. Just being out here, being an actual hero is more than enough.”
“It shouldn’t be. You deserve to have a good civilian life too. You ever need to rant about bullies or distant dads, well, I’ve been told by most of my friends that I’m a pretty good listener,” I said with a faint smile.
Our waitress reappeared, but her entire demeanor had shifted. Her face was pale, hands shaking as she set steaming mugs in front of us. “Your drinks. And please… don’t fight him here,” she whispered under her breath to us.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. “Mask, now!” I hissed.
Taylor scrambled even as Oni Lee appeared directly in front of our booth, a pair of pistols trained on us. My eyes shot around the diner, taking in the civilians. How many would get hurt in the time it took to summon my vestments and evacuate the place. How many would die? It wasn’t exactly a bustling evening considering it was the dead of night, but even one was too many in my book.
“My master wishes to speak to you. Do not move and you shall not be harmed,” Lee said with an eerily calm voice. The remaining patrons in the diner looked like they were getting ready to leave, but Lee spoke in that same calm tone, though a note of command and authority had entered his voice. “Stay. You are all guests of the Great Dragon for the evening.” His mask tilted toward me. “Drop the illusion. If you attempt to create any more, then my master shall burn this entire place to the ground.”
I glanced over to where Taylor had successfully gotten her mask back into place and then let the illusion fade.
Lee nodded, placed one handgun back into it’s holster, then pulled out a phone. He spoke in Japanese, then put it away. “You have the word of Lung that so long as you listen to what he has to say and show no hostility, then he shall do the same. You need not die tonight.”
“...Agreed,” I said tensely, motioning for Taylor to call off the swarm that I could already hear beginning to gather.
She didn’t say anything, only nodding brusquely and Lee spoke more into his phone before holstering his remaining pistol. He walked over to one of the nearby tables and took a chair, setting it at the head of our booth. A car pulled up soon after and I got my first look at the Dragon of Kyushu.
He was dressed like I’d expect from a wannabe yakuza. Slacks and a suit jacket, though beneath was bare, exposing the numerous tattoos covering his torso. His metallic draconic mask bared it’s gleaming fangs as he entered the diner and casually made his way over to us. He sat down with an almost leisurely air while Lee loomed threateningly over his right shoulder.
Our waitress came over, hands trembling, but carefully placed a tray bearing a teapot and a trio of cups in front of the ABB’s leader before bowing and backing away. Lung poured himself a cup and inhaled through the front of his mask. It had a small slot, but he made no moves to drink it, only taking in the scent. Idly, he pushed the tray toward the center of the table. I did as he bid and poured Taylor, then myself a cup. It had a familiar color and smell. Green tea. It brought back memories spent with my grandparents, when I’d lived with them for a time. I understood the intent. Sharing a drink meant for relaxation and meditation. A way of declaring his intent peaceful, even if I could almost feel the power vibrating off of his form.
“I am Lung. And you two are but pests,” he growled softly in accented English. “But even vermin can have it’s uses. Especially as bait for larger prey.”
“And what prey would that be?” I asked as I took a tentative sip. It was good, not at all like the bagged tea I was expecting.
“First, I would have your names,” he said. “Ones who have cost me so much money should not remain nameless.” His eyes flicked over to Arachne. “Especially one who has already survived one encounter against me.”
“Kage.”
“Arachne.”
Lung started and I could see surprise in the eyes beneath the mask. “You are Japanese?”
“Half. One quarter Okinawan and one Japanese if you want to get technical.”
“You could have had a place of power within my organization. You still might, should you prove useful and make a wise decision.” There was a definite edge of danger in his voice. He was a man used to getting what he wanted and putting down those that defied him. A cape of Asian ancestry, directly opposing him? Unthinkable. “Regardless, you are both new, yes? Family?”
“Friends,” I answered in reply. “But both recently made parahumans.”
He grunted softly in acknowledgement and continued to occasionally sniff his tea. “Then I shall forgive your transgression, foolish as it was. Two pests that I could crush as I please are not my primary concern, in any case. Purity is another matter.”
“The Nazi cape? Why would a couple of vigilantes work with her?” I said with feigned disinterest.
Lung’s eyes narrowed and he carefully set aside his tea. Perhaps it was my imagination, but it felt like the air temperature rose a degree or two. “Do not lie to me, Kage. I have many eyes throughout the Docks. I know it was you two working with her that attacked one of my distribution centers.” He snorted and gave a small shake of his head. “Truthfully I was already contemplating moving it’s location. And all of the drugs, guns, and girls you took from me there were already an expendable asset. It was meant as a trap for Purity, too tempting of a target to ignore. Lee and I were nearby, ready to ambush her, but with your help, you were in and out before any calls could be made. Clever. But I knew it was a risk.”
“You still aren’t getting to why you want us in connection to Purity. She looks at me like I’m little more than scum and we’ve only worked together the one time in any case. Word on the street is that she’s gone running back to be Kaiser’s lapdog again,” I said with a callous shrug.
“Whether it is as a vigilante or a member of the Empire, Purity is too dangerous of a foe. She’s one of the few powerful enough to harm me significantly in this city. I want you to arrange a meeting with her and inform me of the location. I will not even require your assistance: I shall tear the bitch apart with my own two hands,” Lung said with a snarl.
“And what’s to stop us from just vanishing,” I said musingly. “We’re both new capes. I doubt you know our true faces. We could just,” I waved my hand theatrically. “Disappear.”
That seemed to amuse Lung more than annoy him. “Perhaps if you were like one of the wretched Merchants or one of the Empire, I might be inclined to believe you. But your actions speak to a certain… Moral superiority. Born of genuine belief in the laws of this country or a sense of justice, I care not, but I doubt you would condone the murder of innocents.”
What? “You would threaten civilians over something as trivial as this?”
“No, of course not. I am Lung and this is my territory, the people, mine. But if I were to seek out and fight Purity on my own terms, well…” He gave a shrug of his well muscled shoulders. “Who knows what sort of collateral damage that may cause.” He curled his head to the side until there was an audible pop. “Have you heard what they call me?”
“The Dragon of Kyushu.”
“And do you know how I earned that title? I won’t blame you if you do not, it’s something mostly only known by other parahumans and even then, only in rumor.”
“...You fought Leviathan on your own. Caused untold destruction while you were at it.”
“I was the most powerful parahuman alive in that moment,” Lung boasted, eyes hazing over with an almost… fond reminiscence. “No other cape had fought one of those creatures as I had. Not even the vaunted Triumvirate.” His eyes burrowed into mine. “The Empire is a stain upon this city and I will root them out one way or the other. But far fewer would die if I were to have assistance in this matter.” His eyes were cold for someone whose whole schtick was being a dragon. “Think on that, you who would call yourself a hero.” He stood, carefully adjusting his coat and pulled a wad of cash out of his pocket, carefully counting out a number of Ben Franklin’s and leaving them tucked under the teapot at the center of the table. “I will leave you to think on my words. Lee.” Oni Lee took out and tossed a burner phone in my direction. “You have a week before I go about this with more direct methods. The destruction will be on your head.”
As he turned to leave, I couldn’t help but ask one last thing. “You’ve been content with just ruling your part of the city for so long. What changed?”
Lung considered my question. “Magus. The Protectorate’s new rising star. They claim he fought an Endbringer and drove it away. A lie, for not even I could make Leviathan flee.” He turned a baleful eye upon me and it had gained a slightly golden tinge. “I will prove that I am still the strongest in this city, starting with the elimination of the Empire. Then I shall prove once again that I am Lung and that this city belongs to me.”
He walked out of the diner and back into his car. Lee carefully moved the chair back to it’s original table, gave us a cordial nod and then turned into a pile of ash.
Taylor and I sat there in tense silence for a while before we both enunciated our thoughts in the simplest way possible.
“Fucking hell.”
“Shit.”
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Sunday, March 6, 2011
“... So yeah, not really sure where to go from here,” I finished telling Crystal about our encounter with Lung as we walked down the Boardwalk together.
“Holy shit,” she said with a shake of her head. “I’d heard rumors, but… he really soloed Leviathan?”
“Yeah. Couldn’t kill it, but got closer than any cape ever has. But he could sense that he couldn’t really kill it or even hurt it permanently, so he decided to just kick back in his own little slice of territory and pretend they don’t exist.” Crystal gave me a confused look and I tapped the side of my head. “Oddly specific knowledge, remember?”
“Hm. I’m a little surprised you haven’t gone after him yet. You’re certainly powerful enough.”
“I am,” I agreed. “And if I hit him hard and fast enough, then maybe things would go as simple and easy as that, but… Lung isn’t stupid. Oni Lee would be close by and while he wouldn’t necessarily be a threat to me, he’d be enough of a distraction to allow Lung to hide and ramp up or just outright escape and come at me later. Any full scale fight between the two of us would need to be carefully contained.” I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. “I could probably teleport with him to some part of the Mojave if I had to. I don’t think he’s the same as an Endbringer…” Unless some aspect of his ramping up made him resistant or immune to those kinds of magic. There were too many unknowns to take that kind of risk. Truthfully I was almost ready to just ignore Lung and focus my attention on the Empire. Except they’d been oddly quiet, which really didn’t make me feel better. It felt like they were biding their time, planning something.
I wish I’d listened to those instincts.
“So, nervous about patrolling with some veterans?” Crystal asked, steering my attention with a shameless lack of subtlety. “I know Mom is eager to meet you in an official capacity. And my brother thinks you’re the coolest hero since Eidolon.”
I coughed to hide my embarrassed flush. “Yeah?”
“Oh yeah, he’s been going on about how much he wants to meet the ‘Hopebringer’ and all that.”
“Oh good god, please don’t tell me they’ve started calling me that,” I begged. It was such a fucking cliche of a name.
“Only in a few of the more optimistic pockets of PHO. Most people are still holding their breath to see what happens. The Endbringers have killed too many heroes for most people to be anything except pessimistic.”
“Understandably so,” I said. “Hey, speaking of your parents… they aren’t going to give me crap about the very first time I met them, are they?”
“What, when you dragged me along to fight Coil’s private army before you had your current Triumvirate-tier powers?” Crystal asked teasingly as I began to feel a small amount of panic. “Nah, I think you’ll be fine. They know I wouldn’t go along with any kind of plan that I didn’t agree with. Plus I think they accept that it’s a hazard of being a cape: We just tend to get into fights.”
“That’s something of a relief,” I said.
“Say, speaking of dragging other capes into fights…” She nudged me in the side to get me to turn and then fixed me with a serious look. “You can’t let Arachne into this one. This has escalated way above her pay-grade.”
“You’d be surprised,” I muttered. “She’s a tough one. And she’s fought Lung before.”
“And almost died! She’s just a kid, Mak, she shouldn’t be involved in this.”
I thought very carefully about my next words. “Lung nearly killed her. Made her feel powerless. Weak. Trapped. In many ways, I think it was like her trigger. Arachne needs to see him beaten with her own eyes, I think it’s the only way she’ll get any kind of closure.”
I thought back to the night before. After Lung had left and Taylor had almost had a breakdown. I didn’t want her living like that the rest of her life.
Crystal scowled, but gave a slow nod. “I think I get where you’re coming from… just promise you’ll be careful?”
“Of course. And I wasn’t planning on going this alone exactly.”
“Oh yeah? Anything I can be a part of?”
“Maybe. I gotta talk to the boss about it first.”
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“Hey Colin, do you still have that blood sample you got from Lung? When he almost burned that independent hero to death,” Mak asked with a pleasant smile as he appeared out of thin air.
Colin was deep in tinkering mode and more than a little startled by his coworkers sudden intrusion, but still had enough presence of mind to grunt and gesture towards a cold storage unit in the corner of his lab. “Should be labeled.”
“Thanks!” He said cheerfully, grabbing the vial and vanishing again.
Colin tore his mind free of his fugue just long enough to wonder why Mak needed it, then mentally shrugged and got back to his project. Nanothorns were a pain in the ass to build and worth whatever headache Mak was planning on causing this time around.
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A/N: Sorry for the late posting of this, just had a super busy weekend so I didn't find myself with the usual time to write. I'm also running on like... 5 hours of sleep, so if there's any kind of quality dip, I apologize, I'll go over it later for more technical fixes if needed. Lemme know what you like, what you don't, and if anyone has any good suggestions, I might even implement them or edit what I've already written to include them. Later though, I currently can barely see straight. Hope your weekend was good, now I'ma go pass out before I have to go to work tomorrow :)
