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Jan 13, 2021 22:20
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Chosen 662 words You have been chosen for a raffle! I stop reading and move the email in the spam folder. It's late in the evening and I have no patience for this garbage right now. Soon, I should get the confirmation that we've signed the contracts and I'll be able to go home. The business we're negotiating with is both demanding and big, which should bolster our activity. I have to be able to give exact numbers on the fly to my boss if he needs them now. I have to stay here. The headache flares again, like it has been for the past week. I've taken a painkiller an hour ago, but it's not working this time. Maybe two hours of sleep yesterday wasn't enough. Guess I'll sleep all day when Saturday comes. With the headache comes tinnitus. It rings all of a sudden and doesn't fade. I try to ignore it. I feel responsible for this project and I'm not leaving until it's a done deal. This tinnitus is starting to sound like voices. I have to get something to help focus. Maybe some strong coffee or something. The voices start to get louder. It feels like they're coming from the outside. I look at the windows, absentmindedly. There, I see two ravens, perched on the sill, looking at me. You have been chosen. I can now understand what the voices say. It seems like I'm more tired than I thought if I'm starting to have hallucinations. I force myself to focus on the computer screen. No new messages. Guess I'll go for a coffee. As I stand up, my headache gets worse. Everything becomes blurry and I hear a thud. Then it ends. My vision is clear again and all I hear is silence. I open my eyes, then I realize that I'm not alone. A young woman is now standing in front of me. It feels like she's surrounded by a bright aura, which makes her seem like some kind of otherworldly apparition with the beige suit she's wearing. "Karl Olsson, you have been chosen." I blink. She stares right at me. "Your name is Karl Olsson, right?" "Yes, it's me." I end up blurting. "It seems you've not yet caught on. It happens sometimes. Please have a look around." She gestures at the desk I was sitting at just a moment ago. I turn around and see that someone's fallen, motionless. Then I realize that this is my body. I'm standing here and I'm face down on the floor at the same time. My first thought goes to my boss. I won't be able to help him in this state. Then my attention goes back to the woman as she starts speaking again. "I'm a chooser of the slain. I've sent you the signs and now I'm here to guide you." For a second, I try to process what she just said. Then I recognize what she is. And what it means for me. "But I'm no warrior. I thought you only appeared to those that fall in battle." "You're a warrior in your own right. This is your battlefield and you died fighting. Also, times change. Right now, we need more than just fighters." "But why me? I'm not important or skilled." She frowns and stares daggers at me. "Do not underestimate yourself. You have been chosen by the Allfather himself. Now you have your own choice to make. Either you follow me, or you stay here, with your regrets, as a lost soul." While she speaks, she walks to the door and stops just outside the room. I take a look at my computer. The icon signaling a new email is blinking. A part of me really wants to sit down and read it. I have to force myself to silence it. Then I take a step towards the door. As the familiar office starts to blur and darken, I follow the Valkyrie. To my new home.
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Jan 18, 2021 02:49
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Jan 28, 2021 13:49
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(Late submission) Indentured 873 words "So, how much time did they tell you to wait?" It was only their second heist, and people were nervous. The cramped and dark alleyway they were waiting into was not helping the mood. Jack wanted to calm them and remind them that they were in this together. "Eight months. How could they say that with a straight face?" Cole answered while adjusting his homemade balaclava so that only his eyes could be seen. He spoke slowly and with rough diction, as Jack did just before. The other guy stayed quiet, as he often did. Then Jack's phone lit up. The target is on his way. "Okay folks, remember directions. You let me talk, and if there is trouble, never hit the face." A man enters the alley. He is in his fifties, short, wearing clean clothes and a scarf covering the lower part of his face. As Jacks goes to meet him, another crew mate appears behind the newcomer. "Excuse me, sir. I believe you can help us." The man raises his eyes, then moves his right hand in front of his scarf. "Well I guess you know why we're here. " Jack says. "If you give us what we want, nobody has to get hurt." The man steps back and tries to reach inside his coat. Before he can finish, the four accomplices surge forward and lock his arms. Jack pulls on the man's scarf, revealing a solid jawline. "We had good intel. I offer you a choice. Either you cooperate and we let you go, or you resist and you might lose a limb or two." As Jack tries to keep a calm facade, the man in his fifties stares daggers into him. Then he lowers his eyes and open his mouth. As expected, he has a mouth full of teeth. With the utmost finesse, Jack extracts the denture and puts it in a plastic bag. He has to resist the urge to put it in his mouth. "Thanks for your help. Folks, disarm him and let him go. We meet up at HQ." Jack leaves the scene. He hopes the others obey him, as the victim has lost enough for today. --- Spirits are high in the closed butcher shop the band uses as HQ. Jack smiles, thinking of what they've accomplished since they found themselves together, totally lost when it happened. He managed to give them a goal on this world where real teeth are no more and where false teeth are status symbol. "So, people. This time, do not steal the loot to try and bite into an apple, yeah? Those who need it will get priority." Everybody nods. They know their time will come sooner rather than later. "Right. For now I feel Cole needs it more than anyone. We'll have another mark soon. Remember our goal, one for each of us. Keep up the good work, everyone!" --- "Cole has been ambushed! He lost the loot, come quickly!" Jack was running towards the butcher shop, listening to the voicemail again. He felt sick to his stomach. When he entered, he saw Cole, battered and bruised, with the two others tending to his wounds. "Who did this? Who attacks one of us?" Jack said, his voice shaky. "We did." A voice behind him echoed in the shop. "We do not like you assaulting our valued customers." Jack turned around. People clad in white were entering the shop, some of them had weapons ready. Behind them was a tall man, smiling with pearl white teeth. His face had been on TV regularly those past days. "We do not care for petty thieves. But I want to say that I hate being wasteful. You are the leader of this ragtag band, yes?" Jack nods. No need to play fool when at gunpoint. "Fortunately for you, we do not uphold the old retaliation law. You know, the one that says Eye for eye, tooth for tooth. I have a job offer for you. You seem to be good at speeches and we need more people to become the faces of our corporation." "Do I have a choice?" Jack asks "Oh, you can say no. But think again. You'll get to wear our best product most of the time." "Where do I sign, Mr President?" "Well, I have the contracts here. Just know that you will be worked to the bone. Maybe you want to mull over it?" drat him, he was even laughing at his own jokes. Still, Jack walked forward and grabbed pen and contracts. As much as he wanted to stab his future boss with the fountain pen, he knew he would be better off in his service than rotting in here. he might even be able to eat shortbread again soon without risking to wound his gums. "You have made the right choice. Remember our new motto; in the world of the toothless, the ones that build dental implants are kings." As Jack is escorted out of the shop, he hears muffled screams behind him. Silently, he bids his old friends goodbye as he exits the world of the toothless. He might not be free, but at least, he will be able to smile openly again.
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Feb 1, 2021 10:14
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While we’re waiting for the results of this week's contest, if you wondered what those gibberish words were from, well, they're mostly French and Portuguese idioms and proverbs, translated in an interesting way. Which is to say they were translated word for word, without really trying to convey the original meaning. I’ll try to dive deeper into those that were picked up for this Thunderdome. To force to forge, becomes smith – French idiom – C’est à force de forger qu’on devient forgeron. Phrasing is all over the place. A better translation would have been : It’s by forging/smithing that you become a smith. There's a direct equivalent : "Practice makes perfect." It's the same for smiths and writers! A bad arrangement is better than a process – French idiom – Un mauvais arrangement vaut mieux qu'un (bon) procès. Translation is not that bad, just a bit ambiguous. Better translation : A bad settlement is better than a good lawsuit. Meaning : People tend to lose less if they reach a settlement out of court than if they end up going to court. He is not so devil as he is black – Never heard that one, might be an equivalent to “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” It is better be single as a bad company – Old French idiom – Il faut mieux être seul que mal accompagné. A bit ambiguous and grammar is off. Better translation : Better to be alone than in bad company Meaning is self-explanatory. To build castles in Espagnish – Old French idiom – Construire des châteaux en Espagne. Funny way of translating Spain, but mostly correct. Building castles in Spain means having plans that will never succeed. The stone as roll not heap up not foam – Old French proverb, originally from ancient Greece – Pierre qui roule n’amasse pas mousse. Phrasing is weird, confusion between foam and moss. A rolling stone doesn't gather moss. Meaning : someone that keeps on moving left and right without settling will never gather any riches He has fond the knuckle of the business – No clue about that one. So much go the jar to spring that at last it break there – French and Portuguese proverb – Tant va la cruche à l’eau qu’à la fin elle se casse. – Tanto vai o pote à bica, que um dia se la fica Word by word translation of a phrasing that is awkward to translate as is. Equivalent to the idioms “The pitcher will go to the well once too often“ or “If you keep playing with fire you must expect to get burnt“ Friendship of a child is water into a basket – Spanish idiom – Amor de niño, agua en cestillo Translation is mostly correct. Meaning is that a child’s friendship is something that can be inconsistent and quickly forgotten by the child. There might be a Portuguese version of the idiom, but I couldn't find it. Few, few the bird make her nest. – French idiom – Petit à petit, l’oiseau fait son nid. This one might be my favorite. I feel like the translator had no idea what the idiom meant and where he was going with that. Closest translation might be “Step by step, the bird makes its nest.” Meaning : every accomplishment is made with small steps. If you are curious about some of the other idiotisms, just hit me up and I'll add them to this list.
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Mar 8, 2021 00:00
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In with https://scienceblog.com/521506/someone-to-watch-over-ai-and-keep-it-honest-and-its-not-the-public/
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Mar 19, 2021 20:46
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Apr 3, 2021 05:26
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Malicious Compliance 821 words Kreust was really busy sorting his precious rocks by color and size for the hundredth time. He was forced to stop this important matter when a bell rang in his hoard cave. An intruder, likely to be a wandering bear or some kind of monster, unsuited for the kind of spirited discussion he was longing for. Still, it wouldn't hurt to check. It ended up being a pleasant surprise, as he could see a human near the entrance through his crystal ball, and one that had neat clothes and neither armor nor weapons. Kreust opened the large door with a little magic. The human didn't have the decency to get startled by the sudden rumble and movement. Disappointing. No. That one was different. As he entered the tunnel that formed the entrance to Kreust's lair, his gaze was focused on his host. His look was almost... an appraising one. Both let the silence linger for a bit. "I was told there was a dragon here, are you the one?" the intruder finally said in a condescending voice. Kreust was too stunned to reply. The dragon knew that his appearance was not what was expected of his kind, but still, he was double the height of his visitor and muscular at that. He had scales that shined like so many coppery stars. It was not this human's place to judge his short legs and crooked back. What did he know about dragons anyway? "Do I look like something else to you, human?" the dragon growled. "Is your purpose here to mock me, or do you have something else in mind? Be quick about it." "Well, I guess that you'll be impressive enough in flight. My name is Walther and I speak for the city of Shadaki. They're on the verge of being attacked by marauders and they asked me to find someone or something dangerous enough to help. There's even a reward attached." "This is the first time in 100 years I've talked to a human and the second thing to leave your mouth is you asking me to kill your own species? I really can't understand you people." "I'm not asking you to kill them, just to frighten them. My job is to make everybody to win in this situation. The city doesn't get burned and pillaged, you get rewarded for your time, my reputation as negotiator grows and the pillagers keep their life." Kreust fell silent. This pompous insect's lack of manners made him want to refuse. But on the other hand, making some human army flee in terror was on his cauldron list. He might also be able to kill more than one bird with that stone. "Very well. I'll help you, but there is one more condition. You'll reward me, and you have to tell me a joke right now. Any joke will do." "Hmm, I'm not good at jokes, but I'll bite. Let's see. Why is a dragon never alone?" "Tell me." "Because he's got a horde!" Kreust groaned, and the sound resonated in the narrow tunnel. The smug smile on Walther's face did not make the pun any better. "I should dissolve you for that, but I guess I asked for it. Very well, I accept your terms to act as deterrent. I'll make sure that the city doesn't burn and bolster your reputation." --- "What have you done? This is not what we agreed upon!" This time, the smug on Walther's face had been replaced by anger. His face was a nice shade of red and he was pacing around. "Oh, human! How nice to see you again. Did your masters like my performance?" "You stole the marble statue off the city's plaza! And whatever you did while flying above Shadaki somehow managed to turn half its citizens into intoxicated messes!" "Only half? That's a low score. Still, I would have given up my largest gem just to see the look on your face at that moment!" "This is an outrage! I want the statue back! I also demand reparations for the damage you've done to my reputation!" "Do you really think you're in any position to demand anything from me? That statue was nice, so I took it as payment. The city is safe, and its citizens should be back to normal in a week or two. Be thankful that those are the only consequences of your pathetic negotiation." The dragon said in a low hum Walther opened his mouth again, but Kreust had stopped listening. This lanky human only had smug and protest in him, and it was no longer amusing. "You don't understand. I only accepted your little quest with mischief in mind. If you ever see a creature, dragon or otherwise, with a hunched back or a clubfoot, you'll remember Kreust the deformed and hopefully learn some humility. Now go away before I decide to turn you into Walther the forever-drunk.”
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Apr 5, 2021 08:00
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In, I'll explore the past
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May 4, 2021 17:23
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Keep Sailing South 1207 words "Come here, Yehab. We might be the first from Aksum to look upon these lands." Captain Kabur hears me approaching and smiles at me. Before us lies luxuriant forests, seemingly untouched by humans. I take in the landscape for a minute before making my report. "I checked the food and water reserves, we still have three weeks. We can still go on, but we'll have to start thinking about the way back." Kabur nods and turns toward the coast. Silence settles in for a long moment. "Right." he says, "Start sending some of the crew to forage at sunrise. Maybe they'll find something we can use as evidence." I nod and leave him with his reverie. This will add some more work for the crew, but they're good men, and I feel like they trust me enough to accept this order. We've left the coasts of the kingdom for some time now. Where most ships sailed east towards Persia and India, we went south and we're now entering unknown waters. I've heard from the captain that it's his first travel out of the red sea, and that he wants to prove to his family, and himself, that he's fit to be a merchant. In my opinion, he's a good lad for a noble. As for me, I've been promised a plot of land if I help him succeed. I know the language of traders and many more things that will help us travel safe and return home. Still, I hope we find whatever he's looking for sooner rather than later. No ship from Aksum ever came back from such a journey. There must be a reason why. *** "One of the teams isn't back yet, we can't leave." This time around, Kabur is looking at the coast intently and pacing around the bow. We're a crew of twelve, and even three of us missing is gonna make the travel harder for those that remain. "drat them, we're not gonna make good progress today if we wait. Let the others take their rations, we'll leave if they're not here by that point." As I relay the orders to the crew, I see the last team finally approaching in their small rowboat. They seem excited for some reason. Kabur sees them and starts yelling at them, but they show him a little package made out of leaves. "We've found something that's never been seen in the Kingdom, Captain!" As they climb into the ship, the crew gathers around them, and the package is given to the captain. His hands are shaking as he opens it, revealing colorful berries, the kind we've indeed never seen before. Kabur stares at them for a moment, then throws them overboard. "Do you think I'm gonna settle for some berries? We're the first to get this far south, so I want something unique to bring back home, not some stuff that'll spoil on the way back! You deserve punishment for wasting my time and being late. We're leaving now, and you're skipping this meal." And then he starts coughing and walks to the ship's bow. We all look at each other in shock. This is the first time we've seen the captain that angry. I still have to tell him that we're getting low on food, even with the forage teams. I know he's gonna shrug it off in the end and tell me to keep going south, but I'm not looking forward to this moment. *** At last, we've found something interesting. There is a fishing hamlet on the coast, and the inhabitants do not speak neither our language nor Greek. They might speak old Egyptian, but even I don't know that dialect. They showed us strange idols made out of ivory and green stones and I've managed to buy one with a bit of gold, using signs to get myself understood. I feel like they liked the way our coins are minted somehow, because they had some gold trinkets already. They also had some primitive tools and weapons made of some kind of metal. We tried to buy some of their food, but they weren't willing to sell the meager reserves they had. On the way back, our hope that this we'll be able to go home is visible. The tired and famished crew is rowing with renewed energy. Kabur should've been here, but he's been weakened by some kind of affliction. I can see he's also skipping meals to save food. When I show him the idols, all the crew is here, holding their collective breath. He looks at the statuette, and something glimmers in his eyes. "Well done. You said those people spoke an unknown language?" "All I can say is, that's not Ge'ez or Greek." He thinks for a while, then nods. "Very well. Try to convince one of them to come with us. By force if necessary." Silence falls. We all look at each other. I don't want to ask but I have to. "Why?" "Isn't it obvious? I want to bring back home someone that'll describe how life is that far south. How they build, trade, gather food. What they trade and with whom. I'm sure we'll find someone in Aksum that'll know their language. We might've found a new trade route!" His rant is interrupted by a coughing fit. I'm in disbelief. I don't know how we will convince anyone to come with us with the language barrier. As for the other solution, I don't like it. I don’t want to be part of an abduction. Plus, we barely have enough food as is and we're all tired by this long journey. I can hear some crew members starting to complain behind me. Anyhow I have to do something. Before realizing what I'm doing, I hear my own voice. "We're going home, Captain." He stares at me. I guess he didn't expect the mousy scholar to talk back to him. "Yes, we're going home. Once we have one of these locals on board." "That's not gonna happen. We don't have a day to spare or the food for another person. They weren't willing to trade for food, so I doubt there's any forage to be had here. We have to turn back now to even have a chance to survive." He's looking daggers at me now, but I keep my head high. I signal the crew to start sailing and they leave us alone at the stern. "Traitor. You can be sure that this will reach my father's ears." "Maybe, but we'll all be alive. I'll leave him to be the judge of how he'll punish me for this. In the meantime, you need to eat. If you die on the way back, this trip will end up being for nothing." I leave Kabur as he's still fuming. He might thank me later, but for now I should let him be. I'm taking a gamble on his father's forgiveness, but I don't have the heart to ask the crew to throw the lad overboard. Per my calculations, we should reach Mosylon as we run out of food. As the ship turns, I walk to the bow, my eyes on the horizon. We're going north. Back home.
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May 10, 2021 07:06
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In, bird me up.
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Jul 7, 2021 21:49
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In.
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Sep 3, 2021 21:46
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Seasoning 577 words We like to ask important questions in our lives. Like, should I choose biology or physics as a major? Is moving in another country for work good for me? Those questions tend to live rent free in people's minds. But right now there is only one thing taking all the space in my mind. Why is the guy sitting in a corner of the cafeteria putting salt on his ice cream? Like, that's weird, right? And it's not the first time I'm seeing him doing this so he has to enjoy salted ice cream somehow if he keeps it up. I'm kinda sure I'm not the only one to notice this. Furthermore, he's kind of a handsome guy, the kind that stands out for a reason I can't put words on. Some people would say that makes him look harder to approach, but it's actually making me curious. I try to appear natural as I sit down in front of him. No reaction on his part, but now that I worked up some courage, I'm not giving up at the first hurdle. "Hey, how are you doing?" I ask with a voice that's quieter that I would've liked. He looks up from his ice cream. Unexpectedly, he smiles and locks his eyes into mine. "Hi, are you a member of my fan club?" "Excuse me?" "I've picked up on the fact I attract some looks when I eat. I don't really know why, though. And I feel like I've caught you in particular stare at me several times." It takes all my will no to stand up and leave at this point. I'm pretty sure I'm starting to blush. "Okay. I've been staring, I'll admit it. But I feel like you're not getting why you're drawing attention here." He tilts his head, looking surprised. "If it's not for my looks, why are people staring at me, then?" I lower my eyes towards his plate. He looks down, then back up. His expression tells me that he's not getting it. "The salt, man! Why would you put salt in your drat ice cream?" He freezes for a moment with an expression of disbelief on his face, then laughs. "Oh, so that's what it's all about? I didn't realize it'd look so weird to y'all!" "I mean, it kinda is." "I don't feel like it. I've had some sea salt ice cream on a trip, and I liked it. That's all there is to it." I try to keep as neutral an expression as possible. "Really? I've never tried it so it feels like it shouldn't work." "You'll have to try it then. By the way, what's your name?" I blink. Then I stammer a bit before I can say it correctly. "Jake." "Hello Jake, I'm Chris. Wanna grab a beer later?" "I'm not really sure...", I say, looking away. "Oh come on! You're the first person that dared approach me here, so I felt like you wanted to know more about me." I feel people starting to stare at us because of his outburst. Suddenly I want to be anywhere but here. But at the same time... "Fine. I'll wait for you at the meeting point, south of the campus, after classes." "Great. See you there." As I stand up and leave, I take a side glance at him and see him smiling again. Right now, there is only one thing taking all the space in my mind.
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Sep 6, 2021 07:18
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| # ¿ May 16, 2024 14:34 |
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Prompt : teratoma orb https://i.imgur.com/8djF6We.jpg Kill it with fire 1216 words When the door starts to open, Emil forces himself to smile at the disheveled man in dirty robes. “It's not my fault, Emil! I hope you don't believe what those rumors say.” The man blurts. “Don't worry, Amalric, I’ve known you for a long time and you're too much of a klutz to be responsible for those disappearances. I also know you need some company, and above all, some house cleaning.” “Oh. It's the end of the season already?" Amalric looks relieved for a second. "Do you think it's necessary this time?” Emil looks behind his friend and shrugs. The entrance is a clutter of books and clothes with a helping of dust. Amalric looks reluctant but steps back, allowing the other wizard to enter. With a gesture and some telekinesis, Emil attaches his cloak to a mannequin and starts to work his cleaning magic. Books go here in a nice pile, clothes go there to get cleaned and folded. At one point, he finds a little golden ring with a blue gemstone. He checks that his friend is gone from the room before tucking the ring in his sleeve. Amalric never pays, but he never complains about the missing objects so it's fair game, right? Time to go clean the storage room. This one is full of brewing ware, ingredients and other knicks and knacks. It's also so cluttered that Emil wonders how his alchemist of a friend can find anything when he needs it. He gets to work and his mind starts to wander. Could Amalric, that doormat, really be the snatcher? And if so, was this little visit really worth the risk? Well, sulphur fees are so expensive these days, you have to make do with what you have. Then his gaze spots something in the middle of all the mess. It looks like a pink egg, but one that would have grown teeth on one side and hair on the other. Emil winces in disgust and fights an urge to launch his signature fire spell on the thing. How is Amalric in possession of such an eyesore? Emil levitates the thing on a table and steps out. “Amalric? I've found something odd in your storage! Is that yours?” He shouts as he crosses the corridor. “What are you talking about?” Amalric's voice comes as a muffled sound. “I think it'll be faster if you take a look.” When the two wizards enter the room, they both stare at the thing. It's not in the spot Emil left it and there is some kind of liquid trail on the table. “It moved. It’s alive? What is it?” says Emil, gesturing at the table. “It's... I created that thing a few weeks ago by fumbling a recipe. I thought it could've been useful as a human teeth and hair stockpile. I kinda forgot about it, though. You said it moved?” “I'm sure of it. It was in the middle of the table when I dropped it. How did you manage to fumble a recipe so hard, you created a living orb?” Amalric clams up for a second and ends up giving a side glance to Emil. “It's complicated.” “Then you won't mind if I burn it up, right?” “What? Then again you said it moved. Go ahead, but do it outside, please. Last time you burned something inside my house, I had so much trouble getting rid of the smell.” Emil smiles. His first real smile since he entered the house. “Your wish is my command. Can you get me some tea while I prepare the pyre? I might need it after I'm through with it.” Then he makes the thing float towards the courtyard. As he passes by Amalric, an eye opens in the middle of the orb. Emil blinks, but the eye is gone. Bloody hell. Hallucination or not, the faster that thing is burned, the better. The good thing about this house is that it's far from the city. And the rumor said that the farmers around here were all abducted by the snatcher. The courtyard is mostly overrun by weeds, but there is a corner filled with sand. Emil drops the thing on the sand and closes his eyes to focus. Don't hurt us. Emil opens his eyes in a flash. The orb does have an eye and it's staring at him. “Telepathy now? I almost feel bad for you, but you're really too creepy for my taste.” If you hurt us, we will hurt you. You are Father's friend. We do not want to hurt you. “You're gonna hurt me, huh? I'd like to see you try.” The wizard focuses again, and throws a fireball at the thing. At least it should've been a fireball, but only a drop of liquid fire escapes Emil's hands, and flies directly in the orb's eye. It screams in Emil's head. The scream then echoes from all over the courtyard. As Emil turns around, stunned by the mental noise, he sees dozens of living orbs emerging from the weeds. Some are larger and made of human flesh, some show rats fangs and hair, others are more bug than animal. And they're all shambling towards him. We will hurt you. And then you'll be part of us. Panicked, Emil tries to hurl fire at the things, but nothing comes out of his hands. “Amalric, help me! I can't use my fire!” No time to use fancy magic like portals or flight. At least telekinesis still works. Emil uses it to throw some of the things at the walls, but they don't die and they're too many. At this rate he's gonna get overrun. Then he feels a pain in his heel. He forgot about the first one. He floats it in front of him and kicks it to the other side of the courtyard. At that moment, Amalric walks in, a mug of warm tea in his hand and a dumbfounded expression on his face. “What are you doing? I thought you were supposed to make a pyre out of it.” “Look around you and start helping me, you bloody airhead!” Amalric looks around and screams. “What the hell is this?” “Dunno, but I can't cast fire spells for some reason.” “Oh dear. I forgot about the ring.” “What ring? What do you mean?” “I've made a cursed ring as payback because I know you like to steal my things. You don't even have to wear it and it makes fire magic fizzle. But it was supposed to be just a prank! I just wanted you to look like a fool in front of others, not to make you defenseless.” Emil stares at Amalric, stunned. Then he punches him in the face. At the same time, a hundred voices scream in his head. We will not let you hurt Father. His leg is going numb. He looks down and sees teeth growing on his ankle. “No. No!” You will no longer hurt Father. You will be part of us. The numbness spreads everywhere. In his body. In his mind. He can hear Amalric screaming about not being anyone's father and pleading someone to save Emil, but it seems so far away. Finally, his consciousness fade. Too late for saving. All that remains is us.
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Dec 6, 2021 04:13
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