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Part 24b: War without end (Aaron)
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Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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Aaron moves as swiftly as he is able, attempting to stay on an easy
route at first, until he realises that there is no longer an easy
route. The closer he gets, the harder things seem to become.
Everywhere there seems to be conflict...
Here thousands of sub-human creatures besiege a fortress at the end of
a narrow valley. As Aaron passes along the crest of the ridge to
the west he sees a troop of horsemen thundering down the opposite slope
and crashing into the flank of the army...
Here the sky is black with aircraft, raining destruction on a fleet of ships at anchor in a harbour...
Here machines hunt through the ruins of a city paved with human skulls,
gunning down humans with weapons that have Ilse screaming at Aaron to
run...
Here two vast armies meet in battle on the banks of a river...
Here men fight with stone axes...
Here a battle...
Here another...
Here...
Something is very wrong. There are Shadows with no conflict, but they are fewer in number than those where battles rage.
Finally he comes to a place where he can go no further. He knows
that he must be close, but his way is blocked by something which turns
him aside every time he tries to proceed. He pushes forward, and
the push against him is equal to his own, and shunts him sideways.
It is as if a wall blocks every path that should lead him to Jack and Cyan.
He stands in a desert of rust-coloured sand, where shards of metal jut
up from the ground like clumps of grass, unable to get closer to his
goal. From behind him comes a howling sound, distant at first,
but getting closer.
He turns to see a group of burning wheels, perhaps eight or nine of them hurtling towards him, and a memory returns to him; these are the creatures who captured Jack...
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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Oh God, come to my aid.
He turned, Ilse urging. Move. Move!
Oh Lord, make haste to help me.
Aaron saw the burning wheels. Knew what they represented. He too, had
seen their power for one moment, and he remembered Jack's captors.
As it was in the beginning, so it is now, and ever shall be,
He remembered, and he raged, deep within himself. This, he knew, was what his friends were fighting. This, he knew, was why he could go no further.
World without end.
Aaron did not think about what he could not do. He already knew all about that.
He couldn't move. He couldn't physically fight them.
Aaron felt that these beings had mental power that defeated even Jack.
World without end.
But he would not lie down and die.
World without end.
Unsheathing his blade, he turned and faced his enemy. Ilsefranvir
flamed as Aaron drew, ever so slightly, upon the power of the Sjardring.
I sense... something odd, Aaron. I feel... alone.
Reaching into his jacket as Aaron lowered himself into a kneeling
position, he removed a black sphere from within. Stabbing Ilsefranvir
deep into the sand before him, Aaron placed his hands upon the sphere
that rested between himself and Arianne, closed his eyes, and drew upon
the Pattern within himself.
Oh God, come to my aid...
He pressed Himself and the Pattern upon the sphere, for he was real, and he knew it.
Oh God...
They would have him soon, and he knew little of what to do. Yet, he did not think about death, or torture.
The last thing he thought of before surrendering himself to utter concentration, was the time he had first walked the Pattern.
I wish to go where my help is required.
...then all was that glowing image, focus, and the sphere between his knees.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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Determined not to just lay down and die, Aaron scrambles desperately
for a plan, and comes up with a last chance gamble. Using the
perfection of the orb as a focus, he brings the Pattern to mind,
recalling how a simple desire to be of use had sent him to meet Jack
and the others on the world of the Gatherer.
It worked once, perhaps it will work again.
The Pattern flares before him, seeming to flow across the sand and the
torn metal, which passes for scenery here. Rolling the ball
between his palms, Aaron navigates the Pattern, trying to ignore Ilse's
warnings and the increasing volume of the Archons approach.
He reaches the centre and grabs for Ilse, thinking, I wish to go where my help is required.
And as the world fades around him, he hears Ilse's voice, Wait, Aaron! What if they don't need you?
Discontinuity...
Uh... Aaron. I have a bad feeling about this.
Standing in the moonlight, at the entrance of the Sjardring House, Aaron might be forced to agree with her.
The place looks different now. More run down, older. The
sign for the Sjardring House Museum is still there, hanging from one
corner, but the sign listing the opening hours is gone. Through
the open door Aaron can see drifts of dead leaves across the
once-immaculate floor of the hall.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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He did a great many calculations as he ascertained their position. Along with that, he was a great many things, and ready for a fight was one of them.
One: He wasn't dead. That was good.
Two: They were on San Anyn. Exactly which San Anyn, however, remained to be seen.
The remainder of obvious facts were pretty much null for him, with a
few exceptions. The fact that he had used the orb to maximize his power
on the Pattern, or at least to help meet his ends (and not his "END!"),
was certainly an achievement. He would definetly have to show that to
Jack, once he got back to him.
If wasn't a question in his mind, right now.
"Actually," he said, in response to Arianne's concerns, "I'm glad I
wasn't transported to Jack and Cyan. I would have led those damn wheels
right to them. The Pattern molds reality like a shovel molds sand."
Yanking his cherished blade from the now dry dirt before him, he
resheathed her over his shoulder, and examined his new surroundings.
"Ilse, you said you felt 'alone' while I accessed the power of the
Sjardring. I now believe I understand why." he said, with a sad, yet
resigned tone. He started moving, towards the remains of the museum.
On a second thought, he unsheathed Ilse yet again. Deep down, a
profound sadness rested in his center. Yet, he did not let that, nor
what he was seeing as he moved, affect him on any greater level. He
couldn't.
Just from what he could see, for all intents and purposes, San Anyn was dead.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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The hall has seen much better days. Many of the stained glass
windows are broken, and there are signs that a large animal, possibly a
bear, has been using it as a den in the not too distant past.
The floor is cracked, as if the beams below it have given way, but instead of sagging, it bulges upward in the centre.
The weapons and armour are still in the basement, but all have decayed
beyond use, leeched of power by the orb, now some fifteen feet in
diameter and forcing the ceiling upwards. The walls of the room
have been blackened by fire, the cases that had contained the museum
exhibits are shattered, leaving shards of glass all across the floor.
Somewhere a small animal is scampering through the wreckage of the room.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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Looking upon the large sphere within the center of the basement, Aaron
momentarilly panicked, and began to pat himself down. With a grateful
sigh, he felt the familiar bulge of his own orb, returned safely into
the deep, inner pocket of his jacket, where it belonged. Thinking back,
he vaguely remembered returning it to its spot only a few moments
before.
He was getting sloppy. In these circumstances, that wasn't good.
"Ilse, is this thing drawing upon you?" Aaron asked his comrade. He
figured not, for the prior armors and weapons didn't have owners, and
so were more than likely undefended. The Sjardring bond was a dual
heritage, or so he had learned since gaining Herzkrieg. Weapon and
wielder protected eachother, in more ways than one.
He moved from the left, then to the right, trying to gauge the exact size of the orb.
This, was most definetly that which was causing the destruction of San Anyn.
Gritting his teeth, he also knew that this was almost the exact spot upon which his daughter had died.
"Blood of Amber, the words of your curse reflect upon all supports of
reality. What were your last words, my daughter?" Whispered, perhaps...
a last dying demand for revenge upon her homeworld, the world her
father loved?
Aaron shook his head. What had his "love" or "Protection" brought this place? A curse of his own. Destruction, it was.
Extending his hand, he held it just above the orb and closed his eyes.
Summoning the Pattern to mind, he slowly began to inflict its presence
upon the great sphere. The Pattern was order, and so must put things to
right. Yet, Aaron did not wish to force this great seive into coercion.
No. He would rather test it first, see what it would do...
You should not be here, were his thoughts, his commands.
He did not stop to wonder whether affecting this great thing was beyond
his power. Aaron no longer thought of power. He would gain strength as
his experience gave him, and he would do little to search it out
himself, as that only seemed to get him into trouble.
However, far be it from him to refuse own errors or his own mistakes.
No. He was far removed from his old, stubborn state of mind.
And he'd die before he'd let something like this... vacuum, go unchecked, especially in his own home.
No matter how far removed this place was from what he remembered...
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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Aaron reaches out and touches the active sphere with the Pattern, just the lightest of touches...
Picking himself up from amidst the wreckage of a newly-demolished
display stand near the farthest wall, Aaron remembers, belatedly,
that... Lazarus? Yes... Lazarus, a name long forgotten, had tried
to touch one of these with a tendril of the Logrus.
The result had been similar.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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"Ugh," he said, spitting dust and grit from his mouth. The tinkling of
glass and the grating of the remainder of the display case echoed about
him as he picked himself up off of the floor.
Brushing debirs off of his person, Aaron took a moment to consider what he knew.
This orb was definetly active. There wasn't the same feeling of "ease"
that he had with his orb. Remotely, he cataloged that the Pattern and
the Logrus definetly weren't positive towards the active orbs.
The reaction of the orb was definetly less than positive... though he felt that it could have been much worse.
However, the reaction of the larger orb reminded Aaron very much of
opposing magnets. It didn't try to absorb the Pattern, but rather
repelled it.
That, perhaps, was an advantage. He noted it.
His own orb was deactivated, and therefore acted as something of a
focus for his Pattern. Taking that into account, one could more than
likely focus the Broken Pattern or the Logrus into it. The resutls are
anyone's guess, but at least Aaron knew that it took him to where he
had "needed to be."
He would definetly keep that orb close to him.
Aaron had a few ideas about what to do, and his own orb influenced them
heavilly. However, he was cautious to attempt anything with it, as his
proximity to the larger sphere might affect it. The worst that could
happen was that the larger orb, sensing the smaller, would absorb it,
and Aaron would lose it forever.
Their enemy would gain an advantage, he figured.
He couldn't use Ilse. The orbs were indestructible, and the Pattern
engraving upon her blade would add yet another block to any secondary
reactions.
And Aaron loathed to open his mind to such a large, foreign object, knowing full well whom owned it.
Pattern. Sjardring. Mental control.
Physical action wasn't an answer.
Primal power gave a harsh reaction.
Mental projection was totally out of the question.
Turning, Aaron exited the museum. He knew where the larger orb was, and
he felt that he absolutely had to get away from it, if he was going to
try what he had in mind.
His orb had been disconnected, somehow.
Perhaps by examining it, first mentally, then Primally, he would figure out just exactly how it had occurred.
Removing it from his jacket, Aaron made sure he walked a considerable distance away from the Museum before he lowered himself to his knees,
with the orb set between them yet again. Ilse was resting upon the
earth beside him.
Aaron would have preferred to be in an entirely different Shadow, but he knew that he was needed here. San Anyn certainly looked dead, but Aaron knew that San Anyn would need to be totally destroyed for him to be without hope.
So, starting with his mind first, he began to probe the orb for
imperfections. Touch was a definite assistant, for as his fingers
moved, it gave his mind a picture of what the orb "felt" like. He would
try that before attempting anything greater.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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The orb is smooth and perfect, at least on the outside. Aaron had
relieved the previous owner of it before the man had a chance to
activate it. Which implies that there is an on "switch".
And, with any luck, an off one too.
His examination of the exterior completed, Aaron starts to gently probe
the thing with his mind and the Pattern. The sun swings across
the sky...
A thrush swoops down to the grass, where it picks up a snail.
Then it flies to a nearby rock and starts hammering the snail against
the stone. An unconscious reflection of Aaron's own task.
"What have you got there, Mister?" It
is a child, a girl of thirteen or so. Clean, slim but well-fed,
and dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt, with glitter-covered red
sneakers on her feet. Her hair is red and cut short, and her
eyes, behind her round, rimless spectacles, are large, and green as
emeralds. In one hand she has a small pail with a lid on it, in
the other a fishing rod. Aaron can see the straps of a pale blue
backpack across her shoulders.
She is standing a good ten feet from Aaron, and gazing at the orb.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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Slowly, Aaron let out a measured breath as he deftly drew the sphere up
and back into the pocket of his jacket. He zipped the pocket, buttoned
it, then raised his eyes to his new, young visitor.
Cocking his head to the side, Aaron eyed the young girl with his only good one.
"What do I have?" he replied, asking a question of his own. A small
chuckle followed that, and he smiled at her. Aaron remained on his
knees, for he felt that if he rose, he might frighten her.
"Why, it is a key to the universe, young one," came his answer, with a small shake of his head.
Turning his attentions back to the stark, charred reality that surrounded him, Aaron's smile faded a bit.
"Now, a question of my own!" he posed, then looked to the young girl
with quite a bit of intent. "What is your name, and why are you out
here?"
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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The girl steps back a pace, having just seen Aaron's face clearly for
the first time. Frankly, the man has looked better. Still,
she doesn't run...
"My name's Chrissie. I was just going round to the lake at the back of the Witch House," she waves her fishing rod in the general direction of the Sjardring House, "to
see if I can catch some carp. Then I seen you sitting here and
wondered what you were doing. Sorry to bother you."
Chrissie starts to walk past him, being careful to stay out of reach.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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"Hold on a moment," Aaron asks, holding out a hand slightly.
Aaron had a few deep thoughts, just then. He felt that the orb needed
to wait. What he had discovered, if his theories were correct, could
not be dealt with until he was totally sure about his choices. The orb was inactive, but if he played around with it too much, something might set it off.
He kept it in his jacket, and decided, if he was able, to deal with it at a later date.
"Where do you live? Do you have any relatives that I could talk with? I
have a few questions I'd like to ask about the... Witch House."
Aaron couldn't believe there were people still alive here, but that
only served to increase his hope that he could do something about the
massive force within the decaying House.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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"Where do I live? Over in town of course. Go out of the gate, past those trees, and you're on Main Street." she is looking nervous now, obviously realising the danger of talking
to strangers, particularly strangers who seem to be a little strange, "And
of course I got relatives, and they know where I am too. My two
older brothers should be coming along any minute now. They play
football. Line-backers."
"You go into town and ask anybody. Everybody in San Anyn knows
about the Witch House, but that's just what we call it, the ki... the
teenagers, I mean. Most adults call it the Old Sjarding
Museum. Some of them even remember when it got shut down, after
that woman got murdered."
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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Murdered. Aaron hid any response at that statement. He knew that
children were notoriously acute when it came to specific responses,
even if some of them had short attention spans.
"Thank you." he said quietly, and slowly rose. He knew Ilsefranvir was
at his side, and he sheathed her with as much speed as possible, the
feeling of doing it was familiar and reflexive.
Aaron then moved on towards town, wondering if her two line-backer brothers were indeed following.
Could he take a couple of line-backers? As he walked, he wondered.
More than likely.
Now Sjardring line-backers, or line-backers with the strength of Jack... that would be a hillarious challenge!
Chuckling softly and forgetting the recent chaos for a moment, he continued on towards town.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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Main Street, San Anyn.
It isn't as Aaron remembers it best, but structurally at least, it is
pretty much how it was when he was last here. More run-down
perhaps, and the people on the street look tired and depressed. A
lot of the stores are closed, with little sign that they will ever open
again.
Young people are sleeping in doorways, huddled under threadbare
blankets, while dogs of questionable lineage and disreputable
appearance keep watch.
Aaron sees a bar, a sign outside advertising "Strippers! Here every evening!!!" (on Main Street, of all places!)
A bored-looking young man is trying to clean up something which looks
suspiciously like a blood stain on the sidewalk outside.
Elsewhere there are signs of normality. Not everything here has
degenerated into chaos. Many of the remaining stores still seem
to be doing good business (even if they do all have security staff
clearly present at the door), and a little further along, Aaron can
clearly see the golden arches of a fast food restaurant, gleaming as if
somebody had been out and polished them.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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Aarons mind had reset as he looked upon the main stretch of road leading through central San Anyn.
He knew why he was here. It was to get rid of the massive orb resting within the House of the Sjardring.
With a sigh, for he had no idea who to go to, Aaron began walking down the street, towards the "golden arches."
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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MacDermotts is like similar places throughout Shadow, bright, cheerful,
walls populated by cartoon characters... A happy place.
Nothing like the sudden arrival of a one-eyed man who looks like a hungry dog tried to eat his face to seriously kill that mood.
Aaron is served by a girl who doesn't look old enough to be out of
school, who studiously avoids looking at him while still trying to
appear friendly and happy. Something had to give, and the relief
is apparent in her voice when the Amber man pays with the exact change,
thus reducing her need to interact with him.
"Thank you, Sir." She even forgot the obligatory Have a nice day,
but the Supervisor, coincidentally standing near the panic button that
would, in theory, bring the whole might of the SAPD down here, probably
won't hold it against her this time...
The restaurant is crowded, and seemingly more so since Aaron's
arrival. Bags have appeared on seats, people in booths have
spread themselves out to occupy more space. Nobody looks up as he
walks back across the room, all suddenly intent on what must be,
judging by the way they are staring down at them, the best burger and fries they have ever tasted.
All except one old man who sits alone in a booth near the door.
He waves to Aaron left handed, the right sleeve of his jacket neatly
folded and pinned to the shoulder. He turns slightly in his seat
and allows the bright light to glint off the half dozen or so
mirror-bright medals that decorate his chest. A nod which says it
all - Yep, they treat me the same, even after what I sacrificed for them...
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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Taking his meal with him, Aaron considered the old man for a moment
before proceeding to his booth and sitting at the opposite side.
"Tough crowd." he grunted, as he sat.
I've traveled myriad worlds. Seen the strangest things, and fought
against and with some of the most powerful people I've ever met. This
is where all that brings me?
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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"Yeah, you surely got that right, son." a friendly smile, "Name's Boone. I'd offer to shake your hand, but... well last time I did that, the guy never gave mine back." The smile broadens.
"I've never seen you round these parts 'fore, so I reckon you're new in good ol' San Anyn," and his voice suddenly rises in volume, so that everybody in the place can hear it, "Where they treat heroes like freaks!"
From behind the counter, the Supervisor calls out, "Now,
Boone, if you carry on like that, then I'll have to ask you to
leave! And, since you're banned from the library, the VA, and
most of the bars in town, you'd have pretty much nowhere to go!"
He waves to her, "I'm just being helpful, Betty, this boy's new in town!" He does lower his voice though, before continuing, "See,
the mayor 'n' the police chief here don't like cripples much.
Probably figure that folks like me 'n' you make the place look untidy
or somethin'."
"Now me, I was born 'n' raised here in SA. This is my home, 'n'
I'm too damned stubborn to move on. Fought in three wars, 'n'
only a missin' arm kept me from enlisting for the fourth, but still I
get treated like somethin' they just scraped off their shoe."
"No... I wouldn't plan on staying in these parts if I was you, son. Just finish any business you got here 'n' move on."
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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"Well, I was going to continue on just as soon as I'd finished my business here," he says, mulling over his dinner.
"Been in many battles, have you? What were the wars like, here?" he
cleared his throat prior to that question. "I'm interested in history."
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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"Well now, son, they don't get any better as you
see more of 'em, an' that's for sure. But you look like you knew
that already. I used to despise the stay-at-homes who wouldn't go
fight, until I 'came one of them an' saw what goes on at home."
"Four World Wars in forty years has pretty much wrecked the
economy. You probably don't remember what this country used to be
like, afore the First War. We were a world leader then.
Politics and business. Now look at us."
Boone turns his head to gaze out of the window, and for the first time
Aaron realises that he can see the top of the Sjardring House spire
from here, above the trees and buildings. "This
used to be a nice town to live in. Now... well let's just say
it's not safe for decent folks any more. Course, the trouble here
started afore the First War, when they closed down the old
Museum. It was the big tourist attraction in these parts.
Now there's nothin' to bring folks and their cash into town."
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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Aaron chewed, swallowed.
"Why would they go and close the museum down, if it was such a big
seller?" Aaron inquired. He figured he already knew, but he wanted
details.
Four World Wars? Just how much influence did that orb have on this world?
Then again, perhaps it wasn't the orb that was influencing it. Aaron
felt that the shadows of war he had seen were just as reflected here on
San Anyn as they had been everywhere else. Something massive must have
been going on in the real sense of war, as he knew it.
He wondered. Were Jack and Cyan a part of that war?
Now that he held a silent orb, did he have a chance of helping them win?
He certainly hoped so.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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"Well, there was some trouble there. A display got smashed up pretty bad I heard, an' a woman got murdered." Boone pauses, considering the facts for a whil before continuing.
"Let's see now... I was fourteen when it
happened, so that'd make it 'bout fifty-three or fifty-four years ago
now. They reckon that somebody tried to steal some valuable ol'
weapons an' stuff from there, but a guard... no... no... a cleaner,
that was it, a cleaner caught them, an' got murdered. Then they
smashed up the room so nobody'd know for sure if anythin' got took."
A mouthful of coffee. "Anyways,
after that people sorta stopped going there. Reckoned the place
was haunted, or some nonsense like that. Inside a year the place
was closed."
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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He had been correct, much to his disappointment.
"Ugh, that's awful." he said, and regretted it deep inside.
Setting his burger down, for he seemed to have lost his appetite, Aaron
casually folded his hands in his lap and leaned back in his seat.
"What's been going on here lately, Boone? If things have been so bad, then why stick around?"
Aaron had a real reason to be asking the man these questions. He wanted
details as to the current situation. It still didn't solve any of his
problems, but perhaps he'd be a bit more educated, so he could figure
out where to proceed in the long run.
Whatever the case, he was going to do something about that massive orb.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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"Me, I stays because I got nowhere else to go, and no money to get there if I did have." Boone grins at Aaron, "'sides which, if I left town, Betty'd be heartbroke."
"As for the others, well... " he trails off as the door opens and three men in dark brown uniforms
enter, all three turn towards the table, and through the window Aaron
can see four more, all armed, taking up positions outside.
The leader of the three, a dark haired man in his early forties, puts
one foot up on a chair and leans an elbow across his knee, "Hello, Grandpa."
"I'm not your Grandpa, Sherriff, you an' your boys should treat me bett- "
"I'm not talking to you, Boone. I'm talking to Aaron here."
"Just wondering if you'd care to come for a little walk with me,
Grandpa Aaron? Or Great Grandpa, as it happens. Just some
talking, a little chat, no rough stuff. Unless of course you
decide you don't want to come along, in which case I know a word that
will cripple Arianne."
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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Calmly, deliberately, Aaron took his time. Rushing into something like
this, especially with the possiblity of this man having power over his
blade, would not be a good idea.
He cleared his throat, slowly beginning to stand.
"Boone," he says, "you've been a great help to me. I appreciate you taking the time to bring me up to speed."
Turning to the Sheriff, he looked him in the eye, making sure his missing one acted as if it still existed.
"I'll come peacefully. However, it will be up to you as to whether I leave that way."
His eye set firm, his mouth a straight, impassive line, he moved towards the doorway.
A word of Power over my Sjardring shapeshifting
and damage, perhaps? He says he has power over me, Aaron, but what of
Arvais? His mind is crippled, but his Sjardring power is as strong as
ever. You could take them all, once you get them in the open...
Wait. Watch. Absorb information. Then, act.
A sigh, then: I understand. Though I do not like the idea of strange men having 'power' over me.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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There is an alley at the side of MacDermotts. The sherriffs men
stand at the end of it, making sure nobody is going to interrupt as the
sherriff walks a little way in with Aaron.
At a distance where it's pretty certain that even the deputies won't
overhear what's said, he signals Aaron to stop, then checks that
there's nobody behind any of the dumpsters by the side door of the
diner. Finally satisfied, he turns back to the Amber man. "Grandpa Aaron... you look like crap!"
"But I knew youd come back one day, so while everybody else in the
family went chasing off after you on this big revenge trip, I just
stayed back and bided my time. And here you are."
A humourless smile, then, "Course,
my priorities have changed since then. I don't want to kill
you. You've been to the old museum today, my girl, Chrissie, seen
you there. I guess you've seen what's in the basement, and I'm
also guessing it wasn't near as big the night you killed
Grandma... Now don't you go worrying about that. From what
I heard of Grandma when I was a kid, it was most likely a fair fight
anyways. So I'm not even going to try and kill you, even though I
reckon I could, because that armour's seen better days."
"Nope. See this town is being dragged through Hell these days,
and I think that thing in the basement is behind it. I want you
to help me shut it down, before it shuts San Anyn down."
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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He was surprised.
No, astounded is actually the more suitable word.
Crouching down, leaning on his toes, Aaron considered the words of his great grandson.
"Well, I will say that I probably deserve to die for killing your
Grandmother," he says, looking up at the man with his one good eye.
"But if you're willing to let the ancient days lie, then so am I."
He stands again, and considers the Sherriff's proposition.
"I believe I can do something about that orb, but we'll need to work
together. Any information you have about it would certainly help."
It could be a trap... you disable the orb, the Sherriff here puts a bullet behind your ear...
Worry not, dear. I'm considering a good majority of the possibilities.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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"Good. I know you been talking to Boone,
and you must have noticed that we're not exactly living in the Good Old
Days here." the Sherriff pulls a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, and offers one to Aaron before lighting up himself.
"The way I figured it, it's that damned thing
growng in the basement at the museum is responsible. When I saw
it first I was twelve, and it was no taller than me. It's been
growing, more or less steadily, ever since. I don't trust it,
never have I guess. Something about it just didn't sit right with
me."
A pause, while he considers his next words, then, "See, I noticed that every time something real bad happened, that thing'd grow a little faster."
"So... while everybody else went into the family business of hunting
you down, I just figured that maybe there was another problem a bit
closer to home. Oh... I tried to convince some of the others to
leave you be, but... well, you've met a few of them, I suppose, and you
know what they can be like. They just weren't interested in that
thing. Most figured that if Grandma put it there, then she
must've had good reason."
"So... what's your plan?"
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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Crossing his arms before his chest, Aaron leaned his head back and considered his options.
Arianne was suddenly quietly singing in his head... it was a cold,
quiet melody... a choir-like dirge for those deceased? He didn't know.
It made him just a bit sad to think of it, though.
With a sigh, he opened his eyes and looked to the Sheriff.
"You may not know this, but in your blood is the key to a great power.
If you so wished, and had the strength, you could gain the ability to
shape San Anyn into whatever you wish. I have that power, but when I
try to use it against the orb, it seems to reflect it back into place,
with somewhat violent results."
He proceeded to walk towards his grandson, and placed a hand upon the man's shoulder.
"We need to go to the House of the Sjardring... the Museum. I... have
this feeling, that there is a key here somewhere. Something that will
give us the ability to shut this orb down."
What he didn't say, was that he felt the key was already in his coat pocket.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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"Sure is a sight to see, eh?"
The armoury again. Still, and cold and dark as the grave.
The remains of the weapons and armour are still there. Not
corroded the way metal should be, but oddly decayed, almost like
organic remains, and thin looking without the magic that used to reinforce them.
All the solidity in the room seems concentrated in the orb, gleaming
darkly in the beam of the sherriff's powerful flashlight. Its
massive form dents the stone floor beneath it, and forces up the
ceiling above it.
"I started measuring it as soon as I realised it
was growing. It grows pretty steady, and then every now and then
it puts on a bit of a spurt. That's when I start looking round
for trouble, either local or international that affects us, like a war
or something."
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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"Hm," Aaron mumbled, as he took a walk around the circumfrence of the
Orb. "And was there any connection between aggressive occurences and
the growth of the orb?"
He looked over towards the Sheriff and raised an eyebrow.
"I've a feeling you're going to say 'yes.'"
Aaron didn't touch the orb. Not yet. He'd need to concentrate for when that time came.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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"Not always. Only say seven times in
ten. That jumps to eight or maybe nine if you count things I
found out about later."
Aaron's study of the orb reveals nothing he doesn't know already.
The surface is unblemished and smooth as glass, but not nearly so
reflective. Which makes him take note of one more peculiarity; no
dust.
Everything else in the room is covered by a layer of dust and dirt, but not the orb.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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So he knew a few things, now.
He knew that the orb affected reality, or at least affected certain
aspects of it. In its absorbtion of power, that absorbtion led to
"echoing" effects upon the world itself.
It also absorbed matter. It hadn't absorbed him but then again, he hadn't physically touched it.
Taking all his new knowlege into account, he could only come to one conclusion.
He didn't like it, but he had a bad feeling that it was the only thing that would work.
Unsheathing Ilsefranfir and releasing only for a moment her protective magic, he cut his finger Very, Very Lightly, upon her blade. He gritted his teeth against it, but not surprisingly, felt no pain at the cut. He'd feel it later.
With a "Here goes nothing," he flicked his bloody finger in the direction of the large orb.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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Seven spots of red appear on the smooth surface of the orb, a sanguine constellation against the dull metal.
For long moments it sits unmoving, and then... the blood seems to be
simply drawn into the metal, without sparking even the slightest
reaction.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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Grinding his teeth, Aaron let out a long, strangled sigh.
An effect, yes, but nowhere near enough of an effect to truly mar the sphere.
So, he had two things:
One, cut off a limb and see where the bloodloss gets him.
Or...
Turning to the Sheriff, he leaned upon Ilsefranvir and idly began to spin her like a top upon the flooring.
"How would you feel about dying for the sake of your reality, grandson?"
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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The sheriff, who had stepped closer to see what Aaron was up to, moves back a pace... then a second. "What? If that was a joke, it wasn't too funny."
His right hand is hovering just above his holstered gun.
"I thought we agreed to work together on this, Grandpa?"
He's fast, the gun is almost clear of the holster before Aaron can react...
Distraction.
And then a report, too loud in the confined space, and a searing pain
in his left shoulder brings Aaron's attention right back to the here
and now.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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Actually, he was joking, somewhat. But rage acted as a pilot light for his access to the
magic within Herzkrieg, and it exploded with fury through his body.
Annoyance, aggravation, and mild distractoin, as a voice he hadn't heard in years attempted to burrow into the back of his skull.
Ilsefranvir came up like a spear of silver light, ignited with red
flame as it flowed in the hands of the Sjardring magic. Aaron's oft
practiced forms meshed together with the recurring memories of past
lives, and he homed in on the Sheriff's lower abdomen. He needed blood,
and lots of it.
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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The distraction, or the pain in his shoulder? Whatever the
reason, the sheriff manages to dodge Aaron's first charge, but now he
finds himself trapped, with the Amber man between him and the stairs.
He fires off two more rounds, but Aaron is moving fast and neither
hits. The sheriff tries to move so that the orb is providing him
with some cover. He backs away, and finds hiself pressing against
a pillar, starts to edge around it...
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Aaron
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Amidst the chaos and the fury of his own frustration, and the maelstrom
that was the power of the Sjardring magic, Aaron faintly heard Jack's
calling in the back of his mind.
Then, for some reason, Aaron slowly came to a stop. His breathing was
heavy, yet controlled, and he had raised his left hand, palm up,
towards his grandson.
"Wait!" he yelled, and stopped as he stood between the Sheriff, the orb, and the pillar.
"This... action, of mine. It's wrong," he said, shaking his head as
Ilsefranvir lowered to his side. Blood streamed down past the sleeve of
his duster, and trickled to mix with the steady drops emerging from his
cut finger.
The look on his face was a mixture of determination and slight
defeatism. How long could he go on destroying his own progeny? No
longer, he thought.
The truly deciding factor was the image of his great-great
grandaughter, the little girl he had met when he was inspecting what he
had come to call Little Boy, the small orb in his posession.
If he destroyed his grandson, as he knew he could now, even for the
sake of their home world, he would have to live with the fact that that
man's daughter would go on without a father, and she would learn, one
way or another, that her grandfather had been the cause of his death.
The Sjardring magic could not keep up with his lack of total focus, and
its roar slowly began to wane.
Aaron turned and faced the orb, deciding now that he knew the decision
that needed to be made. All his actions had come up to this point in
existence, and he felt that this was what needed to be done.
"Grandson," he said, his eyes locked upon the great sphere before him,
"I apologize. At first, I felt my decision to be correct, that your
death would free our world. Yet, now I know that the opposite is true.
Killing you would only cause more pain, in the end. Also, from a
physiological standpoint, I could never be truly sure if your blood is
concentrated enough to destroy this thing."
What are you doing, Aaron? You...
Yet he knew Arianne was panicked, for he felt it in her mind. He had
removed all of the protective magic from her blade now, and he felt her
scream in his head as her blade flew up, and then down, cleaving
through Aaron's own left wrist with sickening ease.
Before the blood could fountain, Aaron pressed the stump of his severed
wrist against the great orb, gripping his sword tightly within his good
hand. The bullet in his shoulder was a mere trifle in comparison to the
ghostly memory of where his left hand once was.
"Thank you for helping me, grandson. You were the only member of our family who gave me the chance I needed."
Aaron was now almost totally pressed up against the orb, his left arm
bent at the elbow so he could keep his wrist against it. He had
absolutely no idea how long he could keep it there, or when or if the
orb would absorb him. Yet, he had made his decision, whether in madness
or sanity, he couldn't be sure.
He just hoped it worked!
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Re: Part 24b - War without end (Aaron) by Dworkin (GM)
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Pain and blood and the orb are Aaron's whole world. He leans
forward against the orb, cheek pressed against the cool metal and looks
down at his wrist, watching his life flow out of it.
There isn't as much blood as he had thought there would be, and part of
him realises, with a kind of detached interest, that it's because most
of it is being absorbed into the metal.
There are voices. Arianne? The Sheriff (he had never even
asked his great-grandson's name)? Jack? Others? The
thing which Herzkrieg had become in the years he had been away is laughing, a bubbling undercurrent of insanity.
He slumps to his knees, but the wrist is somehow held by the orb, and
he can feel that the blood is flowing faster now, being drawn out of
him. The metal ripples like water, or are his senses tricking him?
As blackness enfolds him he hears Arianne again, clearly, now that his pulse is no longer thundering in his ears...
"Time to sleep, my Love... "
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