Nota Con Queso: I still own all of you. Everyone in the world is
copyrighted by me. What're you looking at? Get back to work.
Seeing Beyond, Chapter 2.
I am Blank.
"Scan, Blank," the lithe, mocha-skinned woman commanded. Her too-long-for- combat nails stroked the blade of her rapier, as the two of them stood at one of the numerous side entrances into Alexandria castle.
"Sure, Becca." Blank tossed a quick leer her way before triggering the Scan magick function on his "glasses." Only the third prototype ever developed, Regent Cid's little toy enabled Blank to see.in a slightly different manner than most. It's common knowledge around Gaia that every lifeform has a magical "signature", a distinct magical aura that permeates and interacts with the environment around them.
Blank's visor, however, was the first invention that integrated that concept into something practical. Capable of viewing said magical signature, it gave Blank a thoroughly unique and interesting way of looking at the world around him. His vision was a mass of swirling auras that'd seemed overwhelming, at first, but he'd since learned to interpret.
Regent Cid called it a FarSight Optical Disc. Rebecca called it the Blobvision 3000.
Blank peered through the door, registering the auras behind. Sightless eyes narrowed in contemplation behind his visor as he checked every nook and cranny. Finally, he nodded in satisfaction and gave Rebecca the thumbs up.
"All clear, toots," Blank confirmed. "And, if I may say so, that leather combat outfit looks simply stunning on you."
Rebecca rolled her eyes, moving into position with the lockpicks. At twenty-two, she was one of the youngest members of the Black Omega, Lindblum's elite intelligence force. Paired with the youngest member, she did her best to keep her mind on the job while brushing off Blank's advances. Rebecca was business first, and pleasure never. It was her job.
Blank couldn't actually see the combat outfit, but knew she was wearing it. And her aura was good enough.a melodious swirl of greens and blues that made him smile every time he looked at her. And, sometimes, when he'd brushed past her in a tight corridor.
"Blank! Yo, Cyclops!" Rebecca was getting annoyed, now. Blank jerked his head around, saw that she'd already gotten the door open. "Stop fantasizing and start working. This Extraction Chamber should be below the castle." She turned on her heel and disappeared through the doorway, rapier whispering along behind. Blank drew his special-issue katana, slung it across his shoulder, and followed her in.
The inside of the castle was what you'd expect.lots of lush potted plants and tinkling fountains, white-washed walls, blah, blah, blah. Blank and Rebecca worked their way through the halls, occasionally pausing in the shadows to let one of the (hot, Blank had to admit) guards go by. As they wound deeper into the catacombs of the castle.the irritating cheeriness of the place began to disappear, to be replaced with roughly-hewn stone and dripping moss. The air got danker, the moisture in the air heavier, and Blank's running commentary more and more bitter.
"Yesiree, mission of the highest importance, top priority, absolute Code Zero. Go to Alexandria Castle and discover the secrets of the Extraction Chamber. Go to Alexandria and get lost in a maze of god-forsaken tunnels. Go to Alexandria and do not get laid by any of the guards. Go to Alexandria." Nonstop, traipsing down the nth dank passageway.
"Blank," Rebecca said evenly. "Shut up."
"Yes ma'am," Blank saluted. "Yes ma'am, yes ma'am indeed. Yes, O Supreme Commander. Shut up will I, shut up have I, as your lovely Lordship has commanded. You ever get any shit for being the only pretty girl in the Black Omega? You may be a soldier, but you're also a woman, and I'd be happy to show you that I'm also a ma-"
Rebecca interrupted, not because Blank had touched upon a tender point or anything - she'd gotten used to it the four months they'd worked together. Rather, they'd arrived at a too-thin spiral staircase winding its way down into darkness.
"I think this is it. Stay behind me, and don't fall off. I need you alive, so you can tell me what's behind doors and stuff." She was already on her way down, booted feet padding silently down the rocky steps.
Blank snorted. "Oh, goody! Steps! Let's count together, shall we?" He skipped after her, chanting numbers with each footpad. "One.two.three."
".two-hundred..th-thirty.eight..huff, pant two-hun-hundred.thirty.n- nine."
"Two-hundred forty."
It was a man's voice.
Blank was reasonably sure it wasn't his own. His head jerked around in astonishment, and he caught Rebecca's blade flicker into her hand. No one.
"Two-hundred forty steps, for the two-hundred and forty still-beating hearts required to invoke the Spell of Extraction." The voice came, thin as a reed with dry undertones, as if everything he saw was ironic and would continue to be. A shadow split, lengthened, refigured, and emerged as a cloaked figure with long, blond hair and maddeningly light blue eyes.
Blank stared at the man, in confusion. To his right, Rebecca took a hesitant step forward, then another. Blank put out an arm, restraining her.
"Hang on, Becca. Something's not right.." Blank couldn't figure it out. He was staring straight at the man.and couldn't get the faintest indication of an aura.
The man laughed, a dry, scratching laugh. "Not right? I'll make things not right, my two little mice." he grated. Drawing a crystalline white sword, he launched himself forward, bringing the sword down in a towering overhand slice. Rebecca moved to parry.
Not there, you fool! Left!
Blank let instinct guide his katana. Off his shoulder.whipping an inch above Rebecca's head.and clashing against a hitherto unseen blade. A blade which now materialized..along with the man behind it. Blank didn't have to look.he knew that the illusion attacking Rebecca had disappeared. The man's aura was now clearly visible.a nauseating swirl of blacks, crimsons, and browns.
The man's smile was benign, a master's approval of the apprentice learning a new trick. "Very good, my boy. There's hope for you yet. Allow me to deal with this.trifle." he cast a fist out, and Rebecca screamed as she was catapulted off the ground and slammed into the rocky wall. She crumpled to the ground without another sound.and Blank could see the dark red of her essence seeping out of her, onto the floor.
White-fisted with rage, he hurled himself at the man and the sword, spinning entirely around in a hugely-powerful and incredibly vulnerable cross-slash. Without any warning, he found the white blade pressed against his side, scissored just enough to draw blood. That dry voice hissed painfully in his ear.
"That was a mistake, my boy. The next one will be fatal. Care to try again?" the voice came. Blank felt the blade slide away from his side, leaving a thin red trail in its wake. He snarled, and snapped back to the en guarde position, fighting for the elusive calm.
Why, yes, I believe I will.
Their blades clashed again.
Well, you can review it.or you can press the F12 key.or you eat Altoids. Those are your ONLY options.
Copyright Me, by Me. All rights reserved, including that one.
Seeing Beyond, Chapter 2.
I am Blank.
"Scan, Blank," the lithe, mocha-skinned woman commanded. Her too-long-for- combat nails stroked the blade of her rapier, as the two of them stood at one of the numerous side entrances into Alexandria castle.
"Sure, Becca." Blank tossed a quick leer her way before triggering the Scan magick function on his "glasses." Only the third prototype ever developed, Regent Cid's little toy enabled Blank to see.in a slightly different manner than most. It's common knowledge around Gaia that every lifeform has a magical "signature", a distinct magical aura that permeates and interacts with the environment around them.
Blank's visor, however, was the first invention that integrated that concept into something practical. Capable of viewing said magical signature, it gave Blank a thoroughly unique and interesting way of looking at the world around him. His vision was a mass of swirling auras that'd seemed overwhelming, at first, but he'd since learned to interpret.
Regent Cid called it a FarSight Optical Disc. Rebecca called it the Blobvision 3000.
Blank peered through the door, registering the auras behind. Sightless eyes narrowed in contemplation behind his visor as he checked every nook and cranny. Finally, he nodded in satisfaction and gave Rebecca the thumbs up.
"All clear, toots," Blank confirmed. "And, if I may say so, that leather combat outfit looks simply stunning on you."
Rebecca rolled her eyes, moving into position with the lockpicks. At twenty-two, she was one of the youngest members of the Black Omega, Lindblum's elite intelligence force. Paired with the youngest member, she did her best to keep her mind on the job while brushing off Blank's advances. Rebecca was business first, and pleasure never. It was her job.
Blank couldn't actually see the combat outfit, but knew she was wearing it. And her aura was good enough.a melodious swirl of greens and blues that made him smile every time he looked at her. And, sometimes, when he'd brushed past her in a tight corridor.
"Blank! Yo, Cyclops!" Rebecca was getting annoyed, now. Blank jerked his head around, saw that she'd already gotten the door open. "Stop fantasizing and start working. This Extraction Chamber should be below the castle." She turned on her heel and disappeared through the doorway, rapier whispering along behind. Blank drew his special-issue katana, slung it across his shoulder, and followed her in.
The inside of the castle was what you'd expect.lots of lush potted plants and tinkling fountains, white-washed walls, blah, blah, blah. Blank and Rebecca worked their way through the halls, occasionally pausing in the shadows to let one of the (hot, Blank had to admit) guards go by. As they wound deeper into the catacombs of the castle.the irritating cheeriness of the place began to disappear, to be replaced with roughly-hewn stone and dripping moss. The air got danker, the moisture in the air heavier, and Blank's running commentary more and more bitter.
"Yesiree, mission of the highest importance, top priority, absolute Code Zero. Go to Alexandria Castle and discover the secrets of the Extraction Chamber. Go to Alexandria and get lost in a maze of god-forsaken tunnels. Go to Alexandria and do not get laid by any of the guards. Go to Alexandria." Nonstop, traipsing down the nth dank passageway.
"Blank," Rebecca said evenly. "Shut up."
"Yes ma'am," Blank saluted. "Yes ma'am, yes ma'am indeed. Yes, O Supreme Commander. Shut up will I, shut up have I, as your lovely Lordship has commanded. You ever get any shit for being the only pretty girl in the Black Omega? You may be a soldier, but you're also a woman, and I'd be happy to show you that I'm also a ma-"
Rebecca interrupted, not because Blank had touched upon a tender point or anything - she'd gotten used to it the four months they'd worked together. Rather, they'd arrived at a too-thin spiral staircase winding its way down into darkness.
"I think this is it. Stay behind me, and don't fall off. I need you alive, so you can tell me what's behind doors and stuff." She was already on her way down, booted feet padding silently down the rocky steps.
Blank snorted. "Oh, goody! Steps! Let's count together, shall we?" He skipped after her, chanting numbers with each footpad. "One.two.three."
".two-hundred..th-thirty.eight..huff, pant two-hun-hundred.thirty.n- nine."
"Two-hundred forty."
It was a man's voice.
Blank was reasonably sure it wasn't his own. His head jerked around in astonishment, and he caught Rebecca's blade flicker into her hand. No one.
"Two-hundred forty steps, for the two-hundred and forty still-beating hearts required to invoke the Spell of Extraction." The voice came, thin as a reed with dry undertones, as if everything he saw was ironic and would continue to be. A shadow split, lengthened, refigured, and emerged as a cloaked figure with long, blond hair and maddeningly light blue eyes.
Blank stared at the man, in confusion. To his right, Rebecca took a hesitant step forward, then another. Blank put out an arm, restraining her.
"Hang on, Becca. Something's not right.." Blank couldn't figure it out. He was staring straight at the man.and couldn't get the faintest indication of an aura.
The man laughed, a dry, scratching laugh. "Not right? I'll make things not right, my two little mice." he grated. Drawing a crystalline white sword, he launched himself forward, bringing the sword down in a towering overhand slice. Rebecca moved to parry.
Not there, you fool! Left!
Blank let instinct guide his katana. Off his shoulder.whipping an inch above Rebecca's head.and clashing against a hitherto unseen blade. A blade which now materialized..along with the man behind it. Blank didn't have to look.he knew that the illusion attacking Rebecca had disappeared. The man's aura was now clearly visible.a nauseating swirl of blacks, crimsons, and browns.
The man's smile was benign, a master's approval of the apprentice learning a new trick. "Very good, my boy. There's hope for you yet. Allow me to deal with this.trifle." he cast a fist out, and Rebecca screamed as she was catapulted off the ground and slammed into the rocky wall. She crumpled to the ground without another sound.and Blank could see the dark red of her essence seeping out of her, onto the floor.
White-fisted with rage, he hurled himself at the man and the sword, spinning entirely around in a hugely-powerful and incredibly vulnerable cross-slash. Without any warning, he found the white blade pressed against his side, scissored just enough to draw blood. That dry voice hissed painfully in his ear.
"That was a mistake, my boy. The next one will be fatal. Care to try again?" the voice came. Blank felt the blade slide away from his side, leaving a thin red trail in its wake. He snarled, and snapped back to the en guarde position, fighting for the elusive calm.
Why, yes, I believe I will.
Their blades clashed again.
Well, you can review it.or you can press the F12 key.or you eat Altoids. Those are your ONLY options.
Copyright Me, by Me. All rights reserved, including that one.